The Cage (eBook) by Jacci Turner

Summer school collects a diverse set of teenagers, some getting a head and others trying to pass. Grouped together for the entire class, four students of different backgrounds Tyrell, Tiffany, Orlando, and Samantha learn more than English from their assignments. The Blue Group quickly discovers they have more in common than appearances suggest. Tyrell 's dreams and Sam 's drawings are more than coincidence. But who is the girl that appears in both? And what does she want from them?
At first I was not impressed with where the story was going and how it was written. But after the third or fourth (short) chapters, I started to feel a part of the Blue Group as if I was a character myself. I could predict some of the outcomes; I was pleasantly surprised by some of the twists. Jacci Turner did such a great job with this book that I' m excited to see what comes in the rest of the series. A fairly light read and not too complex, The Cage makes a great pick for reluctant readers.

Reviewer Age:23
Reviewer City, State and Country: Bay City, Texas US

The Mirror of Yu-Huang by Christine Norris

Megan Montgomery has a secret -- she is the Librarian of the Library of Athena, a place with magical powers. It is her duty to protect the library, and to make sure that it is kept safe. But when a suspicious Chinese family enters her home, she has to wonder, will the Library be safe?
I absolutely loved this book! It was exciting, fun, and the characters seemed real. I did find a few spelling and capitalization errors (as well as some confusing parts), but other than that it was a good book. I felt like I was there with the characters the whole time, and I loved the ending of the book. Although there are other books in the series before this one, this was the first one I had read and it didn't give away much of the other books, but explained everything that had happened at the same time! All in all, this book was amazing and I recommend it for anyone who loves mystery and adventure.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Yucaipa, CA USA

Perfected By Girls (eBook) by Alfred C. Martino

      Perfected By Girls is about a sophomore named Melinda who is on the wrestling team. Some people judge her for being the only girl on the team, but she doesn' t care, she just wants to wrestle. Soon the papers, starting with the school paper all the way up to the local paper, have articles that piss Melinda off by misquoting her. Melinda has ups and downs with her brother, boyfriend, and best friend, put pulls through. Her grandmother wants her to work in her office for the summer, but Melinda and her best friend want differently. Melinda has a lot of obstacles throughout the story but learns to cope with the help of love, support, and the passion to wrestle.
When I read Perfected By Girls, I felt like I was a person in the corner of the room, just watching the story play out. I could picture all the locations of the story in my mind fairly easily, but the characters were a little harder, the author didn' t give much detail on the character s features, but their outfits were very well described. The voice in which the story is told has a good sense off humor, and can make you smile if not laugh. There is some bad language and sexual content, nothing for kids under 13 or 14.  I liked Perfected By Girls a lot, I would recommend it to people I thought it is age appropriate for.
I rated Perfected By Girls 3 because there is a fair amount of strong language and sexual content.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Ukiah, CA United States

Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker

Small Town Sinners is a very faith-based book. The main character is Lacey, who's dream has always been to be the  Abortion Girl for her church's Hell House. Then she meets Ty Davis who used to live in Stile Water with Lacey but, he moved away. Now he is back and Lacey is falling for him. Ty starts asking Lacey questions that make Lacey think about her own faith. And Lacey's father, one of the church's Pastors, is not okay with Lacey hanging out with Ty anymore. Lacey has always listened to her father but now she feels he is making the wrong choice by not letting Lacey be with any of her friends. She thinks she is no longer in the line with God and needs her friends (Starla Joy - Lacey's best friend, Dean - Lacey's best friend who she thinks might be gay, and Ty - Lacey's new boyfriend) help finding her path again.
Small Town Sinners should only be read if you don't mind very strong Christian morals and beliefs. It quotes the Bible a lot. I liked the book because it had a strong lesson that if you have your friends and an open mind you can go through anything together. This book over all was very moving and I have recommend it to all of my Christian friends, and they love it! My only suggestion would be to make the boy characters more manly. I did fall in love with all of the people in the book. Some of the questions that Lacey and her friends are put up against are the very same questions I ask myself. I have found this book very well written and would recommend it to any Christian.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon U.S.A

Jen Nadol's The Vision

What if you could tell when someone was going to die?  What if you could change their fate in exchange of another perishing? Cassie Renfield doesn t have to wonder; the mark appears over.  She ha s inherited the power of the Fates, and with no family left, she is out searching for those who share the same power as her. Cassie meets Demetria, who seems to show all the traits of being one of the Fates, but nothing is ever as it seems. Then, of course, there i s Zander Dasios, who is infinitely as dangerous as the rumors that follow him.  Cassie falls hard for Zander, but dating him has deadly consequences, which forces Cassie to question everything that she has ever believed in, including herself.

The Vision by Jen Nadol is a riveting novel with excellent qualities. The personalities of the main characters, Cassie and Zander, are portrayed brilliantly. Through sizzling feelings, dark pasts, and blinding curiosity, Nadol takes the reader by the collar, making her turn each page with anticipation until the very last word. The plot that Nadol has created is terrific; it turns at just the right spot, making every word count.  Not only was the novel interesting, it had references to Greek mythology, so I learned facts as I read. With its fascinating plot and enthralling main characters, accompanied by Jen Nadol 's singular writing style, I would strongly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys paranormal stories with romance that takes a rollercoaster ride.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Broxton, Georgia USA

Snivel: The Fifth Circle of Heck by Dale E. Basye

This book was about two kids who die in tragic accidents and, as the title implies, go to heck. They end up at a summer camp called Snivel. Snivel is an unhappy summer camp where the worst of the worst kids go. At Snivel they try to keep the campers as unhappy as possible. But there is a problem.  Campers are disappearing and strange things are lurking in the woods.

I really liked this book, even though it was the fifth book in a series that I had not read. The author did a really good job of explaining the lives of the main characters up to that point. It was a book so good that I could hardly put it down.  It was a perfect mix of fantasy and mystery. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes those two genres.

Reviewer Age: 14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Hunting Valley, Ohio USA

Rating:  8

Content Rating:  1

Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott

Shadows on the Moon is a twist on the classic Cinderella story. In the beginning, Suzume starts out with a best friend, Aimi, and a happy family. After her father is murdered, she moves in with her mother and melancholy step-father, Lord Terayama. She doesn't trust him. Once Suzume discovers Lord Terayama's role in her father's death, she becomes afraid and eventually runs away. Her skill of shadow-weaving proves to be a big help in her journey from upper class to the lowest of beggars. Set in a feudal Japan-like world, this is one original story.
I very much enjoyed Shadows on the Moon. Zoe Marriott does an excellent job in all aspects of storytelling, especially the details. I also found it interesting that Suzume changed her name, depending on her whereabouts and social status. I also felt that the shadow-weaving wasn't too heavily relied upon. Suzume only first discovered and used it when the same men that killed her father were after her. A well-written and superb book, Shadows on the Moon is definitely a worthwhile read.

Reviewer Age:19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Charleston, SC United States

Deadly Intentions (eBook) by Lisa Kuehne

True to her word, Ava O'Brian is back and ready for action in the second book of the Intentions Trilogy, Deadly Intentions, by Lisa Kuehne.  Just recovering from her near death experience involving a run in with some deadly demons, Ava is hoping for some rest and relaxation, including spending one-on-one time with her boyfriend, the irresistible Sam.  But, alas, as always, therein lies a problem.  It just so happens that her one and only is a dark angel himself.  There goes the recreation Ava was pining for. It also doesn't help matters any that William, one of God's true angels, is also vying (and lying) for her attentions.  Yet Ava's problems aren't finished.  Ava carries a special gift, a gift that helps influence others to do well something her ol'  buddy The Devil isn't exactly fond of.  With a slew of Satan's followers on their tails, Sam and Ava are desperate to end the unrelenting tirade of angelic against demonic. When Ava starts having nightmares that actually come true the very next morning, she doesn't know where to turn.  Is she creating good or evil?  She also discovers her ability to read her enemies thoughts only solidifying her belief that maybe her gift for goodness isn't exactly flowers and unicorns.  But it doesn't end there.  Aiden, Ava twin brother that was killed in a car accident, hands his soul over to Lucifer under one condition.  Satan cannot harm Ava in any way, shape, or form.
The Devil agrees--reluctantly.  As soon as Ava is brought up to date on her brother's situation, she, Sam, William, and a few others set out to save her brothers spirit literally.  Things go downhill from there.  Sam and William are constantly at each other's throats.  Ava is fighting the temptation to end everything and fall to her knees at the devils beck and call.  Aiden is slowly causing disaster around the globe.  Caught between two different sides, who will Ava give her gift--and her heart to?
Her soft brown eyes widen in obvious alarm, and a green pallor takes over her face.  She mouths the words, oh my God-.
This. Book. Was. Absolutely. Brilliant.  There is no other way to describe it.  It had everything action, romance, intrigue, drama all perfectly mixed together better than your Grandma's cookie batter.  There was enough romance to keep me sighing, but it never got to sappy or obsessive.  The story progressed beautifully, always keeping me on edge.  Besides sometimes being dark and terrifying, Ava had a humorous sarcastic wit, along with an independent spirit.  Seriously, this little lady could win the Miss Firecracker Award.  Easily. I recommend you read the first book, True Intentions, beforehand, as it will catch you up on what happened before the chaos.  I loved how this book had such a wide range of characters. I could at least connect to one of them.  The ideas of heaven and the underworld this book portrays are interesting, too,the afterlife, the relationship between angels and demons, the ways mortals are smashed right in between.  I also like how the story is told through Ava's point of view it helped me understand the method behind the madness.  The vocabulary was fresh and definitely drew you into Ava's plight.  After the dynamic ending, I am extremely anxious to read the final book in the series, needless to say.  If you love almost having a heart attack from all the suspense in your books, this novel is for you!

 I keep bouncing up and down in the back of the cargo van but now Stephen and Susan are taking me to face Satan.  Since they killed Rick, I suppose they'll have to find another human to end my life and make me one of his immortal followers.
I would recommend this book for ages thirteen and up, or for mature readers.  The novel did have some mild expletives in it, and casual sexual references.  Even though it does talk about God, it is not a faith based book.
Will Ava and Sam's relationship survive through all trials and tribulations?  Will they be able to save Aiden's soul in time, or will evil rule?  Read Lisa Kuehne's new novel to find out!


Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leopold, Missouri U.S.A.

Rivals by Lauren Kunze with Rina Onur

The Ivy: Rivals by Lauren Kunze is the third book in the Ivy series. It follows freshman Callie Andrews through her second semester at the prestigious Ivy League school, Harvard. This semester, Callie maneuvers the tricky waters of college journalism, parties, and elite organizations. She meets people who are worth knowing and others who she could definitely live without. Callie still has a lot to adjust to at Harvard, but maybe she s finally getting the hang of things.
I thought that Rivals was an average book. Not particularly good, not particularly bad. However, I must admit that I was previously unfamiliar with the Ivy series. I was fairly lost at first because I had no prior knowledge of the events that occurred in the first two books of the series, and Lauren Kunze s writing style did not happen to include a nice summary of said events.



That being said, the book s plot was entertaining after I figured out what was happening. The writing was not profound, but it did not detract from the story either. The plot seemed almost like a television show an overdramatization of real life. Maybe I m wrong, though, and Harvard really is such a crazy place! Personally, I did not particularly like the protagonist, Callie Andrews. I like strong female characters, which she did not come across as.



The book ended with a cliffhanger, obviously leading up to the next sequel, but I do not plan on continuing to read the series. I did not enjoy it enough that I would recommend it to others.



I would remind you, however, to take my opinion with a grain of salt. The fact that I am new to this series definitely changes my views whether it makes them more or less objective is as yet undetermined.
some mature themes such as sex, partying, drinking, and other such college activities
Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Columbus, IN USA

Deadly Descendant (A Nikki Glass Novel) by Jenna Black

This book is about a girl named Nikki Glass, an immortal descendant of the Greek Goddess Artemis. Nikki is on a mission to stop a serial killer descended from a death god. Nikki lives with a group of people like her, called liberi. This family of liberi was led by a god named Anderson. Anderson and his family worked for the good of mortals and other liberi, unlike their enemies, the Olympians. The Olympians trained mortal demigods how to kill enemy liberi so they could steal their immortality. For the only way to become immortal to was to kill another immortal as a mortal descendant. This is about how Nikki, the main character, goes on a hunt to find and destroy a liberi who was given a seed of immortality from a madman. This seed caused this man to go crazy in the head and start a killing streak. It is up to Nikki and her friends to stop him and his wild Jackals.
I really enjoyed this book because it was always an adventure and kept you up late at night, your mind never being able to tell you to shut it. It was suspenseful and you never knew what was going to happen next. It also made you feel like you could almost relate to it in a weird sort of way. It s as though you feel like the characters are alike to you and yourself acting like them in real life. I thought it was exciting and interesting. I would definitely recommend it and pick it up again myself in no time.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: charlotte, North Carolina United States of America