Abomination by Robert Swindells

Abomination is Martha's sister Mary's child, and so named because of the shame he inflicted upon the family being born out of wedlock. This is what Martha and Mary's parents firmly believe, that the child is something to be ashamed and embarrassed of. Mary was exiled and now Abomination is a six year old boy who has been brought up in a cage in his grandparent's basement. Martha too is a prisoner trapped by her parent's religious fanaticism into caring for her sister's so-called "abomination". With the aid of Scott, the new kid at school and the only friend of Mary's, Mary searches for her sister, hoping to reunite Abomination with his mother and perhaps escape the confines of her own strict life.

The book had a lot of potential it did not live up to. The plot was complex, but the resolution too simplistic. Everything tended to fall in place too easily. For example, Martha's willingness to share all her dark secrets with Scott seemed unrealistic as she had for years been a loner. The characters needed further developing, and the book needed lengthening to make the plot more plausible.

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

The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion by Alice Kimberly

This book is a riveting, haunted mystery. It has the thrill of the chase and the thrill of the ghost. Two different genres beautifully blended into one book. Pen and Jack have such amazing minds, and then combined, they have the capacity to figure out any mystery they are confronted with, including figuring out who killed Miss Todd and why. While trying to catch the murderer, Jack shows Pen parts of his own case that tie into Miss Todd's murder. These two cases together make up The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion.

I really liked the book. It was suspenseful and haunting, a very good mystery and paranormal book. The writing was nicely done. This book kept me on my toes and guessing throughout the whole book. Jack has a good personality, and it balances out with Pen's more conservative personality. I also liked the stereotypical view of small town police officers. The mean and biased police chief, with his not-so-bright relative as a deputy, Bull and Chief Ciders add some humor to the story.

Reviewer Age: 15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Guilderland, New York USA

Killer Creatures by Claire Liewellyn

Killer Creatures is about animals in the wild and how they survive life: they kill. There is a variety of animals that survive solely on their strengths. Another aspect to how they survive is that they're scary. They intimidate their prey or use camouflage to trap them. This book also shows different and interesting facts about certain animals. Some of the facts are how they track down their prey and also how they capture them when they least expect it.

Killer Creatures is a very good way to understand wildlife and their means to survive. It's a world were survival of the fittest is always the golden rule. This book is an eye opener to how ruthless the animal kingdom can be. The pictures are a little graphic but yet it's all true. This book was also very easy to read. The text is pretty big and understandable.

This book may be a little too graphic for smaller or younger children.

Reviewer Age:18

Reviewer City, State and Country: Newville, Pennsylvana U.S.A.

Heartbeat for Horses by Laura Chester and Donna Demari

"Heartbeat for Horses" is a collection of writings about girls and their horses. There are stories, poems, and excerpts from famous horse books. Parts from "The Silver Brumby", "Misty of Chincoteague", and "Black Beauty" are included. Some of the authors showcased in this book are E. E. Cummings, Charles Dickens, Marguerite Henry, and Laura Chester. Each piece of writing is also accompanied by a picture or two that capture the true beauty of horses.

"Heartbeat for Horses" reflects on the unique bond between human and horse. The pictures are breathtaking, and fit very nicely with the writings. All of the stories flowed, and held my attention. The grace and esscence of horses is beautifully portrayed in "Heartbeat for Horses". Women of all ages will enjoy this book. Those who, like me, are passionate about everything horses must read this book.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Renton, WA USA

A Veiled Deception

Annette Blair's A Veiled Deception introduces Madeira Cutler, better known as Maddie. Maddie is a young woman with a taste for fashion, especially anything vintage. While home in Mystick Falls, Connecticut, to help her sister, Sherry, with wedding plans, Maggie realizes that these vintage pieces magically speak their histories to her. Not long after arriving in New England, Maddie finds Sherry's fiance's former girlfriend strangled to death with Sherry's veil around her neck. Determined to prove her sister's innocence, Maddie conducts her own investigation. Along the way, Maddie enlists the help of a certain FBI agent who happens to be her on-again-off-again boyfriend and a resentful local police detective who she nicknamed Wiener as a child.

A Veiled Deception is one of the best mysteries I've read in a while. This novel is a quick read, filled with romance, history, magic, and cute fashion references. I especially appreciated the way Blair gave her characters depth, especially Maddie and Mr. Vancortland, by including meaningful family history plots to support the main mystery. Blair's new series incorporates magic wonderfully, blending Maddie's newfound psychic powers into the mystery through ghosts and visions that add an element of supernatural to the story without taking away from A Veiled Deception's clear storyline. This book is a sure hit for any fan of Blair's Accidental Witch Trilogy, Laurie's Psychic Eye Series, or Alt's Bewitching Mysteries.

Reviewer Age:19

Reviewer City, State and Country: Farmington, CT USA

The Scary States of America by Michael Teitelbaum

Warning: This book is not for the faint of heart. Some of these stories are scary, but some are just plain weird. Yet they're all true. For example, the bleeding house in Georgia was at one time the home of a serial killer. There are also some tales that aren't scary, they just have to do with the paranormal, like the statue of a little girl that comes to life and hides during thunderstorms. This book is for people who are ready to face the paranormal in their home state.

This book did scare me, but it was also fascinating to see what unusual things happen in each state. I didn't love the stories about the creatures such as the lizardman or the real-life werewolf, but the others were good. A story of the girls who got lost in the lighthouse made me feel really sad and scared because anyone could follow after and die. I would recommend this book to people who laugh at the paranormal. However, I would advise people to proceed with caution.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Exeter, NH US

Kendra is the daughter of a young mother, so she lives with her nana. When her mom, Renee, comes and stays with them for a night or two, Kendra realizes she wants to live with her. Even after Renee is out of college, she won't take Kendra. While Kendra designs sets for their school play, she gets into a lot of trouble. She and her aunt, also her best friend, Adonna, get in a big fight over a boy. Her nana can't take it anymore and sends her out to live with Renee. Kendra and Adonna stay mad at each other, but not for too long.

I really enjoyed reading the book, Kendra. It started off kind of slow, but after that I became hooked. Coe Booth really made me believe that the characters were alive. It was like there was a movie playing in my head. I have never read any story like it. I would probably suggest this book to a mid teen.

Reviewer Age:12

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

All Meg has ever wanted to do was get away. Get away from everything that makes her life the insane thing it is: her high school, her overprotective parents, and her annoying in-the-middle-of-nowhere town. To show her feeling for this, she does everything a teen in her town isn't expected to do: dye her hair blue, ride a motorcycle, do drugs, and hook up with random guys. Though, one day she just goes way too far. She is caught hooking up with her boyfriend on a train track where two teenagers were killed 8 years ago, while her friends, Tiffany and Brian, were a few steps away. The police officer, John, decides to teach her a lesson. So, now on her spring break she is stuck riding around with a hot but totally frustrating guy named John (the cop who arrested her) during the middle of the night busting up random things. As her week continues, secrets come out about the two of them but will they end up falling for one another because of this or will it push them further apart?

Going Too Far was an amazing book that either had me laughing out loud or sitting on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. I absolutely loved Meg. She was a funny and honest character who had a great back story to why she was the way she was. Also, John's personality was cute and a great addition to the story. Though, the thing that had me mainly hooked was Jennifer Echols' writing. It was fast paced, detailed, and addicting. Basically, it was everything a good book should be. Overall, Going Too Far is a book you will still be thinking about days after you have read it. I suggest this to fans of Courtney Summer's Cracked Up To Be and Brooke Taylor's Undone.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Mountain Top, PA USA

The Black Ship by Diana Pharaoh Francis

Sylbrac, otherwise known as Thorn, is a member of the Pilot's Guild. This group contains members who have the capability to navigate and travel Crosspointe's deadly seas. The cruel leader of the guild bans Thorn from sailing only because of his hatred for him. Thorn, however, lives for sailing and is devastated. While he is on his way to relax and grieve, he is kidnapped by sailors of an unregistered ship. On board, he is forced to work and battle with the wicked captain and crew. If the ship ever makes it back to port, will he still be alive?

The Black Ship is a book that can be read by adventure and action lovers alike. The vocabulary used is of a high quality and highlights the skill of Diana Pharaoh Francis. In the beginning, there are many events and pieces of the storyline that capture your attention and hold it throughout. Thorn is grieving over his brother's death, and many people can relate to his life in different ways. The land of Crosspointe has the ability to catch the reader's attention with its intricate environment and characters. I recommend this book to readers who love sailing, action, or adventure stories.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

Rating: 6

Content Rating: 1

The Octopus Effect by Michael Reisman

The Octopus Effect, written by Michael Reisman, was a good and adventurous book. I really enjoyed the action and excitement as Simon Bloom, the main character, discovered new abilities, while also finding new challenges. The book is based around the fictional Knowledge Union, a group that rules and controls the universe. However, lately, things have gotten out of hand. After defeating Sirabetta, an evil woman who wants to take over the Knowledge Union, they must defeat her again, against an even more powerful Sirabetta. To find out what happens, you should read this action-packed book.

In my opinion, this was a great book that you should almost definitely read. The Octopus Effect was a great book filled with excitement and suspense. It always kept you turning page after page to find out what happens in the next part of the book. The main characters were always in some adventure or another. Also, in some parts it was told in first person, while in others, it was told in third person, which mixed things up. However, the only drawback to this book is that it is confusing at times. It is sometimes hard to follow all the different things happening. Otherwise, this is a very good book that I suggest you read.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Baltimore, Maryland United States of America