Matched by Ally Condie

Matched kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. Author, Ally Condie, did a good job of describing the dystopian world in which 16 year old Cassia Reyes lives. In Cassia's world, a government called ‘The Society’ decided everything about you, what your occupation is, who you marry, and even when you die. Cassia is perfectly content with her world, until her ‘Match Banquet’. The Match Banquet is a banquet where those people who choose to be married see who ‘The Society’ has chosen for them. Cassia is pleased to be matched with her childhood friend and believes everything is perfect until she reviews the microcard of her match and sees someone else's face,someone who isn't her match. The Society never makes mistakes, so what is going on? An impossible choice leaves Cassia confused and suddenly wanting a different life, a life where she (not The Society) makes the choices about herself.

I thought Matched was an excellent book. I felt like Ally Condie really allowed me to get into Cassia's head. I felt her troubles and her pain as if it was my own. I'll be the first to say, I'm not a romance fan. However, this book made me want to read more. I recommend Matched for anybody who wants a book with the perfect balance of struggle, romance, and reality.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Tipp City, Ohio United States

Emma by Jane Austen

Emma Woodhouse knows one thing for sure: she is an amazing matchmaker and she is never going to fall in love. . . It seems like it would contradict itself, right? Well, Emma has a new project to find a lover for the simple and shy Harriet Smith. Emma soon finds out that she's gotten in too deep and if she keeps trying, she might lose everything!

'Emma' by Jane Austen, was very fun to read. Emma reminds me so much of myself that I found myself comparing myself and life style to hers! Jane Austen does an excellent job of getting the reader involved in the story by using very imaginative wording to get you painting your own pictures of the settings and characters.'Emma' is a classic novel about romance and a girl that just wants to live life to it's fullest and Jane Austen could not have done a better job.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Tatamy, PA USA

Eve by Anna Carey

Eve has always lived within the walls of the School. Because the Plague wiped out 98% of the population, Schools have been formed to take in orphans and teach them a trade. Eve finds out on the night before her graduation that the School isn't what she thought it was. The promise of going out to practice her trade was a lie. Eve and he graduating friends are destined to be taken to a nearby building to be used as breeding mechanisms. Eve knows she must escape. When she does she meets Caleb, a male. She has been kept from males her whole life because she was taught of their dangerous ways. but soon she falls for Caleb. A griping love story set in a dystopian world.

I really liked Eve. It was a fantastic book that told of a realistic world that could someday be ours. I really liked the writers style, but thought at times the characters were somewhat unrealistic. The story itself is great and there is a sequel. I liked the way the author ended it, Eve left me wanting more. I would recommend this book highly to anyone in the young adult age group.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Tipp City, OH United States

The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston

In 1628, Bess Hawksmith loses her entire family to the plague, except her mother who is hanged for witchcraft. Bess escapes her own hanging and finds shelter and training in a warlock named Gideon. When he tries to make her his forever, she flees. In present day England in 2007, immortal witch Elizabeth befriends local teenager Tegan. Wary of letting someone into her life and past, she trains Tegan as a hedge witch. In the time they spend together, Tegan learns of Bess s past on the run from Gideon and notable moments in history in which she lived.

Brackston did a wonderful job combining the genres of historical fiction and fantasy. This page-turner would be great for introducing the fans of historical fiction to fantasy and vice versa. At first I was skeptical of Tegan s character, but by the end I could not imagine the story without her. The story truly brings you into the plot and makes you feel as you are there with Bess in each of her adventures. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, fantasy, or stories relating to the Salem Witch Trials (like I do).

Reviewer Age:22

Reviewer City, State and Country: Bay City, Texas USA

The Snow Queen's Shadow by Jim C. Hines

The book starts out in a small tavern in the kingdom of Lorindar, where we find out Snow and Talia are trying to capture the infamous witch hunting duo, Jack and Jill. Shortly thereafter Queen Beatrice dies, due to her injuries sustained in The Mermaids Madness. Snow unwilling to accept this, tries to place her soul in a new body but fails, and in doing so breaks her mother’s mirror and unleashes a Demon out on the world.

The book was a true page turner; I could not put it down. Hines did an incredible job closing up this series, and showing us you really can’t trust a fairy. His battles are fast paced and believable and his characters are fun and lovable with their wit and humor even when they are facing death. I read this without having read the first three but after this I may just have to. This book is good as a stand-alone, but I’m sure it will be out of this world when I read the others.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carbondale, IL United States

The Death Catchers by Jennifer Anne Kogler

One day, Elizabeth Mortimer is reading a newspaper when the letters change to from a new headline saying Lizzy's best friend, Jodi, just died. Lizzy is even more confused when her grandmother, Bizzy, insists that Lizzy tell no one. When Lizzy goes to check on Jodi, Jodi is nearly hit by a car, but she is saved by Bizzy, who pushes Jodi out of the way. When Bizzy and Lizzy are alone, Bizzy explains that they are part of an ancient bloodline, descended from Morgan Le Fay herself! Together they must stop the death of the Last Descendant against overwhelming odds, including Morgan's sister, Vivienne. Can an old woman and a young teenage girl save the day?

The Death Catchers was an amazing combination of the real world and ancient Arthurian sorceresses. It was scary when Vivienne froze Jodi and Lizzy, and Jodi didn't remember it at all. The idea of the Merlin statue in the graveyard was interesting. I hope there is a sequel to this book. Really, this is a good book for anyone who is intrigued by the story of King Arthur.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, IA USA

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

Everyone thinks that Juliet died. They are wrong. She didn t kill herself, Romeo did. He killed her because he wanted to become immortal. And by doing this he became a spirit that took bodies that were dead and tried to break up true loves. What he didn t expect is that Juliet would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Life. Her job is to keep true loves together. For seven hundred years, Juliet has been doing her job and Romeo his, until they don t. They could become human again if they fell in love again, but Juliet has fallen for another and Romeo will do everything to stop them.

This book was okay. You could really understand Juliet s point and also Romeo s. I loved the concept for this book at the beginning but as the story continued on, it got boring. Almost all the characters were perfectly developed. I would recommend this book to people who liked Falling Under and Eden.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Northglenn, CO United States

The Golden Ghost by Marion Dane Bauer

Delsie wants a dog more then anything. She then goes to a mill with her friend Todd and finds old abandoned houses. All the doors to the houses are locked.... except one. Delsie finds a surprise in the house, and is curious about it. Is the surprise good, or bad?

This book was a big disappointment. I expected the book to be larger, but it was a very small book with big print. It really only talked about how much Delsie wanted a dog, and there was too much description. The author really made it look like something great was going to happen, but nothing did. I knew the end before I read it, and I didn' t like that I finished the book in about a half hour. The only good part about the book was the 6th chapter, and that was it. If you want a good book and something that doesn' t waste your time, don' t get this one.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Yucaipa, California United States Of America

How to Be an Attractive Man (eBook) by Adam Kisiel

How to be an Attractive Man is a concise, yet effective guide to bring out the attractive man in all of us. Adam Kisiel outlines 101 rules to help readers become more attractive men. These rules include wardrobe tips, grooming pointers, personality enhancers, and many more. The format of Kisiel s guide allows for the ultimate convenience and flexibility. The book encourages readers to choose the tips they wish to use and ignore those that they don't like. This provides each reader with a unique experience with becoming a more attractive man.

To give a proper review of this book, I decided to put some of the tips to the test. After implementing some of the advice in Kisiel s book, I felt more confident as a person. While the book aims to help men become more attractive, I think the tips help men become well rounded individuals. However, the best benefit of this book is the format. Readers do not have to invest a lot of time to take away all the nuggets in this book, and they can skip tips that they do not want to use. It is arguably the most convenient men's-help guide available. Overall, I recommend How to be an Attractive Man for its useful advice and easy-to-read format.

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

My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher

My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher is about a girl named Vanessa also known as Nessie. She's a girl who has her own version of fashion. She's always dyeing her hair different colors and wearing funky makeup and clothes. The thing is, she wants to grow up faster. Everyone is always asking why she wants to grow up so fast and telling her that she's not ready for it. However, she thinks she is ready, until she gets into a situation and realizes that everyone's right, she's not ready to grow up quite yet.

My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher was a great book. It shows that even if you think you are ready to grow up, you'rer probably not. And sometimes it will take you into a situation, like Vanessa, before you realize it. It also shows you some things about friendship,that a true friend will forgive you for your mistakes eventually, knowing that you didn't mean to hurt anybody. I like everybody's style of art. Everyone's art is unique and beautiful.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon U.S.A