A new student review of Kalona's Fall by P. C. Cast Kristin Cast

ReesaOnFire posted a new student review of Kalona's Fall by P. C. Cast Kristin Cast. See the full review.

Creating a tragic hero, the authors bring unceasing sympathy for a series-long villain in the novel, Kalona’s Fall.

Too often, I feel like stories become flat because they lack a good enough development for the villain. Stories are defined by the struggles of the characters. Usually, villains provide the struggle as the speed bump in the middle of road for the hero of the story, but the very best stories contain the most heart wrenching, understandable  villains. These villains have a logical backstory, an immense appeal to pathos and a chance at redemption.  They create the best stories.

Unfortunately, Kalona did not earn a place on my ‘top villains’ list.

Kalona’s Fall had many interesting and whimsical properties to it. Casts’ artful creation story held romance, and magical creatures brought different thrilling textures to the plot. The plot itself was not extraordinary but held a catching air.  However, Casts’ overall  characters’ development left much to be desired.  Kalona, the main character,  is the only exception, as he has a clear character development from something innocent to something dark and selfish.  Casts’ other characters (with their lack of development) dragged my esteem for this book down.

 The other characters simply did not make the story believable.  Either the characters were too predictable or were too nonsensical. Erebus, for example, fought hard for Nyx’s love in the beginning of the tale but then ups and forfeits the competition  after a good portion of the book with no explanation as to why, except that he sees the passion between Nyx and Kalona. It was not logical for his character in my opinion and thus killed the book, as it eliminated an obstacle for Kaona in perhaps the laziest way possible for the authors to have chosen.  Nyx brought little logic but a lot of emotion to the book. While her emotion held my attention, it felt often either dragged out or cut short. Her interactions in the tale lacked a balance and it felt like Nyx either overacted or underacted her part. Together with other characters, Kalona’s Fall was shortchanged and I was tempted to not finish the book.

But I finished it anyway.

It wasn't a waste of  time, as new obstacles popped up for Kalona which were intriguing and set up the plot for the rest of the series (I am assuming this as I have not read the House of Night Novella series). Kalona did win my sympathy, but not my heart. The story held a lot potential and brought a great explanation as to why a hero became a villain, but I found that the simplicity of the solutions given to certain problems presented throughout the book thoroughly disappointed me

A story which holds charm for avid fans of House of Night Novella series, Kalona’s fall will add a depth for the villain and thus the entire series plot; but for the browsing reader, it may not be so appealing or hold their attention.

 

 

A new student review of Chasing Light by Angela Jooste

JesusFreak posted a new student review of Chasing Light by Angela Jooste. See the full review.

                When I began reading this book, I was unsure if I was going to like it. However, as I continued to read it, I found the author’s style of writing to be beautiful. Alternating point of views is hard to write, but she did so wonderfully. Another thing I loved about this book was the amazing cover art. While subtle, it got me interested enough in the book without giving anything away.

                The one complaint I have about this book is that it was hard to remember all the characters, and I easily got their names confused.  About halfway through, I finally got them down; it just took a bit of time.

                Overall, this is a moving book written for older teens that will not disappoint.

A new student review of Taking Flight

Nickyjean posted a new student review of Taking Flight . See the full review.

I loved reading this book, written by Michaela and her adopted mother. It was very interesting to read about Michaela’s life in her own words.  It was written with lots of details, and was very interesting. I especially liked reading about the hardships Michaela had in Africa as a young child.  It made me feel grateful for the life I have!  But even with a hard childhood, she was able to blossom in America into a beautiful ballerina.  She didn’t make excuses about her life, she just became better.

I highly recommend that you read this book!

 

 

A new student review of Suspicion

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

I was a little dissapointed with this book. The story and the plot were rushed, and we barely ever get to see Imogene's character devenlopment as far as her powers go. Plus she crushes on her dead cousins boyfriend, and expects him to like her back (which *spoiler alert* of course he does because who doesn't love the female protagonist). The book was too fast paced, should have been longer and had more plot and character development, and my biggest pet peeve of this book was everyone was okay with Imogene going to England by herself at 17 years old. Her foster parents were against it at first but after promising to skype everyday (which they didn't do) the were super okay with Imogene going back to the place where her entire family had died violently. All in all, two stars was all this book deserved (it got an extra star for having a very very beautiful cover)

 

A new student review of Halfway Home: Drawing My Way Through Japan by Christine Mari Inzer

milesstriker posted a new student review of Halfway Home: Drawing My Way Through Japan by Christine Mari Inzer. See the full review.

This is a wonderful book and I recommend it to all frequent readers.

A new student review of Hetty and the Yeti by Jules Burnett

Sweetfable posted a new student review of Hetty and the Yeti by Jules Burnett. See the full review.

The best part of the book for me was how everything was presented. I liked how certain words were bolded or in italics to emphasize them. To add to the experience of reading, there are many illustrations that show how the characters look, which is really helpful. At the beginning of each chapter is an old Tibetan saying, which was also a nice touch. The overall style of the book was very interesting, and I definitely enjoy reading books like this.

As for the story itself, it was funny at certain points, but never really got too deep into the story, and even when things got tense it never became too scary. The length of the book is really nice for younger readers, who may still want some illustrations to help give context to descriptions given. One critique of mine is that some parts of the story were pretty predictable. But overall the book was a very nice read.

A new student review of Seraphina

jotaf posted a new student review of Seraphina . See the full review.

I think Seraphina is a great book that is worthy of its many awards and praise.  I especially liked that the author, Rachel Hartman, made the characters, and even the world they live in, seem believable.  Something else I loved about the book was, because there was a gap between the prologue and the rest of the story, Rachel added an excerpt at the end that kind of filled in the gap.  Pretty much the only thing wrong for me was that it got off to a slightly confusing start, but after not even ten pages it picked up considerably.  I am eagerly awaiting the day I read book two of this series.  I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery, action, and suspense, yet can still take some bad words and a little bit of death.  If you like The Inheritance Series, I really think that this book is also for you.

A new student review of Alfred C. Bogeyman by M. Allman

Champion721 posted a new student review of Alfred C. Bogeyman by M. Allman. See the full review.

It is always good to see a character that is willing to take risks to protect others, so I enjoyed reading this short story for how it portrays its characters. Their plan to catch the person who is scaring Sam is a bit silly, and at times not realistic. But I do enjoy seeing the effort they put into reaching their goal. There was some suspense, which was also a good thing. The ending was interesting, so I was satisfied when I finished the short story.

A new student review of The Bunker Diary

crabby posted a new student review of The Bunker Diary . See the full review.

Linus’ narrative makes for a gripping page-turner from the very start. The effectively crafted atmosphere of suspense is maintained throughout the novel, fearful tension saturating every page as Linus struggles to hold onto his sanity, even when his hopes are repeatedly crushed. The Lord of the Flies-esque scenario that develops within the bunker is a clever examination of the human condition, seen through the eyes of an endearing but troubled teenage boy with an authentic voice. Although, while the bunker is merely an intriguing backdrop for a primarily character-driven story, I still found myself disappointed with the lack of resolution in the plot, which was, until the end, building toward a promising climax— a climax that never really happened. The outcome of the story is implied, but the puzzle built throughout the novel is never actually solved. What was a tantalizing mystery was left disappointingly murky, the identity and motives of Linus’ kidnapper remaining unknown. Perhaps this ambiguity was a part of the message that happy endings are unrealistic, but all the loose ends could have been wrapped up much more soundly while still retaining the same impact. Buckle up for a harrowing, fascinating journey— but don’t hold your breath for an exciting conclusion.

 

 

A new student review of Like Water on Stone

Star360 posted a new student review of Like Water on Stone . See the full review.

With the publishing market full of heroic World War I novels that center on England or America, I was very glad to read such a wonderful novel that told the story of the Armenians’ plight. Equally horrible to genocides like the Holocaust, it is a time period in history that deserves more exposure. Dana Walrath’s Like Water on Stone uses four perspectives to give readers a rounded view. That may seem complicated to keep up with, but each distinct voice builds upon the other to create an intricate tapestry. Shahen, Sosi, Mariam, and the eagle, Ardziv, combine vivid threads of youth, maturity, and innocence. The author’s lyrical verse is at once raw and enchanting. It expresses action, dialogue, and thoughts. While free-form, it follows a distinct pattern that binds the story together. Readers not accustomed to reading novels in verse should not give up, as it gets easier to read after a few pages. Symbolism and figurative language are used with a practiced hand, so it is not flowery or overdramatic. There is a mild fantasy element as the eagle follows the children and protects them. I found it intriguing to have a “bird’s eye view” perspective of the complex situation. Like Water on Stone provides a deeply memorable tale of family and freedom best for readers ages thirteen and up.