The Dark Ferryman by Jenna Rhodes

Warrior Queen Lariel Anderieon is faced with inevitable battle. Plagued with worries and visions she prepares for a battle against the Galdarkan warlord, Abayan Diort. She calls upon staunch friends and uneasy allies in order to have enough support for the upcoming war. While preparing, the ancient Raymy attack the shores of Kerith. An unholy alliance between this ancient foe and Quendius, the half-breed weaponsmith intends to bring both Vaelinar and Galdarkan to their knees. The Hand of the Queen, the half-breed Sevryn, would lay down his life to protect his lady Rivergrace, and his queen. When Rivergrace is accused of treachery he has to choose between the two. With his love imprisoned and a demon struggling to possess him, what will he choose?

I enjoyed this book very much. It took me several chapters to get into it but once I did I couldn't put it down. The enduring love of Sevryn and Rivergrace pulled me into their story. Jenna Rhodes used descriptive language to make the settings and situations flow off the page and into the reader's heart and mind. The treachery and hurt that the characters suffered made my heart ache and I rejoiced with them during times of joy. Reading this book had given me a new author to look for and a new series to enjoy.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, Massachusetts USA

The Devil's Paintbox

This novel is historical fiction set in the western United
States during the 1860s. The story focuses on Aiden Lynch
and his sister Maddy, orphans who are facing starvation on a farm
in a deserted area of Kansas. Their adventure begins when they join up with Jefferson J. Jackson, a guide looking for men to work in lumber camps
in Seattle. Aiden convinces Jackson that he will make a
strong worker once he eats more, so Jackson allows the two
to join his wagon train heading west. While on the trail,
friends and enemies are made and, most significantly, Aiden
befriends several Indians along the trail after they save
his life. Eventually Aiden must take bold action to help
the Indians as they battle a smallpox outbreak. This
trial, as well as many others, tests Aiden and his
friendships with both the travelers and the Indians.

I enjoyed this book more than I was anticipating. I normally
do not read historical fiction, but I found this novel
entertaining. Although the plot is uncomplicated, with few
surprises, the characters and the settings are very
interesting. The diverse characters, both male and female,
provide interesting snapshots of how people lived during
this period in history. The settings range from the plains
of Kansas, through mountains and rivers of the western
U.S., to lumber camps near Seattle. While reading this
book I also learned some interesting facts about smallpox
and Native Americans in U.S. history. I recommend this
book for anyone.

Content: 1
Rating: 9
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Royersford, PA United States

Return To Sender by Julia Alvarez

In Return to Sender by Julie Alvarez, the main character, Tyler, finds out his father has hired illegal immigrants to work on their failing farm. Tyler's father had been in a tractor accident resulting in his inability to work or run the farm. Tyler is infuriated to find that his dad is breaking the law. Many times, Tyler considers telling the authorities or his teachers about the Mexicans working on the farm. After a few weeks, he meets the three daughters of one of the workers, develops a close relationship with Mari, the oldest of the three. Eventually Homeland Security Officers pay a visit to the farm and deport the entire family. Tyler realizes how complicated immigration issues are because Mari's mother is in trouble and they can not tell the police for fear of being deported. There is a surprise ending, so read Return to Sender if you want to find out what happens after these Mexican farm workers are caught.

This book was gripping. The story of the three daughters captivates you, and holds your attention. I've never read any other books like this one; it is really original and worth the time and effort that it takes to read it. It took a while to get into, but after page 20, it is hard to put down. Overall, this is a well written and interesting book. I would recommend it for ages 10 and up.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hingham, MA USA

The Remarkable and Very True Story of Lucy and Snowcap

The Remarkable and Very True Story of Lucy and Snowcap, by H.M.Bouwamn, is a fantasy book about two different girls and their lifestyles. Lucy's tribe, the Colay, owned several small islands. But when a British ship crashed, the passengers, the Anglish, started taking over. They also began to blame murders on the Colay people, and mysterious things happened to both tribes. When Lucy is told to kill her baby brother, the last baby born to the Colay, she knows she must save him. Snowcap, the Child Governor of the Anglish, finds a horrible plot and starts to uncover the mystery of the two groups. When the girls meet, they must help each other and save the tribes.

I think people who like Shannon Hale will enjoy this book. I found that it was very similar to the basic plot of The Princess Academy. It was a very easy read and would probably be a lot more interesting to 9 and 10 year olds. I would only recommend this book to young fantasy fans who can handle a slightly dull plot. I also disliked that a lot of the book talked about history, which I found annoying when I just wanted to stick to the storyline. It skips around a lot, focusing on different characters every chapter. The end was rushed, only giving a brief summmary of what happens next and exactly how the book even ended. Overall, it was an interesting story, but not very descriptive or focused to the main idea.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, MA USA

Hunted by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

The House of Night, the school for vampyre fledglings, is no longer safe. The High Priestess (principal), Neferet, has turned away from the vampyre goddess, Nyx, and joined forces with the fallen angel Kalona and his Raven Mockers. Humans and vampyres alike are being attacked and no one is safe.

Enter Zoey Redbird, the fledgling with an unusual affinity for all of the elements. She is the only one that can defeat Neferet and Kalona because of her gift. The only problem is getting into the House of Night (which is guarded heavily), finding a way to banish Kalona back to where he came, and sorting out her twisted love life. That doesn't sound too hard, does it?

I absolutely loved this book. I really liked the way that the authors were able to tell what had happened in the previous books; this allowed me to be able to follow along completely even though I had not read the previous books. I enjoyed the story line very much and thought that the authors had correctly portrayed the mind of a teenager. The addition of Zoey's romance problems adds an interesting twist to the story.

I would recommend this book to vampyre fans and anyone who would enjoy a wondrous fantasy story.

Reviewer Age:15

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

Rating: 9

Content Rating: 1

The King's Gold by Yxta Maya Murray

The King's Gold is an adventure packed book. Lola Sanchez
is a book lover who owns a bookshop in California. She
also loves adventure. One day, a mysterious man and his
companions enter her shop. Marco shows Lola an ancient
letter, giving details of a treasure she has been
searching for. Intrigued by the letter, Lola listens to
Marco. However, he has other plans. Kidnapping Lola,
they head off to Italy, on an outrageous treasure hunt.
However, Lola is to be married in two weeks to Eric.
After he receives a confusing text from Lola, he takes off
to Italy to find her. Together, they try to outwit Marco
on the hunt for the king's gold. An action packed, clue
seeking journey around Italy begins. Who will get to the
gold first? Who will survive the deadly places they must
look for clues? Will Lola and Eric get married? And who
is the mysterious man who is helping Lola? If you enjoy
action packed books, this is the one for you!

The King's Gold is certainly a book filled with lots of action.
However, I found the book to be a little unbelievable.
Lola and Eric are searching for a centuries' old treasure,
but they always seem to figure out the next clue the first
time! Their luck is always the best, with just minor
bumps along their road. For me, the book became a little
too predictable as I read along. The author certainly
knows the area and time period she is talking about, which
did add interest to the story. If you enjoy adventure
stories like Indiana Jones, this is the book for
you.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Finksburg, MD USA

Batter Off Dead by Tamar Myers

Minerva J. Jay is known for her prodigious appetite. When she falls over dead at the local Mennonite pancake feed, after ingesting twenty-six pancakes and seventeen sausages, the question is: was this hotcake homicide, or Minerva's abused stomach? The church's Head Deaconess can answer that, even though she is eight months pregnant; Magdalena is a closet super-sleuth. The police call Magdalena for her help, and she' a little less than willing. She gives in, and finds a big surprise on her hands. When she takes on the murder, and investigates seven unlucky folks, her prime suspect turns up dead by a driverless steamroller. Will Magdalena find the murderer?

Batter Off Dead, by Tamar Myers, is overall a good book. It is much more of a leisurely read than a page turner. The plot is enjoyable although it is more of a book that asks whodunit, instead of an edge-of-your-seat murder mystery. Myers includes a twinge of wit that helps the reader keep turning the pages for more. I recommend this book to those looking for something to read on a rainy day, and those readers who like wit and mystery.

some mentions of sex and there is some violence

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Osseo, Wisconsin United States

Pieces of Me

"Pieces of Me" has a very appropriate title. The book is literally in pieces. Each part is only several paragraphs long, separated by icons that indicate a break in the story. Through this, you get to know Mirabelle, the main character. She hates her name and goes by Mira instead, deciding it sounds more beautiful. She lives in a "half-basement" with her mom, who is slightly crazy. Her mom, somewhat of a fashion designer, is constantly paranoid that someone will steal her designs and insists that all the hot designs were created by her. Mira's father left them years ago and Mira has no real hope for anything in life. But then Cath shows up. Cath is different than all the other girls. She actually pays attention to Mira and shows an interest in art which is Mira's favorite subject. Throw that together with escalating tension between Mira and her mother, Mira's crush on her Art teacher (who she calls "the birdman"), and her first kissing experiment, and it is bound to be an interesting year.

I have had very mixed thoughts about this book. On one hand, the writing was excellent and I really felt for Mira on several occasions. However, the story progressed at an excruciatingly slow pace for the first sixty pages or so. After that, I was hooked. I stayed up late just to get further in the book. Yes, it was that good. I did not enjoy the fact that it would skip from one thing to another without giving a logical explanation of time or place. However, I found this to be manageable after several chapters. It makes for a very interesting read. The ending was not all that good, but still okay. I would probably recommend this to some people, but not to all. Some people would definitely not enjoy this because of the way the author writes, but I enjoyed this one.

There were numerous incidents of sexual behavior and references.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Westerville, Ohio USA

Unusual Suspects

Unusual Suspects is the go-to book for contemporary mystery and fantasy stories of the new year. Twelve amazing authors combine mystery, sci-fi and fantasy elements to create some of the most amusing short stories this reviewer has ever read! From dragons to vampires to Santa Clause, Unusual Suspects will keep readers entertained with its colorful cast of cunning detectives and odd villains. It leaves nothing to be desired. Each story will satisfy fantasy and mystery lovers alike!

Unusual Suspects was a very enjoyable read. By far one of the better short story collections I've read, each one had a different theme, yet tied in nicely with the entire book. I loved that most of the stories had morals, like the The Duh-Vice by Micheal Armstrong, that stressed the importance of "going green". Or A Woman's Work by Dana Stabenow, that addressed the wrongs of sexism. Many of the stories have comedy, which made it, my opinion, a favorable read but two stories stood out to me above them all: The House by Laurie R. King, and Appetite For Murder by Simon R. Green, both of which were written uniquely with completely surprising endings. This book is absolutely a read for anyone that enjoys being entertained.

violence, language and sexual content

Reviewer Age:16

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

Too Many Curses by A. Lee Martinez

Too Many Curses by A. Lee Martinez is a whimsical fantasy adventure of a kobold named Nessy. Nessy is short, furry, and sensible. She takes care of the castle with a crazy wizard only known as Margle the Horrendous. Oddly enough he finds no fun in killing his opponents; instead he transforms them into cursed forms and locks them up in his castle. When Margle suddenly dies, Nessy still takes charge of the monsters and the horrors of the castle. Though her allies don't help her either—a voice without a body, a monster under her bed, some pieces of a wizard in a jar, and an angry fruit bat. Join her in her mission to put her foot down to control these horrors!

I really liked this book. It had a lot of imagery; so much that I kept thinking I was watching a movie. Sometimes I would be thinking about it, and I would say to myself, what movie was that? And then I would remember that it was this great book. This book makes you feel like you are tagging along with these characters in an adventure to keep everything safe. I would recommend this book to everyone who enjoys fantasy or wants to pick up a good read.

Reviewer Age: 16

Reviewer Cities, State and Country: Northport, New York USA