Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin

Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers have the job of a lifetime. They play two undercover rockstars on the hit comedy Jenna and Jonah's How To Be a Rockstar and are beloved by millions of tweens across the world. Off-screen, Charlie and Fielding are also involved in a romantic relationship that the papparazzi and tabloids love documenting. However, no one knows that Charlie and Fielding actually hate each other and the relationship is a big publicity stunt for ratings. Forced to spend every waking moment in each other's company, Charlie and Fielding are just trying to make it until the end of the show, but a tabloid rumor gone wrong might just ruin everything.

When I first picked up Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance, I thought it sounded really cute. Two stars that are dating for only for publicity? It makes you wonder how often this happens in real life. Especially since the show in question is eerily similar to Hannah Montana. Charlie and Fielding really do seem to hate each other and always trading insults and rude remarks even when they are supposed to be acting like a couple. I loved their dialogue because it was always really funny! What I didn't like was that everything falls apart really quickly and not much time is spent on Charlie and Fielding pretending to be a couple. I would have liked to see more backstory as to what happened when they first pretended to be boyfriend and girlfriend - I think that could have been really interesting. Regardless, I liked both Fielding and Charlie as character and enjoyed watching them grow throughout the book. A little predictable, but fans of romantic comedies will enjoy Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance.

Reviewer Age:19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States

Awakened by P.C. Cast

With the help of her devoted warrior, Stark, the reluctant assistance of Kalona and the ever-watchful presence of the Goddess Nyx, Zoey has returned back to the land of the living. No longer the scared and broken girl she was before, Zoey and Stark are beginning to learn about their special bond as warrior and High Priestess from the powerful Vampyre Queen Sgiach and her warrior. But Zoey can't run away from her problems forever because the Vamyre High Council has returned the evil Neferet to her position at the House of Night and she's using her regained power to continue her evil plan. Once again, it is up to Zoey, her friends, the elements, and the blessing of Nyx to save everyone they love and the whole human race from the Vampyres who wish to exterminate them. Will Zoey be able to save everyone or will some have to be sacrificed for the greater good?

When you first look at any of the new, young adult, vampire novels you're first thought might be Twilight? but this is not the case. This book has it's own original story line which show s the ancient struggle of good verses evil in a modern setting. It is not particular deep writing filled with thought provoking questions, complex characters, and a wide verity of diction. It is, however, a nice, easy read for anyone who likes fiction novels with strong female leads. There is some mention and alluded to sexual actions so this is not the book for younger children. In addition, you would need to have read the earlier books in the House of Night Series to read this book or you will be completely lost.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Reston, Virginia United States of America

The Haunting: Ebram's Story by Esther Locascio

The main character Ebram moves to a new home in Texas. Shortly after moving, he finds out that a little girl who used to live in his house before him haunts the house. His brothers and sisters can all hear the little girl talk in their heads. The little girl sometimes does strange things, like lifting things up in the air and moving things around. This book is also about the struggles that Ebram has fitting in at his new school. He eventually becomes a Shrouda (a group of students who have many Christian faiths. They also try to improve the community and help the needy). He tries to carry out his own plan to help make the community a better place. Ebram also has to face bullies at school. This book tells how Ebram gets to know the little girl and how he adapts to his new school. I think that this book's genre fits in with realistic fiction and supernatural.

I thought that this book could have been a little more supernatural, and the supernatural element of it wasn't very scary. I did enjoy the book it was pretty good. I also found myself daydreaming a little bit during some slow parts of the book. I wish that it had been a little scarier and suspenseful. The writer did make me feel like I was in the book with the characters, and I had a great mental picture in my head. The characters in this book were very real. They didn't seem too perfect, so I could picture them in real life. I think that overall, the author achieved her purpose. The strengths of this book were that it flowed very easily from topic to topic, which I think is important. Some weaknesses are that this book at times was not very descriptive. Sometimes I got a little confused and had to go back and reread. This book is a series, so I think that the author didn't tell what happened to all of the characters.


The vocabulary was very age appropriate. Other books that I have read in this genre were more suspenseful centered than this book because this book also talks about Ebram at school. I have not read any other books by this author. My overall view of this book is that is was an interesting read, but if you are looking for a scarier supernatural book, I would suggest reading a book by a different author. But if you are one of those people who gets scared easily but likes to read supernatural books, this book is for you. I didn't really learn anything from this book, but I would recommend it to others.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leawood, Kansas United States

Wildwing by Emily Whitman

As a young woman of no means in 20th century England, Addy has very few options for her future. When a rich classmate taunts her in school, Addy leaves and becomes the maid of mysterious local man, Mr. Greenwood. While in Mr. Greenwood's house, Addy comes across a time machine in a locked room. She is transported back to the 13th century where she is mistaken for a Lady. Addy is given the chance to live the life of the rich, and she couldn't be happier. But as time passes, she learns that the life of a wealthy lady is just as difficult as hers was. As she comes to this realization, Addy has to make a choice between staying a Lady in the 13th Century or returning back to the future and her family.
As soon as I picked up Wildwing, I got caught up in the story. I'm a huge fan of all historical fiction novels, and this story combined both the 13th and 20th centuries. The idea of time travel made the story more interesting. Addy was a great character to follow and I looked forward to all of her adventures. The only thing that bothered me about the novel was the way it was written; it's better suited for younger readers. But the story was excellent and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

Reviewer Age:24
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

All About Daisy by O'Dell Hutchison

High School is a difficult time; this is usually a point at which people find themselves and figure out who they are. Daisy plans to become  popular by making a to-do list full of things like: get a boyfriend, find a BFF, grow boobs, land a spot on the cheerleading squad, etc. Throughout the book Daisy goes through twists and turns and high and low points. Different things happen throughout the book that lead Daisy to find out who she is and what she cares about. Daisy's emotions and personality are something someone her age can relate to in one way or another.  The book leaves you with a surprise ending and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this cute series.
I could really feel Daisy's emotions in this book. I felt like I was right along with her and I was in the book. I could visualize the characters clearly, from the charming Russ to the evil Megan-I felt like I saw them the way she saw them. I wasn't crazy about the writing style of the book, because there are some scenes where Daisy thinks things that didn't make the most sense to me and seemed unnecessary, but that's just a personal opinion. I liked the book and I thought it was a fun read and that the author did  a good job of capturing Daisy's emotions, though it wasn't one of the best books I have ever read. I would recommend this book to readers who like a girly high school coming-of-age book.
For most readers I think this book would be just fine(appropriate wise), though I was quite surprised by some of the scenes. Some of the scenes were just a little mature for what I expected.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Annandale, VA United States

The Madhouse of Love by Peter G. Mackie

In the book The Madhouse of Love, by Peter G Mackie is a very challenging read, but leaves you in awe. His true, yet dramatic tale of his own experiences in life may leave an impact on the reader. Tony Whitfield was a young teenager at the time of his admittance to the Adolescent Unit of a psychiatric hospital. Being only around the age of 12, he merely was "acting the goat". Tony spent nearly his whole teenage life in and out, not wanting to part with the life he grew to love and accept. There is where he learns about the "fruits" of nature and learns how self-conflicting his infatuation with women can really be. Even though Tony was released a number of times, he always finds himself back at the asylum.
The Madhouse of Love was quite a deep and riveting story. Age-wise, I'd recommend this story for the more advanced reader due to difficulty in understanding the author's dialect. Peter Mackie's points change often and I often had to go back and re-read what I read.


Yet, at some points I really could relate to his thoughts and I could always argue against them. Generally, this tale would be considered a "coming of age" one, due to life lessons learned and self-realization. The author's use of distinct vocabulary was very powerfully projected.

The ending of the book, I must say, wasn't very impressive but the theme of the book; "The place of comfort is never easy to let go of", was very meaningful.

Overall, the story was charming and made me smirk every couple of pages. Recommended for mature readers due to intense vocabulary, confusing translations, and content more aimed for 17+.
 
I rated this for it's intense language and sexual references of the mind of a growing teenage boy. That and the difficulty of the read.
 
Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Naugatuck, Connecticut United States

Life on Hold by Karen McQuestion

Rae has never stayed anywhere for long. Her free-spirited mother moves herself and Rae every time things don t work out. Rae, now fifteen years old, has learned to never get attached to any place, but her mom has made her a promise:  no moving until Rae graduates. Rae has made a few friends, and is starting to enjoy life. But nothing prepares her for Allison. Rae was picked by her vice principal to show the new girl around, but Allison seems ungrateful. Rae has a sleepover to try and break the ice, but it goes wrong. Rae sees another side of Allison, and doesn t know what to think. Rae learns she must make some big decisions about family and friends, or her life will start to unravel.

This was an enjoyable book. The author really does a nice job of connecting with the reader. I have never had to move, but after reading the book, I can understand how stressful it would be through Rae s character. It also deals with friendship and how one person can impact another. This book was fresh and well thought out, a nice and easy read for the young adult audience.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Leawood, KS United States

Priscilla the Great by Sybil Nelson

I very recently just finished reading the book Priscilla


the Great by Sybil Nelson. This book is about a seemingly

ordinary 12 year old girl who discovers she has super

powers that she inherits from her mother. All her life,

her mother has been away, traveling the world under the

ruse of being a pharmacist. However, it turns out her

mother has been out trying to save the world from the evil

Selliwood Academy, a place where children are turned into

heartless violent machines. Will Priscilla be able to help

defeat the Selliwood Academy? Read Priscilla the Great to

find out.

Priscilla the Great by Sybil Nelson was a very

interesting read. I was mesmerized by the story and I

couldn't put the book down. Even after I finished reading

about it, I found myself thinking about the book and

wondering what would happen next. While reading the book,

I found myself laughing out loud at Priscilla's quirky

humor. Although Priscilla has super powers, she still

reminds me of a normal 12 year old girl trying to enjoy

her childhood. This book could very well become the next

Harry Potter. The mixture of comedy, suspense, and action

make it hard to stop reading. I really hope this book

becomes a series and I can't wait to read

more.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, Massachusetts United States of America

Pop Sculpture by Tim Bruckner

Pop Sculpture is a guide to making great action figures and highly detailed collectible statues. Some of the most talented individuals in the business pool their knowledge and secrets into this book to aid any aspiring toymakers. The book starts with a brief introduction to the industry and its impact on American culture. The book then dives into the detailed tutorial of two different items: the traditional action figure and the collectible sculpture. This guide addresses every stage in the creation process from research and design to mold making to painting. With hundreds of pictures showing each step in the process, Pop Sculpture is a definitive look at the artistic process of bringing some of our favorite characters to life.
The collaboration of action figure icons for this book is what makes Pop Sculpture a must-read for anyone planning on joining the industry. However, for those who are more interested in the history of action figures and comic book characters, this is not the book for you. Pop Sculpture focuses on the technical aspects of making action figures and collectible statues. Furthermore, the authors provide very valuable insight for certain stages of the toy making process. These pieces of information from some of the most experienced designers in the industry create the value in this book. Overall, Pop Sculpture is a great technical guide, but it is not by any means a historical perspective for the casual reader.

Reviewer Age:21
Reviewer City, State and Country: Eden Prairie, Minnesota United States

The Raven's Bride, by Lenore Hart

Virginia, or Sissy, Clemm isn't a name that most people will recognize, but her husband, Edgar Allen Poe, is
probably one of the most acclaimed authors. Like most famous
authors, Edgar Allen Poe was neither rich nor famous
throughout his life. The Raven's Bride by Lenore Hart is a
fictional account of Virginia and Edgar's unlikely romance
and the hardships they went through, both before and after
their marriage.

The premise of this novel seems very,
very interesting because Edgar Allen Poe's marriage was
very, very screwed up. He married his thirteen-year-old
cousin; plus, he was thirteen years older than her! Honestly
though, I don't think this novel did their relationship
justice. The author tries too hard to make their romance
seem normal. It seems like she's aiming for the audience
to go aw and to have heart-warming moments, but really,
with a twisted romance like Edgar and Virginia's, that's not
possible. I give her credit for trying to attempt something
like that, but the result was many unrealistic moments
filled with purple prose. Despite the purple prose, the
writing wasn't bad; it wasn't spectacular either.

The main problem with this book, however, was the pacing.
The book just dragged on and on and on. Maybe it's because I
don't like angst, but it felt like the situations were
overly dramatic--to the point that they weren't interesting
anymore. Overall, if you're looking for historical fiction,
there are much better choices.

Reviewer Age:  17
Reviewer City, State and Country:  Hinsdale, IL USA