A new student review of Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo

cowboys1 posted a new student review of Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo. See the full review.

This book had lots of pictures like a comic strip or graphic novel.  This is great for readers who are around 3-5 grade, especially those that don't like to read regular books.

A new student review of Golden Blood: Time Spirit Trilogy (Volume 1) by Melissa Pearl

joythean posted a new student review of Golden Blood: Time Spirit Trilogy (Volume 1) by Melissa Pearl. See the full review.

I loved how sweet and genuine their romance was and how it developed over time without much of the love-at-first-sight concept. The characters were mostly wonderful: Gemma really changed as a person and time-traveler from the start to the end of the book (as did her sister); on the other hand, Harrison was less than perfect - a hopeless romantic all throughout the story. I also really enjoyed the twists and turns Melissa Pearl weaves into her novel. I was constantly interested and didn't feel like she dragged it out for too long. Also, since I usually don't enjoy books that switch POVs, I was a little skeptical after I got to the first switch. But I didn't have to worry for long because the writing smoothed it out and allowed an even better experience for the reader. My main critique would be that it became more and more predictable as I kept reading, and while this didn't lessen my interest in the novel as a whole, I did skim certain parts. 

A new student review of The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

iamabooklion posted a new student review of The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa. See the full review.

Right after the second book, I was worried that this series was going to end badly, but it wasn't the case for this book. Julie Kagawa exceeded my expectations on this book. I was so awed at how she wraped up this series. I was on the edge of my seat while reading the Forever Song - that's how good it was. I experienced tons of emotions while reading this story. I was anxious, nervous, happy, and sad! Allie started out to be a weak character but throughout the series she became a strong and powerful character who can do anything and I loved her for that. Although I love this book, I would change one thing about it. I would make it longer than it is because there are mysteries that haven't been solved yet and I want to get more information about what happens after the story ends.

A new student review of The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin

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

My only regret was not picking up this book sooner. It was enthralling. I absolutely loved all the new and exciting ideas surrounding the mysterious painting. Even more, I loved the concept of using sorcery to paint a real, tangible world in an inner layer beneath the painting - and a paradise at that! It contained all sorts of oddities, mythological creatures and alchemic ideas. It was entirely vivid in detail, the settings were all beautifully described. The character development was quite interesting, and fit very well with the story; it flowed smoothly and tied back to the story splendidly. Personally, I loved Sunni and Blaise. I felt a closer connection to them because of their endless curiousity and interest in art. I also had an admiration for Marin, who was an apprentice to the famous painter centuries before. He had a painful past which made me feel empathy for him. This story as a whole affected me on an emotional level, it made me feel like the characters were, in a sense, real. 

A new student review of The Fog of Forgetting by Genevieve Morgan

MezokaCapturer65 posted a new student review of The Fog of Forgetting by Genevieve Morgan. See the full review.

Although not very challenging contextually, this book was fun and light hearted, but still found good moments of seriousness that kept it from being just a simple book through and through.  This book is very focused on the power of nature and the power of the circle of life with the element of daylights.  I think that the element of daylights added a lot to the story, showing how the children are all similar in some ways, like in their intellect and their emotions, and also how they are different. The concept of magic was well handled in this book, with it being distributed among a few individuals rather than being given out or all over the place, which could make a story like this less believable, within context.  One thing that I thought could use some work was the way that the narrator transitions between the thoughts of each character, sometimes several times per chapter.  It seems somewhat disorganized and can make it difficult in some places to remember which character thinks what because of all the back and forth.  Another thing is that events seem to come and go very quickly in this book.  In some places it adds to the urgency of the situations and makes the story fast paced, but in others it seems like more details should have been added.  An example would be a few of the times that the children are traveling alone, and a few days pass by within a page or less.  It just seems like there should be more to them, since traveling is such a prevalent theme in the story overall.  This book definitely made me feel a few years younger and was good at making me recall my feelings and experiences back in that time. I would recommend this to young adults with a taste for stories involving magic and mystery, and to anyone who wants to feel young again.  

A new student review of Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough

kanati posted a new student review of Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough. See the full review.

Lindsay Barraclough's new book Long Lankin is a thriller novel that keeps you fully engaged for hours at a time. Long Lankin sports a haunting backdrop that only enhances the chilling plot and characters who to leap off the page as you read. The story is written in a darker tone but this very much enhances the plot and helps to keep the reader on the the of their seat until the very last pages. This is also one of the few books I have read in which the author was able to make their book work while constantly change the point of view you read from.  Overall this was a very good book and am excited to see that there already a second book to following this one up and can't wait to see how this story will continue. I greatly recommend this bok to any teenager or young adult looking for an exciting read or even  just a good ghost story.

A new student review of Cameo by Tanille Edwards

123evae123 posted a new student review of Cameo by Tanille Edwards. See the full review.

 This book was one of the most difficult reads of my life. While the cover looks like a book meant for pre-teens or teenagers the perspective of the book changed so many times it was difficult to tell who was talking. Characters would be introduced and then forgotten about until 3 chapters later, and more detail to help me picture the setting of the story would be helpful. Overall, the plot of this book was not bad, it just requires more specificity and details.

A new student review of If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

LaRayne posted a new student review of If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch. See the full review.

If You Find Me is a heartbreaking page-turner that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat the entire book. You will find yourself crying when Carey cries and laughing when she laughs. Murdoch is an amazing author thats makes you understand the struggle foster children go through as they move from a bad home to a kind loving one. Carey will inspire you and rip you to pieces all at once with her attitude and certain love for her sister. This is a great book for ages 13+.

A new student review of Made For You by Melissa Marr

swalia posted a new student review of Made For You by Melissa Marr. See the full review.

I rated Made for You by Melissa Marr a three out of five because this book was very interesting and fast-paced. I finished this book in two days and was immediately pulled into the mystery of this book. The plot twist at the end was very surprising. During most of the book, I thought I knew who the killer was, but I was very surprised when the actual killer was revealed. I think that the actual killer could have been developed better during Eva’s narration, because he was not mentioned very often. This book is told from Eva’s, Judge’s, and Grace’s point of view. Personally, I liked the different point of views, because each person had different personalities and told the story very differently. I felt that the romance in this book, outshined the paranormal ability of premonitions. Her ability to foresee deaths was hidden behind her love for Nate. If this book was less of a romance and focused more on the magical abilities and mystery of the book I would have rated it a four. I would recommend this book to girl age 14 and older, who like romance and murder mysteries.

A new student review of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car by Ian Fleming

AKFeldman posted a new student review of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car by Ian Fleming. See the full review.

I loved this book. I remember watching the movie as a child, and when I saw this book available to review I jumped at the chance to read it. With lucid prose and engaging tales that will enrapture people of all ages, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a must-read for all.