A new student review of Maid for Me, Too

detectiveginger posted a new student review of Maid for Me, Too . See the full review.

There are lots of imagery used through mataphors and similes. Some of the similes are strange such as  when describing the relationship between Mina and Danni, they were described as "bonded like two oppositely charged ions ready to take on the world together." Do ionic compounds take on the world? However I liked the idea of two people who are complete opposites in appearance and personality, "attracted" to each other and who become close friends, that is conveyed in this simile. I thought that all the figurative language used was quite unique, interesting, contemporary and humorous.

The writing has gotten more mature since the last book, because the main characters, Mina and Jaden, have graduated from high school, and it shows in the character development of Mina and Jaden. So there is also slightly mature content in this book, such as references to alcohol.

'Maid For Me, Too' is a great book, and I recommend everyone to read it.

A new student review of The Twelve-Fingered Boy (The Twelve-Fingered Boy Trilogy) [

featherwhisker posted a new student review of The Twelve-Fingered Boy (The Twelve-Fingered Boy Trilogy) [ . See the full review.

I think this was a good book. There is a lot of adventure, but Jacobs writes a lot of character development into the story. It's well written and easy to follow and there is a conclusion that makes you feel like the book is finished, but it also makes you want to read more.

A new student review of Deep Betrayal

sthom506 posted a new student review of Deep Betrayal . See the full review.

Deep Betrayal is no bright Disney mermaid tale of love and devotion. Anne Greenwood Brown spins a sinuous tale of romance and the bonds of family. Her sequel, Deep Betrayal, is more tame than Lies Beneath, but without losing the important connections between Calder, Lily  and her Father. The change of perspective from Lily to Calder also helps to continue the story, but gives Deep Betrayal new twists and turns to further the reader's interest. 

A new student review of The Scorpions of Zahir by Christine Brodien-Jones

alison_S posted a new student review of The Scorpions of Zahir by Christine Brodien-Jones. See the full review.

The Sahara blazed across my mind's eye with Brodein-Jones's breathtaking imagery. The Scorpions of Zahir's pacing, like Zagora's desert expedition, starts out leisurely before plunging the reader into chaos; though a bit plodding at the outset, before I knew it I was whirling along on a hair-raising adventure. Brodien-Jones's Morroco has a richness of detail in which the reader can luxuriate, and the plot enthralled me with its complexity. Though chilling, the chief antagonist pursued her goal with such passion that at times I found myself cheering her on. I have a few small quibbles with the wording (you don't need to specify Nar Azrak had an unearthly glow, that's implied by it's being a planet other than earth),but thankfully these didn't make The Scorpions of Zahir any less of a vividly imagined thrillride. 

A new student review of The Grimalkin's Secret

sschu5 posted a new student review of The Grimalkin's Secret . See the full review.

This was a great book!  I kept wanting more and more magic and adventure as I read. I also like how there is a lot of connection & understanding. This book also gives a lot of suspense. Kya, Eliza and Sebastian used their individual powers to help people and save them. The plot is great, so is the mystery; this book comes together very well.

A new student review of Shadow of Darkness: Volume I of the Creature Kid Series

scifiguy posted a new student review of Shadow of Darkness: Volume I of the Creature Kid Series . See the full review.

This book was very action-packed and exciting. I couldn't put the book down. It was very easy to follow. The book has you on the edge of your seat waiting for the next action scene. I really enjoyed this book.

A new student review of Stained (YA Paranormal Romance) (Stained Series) by Ella James

LISH0985 posted a new student review of Stained (YA Paranormal Romance) (Stained Series) by Ella James. See the full review.

The book moved too fast. With so few pages, you have to make the scenes count and I don't believe that the author did that. I was so excited for this book, but it disappointed me. The transitions in it need work. 

A new student review of Butter by Erin Jade Lange

ravenclaw posted a new student review of Butter by Erin Jade Lange. See the full review.

When I had first read the description, I knew it was going to be about a boy eating himself to death, but I thought that Erin Jade Lange may sugarcoat it a bit! Boy was I wrong. This book was absolutely NOTHING like I expected.

I can't emphasize enough how dark the book is. Of course, one of the main themes in Butter is bullying, so Butter's tormentors are discussed in great detail. Also, a menu for New Year's Eve-when he will go live on butterslastmeal.com- is planned out and altered throughout the book. I found it incredibly morbid that he was planning every food with which he would commit suicide and that his peers were encouraging this (many suggested foods for him to eat!).

I did however find this book incredibly insightful on the life of an obese person. Being constantly stared at, reverting back to comfort foods, teasing, and fighting to lose weight. Butter in particular gets mixed emotions from his parents and peers. His mother continuously cooks and feeds Butter high calorie snacks, while his father simply looks at him with disgust. Anna, the most beautiful girl in school will not give Butter a second glance. Really, his only comforts in life are his saxophone and being online as his alter-ego JP, a tall, good-looking, athletic boy, who chats with Anna for long periods of time. 

Overall, I found that Butter was a good book, but I was shocked by just how morbid it was!

A new student review of reGUARDing GRACE

kanati posted a new student review of reGUARDing GRACE . See the full review.

ReGAURDing GRACE is an original and unique story with twists and turns that keep you from putting it down. The characters are surprisingly relatable which helps prove them to be lovable and enduring on many different levels. The setting also helps relate it to teens, High School, gossip, drama, friends, and dating with Grace and Jack caught in the middle. Karen A. Leppert has created a fantastic story that  keeps you engaged until the very last sentence. I would recommend this book to any teenager looking for a great read that is hard to put down.

A new student review of Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich Stories

alphatauri posted a new student review of Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich Stories . See the full review.

We open the collection with Cassandra Clare's "Some Fortunate Future Day". Exploring the theme of time in a lonely world, this story is about a girl named Rose who meets an alluring stranger. It's a great choice as the opener with its solid writing and classic steampunk robots and clockwork. It's short, simple and leaves its ending up to the reader.   

The second story is Libba Bray's "The Last Ride of the Glory Girls". This explores the theme of time as well, but delves in much further. There's a distinctive Wild West feel to it, and I enjoyed the writing but disliked the ending. 

Next is "Clockwork Fagin" by Cory Doctorow. Though its setting isn't especially imaginative,  this is still easily one of the best stories in the collection, as its plot is simply stellar. It has a great ending and the two main characters are fantastic. 

After that we get the first comic strip, "Seven Days Beset by Demons" by Shawn Cheng. His comic explores the Seven Deadly Sins through a simple and clever love story that carries traces of steampunk. 

Ysabeau S. Wilce's "Hand in Glove" follows that. This was another standout in the collection, with its unique writing style. There's a foreign flair to the setting that you can't exactly place, and the characters are believable--especially the main character, who you can't help but cheer for. 

"The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor" by Delia Sherman was a pretty typical ghost story with a romance, and some hints of steampunk. The writing style was typical, and though it's an okay story, since it followed "Hand in Glove", I found myself disappointed.

I didn't enjoy "Gethsemane" by Elizabeth Knox very much either. Though its first line is intriguing and introduces us to a unique setting, things quickly get downhill from there. The story is paced awkwardly, and there doesn't seem to be much steampunk in it. 

"The Summer People" by Kelly Link was easily my least favourite entry in the collection. It is utterly forgettable--in fact, while writing this review, I had to look back to my book just to remind myself of the point of that story. The writing style, characters, and setting are all boring. Quite honestly, this story almost caused me to stop reading the collection.

Thankfully, Garth Nix's "Peace in Our Time" stopped me from doing that. This story explores the theme of just how much power should be given to one person--all in one scene. It's one of the shortest stories in the collection, but incredibly imaginative and thought-provoking.

"Nowhere Fast" by Christopher Rowe was a fairly decent story. Nothing special, just a simple steampunk setting with romance and an ending that seems like a beginning. 

After that is "Finishing School" by Kathleen Jennings, the second comic strip in the anthology. I found the art refreshing and the story fun to read, even though I'm not a big fans of comics and was a bit confused as to the plot.

"Steam Girl" by Dylan Horrocks is the longest story in the collection, clocking in at 45 pages, and I would argue that it's too long, even though the chemistry between the two main characters is irresistible. The length of the story makes the ending slightly disappointing, but the story seems to carry a meaning that is quite thought-provoking.

The penultimate story of the collection, "Everything Amiable and Obliging", is by Holly Black, and it explores love in a world of steampunk--specifically, loves that should not be. The characters and setting aren't special, but the plot is.

And, finally, the last story in the collection. I have only one word for you: WOW. "The Oracle Engine" by M.T. Anderon was easily, easily the best story of the collection and one of the best stories I have ever read. It's so outrageously unique, and the writing style make your jaw drop, thinking: "How does he do that?!" I won't even describe the plot here--you have to read it and experience it for yourself.

Steampunk!: An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories is easily worth your time, and there is quite literally a story for everyone in here. Whether you've never heard of the word steampunk, or you spend your days arguing whether Jules Verne invented the genre, this anthology comes highly recommended.