A new student review of Knock Out Games by G. Neri

Dsun_ posted a new student review of Knock Out Games by G. Neri. See the full review.

I was immediately interested in this book the second I started reading it. The characters were described incredibly well. I could picture each character and their personalities. The setting was accurately described as well. I had a fun time learning about the Knockout Game and overall a great book.

A new student review of Family Ties by Gary Paulsen

muffin posted a new student review of Family Ties by Gary Paulsen. See the full review.

I LOVED this book. It is funny, and it's about family. Could it get any better??? This book is very well written, and I have no bad comments about this book. This book is fiction, and I recommend it for all ages. I really like how the author wrote the characters and their unique personalities. I really enjoyed that there were so many characters in this book. There was some bad language in this book, but overall, it was terrific! I think that Gary Paulsen did a wonderful job on this book, and I hope you do too. I give this book five stars!!!

A new student review of Magic Tree House #52: Soccer on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne

Boomer123 posted a new student review of Magic Tree House #52: Soccer on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne. See the full review.

When I read this book, I thought that Mary Pope Osborne could have done a better job with the details. This book was not very descriptive. I did like that she wrote about soccer because I love soccer. There were some good parts and some not so good parts. So I think I give this book four stars.

A new student review of Secrets of the Manor - Beth's Story by Adele Whitby

RockinR4 posted a new student review of Secrets of the Manor - Beth's Story by Adele Whitby. See the full review.

This book was amazing! I love how the story is set in England in the same year World War 1 began, the mystery, and the excitement! Adele Whitby made me feel as if I were Beth. I couldn't put the book down.

In fact, I loved it so much that I read it four more times! Thanks, LitPick!

A new student review of The Big Fix (Bareknuckle) by Nathan Sacks

nictaf posted a new student review of The Big Fix (Bareknuckle) by Nathan Sacks. See the full review.

The Big Fix was a good book filled with action and suspense.  I liked The Big Fix, and I think it goes well with the other books in the series.  Nathan Sacks created a book with a fierce story. I would recommend this book to ages 10 and up because of some bad words and bloody descriptions. 

A new student review of The Morning Star by Robin Bridges

Star360 posted a new student review of The Morning Star by Robin Bridges. See the full review.

The Morning Star provides a lush blend of history and fantasy that keeps readers rapidly turning pages, never knowing what creatures await them in the next chapter. The main players– Katiya, George, Danilo, and Konstantin– are deeper and more thought-out than ever. The character arcs that some of those characters go through are fulfilling to read about. I also approved of how Katiya stays firm to her dreams and loyal to her family. An intelligent duchess far ahead of her time, she provides a good role model for girls. The new settings were a treat to read about. Smolny Institute has been left behind, but none of the escapades are lost! Egyptian mythology had been referenced to in the previous books, so it was delightful to read about Katiya’s adventures in the Land of the Nile. One of my favorites things about the series was that many of the royals mentioned were real people. What happens to them in the books is very loosely based on their actual lives. The show-stopping final chapter is the cherry on top. All in all, I believe that readers faithful to Katiya will enjoy the bittersweet, magical finale of The Katerina Trilogy.

A new student review of Bloodwitch

Ravette posted a new student review of Bloodwitch . See the full review.

This was a very engaging, fast-paced story. I absolutely loved the characters. My favourite being Vance, who went through a lot of changes throughout the novel. It was interesting to follow the progression because I was able to see how his eyes opened about the world around him, and how he began to see things differently. In other words, he became a better person for it. It was, in my opinion, really amazing to see this sort of transformation with the character development, even more so when he discovered the world he had always been curious about. Not ony that, but I loved the setting: the basic human dystopia in which something else was the the top of the 'pyramid', so to speak. Long story short, I'd highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy.

A new student review of Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid

Gwendolyn posted a new student review of Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid. See the full review.

There was something nostalgic, yet ever so present that I gathered from this book. The writing style is easy to follow and it has realistic characters that seemingly come to life on the page. A truly solid novel, Let's Get Lost is one to remember and always come back to. Each adventure begins with a sense of excitement and hope. They seem to rush by in a flurry, weaving together Leila's experiences with an intriguing continuation. 

 

I found it very clear that this book is written by someone who understands people and can easily put themselves in other people's shoes, and who can perfectly depict personalities, conversations, and experiences that feel realistic to the reader. I was invested in the outcome of each story, and even though they went by in a flash, they didn't feel incomplete or finished in an unsatisfying and forced manner.

 

In the advance uncorrected proof edition of Let's Get Lost which I received, I discovered a page or two dedicated to a Q&A with author Adi Alsaid. On being asked what he hopes his readers will take away from this book, he mentions the "specific feeling of peacefulness you get when you finish a good book," and how when he finishes a truly amazing read, he "looks around seeing the world as a more literary place, amazed that the people around me don't see it, too, that the experience was contained to me." I decided to share this quote because I feel that it explains how I felt after reading Let's Get Lost precisely. These four intertwined adventures capture an intimacy between the reader and text that I have slight difficulty phrasing to my satisfaction. In the simplest of descriptions, it reaches out to its audience. A truly special read, I definitely connected to Alsaid's work as a young individual, but also as an aspiring author and someone who is fascinated by human character. Let's Get Lost is memorable, enthralling, and emotive. Although I will admit that I typically don't always favor today's Young Adult centered literature, Let's Get Lost was thoroughly enjoyable for me and I look forward to reading Alsaid's future work. 

A new student review of The Haunting of Apartment 101 by Megan Atwood

Lucy posted a new student review of The Haunting of Apartment 101 by Megan Atwood. See the full review.

I really liked the book, and was surprised by the ending as to what the apartment was really about, I found it very interesting and want to read the entire series. This is one of the interesting mystery books that I have ever liked (which I rarely liked mystery). I find the book a fascinating story that allowed me to continue reading and finish it in less than 24 hours!

A new student review of Destiny's Flower by Linda Harley

lunarwolf posted a new student review of Destiny's Flower by Linda Harley. See the full review.

To be brutally honest, I hated the book. The story line wasn't appealing and the different people switching point of views was difficult to follow. The story itself wasn't very interesting either. The part of the story I enjoyed was the family mystery behind Lynn's grandmother. The locket was an interesting touch, I admit, but the story gets too slow after she leaves the ship. The story is very hard to get into as well.