A new student review of The Scroll of Years

Endless Summer posted a new student review of The Scroll of Years . See the full review.

I really wanted to like this book. I really did. High fantasy with Eastern influence, threads of Chinese culture, a magical scroll, a poet and a thief as the main characters, the names Gaunt and Bone; It sounds like it could be something astounding, something breathtakingly fantastical.

The author’s writing style…Ahhh this tears me apart. On one hand, it’s very gorgeous, scattered with stunning figurative language and a distinct Eastern cultural influence. But, after reading a few pages, I felt like it was stilted in many places. It was not fitting. The author either rambled off into details/thought processes or did too much “telling.”

I could not lose myself in the world of this book; the writing style, alternative plotline and voice just weren’t for me. They kept distracting me. And, main point: the characters. I never got to know the true personalities of the characters. Their stories, especially that of Next-One-A-Girl (the name drew me in, nice touch), could have been heartbreakingly emotional. But they weren’t. They were all kind of flat.

The premise of the book seemed very intriguing. But I never got into the actually story. So much of it felt unbalanced. And it’s not because it’s for a younger age group. It’s marketed to “Mature Young Adult” on Litpick. I don’t know how other readers will find this book.  Remember, this is just my opinion.

***eBook provided by Litpick.com in exchange for my honest review

A new student review of Lighthouse Nights by Jake Vander Ark

CarissaH posted a new student review of Lighthouse Nights by Jake Vander Ark. See the full review.

Jake Vander Ark's Lighthouse Nights takes a very interesting look into the lives of people who you probably dont know anyone quite like, yet seem so familiar after the initial feeling of alienness wears off. It provides behavior, backround, and catch-22s, just in-depth enough to draw you in and answer your biggest questions, but still ambiguous enough to not destract from the plot. All topics are handled with blunt care, perfectly reflecting its most prominent characters while still maintaining a poignant poetry. It's a brilliant cautionary tale in many ways, while also providing some guilty indulgence akin to that of Bonnie and Clyde's story. The characters, even at their most depraved and disturbed, are very relatable, and as you get to know them better, you understand their plight. You feel righteous indignation where appropriate, yet you keep suporting your antihero protagonist. The reason I don't describe the more naive character is because he, by nature, is pretty standard for the most part, and providing much more informatin than that could get into spoiler territory. Suffice is to say, his characterization and arc are wonderfully done.
There are several scenes which could be considered the climax, all nail-bitingly engaging and unpredictable. There are quiet moments as well, which hold your attention with the same powerful grasp as the more active ones. Sexuality and romance in the book are both palpable and intriguing, yet not at all something you'd like to immitate. The people, places, and situations explored feel very true-to-life. The only reason I can think of to not finish the book is out of how much it upsets you. This novel is exciting, curiosity-inducing, heart-wrenching, sometimes sickening, but most of all, it is thought-provoking. If that sounds like the sort of thing you'd like to try out, I strongly recommend you read Lighthouse Nights.

A new student review of Glimpse (The Dean Curse Chronicles)

McTower posted a new student review of Glimpse (The Dean Curse Chronicles) . See the full review.

Glimpse is definitely the kind of book that you would want to read over and over. It is definitely full of adventure, but as you look at the cover you think that the person on the cover is traveling in time. It’s not really that way because the story doesn’t go back in time.  Glimpse is filled with adventure, like a balloon filled with so much air that anymore would make it pop. Glimpse is really a very good book. It makes you feel like you are right there, and it has many details.

A new student review of Scrooge and Marley

engineerphilip18 posted a new student review of Scrooge and Marley . See the full review.

I thought that this was an overall good book. It really captured what Scrooge would have done after the ending of A Christmas Carol. The book was a bit hard to get into, but the imagery was nice and the details made me feel like I was right there. There were some very confusing parts, especially about the shadows and how Marley planned to get out of them. I didn't really get how Marley came into the baby Fred and Kathleen were having. The ending was kind of funny, as it left you knowing something most of the characters didn’t know. The epilogue summed things up nicely. I would also try to “hook” the reader a little more in the beginning. Scrooge's daily life was boring at first. A flashback might have helped hook the reader. I think this book could have been better, but it was still well-written.

A new student review of A Monster Calls

crabby posted a new student review of A Monster Calls . See the full review.

As much as this tale may initially sound like a simple scary story about monsters and demons, it’s not. Conor’s monster is much more real--a larger-than-life manifestation of his real life problems. This book turns out not to be a horror story, but a touching, heart wrenching tale about accepting loss and letting go.  It manages to be realistic and fantastical all at once, with an imaginative creature alongside very real characters. All in all, this is a well-written and poignant story that will leave you with a very different view of the monster in your closet.

                        

A new student review of Pulled by Danielle Bannister

kten19 posted a new student review of Pulled by Danielle Bannister. See the full review.

I read Pulled in about one day and very much enjoyed it. I found that the book was well written. It was detailed, but not to the point where it was boring. I felt like I was in the book listening to real people talk; the conversations never seemed forced or fake. All the characters were unique and complex in different ways, one person was not like the other. This book will not be the next big thing, but it's a great book to read for fun and I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys a love story.

A new student review of Earth Girl by Janet Edwards

McTower posted a new student review of Earth Girl by Janet Edwards. See the full review.

Surely you remember reading your favorite book for the very first time.  Earth Girl is packed with thrilling and dangerous surprises, which is probably why your favorite book is your favorite book.  Earth Girl might not be your new favorite book, but being filled with some fun surprises, it will definitely be on the list of your “runner-ups”.  After all, it is on mine.

A new student review of Templand

VBat posted a new student review of Templand . See the full review.

I felt that Templand was a good book, especially due to its relevant themes. Templand embodied the horror with which young people eye the job market today, as well as their persistant hope for a great job that will enable them to change the world. With unemployment still an issue around the globe, many young adults are anxious about their future, and this idea was clearly present in Templand. 

The style of Templand contributed to making a serious topic more enjoyable to read about. Humorous temp jobs from Melanie's past are mixed in with her narration of the present, which provides comic relief and makes the book lighthearted rather than depressing. The crazy blood-bank manager and her endless professional failings balances out Melanie's awful stint in the asbestos-filled Annex.

Some characters were developed better than others, but on the whole they were likeable and relatable. Melanie's relationship with her grandparents, especially her grandfather, is described well and contributes to the reader's understanding not only of Melanie's past, but also of her work ethic and goals for herself. 

One thing I didn't like about Templand was the lack of dialogue. Most descriptions were narrated through Melanie's eyes, in a journal-type format. However, dialogue was used in these journal entries. I would have liked to see more of that, to break up some of Melanie's thoughts. 

Overall, Templand was a good book that I would recommend to teens and young adults who enjoy chick-lit. It is a great book option for a day at the beach or lazy weekend. 

 

A new student review of Daniel Locke and the Tower of Eden by Marty Longson

scifiguy posted a new student review of Daniel Locke and the Tower of Eden by Marty Longson. See the full review.

I personally enjoyed this book. Its fast-paced action and adventure is appealing to young readers. The plot had incredible twists and turns. I would recommend this book to young adults.

A new student review of Indelible

kaiyle posted a new student review of Indelible . See the full review.

I thought this book was pretty good.  There was fantasy, romance, mythology, adventure, and a little bit of everything else.  It was a little confusing sometimes trying to understand the “claims” that creatures could put on humans but it was not that bad.  I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare.