A new student review of After Isaac

jepson50 posted a new student review of After Isaac . See the full review.

I recommend this book to any reader who wants to expand their thoughts, and how a family might deal with the trauma of losing a family member. The book had a strong impact on me because of how much effort the parents made to help Aaron, which I have a personal understanding of.

A new student review of Apollo's Outcasts by Allen Steele

masha posted a new student review of Apollo's Outcasts by Allen Steele. See the full review.

I think that this was a very good book, the plot was well thought-out and the conclusions tied up my questions. There were some areas that I think should have been spoken about more, one of these areas is when Jamey was able to walk for the first time. This area is discussed very briefly and even though it does say that Jamey had trouble learning how to walk, there is hardly any discussion on the matter until later in the book. But, the plot was amazing and I loved how there was lots of adventure and competition. At the end of the book Jamey also loses a friend. Even though this was the lowest point of the book, I think that it was a very good twist to what would have otherwise been an unreallistic "picture perfect" ending.  

A new student review of When the World Ends...

scifiguy posted a new student review of When the World Ends... . See the full review.

This book was very excellent and exciting. It was long, but packed with action. The Level 1 characters are very likeable and their situation makes you feel bad for them. The Board of Officials that Landon works with are hated by everyone and usually by the reader.

A new student review of The Flame in the Mist by Kit Grindstaff

Rainbow Shard posted a new student review of The Flame in the Mist by Kit Grindstaff. See the full review.

            Disturbing, amusing, and sometimes downright weird, The Flame in the Mist by Kit Grindstaff is a wonderfully spooky romp of a book.  A rural setting gives the story a simple and realistic feel, despite the overpowering factor of the Mist which covers everything.  I liked the new take on the recent trend of all things dark and disturbing, intertwined with just the right amount of humor.  Subtle romance weaves through the story, making it a sweet story as well as an exciting adventure.  All in all, The Flame in the Mist is a book that will be loved by readers of all kinds, loves, and fancies.

A new student review of Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library

underwood_bcl posted a new student review of Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library . See the full review.

I loved this book and  it is now one of my all time favorites. I had a fun time trying to figure out how they could get out of the library but I could not figure it out until they told me how it was done.  I thought that this book was really well written.  The characters were believable.  Kyle always tried to do the right thing.  He was friendly and kind and tried to include everyone.  Charles was not very kind and very rude.      I don’t know how the author came up with all the clues and interesting adventures he wrote about.   The author was very creative.  The new library sounds awesome!  Now, I would like to read more of Chris Gabenstein's  books.

A new student review of Dance of Shadows by Yelana Black Yelena Black

ClarissaAdeleMorgenstern posted a new student review of Dance of Shadows by Yelana Black Yelena Black. See the full review.

I didn't like this book very much.  The antagonists had unclear motives, and magic was introduced partway through in a way I felt was slightly random.  Foreshadowing was also overly obvious in some instances; for example, it is made obvious to the reader that Vanessa's boyfriend had ulterior motives because of how he acted in some scenes in the book, but Vanessa seems oblivious to this.  However, Vanessa notices immediately that another boy clearly vying for her attention must have other reasons to get her attention.  The book is seems as though it is meant to have a sequel, so not everything is answered in this one and several parts are left entirely unexplained.  In particular, we learn that Margaret was still alive even though all the other missing dancers were dead.  Also, I felt as though Vanessa was saved at the end instead of by her own actions or bravery.  MIddle school readers who enjoy fantasy and reading about dance might enjoy this book.

A new student review of Black Spring

ViviB posted a new student review of Black Spring . See the full review.

Because Black Spring was written in a Victorian style, I found it hard to get into.  After I got used to the style of writing, I found it interesting and well-written.  It made me feel anager, sadness, jealousy and an array of other emotions.  the characters were well-developed - I grew to like some of them and hate others.

However, there were some weaknesses in the character development and plot.  I did not find Hamnel interesting.  I felt that he was just a traveler running away from his life.  I did not understand why the beginning of the story was told from his point of view.  That confused me.  I also didn't understand how the book jacket connected to the book.

Most of the story is told from Anna's point of view.  This may be why the love between lina and Damek seemed slightly fake to me - they seemed more like best friends than two people in love with one another.  Since Anna was being excluded, she couldn't easily protray the love.

Lina's character was also unappealing.  She was temperamental. One minute, she was fine, and the next, she was yelling and angry. Anna should have had more screen-time; she was telling the story about Lina, and I felt like she could have been incorporated more as a constant character to even out Lina's mood swings.

One strength of the book is that is different from many other teen books.  There are a lot of fluffy-type romance books out there for young adults, and this one was obviously different.  As the author wrote the story as a "love letter to Emily Bronte," I might have enjoyed it more if I had read Wuthering Heights and made more connections.

I would recommend this book to eighth graders and up, because anyone younger might not like the Victorian writing.

A new student review of All That's Missing

MIZZIQ posted a new student review of All That's Missing . See the full review.

This book was very moving and very simple. I was really happy that the author was able to convey real emotion without adding unnecessary plots. It was kept to the basics, but it was still very profound and enjoyable. Another thing I was glad for was a happy ending, without everything being perfect. The book was able to show a realistic approach and provide a happy ending. It was uplifting and definitely worth the read.

A new student review of The Grave Winner

R. Mae posted a new student review of The Grave Winner . See the full review.

The Grave Winner was a brilliant, chilling, exciting book.

 

The Plot:

At first I was worried whether or not I would be able to get along with the curious style of this book, it was kind of a cliche that the book starts with the death of Leigh’s Mom, but it works very well to get the plot rolling. I got upset when it started to look as if it was all about the romances, but then I realized that the plot was developing into something incredibly delicious right before my eyes. It was realistic and exciting. I loved the adventure, falling out of windows and spending a bunch of time in the graveyard. I like how Leigh just scratches the surface in this book. You can feel that Lindsey R. Loucks is setting up for the next book. The magic was realistic, it had rules and wasn’t one of those stories about impossible to stop evil that must be stopped. This evil was possible to stop, it just required sacrifice and a little bit of live bait.

 

The Characters:

They were so vivid and funny. Jo, with her vow to not shave until Miguel asked her out, how absolutely ridiculous. It was so weird and yet made Jo totally unique. Leigh has this unquenchable fire to protect her little sister, but they still argue. So true to life! I felt that the fiery romances were annoying, but as the book moved on and Leigh got stronger and moved through her grief, I realized it had been a distraction for her, and yet she still loved both guys, which is setting book two up for a depressing love triangle and the possibility of teams. What’s with teenagers and love triangles? I mean, Twilight, The Infernal Devices, etc... I could go on and on. But anyways, I like both of the guys in this book evenly, Callum and his realness, Tram and his unrealness. Also, they both have pretty cool names.

 

The Setting:

The Grave Winner takes place in the graveyard, except for a few scenes at Leigh’s house and around the town. It’s a localized thing. The characters don’t go gallivanting all over the world. A lot of times the story takes place in dark and freaky places. I loved the graveyard repetitiveness. I have a perfect picture of what it looks like in my head. I could tell you where they were at each moment. It was like the place where the dead rest is where Leigh lives.

 

The Standout:

This book was beat you over the head normal, other than the magic. Normal isn’t  people who are like you and me, because while we are normal, we are not like other people. Leigh and her friends were not like other people, and so therefore they were normal. Leigh likes the color black, she wears black eyeliner and lip stick. She is known for her black combat boots and black shirts. She is unique and different and so she seems real. Jo was the funniest character, she was on the verge of being a complete weirdo. I loved her, I liked how Callum wasn’t magical, how he didn’t have the guts to tell Leigh he liked her. I liked how he sleeps all day, he is normal, and different.

 

The Moral:

I think what the author was trying to get across is two things. The question, what would you give up for the people you love? And if you feel like you desperately want be normal, all you need to do is be different. Leigh was willing to give up her life to protect her friends and family. It scared her, but she knew she would never forgive herself if they died because of her. There was a little swearing, but no making out or anything like that. It was an awesomely gory book. I loved it and can’t wait to read number two!

A new student review of Fallout

thudson36 posted a new student review of Fallout . See the full review.

I think Fallout was a good book. Fallout has a great story line and was well written. The only thing I disliked about the book is every other chapter, it changes from a chapter about Scott's childhood memories to a chapter in the present (while in the bomb shelter). Every chapter ends in a cliffhanger, causing you to want to keep reading and reading. At some times the story could get a little boring, especially when reflecting on Scott's past, but it picks up the pace quickly. Overall, I think Fallout was an exceptional book and would definitely recommend it to others.