A new student review of The Obsidian Blade

nowhereman posted a new student review of The Obsidian Blade . See the full review.

I thought that this book was a very good action-packed read that left me wondering what was going to happen next. The characters, I found, were very enjoyable to read about because they were well developed and interesting. There are also a lot of connections of things as you get further along that made you second guess your prediction of the end. It has enough plot twists and action in that will keep you reading far into the night!  

A new student review of Emily and Jackson: Hiding Out by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

glambert posted a new student review of Emily and Jackson: Hiding Out by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. See the full review.

I’m so glad that Phyllis Reynolds Naylor wrote this book along with Emily’s Fortune because it was such an exciting adventure that kept my nerves up!  I love how she leaves the reader hanging at the end of every chapter.  If I could be any character in that book, I would choose Emily because she gets trapped many times with her uncle but always seems to end up safe with Aunt Hilda.  I was very surprised and a little worried for Emily and Jackson when the widow woman turned into someone unexpected! 

 

My favorite part of the book was when Emily and Jackson were on the boat and had to keep running around and hiding from Emily’s uncle.  What will happen next with Emily and Jackson?

A new student review of In the Shadow of the Lion by Kimberly M. Jane

scifiguy posted a new student review of In the Shadow of the Lion by Kimberly M. Jane. See the full review.

This book was an exciting page-turner. Everything seems to change from the beginning to the end of the story. It changes scenes frequently. I really enjoyed this book. 

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.