The Originals was a fantastic story. My attention was held the entire time I was reading and I felt a connection to each of the characters. Plec did a great job explaining the characters backgrounds and personalities, so I could fully understand their actions and decisions. This book actually got me hooked on the TV show The Vampire Diaries (little embarrassing fact seeing as I am a 16 year old guy) and now I am excited to start watching the show based off this book. The whole concept of the story was very interesting and I was glad to have more knowledge about some of the more prominent characters in The Vampire Diaries. I enjoyed how she mixed action, romance, and drama into one book. I would definitely recommend this to a wide array of readers. I can't wait for the next one to come out.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
A new student review of The Originals: The Rise
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
A new student review of Ship of Dolls by Shirley Parenteau
This book is extremely entertaining and will have you on the edge of your seat until the end. The setting is
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
A new student review of Diary of a Part-Time Ghost by Vered Ehsani
This book was pretty good. I thought the story line and intentions of the book were good, but there were many details missing. The one that stood out the most to me was character development. Kali, the main antagonist, was hardly developed at all. I felt as though he just came out of nowhere, like he just appeared randomly. Another character I thought was poorly developed was Sara. I don't think I could even tell you what she looked like, it was mentioned so little. I personally think that there was nothing special about here that makes her different from other book characters of the same likeness to her. As I said earlier, I thought the storyline was good, but you can't have a good story without good characters and that's what this novel was lacking.
A new student review of The Secrets of the Greaser Hotel by Jonathon Scott Fuqua
The Secrets of the Greaser Hotel was an awesome book to read! This book is a mildly violent book tinged with hopefulness. Overall, I liked this book. The author used great descriptions. For example, the author described one man with "hands the size of pasta bowls". Another description I liked was when "Allie toppled forward like a chair with two legs missing". I was enthralled by this book. The story was great fun, and I especially liked it when Allie snuck grit and hairballs in the Friendly family's food. I would recommend this book to ages 12 and up. I can't wait for the next book J. Scott Fuqua writes!
Saturday, February 14, 2015
A new student review of Season of the Witch by Mariah Fredericks
I loved this book and all the characters in it. The drama in the story was realistic to how teenagers act in high school. The storyline and the characters' conversations were funny to read. I was entertained throughout the whole book; I laughed out loud a few times because of Cassandra's tough personality. I highly recommend this book to teenagers and young adults.
Friday, February 13, 2015
A new student review of Devin Rhodes Is Dead by Jennifer Kam
I thought the beginning of the book started out slow. However, once I got into the middle of the book where they started researching Devin's death and the events of the night she died, it became more interesting for me. I found the book quite touching; I felt the ending was amazing. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes mysteries and creepy books. I think it's an outstanding book other than the beginning.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
A new student review of The Living
What I liked about this book was the word choice. It gave you new words to put in your vocabulary. I also liked the theme- it was thrilling scary and romantic. The suspense was very good; it made you wait along time to find out, which makes you want to keep reading. What I didn’t like was the very end, because I didn't feel like it ended the best it could have. But overall it was a GREAT book!
Monday, February 09, 2015
A new student review of Breathe Into Me by Sara Fawkes
I liked the book! There was very good character development. I loved the characters. There was some unnecessary drama that could have been left out, but in all the book was great. I liked how their love outweighed their dark pasts.
A new student review of Summer of Elves by Joanne Vruno
In my opinion, Summer of Elves was a really great book. I liked that the author, Joanne Vruno, made the characters easy to connect with; the descriptions and characteristics Joanne gave the characters were captivating. One of my favorite parts in the book was when Aly was learning to use her various powers. I also felt that her take on elves was really interesting because I usually picture them at around six feet tall or so, but in this book they are very tiny. This book has a hint of Fablehaven and Spiderwick Chronicles combined. The only problem I had with this book was that it wouldn't let me go to sleep; I wanted to keep reading the whole night! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes magic, mystery, and adventure. I would definitely read the sequel!
A new student review of An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund
I’ve been warned not to judge a book by its cover, but An Uncertain Choice really defies the popular saying. Its cover shows an attractive royal twirling her long blond curls as she stares uncertainly at the viewer. Frankly, that’s all that you need to know about the book. Lady Rosemarie is a sweet girl, to be sure, and her opposition to torture is honorable. Unfortunately, she’s also indecisive and naive. The supporting characters are given a regrettably superficial treatment. For instance, when the knights are introduced, more time is spent discussing their manly frames, muscular bodies, and strong shoulders than their personalities. Rosemarie is expected to marry one of them; shouldn’t she get to know them a little better? My major issue with An Uncertain Choice was its emphasis of Rosemarie’s potential grooms. Rosemarie is very young, and she has a lot to learn. I understand that the setting is the medieval times, but as an author, Hedlund could have altered the plot so that she’d spend more time enjoying her youth. Look at Disney’s Brave and Frozen. Its princesses set a wonderful example for girls in showing that a woman’s happiness does not have to depend on a man. I’ve got nothing against marriage or love, but in a society where women have fought so hard to receive equal education and career opportunities, I’m appalled that underage marriage is written about as a good thing. As for the Christian message, it is pretty light. There are themes of morality and a few prayers, but nothing that would make a non-Christian uncomfortable. Overall, the plot idea was interesting (if somewhat predictably executed) and, for me, very thought-provoking. I give this YA novel two and a half stars not because of a low quality of writing, but because I believe that some of its themes are not aligned with what a modern girl should aspire to do.