A new student review of NEBADOR Book One: The Test by J.Z. Colby

Sweetfable posted a new student review of NEBADOR Book One: The Test by J.Z. Colby. See the full review.

There was so much I really enjoyed about this book; it was truly a blast to read. I found many of the characters to be very likable, especially Ilika, Sata, Mati, and Kibi. Some of the slaves that he did not choose were quite rude, but thankfully they were only present for a short period of time. The villain, who was a priest that wanted to arrest Ilika, did not appear as much as villains usually do in stories, but I liked that it was not overwhelming when he did appear.

It takes a good portion of the book for Ilika to determine where he can find the companions he is seeking. Once he does, the preparations to test them require even more time. Thankfully the author always kept things interesting so I was never bored. The reader is kept in the dark for a long time about what the young man’s true intentions with the slaves are, and the exact details of their journey. Even by the end, there are still many unanswered questions.

There was a test that Ilika gave to the slaves to see who would be the best fit for his crew. The cool part about this is that the reader is able to join in and do the test as well by looking at the diagrams shown on the page. The test was very fun, but I will admit that at even some points I was unsure of what the correct answer was.

It was so great to see these slaves become free. I saw them as individuals, with their own unique personalities, who could be extremely smart and talented. I liked that there was not always a surprise around every corner, much like how things are in normal life. Also, things stayed at a good pace, and thankfully never became too predictable.

It was fun to review the topics Illika discussed when teaching his students. For younger readers, they may learn a lot, just as the ex-slaves did. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series, and look forward to more by this author.

A new student review of Adventures with Waffles

Etar posted a new student review of Adventures with Waffles . See the full review.

I really liked the humor and jokes and there were good ideas throughout the book. It was a pretty quick read for me though so I would recommend it for people younger than 13 or 14. But overall it's a good, funny book.

A new student review of The Originals: The Rise by Julie Plec

pavannah posted a new student review of The Originals: The Rise by Julie Plec. See the full review.

This book was a page turner because it was driven by action, as opposed to actual thought.  It is a plot driven book that is an easy read that can be completed in one night due to its reading style; which can seem lacking for an avid reader.  However, this book would be enjoyable to fans of the television show because of the usage of the same characters and the same problems that the characters face in the shows.  Which, to be frank, was obnoxious.  Television show writers should not transition into books if they utilize the same characters because it only creates a lack in development and hinders the books possibility, if only because it seems as though the author is writing the book as if it was to appear on tv, rather than a thought-provoking book that was meant to be a book.  

As a fan of the show I was excited to read this book because i was hoping it would give me a deeper insight into how the characters developed into how they are in today's show, but was disappointed by its lack of character development and its utter reliance on the already determined characters, attitudes, and consistent problems that the characters always seem to be facing. Yes this book could keep me reading, but it was only due to the numerous events that made the reader need and want to know if the problem was resolved. It was a one time read and should not be a series due to its total lack of character development, due to the author's attempt to hook fans of the show in. The characters have the same personalities as in the show, which not only limited the books possibilities but hindered it as well.  I would recommend this book for fans of the show for a quick one night read, but other than that I would avoid it due to the disappointment in the lack of a stronger plot and characters.

A new student review of Adam Undercover, The Presidium Files by Aaron Foster

Ayden.i posted a new student review of Adam Undercover, The Presidium Files by Aaron Foster. See the full review.

This book was very well written and interesting in the way it showed you the thoughts of Adam and his experiences.  I could hardly put it down.  This was such a great book because the main character was so relatable to teens while also showing how extraordinary kids can be.  I would recommend this book to fourth graders and above.  The descriptions used in the book were so vivid that it made you laugh if it was funny and wince with pain if anyone was injured.  The only thing I would have liked to see that I didn't was more information about machines.  I gave this 4/5 stars because it kept me on the edge of my metaphorical seat and had plenty of funny moments.

A new student review of Changing Michael by Jeff Schilling

emmadedr22247 posted a new student review of Changing Michael by Jeff Schilling. See the full review.

Changing Michael is a well-written novel with many interesting characters and plot twists. There are, however, a few critiscisms I would have to give it. Firstly, the main character doesn't seem to feel any form of guilt. Matthew was causing problems for people throughout the entire novel, but never seemed to feel any remorse. While this would have been alright in some cases, Matthew didn't paint himself as an unfeeling person. The way he explained himself made it seem like he had a conscious, and that he would feel bad at least occasionally. Him not feeling guilt took away a little bit of his relatableness. The next thing that I didn't like was nothing to do with the plot, but that there were a few spelling and grammar errors. While these are just minor mistakes, and everybody slips up once and a while, these mistakes make the book a bit harder to read. It wasn't a huge problem, but should probably be fixed. My last critiscism about Changing Michael was about the character Wanda's personality. It might not have necessarily been a problem with Wanda herself, but that her personality was a bit hard to understand. The way Matthew talked about her, it seemed like Wanda was a girl who was almost like Matthew, not wanting too much social interaction with anyone at school. However, when she spoke to Michael, it almost seemed like she was changing personalities. She talked to him a good deal, and even showed interest in some of the things he talked about. Matthew didn't want to associate with Michael too much due to his interests, so him hanging out with Wanda despite her similar interests confused me a bit. I only got more confused when Michael told Matthew that he and Wanda had talked together for about an hour. I was just as confused as Matthew, who said it couldn't be true, because Wanda never talked to anybody for an hour. 

Despite those critiscisms, Changing Micheal was still a very good novel. One thing I did like about the book was it's realisticness. It felt like this could be a real situation with real teens, and felt relatable enough that I kept feeling throughout the novel that it actually happened. I also liked how it showed a very wide range of characters. Some books tend to make all of their characters too similar, to the point which ends up making the book a bit boring. This novel, however, had a lot of characters with diverse personalities, which helped make it more interesting. Another thing I liked was that the characters seem to have growth in maturity and their personalities change a little. In the beginning of the novel, Matthew is a self-centered and entitled. Towards the end of the novel, he slowly seems to start caring about the people around him, even seeming to want to be a part of their lives, even if only a little bit. We can see this especially with Chrissy. I also liked that Matthew had a very brutally honest side to him. It added in some comedy, especially when you didn't expect it. Lastly, I liked that the characters in the novel weren't perfect, and had enough character flaws. Not too many, which would have made them seem too much like drama queens/kings, but enough that they didn't seem perfect (which no human is).

Changing Michael is a novel that I would recommend to many of my friends. It gave some laughs, while doing a good job telling an interesting story. I would give it 4/5 stars, and it would be a good book for teens ages 12-14.

A new student review of Daisy to the Rescue: True Stories of Daring Dogs, Paramedic Parrots, and Other Animal Heroes by Jeff Campbell

sisto8 posted a new student review of Daisy to the Rescue: True Stories of Daring Dogs, Paramedic Parrots, and Other Animal Heroes by Jeff Campbell. See the full review.

I really enjoyed this book!  The stories were so full of details that I never finished reading a story with unanswered questions.  The illustrations fit very well with the book.  The explanations about the psychology behind why the animals did what they did were easily understood.  The set up made it easy to find each of the stories and look up the references.  All in all, the author did a terrific job!  I recommend this book for all animal lovers and non-animal lovers 12 and up!

A new student review of The Tale of the Wulks by V. K. Green

jotaf posted a new student review of The Tale of the Wulks by V. K. Green. See the full review.

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. 

A new student review of The Brilliant World of Tom Gates

Zack-Is-Swag posted a new student review of The Brilliant World of Tom Gates . See the full review.

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

ihatezombies posted a new student review of Six Million Accusers: Catching Adolf Eichmann by D. Lawrence- Young. See the full review.

   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

thudson36 posted a new student review of The Secret Ingredient by Stewart Lewis. See the full review.

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.