A new student review of Winter Falls (Twin Willows Trilogy) by Nicole Maggi

blytheedwards posted a new student review of Winter Falls (Twin Willows Trilogy) by Nicole Maggi. See the full review.

I enjoyed Winter Falls. It kept its thrilling feeling throughout the book. It kept you on the edge, always wondering why or how. It left me wanting more free time to read the book.

A new student review of When the World Ends... by J. J. Marshall

kodystallard posted a new student review of When the World Ends... by J. J. Marshall. See the full review.

Out of 5, I would give this book an 4. The book is sort of slow at the beginning, but it is okay because it has so many details that need to be explained to understand the rest of the book. It also was a tad confusing for me at times, but it was cleared up in the next chapter. One of my favorite things was that you always knew what Alec was thinking, and it was like his emotions were your emotions while reading this book.

Overall, the book was action-packed, thrilling, and it always kept me turning the page even when I didn't know it.

A new student review of Sliding Beneath the Surface:St. Augustine Trilogy,Book I by Doug Dillon

NathanPechacek10 posted a new student review of Sliding Beneath the Surface:St. Augustine Trilogy,Book I by Doug Dillon. See the full review.

Sliding Beneath The Surface was an excellent book. It had everything in it! History, a little humor, and just the right amount of eeriness. The characters seemed so real. You kind of feel like you know them. I was a little confused in the beginning, but after finishing the first part, I couldn’t put the book down. This is the first book in a trilogy, and I can’t wait to read the next book. I would strongly recommend this book for boys ages 12-16. If you are looking for a good book that’s a little scary, and also a page turner, this is the book for you.

A new student review of The Fire Wish by Amber Lough

alison_S posted a new student review of The Fire Wish by Amber Lough. See the full review.

At first glance, The Fire Wish struck me as little more than the conventional tale of two comically different characters swapping lives. Luckily for me, however, I couldn't have been more wrong; though Zayele and Najwa's trading places unleashes the bulk of our protagonists' problems, Lough's thoughtful, imaginative backstory intensifies this deceivingly simple plot. Though, by alternating between Zayele and Najwa's viewpoints, Lough evokes sympathy for two characters on opposite sides of a decade-long war, she also bogs down the novel's initial chapters. That being said, the book's slow start allowed time for richly developed characters and a vibrant setting. In creating the Jinn's world, Lough blends fantasy and Middle-Eastern culture with finesse. The Fire Wish ends perfectly, treating readers to a conclusion as inevitable as it is unpredictable, though the novel's decidedly optimistic endnote, in some readers' minds, at least, may compromise its authenticity.

A new student review of The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel

iamabooklion posted a new student review of The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel. See the full review.

I absolutely love this book! It was funny and cute and heart warming. I really love Becca as a character as she is relateable and funny. The writing is really beautiful and I love it. It's original and funny. I really like how it was fast-paced and entertaining.  Becca is a really funny character and I can't help but love her! 

A new student review of Dark Destiny by M.J. Putney

dancechicka posted a new student review of Dark Destiny by M.J. Putney. See the full review.

If I could have one word to describe this book, if would be…..inconsistent.  The first part of the book was, bluntly, abysmal—then, in the second half, it was like somebody flipped a switch.  At the beginning, the sentence structure and dialogue was painfully awkward; the plot jumped from one thing to another, and the characters were horribly annoying.  Then, in the second half, it was like a whole different book--the writing was impeccable, the direction solid, the characterization strong.  I couldn’t put it down!  There was action; there was intrigue; there was desperation and angst, and, most of all, GOOD DIALOGUE!  By the ending, it felt like that author finally got “settled” into the story.  But for a plot as unique as Dark Destiny’s, you really need to capitalize on good writing skills and details that make the reader feel like they’re there—throughout the entire book. Something that I would strongly recommend for those of you interested in reading this book would be to start at the beginning of the series—Dark Destiny is book number three of the Dark Mirror series, and maybe reading the first two will help clear up some confusion. All in all, I think that this series has a lot of potential, but just needs to focus more on the basic concepts of writing and less on an intricate, complicated plot.

“So far, so good.  Tory wondered if the soldiers realized the British and the tiger by the tail.  And she was in no mood to be eaten.”

I would recommend this book for ages eleven and up—the content is mostly clean, except for a little section where the word “strumpet” and its various affiliates are used quite liberally. 

Will Rebecca and the British mages be able to save Lackland—or will they watch in defeat as Napoleon’s Army takes over the city they once loved?  Dark Destiny by M.J. Putney is the only way to find out!

NOTE:  Interested in starting the series?  Dark Mirror is book #1, Dark Passage #2, and the prequel novella (Fallen from Grace) has also been released!  

A new student review of The Eye of Minds by James Dashner

thudson36 posted a new student review of The Eye of Minds by James Dashner. See the full review.

I personally didn’t like this novel. I thought it could get very boring and long at points, and found myself not interested in it. I do like the overall idea of the book and think it’s very different and original. I would only recommend this book to someone that was interested in technology and video games, because it may be uninteresting if not. The book does flow and is action-packed. There are many suspenseful parts that caught my attention, but overall I found myself distracted and indifferent while reading this book.

A new student review of Twisted (Volume 1) by Brittany Hawes

Sweetfable posted a new student review of Twisted (Volume 1) by Brittany Hawes. See the full review.

This book had a lot of elements which I really liked, such as the humor and the main character, Lola. She has a surpirising amount of depth and I really liked how she thought things through before taking big leaps. The plot was really good as well, and the story moved along quite smoothly. As for the not so good parts, I found some of the roles to be sterotypical and there really was not as much action as I hoped there would be. I found I did really like her writing style, although some of it was a bit confusing to read.

I am definitely looking foward to reading the rest of the series and cannot wait to see how this author develops her writing style more.

A new student review of Aesop's Secret by Claudia White

pavannah posted a new student review of Aesop's Secret by Claudia White. See the full review.

Aesops Secret, is a riveting tale for children, that if young enough can capture your attention and excitement.  However, for an older audience, this book lacks substance, it fails to provide a book to get lost in.  I really wanted to like this book, but found myself constantly looking for an excuse to avoid it.  I read it, only by force; which proved arduous, and cumbersome.  The book lacks sufficient details, and the storyline proved weak, in the realization that the authors moves for the characters could be easily guessed from an early point in the story.  This story may prove a valuable read for children looking for a beginners book, but as for me, I would do well to steer clear of any future books of this nature.

 

A new student review of Egg & Spoon

dancechicka posted a new student review of Egg & Spoon . See the full review.

While the plot may seem slightly implausible, I really enjoyed this book.  The design was beautifully worded and very descriptive—the text just tended to flow.  I found the characterization to be very strong and relatable (but still able to invoke sympathy or contempt).  In a many books these days, the protagonist tends to be put on a pedestal—perfect, ideal, unreachable.  With Elena, I didn’t get that feeling at all.  Maguire was skilled at revealing her and other character’s flaws—because, as you know, we, as human beings, find it impossible to be perfect.   The symbolism and folklore was also very prominent in this book, which could sometimes be confusing for those of us who are not up to date on our Russian legends—but, in many situations, it also added to the intrigue and the literary flow that I mentioned earlier.  While slightly dry and rigid at some points, the story was mostly kept fast-paced and energetic.  I also enjoyed the humor that was scattered throughout—the dry wit of some character’s definitely kept the story light and airy.  All in all, a good read that I would recommend for anyone looking for something a little different to add to their reading list.

                “I don’t know what the crisis is…..but have you ever noticed that the world can hardly fail to be beautiful even when it is falling apart?”

                I would recommend this book for all ages, as the fairy-tale impression would appeal to younger readers and the action and suspense appeal to the older.

                Will Elena and Cat find a way to be happy in their own destinies that their circumstances have planned out for them—or will they find a way to make their own fate?  Read Egg and Spoon by Gregory Maguire to find out!