A new student review of The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin

alison_S posted a new student review of The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin. See the full review.

While The Blackhope Enigma focuses primarily on external conflict, for the novel’s first two hundred pages the three main characters struck me as somewhat oversimplified; Flavin establishes each character’s dominating traits early on, and, for the bulk of the novel, her characters conform to these traits with no internal conflict whatsoever. For instance,  though Angus Bellini, the novel’s primary antagonist, exhibits every manifestation of “evil” imaginable (such as greed, pride, violence, and even gluttony) within the first half of the novel, he lacks all but the slightest glimmers of remorse. Similarly, for the book’s initial two-thirds, Dean seems to function more as a plot device than as a nuanced, three-dimensional character. While deciding whether or not to enter The Mariner’s Return to Arcadia, Blaise does wrestle with some ambivalence. Once he arrives, however, this high school freshman faces sea monsters, raging whirlpools, and crumbling ravines with relative bravado. Throughout The Blackhope Enigma, Blaise and Sunni embody all that is brave and virtuous, while Angus personifies malice, greed, and self-centeredness. What dissatisfied me more than these individual traits, however, was each character’s tendency to act﹘ and react﹘ predictably. Thankfully, though The Blackhope Enigma lacks internal conflict, Flavin’s imaginative premise and competent imagery immerse readers in Fausto Corvo’s hideaway of magic and mysticism. Furthermore, Flavin’s dialogue amused me with its humor and charmed me with its sweetness. Though some aspects of The Blackhope Enigma’s fantastical setting felt a tad formulaic, Flavin adorns her novel with fresh, witty details. Because Sunni, Blaise, and Dean spend much of the The Blackhope Enigma wandering through The Mariner’s Return to Arcadia, with only the vague hope of getting home to guide them, this novel’s pacing lacks the purposefulness of more goal-directed works. Then again, who wouldn't treasure every extra moment spent exploring Flavin’s imaginative debut?

A new student review of Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne

moseso posted a new student review of Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne. See the full review.

 

This book is a definite page-turner. The plot is very easy to understand and simple to become involved in. Because the plot is straightforward and easy to comprehend, the book should be geared for seven to nine year olds. The way the book is written makes it seem as if you’re really in ancient Egypt with Jack and Annie. Mummies in the Morning is the third book in a series, so there is continuation from the other books. Therefore, it is slightly hard to understand the beginning and end of the book if you have not read the first two books. Aside from that, the book is a superior read and highly recommended.          

A new student review of Kissing Atticus Primble by Stephanie Hoina

JesusFreak posted a new student review of Kissing Atticus Primble by Stephanie Hoina. See the full review.

My thoughts on "Kissing Atticus Primble" are a mixture of good and bad.  Although I'm not a big fan of love triangles, I found the characters relatable and likeable.  The cover art, while simple, was interesting and different.

Although there were various spelling errors throughout the book, it was well-written.  The author does an amazing job at putting you in the mind of a high school girl.

Overall, a great book for preteens who love teen romance.

A new student review of Little Fish: A Memoir from a Different Kind of Year by Ramsey Beyer

Gwendolyn posted a new student review of Little Fish: A Memoir from a Different Kind of Year by Ramsey Beyer. See the full review.

This deeply self-reflective autobiography is an interesting scrapbook of lists, notes, cartoons, and diary entries, providing a fun and intimate perspective into the author's life. I couldn't have discovered Little Fish: A Memoirs from a Different Kind of Year at a more relevant time in my life. In short, this graphic novel sheds light on Ramsey's experiences as she heads to college. She is excited for the opportunities, independence, and knowledge that college will bring, but also terrified and daunted by adulthood. Through fluctuating moods, the drastic lack of friends and family, and an overabundance of schoolwork and intimidating professors, I found Ramsey's experiences and self-advice to be wise and comforting. This book showcases experiences that I think we can all relate to at some point in our lives, but something that has become quite real for me just recently. I was shocked at how many thoughts are currently going through my head about my future that this book touches upon. I often find myself baffled at my own generation and unable to connect or relate to things that are familiar to my age group. Although slightly different, I think that Ramsey has somewhat similar feelings in certain instances. In addition, I love the cover of this book because I feel that it perfectly expresses the tone and message of it. Although an angst-ridden story, I was pleasantly surprised with the fact that Ramsey has a rather optimistic perspective. Even when she's not her happiest, the wiser side to Ramsey tries to find the positives in each negative situation. In conclusion, as an avid list maker, writer, daydreamer, and a highly introspective person, I found this book to be quite enjoyable to read.

A new student review of Wheels of Change by Darlene Beck Jacobson

Anjel posted a new student review of Wheels of Change by Darlene Beck Jacobson. See the full review.

This book was great. I loved that Emily received a response and invitation from the president after sending a letter criticizing him. It gives me hope that maybe someday I will meet the President also. I really liked that a girl my age, Emily, was the heroine in the story.  She is very couragous and brave. The book brings up some issues that are difficult, but the only thing I didn't like was the nasty Mrs. Peabody character and how mean people can be to each other. I would recommend this book to 10-12 year olds, historical fiction lovers and fans of The Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes.

A new student review of Wildflower by Janine Carbone

VBat posted a new student review of Wildflower by Janine Carbone. See the full review.

You can hardly read the news today without seeing another instance of campus violence, rape, or mental illness. Wildflower combines these relevant issues in a thrilling story that weaves snippets of the past into Faith’s point of view. My favorite part of Wildflower was the book’s accurate depiction of college life. At one point, Faith goes up and down her dorm hallway, knocking on doors, looking for someone to hang out with for the day. The awkward search for friends during college is very real, and Faith’s reaction to the college lifestyle is very relatable. Faith herself is a very likable character— her introspective nature and natural defensiveness resonated with me. The other characters, including Jason, Casey, and Seth, were realistic, but I definitely didn’t feel as though I got to know them very well. I would have loved to see more of their lives outside of the main story. 

 

Wildflower’s plot was interesting and suspenseful, making use of many current issues to move the plot along. I would have liked to see the book evolve into a deeper social commentary, especially considering the prominence of campus violence and mental illness in the news. These hot issues were used to move the plot along, but I did not feel as though I left the book with a deeper understanding of the issues. The book would have benefitted from a deeper look at specific psychological phenomena. 

 

The style of the book occasionally distracted from the story with too many adjectives and redundant descriptions. The style issue did not overwhelm the story, however, and became less noticeable as the book progressed.

 

I would recommend Wildflower to female teens and young adults who enjoy realistic fiction. 

A new student review of Shadowboxer by Tricia Sullivan

awalker10 posted a new student review of Shadowboxer by Tricia Sullivan. See the full review.

This was a better than average book. The action was fairly constant, and kept you on your toes. Conflicting and unexplained characters made it slightly confusing. However, the language and descriptions were highly amusing and created detailed images in the reader's mind. The conflict was introduced fairly late-- there were a great deal of smaller conflicts that took precedence over the course of the plot, but a conflict that united both seperate characters did not appear until over a third of the way in. The flawed and imperfect character of Jade was very likeable and relatable, and you were rooting for her throughout the story. Mya was not nearly enjoyable, as she was more naive and simple, but she was also a well developed character. 

A new student review of Two and Only Kelly Twins by Johanna Hurwitz

cowboys1 posted a new student review of Two and Only Kelly Twins by Johanna Hurwitz. See the full review.

I enjoyed all the adventures the sisters had.  This was a very lighthearted story that dealt with real feelings and I like that.  I hope the Kelly Twins have more adventures in the future.  I like these characters.

A new student review of Growing Up Dead by Chelsea M. Campbell

sschu5 posted a new student review of Growing Up Dead by Chelsea M. Campbell. See the full review.

Growing Up Dead is a great book because it is easy to understand, so many people can read if they would like. But readers under 7 probably wouldn't be able to keep up with the plot. It is also good because it leaves some suspense at the end of the chapters, which keeps you hooked and wanting to read more. The story starts in an interesting way right off of the bat and it captured my curiosity. Also the book starts off slow, then it speeds up when it comes to the interesting part; that is so cool because you get to know the characters and understand them. I think it is pretty much a good book for anyone who would want to read it.

A new student review of The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

LegoLover posted a new student review of The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. See the full review.

        Jeanne DuPrau brings you back to Ember in this vividly pictured graphic novel.  The graphic novel follows the same storyline as the novel The City of Ember.  However, it is illustrated very interestingly and compels you to read farther, making the book hard to put down.  The art was done by Niklas Asker, and the story was adapted by Dallas McDaugh. But the story stays true to the original story, written by Jeanne DuPrau even if it came out ten years later.  I enjoyed the book very much because of the pictures and how it stayed true to the original.