A new student review of Nature's Confession by JL Morin

VBat posted a new student review of Nature's Confession by JL Morin. See the full review.

Corporate personhood is a very real threat, as companies continue to gain legal rights once reserved only for individuals. Environmental problems are a concern as well—air pollution in Beijing is so serious that government officials often suggest citizens wear face masks while walking outside. Social justice and environmental issues are very relevant today, and Nature’s Confession does a brilliant job of imagining the possible results of today’s social ills.

The dystopian, science fiction novel is written from multiple perspectives, including those of Boy, his mother, his sister Kenza, and even an alien dog. The variety of viewpoints give the reader a more complete view of the world the characters experience, and are a huge asset to the story. The incorporation of future-lingo, like “transp” fashion and “manipulatedfat” people, allows the characters’ language and conversations to act as a reminder of this setting throughout the book.

I loved the universe Morin described. While the world clearly reflected our own Earth, there was plenty of thought and imagination put into “Enslaved Earth.” Whimsical inventions-- like an alarm clock that uploads embarrassing baby pictures to the Internet if one doesn't get out of bed in time—and the inclusion of space travel and alien life ensured that the story was entertaining.

The book was not only a fast-paced, entertaining read—the themes of thinking for one’s self, valuing individuality, and the corrupting power of money are woven throughout Boy’s story. The readers are called to think critically about their own lives, and their own role in enabling the greed of the human race. The author’s ability to combine intense social commentary with a genuinely enjoyable reading experience is impressive.

The futuristic setting, regulated society and space travel plot of Nature's Confession reminded me a lot of A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and the regulated society was reminiscent of the society in A Brave New World. Fans of science fiction and dystopian novels will love Nature’s Confession, and I would recommend the book to teens and young adults interested in a fun, thought-provoking read. 

A new student review of Remnants of Tomorrow by Kassy Tayler

nictaf posted a new student review of Remnants of Tomorrow by Kassy Tayler. See the full review.

I ordered Remnants of Tomorrow not knowing it was the third book in a series. I wanted to give this two-stars because I was lost in the story. Because it was well-written, though, I am giving it a five-star rating.  Most of the time I did not know what they were talking about. I would recommend reading the first two books in the series first, or you will be lost in this story like I was.

Kassy Tayler, the author, described the characters very well.  For example, Wren has pale skin and shiny eyes because she was born underground.  This is a decent book and very well described in all areas.  It’s a one-of-a-kind experience, a unique read.  I think this book would be appropriate for ages 11 and up if mystery, romance, and adventure are what you like to read.

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

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

The Fog of Forgetting is a thrilling book with lots of twists and turns.  I really liked how detailed the author, G. A. Morgan, got with the story and the characters.  For example, she gave Teddy a lisp and she gave Chase asthma.  It was a very well-written book.  A part in the book that I really liked was when the kids saw Rysta change into a fish.  My favorite character was Chase because he was always trying to get out of some scrape or another.  I would recommend this book to those who like adventure and are ready to read a book for hours on end.  This is a trilogy, so anyone who doesn’t like to be left hanging may want to wait until the final two books come out to read this one. 

A new student review of Disconnected by Lisa Cronkhite

afarrell posted a new student review of Disconnected by Lisa Cronkhite. See the full review.

I thought this book was very different from most of the books I've read. I very much enjoyed reading this story because you don't know what has happened to her family and you are just as much in the dark as Milly. As Milly grows, you grow. The fact that Milly's worst enemy is literally herslf, makes this book more interesting. You don't see many books where the character has DID (dissociative identity disorder), and it gives you an insight onto what people who have DID go through.

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.