V. K. Green wrote a great book full of adventure, mystery, and magic. The Tale of the Wulks was filled with epic, well-described battles as the characters undertook their journey to prevent Lord Vanko from taking over the world. I really liked that the author, who has autism, related autistic traits to the readers as assets rather than deficiencies. The descriptions were really great. Something else I liked about the book was that the author brought together old mythical creatures and new ones to form a book that turned out magnificently. A part in the book that I liked was when Jack tricked a troll into thinking he was another one of Lord Vanko's servants, too, in the hopes of saving one of his friends. However, something I did not like was that at the beginning of the book the characters were not fully defined; I got them mixed up a bit during the first 70 pages. Luckily, they were described more completely as I read further into the book, which made it easier to recognize each of the characters. I can't believe this book was written by a high schooler, especially since it was over 600 pages long! V. K. Green's debut novel is very insightful. I think this book would be most enjoyed by ages twelve through seventeen.
Friday, February 20, 2015
A new student review of The Tale of the Wulks by V. K. Green
Thursday, February 19, 2015
A new student review of The Brilliant World of Tom Gates
I would recommend this book to others. It was a quick read. I couldn’t put it down. The book has a funny theme it appeals to all different types of humor. The author did a good job developing the characters. It was a good read for someone who wants an entertaining story. The book has no explicit content and is good for all readers over 8 years old.
A new student review of Six Million Accusers: Catching Adolf Eichmann by D. Lawrence- Young
There were two things that I found took away from the story. First, was that it seemed to be a slow starter, and the other thing was that sometimes I would be a bit confused on what character's point of view the story was being told from. I did really appreciate that it really lets the different feelings of the Israelis who either were in concentration camps, or had family members in concentration camps, be known. It was very good at conveying the message that in the real world with real spies and secret agents, there is no room for mistakes in the operation and that there frequently is not a way to miraculously save the day after messing up. There was no joking at the vital moments; all the characters understood the repercussions that catching their target would bring.
A new student review of The Secret Ingredient by Stewart Lewis
I think The Secret Ingredient by Stewart Lewis is a great, contemporary book. It has a unique storyline that kept me interested throughout the whole story. The main character, Olivia, is very well developed and I enjoyed learning about her personality and her many quirks. I appreciated how most of the characters were unique and relatable. One of my favorite things about this book is how there is another ongoing story that Olivia is creating, after she finds the cookbook that belonged to a woman named Rose. Finally, I also liked how passionate Olivia was about cooking and found myself absorbed in what she was making, even though I'm not interested in cooking myself. Overall, I thought this was a great novel and would recommend it to anyone looking for a light, contemporary novel.
A new student review of The Originals: The Rise
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.
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.