The Summer Palace by Lawrence Watt-Evans

Sword has abandoned all magic. He is on the run from the Wizard Lord and has fled to the Uplands. The Wizard Lord - now a Dark Lord, although the people of Barokan can't see it, has made Sword a wanted man. This Lord has won over the people's trust, but is really deceiving them; he has already killed many of the wizards on the Council of Immortals and most of the Chosen to protect his power and position. Sword must befriend a tribe of Uplanders and learn their ways so he can survive until the winter. Then he will travel to the Summer Palace to fufill his duty to kill the Dark Lord. No one has ever survived an Upland winter. Will he survive to carry out his task?

I read this book without having read the first two books in the series, but I was able to infer much of what I needed; it's great as a stand-alone book. I was amazed, there wasn't much action at all, but the author kept it interesting. Sword's dedication was really astounding, but it also made his character seem to have a one-track mind. There was such detail in the wording that I felt like I could draw the rooms that the author was describing, and that I was really there. Many problems were resolved toward the end, but there are still many loose ends. Another book in the series must be planned! Overall, it was a really good read. I can imagine that it brings a lot of closure to the series, and I look forward to re-reading it after I've read the preceding books.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Shoreview, Minnesota United States

Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst

Set in prehistoric times, Promise of the Wolves begins with the birth of Kaala Smallteeth to the Swift River wolf pack in a land called the Wide Valley. She is born of Outsider blood, and bears a strange mark on her chest, circumstances, legends say, which point to the wolf that will save or destroy all of wolf-kind. Ruuqo, the leader of the Swift River pack, does not want to take any chances, and is determined to keep Kaala from officially becoming a member of the pack. Though Ruuqo tries to make it hard for Kaala to succeed as she goes through the pack's rights of passage, she has her friends zzuen, Marra, and the raven Tlitoo to help and support her. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she saves a human girl from drowning in a river. She is powerfully drawn to the girl, but legend says that wolves promise their gods, the Ancients, to have no contact with humans. If they break that promise, the Ancients will lay ruin to their packs. Nevertheless, Kaala continues see the girl TaLi, and by bonding to her she comes to realize that humans and wolves are meant to be together. As she questions the legends and pack knowledge, Kaala must decided what is more important to her, gaining the acceptance of Ruuqo and becoming part of the Swift River pack, or finding a way for humans and wolves to coexist. Promise of the Wolves combines scientific research and fantasy to tell the story of dog's origins, and the beginning of human civilization though the eyes of a wolf.

I have long been a fan of wolves and the animal-fantasy genre, so I expected that reading Promise of the Wolves would be nothing out of the ordinary. I expected another Watership Down, or Julie of the Wolves, but instead I was surprised to find myself reading a new and unique take on the genre. The story is slow, and even dull, for the first several chapters, but by the end, I found myself hooked, wrapped up in an intricate web of legends, politics, relationships, lies, war, and fate. I found myself enjoying the book, but not for the reasons I thought I would have. Instead of liking the book simply for the fact that it was told through the eyes of a young wolf, I enjoyed reading the book because the author was able to deftly weave science into the story's fantastical elements, in addition to supplying enjoyable characters, and an intriguing plot. Promise of the Wolves is based on the theory of the co-evolution of wolves and humans, the idea that humans learned to hunt and form tribes by following the wolves' example. The trilogy, of which this book is the first installment, is a creative explanation of wolves' domestication and the first dog, and while it is grounded in science, the story takes off on its own as a fascinating tale from prehistoric times where wolves were man's equal. The last chapter leaves many questions unanswered and plot threads to tie up, making me impatient to read the next book. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in wolves, or to anyone who is exploring the animal-fantasy genre.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Concord, MA USA

Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi

Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi is about Zoe Boutin-Perry, a girl living on the colony Huckleberry. Zoe is adopted by John and Jane Perry after her father, Charles Boutin, passes away. She has two bodyguards, Hickory and Dickory, members of the Obin race, to whom she is something of an Queen. They learn how to live by watching her live. One day, Zoe's parents are asked to lead a new colony on the planet Roanoke. The whole family goes. Many people from ten different colonies help to settle Roanoke. However, when they get there, they find out that they are being hunted by the Conclave, a group of alien races that work together to settle the universe. In order to avoid detection, they have to give up all technology. After a year on Roanoke, during which the colonists start from scratch to build themselves a life, they are contacted by the Colonial Union. They discovered that Roanoke is a trap for the Conclave, and that now that the trap is ready, they can use technology again. By using it, however, the Conclave is drawn to them. Will the Colonial Union trap work, or will the Conclave destroy Roanoke? If it does work, how will the Conclave respond? Read Zoe's Tale to find out.

Zoe's Tale is a terrific book. I really connected with the characters, who are so lifelike, they could be real. The author's sense of humor really shows through his characters, and it brings the story to life. I recommend this book to anyone who likes Science Fiction novels. Zoe's Tale receives a ten out of ten.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA United States

Rating: 10

Content Rating: 2

Little Vampire by Joann Sfar

Little Vampire is a book in three parts. In Part One, Little Vampire Goes to School, Little Vampire is sad because he is an only child, and therefore very lonely. So, he decides to go to school. He soon comes in contact with a human boy, Michael, who Little Vampire becomes fast friends with. In the next story, Little Vampire Does Kung-Fu, Michael is bullied at school and decides to take up Kung-Fu to defend himself. So Little Vampire and Michael travel very far until they find Rabbi Solomon, a famous Kung-Fu master. In the last part, Little Vampire and the Canine Defenders Club, Little Vampire and Michael discover a laboratory that does testing on dogs. They soon go after the scientists to free the dogs. Will the dogs be freed or will the evil scientists have a new vampire test subject?

Joann Sfar's children's book Little Vampire is a wonderful read. It was very smooth, and everything was wrapped up nicely in the end. It is far better than the Little Witch series by Deborah Hautzig, about the same sort of things. Little Vampire is a very lovable chracter who has some very mature opinions about life and morals. He dealt with the evil scientists in a nonviolent way, and in the other stories the same kind of unpredictable yet sensible things happened. I would recommend this book to others because of the characters and the different happenings.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Colleyville, Texas USA

Camp Creepy Time by Gina & Dann Gershon

Einstein P. Fleet is a normal teenage boy who is being forced by his parents to spend his summer in summer camp. Einstein's parents think they are sending him to a luxury camp for eight weeks, but instead of luxury they're sending him to a run-down, abandoned, haunted summer camp in the middle of the desert. While the campers are being turned into mummies, vampires, and werewolves by their evil alien counselors. Einstein will try to save the day with help by his alien friend Roxy.

I think Camp Creepy Time is an amazing book, and I guarantee anyone that reads this book will love it. Everything about the book was great. The biggest strength was the author's use of imagery. The book painted a vivid picture in my mind, which made it easier to follow and also made it seem as if I were inside the book. I couldn't find any weaknesses in this book because I loved everything about it. I think the authors did a great job writing Camp Creepy Time and I am looking forward to reading any future books they will write.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon United States

Outside Beauty by Cynthia Kadohata

Shelby's mother is an addict, addicted to men, that is. Every night, another man is at their house, forcing Shelby and her three other sisters, Marilyn, Lakey, and Maddie, to take care of themselves. Though the sisters are extremely unique, the bond between them couldn't be stronger. Than one night, their world changed. A serious accident caused the girls to be taken by their respective fathers. Will the bond of sisterhood be strong enough to survive this adversity?

Overall, I liked this book. The strong bond of sisterhood was clearly portrayed throughout the novel. The characters, though related, were as different as anything. From Marilyn, the prettiest and most motherly of the sisters, to Shelby, the different and quiet sister, the characters create a sense of unity and family. From the hardships, such as Maddie's controlling father and the distance between the sisters, it is nice to know that family can overcome anything. That's what this book teaches.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Pottstown, PA United States

Tigerheart by Peter David

"I believe," says Paul Dear, a young and clever boy. His father tells him tall tales and stories, while his mother fills them with common sense. At night, a young boy appears in his mirror and makes him believe in the Anyplace even more. His mother comes home with a darling little baby girl that is his new sister. When she loses the baby she becomes extremely irritable and does not accept any sort of "I believe" from anyone. Paul Dear travels with a pixie to the Anyplace where he is trying to find a new baby for his mother. Along the way he deals with a deadly pirate's shadow, huge tidal waves, friendship with a tiger, and growing up. Can Paul find a baby to make his mother happy? Can he survive the sometimes nasty Anyplace?

Peter David did a great job remaking Peter Pan . Tigerheart is more about Paul than Peter, however. I really liked the unique differences between the original and this new version because it made me think about growing up in a different way. One thing that I liked sometimes while not at other times was that Peter David talked to you as a reader. I liked it when what he was saying was closely relevant to the story or humorous. Other times he was only saying about how he WASN'T going to tell the reader anything special and took up an entire page. Something else that was a little disappointing was that the actual title of the book wasn't important until more than halfway through, and even then it wasn't as special as it should have been. The vocabulary was appropriate for a young adult level, although the story could actually be fit for anyone to read. I recommend this to anyone who loved Peter Pan and to anyone that loves fairy tales no matter what their age.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 1 4
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

Sweet Valley High: Double Love by Francine Pascal

The book is about twin sisters, Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield, who end up liking the same guy, Todd Wilkins, wide receiver/basketball captain. Jessica is the cheerleading captain and always gets what she wants, especially the boys. Elizabeth is more of a schoolgirl; she writes the insider for the Oracle and does other extra activities for school. She is used to letting her sister get what she wants but when it comes to Todd Wilkins, she is not willing to give him up easily. Jessica deceives her sister, going behind back so Elizabeth will not know that Todd likes her. She gives Todd the impression that Elizabeth has all kinds of boys lined up to date her, to get Todd to like her, Jessica, instead. Jessica almost ruins Elizabeth's reputation, her relationship with Todd, and their sisterhood. Read the book to find out all the conniving things Jessica does to get Todd Wilkins and prevent her sister from taking him.
Gossip! Love! Lies! Rumors! Conniving behind peoples back to get what you want! Backstabbing! Drama! Revenge! Anything you like to read? Great book to add to your summer reading list!

This book was an interesting page-turner. I could not put it down. Some parts of the book were funny and very moving! I felt like I was part of the book and could imagine what was going on throughout the storyline. The storyline was like any basic teenage girl's life, friends or siblings liking the same person and struggling with everyday high school drama. The ending was GREAT and was the prefect way the author could have ended it! This is my favorite book I've read so far and can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Cumming, Georgia United States

Through Time: Beijing by Richard Platt

A group gathers around the campfire. Their clothes are made from animal skins sewn with bone needles. They cook their latest catch - a deer. This is China in 16,000 BC. Fast forward 15,650 years, and there is now a thriving town. This town is called Ji, and sits at the future site of Beijing. In 1215 AD, Genghis Khan and the Mongols conquered China, and named the new capital Dadu. The Mongols were overthrown in 1368 by the Ming Dynasty. The Ming built the Forbidden City and built most of the Great Wall that we see today. Beijing ("Northern Capital") was born. Life in the Forbidden City and nearby Beijing thrived until corruption and neglection by the emperors made the empire weak to foreign attacks. In 1644, the Manchurian people entered the Forbidden City and named their new dynasty Qin. In the 19th century, China was involved in the Opium Wars with Great Britain. During this period, the British looted and burned many temples and buildings. Pu Yi was the last emperor, and was put out of power in 1911. Since then, China changed drastically. In 2008, Beijing, a city with a rich history, will host the Summer Olympics.

This book gives a basic overview of the history of Beijing. Not much specific details are given about the history of China as a whole. There is a timeline on the history of Beijing, which summarizes what the book states. As a 9th grader, I have already been taught about the history of China. Therefore, when I read this book, it feels like a memory-refresher. At times, I feel like the author skipped some information, such as the events that occurred between 350 BCE and 1179 AD. During this time, Qin Shi Huang became the first emperor of China. Therefore, I believe the age level for this book is appropriate. Every page is filled with drawings. Although there are no actual photographs, the artwork provides a great visual imagery. On each page, there are dozens of notes describing what is going on in the pictures. Overall, this is a great starter book for someone who wants to learn about the history of Beijing!

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Palo Alto, CA USA

The Science Fiction Hall of Fame by Ben Bova

The Science Fiction Hall Of Fame: Volume Two B, edited by Ben Bova, contains eleven science fiction novellas written between 1928 and 1961. These stories were written before the Nebula Award was created for best science fiction novella of the year. The stories are listed with a quick summary of the plot in one or two sentences.

The Martian Way, by Isaac Asimov - the government of Earth limits the shipment of water to the people of Mars and they have to find an alternative water source.

Earthman, Come Home, by James Blish - is about earth people who wander from planet to planet and find a planet that is occupied by other earth people who have a harsh and cruel slavery system. Will the newcomers ever make the planet their own?

Rogue Moon, by Algis Budrys - a project to place an astronaut on the dark side of the moon either kills them or drives them insane. Dr. Edward Hawks needs someone who is not afraid of death, but what will that person's personality be like?

The Spectre General, by Theodore Cogwell - is about what happens when the remnants of two empires meet.

The Machine Stops, by E.M. Foster - answers the question of what would happen if humans were controlled by a machine and that machine stopped.

The Midas Plague, by Frederik Pohl - is about a society where poor people must be constant consumers. Can Morey break the vicious cycle of the people being forced to consume everything?

The Witches of Karres, by James H. Schmitz - Captain Pausert of the Republic of Nikkeldepain tries to return three witches from the planet Karres to their home with mysterious consequence.

E for Effort, by T.L. Sherred - Two men, Edward Lefko and Miguel Jose Zapata Laviada use a machine that records all of history in order to make movies. What happens when they use to the machine to end war forever? This question is answered in E for Effort.

In Hiding, by Wilmar H. Shiras - answers the question of what it would be like to be a genius in a world of regular people.

The Big Backyard, by Clifford D. Simak - Hiram Taine is a regular handyman and antique dealer in Willow Bend in the United States. One night, he discovers that his house is being used by aliens as a connection between the Earth and a distant planet. Find out what happens in the Big Backyard.

The Moon Moth, by Jack Vance - Ser Edwer Thissell has to search for a murderous imposter on a planet where everyone wears a mask.

The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume Two B, edited by Ben Bova, deserves a rating of 9. I have not read a lot of Science Fiction novellas, but these were well written, thoughtful, and entertaining. If you enjoy Science Fiction, you will definitely enjoy this book. I especially enjoyed The Witches of Karres by James H. Schmitz and E for Effort by T.L. Sherred. I enjoyed The Witches of Karres because it was entertaining and fun. I found E for Effort very interesting because it is thoughtful about the character of human nature. Reading this collection has inspired me to read other books by these Science Fiction authors, such as I, Robot by Isaac Asimov who wrote the story The Martian Way. The Science Fiction Writers of America chose well when they compiled these novellas into this book.

Reviewer Age:18

Reviewer City, State and Country: Urbana, Illinois United States of America