Brother from a Box by Evan Kuhlman

Matt finds a crate that has been shipped to his house. Inside it is a kid? The boy turns out to be a French-speaking robot named Norman. At first, Matt is excited to have a robot brother, but there are complications. Matt 's mother does not want the robot because it reminds her of her first son, who died as a baby. Also, Matt' s new brother is a lot to care for. He flirts with girls, shows off, shuts himself in lockers, and always wants to go back to his crate. In spite of all this, Matt loves Norman. When he starts malfunctioning, Matt is concerned. These are not mere programming problems; someone is trying to hurt Norman! Can Matt protect his brother? Will Norman' s mad robot skills save them all?

Brother From a Box held my interest to the end with unique twists in the plot. It is appropriately told in first person, giving us a glimpse of how Matt sees life. He has many characteristics that resemble a real person. The girl who tries to kiss him drives him crazy, but sometimes he has to play with her because his parents tell him to be polite. He is jealous of Norman, yet somehow loves him. He gives Norman advice, but also exaggerates to him because he is so vulnerable. Their relationship resembles a real relationship between brothers. Even Norman, the robot, had a distinct personality. The mood of the book is funny and lighthearted, but it had some sad parts and some exciting parts. All in all, Brother from a Box is a fun read for kids of all ages.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Calhoun, GA USA

Flutter of Luv (eBook) by LM Preston

When Tony moves into Dawn's neighborhood, Dawn is nothing to him but one of the guys. On the other hand, Dawn sees Tony as something she will never have. Soon they become good friends, and they are pretty much inseparable. As the years go by, and as Dawn changes, Tony's view of Dawn changes as well. Their relationship quickly evolves into something more than just friends. Will their relationship last, or will it go down the drain?

This story was alright. It didn't flow very well, and the mini stories at the end threw me off. However, the story line was very cute, and it made me wish for more. This is a book for middle schoolers and above.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

Fire In the Streets by Kekla Magoon

14 year old Maxie wants desperately to be a part of The Black Panther Party, but she s too young. No matter how much she works, Maxie can t help but feel like everyone sees her as the little girl who is invisible. She starts to try to prove herself worthy of being a Panther, risking relationships with both her best friends and her older brother. But when she unveils a shocking secret that will give her the chance she needs, she must decide what matters most and where her loyalties lie. Throughout the book, Maxie has to figure out how she will live with any of her decisions once she s made them.This is an okay book. I like the way you can learn about the time, but from the perspective of someone living it, which I feel makes it more enjoyable and sheds light on the subject and how everything effects her as a person. Fire In The Streets, is one of those books that is not necessarily a must read. Kekla Magoon has created a cast of characters who are knit together like a big family which I think shows how hard it must have been to actually work as a Panther while trying to figure out who you are and what loyalty really means to you.
 This book just didn t truly interest me, and it was kind of bland in my opinion. Fire In The Streets for me is like a piece of candy I think I ll enjoy, but the flavor fades fast. I keep chewing finding little bits of flavor left, but not enough for satisfaction. It s not my favorite, I don t think I would read it again, but it wasn t a total waste of my time.Reviewer Age:14Reviewer City, State and Country: Canoga Park, California United States

Storm of Arranon by R E Sheahan

In Storm of Arranon, by R.E. Sheahan, Erynn has to deal with
both a hidden secret and her feelings for Jaer.  When an
alien society is discovered on their planets, Erynn and Jaer
are thrust into battle and Erynn s secret may be their
worlds only hope. Struggling with her feelings and the war
raging constantly Erynn must figure things out quickly
before horrible things happen. When Jaer and Erynn are
finally together, war drives them apart. Will they ever be
able to be together? Will their planets be saved?I
enjoyed this book a lot. It was a great romance/sci-fi novel
without going overboard. My one, tiny complaint is that at
some points in the story things are over-described and it
gets boring. I really liked this book and would recommend
this for anyone 12 and up. I felt this story was interesting
and can t wait for sequels!Reviewer Age:12Reviewer
City, State and Country: Rochester, New York USA

Desert Fire by H.M. Prevost

Desert Fire is about a 17 year old boy named Nick whose goal in life is to be an investigative journalist.  His life takes a drastic turn when he, his mom, and sister move to Abu Dhabi to escape his domineering and cheater of a father. Abu Dhabi was the perfect place because it was far away and had the only job opportunity for the mother and sister.  The day he arrives in Abu Dhabi, Nick looks out the window and finds himself staring his newest journalism project in the face. A plane was falling out of the sky with a flaming tail. Nick decided to investigate and finds a military officer at the scene, blood sliding down his face, slowly losing the light in his eyes. The man slides a disk into Nick s pocket - a disk that Nick later finds holds key military information. This information will make everything around him change, placing him in life-threatening danger, dangerous missions, and gut wrenching decisions. Nick is a determined teenage journalist who becomes a Canadian spy in order to stop the men who want the disk so badly, they re ready to kill for its secrets.  I personally loved Desert Fire. It reminded me a lot of the Alex Rider series, but it seemed like it was geared toward a slightly more mature reader. There were so many moments where I felt like I couldn t stop. I would read a chapter before a school night, try to sleep, then turn the light back on and pick it up again to find out what happens. I never felt like I was reading, I felt like I was a part of the action. There were no moments where I was bored and wanted it to end. It always kept me intrigued and curious about what would happen next. All in all, this book is a 10 out of 10, no contest. I hope other readers will pick this book up as well because it is definitely top of my shelf, next to Hunger Games.Reviewer Age:13Reviewer City, State and Country: Charlotte, NC USA

Alice Parker's Metamorphosis (ebook) by Nicola Palmer

13 year old, Alice Parker has had some strange things happen to her. Extreme fruit cravings, mysterious back aches, and perfect grades are just some examples. Join Alice as she learns who she is and what she is, and how she keeps all her secrets from her parents. Lucky for Alice she has caring friends that help her along the way. If you like fiction, adventure, and mystery Alice Parker s Metamorphosis is the perfect book for you.I loved this book so much. It was great how the fictional characters were different- not the usual mermaids and fairies. That was the main attraction for me. I got so involved with the characters that I didn t want the book to end. I really liked how friendship was so important in this book. Overall Alice Parkers Metamorphosis deserves 5 stars!Reviewer Age:10Reviewer City, State and Country: Charlotte, NC United States of America

Burn For Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Mary used to live on Jar Head Island but left four years ago because of a bully.  That bully has been in the back of her mind since the day she left.  Now she's back and ready to prove that she's not the same scared little girl she used to be.

Lillia's always been popular in school...especially with the boys.  But when one goes too far and starts to mess with her younger sister, she will do anything to protect her.

Kat has been tormented by her ex-best friend for way too long.  The rumors and jokes never used to bother her too much before, but now they threaten her relationship with the one person that she thought she could count on.  It's time to make her old friend pay for the pain she's caused.

These three extremely different girls join forces for the one goal they have in common...revenge.  And they won't stop until each of their enemies is begging for mercy.

I really liked this book.  It was interesting reading the story through three different perspectives of three very different girls.  The idea of revenge was really appealing and interesting.  It was a very fast read despite being over 300 pages.  Once I started reading, I wasn't able to stop.  I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a hint of mystery in their books and wants to feed their inner evil side.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States of America

Four Secrets by Margaret Willey

Nobody likes a bully.  Nate, Katie, and Renata are no different.  They just want to stop the bullying.  So they devise a plan.  A devastating, horrible plan.  A plan that will crush the bullies, but also crush their lives.  They don t care.  They re at the bottom of the social ladder as it is. They re already outcasts.  What have they got to lose?    When the plan is in full swing, they re certain that they' ve thought of everything.  They 've accounted for every minute detail.

Except getting caught and being thrown into Juvie.From page one you know something is awry.  Why are these kids in Juvie?  What have they done wrong?  DID they do something wrong, or is this just a big misunderstanding?  And the questions pile up from there.  But by the last page everything s resolved.  All your questions are answered.  Some answers are not what you want them to be.  They are anything but what you expected.

This book grabs you and pulls you into its dark story from page one.  You are sucked in, and you won t want to escape until you read the last page.  Suspenseful and intriguing, the plot is excellently crafted.  The style of writing differs with each chapter.  That in turn helps the plot become even more twisted and unpredictable than it already is.  Most of the characters are realistic and believable from the beginning.  Katie, Nate, and Renata - while having completely different personalities - are all such fantastic characters.  They compliment the plot nicely, and they seem as if they were created to fit the roles that they play.  As if they truly were real.  The author has succeeded in making her readers forget they are reading.  She has instead made us feel as if WE are the detectives.  We must find the answers to the questions we ask.  She makes us feel as if this is real life; as if we are right there with the characters, experiencing life alongside them.
I cannot express my delight in reading such a well-crafted novel.  I truly cannot put into words how amazing this story is.  All I can say is this:  Go out and read this book for yourself.  You will not be disappointed.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Yucaipa, CA USA

Under My Hat by Johnathan Straham

Under My Hat is a collection of short stories written by notable fiction authors such as Garth Nix, Neil Gaiman, and Jane Yolen. The stories have an equally notable subject - witches!  One of the greatest figures in fantasy and folklore, witches have come to life, spellbinding as never before, in the pages of this book.  A vengeful grandmother skeleton, a lovely cat-woman, and a certified wizard are a few examples of the variations of the classic witch that appear in the tome.  The magical qualities of these stories come not from a potion, spell, or familiar, but from the words the authors have written, collected into one bewitching book.

I was spellbound!  I swear, every time I closed the book, it took a moment for the world to come back into focus, as I had to shake of the magic woven in the words.  Every story was written so clearly, I could see it happening - and I still can!  I loved each tale, and am sure that when I read them next, they will captivate me just as much as the first time.  Nothing in this book seems as if it should be real, and yet it is, brought to life by the authors' pens.  Many of the witches were not traditional, as woodcarvers, men, or rock musicians!  Even those who don't believe in magic will find this book bewitching - and may change their views!  This book has as much magic as a boiling cauldron (probably more)!

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

Avalonia: The Three Realms by Ashley Kate Simmons

Book Title: Avalonia: The Three Realms

Author: Ashley Kate Simmons

ISBN: 9781843868323

Summary: "Avalonia The Three Realms" by Ashley Kate Simmons is an enticing fantasy story with love, adventure, and self-discovery. Lily is just a normal teenage girl until one day she finds herself in a world where faeries, werewolves, and vampires all exist and are trying to live peacefully, but that is all about to change. Artemis, the vampire queen, is awaiting Lily so that she may fulfill an ancient prophecy that will bring true peace to all the realms. She learns that the vampire princess is faced with killing her father and becoming queen of the vampires with her beautiful lover, Marcus, or returning home and forgetting everything. To learn what destiny she chooses read Ashley Kate Simmons "Avalonia The Three Realms."

Opinion: This book is very well written with a great plot and unique characters who keep you enthralled until the last page. This book is fairly easy to follow considering it changes point of view very often, which I didn't expect. Ashley Kate Simmons did a good job developing the characters.  It feels like they are real and draw out certain emotions from the reader. The story takes place in a magical land called Avalonian that is broken up into three magical realms, each more fanciful than the next.  They draw even the most picky reader into a state of awe. I would recommend this book to any teenage girl who is looking for a good read.

Content: 2

There is some sexual content and gore.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Makanda, IL USA