Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog

Morgan and Cam are the perfect couple. That is, until Cam
begins to behave differently, to transform into a fairy.
In one week, the two will be celebrating their 16th
birthdays together. However, Morgan does not know is that
on their birthday that Cam will be taken away to
Otherworld: the world of fairies. A strange, awkward boy
named Pip comes to live at Cam's house. According to the
fairies, he will be replacing Cam in every single aspect
of his life when he leaves; he is even meant to replace
Cam as Morgan's boyfriend. The three work together to plot
a way for Cam to stay on Earth, but Morgan's emotions are
being twisted more than ever. What does she really want?

The writing in Fairy Tale is rather simple. Neither the
vocabulary nor the plotline is difficult to understand. I
felt like this book was meant for someone of a younger age
than I am. It is a pretty conventional teen
romance/fantasy story. Therefore, none of the events are
all that thrilling or unique. The ending, however, is very
well put together and creative. I love how Cyn Balog chose
to end the novel. A strength of this book is that Morgan's
emotions are reflected in her actions and help foreshadow
upcoming events. I would not recommend this book to teens
who like to read very advanced novels, but this book would
be great for other teens who like easy, fun
reads.

Reviewer Age:16

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

Fed Up by Sarah Conant and Jessica Conant-Parker

In 'Fed Up' by Sarah Conant and Jessica Conant-Parker, Chloe Carter's boyfriend, Josh Driscoll, competes against two chefs for his own television show. The chefs visit grocery stores and pick up random customers and prepare them home cook meals. During Josh's meals, one of the customers dies and investigators are left to search and find out "who dunnit." Josh is innocent, because the camera was on him the entire time as proof that he didn't commit the crime. However, investigators are unaware of who did. Chloe makes time in between planning her best friend's wedding and work, to help solve this murder mystery.

The Conants do a wonderful job in describing the setting of the book. The descriptions throughout the story give the reader enough information to get the gist of the story and room to imagine the rest. The writers also do a great job in making the main character come to life. They allow the audience to enter into her mind on a personal level, as if she were a real human being. For example, during some of Chloe's thoughts, she will talk about multiple topics sometimes one cutting off another. Or she'll mention an insignificant fact that helps the reader to remember that she is human, and sometimes she too can get sidetracked. Although the book is very intriguing, at times certain aspects of the story were too conspicuous. I'd recommend this book to someone who has just began to explore the world of mystery books such as Nancy Drew or simple children's mysteries.

Reviewer Age:16
Raleigh, NC United States

Magic Can Be Murder by Vivian Vande Velde

Two witches, Nola and her mother, are living a tough life. They are constantly on the run, fleeing from towns people who suspect their secret. When Nola casts a spell, and leaves it unattended, everything goes wrong. She finds herself wrapped up in murder story. Will she be able to reveal the murderer, or will she be accused, herself, by the man she's falling for?

This story I found, was hard to put down, especially near the end. It has an ending I never expected. I was surprised by how well she put together the plot, with it being a mystery, and a romance. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a funny, mystery, and a little bit of romance.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springfield, Ohio USA

Oracles of Delphi Keep by Victoria Laurie

Oracles of Delphi Keep is a book about two inseparable children named Theo and Ian. They are like any normal children who like to go and explore caves around their orphanage until one day they find something that will change their lives forever. They stumble into a great mystery of a silver box and a dark, evil monster that is out to get them. They find themselves trying to unravel the mysteries of the past, present, and future in a race to fulfill their destiny and to discover the meaning of a very old prophesy just for them.

Oracles of Delphi Keep was one of the best books I have ever read. It has adventure, mystery, and a great storyline you are sure to never forget. One of the main characters, Ian Wigby, is very protective of his sister and is a very good brother to her. He is very brave and doesn't want to let anyone down. The author makes you feel like you are really in the book and you can see exactly what is going on. I could come up with a perfect picture in my mind of the characters and their surroundings and didn't have to guess what anyone looked like. Oracles of Delphi Keep is really great and anyone who likes adventure and mystery should definitely read this book.

Age 13
Brownsburg, Indiana United States

Once A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches and when she was born her grandmother said she was going to be the most talented among them. Now 17, Tamsin's magic never showed up. Feeling like an outsider she goes to boarding school to at least act normal. During the summer she is forced to work at the family magic/book shop. One day a professor from NYU comes in and mistakes Tamsin for her very talented sister. Finally being looked at with awe she couldn't help but agree to help him find a missing family heirloom. This treasure hunt will ultimately send Tamsin to discover her true identity with some humor on the This was a very good book but the beginning was a little slow. Once the action starts to set in then the book sails away making you want more. The main character had a good sense of humor which made me laugh throughout the book. I loved the action and the adventure of the book added to the overall fantasy made the book excellent. Another great thing about this book was the strong characters. The author spent a lot of time on the characters and made sure you knew all about them but you never new if they were going to make a different choice then you expected. All in all a good book that I recommend to any fantasy lover or someone who wants to find what fantasy is all about.

some alcohol use

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Northport, NY USA

The Debs: Love, Lies, and Texas Dips by Susan McBride

Laura's dream of becoming a deb is finally coming true. With her confidence at an all-time high, she dares to mess with Jo Lynn's boyfriend, Dillon. But then, Laura finds herself in the middle of some horrifying gossip that could get her kicked out of the Glass Slipper Club by her second curtsy lesson.

Mac discovers that becoming a deb is something she can barely stand. Then things go from bad to worse when a new girl starts flirting with her best friend, Alex. She doesn't want to be jealous, but she can't help it. Does that mean she wants Alex to be more than a friend?

With her atrocious college-boy fling behind her, Ginger wants to focus on more important things: fine arts, white ball gowns, and social activism. When her grandmother ask her to sit for a formal portrait with the son of a local prodigy, she finds out she already knows him, but what she knows isn't good.

Jo Lynn plans on taking down Laura not matter what. When she finds Laura's phone number in Dillon's cell, the stakes are higher than ever. Is her boyfriend cheating on her with Laura? Jo Lynn will do almost anything to find out.

In this book, you could feel the tension between the characters as you read. When I read The Debs: Love, Lies, and Texas Dips, I saw each girl's view of a situation, which made the book more unique. The only thing that could've been improved was the book's pace: at the beginning it was slow, and I became distracted while I was reading. I became more engrossed in the book toward the middle when more events took place. Other than that, the book was enjoyable and I look forward to reading the sequel.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Fairborn, Ohio United States

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

According to Micah Wilkins, lying is not an easy business. There is keeping up the different stories you have told everybody and then backing it up; oh, and making sure that you don't get caught is another biggie. Although she claims it is so difficult, Micah has become a fluent liar, even to the point where she has started to believe her own lies. Her lies get her into quite some trouble though when her boyfriend Zach shows up dead. While she has the reputation of liar, this time she swears that she had no involvement in Zach's death, but many people find it hard to believe. Will Micah finally learn to tell the truth for once, or will she just create more lies to cover up what really happened?

Throughout the ups and downs of high school and many unexpected twists, Justine Larbalestier creates a fantastic novel that is hard to forget and even tougher to put down.

This book was absolutely wonderful. I truly enjoyed the entire story and thought the way it was written was extremely intriguing. This was the first time I had read anything by Justine Larbalestier, but I know how she writes fantasy novels and such. Therefore I was a bit shocked with the realism this book contained, but then I soon came to find out that Ms. Larbalestier weaved her signature style into the story flawlessly and intensely.

The plotline of the book was incredibly interesting and jaw-dropping. There was grief and sorrow as well as many laughs and giggles throughout the entire story. Although there were points where I was pretty sure I had the rest of the story figured out, there was always a twist to what I was thinking. As the book progressed, the plot became more and more intricate, but the author still managed to keep things very clear to the reader with no confusion. The ending was also absolutely perfect for the book.

As for the characters, I thought they were all really well developed. Even the characters that were only mentioned once or twice were described well and came alive off of the pages. For example, there was this one character, BRANDON, who we only met perhaps three times, and you could just tell that he was one of the biggest perverts in the world. To me, this really made me enjoy the story even more because it got me involved in the world that the author created. I also loved the development of Micah. She is definitely not your average young adult girl character. For one she kind of resembles a boy and two she doesn't really care what other people think. She was a great character though, as many of her lies were comical and she always left this lingering thought in your head as if she was really telling the truth. Throughout the entire story it felt like she was whispering her secrets into your ear.

Another very strong aspect of this book was the point of view the author created. Micah told the entire story and the reader learned all about her family history and the days leading up and proceeding Zach's death. Micah also talked to the reader, asking if he / she really believed her and again making the reader feel that he / she were sitting there on the couch beside Micah, listening to her life story. The author also created such a feeling of suspense throughout the whole book that it was near impossible to set the book down even for a minute. She also set the book up really nicely, making a very logical progression of events that made the story that much more intriguing.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought it was just wonderful! I will definitely be reading more by Justine Larbalestier in the future, as she is a fabulous author. I recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting and riveting read.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Currituck, NC United States

Stonecutter by Jon J. Muth

"Stonecutter" by Jon J. Muth is about a man that cuts stones for a living. Suddenly feeling despondent, he changes his occupation around. He becomes a merchant, an official, the sun, the wind, and more. Trying out each situation, he learns that he is still not good enough. In the end, the stonecutter does not settle on a final occupation, but he does find closure.

This is an ideal coffee-table book. It's short, full of pictures, and offers a unique message. Very philosophical at times, the book shines light on feelings of nonfulfillment, disappointment, and comparisons. The illustrations are beautiful in a simple sort of way, reminiscent of charcoal. Since there is really only one main character, this book is also great for young readers.

Reviewer Age:18

Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

Faith, Hope, and Ivy June by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Ivy June Mosley lives in Thunder Creek, Kentucky. She lives with her grandparents, who live up the hill from Ivy June's parents and siblings. Catherine Combs lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her parents and siblings. Ivy June and Catherine have been chosen from their school to be in an exchange program. In the exchange program they live with each others families for two weeks, write in their journal what things are different, and then they have to tell their class about.It seems that they are getting along well until disaster strikes in both families. Will they be able to keep themselves together or will they fall apart?

I thought this was a great book. I liked the style it was written in and how the author put in so much detail in to the story. I almost felt like I was there. I also enjoyed reading what the girls had written in their journals. I would recommend this book to girls who love to read about growing friendships.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Enon, OH USA

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

The adolescent, whimsical girl who renamed herself
Stargirl, and was the main character in the novel
Stargirl, appears again in this sequel Love, Stargirl,
also by Jerry Spinelli. In the first book, Stargirl had
been home-schooled her whole life before moving to
Arizona, where her first public school experience is
difficult, as she becomes a target for ridicule, when she
is not being completely ignored or excluded. Although she
is made fun of for being different, she remains a unique,
warm-hearted person. She develops a crush on a boy named
Leo who returns her feelings but is too embarrassed to act
on them. By the end of that book, Stargirl is so hurt and
bewildered that she and her family decide to move to
Pennsylvania, which is where the sequel Love, Stargirl
begins. This was definitely easier to read than Stargirl.
I really like the form of the book, a series of letters
written to her old boyfriend Leo, as well as a few other
characters. Also, it's not just a stream of consciousness,
with little plot or climax like the first book. This whole
book builds up to the winter solstice when several plot
lines are resolved, especially whether Stargirl will
choose Leo or Perry, her two main love interests.
Archie, the scientist who taught her so much in Stargirl,
doesnt physically appear until the end of this book,
though several of Stargirl's letters are addressed to him.

Love, Stargirl, in my opinion, is a wonderfully written
novel which captivates the reader and draws them into
Stargirl's unique life. It focuses on some neat issues,
like the fact that Stargirl's best friend, Dootsie is only
six, and very outgoing, while her other close friend,
Betty Lou, is an old, single woman, who is too scared to
leave her house. Also, it focuses on the long term
relationship between Stargirl and Leo, illustrating that
although people might not always be physically faithful
they can be emotionally faithful no matter how large a
distance separates them. Love, Stargirl seems to be
written for a middle to high school audience, and I would
recommend it to anyone within that age range..
The main character is a quirky, naive, creative character,
whose view of the world may help readers become more open-
minded. Even though the narrator is female, I think that
boys would enjoy both of these novels.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country:
Hingham, MA USA