Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go

When Milton Fauster goes to the mall with his juvenile delinquent sister Marlo, he doesn't expect to be tricked into shoplifting and he certainly doesn't expect to die in a tragic marshmallow accident. But perhaps the most unexpected thing is Dale E. Basye's bizarre twist on the usual concepts of heaven and hell. Once dead, Milton and Marlo enter Heck, one of the many levels of the afterlife where they are to stay for all eternity, or until they turn eighteen. In the school-like institution, the Fauster children encounter a wide variety of characters from Captain Blackbeard to Mrs. Bea Elsa Bubb, the principal of Heck. Convinced that he doesn't belong in there, Milton along with his sister and their new friend Virgil must navigate the timeless realms of the afterlife to seek a way back to their world.

This book was excellent. The humor found within this novel with its witty observations and clever word play will appeal to young adults and even to their parents. In fact, it would be hard to find someone who doesn't enjoy the nonsensical logic of Heck and the dead men and women who make up the faculty there. The combination of humor and emotion that Dale E. Basye uses to tell this tale is one that will hold you captive until the last page. The only complaint I could possibly give was that it could have been even longer. In conclusion, this amusing and touching story which is about growing up as much as it is about dying, is an excellent choice for readers both young and old.

Reviewer Age:14

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

Immortal Prince

The story takes place in the land of Glaeba where a murderer is hung but does not die. He is thrown into prison and claims to be Cayal, the Immortal Prince, of tales. Arkady Desean the duchess of Lebec, where the hanging occurred, is asked to interview the prisoner and try to break his story. With the help of a Crasii, a human/animal hybrid that is in a nearby cell, the duchess tests Cayal’s story. The duchess slowly begins to believe the story and begins to fall for Cayal at the same time. But as the long vanished Tide starts to return so does the power of the Tide Lords, the immortal magic wielding gods of stories. As the Tide Lords begin to struggle and gain more and more power, Arkady finds herself deeper in their plots than she could have ever imagined.

Jennifer Fallon, the author, makes you feel like you are in the court and ancient stories. You can see what is going on and you can not wait to find out what happens next. The book’s characters are like real people, you can see their reasoning, desires, and you either hate them or love them just as the author intended. I enjoyed how the story was told from different character’s personalities as their opinions, thoughts and memories all showed the story in a more understanding way. There were many well placed cliffhangers and many plot twists to keep me guessing what will happen next; but it was too long and I started losing my patience and reading it less and less often as it went on. I think the book would be popular if it was shortened a little bit so people slightly younger could read it. It would also help if the book was publicized, because I have not seen it anywhere except my dresser and bookcase. I would recommend this to someone who is very interested in this genre. Overall I enjoyed the book.

The book refers to sexual content which is more implied than graphic although it is held behind a very thin curtain.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Eastchester, New York United States of America

Another Mother's Life by Rowan Coleman

Catherine was in love, or so she thought. The mind-blowing weeks she spent together with Marc as a carefree, crazy in love seventeen-year-old became the essence of her being, though now the memories are all she has left. And the memories are tainted by her best friend's disloyalty.

Alison was in love, too. Alison was in love with her best friend's first and only love, Marc. And so Alison ran away with her best friend's boyfriend at the tender age of seventeen, thus irreversibly betraying her closest companion.

Now, nearly sixteen years after the incident that shaped the lives of both Catherine and Alison, their situation is about to take another turn. Alison is moving back to her home town, the very same town in which ever-heartbroken Catherine still resides. Pick up Another Mother's Life, and read a heart-wrenching story of love, friendship, and the true meaning of forgiveness.

I truly love Another Mother's Life. For one, the characters seem real and are easy to relate to. You feel the pain of Catherine's heartbreak and Alison's agonizing decisions. Not only is the story interesting, but it is fun to read. Coleman's writing style is fluid, with just the right amount of description and dialogue. If you've ever been in love, ever been a mother, or even had a friend, this book is for you!

There are some adult situations that may not be suitable for young readers.

Reviewer Age:15

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

Citizen Alpha by Patrick E. Peterson

Citizen Alpha is the exciting story of five students brought together from all corners of the world. It starts with each character, Peter Jobe, Mousa Diop, Mario Costa, Kim Suk Bae, and Larissa Svenson, being introduced separately from their separate countries. Along with them, however are five characters, Musad, Park Il Sung, Xavier Salazar, Rachael, and Abdul, also from five different countries and cultures. Peter, Mousa, Mario, Kim, and Larissa all have a strong faith and interest in science. These two disciplines are rarely mixed, but they seek to connect them. Eventually, they all end up at the University of Chicago, and are put into a group together for a project. Their objective is to bring together all disciplines of science. They all have spiritual experiences, and have a sense of unease. They take a trip to Hawaii for a vacation, where they all have the same dream: five major American cities are attacked and destroyed. On the other side of the world, Musad, Park, Salazar, and Abdul come together with one goal: the downfall of the United States. Rachael ends up falling in love with Abdul, who uses her connections with America to further the group’s acquisition of nuclear weaponry. Will the students' group be able to interpret their dream and stop the terrorists, or will America finally succumb to attack? Read "Citizen Alpha" to find out.

"Citizen Alpha," by Patrick E. Peterson, is a fantastic read. The introduction of the characters is done perfectly, along with their coming together. They are all realistic, believable characters, and their ideas and spiritual experiences, while somewhat far-fetched, are well-thought and believable. While reading it, the story almost seems real. It's a fiction book that tricks you into thinking it's non-fiction. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Content: 1
Rating: 10

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA United States

Titanic's Last Secret

Join John Chatterton and Richie Kohler of Nova's Shadow Divers as they explore the depths of the ocean in search of one of the world's greatest mysteries: the Titanic. When John and Richie discover the resting place of Titanic, both decide to unravel the mystery of how the Titanic went down in the first place. The book tells the story as if you were watching a documentary of the Titanic. Towards the end of the novel, Chatterton and Kohler finally unravel the mystery of how and why the Titanic sank. Filled to the brim with scientific facts and mystery, this book will keep you reading until the end!

The beginning and middle were a little hard to get into because of all the facts that the author had to explain. Also, the beginning was used to explain why Chatterton and Kohler did the experiment. The greatest part of the book, in my opinion, was at the end when all the pieces of the mystery finally fit together. I also liked how the author compared the Titanic to Britannic, the sister ship of the Titanic. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in marine biology or ship building.

Reviewer Age:15

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

Say You're One of Them is a collection of short stories by Uwem Akpan. In the first story, "An Ex-mas Feast," a poverty-striken family living on the streets of Nairobi, Kenya struggle to overcome hunger. In "Fattening for Gabon," two siblings living in Benin with their uncle are suddenly blessed with a small fortune by their godparents. But things take a turn for the worse when they realize that they are thick in the middle of a plot to be sold into slavery. "What Language is That?" is about two friends who are torn apart by thier religious differences and must learn to cope in an Ethiopia where civil war is a rising threat. In the next story, "Luxurious Hearses," sixteen-year-old Jubril is a Muslim refugee who must flee from Northern Nigeria to the South because of a religious civil war which has begun to tear apart his country. To accomplish this he must attempt to conceal his identity as he embarks on a treacherous trip on a bus filled with Muslim hating Christians. The last story, "My Parents Bedroom," is about a family in Rwanda who risks everything they have to save the victims of a terrible civil war.

Say You're one of Them was one of the most difficult books I have ever read. The author did an incredible job of revealing the lives of children in Africa -- the unimaginable pain and suffering and how hope can prevail in even the very worst of situations. The way he used points of view was very unique and helped give a peek into each person's world. In "What Language is That?, he used second person. I had never read a story in that point of view before and it really made me feel like I was part of the story. I enjoyed the book, but each story had a sad ending and though they inspired me, I walked away feeling kind of depressed. It helped me to realize that even though life isn't perfect, I still have it a lot better than most people. I would reccomend this book only to mature teenagers and older because some of the parts are rather graphic.

Some strong language and mature subjects, such as rape. Also contained some gore.
Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, Pennsylvania USA

Prom Queen Geeks, by Laura Preble

The Queen Geek Social Club strikes again in Preble's third installment. This time, the club is tackling prom season, after having aptly noticed that prom is only attended by those popular kids who can afford the outrageous ticket cost. So of course, the perfect solution is to hold their own prom, a low-cost Geek Prom. Unfortunately, their independent thinking poses a threat to the popular clique, especially as the Geek Prom begins to show signs of success and is expanding. This simple enough idea turns Green Pines High into territory for war and all the drama that goes with it.
While I was a huge fan of Laura Preble's first Queen Geeks novel, I must say that I found it challenging to get into this one. Though equal in length to the first two installments, the story becomes repetitive early on and loses the reader's attention. Also, the extreme expansion of the prom by Shelby and crew seems unrealistic, as if they plan on taking over the universe rather than holding a simple high school dance. This being said, Shelby's voice is as entertaining as ever, leading the reader to share in the life of a geek, even when it means feeling downright uncomfortable. While the end of Prom Queen Geeks resolves the prom tension, the girl fights, and the boy drama, Preble leaves the Queen Geeks open to yet another installment. Hopefully the next time we encounter Shelby, Becca, and friends, their story will have returned to reality, with each character remaining as quirky as ever.

Reviewer Age:19

Reviewer City, State and Country: Farmington, CT USA

The Secret Life of Josephine: Napoleon's Bird of Paradise by Carolly Erickson

In the book The Secret Life of Josephine, Rose Tascher, a 15 year old girl growing up on the French island of Martinique, spends all her days going to balls and hanging out lazily on the beach. Then, her aunt sends her family a letter one day saying she must travel to France to marry her cold, heartless cousin, Alexandre. He drives her crazy with his mistresses and controlling attitude toward her, so she seeks a separation. Living her life single once more brings joy to her. When a short military man by the name of Napoleon sweeps her off her feet she cannot help but think of moving up the social ladder. With her social climb comes a promotion for Napoleon. He becomes power hungry and tries taking control of the rest of the world. But what can Rose do? Save her world or help the man she loves?

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was very entertaining and fun to read. At points, I couldn't put it down because I just had to know what happened next. Also, the scenes were described to where I felt like I was in the rooms dancing with the characters. I think that many others will enjoy this book. I thought Carolly Erickson did a really good job with this book and I feel that it will be the next Harry Potter or Twilight.

Sexual Content and Foul language

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Minooka, Ill United States

See How They Run by Susan E. Goodman & Elwood H. Smith

See How They Run is a nonfiction book about how today's United States government came to be. This book is especially interesting because of this year's presidential election. It explains the electoral and popular votes that came into play in the 2004 election. Al Gore got more popular votes but George Bush became president. Accompanied by hilarious pictures such as talking presidents on Mount Rushmore, and informative side bars like "What would Ben say?" you won't want to put this book down.

See How They Run was an incredible book! It was the perfect way to learn about confusing government processes. Susan E. Goodman's writing was the perfect mix of humor and information. Elwood H. Smith s hysterical pictures had me turning pages to see what the funny cartoon characters would say next! From lame ducks to dirty tricks, this book gets my vote!

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewer City, State and Country: Harleysville, PA USA

Fashion 101

Have you ever wondered who invented the style of jeans you're wearing? Or who came up with the style of your favorite shirt? This book is a reference book and it gives you a complete look at clothing items in order from A to Z. There are over 200 different entries each containing the item, what to wear it with, what celebrities made it hot, and the designer of it. This book is meant for someone who wants to look up an accessory quickly and learn how to rock it! This book contains everything from shoes, pants, shorts, outerwear, underwear, dresses, and skirts to accessories. For someone looking to better their fashion knowledge this book is for them!
This book is one that I probably would not recommend unless you are someone who is totally into fashion. It had some interesting facts in it but it was nothing that I would want to go and purchase. It's not really something to sit down and read, but more something if you wanted to learn what to wear a black dress with and what accessories would match. This reference book had some nice pictures and a good easy layout to look up things, but I think it had too many side notes and paragraphs about the each item. Overall this book might be one to look in once or twice and that's about it.

Rating: 7
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania