Token of Darkness by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

When Cooper Blake suddenly finds himself victim of a horrendous car crash and his football career destroyed, he is also met another life changing surprise: Samantha. Samantha is beautiful, slightly obnoxious, only visible to Cooper and definitely not alive. This not only all Cooper knows about her, but all she knows about herself. Together, they are trying to unearth Samantha's hidden past and discover how she died. Enter Delilah, the head cheerleader with powers beyond Cooper's comprehension, and Brent, Delilah's ex-boyfriend who can hear everyone's most intimate thoughts. Brent and Delilah both dabble in the supernatural and are pushed together in order to discover who or what Samantha is, before she puts Cooper and those around him in grave danger.

Token of Darkness, by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, is a fun, quick read. It is not overly challenging to digest but still has an imaginative and intriguing plot. It takes an unusual (but welcome) turn away from the typical ghost story and still maintains some of the familiar elements of the genre that will keep the reader in their comfort zone. Atwater-Rhodes presents interesting characters that are vividly rendered and always have a certain aura of mystery about them. The characters who I found most enjoyable to read about were Cooper and Samantha. The dynamic and fun banter between them were excellent elements of the novel and their developing relationship was a great part of the novel. The one thing I really disliked about the novel was the relationship between Delilah and Brent as all their interactions seemed contrived and out of place. I also think that there were too many loose ends at the end of the story that I would have liked to see tied up. Other than that, this novel was very entertaining and kept my attention the whole way through. The settings felt true-to-life and were very well described. The dialogue between characters was, for the most part, natural and flowed very well. I would recommend this to any reader who enjoys reading about the supernatural and is looking for a quick, roller-coaster of a book. I definitely look forward to reading some of the author's other books in the future.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: San Diego, CA USA

Changing the World edited by Mercedes Lackey

Changing the World is an anthology (book of short stories) about the Heralds and Companions of Valdemar. This book includes stories about a young woman whose heart is broken when her love leaves to be a Herald... A young man who is so wrapped up in love that he can only be shown the truth by a Companion he refused to follow... A young herbalist who has to choose between her home and her duty to her country... and more! Companions are horse-like animals with silver hooves, soft blue eyes, and a dazzling white coat & mane. Heralds are people with gifts that are chosen to help the Companions. Some of the things Heralds do are solve family feuds that have grown too large, help towns in trouble and judge trials that will affect the whole country.

I thought a lot of these stories were great! In certain stories, the characters have a lot of depth. I think Mercedes Lackey (The creator of Valdemar) could have done a better job of editing. A handful of the stories weren't even about the Heralds and Companions. One of the stories called "For Want of a Nail" takes a lot of background to understand. Even though the stories weren't long, you got attached to the characters quickly. You felt their pain, happiness, and grief. Over all it was a very good book.

A few of the stories may require guidance for 13 and 14 year olds as they contain sexual innuendo or references. I didn't notice them, but my mother did and thought this should be mentioned. Most of the stories are quite safe though.

Reviewer Age:10

Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockwell City, IA USA

The Clearing by Heather Davis

After being in an abusive relationship, Amy just wants her
life to be different, even if different means moving into
a small trailer in a rural area with her Great-Aunt Mae.
Henry Briggs wishes that he wasn't stuck in the eternal
summer of 1944, avoiding the tragic events that would
occur if he had lived past that day. One day Amy discovers
a clearing, where she meets Henry, the most polite and
decent boy she has ever met. He helps her deal with her
past and she helps him deal with his future.

I thought
that this book was okay, but not great. I generally don't
read love stories, so on this type of book I haven't read
enough to compare it to other books. The story was great,
but it wasn't carried out as good as it could have
been.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and
Country: Garden Ridge, TX USA

Before I Fall

It seems like Samantha Kingston has it all: three best friends, a cute boyfriend, and adoring students at her high school. Sam is popular, and though she feels guilty at times for the way she and her friends treat other students, she still loves her life. That is, until Friday, February 12, when Sam has a fatal car accident. Sam discovers, however, that she is given a chance to relive her last day on earth, and she better make the most of it. As she relives the day over and over again, she struggles to learn what to do to break the cycle.

I really enjoyed reading “Before I Fall”. The novel was so original, because even though I have read books that involve a dead protagonist, this one had one day repeating over and over again. This concept might seem boring, but each day Sam does something different and the author reveals new information that makes you want to keep reading. I also really liked Sam as a character. In the beginning, she's not the nicest person. She's rude to other students at school and shows no respect to her parents at all. But as the novel progresses, Sam begins to appreciate life more and sees the mistakes that she has been making. I thought “Before I Fall” had a great message, to appreciate every day, and I think the author executed her ideas flawlessly in a well-written story.

This book contains material such as underage drinking, strong language, and drug use, which is only for mature readers.

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

A World of His Own by Arlette Gaffrey

Andre De Javon, a handsome, determined young Frenchman, arrives in New Orleans seeking a place to belong. What he discovers is a world far beyond what he could have imagined. Swept into a world of balls, beautiful women and wealthy families, his new home is a far cry from his life in France. With no surviving family, his goal is to make a name for himself, but he is unsure of what he wants to do specifically. Shortly after his arrival, his friend, Charles du Fray, introduces him to Monsieur Charleviox, a very successful plantation owner. Almost immediately, Andre decides that he wants to start his own plantation.

On top of meeting Monsieur Charlevoix, Andre also meets his daughter, Julie Marie, a stunning girl, but much younger than Andre. He thinks nothing more of it, and returns to the city with Charles, where he meets Gabrielle Ste. Claire. She is a gorgeous young woman, but as the reader soon discovers, she is spoilt, full of pride, vain and flirtatious, and will use her beauty to her advantage.

Andre is persuaded to marry Gabby, though he does not love her, he only lusts after her. Her large dowry convinces him that it is the right choice, and so she gets what she wants. However, she is clearly unprepared for many of the things that come with marriage, and Andre finds it very difficult to deal with her and keep her secrets and scandals from their family and friends.

Years pass, with numerous adventures contained in them, and Andre finds that his only sources of happiness are talking to Julie and reaping the rewards of his land.

Andre now finds himself facing an incredibly difficult situation. What will he do?

Arlette Gaffrey has interwoven history and fiction beautifully in this book. I really loved the depth of the characters and how none were completely stereotyped. The language is easy to understand, but does not lack in descriptiveness. I liked that the relationships in the story all faced unique problems and how the story showed that looks can certainly be deceiving. It was refreshing to see that not everyone in the story had a perfectly happy ending, making it more like reality.

I cannot compare the story to anything I have read so far, though parts of the story reminded me of the movies True Women, The Duchess and The Other Boleyn Girl.

As an Australian, I didn't know much about American history, and even less about New Orleans. This book was a wonderful introduction to the society of the Creoles and the situations that they faced in life. I found the book very interesting and was very happy with the ending, though I wanted to know more about the children. I would love to read a sequel that explores them growing up.

Although perhaps accurate to the society and period, there are quite a few sensitive topics. As a result, I would only recommend this book to older readers, at least 15 or 16 years old.

There are multiple sensitive topics in this book including alcoholism, slavery, sexuality, rape, depression, abuse, violence and suicide.

Reviewer Age:17

Reviewer City, State and Country: Brisbane, Queensland Australia

The Color of Heaven by Kim Dong Hwa

The Color of Heaven is an intriguing graphic novel about how seventeen-year-old Ehwa begins to understand and experience love and relationships as she says good-bye to her love, the man she plans to marry. She, only having her mother as a role model, waits for her love to come back to her. This book concludes the trilogy and is beautifully written to bring together Ehwa and her true love. The author, Dong Hwa Kim, creates interesting characters that the reader can easily relate to, in such ways as relationships, patience and love.

Even though the authors voice is clear throughout the book, it becomes tedious and redundant at times. The story is lovely altogether, but while reading this book you feel as if you're reading through pages and pages of the Ehwa, the main character, waiting for her love. A wonderful end to the trilogy, though not as good as expected.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Bayside, Wisconsin United States

Hastur Lord, by Marion Zimmer

We've all heard stories of nobles that don't want the crown or royal position that they are destined to inherit. But have we heard one in space? Flip open the pages of "Hastur Lord" and discover, Regis, a noble in that position. When another empire seeks to change the Terran Empire's Class D Closed World status, Regis has to begin to pay more attention to politics. The fate of his country will soon rest in his hands. Hop into your spaceships, readers, and blast into this book!

Unfortunately, the review of this book will be slightly biased. Personally, I
don't enjoy many science-fiction novels. There were times in this novel where I became lost and was left wondering, "which empire were we talking about?" I never quite understood why the ecological systems were involved, and I thought this book had many awkward moments dealing with the gay relationship of Regis and his lover, Danilo. I suppose if I had read the other books about Darkover before reading this one, the story line might have made more sense. This book is appropriate for high school students, and I believe science-fiction fanatics would enjoy it. For others that are not avid science-fiction readers, I would recommend they pass this one by.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas U.S.A.

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

In this final installation in the Last Survivor's Trilogy, Miranda and the rest of the Evans family begin to undergo some major changes yet again. When Miranda's father and step-mother arrive on the scene with their baby and a few strangers, the Evans family must learn to survive in a whole new set of circumstances, especially when reality finally seeps in that the world will never be the same again. One of the strangers is Alex Morales and as he and Miranda slowly share their stories, Miranda must make a decision that will change the course of her life forever.

Like the rest of the "moon trilogy", This World We Live In was a nail-biter. What sets this book apart from the rest of the trilogy however, is the emotional honesty we see from all of the characters. There comes a time in this novel where everybody finally realizes that things aren't going to go back to "normal" and that they must make choices that will permanently adjust their way of life. In the previous novels, we witnessed a shocking lunar event; the terrifying story of Alex and his family; and now, as Miranda and Alex's stories are intertwined, we begin to see how the past events have changed them. Miranda is no longer innocent towards her tragic environment and Alex has become extremely reserved and protective because of his devastating past experiences.

Once I started reading This World We Live In, I could barely tear myself away. The special thing about this trilogy is that the setting is so realistic; however, the one thing that I did not buy with this book was the relationship between Miranda and Alex. I'm not quite sure if there was something "between the lines" I couldn't grasp or if the author was just trying to speed things up, but Miranda's romance with Alex didn't seem real. It was rushed. In fact, the last quarter of the novel was very rushed. I wanted to know exactly what happened to the Evans family, but instead Pfeffer left you with a cliffhanger. To me, this one of most unfair moves for author to do to his readers, especially at the end of a series.

Even though I was disappointed with the ending, I'm glad I didn't have to wait very long to read this final chapter in the lives of the Evans and Morales family. I think this is a great series for anybody and should go right up there with Scott Westerfeld's Uglies. I do hope Pfeffer will have more adventures to share with us in the years to come. In the mean time, have your library get this series! They won't regret it.

Recommend to ages 12+. Graphic descriptions of death and some sensuality.

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

The Story of Cirrus Flux

The Story of Cirrus Flux is a fast-paced adventure. The book switches between the year 1783 in London and events in the past. In 1756 James Flux, Cirrus’ father is on a ship near the Antarctic Circle and he sees a magical wall of light in the sky, some of which is captured in the small metal globe he wears around his neck. Then, in 1771, he sets off in hopes of seeing the light again, thinking it is the mystical substance known as the “Breath of God.” He leaves his newborn son, Cirrus, and the globe at the foundling hospital, because his wife has died and is never seen again. 1783 finds Cirrus still at the hospital, hoping to be apprenticed. A mesmerist comes to the hospital hoping to take Cirrus, because she thinks he possesses the Breath of God, but the governor persuades her to take Pandora instead. Pandora learns that her mistress, Madame Orrery, as well as another shady character, Mr. Sidereal, are both pursuing the Breath of God, hoping to harness its power. A series of wild adventures, discoveries, and narrow escapes follows, during which Cirrus begins to learn the truth about his father and his past.

The book is fun to read because there’s a lot of action, including many thrilling incidents, which really draw the reader on to the next chapter. The author keeps you guessing about which characters are sinister and which kind. The names of characters in this book are unique and interesting, and sometimes even funny, as in Cirrus’ best friend from the foundling hospital, Bottle Top. Though this book is set in what seems like a historical London, there are some fantasy elements, such as a bird made of fire (which turns out not to be a phoenix) an all-seeing eye and magnetized water.

The main weakness of this book is that the author never reveals the true nature of the “Breath of God” even though all the action in the book relates to it. I think this book would have been more interesting if the ending had been more satisfying, for example, if Cirrus had gone traveling with his father’s friend. Most of the characters’ plot lines seemed unresolved at the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fast-paced adventure with a hint of fantasy.

Content: 1
Rating: 7
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, IA USA

The Returners by Gemma Malley

Fifteen year old Will Hodges is different from the other kids in his school. His mom committed suicide which he witnessed when he was eight, his old shrink thinks he's paranoid when Will says "freaks" are following him around everywhere he goes, he's a witness to a murder and he has weird nightmares about people getting killed. One day one of the "freaks" tells him he's a Returner and for some reason he doesn't remember things he is apparently supposed to. As Will struggles to decide whether the Returners are real, Britain is starting to feel that the immigrants that come into the country are making the country a worse place. Will's destiny is realized as Will becomes more absorbed into who the Returners are.

The beginning of the book was a little different. It takes place in 2016 in Britain. If you don't understand some British talk it could be a little bit confusing. Also during the first few chapters you realize how loner-ish and depressing sounding the kid is. But after the Returners are introduced the plot gets better. Another thing that’s mildly annoying is the characters of Patrick and Will's dad who are in the party who don't like the immigrants that are in Britain. The ending of the book was pretty good because Will realizes things about his destiny and past lives that are interesting. All and all the book was good it wasn't an epic page turner but it was worth reading.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Loves Park, Illinois United States