Taken by Storm by Angela Morrison

Following the death of his parents, Michael Walden can't erase the image of his Father and Mother drowning while he swam to safety, narrowly escaping the hurricane that had suddenly consumed their boat. Now living with his grandmother, who is also stricken with grief, Michael battles nightmares and depression. He also is dealing with the desire to dive back into the waters that had once given him peace. Enter Leesie Hunt, a Mormon church-goer who longs to relieve Michael of the guilt that often interferes with their budding romance.

Although this novel is a love story, it mainly exists in the world of reality. The girl is not your typical love-struck teen and the guy is not so soft and perfect,which often happens in a young romance story. The conflict of Michael's loose morals and misconception of love verse Leesie's pledge of abstinence and own raging hormones make this novel one of interest. Still; it does fall into some the same traps of many other young adult novels. Namely, a few unrealistic moments, over use of modern slang and an obvious effort to keep everything within a PG13 rating.

There were some issues on Michael's side about him longing for sex and him obtaining that desire. Even Leesie loosened her morals which led to a several steamy make-out scenes. And the problems Michael dealt with after his parents died may be too mature for young readers.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Holly Springs, North Carolina United States of America

Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chatlas

When 14 year old Anke's brother and sister are abused, she just sits in the background as a witness, like furniture. Her mother can't help them in any way, because she fears her abusive husband would kill everyone. Anke's home life continues to worsen as her brother has near-broken bones and her sister is bruised, while their father cheats on their mother. Anke wants to do something but never gets the chance, because everything she seems to do is wrong. She is filled with terror; everywhere she turns a new dilemma faces her. After Anke joins the volleyball team, she suddenly finds a voice she never knew she had; just proclaiming the word “mine” changes her life. Can she save her family and friends before time runs out?

“Because I am Furniture”, by Thalia Chatlas, is a pretty good book with a unique format and full of great description. I enjoyed the poetic form because it added a little bit of reality to the book. The ongoing dilemmas make “Because I am Furniture” a definite page turner; you never know what is going to pop up next. I think it has the possibility of becoming a bestseller, because poetic-form novels have gained popularity. I also like the way Chatlas describes her characters. She makes the reader feel like he/she is experiencing the traumatic events firsthand. I recommend this book to anyone who likes realistic drama.

Mentions of rape, drinking, violent actions

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Osseo, Wisconsin, United States

You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

All Megan Berry wants to do is go to Homecoming. But that might not be possible, seeing how she's a Settler, and must be around to "settle" the Undead's affairs. Megan doesn't like being around dead people -- and after a freak accident a few years ago, she thought her powers were gone for good. But now they're back, and she must re-learn everything about putting the dead to rest. At the same time that Megan's getting a hang of the ropes, someone starts using black magic to turn the Undead into Zombies and she must figure out who it is before it's too late!

I really liked this book. It was an interesting take on zombies, and having the power to put the undead back to their eternal rest is kind of cool. I liked Megan as a character, though in the beginning she annoyed me. She really didn't want to be a Settler again, especially since it was ruining her dates with boys, and she would not stop complaining about it. But finally Megan accepts what she has to do and gives the reader a break from the whining. There was a lot of zombie action, especially at the end, but I didn't really like who the villains ended up being. Their motives for the black magic and awakening zombies weren't very good, and I feel like the author decided last minute who the bad guys were. Needless to say, this is a very good read and I can't wait for the sequel Undead Much to be written.

Reviewer Age:16

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

Prince of Stories by Hank Wagner, Christopher Golden & Stephen Bissette

This book is a biography of Neil Gaiman, arguably one of the best Science Fiction/Fantasy writers of the 21st century. This is a collaboration of his works such as short stories, novels, films, and comic books. This book has just the right stuff for any Gaiman fan. Journey through Neil's brain but be cautious because if you go too far in we may lose you forever.
This book didn'tgrab me like other books do. Even though there was fascinating stores, pictures, and a comic book it just didnt get to me. I have read one of his works before and it got me very curious which got him to write his books. He was the guy that got me caught on graphic novels. This is only recommended for extreme fans, people who want to get a better insights on his work, and find what he was thinking about threw his various works.
This book had some bad language in it.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Northport, NY USA

Jesse Bowman: A Union Boy's War Story
This historical fiction book starts out on the night of April 21, 1861. While attending a meeting, two boys, Jesse Bowman and Harlow Basset, saw the Zovare soldiers for the first time. That's when Jesse and Harlow decided they wanted to become soldiers and fight in the Civil War to help protect the Union. They went to the head desk on Darbon Street. Immediately they too signed up to join the army. They rode a train to the campsite and saw a big pine tree, which was the marking for their campsite. At first, camping out and living outside was adventurous. After a while they found out about the hardship of the war. Losing people you care about and being wounded are some of the difficulties of war. Even though becoming a soldier was not as exactly as planned. Jesse feels proud of his accomplishments.

I liked this book because it was very detailed. The descriptions made me feel as if I were right along beside them fighting in the civil war. I felt as if I could reach out and touch them. It made me wonder how I would want to be brave and stand up for things I believe in but would probably be scared and homesick, too. I love history books and this one will go on my list as a favorite. I recommend it for students in grades 3-6.

Reviewer Age:12Leopold, Mo United States of America

Stolen by Vivian Vande Velde

Lost and confused a twelve year old girl is chased by hunting dogs and found by a man. The man takes her to a village nearby and tries to figure out her identity. Nobody in the village knows who she is, or where she came from. Worst of all, the girl,herself, doesn't even know! A weary mother assumes the confused girl is her long lost daughter, so the girl is told she is Isabelle. Is she really Isabelle? If she isn't, then who is she?

I thought this book was well written and very interesting. Everything leading up to the end, made me fly through the pages. It kept my interest the whole time and got me wanting to know what would occur.I liked how it ended, although I wish it could have continued. Altogether, it was a good book, just too short for my liking.

Reviewer Age:15

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

Of Quills and Kings by Joel Reeves

Jonathan Quintain is relucant to accept the leadership he is given when his father, the Baron, abandons his family. The castle mage,Gamitof Pym, literally turns the whole castle upside down with a spell. Since the spell was cast, it freed an evil hedgehog and displaced a magical orb. In this fantasy the orb is the orb of mortality, it has the power to make one a god and to prolong life. The evil hedgehog, named Walpole, has the orb and intends to end humankind. Jonathan goes on an adventure with his friends, to travel the land to stop Walpole. Will they succeed or will they fail miserably?

I thought that this book was interesting and some parts I couldn't stop reading. The beginning of the book was a little slow and confusing. It started off being overwhelming with all the names and then everything quickly turns to action. It has a quirky humor but was very entertaining. I would recommend it to readers who have patience and are up for a good read.

Reviewer Age:15

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

Sermonsnacks by Don Collette

Sermonsnacks by Don Collette is compiled with encouragement and guidance. Its customary sections juxtapose faith and advice. The book conquers pain, loneliness, work, finances, family, and other issues. It is formatted like a normal devotional book. Devotionals tend to have a Bible verse, explanation of the verse, and a connection to modern times / issues on each page. The layout of the book is very instructive so anyone can understand the messages--both Christians and non-Christians.

All age groups can relate to most discussions. Additionally, Don Colette sends the message that anyone can have what they want in life if they follow Jesus. Material goods are said to be distractions in a successfully spiritually life. "No sooner is the silver added, than you cease to see others, and you see only yourself," (Colette, 112). Many excerpts have messages like this that can be applied to everyone. Only a few of parts of the book are truly geared towards certain audiences.

The section on family is geared more towards older married men and the finance section is meant for full-time workers. The work section is purposely vague as to relate to both adults at work and youngsters that may work after school. The pain and loneliness sections cover many acceptance issues, peer pressure, as well as fear of assimilation. Moreover, the faith section is for all since it pertains to human belief and hope.

Anyone can pick up Sermonsnacks. Occasionally, readers need to peruse over uplifting words. Luckily, consolation, victory, hope, belief, promises, blessings, and more leak through "Sermonsnacks." Colette says that all wrongs will be righted if one just trusts in God. He also mentions how God's promises may take a while; the interim may even painful, but God will eventually implement divine favor. This book will provide comfort to many people, regardless of their faith. Colette conveys the message that one needs to lead a honest life devoid of shallow ideologies. While human errors are pointed out, Colette does not point fingers at any sect of religion. He gives advice that points towards Christianity, but he does not force the religion upon readers.

Rating: 8
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

Hottie by Jonathan Bernstein

Alison Cole has just been elected class president. Instead of being looked up to, a nasty trick is played to convince her she needs surgery to give her symmetry. Unfortunately, she gets zapped by a lightning bolt during the procedure and now she can shoot fire from her fingertips! David Eels jumps at the chance to coach a real superhero. But what happens when David falls for her? What about the supervillian lurking in LA?

Overall, Hottie was a very good book, although it swore alot. But it's exactly how a teenager in LA would talk. The characters were very well made and very funny (especially David Eels (the superhero geek)) The battles were also well written (I could see them in my head) and action-packed. I did notice that Hottie's name was a bit of surprise to people at school (it's a middle school) and my parents. But I honestly could not see Alison using a different name since it was like a stereotypical LA teen. Plus, it makes her character unique in the story. Overall, I would suggest this title to anyone looking for a good book.

I rated the book's content 2 because it swore a whole bunch.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Denton, Texas US

It's all a Matter of Taste

Tucked into a little corner of an inside page of the entertainment section of my local paper are a few spare lines about a couple of books. Although print reviews are becoming scarcer, review blogs, like this one, are becoming much more ubiquitous. What do all these reviews have in common? They were placed there by someone the average reader knows nothing about. We don’t know what other books s/he’s read or liked. We don’t know if s/he has the same taste in books as we do. We don’t even know if s/he actually read the book. Most book reviewers have a pile of books to read through, and many of them have deadlines! With over 800 new books published daily, it’s no wonder that so many books get lost in the shuffle. Perhaps some reviewers don’t (or can’t) take the time to read each one cover to cover, so they just skim them. Perhaps that explains why I couldn’t even get through the last book I tried to read, even though it was covered in praise by several prestigious periodicals and the fourth book by an author whose previous three books I highly enjoyed.

It’s all a matter of taste.

Different people like different things. When it comes right down to it, even the name of the author isn’t a guarantee one’s time reading a new book will be enjoyable, although it helps. Chances are, if you enjoyed an author’s first book, you will enjoy their second. If you enjoyed the first two, likely you will enjoy the third. But this isn’t always the case, as I’ve quit authors halfway through the series because it no longer appealed to me for one reason or another. So, when authors no longer entertain us, we must turn to new authors and new books. Trying new authors is always a risk I approach with caution, often re-reading books I’ve previously enjoyed before risking someone new. Even authors who have received the praise of millions may leave me bored. However, we must give new authors a chance, and reviews often help us take these calculated risks with our precious time. Especially if those reviews come from reviewers with whom we’ve built a relationship. Reviewers we have come to trust because their opinions closely match our own.

It’s all a matter of taste.

In the 5 weeks since it’s release, Rowan of the Wood has had overwhelmingly great reviews and has won a National Award! We keep hearing that our readers “couldn’t put it down” or they’re asking when the sequel will be out because they "can't wait" to find out what happens next. Take a look at our review page. Okay, it still is a matter of taste, but could so many diverse people be wrong? ;-) …so…take a chance on these new authors! The book is available now via Amazon (Kindle, too) and wherever books are sold.

Christine and Ethan Rose are the authors of the new YA fantasy novel Rowan of the Wood. They live in Austin, TX with their three dogs and Shadow the Cat.
http://www.christineandethanrose.com/* http://www.rowanofthewood.com/