A new student review of Paper Hearts by S. R. Savell

lylea1028 posted a new student review of Paper Hearts by S. R. Savell. See the full review.

When reading this book, I felt I could understand the characters. They were very easy to relate to.

 

 

A new student review of Fabrick

Raj the Russian Elephant posted a new student review of Fabrick . See the full review.

I think the book is very good. If you want a book that has a lot of suspense, then this is the book for you.

A new student review of Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out

VBat posted a new student review of Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out . See the full review.

The transgender community is a topic very relevant in today's schools and political scene. Students are faced with the question of how they should treat transgender peers, and the national conversation on the legal and moral status of transgendered citizens is ongoing. 

Beyond Magenta gives voice to transgendered teens, and allows readers to see their side of the story. By sharing their personal stories and struggles, the teens have made their thoughts and feelings accessible to the average person. 

I am glad that I was able to read the stories contained in this book. I started reading with no intense opinion about the LGBTQ community, and left still not having an opinion. I did leave the book, however, with a deeper understanding of the community, and feel much more prepared to have intelligent discussions about the LGBTQ community in the future. 

I would recommend Beyond Magenta for mature teens interested in broadening their perspectives on the transgender community. 

A new student review of The How-To Handbook by Alexandra Johnson Martin Oliver

crabby posted a new student review of The How-To Handbook by Alexandra Johnson Martin Oliver. See the full review.

This little reference guide is super handy and practical! Its directions are easy to follow, using few technical terms. The skills taught will be useful to people of any and all ages. Since reading it, I’ve learned new techniques for numerous little challenges that pop up in life. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning simple and effective methods of going about everyday tasks.

 

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.