In DRAGON AND LIBERATOR by Timothy Zahn, Jack and Draycos have yet another adventure together. This time, Draycos's people, the K'da, a symbiotic kind of dragon, are at the mercy of Arthur Neverlin, a crime lord. In the beginning of DRAGON AND LIBERATOR, Jack, Draycos, and their burglar companion, Alison, are trying to break into a supposedly invulnerable K'da safe that contains data diamonds that may save the K'da people. Unfortunately, the safe is on a truck guarded by armed Brummgan soldiers. Alison prepares to set a trap for the vehicle in a hangar. She knocks out the guards on the truck and successfully opens the safe, but at the last minute Arthur Neverlin shows up! Alison has nowhere to go but into the safe, which just so happens to be booby-trapped with a bomb. If you want to know what happens to Alison and Jack, then read DRAGON AND LIBERATOR by Timothy Zahn.
Overall, I enjoyed DRAGON AND LIBERATOR, however, unlike many serial novels, this one is confusing if you have not read the previous five books in the Dragonback series. It is definitely one of the best Sci-Fi novel series in the genre, but Zahn could have done a better job of informing new readers of what is happening in the plot by providing context and background from the previous novels. If you liked the other Dragonback novels, then you will enjoy DRAGON AND LIBERATOR. If you enjoy Science Fiction novels you'll probably enjoy this one as well, but if you haven't yet read the others in this series, I strongly recommend starting from book 1 and reading the novels in order. It's worth it because you'll have a better understanding of the story line, and you'll enjoy each novel individually and the series as a whole much more that way.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Saugerties, New York USA
Monday, August 04, 2008
Sovay by Celia Rees
The lovely Sovay is not all that she appears to be. When she was betrayed by her sweetheart, she arranged for a test in order to determine his fidelity. He failed. Unfortunately, he was the son of the powerful Sir Royston, who had some powerful connections. When her family is threatened, Sovay takes matters into her own hands. She does quite a few astonishing things, such as disguising herself as a man, befriending a highwayman, and traveling to Paris during some rather shaky times, which became necessary because of the enemy that she made in Dysart, a very powerful man. She actually made his house collapse. Sovay must work to keep her life and others.
This book was rather well written, though I did wonder what happened to Sovays father and Captain Greenwood, the highwayman, at the end. Other than that, all loose ends were nicely tied off. There was a lot of detail, but not too much. The characters seemed realistic; their choices were not mysteries. Also, the story was well written, and there was quite a bit of action. I would recommend this book to those that enjoy historical fiction, adventure, and some romance. Sovay is a very entertaining read.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Charleston, SC USA
This book was rather well written, though I did wonder what happened to Sovays father and Captain Greenwood, the highwayman, at the end. Other than that, all loose ends were nicely tied off. There was a lot of detail, but not too much. The characters seemed realistic; their choices were not mysteries. Also, the story was well written, and there was quite a bit of action. I would recommend this book to those that enjoy historical fiction, adventure, and some romance. Sovay is a very entertaining read.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Charleston, SC USA
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.
Then one night, their world was changed. A serious
accident
causes the girls to be taken by their respective fathers.
Will the bond of sisterhood be strong enough to survive
through 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 - which is what this book
teaches.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and
Country: Pottstown, PA United States
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.
Then one night, their world was changed. A serious
accident
causes the girls to be taken by their respective fathers.
Will the bond of sisterhood be strong enough to survive
through 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 - which is what this book
teaches.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and
Country: Pottstown, PA United States
Saturday, August 02, 2008
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
In the country of Panem, one can be killed simply for existing. In fact, ever since the rebellion that almost wiped out the country's government, being born may be a death sentence, at least for children between the ages of twelve and eighteen. It is these children, after all, who risk the most brutal execution imaginable in the form of participation in the Hunger Games, an annual competition in which a randomly selected few are pitted against each other in a brutal fight to the death.
Unfortunately for Katniss Everdeen, she is one of these unlucky few. As if life wasn't already hard enough for her, she suddenly finds herself with the whole world working towards her death. Sure, she's smart and good with a bow-- but is that enough to help her survive amongst trained killers and a bloodthirsty audience?
This is quite possibly one of the best new books of 2008. Not only is it impossible to put down, it's also impossible to stop thinking about-- but with a plot like this one, that's a given. This is one book that doesn't rely entirely on plot, however. Collins amazes with brilliant choices in writing style and character, electing to use the ceaseless excitement and suspense of present tense and expertly steering her characters away from the cliches that would be so easy to fall into. There's never a dull moment, and the large print makes this a quick and satisfying read, a perfect addition to the genre of dystopian fiction.
Many violent deaths, some described in detail
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: , Maryland United States
Unfortunately for Katniss Everdeen, she is one of these unlucky few. As if life wasn't already hard enough for her, she suddenly finds herself with the whole world working towards her death. Sure, she's smart and good with a bow-- but is that enough to help her survive amongst trained killers and a bloodthirsty audience?
This is quite possibly one of the best new books of 2008. Not only is it impossible to put down, it's also impossible to stop thinking about-- but with a plot like this one, that's a given. This is one book that doesn't rely entirely on plot, however. Collins amazes with brilliant choices in writing style and character, electing to use the ceaseless excitement and suspense of present tense and expertly steering her characters away from the cliches that would be so easy to fall into. There's never a dull moment, and the large print makes this a quick and satisfying read, a perfect addition to the genre of dystopian fiction.
Many violent deaths, some described in detail
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: , Maryland United States
Score! Sports Stories by Alan Durant
Score! Sports Stories by Alan Durant is a collection of different short stories about sports. The book includes extracts of other books and complete short stories. Each story in the book is unique and they're all about different kinds of sports. There are stories on soccer to stories on horseracing to stories on cricket. This book is great for anyone who enjoys playing or watching sports.
Being passionate about sports myself, I really enjoyed this book. It does a great job of accurately portraying the energy in a sports match. Each story had a different writing style, as they were all written by different authors. Although the book was pretty good, some of the stories were confusing and didn't seem very clear. Others were not very captivating and didn't really hold my attention until the end. Overall, Score! was an interesting book and is perfect for sports fans.
Rating:7
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Champaign , Illinois USA
As Good as Anybody: Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham
As Good as Anybody: Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom by Richard Michelson and illustrated by Raul Colon is about the early life and beliefs of King and Heschel. King grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and encountered racism everyday. Herschel
encountered anti-Semitism as a student in Berlin and Warsaw. He moved to the United States before the Holocaust. Both King and Herschel fought tirelessly against prejudice. Herschel joined King's march in Selma, Alabama. The two became close friends.
encountered anti-Semitism as a student in Berlin and Warsaw. He moved to the United States before the Holocaust. Both King and Herschel fought tirelessly against prejudice. Herschel joined King's march in Selma, Alabama. The two became close friends.
I give As Good as Anybody: Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom a rating of 7. Richard Michelson's book is a good introduction to the Black Civil Rights Movement and the Holocaust. I enjoyed how the author parallels the lives of King and Herschel. Perhaps because I am older, I was not the best judge of this book, but I always find it interesting to see what facts authors include and what facts they omit. For example, the author never mentions the Holocaust by name. The illustrator, Raul Colon, does a wonderful job with the pictures. They are very realistic. I would recommend this book for early elementary school students
Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Urbana, Illinois, USA
Friday, August 01, 2008
Over A Thousand Hills I Walk With You by Hanna Jansen
Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You is the true story of Jeanne, a young girl growing up in Rwanda. At the start of the book, she lives a normal, happy life in Rwanda with her family. Until one fateful day, on April 7, 1994, the Rwandan genocide begins. Jeanne and her family are Tutsi, the group of people that are being prosecuted. Suddenly, Jeanne and her family must fight for their lives. The genocide lasts for only a hundred days, but those days decide the fate for Jeanne and her family.
At the end of the book there is a historical timeline of dates and events to put Jeanne's story in context.
At the end of the book there is a historical timeline of dates and events to put Jeanne's story in context.
I would recommend this book to any person, particularly young adults. It is not a light subject matter, but the book does not have graphic descriptions and is approachable for all people. The book is unforgettable and deeply moving. It is a story of courage, love, and survival, and a story of death, destruction, and anger. But, most importantly, the book gives hope for the future. The translation was very smooth and I enjoyed the writing style.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Urbana, Illinois USA
Rating: 9
Content Rating: 0
A Likely Story by David Van Etten
Mallory is born, bred and has grown up on the sets of soap operas. Her mother is the star of long running soap, Good as Gold. For Mallorys 17 years she has stuck by her mom. Mallorys mom leads the drama queen life on and of the set of the soap opera. And without knowing it, Mallory does too. At school she has one best friend, Amelia, in whom she confides everything and does nothing without. Mallory has an on/off boyfriend; only he is in a troubled relationship that he cant get out of. Drama. Drama. Drama. As if that wasnt enough, when Mallory blogs about her life on the internet, she is picked up by a television company, as a scrip writer. The thing is that it is the same company that her mother works for and subsequently all hell breaks loose. Her mother no longer talks to her and writing a show for the soap opera audience proves harder than she thought. Everyone knows that when one part of your life starts going right, another falls to the ground!
This was one of those books that you finish and think
"Oh is that it." For a story that could have been so big I don't think this book climaxed to much. It was set in and around Mallory's home, school and her new workplace; the soap opera sets. Mallory is defiantly the sort of character that one could relate to if she were not so mallow dramatic, everything is always a problem and nothing is ever going right. But the author does write all her feelings with great description, so you can get a good insight into her world. I also thought he wrote the relationships involving Mallory very well. The idea of this book caught me, painful mother, exciting job opportunity, strange school life and there is no doubt that this all happened but it was all a little less stimulating than expected. Likely Story was obviously in the genre of teenage but compared to other books, I believe there is a lot better out there.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Melbourne, Victoria Australia
This was one of those books that you finish and think
"Oh is that it." For a story that could have been so big I don't think this book climaxed to much. It was set in and around Mallory's home, school and her new workplace; the soap opera sets. Mallory is defiantly the sort of character that one could relate to if she were not so mallow dramatic, everything is always a problem and nothing is ever going right. But the author does write all her feelings with great description, so you can get a good insight into her world. I also thought he wrote the relationships involving Mallory very well. The idea of this book caught me, painful mother, exciting job opportunity, strange school life and there is no doubt that this all happened but it was all a little less stimulating than expected. Likely Story was obviously in the genre of teenage but compared to other books, I believe there is a lot better out there.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Melbourne, Victoria Australia
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
We have Phoebe, an average high school Goth, her best friend Margi who is just like her, Adam her other best friend who is a star football player, and Tommy the “living impaired”. The story takes place at a high school where some strange happening is occurring and where a teenager comes back to life after dying. They are known as "zombies", "living impaired", and "biotically different". Some characters in this book support the "zombies", some deal with them, and some can't stand them. Some of them live regular lives; they eat, walk, talk, go to school, and some are a little slow. The main topic in the story is the love triangle between Phoebe, Adam, and Tommy. However there are many other characters such as Margi, Pete, Karen, and Colette that play a major role.
Generation Dead starts out as an “ok” book that somewhat keeps your interest. It definitely is not your regular novel! Throughout this book it gets a little dull but I got my interest back by the last few chapters and the ending was phenomenal! About the last 150 pages I couldn't put it down! There was suspense, intense emotions, and just amazing lines that gave me chills! Some parts were a little confusing but it was just because the plot was so different. This was Daniel Waters’s first book and there may be some spots where it could have been better, but overall it was good. Walters has a way of writing in a way that connects to teenagers. I hope there is a sequel to this book because it definitely leaves you wondering what is going to happen next. Be sure to pick this up for a summer read!
This book contains some adult content that I think would be suitable only for readers over the age of 13. The book includes two murders and some other adult situations.
Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States
Generation Dead starts out as an “ok” book that somewhat keeps your interest. It definitely is not your regular novel! Throughout this book it gets a little dull but I got my interest back by the last few chapters and the ending was phenomenal! About the last 150 pages I couldn't put it down! There was suspense, intense emotions, and just amazing lines that gave me chills! Some parts were a little confusing but it was just because the plot was so different. This was Daniel Waters’s first book and there may be some spots where it could have been better, but overall it was good. Walters has a way of writing in a way that connects to teenagers. I hope there is a sequel to this book because it definitely leaves you wondering what is going to happen next. Be sure to pick this up for a summer read!
This book contains some adult content that I think would be suitable only for readers over the age of 13. The book includes two murders and some other adult situations.
Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States
How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier
How to Ditch Your Fairy is about a made-up country called New Avalon, where everyone has a fairy. Charlie is stuck with a dreadful parking fairy and thinks that it is utterly unfair. People are constantly barrowing er when they have to go somewhere with potentially bad parking. Why is she loaded down with her fairy instead of her friends shopping fairy, which makes sure she always find the most flattering outfits at the lowest prices? Or the self explanatory "never-get-in-trouble" fairy? Or better yet, the "every-boy-likes-you" fairy? She cant figure it out. She decides to trade fairies with Fio, her arch-nemesis who has an "every-boy-likes-you" fairy. Will it be any better??? Find out in How to Ditch Your Fairy.
I can honestly say that this book was as good or better than my favorite series Magic or Madness written by the same author. It was by far the best fantasy book that I have ever read, possibly the best book I have ever read. It had an extremely different vocabulary though; a lot of the words were author originals. Read this book only if you are okay with flipping back and forth from the story to the glossary. I am planning on recommending it to all of my friends.
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Exeter, NH USA
I can honestly say that this book was as good or better than my favorite series Magic or Madness written by the same author. It was by far the best fantasy book that I have ever read, possibly the best book I have ever read. It had an extremely different vocabulary though; a lot of the words were author originals. Read this book only if you are okay with flipping back and forth from the story to the glossary. I am planning on recommending it to all of my friends.
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Exeter, NH USA
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