A new student review of The Osiris Curse

read_write_eat posted a new student review of The Osiris Curse . See the full review.

This was my first Steampunk book, and it was a truly enjoyable experience. Despite not having read the first book in the series, The Lazarus Machine, I caught on quickly and to my knowledge, the sequel was not so much a continuation of the first installment as it was a new adventure for Tweed and Nightingale. The book alternated in points of view- which I have often seen as either hit or miss- and this was definitely a hit! The change in viewpoint helped to build suspense in the story. My one gripe regarding the book is that the romance seemed to distract from the mystery and friendship between Tweed and Nightingale. But overall, The Osiris Curse was an action-packed, suspenseful book that kept me up for much of the night and got me hooked onto Steampunk fiction.

A new student review of Affinity

sabol posted a new student review of Affinity . See the full review.

Amanda Murphy grips you in the inception of her novel, drawing you in within the first couple sentences. She embellishes her story with vivid descriptions and in-depth character development. Although the enigmatic Phoenix, Avi’s love interest, adds mystery to the plot, I found it to be predictable at times with typical high school drama.  Overall it was enjoyable to read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in a fun adventure. 

A new student review of Heart Beat

swimmer1430 posted a new student review of Heart Beat . See the full review.

Elizabeth Scott is one of my favorite authors and she writes great YA contemporary novels. However, her latest book, Heart Beat, was not the one for me. I think Elizabeth Scott writes better "light" novels, as opposed to the heavy and dramatic ones. Heart Beat was a tough read because it's so sad - Emma's mother is brain dead and would not be alive except for the life support keeping her heart beating. Meanwhile, Emma is in a downward spiral and doesn't care about school, her grades or her relationships. What I disliked about the book was that there was no plot. The entire novel was Emma being angry at her stepfather for keeping her mother on life-support. They literally have the same argument four or five times which was redundant. The only part of the plot that progressed was her relationship with Caleb and I still thought it could have been developed more. Overall, I'm disappointed in the lack of both character and plot development - both would have made this novel much better.

A new student review of People Who Said No: Courage Against Oppression by Laura Scandiffio

MIZZIQ posted a new student review of People Who Said No: Courage Against Oppression by Laura Scandiffio. See the full review.

This book made me aware of people and situations I had not heard of and brought to life others of which I had only a little knowledge. It presented facts in simple meaningful ways, but it also caught my interest as it took true stories and added specific fictional situations. The stories enabled me to put myself in that same situation and ask the questions "would I have done that? Would I have been brave enough to stand up for what I believe in?"

A new student review of Hanging In The Stars by Pat Gallagher Sassone

cassidyyyrayneee posted a new student review of Hanging In The Stars by Pat Gallagher Sassone. See the full review.

A new student review of Hanging In The Stars by Pat Gallagher Sassone

sharon posted a new student review of Hanging In The Stars by Pat Gallagher Sassone. See the full review.

I was intrigued by the author's ability to create a realistic, but enjoyable, picture of the high school setting and characters. However, I found myself often struggling with the romantic aspect of the book. I found the young lovers naïve and their blind attraction superficial. The way the book parallels the romance in William Shakespeare’s most renowned play, “Romeo and Juliet,” made the book more predictable. I felt the plot could stand alone, without any literary allusions. Regardless, I praise the author for highlighting controversial issues in her first novel, including the perils illegal immigrants face and child abuse. The author did a fantastic job in bringing out raw, attention-grabbing emotion, while shedding the light on issues concerning people with disadvantaged backgrounds. Not many YA books I have encountered have brought sufficient awareness to such a pressing issue as well as Pat Sassone managed to do in this novel. Overall, I found the book suitable for anyone who enjoys a high school romance, paired with real-life tension and action.

A new student review of Turkey Trouble on the National Mall by Ronald Roy

moseso posted a new student review of Turkey Trouble on the National Mall by Ronald Roy. See the full review.

My overall opinion about Turkey Trouble on the National Mall is that it was an engaging page turner!  The main characters, KC and Marshal, seemed to be real to me; I could put myself in their places.  Ron Roy, the author, made me believe the characters in this book to be real, and I could easily imagine this story to be true because of the pictures.  Ron Roy’s voice was adventurous.  I really didn’t learn anything from the book, because it was fictional.  The vocabulary is age appropriate. I would encourage slower readers to get this book and not advanced readers, as a fast reader I went through this book in one night!  This book is so good I want to read it again.

A new student review of A Matter of Days

crabby posted a new student review of A Matter of Days . See the full review.

This is your classic apocalyptic story with a modern edge. Nadia’s narrative is believable, as is her situation. The pace of the story is perfect, mixing suspense and excitement with occasional lulls used to develop the characters even further. I fell in love with Nadia and Rabbit and felt like I knew them both personally by the end of the story. You’ll find yourself rooting for them to find their way home as they struggle to find where, exactly, that is. It’s a quick read, partly because it’s impossible to stop! Overall an excellent book. 

A new student review of Finnikin of the Rock

sumrsilentmusic posted a new student review of Finnikin of the Rock . See the full review.

Finnikin of the Rock is marketed as fantasy, but unlike other novels in its genre, it’s not overwhelmed by obnoxious magical details or insane action moments. It’s overflowing with good characters, nuanced world-building, and fantastic relationships.

            This novel doesn’t just have a strong female character—it has a strong, manipulative female character that is neither demonized nor worshipped. Many times when an author creates a strong female character, she’s valiant and noble. While Evanjalin is courageous, she’s also cunning. She’s not afraid to withhold information and sneak around in order to get things done. Like a normal human being, she has her flaws and her redeeming points. Even though Finnikin is the title character, Evanjalin manages to steal the spotlight every time.

            The cast of supporting characters is also just as unique. One thing that’s not very prevalent in young adult literature is the influence of adults. However, that’s not the case in this book. Refreshingly, adults have a significant role in this novel. Additionally, each character feels like a person that could potentially exist in real life because the characters are well-rounded, and each has his or her own flaws and strengths.   

            Furthermore, the plot is intricate and intriguing. While many novels make the mistake plot as a backdrop for world-building and magical powers, the plot of Finnikin was actually compelling. In fact, the plot was very applicable to real-life. Instead of being about defeating dragons, it was about the politics of ruling a country. And although it includes princesses and kings, it doesn’t glorify the job of a ruler. Part of what make Finnikin of the Rock such a remarkable novel is because it explores areas that are often neglected by the other books of the same genre. However, the world-building could be hard to take in all at once. There are several countries with bizarre names to keep track of, but that’s one of the things that make this novel amazing.

            The one downfall of this book is that it’s extremely difficult to get into. It’s one of the books where nothing gets explained in the beginning. All these names, situations, and characters are thrown at you, and you have to drown and grapple for a while until your head’s finally above the water.

            This book is absolutely wonderful, and I wish Melina Marchetta would be able to have more mainstream success with her novels. I recommend it for people who love fantasy, or for those who enjoyed Kristin Cashore’s Graceling or Tamora Pierce’s books or for people who love reading in general.    

A new student review of The Hunt for the Well Hidden Treasure

Tenaya posted a new student review of The Hunt for the Well Hidden Treasure . See the full review.

The book was very interesting. It's fun to solve the problems with the group of kids. Although the beginning of the book was a bit slow, by the 3rd chapter it was hard to put down! Although the book is about a group of 7th graders, I think that this book would be most enjoyed by 3rd-5th graders.