A new student review of And in the Morning by Wilson John

ReesaOnFire posted a new student review of And in the Morning by Wilson John. See the full review.

Told through a series of diary entries and letters sent and unsent And in the Morning seizes the reader’s mind and soul as we relive every moment of Jim’s life since the beginning of the Great War (World War I).

Author John Wilson tells a fantastic story.  His research on real letters, diaries and lives of soldiers in the Great War made the story heartbreakingly true as it followed historical events precisely, while his tone and syntax in Jim Hay’s diary entries build a personal bridge for the reader to cross into the horrendous war.  

The hardships and humanity of the Great War are too easily forgotten in our modern world. And in the Morning is a unique historical fiction novel which portrays the life of the amateur solider in a gentle, heart breaking way.  

When reading about the World Wars, there is always an impact. The nature of that particular period in our world’s history is so overwhelming it is nearly impossible to read something about or from that period and not be affected. And in the Morning  is both a historical book on the war giving vivid descriptions and opinions of the time and the fictional first hand account of Jim Hay.  In short, the book was highly effective in its aim  to draw close the reader as it created the perfect looking glass to gaze at the period. The fact that it included letters written from Hay that had both been sent and unsent allows the reader to feel as though he or she is personally there, receiving his letters.

Also notable is Wilson's superb job at maintaining a balance when describing the horrors of war; he did not write in a way that was too explicit for a wide viewership but did not lose the essence of the actions of the time period.  In short, And in the Morning presented a tasteful way of depicting the war while conserving its brutality.

Wilson creates a relatable gateway for young readers to learn about a period of trial in our world’s history through his choice to compile these entries from young Hay. I enjoyed And in the Morning and recommend it for readers aged 15 and up.

 

A new student review of Keepers of Runes and the Tower of Shadows by Andrew Cratsley

Eowyn7 posted a new student review of Keepers of Runes and the Tower of Shadows by Andrew Cratsley. See the full review.

This was a pretty mediocre book, in my opinion. The characters where lovable and fun, but the story line was very derivative. A lot of things were pulled from Tolkien and Dungeons & Dragons. There were quests, spellbooks, mithril, a drunk redheaded dwarf, and a mysterious ranger, to name a few. The plot was a little sketchy, too. There were some events that seemed unlikely. The pattern of healing got repetitive as well. A character gets hurt. It looks like it might be really bad. Nevermind, Reika used magic and they're ok. If this had happened once or twice it would have been fine, but this happens after nearly every battle. That being said, I really love the interaction between the author's characters and how he ties in the prejudices that are a part of human nature. Overall the book was okay. I don't think I'd recommend it to anyone, though.

A new student review of Princess of Thorns

btulips posted a new student review of Princess of Thorns . See the full review.

After reading this book, I thought it was very imaginative and interesting. I thought it was cool to see through the point of view of Sleeping Beauty's daughter. This book was different from most of the books that I have read, and I highley recommend this book if you like a strong female character and action.  

A new student review of Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan

snehayamsani posted a new student review of Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan. See the full review.

Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan is the third book in The Lynburn Legacy. It is well written, the characters are adorable and funny, and the plot is just downright amazing.

 

Brennan does an amazing job with the writing by adding her own intelligent and witty remarks throughout the book. It’s light, funny, heartbreaking, sorrowful, and beautiful all at once!

 

Brennan also does a good job creating the characters. Kami is sassy, funny, witty, and extremely loyal. By far, Kami is probably the most favorable character in the book (though her dad comes to a close second). Brennan also creates undeniable chemistry between Kami and Jared that is true of the saying "opposites attract." Jared’s moodiness reflects Kami’s sassiness and his dark posture brings out Kami’s witty personality. Anyone can see that the two characters balance each other out, even through the ups and downs of their relationship.

 

If I had read the other two books, Unspoken and Untold, I'm positive I would have understood the plot better. Unfortunately, I read the final book of the series without reading the first two. Nevertheless, I liked it. Brennan puts a new spin on magic and sorcery by using modern elements to develop a well thought out story.

 

I did feel that the plot of Unmade moves too fast. Everything seems rushed and too coincidental. I mean Kami just happens to find the boy she loves trapped underground, yet she is able to save him unharmed by her enemies? It just seems too easy.

Overall, I’d give this book a 4 out of 5.

A new student review of The Only Game

Joeldozer posted a new student review of The Only Game . See the full review.

I thought this was a great book. One of the best I have read in a while. I thought it was well planned and written. I have a lot of Mike Lupica's books and this is one of the best.

A new student review of Breakthrough by A. L. Priest

Turbo21 posted a new student review of Breakthrough by A. L. Priest. See the full review.

I liked this book, because it was about football, friendship, and that it is not easy to get what you want.  I liked that there was some humor.  I also liked that at the end of the book it listed other books by the author.

A new student review of Searching for Silverheels by Jeannie Mobley

moseso posted a new student review of Searching for Silverheels by Jeannie Mobley. See the full review.

This book has the perfect exciting and thrilling adventure every book should have. Geared towards girls, Searching for Silverheels is a page turner that will have you on the edge of your seat the whole way through. This historical fiction novel is set during the early years of WW I. Pearl is taught to have respect for her elders, but her rivalry with Josie makes it hard--since she is much older than Pearl. The fact that Josie believes romance and love are silly makes Pearl’s own romance very difficult. Searching for Silverheels is an intriguing story that is perfect for girls ages eleven to thirteen.  

A new student review of Second Thoughts by Cara Bertrand

Lucy posted a new student review of Second Thoughts by Cara Bertrand. See the full review.

Second Thoughts is an okay book. It had a good plot and a good storyline, but it just wasn't something that I was completely interested in. I was able to guess and predict what happened next in the story. It was too simple and easy and wasn't very mysterious enough to me for me to love the book. I would recomend it to someone if they are into the paranormal romance, but to me it wasn't really the best book ever.

A new student review of The Garden of Darkness by Gillian Murray Kendall

jotaf posted a new student review of The Garden of Darkness by Gillian Murray Kendall. See the full review.

I think The Garden of Darkness was a good book full of suspense and mystery.  The author, Gillian Murray Kendall, wrote a reasonably believable story about a post-apocalyptic world. One of the things I liked about it was that the characters felt like they could easily be real.  An instance that I liked from the book was when Clare found Jem, Mirri, and Sarai.  Together they scavenged a bunch of cool items from the city and discovered some useful information along the way.  One thing I didn't like, though, was that it was pretty confusing at the beginning and ending, which at times made it really tough to understand.  It is also slightly creepy with mention of cults and a serial killer.  I would recommend this book to ages thirteen through seventeen because of the content's maturity level.

A new student review of Fig

afarrell posted a new student review of Fig . See the full review.

I thought that this book was very interesting. Especially reading from Fig's perspective throughout out her life until she's nineteen. You see how her life is effected and how it changes her reality and imagination, and her interactions with society.  I loved how you get a inside look on how mental illness effects a family and persons life.