A new student review of Glamorous Illusions: A Novel (Grand Tour Series) by Lisa T. Bergren

sharon posted a new student review of Glamorous Illusions: A Novel (Grand Tour Series) by Lisa T. Bergren. See the full review.

Glancing at the cover of this book, I saw a privileged woman standing feet away from Paris's iconic Eiffel Tower.  Noting the antiquated style of her dress, I decided that this was a book I wanted to read.  I have always been fascinated by European history, especially personal accounts of life.

The chaptersof this book alternate between perspectives of different characters, enhancing the reading experience without disrupting the flow of the plot. Though Cora is a wonderful, admirable heroine, her character is still realistic as she deals with social and emotional struggles.

Sometimes, the language and concepts seem cliché, including the physical attraction between Cora and the apprentice tour guide (William). However, the growing connection between the aforementioned outcasts, each struggling to find a name in their worlds, is unique. I also appreciate how the romance was slowly paced, instead of forced and rushed. Unfortunately, I did not find Cora’s religious epiphanies to be profoundly moving, despite the author’s intention.

Being the history lover I am, I give this book a four-out-of-five star rating for its quality writing style and historical detail. Revving up the drama, the author concludes the book when the group prepares to leave France, continuing their trip—leaving me hanging for more. Given the chance, I’ll be sure to check out the sequels of this promising trilogy.

 

 

 

A new student review of My Boyfriend is a Monster(6): Wrapped Up in You by Dan Jolley

Ravette posted a new student review of My Boyfriend is a Monster(6): Wrapped Up in You by Dan Jolley. See the full review.

The novel was beautifully illustrated and had an easy-to-understand plot. I really liked the characters and how realistic their personalites were. The story was interesting, but was a rather fast-paced read. Regardless, it did not lack in detail. Lastly, I liked how there were multiple themes present: such as magic, history, and romance.

A new student review of Scrooge and Marley

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

I thought the story was a little too cheesy and predictable until I remembered all Christmas stories are as such! Just like its precursor, Scrooge and Marley successfully conveys the spirit of Christmas in a heartwarming fashion, whether you read it in December or June. The continuation was seamless and a very quick read, with no prolonged action. However, I did find the book somewhat predictable with little nuance and an ending almost too happy, similiar to a Disney movie. The writing was excellent yet too straightforward, as if going step by step (i.e- "First this happened, then that happened"). As a piece of literature, Scrooge and Marley isn't complex in nature, but in essence is a wonderful Christmas tale, and I'll probably read it again when the holiday season rolls around.

A new student review of Revenge of a Not-So-Pretty Girl

dancechicka posted a new student review of Revenge of a Not-So-Pretty Girl . See the full review.

Oh, Ms. Caroline Blythe….how impressed I am with you!  For being such a young author, I felt like she did really well with this book!  It isn’t something I’ll rant and rave about and claim it’s a classic, but it was a good, solid read that was equally enjoyable and notable.  Blythe gave Faye and her mother’s relationship an excellent angle and developed a plot that I felt made the book stand out from some of the rest.  Some parts were slightly dull and the sentence structure wasn’t all that great, but the good certainly overshadowed the bad.  I feel this book would be a good read for teenage girls like me struggling with the whole “gotta be pretty” problem—Faye had some experiences that I can relate to, especially in a school setting, with the constant scrutiny and put-downs.  I felt as if I could connect with Faye through her first person dialogue, even if I don’t mug people for money and attack old ladies on accident.  In conclusion, I felt that this was a good read for this summer season!

                “I try to take a few more steps forward, but it’s as if I’ve landed in quicksand and I’m being sucked under.  The thing is, I don’t really know if this old lady is dead.  I mean, I think she is.”

                I would recommend this book for ages ten and up, for mild sexual references and swearing.  Nothing too graphic, though.

                Much to Faye’s chagrin, you can’t turn back the hands of time—you have to live with the consequences of your actions.  Her guilt and fear is eating her away……and even if the lady’s alive, the clock is ticking.  Will she choose to forget…..or find out?

A new student review of Strands of Bronze and Gold

seaotter77 posted a new student review of Strands of Bronze and Gold . See the full review.

I superbly enjoyed reading Strands of Bronze and Gold, and even more so because I had never heard of the Bluebeard fairy tale before I picked up this novel. Sophia's character is so richly developed that I could not help but shiver when she finds out what happened to the many wives of her godfather or gasp in awe when the door to her bedroom is opened. The author uses adjectives like threads and spins them into a descriptive web, which will create a painting in the reader's mind that could rival the Mona Lisa. M. de Cressac will set off alarms in the reader and will make them worry for Sophie and be curious to figure out what will happen next. There is some mature content, so I would only recommend this book to kids ages 12 and up.

A new student review of Awakening (Hope Trilogy #1)

R. Mae posted a new student review of Awakening (Hope Trilogy #1) . See the full review.

Awakening was a bold, amazing story about breaking out of your shell.

The Plot:

Oh, fantastic! The plot was bloody brilliant, literally! There was so much action and gore that I couldn't stop turning pages. The only thing that bothered me was a slight flaw in the writing style. There were a few things like this, 'Seeing that I needed time to think, Kiana took Sarah and left the room. Alone I sat quietly, thinking about it for a moment. Everything seemed surreal to me...' I think that would have been smoother like this, 'Seeing that I needed some time to think, Kiana took Sarah and left the room. Alone,  I sat quietly. Everything seemed surreal...' I totally adored Lauren's word choice! It was so descriptive and gave a clear image. It was practically poetry!

The Characters:

Emma's character arch rang true with me. It was about freeing yourself from shyness and self doubt. Personally, I think that is a major issue with teens my age all over the world. Emma ends up beating that fear, becoming a role model for us all. Her character was intriguing and unique. Especially in the way of her intense love. Emma doesn't love half way. Sarah was a true friend, encouraging and brave. Her own story was of selflessness and innocence. I loved her! I was delighted that no matter how much I tried, I couldn't figure out Griffin. He was constantly changing. There were places when I was led to believe he was evil, and then wondered if there was a budding romance. Something like in Kelley Armstrong's The Darkest Powers Trilogy.

The Setting:

Awakening takes place in a modern time period, which is well portrayed in this book. The characters fit perfectly.

The Standout:

The thing that stood out to me most was the action. Maybe because it was that IN YOUR FACE kind of action. Lots of writers are afraid to write that kind of stuff. It's really daunting. Lauren managed to write it beautifully in a sickening way. There was so much blood and guts! I was envisioning the whole thing as a movie and am now positive it would be rated R. Anyways, I admire how Lauren was able to write such realistic action into her supernatural story!

The Moral:

I personally believe this book's moral was about breaking out of your shell, and standing up for yourself and others. I didn't like how it seemed to sweep forgiveness to the sidelines. Thankfully, the good hearted characters made up for that. There were some intense kissing scenes, but nothing terrible. A few worthy curses, well placed without being overdone. All in all, I loved the book!

A new student review of The Paganini Curse

aschoenfeldt posted a new student review of The Paganini Curse . See the full review.

The first in the Aurora Lewis series, The Paganini Curse, proved to be a disappointing start. Despite the promising setting and opening mystery, the novel lacked significant plot points and was often predictable. I liked the idea of a teenage, female protagonist, but Aurora never measured up to my expectations. The mystery itself did not capture my attention, and the killer could be easily spotted early on in the novel. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling page turner, but the historic and musical references do make it appropriate for lovers of historical fiction. 

 

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.