A new student review of Lark Rising by Sandra Waugh

Anjel posted a new student review of Lark Rising by Sandra Waugh. See the full review.

I loved this book! It has definitely earned a place on my favorites shelf. As I read this book, it made me feel the characters and see through their eyes. One of my favorite parts is when Lark takes the orb and feels it shimmer and shine with radiance because her heart is pure. When Lark misinterprets that Gharian, her supporter, was to be with Evie, her cousin, I felt sad right along with her. I did not like all the pain and suffering. I can't wait to find out what happens next. The next book is about Evie and I hope it is as good as Lark Rising. I recommend this book to 13+ who enjoy fantasy, and especially for fans of Brandon Mull's "Fablehaven."

A new student review of It's NOT Just A Dog! by Pam Torres

blackbeauty posted a new student review of It's NOT Just A Dog! by Pam Torres. See the full review.

This book was very interesting. It was a little slow getting to the point, but other than that I thought it was great. I liked it better when the adventure began. It was exciting and dangerous all at the same time.  Madison was both determined and courageous.  She decided to find her dog even though there was danger involved.  She was also caring.  When she got hurt, she only thought of her dog and getting her back.  I thought it was such a good book, that now I want to get the entire series.

A new student review of The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love by Dyan Sheldon

Peace8747 posted a new student review of The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love by Dyan Sheldon. See the full review.

I thought this book was very good. It was a very appropiate book for middle schoolers. I loved how it made you want to keep reading. Suspense was created very nicely by the author.  This book has very few inappropiate parts. I would reccomend this book to people in grades 7-9. I also loved how there was a lot of describing words and details in it.  

A new student review of Thrall: A Daughters Of Lilith Novel (Vol 1) by Jennifer Quintenz

erintaylor215 posted a new student review of Thrall: A Daughters Of Lilith Novel (Vol 1) by Jennifer Quintenz. See the full review.

My opinion the book Thrall is that this is a great story. It has all the perfect ingredients for a great story. It has action and romance.  The author included drama that also happens in some teenage girls lives, which gave it a hint of real life scenario. She had a great pair of friends to help her with her problems. Overall, this story had an great plot.

A new student review of Lord Savage

123evae123 posted a new student review of Lord Savage . See the full review.

I have never liked Romance novels. Period. And I chose this book believeing it was historical fiction, although the title should have clued me in right away. While it was historical, it was way more romance than I was expecting. To me, all romance novels are the same, with the heroine of the story claiming she is free and independent, only to be enamoured by a man that has uncharacteristically good looks and manages to say the right thing. That was the basis of this entire book, and it was quite difficult to read. Maybe if I liked Romance novels better, my opinion of the book would be higher, but suffice to say, if you are looking for a different, refreshing romance novel, this is not it. 

A new student review of Secrets in Stone by Cecilia Johnson

mail4chase@yahoo.com posted a new student review of Secrets in Stone by Cecilia Johnson. See the full review.

I did not enjoy Secrets in Stone. I feel as though the characters were not explained well. In addition to weak characters, Lily's abilities and powers were never fully explained to me, nor was I told how she gained these powers. I want to know more hows and whys. Also, the evil attacking her dimension was never described, and it didn't seem very pertinent throughout most of the beginning of the book. As I read the book, I was never captured by any of the events and I had to force myself to read. It would help if Cecilia Johnson gave more depth and color to the story, color meaning points of interest. The idea is good, but the execution was lacking.

 

 

A new student review of Savage Cinderella by Paula Sharon

joythean posted a new student review of Savage Cinderella by Paula Sharon. See the full review.

I think the love between Brinn and Justin was really sweet, innocent, and genuine in the way it developed throughout the novel. The action scenes were on point and had me jumping on the edge of my chair in excitement. However, the beginning of the novel had me confused and dispirited, for the author just threw me right into some major scenes without enough prior knowledge. I believe the author should've developed the setting and characters more at the start so that the reader could get a better feel and understanding of the whole story.

A new student review of Lies in the Dust by Jakob Crane

alison_S posted a new student review of Lies in the Dust by Jakob Crane. See the full review.

By presenting Ann’s story as a graphic novel, Crane and Decker reinvent the familiar topic of the Salem Witch Trials. Though this creative format imbues a dreary subject with much-needed accessibility, a conventional novel may have better conveyed Ann’s psychological anguish; because graphic novels rely almost entirely on illustrations and speech bubbles, Ann’s internal struggle— the book’s supposed focus— never emerged as the central plot point. While Lies in the Dust does capture Ann’s experience of the trials with impressive richness and depth, the book lacks a well-defined plot arc. Decker’s artwork, however, brilliantly echo's the book’s themes: the character’s pupiless eyes reflect Salem’s blindness to the trials’ dubious morality, while the homogenous nature of the town's residents symbolizes the mass hysteria and mob mentality that blinded so many to the witch trials’ horrors. Though Lies in the Dust lacks a centralized story arc, the book’s eloquent dialogue and stark illustrations immerse readers in the Salem Witch Trials, and this graphic novel invigorates an infamous topic with an intriguing new perspective.

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

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

This book was an adventure book. I like how the author put a lot of detail into it, but some parts were a bit boring. The book was confusing and hard to understand at times. There were a lot of things going on at once in the story, which made it confusing. One thing the author could have done differently is have each conflict happen in one period of time instead of having them happen all at once. Although the book was confusing, I liked the plot of the story.  

A new student review of Thomas Jefferson: President and Philosopher by Jon Meacham

Star360 posted a new student review of Thomas Jefferson: President and Philosopher by Jon Meacham. See the full review.

 

Thomas Jefferson: President and Philosopher is a wonderful stepping-stone book for young readers ages 10 and up who have a base in American history. It is told in the classic cradle-to-grave fashion, so there is a lot of material to cover, but there is large print and reasonably sized chapters. The reader is seamlessly guided from Jefferson’s privileged childhood to his dramatic years in politics. Jefferson’s many interests, like his passion for books and archeology, along with his love for the United States, form the backbone of the 320-page book. Kids will enjoy finding such fun facts throughout the book. However, Meacham does not shy away from Jefferson’s problems with married women or the appalling Sally Hemings affair. Readers of all ages will be intrigued by the many photographs, charts, maps, and extra facts about the times that dot the chapters. One of the best parts about the book is that it includes many special features at the end. Among them are excerpts from Jefferson’s notebook, a family tree, a timeline, and a list of places in the U.S. and France that honor him. All of those factors combine to make Thomas Jefferson: President and Philosopher a winning book for curious kids!