Prom and Party Etiquette by Cindy Post Senning

"Prom and Party Etiquette" by Cindy Post Senning and Peggy Post is a modern book on teen mannerisms. The authors cover everything from how to invite others, what to wear to gatherings, how different parties have unique customs, where silverware is, and more. Dance parties, proms, sweet sixteens, confirmations, homecomings, spring flings and such are elucidated. The book is split into chapters with bullet points, explanations, boxed-off tips, and some questions from teens that are answered in the style of a magazine column. The drawn pictures are quite amusing, as well.

This is one of the few teen party books that can actually be read by boys. Sure, most of the material pertains to girls, but, at some parts, the authors go into detail on tuxedo rentals and how guys should behave. The book discourages drugs and alcohol, which is good. The only bad thing is that, when the topic of intercourse after parties is mentioned, the authors suggest teens "think it over" by asking themselves a series of questions, some of which involve birth control methods. The book should promote abstinence until marriage, but, since it does not, it should not fall into young, impressionable children's hands. Other than that, the authors did a stand-up job.

Mentions drugs, alcohol, and relations

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

Your Life, but Better by Crystal Velasquez

"Your Life, but Better" by Crystal Velasquez is a clever little book. It follows a twelve-year-old girl around one day at the mall with her friends. They are looking for a popular girl from school who is giving away tickets to the best birthday party of the year. The trick is that, once the youngsters find the girl, they have to compete for the coveted tickets, which are compared to the golden tickets of Charlie in the Chocolate Factory (which just so happens to be the theme of the party). Along the way, the narrator--which is supposed to be the reader--has a series of unexpected events happen to her.


What's unique about this book is that the reader makes the story. At the end of each chapter, there is a quiz. Readers take it, tally up their points, and, depending on what their results are, they either proceed to one chapter or another. The book progresses in this way so the story unfolds in a most realistic way in accordance with how the reader would act. In this fashion, multiple stories and events unfold in different ways that make this book great to read over and over.

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

The Brother's Story by Katherine Sturtevant

The winter of 1683, the coldest winter ever recorded in England, has taken an terrible tole on Kit and his poor family. Kit dreams of going to London to find a job, but the only thing holding him back is his twin brother, Christy, who was born "simple". Since Kit has always looked after his brother and has never been separated, Kit isn't sure if Christy will survive without him. Frustrated and determined to better himself, in the end, Kit decides to abandon Christy in Essex and flee to the city. Once in London, Kit faces a world of opportunity and misfortune. Capturing the icy, hardships of 1683 and the gritty streets of London, Sturtevant crafts a memorable story of duty, and brotherly love.

What drew me to The Brother's Story was the cover. I know, I know, "never judge a book by it's cover", but I couldn't help myself. The cover was neat looking and plus, it was set in London during the late 1600s--a period that I haven't read much about. Sturtevant is a good historical fiction writer because she describes the English countryside and the bustling streets of London quite well. She also threw in the true time-period style language as well. Since Kit, our main character, is from Essex (a real country bumpkin), he has a sort of "hill billy" accent. It kind of annoyed me at first because he kept saying phrases and words like "I knowed that" or "hisself", but I got use to it after awhile.

The problem with The Brother's Story was that it was pretty slow at the beginning; almost to the point where only a hard-core reader would get through it. Another down-side was that it felt like Kit's story lingered in one area for too long. The point of the story was Kit and his brother, but the climax kept wondering around the streets of London...literally. It also had a lot of references to prostitution, in which some cases the references were really bold and not just implied. Although it has to do with Kit's battle against temptation, I think we could have been spared some of those lewd British slang word. Because of it's frequent sexual references and Kit's sensuality, I would only recommend to older teens. Once I got halfway through the book though, it was terribly hard to put down. The ending was much better and I actually liked it! Through Kit's London "adventure", Kit learned a lot. I'm glad he did what was right.

Overall, The Brother's Story was an okay read, gritty, but well researched and intriguing nonetheless. I think Kit was a genuine character and it was worth while to watch him change from a child into an adult. If you're a history enthusiast like me, you probably can't resist picking up a copy; but I must say it is not an absolute must read. I still like the cover. Recommend for teens 14+.

Sensuality and sexual references

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: , NM USA

China Clipper by Jamie Dobson

"China Clipper" by Jamie Dobson is an adventure book set in the twentieth century. The protagonist Nick works for Pan Am as a mechanic while still in high school; he has big dreams of becoming a flight engineer and maybe someday a pilot. However, he is stuck with the FBI as he is involved with hunting down the murderer of his former boss. This is the second book in a series, but the author does a pretty good job of keeping the reader up to speed. There is much fighting and ninja action, as well as a lot of back-and-forth with counterintelligence operations.

There are some typos and grammatical errors in this book, but, seeing as how it is an advance reading copy, hopefully they will be corrected. Still, the publication date listed on the back cover is Fall 2009, so who knows? Anyway, Nick has a girlfriend (no graphic scenes, thankfully), but he does not always act as a role model. Sure, he lives a dangerous life fighting against the "bad guys," but, in the book, he has lied and almost leads on another girl. This book is geared more towards the male audience, but girls may enjoy it, too. There are some strong females in the book. The only pitfall the author makes is when he calls women the "weaker sex" (Dodson 179).

Violence

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne

Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne follows Kayla, a nature lover who lost her parents to the forest at a young age, as she discovers werewolves - though I suppose I should say Shifters. As Kayla faces her first summer as a sherpa, she struggles to overcome her nightmares while learning more about her identity and her past. As the summer unfolds, Kayla finds herself torn between feelings for Macon, a member of the hiking group she’s working with, and Lucas, their seemingly fearless leader. Meanwhile, Lucas and his fellow Dark Guardians, those charged with protecting the Shifter population, face a threat worse than exposure. Lucas strains to maintain his calm demeanor and lead as he should while protecting those dearest to him.

Though a bit formulaic, I truly enjoyed this start to Rachel Hawthorne’s Dark Guardians trilogy (although I hear now a fourth installment is due out spring 2010, so I suppose it isn't a trilogy anymore). It was refreshing to read a novel dealing with werewolves as opposed to vampires. By developing the history of Shifters, Hawthorne creates a more complex side to these fantastic creatures. Moonlight is a light, quick read that will keep the reader engaged through the final page. Full of an interesting group of characters, each with their own quirks, this novel is never dull. The romantic lines are really at the heart of this book, and the chemistry between characters will not disappoint. For those who like adventure and romance and don’t mind a bit of fluff, this is a great book to pick up.

Reviewer Age:20
Reviewer City, State and Country: Farmington, CT USA

The Taker and the Keeper by Wim Coleman

Gregory and Yolanda are normal kids who want to live normal lives. But that all changes once Gregory finds the monocle. He discovers a magical tunnel that leads him to an extraordinary place. Once he discovers that his science teacher, Ms. McDougal, is somehow connected with this, the plot has only begun to thicken. Gregory and Yolanda must now save the "real" world from the evil sorceress Morgan le Fay, and set things right once and for all.

This was not one of my favorite books. The tone was fitting for Gregory's character, but I was not particularly fond of Gregory. I found this extremely distracting, because I found that I could not enjoy the story when I did not love one of the main characters. The action began right away, which I did enjoy, but it almost felt overwhelming because there were too many plot points introduced with little explanation. It became confusing quickly and hard to follow.

I would recommend this book to people because it had an exciting plot line, but be prepared for an unlikeable main character.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Westerville, OH United States

Listen by Nancy Coffelt

Ever since 18-year-old Will's mother died he has been distant from the world, talking to himself and writing on his blog. Fourteen-year-old Kurt is just as distant, after his mother's boyfriend's death and her departure to rehab. While Will finds comfort in running with his new friend Claire, Kurt becomes entangled with Carrie and her animals. Although she seems normal enough, Carrie is a middle age schizophrenic who brings home wandering animals and gives them a home. Although she seems to be kind to the animals, Carrie crosses her boundaries when she brings home a neglected baby. Kurt knows that what she has done is wrong, but when he tries to fix the situation, things quickly spiral out of control. With the help of Will, Kurt tries to bring down Carrie. But can he do it in time, or is it too late for the baby?

Although I was skeptical and confused when I began reading the book, the story quickly started to pick up and by the end I was unable to put it down. At the beginning, you are dropped into their world without context which made it confusing. The characters vaguely referred to their traumatic past so you got tidbits of information but there was never any clear picture. Although this was frustrating at first, it made their situations seem more real and it felt like they were telling you the story, rather than some unknown narrator.

Once you get used to the writing style, it's hard to put the book down. Author Nancy Coffelt understands the struggles that teenagers go through and powerfully puts them into words. I was annoyed with some of the character's actions at first, but by the end of the book I was sympathizing with them because I've felt the same way at some point in my life. I highly recommend this book to people looking for a serious, thought-provoking, yet relatable book

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Champaign, IL USA

The Shadowmask

The story of a boy's adventure is the only thing keeping
him alive. A pirate that will kill him if he doesn't tell
his tale has captured Maimun. So he tells his story about
how he travels with a mystical cloak and sword to find a
stone that made him very lucky. Secretly, as he tells the
story, he plans an escape and hopes he can make it out
alive.

The Shadowmask is a very suspenseful book.
Though Maimun is currently trapped by a killer pirate his
story is enough to keep him alive. I can't wait to read
the next book when he has the stone that he was literally
aching to get back. Anyone who enjoys adventure and
suspense will eat this book up.

Firespell by Chloe Neill

Lily Parker is just another teenage girl living in upstate New York. That is until her parents get offered a new job in Germany, and send Lily to the gothic boarding school St. Sophia's in Chicago. Lily, not being another trust-fund baby like most of the other girls at the school, doesn't see how she fits, and yet almost instantly finds a friend in her new suitemate, Scout. But Scout is different, and her strange quirks are established on Lily's first night at school. She slips into the darkness, returning hours later at one thirty in the morning. In those first few days at St. Sophia's, Lily experiences normal things like cute boys and schoolwork, but some things just arent normal. A blond girl at the end of an alleyway, there one second, then gone, loud noises in basement corridors, and Scouts curious night journeys. Lily's interest flares and the next night when Scout once again slips away, only one thing is different& Lily follows her. She is determined to find out what her new friend is hiding, and with that discovers not only herself, but a world far beyond her imagination


A good balance is found in this book, between abnormal or extraordinary teenagers, to the secrets our parents withhold from us. Neill takes this mystery into her own hands, making a one of a kind story that I couldn't put down. I was impressed with the originality of this book, especially with so many out there now on the same topic. In all truth, Chloe Neill has woven a new fresh idea and story into this book. A story I couldn't help but fall into, and I loved every minute of it.


Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Minnetonka, Minnesota United States

Eat Fresh Food by Roseanne Gold

This is a cookbook geared toward teen cooks. It has many recipes in different categories, such as bread, butter and breakfast or bowls: soups and pasta. It also comes with a menu for certain special events. For example, for a birthday party, it recommends cooking Farmers Market Pizza, Bombay Sliders with Hurry Curry sauce along with other things, including Shayna's Healthy Birthday cake and Irene's Agua Fresca. It is full of detailed instruction and pictures for each dish.
I really enjoyed this cookbook. It is full of delicious looking foods and provides step by step instructions, easy for a teen to follow. I made a few dishes, which were delectable, but my favorite was the Chocolate Mousse Cake with Raspberries. It was very chocolaty, and, even with out raspberries, it tasted great. One of the best details in the book in my opinion is the menu for certain events. I find it very helpful to have a menu of what to cook for Mother's Day or other holidays. It is a good guide and a great small, simple touch.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake Bluff, IL United States