The Warlock by Michael Scott

Josh has chosen his path, Sophie hers. Josh goes to meet up with Machiavelli and Billy on Alcatraz with Dr. Dee and Virginia Dare at his side. Sophie prepares to meet Tsagaglalal to learn earth magic. Dr. Dee prepares to send a 7 headed dragon on to San Francisco . The Alchemyst is dying.  And the world is set to end unless the twins go back in time to Danu Talis, where their friends are waiting.


Opinion: The Warlock is an awesome book. Michael once again crafts a novel for this unusual chain of books, perfectly. The best thing I like about this series, is about how the characters can use their auras differently than any other books that I have read. I just cannot wait for the final one to complete this heart stopping series. I recommend this to anyone 11 and up.

The Storm Before Atlanta by Karen Schwabach

It’s 1863, and ten-year- old Jeremy DeGroot is itching to join the Union Army -- so he runs away from Old Silas, the brutal man to whom he is indentured.  After reaching Washington D. C. by train, he is able to enlist in the 107th New York Volunteer Regiment as a drummer boy; a key player in the Army’s communication system.  One day, while refilling his canteen at a stream, Jeremy happens to meet Charlie Jackson, a Confederate soldier whom he befriends.  They meet again several times throughout the book.  Jeremy also meets Dulcie, an escaped slave from a Georgia plantation.  She is soon able to find work as an assistant to Dr. Flood, the camp surgeon.   Dulcie also realizes that now she is free and able to make her own decisions.  Together, Dulcie and Jeremy go through terrible trials, such as friends dying from wounds and Jeremy losing his drum in a battle.  Will they be able to survive the War Between the States?

I think the author did an excellent job at describing the situations in this book.  She also sometimes brings characters into the situations for only one or two chapters, which I think makes the situations more realistic.  She also incorporated a few fascinating facts into the book.  For example, Maryland almost seceded from the Union to join the Confederate States.  I enjoyed The Storm Before Atlanta very much and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in America’s Civil War.  

Content:  1

Rating:  10
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Annandale, Virginia United States

Cheesie Mack by Steve Cotler

Ronald Mack, otherwise known as Cheesie to his friends, isn't a genius or anything, but he does remember all of the events that happened before, during and after his fifth-grade graduation, and he wrote it all down in his very own way-including drawings, lists, and lots of made-up words. But Cheesie doesn't just talk about his graduation ceremony/party-he also talks about his everlasting battle with his older sister June, his best friend Georgie's discovery of a strange old coin that could change their summer, and a mouse plot gone wrong. Will Cheesie and Georgie get to the bottom of the coin mystery? Will they get in trouble for their mouse plot? Who will win the sibling battle? Will the coin change Cheesie and Georgie's summer forever? You'll have to read for yourself and find out.
I thought this book was great! I could totally picture the characters and the settings (and not just because of the pictures, although they did help). I could probably picture Cheesie as a real person because he goes through some of the same things a normal kid would go through. An example of that is a seemingly-constant battle with an older sibling, which is present in the book. The book was told in first-person, so that made it all the more realistic to me, because I almost always write in first-person. The author included just the right amount of detail at all times throughout the book. I would totally recommend this book to others, especially if you are a "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series fan, because it is a good and humorous read

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hopkins, Michigan USA

Thistle Down by Irene Radford

For generations, the children of Skene Falls, Oregon have befriended the Pixies of the Ten Acre Woods. Eventually the kids grow up and lose their beliefs in the Pixies. However, Dusty Carrick and her brother Dick are the rare exception.  When Dusty and Dick's childhood friend Thistle Down appears in a human body, they have no choice but to believe her when she says she is exiled amongst the Pixies. With Thistle comes yet another problem. The antagonists of the novel want to tear down the Ten Acre Forest, which would forever alter the lives of the Pixies, children, and the residents of Skene Falls. It's up to Dusty and her friends to save the forest and help Thistle Down.

I really enjoyed Thistle Down. It had an extremely intriguing plot and made me continue turning pages right from the beginning. Irene Radford did a really nice job of making sure we knew who was telling the story.  Even with about five different characters sharing the spotlight, it was extremely organized. I would recommend this book if you're into fantasy and the present day!

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Hermantown, MN USA

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

When Ginny Blackstone lost the last little blue envelope in Greece, along with the twelve other letters, she accepted that she would never find out what her aunt had to tell her in that last letter. But when someone calls to say that he found her backpack with all the letters, Ginny finds herself heading to England again for another adventure. The boy who found the letter, Oliver, wants to help Ginny, but only if he is allowed to accompany her and take away half the profit from one of Aunt Peg's paintings. Ginny reluctantly agrees and she finds herself traveling Europe with not just Oliver, but her old friend Keith and his new girlfriend Ellis. If this trip is like last summer, Ginny is in for the treat of a lifetime.
I was really excited to read The Last Little Blue Envelope because it is the newly released sequel to one of my favorite books, Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes. In the first book, Ginny loses the last envelope, and accepts the fact that she might never know what her aunt had to say. But luckily for us, The Last Little Blue Envelope provides some closure with Ginny receiving the last letter in a rather unorthodox manner. Oliver, the boy who found the letter, seems very manipulative, because he will only give Ginny the letter if she allows him to take away half the profits from one of Aunt Peg's paintings. As the story progresses, we learn more about Oliver and start to like him more. Old favorites like Richard, Ginny's uncle, and Keith, Ginny's sort-of boyfriend, make a reappearance in this latest installment. The Last Little Blue Envelope was full of humor, adventure, and even some romance and is the perfect sequel to a great book.

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

Subway Girl by P. J. Converse

Simon is a teenage boy struggling to complete school in Hong Kong. On top of English class and pressure from his parents, Simon may not be graduating this year. But Simon's luck begins to change when he sees the most beautiful girl he has ever seen on the subway. He finally gets up the nerve to speak to her and learns her
personality is just as beautiful as her appearance. But is Subway Girl what Simon thinks? Or is she living a double
life?

At first I was skeptical of this book. I assumed it would be like every teen romance novel - cheesy and
fictional. But as I read on and opened my mind, I found this book was different from all the others. Simon's urge to be with the mysterious Subway Girl could cost him everything - yet he risks it all to be with her. This book is perfect for the girly-girl or sensitive guy!

Adult Themes

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City, Florida USA

Diary of a Bad Boy by Traci Hall

Josh Grady was a bad kid. He was abused and hurt physically and emotionally by his father and it hardened him into a troubled person. He took one big step in the wrong direction and the result put his best friend in a coma. Instead of being sent to jail, Josh is given a second chance and he goes to Shining Star Boy's Ranch to straighten out his life. For a while, Josh hated it. He hated all the rules, the teachers and counselors, and most of all he hated how kind everyone was to him because it reminded him of what he didn't have. Even though he thinks his whole life has been messed up, Josh finds that the hardest thing he has to do is find forgiveness for himself and others.

Josh was a bad kid. He made so many mistakes in his life and what he really needed was to find forgiveness for himself and for others. When I first picked up The Diary of a Bad Boy, I didn't like it and I thought I would be bored with it. Then I got into it, and I found myself being mad, sad, happy and confused along with Josh. I felt his hurt and anger and then I felt his forgiveness. I loved how much he turned around his life. I felt like I was reading about a real person's struggles in life and I felt proud of him when he made a good decision. After I began reading it, I couldn't put it down! My one complaint is the excessive cursing and some grammatical errors that I found. Aside from that, Traci Hall did a great job with the message for forgiveness she was trying to get across.

Content: 4
Rating: 8
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Tatamy, PA USA

Badd by Tim Tharp

Ceejay has always grown up in the shadow of her rebellious yet charming older brother, Bobby. She doesn' t mind, though. Ceejay and Bobby have always been able to understand each other better than anyone else. So when Bobby is sent to fight in the war in Iraq, Ceejay is devastated, and can't wait until he comes home. But when he does, it' s not quite how Ceejay had imagined. Bobby has changed, and no one, not even Ceejay, understands him anymore. First, he's avoiding his family, then he 's consorting and even befriending Ceejay's enemy, Captain Crazy? Something just isn't right and Ceejay takes it upon herself to find out what it is. As Ceejay investigates, she will come to the realization that not everyone is how they seemed. She will gain unexpected friends, and lose a few on the way. This is a coming-of-age story, in which Ceejay will discover things she 's never known about people, and change her whole perspective on life.

Badd was an interesting book. Its unusual plot helped it to maintain the element of surprise and keep the reader on their toes. The main character, Ceejay, was spunky and original: a tough girl with a twist. She acted like a boy, like Bobby, like nothing could faze her, but there were a lot of mixed emotions in her. She had a hard shell on the outside, but she was confused inside. These feelings were revealed through the first person dialogue,
which fit well with the story.

The rest of the characters were easily recognizable with their lines ; they all had specific personalities that complimented each other. The uses of contrasting characters (catalysts) aided the plotline and added some exciting scenes. The language fit the first person dialogue, but there were many cases of foul language. It also included some sexual innuendos, as well as drug use and references. This book was an interesting book that got me thinking. It included a lot of tough subjects, like the war and what it can do to people, teen drinking and pregnancy, drugs, and most of all, changes, for better and for worse. I would recommend it for anyone who wants a page turner and doesn't mind the references and language.

foul language, drug use, sexual reference

Reviewer
Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, OR United States

Rotters by Daniel Kraus

Joey Crouch was a sheltered kid, if one can be sheltered in Chicago. He is very attached to his mother and fears for her life daily. His life gets flipped upside down when she is hit by a bus and Joey is sent to live with the father he has never even heard of. Ken Harnett doesn't know what to do with his new son and Joey has to attend a new school, Bloughton High. But school isn't any better, Joey is bullied, used as a specimen in biology and still gets straight A's. Determined to find out the source of Harnett's horrible smell and local nickname "The Garbageman," Joey climbs in the back of his truck with a camera and follows Harnett to a job. Then it is revealed that Ken Harnett is a grave robber. Eager to make something of himself in a place where everyone wishes he wasn't there, Joey and his father come to an understanding and Joey starts learning the family business.

Rotters is a very dark novel but it doesn't end as darkly as I thought it would at the beginning. It seems well researched and smart. The characters are surprising but relatable; everyone has faced the type of rejection Joey has. The book's major overarching themes are family and mortality. It's a new view of the outsider storyline without the typical ending. Rotters is an unusual and absorbing coming of age story that anyone (who can stand to be grossed out a bit) would enjoy.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Sterling Heights, MI United States

Gossip From The Girl's Room by Rose Cooper

I recently read the book Gossip from the Girl s
Room by Rose Cooper. This book follows the life of 6th
grader Sofia Becker and her trying to fit in the popular
crowd at school. In order to gain popularity points, Sofia
decides to start an anonymous blog on her school s website
with all the latest gossip. However, keeping the blog up
is not as easy as it seems until Sofia realizes all the
juiciest gossip can be overheard in the girl s bathroom.
Soon, she has a very popular blog on her hands. But how
much gossip is too much?
I found the book Gossip from the Girl s Room by Rose Cooper to be very interesting and entertaining. I found striking similarities to the book
series Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and I found it to be very
entertaining for teenage girls who need a laugh at their
own life. Cooper was right on the spot with an all-out
hilarious book. I thought the book was very down-to-earth.
This book has the potential to become the next best-
seller. I think the ending left me hanging, and I cannot
wait for the sequel to come out. I highly recommend this
book, and you will definitely enjoy it as well.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, Massachusetts United States of America