Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Dertin

Violet has never been ordinary. She can sense the echoes of the missing dead, those who’ve been murdered. They call to her, wanting to be found so that they can rest in peace. She has only told a couple of her closet family members and friends about her special power. But, when she finds a dead boy and the FBI gets involved, many things could change. She doesn’t want her secret to get out for just anyone to know. She’s starting to feel as if there aren’t many people she can trust. She wants to talk to her best friend Jay, but now that they are in a relationship, she feels as if the rules have changed. And she is afraid talking to him will only make him more protective of her. Plus he has been spending a lot more time with his new friend Mike. Violet is beginning to wonder about Mike as he becomes closer with Jay. As she digs through his family history, she finds tragedy and a dark past. She isn’t sure anyone should trust Mike or his family. Is Mike really who he seems? Will Violet put everyone in danger if she keeps these dark secrets about Mike?

 Desires of the Dead is a very creative novel. This sequel to The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting is fantastic. Many times you will find yourself liking the first book in a series more than the second, but that was not the case in this series. I loved the first novel but I felt that Desires of the Dead was more focused and powerful with more emphasis on Violet’s powers than on the love story with Jay. It was a very exciting novel and I absolutely loved and enjoyed reading it. It was definitely one of those novels where you are kind of angry when it ends. I really hope that the story continues with a third book because Derting has a wonderful plots and ideas in this series. The romance, humor, action, and much more make it a perfect novel for any young adult reader.

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

A Sword in Her Hand by Jean-Claude Van Rijckechem

On what is supposed to be a spring night (but instead cursed with a overly long winter) the Countess of Barbant is giving birth to the future Count. To everyone's horror, the baby is turned sideways in the womb. The baby survives, but an even more horrifying discovery is made - the baby is not to be a future Count, but a future Countess - it is a girl. Lady Marguerite grows up with a rough childhood, after many miscarriages her mother goes crazy, and her father despises her for not being the male heir. When she is old enough, she is forced upon marrying Edward, whom she despises. After managing to escape her ill fated wedding, she discovers that the plague has come to haunt her and her people. She flees with her new husband, Prince Phillip, only to find he has obtained the dreaded plague. Prince Phillip dies, but Marguerite is not affected by the plague, and so with grief she goes to the convent to escape her life of hardship and sorrow. When her father comes for her, they battle, but Marguerite comes to accept her life as ruler, and steps back into the world.

This was a great book and extremely interesting due to the setting and details to Marguerite and her people's lifestyle. The book was quite realistic and exciting. I always had to wonder what would happen next and sometimes wondered why in the world why so-and-so would do such a thing. Also, Marguerite is quite a unique character. Her life is full of hardship, and although ours is much easier it is still possible to relate to her. A fascinating book, I would much anticipate a sequel.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Santa Fe, TX USA

Saving Zoe by Alyson Noel

It's been a year since her older sister's murder, and Echo is still far from being completely okay. Since Zoe's untimely demise, Echo has been trying her hardest to be the strong one, while her mother takes too many antidepressents and her father works too much. But at the start of her freshmen year of high school, Echo receives an unlikely gift from Zoe's old boyfriend: her diary. Echo is hesitant to read it, but can't put it down after she gets caught up in Zoe's secret life. Can Echo learn to separate her and Zoe's lives, all while saving Zoe's memory?

I thought that Saving Zoe was an extraordinary novel. It was sad and tragic, but remained full of hope until the very end. It was really interesting reading Zoe's diary along with Echo, because she was very enigmatic and mysterious. She also got into quite a bit of trouble and did the things most people wish they could do and get away with it. Echo learns more about her sister from the diary than she did living with her for thirteen years, which is a sad fact. But Echo comes to understand Zoe better than ever, and I loved how Saving Zoe showed that the bonds of sisterhood could actually be strengthened after death. I do wish there was more about Zoe and Echo and their relationship before Zoe's death, because that's something I think was lacking. But regardless, Saving Zoe is very well-written and poignant, and will appeal to fans of books about sisters.

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

The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo

The Tiger Rising is a short novel written by Kate DiCammillo. It is about a young boy named Rob living in Florida. His mother has recently died and he now lives with his father at The Kentucky Star, a small motel. One day while exploring the woods behind The Kentucky Star, both owned by a man named Beauchamp, he discovers a tiger, locked in a cage. This knowledge, like many of his other memories and feelings, he shares with no one until he meets the new girl at school - Sistine. They quickly become friends as they are both outsiders at school. Rob starts to open up, and he shares his secret tiger with Sistine, but things start to get out of hand. The adventure that ensues is one of remarkable self-discovery and human reliance. Although it is simplistic and child focused in nature, it has the ability to appeal to all age groups.

I really enjoyed this short novel because although it was somewhat predictable, it was a fun read and quite adorable. I did not want to put it down simply because it was enjoyable and sweet. The detail DiCamillo puts into the descriptions, such as the way she describes the tiger through Sistine's poem, and the description of the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel capture you mind and transport you into those places. I liked the characters because they were so realistic. Sistine is a strong minded young girl that pushes you to think about the hard questions. Rob was a child, trying to handle both his own pain and his father's pain from the loss of his mother. The traits and expressions are ones so common it is hard not to believe in the characters. I also enjoyed the foreshadowing, but some of it was far too obvious which ruined some of the later effect though. Overall, it is simplistic, but highly real and enjoyable. And while it is more focused at younger age groups, I would recommend it to all.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Minnetonka, Minnesota United States

Held by Edeet Ravel

In Held, by Edeet Ravel, a seventeen year old girl named Chloe is kidnapped while volunteering in Greece. Locked away in a mystery location, she is terrified and lonely. It is not surprising that when one of her hostage-takers appears, friendly, handsome and apologetic, Chloe begins to have feelings for him. The story follows the kidnapper and kidnappee for four months, as Chloe's friends and family struggle for the retrials the kidnappers have given as the requirements for her release, and Chloe herself has to figure out if everything around her is real or a game her kidnappers are playing.

Held was a fantastic book. It was written with many details of Chloe's confinement, from stuffed monkeys to scented shampoos. Chloe's attention to miniscule details made me aware of how intensly lonely and bored she must have felt with little company and the huge amount of information we are so used to getting from the internet and television. I also enjoyed trying to figure out whether Chloe's feelings for her kidnapper were Stockholm Syndrome, true love, or just an attachment felt towards the only human she had had contact with for four months. Through some cleverly placed scenes, you also wonder if the kindness shown to Chloe was real or just a way to have Chloe think of the kidnappers as friends, and not want to get them in trouble. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes suspense and a story that will leave them trying to figure out the complex actions of the characters.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: , Pennsylvania United States

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

It is 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is shipped off to her cousin’s house in hopes of finding a worthy match. At the cousin’s house, Amelia meets a charming young man named Nathaniel who steals her heart. Trying to hide her forbidden romance, she spends the rest of her time with her cousin’s daughter, who soon becomes her best friend. One day, Amelia finds out something new about herself; she can see into the future. The word about her visions soon gets around, and she is in demand from all sorts of people. Nevertheless, will her visions bring her happiness and friendships or, will they only bring her to her demise?



Saundra Mitchell has put together a wonderful story. This book holds suspense, romance, friendships, and betrayals on every page. She did a good job of telling Amelia’s story, but there is room for improvement. The flash-forward parts of the book are nice, but at times, they are a bit confusing. However, I would definitely recommend this book to ages 13 and up.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

Shadowrise: Volume Three of Shadowmarch by Tad Williams

Shadowrise is the 3rd Book of the ShadowMarch Trilogy of Briony and Barrick Eddon, the Twin Regents, as they continue to fight the Qar armies that have besieged ShadowMarch and their evil cousins.

                Briony, who has had the throne of ShadowMarch usurped by her relative, Hendon Tolly, is beginning to make allies in the Court of the King of Syan.  However, there are those who don't want these alliances, and they will resort to violence to ensure it doesn't happen.  Barrick, who disappeared into the twilight lands, continues his journey with Skurn, the talking crow.  Eventually, he must flee to a place even his attackers fear, and there he finds out the only way to get to Qul-na-Qar, through the city of Sleep, the home of the dreamless.

This book is well-written, but a little difficult to read.  Williams uses many complex and advanced words that add a different depth to the meaning of what is being written.   The way the book is written can make it frustrating to follow one character's storyline for a length of time, because Williams likes to switch from one character's viewpoint to another.  The characters are, in my opinion, well-developed, and Williams describes the events of the story so well that sometimes I would forget I was reading a book and think I was there, experiencing it. I liked this book, and recommend it to anyone who likes reading about wars, magic, and Gods. But make sure to read the first two books first, or you will be lost.

Review by Michael Bart, Ardmore, OK

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

When Payton finds out the hard way that her family has been hiding her Dad's diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis from her for six months, she is devastated. She is forced to attend meetings with the school counselor, who asks her to pick a focus option to get her through the hard time. After long contemplation, she decides on the head of the boy sitting in front of her- Sean Griswold's head. She realizes that after many years of sitting behind him, she still doesn't know hardly anything about him. As part of her "researching" she decides to learn more about him and his history. In the Book Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt, Payton learns what things in life really matter, and the real things she should be focusing on.

Sean Griswold'd Head by Lindsey Leavitt was very relatable, I could understand where the thought and feelings of the main character were coming from. This book was very fast-paced. The ending was perfect-it left me satisfied with how everything worked out. I would recommend this book to most people. It was a little on the girly side, but it showed overall what the experience of having a family member with MS in a very understandable way. This book was not the run of the mill chick-lit, it had all of the aspects I like plus extra feeling and depth that blew me alway. I was astounded and loved this book!!!

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake BLuff, IL USA

Ask Amy Green: Summer Secrets by Sarah Webb

Amy Green's life had just gotten perfect, and then her family had to go and ruin it. Her parents decided to go on a family trip; with her mom's ex-husband and his wife and kids. Meanwhile, her new boyfriend is going to be spending the summer in Rome, without her. Thankfully her cousin Clover is going too, so Amy won't go nuts while on vacation. Just as Amy's summer started to take a turn for the worse, Clover's magazine company decides to send her to the U.S. to interview America's new teen movie star and uncover his secrets. The best part is: Amy gets to go with her! Will Amy's summer finally get better, or will it only get worse?



Sarah Webb has put together a wonderful book for teens. This book takes place mainly in Ireland, and it uses just the right amount of the Gaelic language to make the setting authentic. The only thing I would have added would be a glossary at the end of the book to tell the readers what the different phrases of Gaelic mean. I would recommend this book to younger teens, and girls in-between the ages of twelve and fourteen.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin

You Killed Wesley Payne is a neo-noir, murder mystery novel set in the town of Salt River. Dalton Rev, the protagonist, is a Private Dick, or detective for hire, who transfers to numerous high schools to solve cases. Dalton is hired to investigate the suspicious death of Wesley Payne, a focal figure in the Salt River High School caste system. Thrust into a school divided by profit-driven cliques and a corrupt administration, Dalton must search through the bloshite and learn who to trust in order to discover who killed Wesley Payne. However, as Dalton digs deeper into the story, he realizes Wesley's death is only the tip of the iceberg.

This novel reminded me of the 2005 film Brick starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. What I loved about You Killed Wesley Payne is the element of noir that gives the book a vibrant setting. This adds an additional layer to the book which separates itself from other school mysteries. The author is very ambitious in the storylines with complex issues surrounding Dalton and the students at Salt River High School. However, some of these storylines were not necessary. I could not determine what the subplot of Dalton being courted by a Harvard admissions representative added to the story. Also, the chapters devoted to Dalton's past could have been integrated more seamlessly into the pace of the story. Nevertheless, You Killed Wesley Payne is an entertaining and enjoyable read. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy mysteries with a teenage backdrop.

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