A new student review of History in the Faking by Andreas Oertel

nictaf posted a new student review of History in the Faking by Andreas Oertel. See the full review.

Andreas Oertel made a very funny, believable, and exciting book!  I can’t wait for book two!  It caught me from page one and wouldn't let go until I finished the book.  The hoax in the book was extremely clever.  The characters were very believable and humorous. I could tell that Erick and Cody were best friends.  One part I really liked was when Rachel says, “The carvings probably said, Goo, goo, goo, Bla, bla, bla.”  I would recommend this book for ages 7 and up.

A new student review of Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper Raul The Third

O.B. WAN posted a new student review of Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper Raul The Third. See the full review.

Lowriders in Space was a good book for people who like cars. I liked that it was kind of unpredictable what would happen next or what they would say next. My favorite part was when something unexpected customized their car. It looked cool before, but after, oh man, it was pretty awesome! The book was written in Spanish and English, but there was a glossary and little bubbles on the bottom of the page telling the reader what the Spanish translated to in English. I would recommend this book to people who like cars and want to learn some Spanish.

A new student review of The Option by Herman Brown

Turbo21 posted a new student review of The Option by Herman Brown. See the full review.

It is a good book.  I like how it explains the consequences of drunk driving.

A new student review of Nameless (The Anonymous Chronicles) by Angela Welch Prusia

masha posted a new student review of Nameless (The Anonymous Chronicles) by Angela Welch Prusia. See the full review.

I think Nameless was a very good book. It was well written and illustrated social problems (hunger, violence etc.) very accurately. The plot and characters were very real and also relevant. Every person had their own personality and problems and each person illustrated a different way to deal with things. Throughout the novel the characters grow and expand, learning to accept each other and expand their horizons. It is a book that has depth and humor as well as problems that need to be solved. 

A new student review of The Kingdom Lights by Steven VS

hopeeilo11225 posted a new student review of The Kingdom Lights by Steven VS. See the full review.

This book was a good read with some great plot twists. One thing I didn't like about it was that the setting was hard to visualize. I also didn't like that the characters had basic personalities and nothing was really special about them. Also, the writing was a little dull sometimes. However, I thought it was great that there weren't any scenes that dragged out, but instead got to the point. There was a surprising twist at the end and I loved it. Overall, the book was interesting and I enjoyed reading it. I will most likely suggest it to a friend.

A new student review of A Rat and A Ransom by Yvonne I Lee

bookgirl1289 posted a new student review of A Rat and A Ransom by Yvonne I Lee. See the full review.

Being a rodent-lover, I was immediately caught by the title of this story. I found it to be a delightful, adventurous tale. Though intended for younger readers, it is a very cute, quick read for older audiences, too.The language and descriptions were quite good and the characters were very likable and realistic, especially Mask. The only thing that I did not like was the ending. I don’t want to give anything away, but it felt as if the author got tired of writing the story and wrapped it up as quickly as possible. The ending was terribly unfulfilling; I felt the author could have added a short epilogue tying everything up in a more satisfying way. However, A Rat and a Ransom was an engaging, fast read that I enjoyed.

A new student review of Firstborn

spickle posted a new student review of Firstborn . See the full review.

What’s not to like? Well-written, developed characters, a great plot in general.  I hadn’t expected the story to be from the point of view of a magpie, since it is about wolves, after all.  But that plot twist made the book even more special and unique.  There were some graphic parts, with no restraint in mentioning blood and describing kills, but if anything, that added to the book, giving the feeling that the world they now live in - Yellowstone park - is a hard, tough place to be.  This is a book that I’m definitely keeping to read for years to come.  

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.