Verity Gallant knows she s different, but her life takes a completely unexpected twist when an odd hysterical man gives her a mysterious book and a wooden ball. When reading the book, she finds the stories all relate to one evil character, the Mistress of the Storm. Soon after, a mysterious Grandmother that no one s ever met shows up. She claims to be there to help Verity s pregnant mother. Verity knows Grandmother is mean, but when Verity and her friends Henry and Martha find out that Grandmother is the Mistress of the Storm, the stories become frighteningly real. They find out that the Mistress is attempting something with Verity s new baby sister. But is Verity strong enough to save her?The attention to detail in this book was great. The surroundings seem almost real. I could smell the salty air and feel the sea spray. I love how relatable the characters are. Just when things get really dramatic, there s a little comedy to lighten the mood. The characters' feelings are contagious. The plot, however, was kind of predictable. Overall it was a very good book that I would recommend to people who like fantasy that s a little scarier.Reviewer Age:12Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockwell City, IA USA

Verity Gallant knows she's different, but her life takes a completely unexpected twist when an odd hysterical man gives her a mysterious book and a wooden ball. When reading the book, she finds the stories all relate to one evil character, the Mistress of the Storm. Soon after, a mysterious "Grandmother" that no one's ever met shows up. She claims to be there to "help" Verity's pregnant mother.  Verity knows Grandmother is mean, but when Verity and her friends Henry and Martha find out that Grandmother is the Mistress of the Storm, the stories become frighteningly real. They find out that the Mistress is attempting something with Verity's new baby sister. But is Verity strong enough to save her?

The attention to detail in this book was great.  The surroundings seem almost real. I could smell the salty air and feel the sea spray.  I love how easy it was to relate to the characters.  Just when things get really dramatic, there's a little comedy to lighten the mood. The characters' feelings are contagious.  The plot, however, was kind of  predictable. Overall it was a very good book that I would recommend to people who like fantasy that's a little scarier.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockwell City, IA USA

Vallar by Cindy Borgne

Summary: Ian is a pyschic working for the powerful marscorp faction on Mars. Ian has visions of a girl that is important to him, and when he is taken on a raid of an enemy base, he begins to realize that marscorp isn't as nice as he was raised to believe. When Ian has a dream about an enemy mine, Marscorp immediately goes to kill and take control of the mine, but Ian realizes that the girl he dreams of is a member of that enemy faction. Ian nearly dies there, but an enemy soldier rescues him, and is then shot and killed by marscorp soldiers. Ian questions his beliefs over and over, eventually providing false information to his superiors to protect the innocent people caught in this terrible war. Will Ian ever be united with this mysterious girl, and find a way to end this war??


Opinion: I REALLY liked this book…at times I thought that the descriptions were very good, and other times not so good. This book is suitable, I think, for even little kids to read. I personally havent read enough sci-fi books to compare this to other books in its genre, but I think that it would definitely be in the top of its genre. There is very little inapporpriate language, which makes it an even better book, to me. I wish that the book had been longer, since the end leaves you hanging, so I really hope that there is a sequel.

Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book

Dwight is in trouble again. After the events of last year, the class is now in seventh grade. Harvey, over the summer, made an origami Darth Vader. He instigates fights with Dwight and his origami Yoda. Some of Yoda’s advice to a student seems like a threat and is brought into more attention by Harvey. Dwight is suspended and may even be expelled, all because of Harvey and Darth Paper. If you want to find out what happens in the end, read this funny book.


This is the second book in the Origami Yoda Book series. I was hoping that a second one would come out after thoroughly enjoying the first one. An example of its humor is on page 57 when a pizza bagel blew up in the microwave. The character Dwight reminds me of the character Fregley from Diary of a Wimpy Kid. An example of this is on page 116 where Sara says he’s always sitting in holes. Those must be in the back of his house. I liked how the book was set up in little short stories of what Origami Yoda did to help them. I also like being able to make Darth Paper with the help of instructions at the end. I recommend this book to people age 10 and up and anyone who enjoys a good laugh.

Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Uxbridge, Ma USA

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

Anya Balachine has had a tough life growing up in crime-ridden New York City. The year is 2083, and the prohibition on chocolate and caffeine, along with rations on water, food, and paper, has made her Russian Mafiya family very influential in the city. But since both of Anya's parents are dead due to their Mob ties, Anya want nothing to do with the family business of selling black market chocolate. This is especially important when she becomes friends (and maybe something more) with Win, the son of the Assistant District Attorney and later when she is accused of poisoning her family's chocolate supply. Can Anya ever separate herself from her background, or is she destined to lead the Balachine regime like her father?

I really liked All These Thing I've Done. The novel was set in the future, but it wasn't really a dystopian because it was very similar to today. There weren't really any new technologies, just a lot of rations and caffeine and chocolate are contraband. I was disappointed that All These Things I've Done did not explain why and how these things became illegal. I enjoyed the fact that Anya's family is part of the Russian Mafia; I thought it was very interesting and not something done a lot in YA literature. Anya was a very strong and capable character and if she took over the leadship of her crime family in subsequent novels I think it could really shake things up. I liked the relationship Anya had with Win, especially the fact that their backgrounds are so opposite, but I felt like the romance was rushed. I know there will be a sequel, so hopefully we can get to see their relationship develop further. All in all, I really enjoyed All These Things I've Done and can't wait to see what Gabrielle Zevin has in store for us next.

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

The Project by Brian Falkner

Luke and Tom are two normal pranksters. That is until a flood occurs in the neighborhood. In that flood they find the most boring book in the world written by da Vinci. It is worth 2 million dollars, and they are out to get it. They come back that night to steal it. There they get chased by German speaking strangers. If you want to find out if they get the book and solve the mystery, read The Project by Brian Falkner.

The Project really surprised me. It had the perfect combination of action, humor, and mystery.  The author also does a good job describing scenes. An example is, "It was running faster, as if it were trying to escape from some unseen horror. It smelled strange also, a vaguely putrid stench of pollution and decay." My favorite character was Luke. He was smart and didn't put his life before the lives of the people of earth. The other thing I liked about him was that he was brave and was prepared to die for his friends.  I think that if you like this book then you would like Trackers by Patrick Carman. I recommend this book to people 12 and up.  

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Uxbridge, Ma USA

Stake Out by Bonnie J. Doerr

After meeting Old Turtle at a New York aquarium, Kenzie vows to help the sea turtles at all costs. So when someone starts stealing turtle eggs near her new home in the Florida Keys, she s on the case! With the help of her dog, Salty, the KTC (Keys Teens Care), and friends Angelo and Ana, they try to track down the thief before he or she destroys every turtle nest on the beach. Could it be angry Anita, the meanest women on the beach? Or the mysterious Shalima and her skin care products? Or might it be someone who s supposed to be protecting the turtles in the first place? You ll have to read the book to find out.  
This book is the perfect mystery. Full of suspense, action, and drama, Stake Out is one of the best mysteries I have ever read. It has just the right amount of family matters to balance out the plot, and the author paints such a vivid picture in my mind that I can almost smell the sea salt. The unexpected twists are just delightful! This book is great for people who love mysteries and people who love the environment. I liked this book so much that I will read it again and lend it to all of my friends. I highly recommend reading Stake Out by Bonnie J. Doerr.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockford, Michigan U.S.A.

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

It is 1929 and Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur have always dreamed of running away from their dull lives to the glamorous New York City. For Letty, New York means a chance to become the star she is destined to be. However, the path to stardom is not as easy as she thought it would be and finds herself conflicted between her desire for stardom and sticking with her morals. For Cordelia, New York is where her long lost bootlegger father lives. However, when Cordelia finds herself falling for the son of her father's sworn enemy she finds herself stuck in a Romeo and Juliet type scenario. And then there is Astrid Donal, a young flapper who appears to be living the New York dream. However, behind her wealth and beauty Astrid's life is not as perfect as it seems. Throughout their time in New York, each girl discovers that life in the city brings both pleasure and danger.
As someone who loves reading historical fiction, I really enjoyed this book. Set in New York City in 1929 the reader gets a look into the Prohibition period and the glamorous flapper life. The plot itself was also very interesting and at many times unpredictable. I finished this book in a day and found it a quick and light read. Even if the reader does not know a lot about the 1920's or Prohibition, the book gives enough information so that the reader is not lost and understands the plot and the setting.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Potomac, Maryland United States of America

Vlara's Song by Neil O'Donnell

Vlara's Song by Neil O'Dennell is a quaint little collection of medium-length short stories all set in the same, fictional world. The title story is about a druid priestess on her travels after the death of her lover, and there are many other interesting tales, including one about a troll who just happens to be a monk. Other works include the story of a soldier who loses his memory in the midst of battle, and the real story of what happens when a writer dies.
The first thing I noticed about this book was the format, and more specifically its strangeness. Unlike most anthologies, Vlara's Song lacks a table of contents. It's not technically necessary, but not having one irked me. The second unusual thing I noticed was that, for a collection of short stories, all the stories were very long. Especially the title story, which was actually divided into chapters. This isn't a good or bad thing, but it is quite different. As far as the writing goes, I found it to be average, and there were several parts where I felt I could have spiced it up. I do, however, admire the creativity of the last tale, The Realm of Author. The imaginative idea of an afterlife where authors go to live in and expand upon their own stories is truly interesting. Unfortunately, it still didn't pack much of a punch in the writing style department, so in the end, this book still earns a 7 out of 10.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sykesville, Maryland United States

The Hellandback Kids: Be Careful What You Wish For by L.L. Helland

The Hellandback Kids: Be Careful What You Wish For is about
four siblings, Chris, Brittany, Trisha, and Jon, who are
sent to their Grandmother's house in Scotland over the
summer. Maybe it's the ghost of their Grandfather that keeps
showing up, or the chicken that magically appears in
Britanny's room, or the wax bride that disappears from
Trisha's, but soon enough the four realize that something
wierd is going on. That realization is only enforced when
each of them is sent spiraling into a new world; Trisha to a
handsome suitor wanting to suck the life from her, Brittany
to bubonic-plague infested England, Jon to an important
corporate job, and Chris to a strange, cold land inhabited
by the fuzzy, green Bundlebobs. Although they are all
struggling through their own adventures, the Hellandback
kids find time to help each other, and learn an important
lesson: Be careful what you wish for.
The Hellandback
Kids: Be Careful What you Wish For was a very original story
that followed diverse characters in a fun, imaginative plot.
The story started out a little slow, but the adventures
quickly speeded up and drew me into to the Hellandback kid's
exciting summer. I enjoyed the large amount of symbolism
included in the story, especially Mr. Mole, Mr. Rat, Mrs.
Lips and Mr. Windbag who worked in the corporate world with
Jon. The author definitly drove home her message of being
careful for what you wish for well with four examples that
allow readers of different ages and personalities to relate
to the theme. The ending tied up all the immediate loose
ends, but still left me with enough questions to warrant a
sequel. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes
fantasy and adventure, and has a good understanding of
symbolism.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and
Country: Harleysville, PA USA

Deviant by Adrian McKinty

This story begins with Danny Lopez' s move to Colorado Springs from, wait for it - Vegas, baby! He goes from the hot Nevada air and the never-ending clash of America' s Playground to the silence and chill of Pikes Peak. Naturally, he' s unhappy with this change, but worse than the new house, cold weather, and almost non-existent town, is the school, Cobalt Junior High Charter School. Everything they say is scripted, not just for the students, but the teachers too. With the exception of their predestined discussions and class reading, the school operates on the silent system - all the time, lunch recess, before school, after school. Oh, and of course they wear uniforms. Why would anyone send their child to this school? The answer is simple; test scores, twelfth highest in the country. They even specialize in kids who have had trouble in other schools. This naive, and utterly doomed, attempt at controlling adolescents leads to secret societies, ways around the system, and maybe invent a serial killer?

Pretty crazy huh? That' s pretty much how I 'd describe this book - crazy. Adrian McKinty went above and beyond with this book. He gave a new perspective on the traditional school system, dove into the conflicts of a rapidly spreading family dynamic, and gave fascinating insights to the psyche of the criminally insane all in about 360 riveting pages. This book is exciting but also fascinating and well-detailed. I strongly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. You won' t regret picking it up.


Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Cibolo, Texas United States