The Witch's Revenge by D. A. Nelson

Morag lives in the tiny kingdom of Marnoch Mor, which is hidden from the rest of the world by a white stone called the Eye of Lornish. One day, the kingdom is disrupted by the disappearance of two critical magical things, one being the kingdom's master wizard, Montgomery, and the other being an exceedingly powerful tooth from a long-dead witch. Morag and her three friends, Shona the dragon, Bertie the dodo, and Aldiss the rat, escape to rescue Montgomery from the Darkisle of Murst, where they are certain he has been taken. Once they reach Murst, they discover that Montgomery is a prisoner of the evil witch Mephista, who is trying to use the power of the tooth to help bring her father, Devilish, back from the dead. Morag must hurry to bring Montgomery home, because if she doesn't, Marnoch Mor may tear itself apart.

This book is impossible to put down. Morag and her friends are an unlikely trio; a dodo, a dragon, and a rat, along with a girl who is not originally from Maarnoch Mor. Morag had run away from her foster parents because she hated them. I liked how even though the stinky Klapp demons at first appear extraordinarily stupid, they managed to trick Mephista by using the body of her dead father to raise an ancient evil being. The connection between Montgomery and the Eye of Lornish was interesting, with how they had to be near each other to be safe. I would recommend this book to everyone who can partially believe the idea of a magical kingdom somewhere, hidden from the searching eyes of the outside world.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, IA USA

Sleeping Kings by John Prentice

Stuck in the Cathar Mountains Southern France, life could not get more boring for Nicola. What can you do when you're one of the top online gamers without high speed internet? Plus, she barely understands French. While exploring the mountains with her class, she literally falls into something much greater than herself! She meets Pedro, King of Aragon. There's a catch, Pedro died in 1213! Nicola finds herself inexplicably bound in historical events of the pass. She learns of the ancient Cathar treasure, known as the Power. Nicola and her new friend Daan must use their new knowledge of the Power to stop the selfish people who want the Power for evil and keep Pedro's secret hidden from the world.

Sleeping Kings was an ok book. For me, it was very hard to get into. The beginning was a bit confusing and the main character hard for me to relate to. After the first few chapters, the story got much better. Once the historical aspect of the book began to unfold, it was action packed and a page turner! It would not be interesting to anyone who doesn't have an interest in history though. The ending seemed a bit rushed as well. Overall, reading Sleeping Kings was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Harleysville, PA United States

True Intentions

True Intentions
A mysterious car accident, a special gift, a gorgeous demon&..What's sixteen-year-old Ava OBrian in Lisa Kuehne's new novel, True Intentions, to do? After a freak car accident killed her father and her beloved twin brother, Aiden, Ava is struggling to find the good in her new situation,moving from her Chicago alcove to Lake Arrowhead, California, with her mother. Relocating to Rim of the World High School where Audi's, Volvos, and Barbie Doll girls rule isn't any picnic, either. Ava can barely keep from breaking down and begging her mother to cart her back to Chicago, until, one fateful day, she meets and falls for Samuel Perry, the single most stunning guy on the planet. When he asks her out, she feels like she's in a dream, until,wait for it,he reveals to her that he is a demon, a real-life solider of Satan, set out to tempt and destroy her. What Sam didn't plan on was falling in love with Ava. The dark angels call her a Mahatma, a human being with a soul to influence others to do well, the polar opposite of Satan's warped intentions. Ava is shocked when she discovers her special capability, and terrified of the danger she is in. When Sam refuses to hurt her or her family, Lucifer plots revenge- a slow and painful death for both charges. Ava and Sam are soon on the run, trying to outwit Satan's many angels of darkness that have been around for thousands of years. Death may be getting closer, closer...
Will it be quick? I ask him, in too much pain to move. Probably not. he answers honestly.

This book was extraordinary. From the very beginning, I was twirling my hair nervously around my finger and anxiously biting my nails. True Intentions swept me up into a mystical aurora and a world of suspense, with a taste of romance to whet my heart's craving. I would predict the ending, taking the clues out a few chapters then, Wham!--The next page offered a whole new twist to Ava and Sam's predicament. I fell in love with the characters immediately; I could relate to their feelings of grief and sorrow over the choices they made, the past they couldn't change. The story plot flowed very smoothly, wrapping me in pure intrigue and sense of wariness as I waited and read to see if the dynamic duo would live to see another day. I also immensely enjoyed the ideas that this novel portrayed on the subject of temptation. The devil doesn't necessarily have two horns and a pitchfork. The devil could just be purely temptation,the dirty show you want to watch, the enemy you really want to harm, the cliques that you feel the unexplainable need to prove yourself to. Though I really, really, really adored this novel, it had its rough spots, too. Sometimes the whole Ava/Sam fiasco got slightly sappy, with little or no action in the storyline. Most times, though, the balance of action and romance was perfection. In my very unprofessional opinion, this was a fantastic read.
His fierce eyes give me the impression its something pretty significant. His words send a chill down my spine.
I would recommend this book for ages fourteen and up, or mature readers. Basic swear words appear in this novel, but nothing too obscene. There are also quite a few sexual references in this book, but the book does keep things from going too far. This book does make references to God (obviously, if there are demons concerned) but I wouldn't call it a faith based book by far.
With danger constantly chasing them, with Sam and Ava make it out of the jeopardy that surrounds themalive? Can their love survive this hazardous journey? Only True Intentions by Lisa Kuehne has the answer!
Note: If you loved True Intentions, be sure to check out the second book of the trilogy,Deadly Intentions, being released on April 9th, 2012!
There is some cursing, and sexual references
Reviewer Age:12
Leopold, Missouri U.S.A

Rogue Oracle by Alayna Williams

First Review:

"Rouge Oracle" is the second book in this series that follows Tara Sheridan on her adventures in the world of crime and oracles. Tara is a cartomancer, one who reads tarot cards, and they guide her. This book begins with Tara interogatting a suspected terrorist named Zahar Mouda. When she consults her cards they come out with the fool,seven of cups, and the lovers. About this time some one walks in on her and it turns out to be her own lover Harry Li coming to her for help. He is investigating the disapperance of operatives for a operration know as "Rogue Angel". But they are Special Projects, a branch of the DOD, is at a loss and Harry hopes that Tara can help them. She returns to the farm house of the order of oracles known as Delphi's Daughters so she can pack and tell Cassie she is leaving. Cassie is the future Pythia, or leader of the Delphi's Daughters. Soon another operative disappears, but they find their first real clues. First a top of blood that contains DNA from the victims, and inside the blood are large levels of radiation. The culprit is soon traced back to a survivor of Chernobyl with sinister plans. He is dying, but before he dies, he wants to have the rest of the world feel his pain.

"Rogue Oracle" is an original story full of adventure, mystery, magic, and underlying tones of romance. This book was very well written and made me feel like I was actually in the story. It also had very memorable characters who work together perfectly in the plot of this story. Tara is a daring heorine who cares greatly about protectting those around her no matter what the cost. Harry is a truely uniqe character; he works to protect his country but is slowly having his job change him to the point it is almost frightening. Galen was born in Chernobyl but radiation changed him until he bacame a monster who in his dying days wants to make others feel his pain. And last, but not least, is Cassie a 20 year old woman who is destined to be the next, even though the training can get a little gruesome sometimes. I would recomend this book to any teens looking for a good read.

There are sexual themes that are not suitable for children.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Makanda, Illinois USA

Second Review:

People have been disappearing with absolutely no trace. Confusing and often conflicting DNA has been found, and the agents in Special Projects have no idea what to do. When Tara Sheridan is thrown back into her previous work as a criminal profiler, she is unsure of how to cope. Leaving her close friend in the constricting hands of a secret society known as Delphi s Oracles, she sets out with her friend Harry Li to find the killer in one of his most difficult cases. Little does she know that she will have to use everything she has, including her talent of reading tarot cards, simply to leave the project alive. Will Tara be able to pull through to stop the disappearances? Or will the obstacles meticulously placed by the killer get her first?

Rogue Oracle by Alayna Williams combines all of the best parts of almost every type of book. The references back to the Cold War and nuclear nightmare at Chernobyl are interesting and are meshed perfectly with the story. Not only is the book full of action and mystery, but it remains human in depicting the killer 's thoughts, adding perspective and foreshadowing. The romantic plot lines up perfectly with the overall plot of the book, creating the feeling of actually living in all of Tara' s life, rather than just portions. The characters were extremely engaging and the multiple plot lines kept the reader always interested and eager for more. Overall, this was an interesting and very engaging book that left me excited for the rest of the series.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Colleyville, TX USA

Born Different by Faye Aitken-Smith

This book is about Gabe, an artistic young man who is getting ready to graduate from school. Gabe may seem like a normal teenager on the outside, but in reality he is very different. Gabe was born with wings, but he views this as a deformity. The genre of this book is fantasy, but is very easy to relate to.The main theme of the book has to do with Gabe and learning to view his deformity as a gift.
When I began reading this book I really thought it was going to be good. I was really interested by the plot so I hoped it would get better, but it never did. Throughout the book I found many typos which I found very unprofessional. I've realized that the author is from a different country, but these errors should have been corrected. I gave this book the same amount of time that I give any other book and honestly it was a big waste of time. The only strength I found in the book was the main character. The main character was very well thought out and very easy to relate to. The story just needed more plot and action to the story.

Reviewer Age:20
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mantua, New Jersey United States

Draw the Dark by Ilsa J. Bick

Draw the Dark by Ilsa J. Bick was a very thought provoking book. It centers around a strange 17 year old boy named Christian Cage. He lives with his uncle in the tiny town of Winter, Wisconsin after losing both his parents and aunt in strange accidents. Christian loves to draw more than anything and he seems to enter another world when he begins to draw. He blocks out the world around him and just draws. Christian mostly draws his mother and her eyes. He believes that she lives in a place that he calls, "the sideways place" and that he must draw her out. When Christian sleeps he wakes up and sees his sketch pad full of weird drawings of the sideways place. Strange things begin to happen in Winter and mysteries arise. Murder, affairs, and more are included in "Draw the Dark."

Draw the Dark was a very interesting book. The overall plot was good, but I felt like some ideas were taken over the top.The author seemed as if she was trying to hard to make the plot confusing and complicated. I left the book with many questions left unanswered. It seems to focus on things that do not seem as important as others. For instance I would have liked to hear more about the sideways place. I did not like "Draw the Dark." I love the author, but this was a let down. It was very slow in most areas of the book, and I was very confused by the constant time and place changes. Towards the end the book, it got a little better but not much. I would not recommend this book to girls especially because they may have a hard time relating to Christian.

Reviewer Age:14

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

Tua and the Elephant by R. P. Harris

Tua and the Elephant is a charming adventure story about a young ten-year-old living in Thailand. One day, while exploring the city of Chiang Mai, Tua finds a young elephant being abused by two men. Right then and there she decides to take the elephant away from its cruel owners and find it a new home. Tua manages to get the elephant, which she names Pohn-Pohn, back to her Aunt Orchid's house, but it turns out her journey has only just started. Now Tua must take Pohn-Pohn to the elephant sanctuary on the other side of town, all the while dodging the elephant's crooked original owners.

This book is a heart-warming tale of inter-species friendship, which teaches that friends can be found in the most unlikely places. The descriptions, along with the wonderful illustrations, allow you to really pretend you are traveling along with Tua during her wild tale. Tua herself is funny and bright, and she was someone I could identify with while reading. This helped make the book a real page turner, and I felt that I couldn't stop until I read it all. I thought that the writing was interesting, yet informative. Pieces of Thailand's culture and language were integrated throughout the story. This gave the whole book a satisfying feel because I was learning while reading. If I had to recommend this book to someone, it definitely would be someone with a lower reading level. Although the story included some higher vocabulary, the plot was jumpy and each plot arch was short. These qualities, along with the fact that the main character was a younger girl, led me to believe that this was targeted for younger age groups. Over all, though, the book was well written, and I found that I could look past all the jumping about to a story that ultimately made me smile.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Exeter, nh USA

This One Time With Julia by David Lampson

Joe is the simple-minded and often bizarre twin, where Alvin is the more adventurous and imaginative of the two. Joe is thrust into a much more complicated life when Alvin disappears and finds himself driving from Los Angeles to Tennessee with Julia, Alvin's enigmatic girlfriend. Joe's new life involves expensive pin-striped suits, hotel swimming pools, and Julia's mysterious family. His whirlwind of events almost makes him forget what happened to his brother--almost. It is only with his newly found responsibilities that he acquires a curiosity surrounding what happened between Alvin and Julia, and the more time he spends with Julia, the deeper he falls in love with her.

While there are some hopeful elements throughout the novel, I finished the book feeling much like the protagonist, Joe, in a wishy-washy state wondering what I took away from this experience. The first two thirds of the book moved much slower than I expected. Much of the synopsis alludes to a mystery/thriller type story, but the pace only merits this distinction in the final chapters. Even when the climax is reached, it falls short of any expectations built up over the course of the story. Joe's dull nature even puts the reader in a daze, and supporting characters do not add much to the story. One bright spot is the beautiful, but destructive Julia. She is a mystery that the reader never fully understands, and this element added a level of intrigue to the otherwise lackluster plot. Despite the notable journey Joe has embarked on, I did not believe that his outlook genuinely changed, and this ultimately is the downfall of This One Time With Julia.

Reviewer Age:22
Reviewer City, State and Country: Eden Prairie, Minnesota United States

A Darkly Hidden Truth by Donna Fletcher Crow

All Felicity wants is to have confidence and security—in her relationships, and especially in her recent decision to become a nun. But the orderly world she strives to maintain reverts to chaos upon the arrival of her estranged mother, the theft of a precious artifact, the murder of a friend, and her growing attraction to the irresistable Antony. Felicity somewhat reluctantly joins Antony on a search for the stolen artifact and the key to their friend's murder. Along the way, Felicity questions her growing doubts towards being a nun and her true feelings for Antony. As the plot progreses, Felicity becomes increasingly involved with the myserious knighthood of the Maltese cross and learns a great deal about the people close to her.
A Darkly Hidden Truth by Donna Fletcher Crow provides a fresh take on the lives of nuns, both medieval and present. The novel is action packed at first, but I soon lost interest in the plot. The characters are relatable but lack compelling interaction with each other. I appreciated the ending, but I had to force myself to keep reading at times. I would recommend this book to historical fiction fans and anyone who appreciates Crow's writing.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Bayside, WI 53217

The Winter Pony by Iain Lawrence

The Winter Pony is about a horse named James Pigg.  The story started when he was a cute, white colt, dancing in the field with his mother, the stallion, and the rest of the herd.  When rough men captured the stallion and James Pigg, he was pushed into cruel work.  He was broken very roughly.  The men would whip him until they got bored.  One man hit him over and over on his collar bone with a glass bottle.  James Pigg had a scar there for the rest of his life.  When he was broken, he was forced to move heavy logs and other things.   After he completed many years of tough work, he was put up for sale in a carnival with other worked horses.  He was bought by a gentle man and boy.  They bought 19 other white ponies, including the stallion from James Pigg's herd.  He and the other horses were put on a ship and treated with love and care.  He was named James Pigg on the ship.  When they reached their destiny, he learned that they were going to the South Pole.  On the way there, many horses died, and some were killed because they were in pain, too old, too slow, or untamed.  Which horses survived, which didn't?
The book was a fascinating book.  The author chose a very interesting and enjoyable topic.  It had an awfully sad ending, though.  I wouldn't recommend it for people who have a sensitive nature.  I think it is a good book to have on your favorite book list.  I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leesburg, Virginia U.S.A.