Visibility by Sarah Neufeld

Visibility by Sarah Neufeld tells the story of a girl struggling to understand herself and the people around her. One thing separates her from sharing this situation with her peers: on her eighteenth birthday, Natalie discovers that that she has a superpower of sorts - she can turn invisible. With her bodyguard sitting in for her absent father and her mother, Jadyn, acting invisible in more ways than one, it's no surprise that Natalie is unsure of how to deal with her new ability. After spending years in the infamous Jadyn Irving's shadow, Natalie strives to keep her talent hidden, but this proves to be more of a challenge than she expects. Caught up in a world of blackmail, deception, and absent family, Natalie must learn how to use this ability to discover truth, without endangering her own life and the lives of those around her.

As an illustrated novel, Sarah Neufeld's Visibility falls in between graphic novels and common novels. Less intimidating than a graphic novel, it has the potential to introduce otherwise cautious readers to the genre. As someone who is always trying to convince her friends to try out a graphic novel, I am thankful to find a book I know they won't regret reading. Furthermore, Meister's illustrations are extraordinary, adding to the vividness of the plot without distracting from the text.

Neufeld skillfully merges the power of invisibility into her work of fiction so that Visibility remains accessible to readers of all genres, not just fantasy. Told from Natalie's perspective, the reader feels her panic at being caught by her bodyguard after sneaking out and even experiences invisibility with her. While Visibility won't take long to read thanks to the fast-paced plot and frequent illustrations, it will leave the reader with a first-rate impression of illustrated novels that will linger for days to come.

Reviewer Age:19

Reviewer City, State and Country: Farmington, CT USA

Kamichama Karin Chu

Karin Hanazono is your normal girl until she receives a ring that can turn her into a goddess. A young boy named Suzune comes from the future asking for her help. Karin and the boy she is in love with, Kazune, must find the three noble gods to help Suzune. Although a mysterious girl tries to interfer with Karin finding the last god, they still pull through. Unfortunately, Kazune and Karin's friend, Himeka, are departing for England leaving Karin behind. Now, Karin has to wait for Kazune's return while having to take care of Suzune.

In Kamichama Karin Chu the main characters sometimes seemed a bit over-dramatic, but overall, despite the odd situation, the reader could relate to them. Kamichama Karin Chu is the sequel to Kamichama Karin, so without reading the first book in the series, this book could become a bit confusing. The characters all had wonderful designs, and provided a contrast to each other with their distinct personalities. Not everything is entirely explained, but that is to be expected, as more secrets will be revealed in the next volume. The majority of this book maintains a cheerful tone with quite a bit of comedy. Kamichama Karin Chu is a comic book from Japan, so anyone who hasn't read one before will find it an interesting experience. Anyone who likes magic and romance would enjoy this book.

Suggestive themes

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Colleyville, Texas United States

The Truth by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein

Every girl knows it can be tough to communicate with Mom, especially during adolescence. The times when a girl needs motherly advise the very most are often the times that communication seems impossible! Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein's book, The Truth: I'm a girl, I'm smart and I know everything, tackles the delicate issues behind mother-daughter relations. This simple narrative is written as a young girl's diary, and is followed by a set of questions that inspire reflection on the book. In her introduction, Dr. Holstein expresses her wish for mothers and daughters to read the book together. As a psychologist, the intention of her book is to help mothers and girls recognize that what we know growing up is just as important as what we learn later in life. This straightforward story can do just that.

This book is not for everyone. Younger girls, ages 9 to 11, will enjoy The Truth for its relevance to their lives, though more mature readers would most likely tire of the juvenile writing style. Each journal entry is very brief and to the point, and there is very little characterization or detail. Though I would not recommend this book somebody looking for a good read, I think it could be a fundamental method of obtaining that communication with Mom that every girl desires.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Tipp City, OH USA

Rating: 6

Content Rating: 1

Hunter's Heart by Julia Green

Death changes everything. At least that's how it is for Simon when his dad dies. His pain drives him farther and farther away from his mother and sister. Eventually they can't even recognize who he is anymore. To his mother's dismay, he takes up the extreme hobby of hunting, using slingshots and air rifles. Although she tries to change him, it never works. Then Leah comes along. As Simon grows closer to Leah, his mother begins to see Simon's art teacher, Matt. With Leah's help, Simon begins to grow and change into the person his mom tried to make him before. Although the process is slow, he begins to feel almost normal with his family again, like when his dad was around. Simon develops feelings for Leah, but she doesn't feel the same way; she falls in love with Matt instead. She begins to work for him which makes Simon angry. He follows her to Matt's house one day. The whole time, his anger builds up until he commits the ultimate extreme. That day changes everything for Simon. He realizes the mistake that he has made and finally begins to change, but is it too late for Leah and Matt?

I had high hopes for Hunter's Heart, but it fell short of what I was expecting. The book isn't something to read straight through, but to read in small doses. The author, Julia Green, uses such strong emotion that it becomes overwhelming. Although it is powerful, it gets monotonous very quickly. Every single day Simon is angry and in pain. At first his pain is realistic, but as the book progresses it gets to be overdone. Instead of giving the reader his emotion in doses, Julia Green gives it to you very vividly at the beginning. Since his feelings don't change drastically through the course of the book, it gets to be overdone. The changes that he goes through are extremely gradual that it makes you lose interest. I felt that the author left the book open enough that she could have taken it in many directions. Throughout Hunter's Heart there was a mysterious feel to it and I think that if it had gone in that direction, it would have been more interesting for the reader. Overall, Hunter's Heart is a book about how emotions can grow out of control and drive you to the edge of what you can handle, but it falls short of being the powerful book it could have been.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Champaign , IL USA

Sucks To Be Me by Kimberly Pauley

Mina Hamilton has an important decision to make. Her parents are vampires, and she's just discovered that she has one month to decide whether or not she wants to become a vampire too. She can't tell her best friend Serena anything that's going on, and she has to attend "vampire classes" to learn about her new life. As if being a teenager and trying to get her crush at school to notice her isn't hard enough. But Mina knows she has to make the right decision, one that could change her life forever.

This book was an okay read. I was curious to see how the author, Kimberly Pauley, would fashion her vampires because vampires are a hot subject right now in literature. I wanted to see if these vampires would be completely unique or if they would follow with traditional vampire mythology and I found that it was a little bit of both. The book was corny at times, and Mina tries too hard to be funny. But she's still a good character with a interesting decision before her: to stay alive or to become one of the living "un-dead". It's nice to see someone take a tough decision in stride and add humor to a somewhat somber situation. The book was cute, but definitely not hard-hitting literature.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States

Dark Powers Collection by Bill Myers

In Bill Myers' Dark Power Collection, Rebecca and Scott Williams have recently moved with their mother to a new neighborhood, attending high school after spending years in the heart of the Brazilian wilderness. As a result, they are the outsiders at first: unwelcome and unwanted in a cliquish and petty clan of teenagers who dabble in witchcraft and shamanism. But Rebecca and Scott have something no one else in the entire school has, something that scares the living daylights, so to speak, out of the demons encircling the area: good, old Christian faith. And no evil demon can top that. When the spirits begin to get out of hand, Rebecca and Scott must use that trump card to fight the demonic invaders that have pervaded their town and school.

While the lessons Myers attempts to underscore for impressionable young Christian minds in an increasingly faithless world is admirable, they were too mired in a host of shortcomings. It was laughably prejudiced against all faiths and people not Protestant Christian. Everyone, it seems, is either evil or jumping to convert. Further, Myers' portrayal of women could spur a feminist uprising. Although at first Rebecca's fallible nature makes her seem more human, her damsel-in-distress syndrome grows tiresome after the umpteenth time she fails to adequately defend herself from outside forces. In fact, every female character is grossly flawed in some way, being either treacherous or too easily corrupted; none can compare to the valiant Scott Williams or the heroic and sturdy Ryan Riordan who lacks any sense of depth of character and whose sole purpose in the novel appears to be shepherding around Rebecca in her wheel chair or saving her from what are literally the school children from Hell.

Although the novel may appeal to those more partial to the Christian genre, I felt the entire novel read like something from a fire and brimstone sermon. It appears as if the author is only concerned with getting his message across; maintaining some semblance of believability and political correctness simply did not cross his mind. The message, by the way, is as subtle as someone hitting you over the head with a Bible, and frankly, I would have preferred a literal Bible thumping to Myers' figurative one.

Reviewer Age:17

Reviewer City, State and Country: Bellevue, Washington, USA

The Dimension Next Door by Martin H. Greenberg & Kerrie Hughes

The Dimensions Next Door is a book composed of 14 sci-fi short stories. Each story tells of a made up alternate universe or world. The stories may come off a little strange, but definitely keep you hooked. From forever-living Benjamin Franklin to 2nd and 3rd Earth, this book will fill your imagination with unique alternatives to reality. Each story is completely different so it never ceases to amaze. If you like 2001: Space Odyssey or The Twilight Zone you with definitely love this book.

This book was an amazing sci-fi collection. I believe it was made to show readers that life isn’t always what it seems. It definitely made me rethink a few ideas myself. I think all the stories were well written and extremely creative. I understood all the grammar techniques and vocabulary usage. The imagery was vivid and thought provoking. Every time I read the book I felt like I was there. I would definitely recommend this book to many people. I would like them to read about how this world could be different.

Rating:8

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Germantown, TN United States

Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Raina Lee

This book is a nonfiction book about karaoke. However, the author means karaoke for adults in bars, not basic kids' karaoke. It starts with some history. It moves on to songs and stage presence. There is even a part with interesting facts. I didn't know that there was a karaoke championship!

I was disappointed with this book. It was meant for adults, so I couldn't connect with what the author wrote. My favorite part was the section about the karaoke world championship. It was interesting to read about people who are serious about singing besides pros. Another interesting part was the vocabulary section. Who knew that there were so many words to describe karaoke?

Mentions adult topics

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Exeter, New Hampshire 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 below, 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, only to 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 story 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 305 E. Sherwin Circle

In the Forest of the Night by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Rachel is a 17 year old girl living with her Father and siblings in 1701, until she is unwillingly turned, to become a blood lusting vampire. She is forced to leave her loving family to enter a world where loneliness, murder and deceit are part of life. With this change she becomes know as Risika. After 300 hundred years, Risika is one of the most powerful vampires on the earth. She stalks the streets of New York City by night searching for prey. But she is being followed, by who, we do not know. Risika’s follower leaves little things that invoke memories of her past years as a human and her first years as a vampire. She uses these flash backs from centuries ago and experiences from her present immortal being to shape her mysterious endeavors gaining power and revenge.

In a powerfully intriguing debut, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes has created a mysterious and captivating vampiristic novel. Although I found the book slow to start, the author formed a great setting for the story, this being the eerie back streets of New York. Everything she wrote was imaginable and presented with strong emotion. In comparison to other vampire books I have read, this one is both similar and different to many others. The stereotypic vampire is upheld but the twist is that witches are vampire hunters. I found this to be a very quick and exciting read that is easily understood without much concentration. In the Forest of the Night is a worthwhile read suited to people who enjoy light yet suspenseful vampire novels.

Amelia Atwater-Rhodes wrote this book when she was 13.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Melbourne , Victoriai i Australia