A new student review of Birth By Fire's Embrace by Ashleigh Galvin

Ocasbff1 posted a new student review of Birth By Fire's Embrace by Ashleigh Galvin. See the full review.

 A great book jam packed with action and adventure and was exactly what I was craving.

A new student review of Labeled by Mark Salvatore

Jack posted a new student review of Labeled by Mark Salvatore. See the full review.

I can appreciate the main character's love of literature and enjoyed the references to Steinbeck, Thoreau and Emerson; however, I found it very difficult to connect with the VERY heavy drug usage.  Honestly, I would be wrapped up in the eloquent description of a cave on a beach along the Coast Highway only to have the author drop some acid toting free loaders into the picture.  I got to like Vinnie and became frustrated that the author did not spend time developing the honest and raw truths of Vinnie’s character flaws.  

A new student review of The Children of the King

moseso posted a new student review of The Children of the King . See the full review.

‘Children of the King’ is a satisfactory book. The title doesn't fit the story very much. It also takes a while to get into it. However, once the plot takes shape, the book does get pretty fascinating. Sonya Hartnett did not make me feel like part of the tale until Uncle Peregrine’s storytelling begins, and that doesn’t start until later in the story. Cecily and May kind of seem like real people, but because there’s magic in there that couldn’t possibly take place in real life, I have trouble believing them to real. Sonya Hartnett did a fine job finishing the book; it didn’t leave me wondering what happened after the end of the story, which is always excellent. I think the book is for age’s nine to twelve. ‘Children of the King’ is not an educational book. The time period is non-fiction, but the adventure the girls go on is fictional. If you like story- telling within the book and little bit of magic, then you’ll enjoy this book. 

A new student review of Waterfell

alison_S posted a new student review of Waterfell . See the full review.

Throughout Waterfell, Howard excels in sculpting complex, dynamic characters who evoke both the readers' sympathy as well as their annoyance. Unlike the bulk of teen beach-reads, Waterfell doesn't rely on vague stereotypes of "good" and "evil" to distinguish its characters. Rather, Nerissa, her adoptive brother Speio, bestie Jenna, and crush Lo all flaunt the nuances and imperfections of real-world human beings. Unlike real-world human beings, however, Nerissa and Lo seem incapable of disagreeing. And as adorable as their impossibly flawless romance might be, in the absence of conflict, Nerissa and Lo never get the chance to prove their sincerity. Waterfell unfurls at a somewhat lurching pace, the plot alternating between cutthroat under-the-sea espionage and lackadaisical high school melodrama. Although simply worded, Howard's prose flows effortlessly as water, rendering Waterfell a quick, compulsively readable thriller.

A new student review of Boy on the Edge

Gwendolyn posted a new student review of Boy on the Edge . See the full review.

To be completely honest, the initial reason why I picked Boy On The Edge by Fridrik Erlings to review was because of the cover art. I had no idea whether it would be a good story or not, but when I first saw the cover of this book, my interest was immediately captured. I find it intriguing, beautiful, and simply, yet wonderfully, uncomplicated. The colors contrast each other well, hence the eye-catching cover. The writing style of this novel is quite simple too, yet reads in a poetically powerful and breathtaking way. I think that the cover art of this book represents the writing of this story quite accurately. The minute that I started this book, I knew that it would be a magnificent read.

Henry has trouble forming his thoughts into sentences. He never knows quite what to say to people, but he often wants to. This is an issue that holds him back throughout the book and I can relate this. Much like Henry, I constantly have conversations in my mind, and I always have several different streams of thought going through my head at once. I have trouble phrasing how I feel or what I am thinking when I am speaking aloud; my brain can’t seem to find the right words to represent what is on my mind.

Although I have never been in the exact same situations that Henry goes through in this novel, I felt a deep connection to this particular character’s struggles and emotions. Henry may be quiet and reserved on the outside, but he has an extremely rich and extensive inner life. He is only searching for someone who he can truly call his friend, but this proves to be a difficult task for him.

 

Boy On The Edge is the first book that I have read from this Icelandic author, but I assure you that it will not be the last. When I sat down to write the review for this novel (to ponder the pros and cons), I couldn’t find a single problem that I had with it. The plot was intense and engrossing, the writing style flowed wonderfully as I read it, and the characters felt real and packed with emotion and relatable qualities. I will go as far as to say that I think this is the best book that I have had the pleasure to review for LitPick thus far. I plan to reread this book many times in the future. In conclusion, I highly enjoyed this young adult novel! Boy On The Edge by Fridrik Erlings has rather quickly found a permanent home on my bookshelf and an even more permanent home within my heart.

A new student review of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island

blackbeauty posted a new student review of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island . See the full review.

I enjoyed the book a lot. I love the adventure in it and the danger all around. I think books are more exciting when you get to choose your own way to go. It makes it a lot more fun for the people who do not like to read. I know that because I am a person who does not like to read. It was so interesting that I read the book in almost two days instead of a week. I think it is great for kids eight to twelve and that they will enjoy it.

A new student review of Steelheart

fradyr647 posted a new student review of Steelheart . See the full review.

After having recently finished the book, I think that it is one of the best books I have read. Its storyline is creative, its protagonist amusing, and other characters very well thought out, from the personality to the accents. Its beginning very well sets the mood for the rest of the story, which gradually develops into an action-packed story of loss and redemption. All in all, Steelheart is an amazing book, and if I had to rate it, 9.75/10. If you are thinking about getting this book, do. It will be well worth your time.

A new student review of Hammer of Witches

aeehrhardt posted a new student review of Hammer of Witches . See the full review.

Personally, I think that Hammer Of Witches was very good. I enjoyed all of the cliffhangers, love, hope, adventure, and secrets. Although I do not think that Hammer Of Witches should be in the 8-12 year range. I think that it should more like in the 12+ year range. Because there is some dying, blood, and some talk about torture,very little, but some. So if you are not comfortable with that then I do not recommend Hammer Of Witches to you.

 

A new student review of The Wizard Test by Hillary Belli

Donatello posted a new student review of The Wizard Test by Hillary Belli. See the full review.

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A new student review of Daughter of Light by V.C. Andrews

Gwendolyn posted a new student review of Daughter of Light by V.C. Andrews. See the full review.