Vesper by Jeff Sampson

Emily Webb is a quiet girl, the kind of girl you could definitely call a geek. She has only one friend, and is perfectly comfortable hiding behind her glasses and oversized sweatshirts. Suddenly, it's as if she wants to change her ways, but only at night. It started the night that the other Emily was murdered. Ever since Emily C. from school was found shot, it seems that she has developed a split-personality, changing from a nerd to a party girl. During the day, she wouldn't dare to flirt with another girl's boyfriend or sneak out of the house from her second story window. She wouldn't dare to be courageous for any reason, but at night, it seems she does exactly this. She doesn't understand what's happening to her and she can't handle when things start to get even stranger. Will Emily figure out why she's going through such difficult and confusing changes? Will she figure out if all that is happening is related to Emily C.'s murder?

Vesper by Jeff Sampson, to start out, was absolutely fantastic. It was interesting, humorous at times, supernatural, and even witty. It had the perfect amount of detail and was very easy to understand. As soon as I received this book and started reading it, I just had read it straight through. I had to find out what Emily Webb would do that night, things getting more intense with every page that I read. I was filled will curiosity from head to toe as I turned the pages. Out of all the books I have reviewed for Flamingnet, it was my favorite so far and I would give it a higher rating than "10" if possible. It has definitely made my list of top books to read. Jeff Sampson did an extraordinary job on this novel and I recommend it to all young adult readers, especially those with a tendency to read about anything supernatural.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fairborn, Ohio USA

I Will Save You by Matt De La Pena

Kidd comes from a difficult past into a group home where he feels misunderstood and abandoned until he befriends Devon, another troubled teen.  After Kidd is forced to renounce his friendship with Devon, he runs away to Cardiff, California and works at a beachside campsite.  In Cardiff, he falls in love with Olivia, a beautiful girl who understands Kidd and the responsibilities that come with being born into deceiving circumstances.  Just as Kidd begins to embrace his new life, his past catches up with him and he is forced to confront regrets that have shaped the rest of his life.  These choices lead him to discover that things are never as they seem.

Matt de la Pea tells Kidd’s story through journal entries that truly embody the perspective of the protagonist.  This style helps in understanding Kidd and left me wanting more.  The character development is a prominent feature throughout the novel and my only real complaint is the inconsistencies presented after the plot twist.  I wish that the plot would move along a bit faster, but for a lazy weekend read, this book is perfect.  I’d suggest this to older teens that are capable of confronting difficult topics and fans of realistic fiction.

Reviewer Age:17

Reviewer City, State and Country: Midlothian, Virginia United States of America

The Legacy by Gemma Malley

Would you want to live forever? But what if there was a price? The drug Longevity can do just that, keeping your cells at a state of eternal youngness and making death something abnormal a person chooses to do. Here lies a problem. If no one is dying and there are still children being born the world's resources will be quickly used up. The solution to this dilemma is making a declaration for people to sign that if they are going to start using Longevity at age sixteen they can never have children. In this society children born illegally are called Surpluses, and live in a dark depressing building called Surplus Halls. Anna is one of these Surpluses who live in these buildings and fully believes that what her parents did was evil and that their purpose in this world is to work and atone for their parent sins. But one day her life is turned upside when she meets a boy named Peter who speaks out against the Surplus Hall and tells Anna about her parents who love her and who want to bring her home again. Anna and Peter eventually escape the Surplus Hall where they meet back with Anna's parents who work for the Underground, an organization committed to fight against Pincent Pharma the company that makes Longevity. Sadly, Anna's parents kill themselves to save the children and because of a little known loophole Anna, Ben and Peter are now legal citizens and are no longer Surpluses. Peter starts to work for the Underground and meets his half-brother Jude and the leader of the underground, Pip. It soon comes to light that a deathly disease is killing people who take Longevity. Richard Pincent, the mastermind of the Pincent Pharma Company, is on the hunt for the cure and will stop at nothing to find it. Through various clues Richard believes Peter has the formula on a ring he wears. And he will stop at no means to get it. Will the Underground get rid of the people's addiction to Longevity? Will Richard Pincent find a cure? Or will the world succumb to this horrible disease?


This book series is very well written and has a great plot that fans of science fiction will love. In the first book it starts off small mostly based in one location with few characters but as the series grows more characters are added with a faster paced plot and many twists and turns along the way. The ending was an especially delightful surprise and was a shocker! Every question is answered every loose end is tied up and it leaves with an epilogue that is the icing on the cake. I would highly recommend this series to anyone.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Loves Park, Illinois United States

Flight of the Renshai by Mickey Zucker Reichert

The country of Bearn is faced with the threat of an army of pirates while the Renshai face banishment from their home. After an intense battle, the Renshai are forced to leave their home in the Fields of Wrath. Meanwhile, Saviar, Calistin, and Subikahn, the sons of Kevral Tainharsdatter, face their own trials: one from swordsmen, one from wounds, and one from himself. In all cases, the world is in peril and it will all come back to the army of "pirates" and their leader.

This book was hard to get into but once I did I loved it. Ms. Reichert is a talented writer but often goes into almost too much detail. Most of the characters are very well developed but some of the more important ones were not. Other than that, the book is well written and definitely a page turner. Mickey Zucker Reichert has a great series on her hands and I am excited to see where she goes from here.

Please note: There is some strong language in this book, and some adult themes.  Personally, I don’t know if this book is for younger readers.

Content: 2

Rating: 7

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Era, Texas U.S.A.

Flight of the Renshai by Mickey Zucker Reichert

The Flight of the Renshai is a story of three brothers on a journey to find their place. Their tribe, the Renshai, are a tribe dedicated to the sword. Long ago they were exiled from the Northlands; the tribe had settled in Bearn working for the King as a part of his army. Now spies from the North have succeeded in the banishment of the Renshai yet again. Additionally, a fleet of pirates are on the verge of destroying all of Bearn. In the middle of all this are three brothers: Calistan, Saviar, and Subikahn. One is a brilliant swordsman who is traveling to the North to kill the man who murdered his mother. Another brother is struggling with who he is and his parents separate heritages. The third brother is struggling with his sexuality and who his father wants him to be.  The whole time, the pirates are drawing nearer, and an epic battle awaits the people of Bearn,who will need the Renshai to survive. In the end it takes the Renshai and the Northmen coming together along with the Bearn to defeat the marauders.  By the end, the brothers have made their own personal journeys. Calistan discovers that vengeance is not the answer,  Saviar learns that a man can live happily honoring both of his heritages, and Subikahn finally accepts who he truly is and also gains his father's acceptance.

My opinion of this book is that it is very complicated.  I had a hard time getting into the story

itself.  It has several plots that are happening at the same time and it was difficult for me to follow.  I did enjoy reading about the struggles that each brother went through on their own journeys, but it wasn't enough to hold my attention.  I feel that maybe this book was meant for someone older then my age of twelve.

Content: 3

Rating: 4

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas USA

Rhymes With Cupid by Anna Humphrey

Elyse swore off of boys when she found her boyfriend cheating with her best friend...on Valentine's Day. This makes working at a gift store, almost a year later, kind of difficult, but she has other problems to worry about. She can't pass her driver's test, she and her mother are barely making ends meet, and Elyse's friend, Dina, is still obsessing over her ex-boyfriend. So Elyse tries to set her up with a cute guy that walks into the store while she and Dina are at work. It turns out that the cute guy is Patrick, her next door neighbor and new driving teacher. However, it seems like Elyse and Patrick have more in common than Patrick has with Dina. Which will Elyse choose: her friendship with Dina or her love with Patrick?
Rhymes with Cupid was an okay read. The story line was pretty typical and I felt like the characters did not act their age. The characters are supposed to be juniors and seniors in high school and I thought they acted a couple years younger. I did like the ideas the author had for the characters and I think she mostly developed their personalities. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a high school romance novel.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States of America

Yummy by G. Neri

The book Yummy by G. Neri is about an eleven year-old boy named Yummy. The book relates the difficult life of Yummy and how in an instant his whole life was turned upside down. Yummy is known as a troublemaker and people always portray him as a gangster. His father is in jail and Yummy was taken away from his mother due to child abuse, so he lives with his grandmother and the many grandchildren she takes care of. Yummy is a member of a gang called The Black Disciples, and he is always looking for ways to prove himself to them. If you want to advance in the gang you had to prove yourself, so that's what Yummy tries to do. In the middle of the story things go terribly wrong when Yummy tries to prove himself. When Yummy is walking he sees that a few members from a rival gang are playing ball in the Black disciples' territory, so he decides to take care of it. Yummy is scared and doesn t know what to do, so he decides to make a run for it. The members of the gang hide Yummy, while a huge manhunt is underway. Everyone is looking for Yummy and it is all over the news. At the end of the book we see that the Black Disciples are getting tired of hiding Yummy. What will they decide to do?
When I close my eyes I picture myself in a dirty crime-filled city. I see people hurrying down the streets because they are scared of the gangs that have taken over their city. I can hear gun shots in the distance and the wail of police sirens. The main character is Yummy and he can be the sweetest little boy at times. On the other hand he can also be the scariest person. The mood or voice of the book was sort of a thriller where I couldn't wait to read what happened next. There was sufficient detail, not too much and no too little. I believe the author G. Neri achieved his purpose. The book was unlike any other I've read, and it was very inspirational.
Gangs and violence Reviewer Age:13 Uxbridge, MA USA

The Inheritance Almanac by, Michael Macauley

Ever wondered what Aren meant? What if you needed the inside scoop on elves? Well, then look no further than the Inheritance Almanac. Learn all there is to know about dwarfs and dragons. Discover the importance of many different locations and battles. Find out everything about the books Eragon, Eldest, and Brisingr. So read the Inheritance Almanac and explore the world of Eragon.

Probably the most informative book I have ever read in my life. This book is full of all kinds of things you might not know about the world of Eragon. I have a lot of friends that read the Eragon series and now I know what they're talking about. I think that everyone would love this book and find it as cool as I have. Now I can tell my friends that I know everything about the series from A-to-Z.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas America

Steampunk'D by Jean Rabe

This book is an anthology of short stories by different authors. Each story is very different, but all are under the category of steampunk. Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction. In steampunk, the stories are set in the late 1800s or early 1900s in a world that resembles our own. However, the story explores futuristic technology based on steam. Also, the history of the world may be different. For example, in one story titled The Battle of Cumberland Gap, the Americans lost the Revolutionary War. When the story takes place, the British and the French are battling over coal in Kentucky using steam-powered and land-traveling warships. This altered history and technology are typical of the stories in this anthology. However, the characters and plots vary greatly. Also, some stories contain fantasy elements in addition to science fiction ones.

I greatly enjoyed this collection of stories. I have always liked science fiction, but I had never heard of steampunk before I read this anthology. However, I discovered that steampunk is a very interesting and diverse genre of literature. Every story in the collection was set in its own unique world. The amount of character and plot development varied from story to story and, because of their shorter length, each story is simpler than a novel would be. However, each had enough substance to be entertaining. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy reading science fiction, fantasy, or alternative history and who enjoy short stories.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Royersford, PA United States

Rex Zero by Tim Wynne-Jones

Rex Zero: The Great Pretender is a book about a boy named Rex Norton-Norton who is known as Rex Zero by his friends. In the beginning, Rex is going on a vacation with his friends, James and Buster, to a cottage in Quebec. Rex is fired up until he hears his family is moving. At the cottage, Rex tries to put moving out of his mind and almost does until he, James, and Buster start talking about the new 7th grade school, Hopewell, that they would all go to if Rex were not moving. When Rex gets back home, he tries to find a way to still go to Hopewell from the new house. He starts struggling with registration, transportation, deceiving his parents, and finally, money.



I think the author's purpose was to entertain young readers with his work and he did an awesome job of it. The writing flows well but at times the author used terms that were unfamiliar to me. I think that the book would be appropriate for ages nine and up. My overall response was that it is interesting, and it is a great book. The book always keeps you guessing. I would definitely recommend this book to all of my friends and even some adults.



Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Dickinson, Texas U.S.A.