Counterfeit Son by Elaine Marie Alphin

As the son of a serial killer, Cameron Miller has had a very troubled life. Trapped in a cellar for days at a time, he reads the haunting newspaper clips of his father's victims, and sits trying not to listen to the muffled screams and inhaling the sickly sweet smell of death. His father's filing cabinet contains golden information; families that have lost their sons to his father, families that need a miracle of their son returning.

When his father dies, Cameron decides to become Neil Lacey, a short and scrawny 14 year old with hazel eyes and brown hair. Cameron cons the authorities into thinking he is really Neil Lacey, and he must trick his new family with only the newspaper clippings to provide him with the information he needs. He soon realizes that living the life in a prim and fancy neighborhood on the coast isn't nearly as easy as it would seem to be.

As he starts to settle into his new life, his bubble of protection is soon ruptured when his father's accomplice tracks him down. The accomplice threatens his new family and Cameron's secret unless Cameron steals valuable items from his new house. Will Cameron's identity be revealed? Can he manage to trick his rival? Is all hope lost for the Laceys?

Counterfeit Son by Elaine Marie Alphin was spectacular. It was short but definitely not sweet. This harrowing yet incredibly written tale had the right amount of detail and expressed the woe of a teenage boy's experience that no one should ever have. The first few chapters were a bit confusing. However, once the plot was fully explained, I was stuck to the book. The characters came to life, and they were easy to relate to. This book has many, many unsuspected twists and turns, and an ending that will blow your mind. The end of the book is probably the one of the biggest surprises that I have ever had. Counterfeit Son is fantastic, and I would recommend it to anyone (age 12 or older) who loves a good mystery.

Some material (some frightening situations) and violence that may not be suitable without approval from an adult.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Osseo, Wisconsin United States

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Imagine having a photographic memory, imagine being extremely smart..... Well that's exactly how eleven year old Melody is except there is one problem, she can't talk or walk. Every day she goes to school to a special class for kids that have problems and every day they go over the alphabet. For her, though, she is past just learning the alphabet. Melody belongs in advanced classes but she has no way of letting anyone know that. Doctors and experts diagnosed her with cerebral palsy and insisted that she wasn't capable of learning. Little did they know she is destined to prove them wrong. With a little help from a friend and a lot of hope, Melody finds what she's been looking for all her life. She will prove to the world what she can accomplish.

I've never read any of Sharon Draper's books before, but what caught my eye on this book was the cover. It is very interesting how the fish is jumping out of its bowl and it goes very well with the title. The characters were written very well and sometimes I found myself getting frustrated with some of Melody's problems. I started worrying if it would end okay. Even though it had some sad parts I really enjoyed reading Out of My Mind. I would recommend this for kids 11 and up.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: , NM USA

Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre

Corine Solomon is a handler. She can touch an item and know it's past and sometimes its future. People are always after her. They want to use her gift to solve mysteries, find missing people, and many other things. That's why she is almost never in the same place for a long period of time. She has made her own record, staying in the same place for 18 months. She is tired of finding people, even though she likes to help. When her ex Chance shows up, she knows she's going to have to do something. Corine doesn't want to leave her home, but when she figures out someone dear to them both is missing, she knows that she has to help him. Will Corine be able to "handle" the situation? Will she be able to help Chance even though their love doesn't really exist anymore?

Blue Diablo was a very good novel. It was the perfect story involving supernaturals. Ann Aguirre did an amazing job creating the story with vivid detail. I, myself, love anything that involves witches or magic, so this was a very interesting story. I recommend this book to any young-adult supernatural lovers.

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

Xoe by Sara C. Roethle

Xoe thought her life was normal. She believed her best friends Lucy and Allison were both human. That all changed when a new kid named Dan comes to their school. Lucy and Allison thought he was just a pretty face but Xoe had her suspicions. Everything changed one night after Lucy was scratched by Dan and the next thing they knew "normal" was no longer in their vocabulary. Before they could even grasp the situation Lucy was a werewolf, Dan was a werewolf and there was a vampire in town. Jason, the vampire, was sent to help protect everyone from Dan and together realize that nothing was ever normal. Especially when Xoe finds out that she isn't human.

Xoe was one of those books that you think is just another werewolf/vampire book. That observation changes as soon as you begin reading. This book has everything I look for in a novel: action, adventure, fantasy and romance. I would reccommend this book to anyone who likes a good fantasy novel and anyone who likes the Twilight Saga. Xoe is one of those characters that you remember and want to see her in a happy ending. I love how the author makes Xoe vulnerable yet strong. I loved this book and I am happy to be able to add this book to my bookshelf. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mantua, New Jersey USA

The Runaway Dragon by Kate Coombs

The book The Runaway Dragon by Kate Coombs is a mixture of romance, courage, mystery, friendship, and comedy. In Kate's first book, The Runaway Princess, the main character, Meg, runs away when her parents lock her up in a tower to attract suitors. While Meg is away and trying to have some fun for once in her life, she finds adventure on the same path as a dragon named Laddy, her old friends, and she meets some new friends along the way. Now Meg is back with a grown-up Laddy and the horror of her life; Laddy has escaped! She and her friends must find Laddy and save each other's necks; all the while defeating the evils of the land. Can Meg complete her quest and be with her love, or will she come to an end as well?

This book was the perfect sequel to its starter. In the first book there wasn't a ton of action or anything to really grab your mind, but now in the second book, you don't even want to set down the book for a second!The only weakness I felt this book had was how it ended. It left you hanging on the edge of your seat, hoping for more to happen. So by this observation, I can only hope and wish for there to be a third book coming to complete the first wonderous two. I learned from reading this book that things aren't always as they may seem, and that you just have to keep thinking(and being) optimistic to acheive the greatest. I have to admit its not the best book in the world because compared to the Talking To Dragons series, this is nothing; even though it is a good comedy/action book that all ages can enjoy.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

I Am Jack by Susanne Gervay

A young boy, named Jack, lives with his sister and his
mom. Jack has a lot of hobbies from photography to fixing
things. His mom is dating Rob and Jack likes him but he
thinks that they are doing fine on their own. On top of
his problems at home, at school, a bully named George Hamel
got everyone to call Jack "Butt Head". Jack can barely get
up in the morning. He won't turn to his mom for help
because he doesn't want to make her unhappy. When Jack's
grades and participation are slipping, he thinks he must
find help. Will Jack ever conquer the bully?

"I am Jack" is such a wonderful book to read. I really loved seeing
the point of view of Jack. He is a very sweet kid and
doesn't anyone to get hurt. Jack has a lot of hobbies and
I had a little trouble keeping up with all of them.
Susanne Gervay did a great job capturing the harm of
bullying. "I am Jack" is an awesome book for a child to
read and learn.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State
and Country: Oakmont, Pennsylvania United States

Wolfsbane and Mistletoe by Charlene Harris and Toni L.P. Kelner

"Wolfsbane and Mistletoe" by Charlene Harris and Toni L.P. Kelner is a book of short stories all about werewolves and Christmas. All of the stories take you to different places and through different emotions. Each tale has a complete story that leaves you wanting more when you have to move one to the next. The plots vary from biblical figures, well known book series and good old family values. Some of the stories are hilarious with connections to other things in the world, logical with explanations and serious with mystery.

I found the book enjoyable and interesting. Some of the stories had me laughing, and others were more serious. But all in all a very good read if you want mystery, humor and connections. Some of the stories were so outrageous, I had to tell someone to see their reaction and if it was similar to mine. All of the authors that wrote for this book did an amazing job and should be commended for this collaboration.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Schenectady, New York United States

The Human Corpse Trade: Byron Carmichael Book One by J. Eric King

Fifteen years after his father's disappearance, Byron Carmichael is accepted to a summer study program at the prestigious Bradenburg University. There, he meets the Winston family: Dr. Winston, Nick and the beautiful Gracie. It is Dr.Winston who introduces the three teenagers to their summer assignment: to research Byron's father's work. He had invented a highly realistic simulation, a huge technological advance. When the young scientists accidentally find themselves trapped in early America, it is up to them to solve the mystery of the grotesque human corpse trade of the time and to get themselves out of the increasingly dangerous game before they are trapped inside forever.

Overall, The Human Corpse Trade was a mediocre read. The plot had the potential to be interesting but wasn't well developed. The characters were flat and unrealistic. The way they spoke was awkward and grew bothersome over the course of the novel. Nick was the only character with much substance, but even he tended to be uninteresting and was shoved into the background when Gracie and Byron interacted. The high point of the novel was the well researched and realistic-seeming historical content. The author's use of vocabulary was unvaried and didn't add anything to the story. The romance between Byron and Gracie feels contrived and unnecessary to the plot. I wouldn't recommend this book and I don't plan on reading any of the follow up novels.

Reviewer Age:17

Reviewer City, State and Country: San Diego, CA USA

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

In the magical world of Lorinar, Nimira is an exotic and dark-skinned trouser-girl who sings and dances in music halls for money. She's away from her homeland of Tiansher and is extremely poor, so when wealthy Hollin Parry offers her a job singing with an automaton, she readily accepts. But rumors that the automaton is haunted cause Nimira to closely examine it, and she discovers that a fairy is trapped in the mechanical body! As she talks to Erris, the fairy, he tells her how the current Ambassador of Magic killed the previous Ambassador and how fairies are being tortured by a council of sorcerers that Hollin is a part of. As Nimira tries to help Erris, she can't help falling in love with him and is determined to find a way to save him.

I thought that Magic Under Glass was an okay book. The synopsis makes it sound like it will be an action-packed romantic fantasy, but I think it fell short of its expectations. I liked how the author created a new magical world, but it had parallels to history, like Lorinar resembling England and Tiansher, where Nimira was born, resembling India or Africa. I also liked the similarities to Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, which I am currently reading. However, I didn't think the relationship between Nimira and Erris, the automaton, was believable. She was supposed to be in love with him, but there wasn't much development, character- and relationship-wise, between the two of them. Even though there were things I disliked about Magic Under Glass, I still enjoyed reading it, and I think fans of fantasy will find this book to their liking.

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States

The Twilight Gods by Hayden Thorne

London was a beautiful place in 1851. It attracted people near and far to see the Great Exhibition full of new inventions, and exotic treasures. Fifteen-year-old Norris discovered mysterious shadow folk among the crowds of people. His life was starting to bore him until a strange widow became a renter of one of his parent s vacant rooms. She slowly revealed the secrets of the shadow folk, and his connection to them. In the end, he is faced with a life-changing decision.
The characters were wonderfully drawn by Hayden Thorne. Her writing was very impressive, and she makes this story very captivating. The Twilight Gods was a real page turner in the end. The story's characters were so real, I feel like I actually met the family. I recommend this book to YA readers who like a fun, supernatural, history read.

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