A new student review of Intangible by C A Gray

amanklep10599 posted a new student review of Intangible by C A Gray. See the full review.

"Intangible" was an extremely exciting story that kept me reading on the edge of my seat.  It had it all: humor, science, fantasy, fiction and fairytale.  The characters were all believable and likeable.  However, the main character, Peter, was too scientific, hard to relate to and understand, and wasn't very kind or friendly.  Overall, I loved "Intangible," because it was fascinating, scientific, and it talked about fairytales!

A new student review of Devin Rhodes Is Dead by Jennifer Wolf Kam

dancechicka posted a new student review of Devin Rhodes Is Dead by Jennifer Wolf Kam. See the full review.

I thought that this book was a good read, albeit a short one.  I found the plot pretty airtight, and the tone was just the right amount of creepiness and intrigue. The regular chapter switches from the times before and after Devin’s death kept me interested and in-focus.  Kam was skilled with her language, keeping the vocabulary easy enough to read yet eloquent enough to fit the overall eerie tone of the book.  One thing I did have a hard time doing was connecting with Cass.  I found her to be a little too woe-is-me and petulant for my tastes, but hey, I really can’t judge someone whose best friend just died.   All in all, a good, quick read for someone looking for a little pop to add to their winter reading list.

                “I can’t think; I can only run.  I can only run from Devin.”

I would recommend this book for ages ten and up.  There are, of course, themes of violence and death, and although a very small amount of profanity is used, I feel it would be best for younger children to wait to read this book for its central themes.

Plagued by broken memories and driven by guilt, Cass struggles to find the answer to the biggest question of them all—who killed Devin?  Read Jennifer Wolf Kam’s new novel Devin Rhodes is Dead to find out!

A new student review of The Illuminated Forest by Edwin Fontánez

jotaf posted a new student review of The Illuminated Forest by Edwin Fontánez. See the full review.

I thought The Illuminated Forest was a great book about coping with death and growing up.  I liked that the author, Edwin Fontánez made the characters fairly easy to connect with.  Another part I both liked and disliked was that part of the book was written from the perspective of the stray cat; it  put part of the book in a new and interesting perspective, but it was also sometimes difficult to understand because of the awkward use of language (in its head) by the cat.  A part in the book that I thought was really funny was when the owner of the small theatre in Palo Verde played The Graduate, but the owner did not read the description of the movie.  Being ignorant of the inappropriateness of the movie, she advertised it as, "An inspiration for kids to graduate!"  Her advertisement got lots of families with kids to come see the movie.  The next day all of the parents of the families that saw the movie were pounding on her door for what she accidentally did.  

One thing I did not like about the book, though, was that at the beginning it jumped quite a bit, starting with Mateo being fifteen, then Mateo being twelve, and then it jumped to a six year old girl, and after that, to an Indian tribe that used to live in Palo Verde.  Finally, though, it settled on twelve year old Mateo.  The other thing I disliked about this book was that it got a little dull at parts of the book and it took a little while for the book to get going again.  I think this book would be most enjoyed by anyone ages twelve through sixteen.  

A new student review of The Bullies of Wall Street

sisto8 posted a new student review of The Bullies of Wall Street . See the full review.

I think this book was very nice.  It shows how somebody’s greed can and does affect a nation. The stories from different kids’ points of view were enjoyable.  I liked them because it’s easier to relate to something that someone your age has gone through.  The information that I read in this book has helped me understand many different topics that I haven’t even thought about before.  I like the bright color on the cover.  It seemed to be made to attract attention.  It certainly attracted mine!  I think this book is great for teens that have heard about the 2008 economy crash and want to learn more as well as those who haven’t.  I recommend this book for people 12+.

A new student review of The Silver Cord by Kelly Kevin

pavannah posted a new student review of The Silver Cord by Kelly Kevin. See the full review.

From the second I got this book I was thrilled!  Normally I do not go for the graphic novels, but I thought I would give it a try, and it is safe to say I will be picking more up.  This book’s pictures were absolutely gorgeous, and the story brought me on a thrill ride, where i could not stop reading, even when I knew I had to go to bed.  This book is the book that MUST be read in one sitting, otherwise you might go crazy not knowing what happens next.  The time it took to create this book was astounding, 10 years, that is dedication.  But as evident the end result was worth it.  I highly recommend this book for people looking for a something new to brighten and liven up the day!

 

A new student review of Scripted by Maya Rock

alison_S posted a new student review of Scripted by Maya Rock. See the full review.

Rock never lets background info bog down the plot, yet Scripted still managed to immerse me in the Blissful Days subculture. Through Island-specific words ("camperf", "fralling") and vivid figurative language ("What if Callen were with me, watching the jellyfish, their transparent, filmy skins undulating through the water like silk scarves fluttering in the air?"), Rock crafts a rich, superbly-developed dystopia while maintaining an engaging, if not exactly breakneck, progression of internal and external conflicts. Although Rock endows nearly every major character with internal, as well as external, plotlines, I would've appreciated more emphasis on Lia's subplot. Lia seems to undergo personal growth, yet her subplot never amounts to the hopeful, satisfying turnaround she and— readers— deserve. Nevertheless, Scripted remains a fresh, gratifying read sure to charm fans of The Truman Show, Lois Lowry's The Giver, or Veronica Roth's Divergent.

A new student review of Leo's Lion

sschu5 posted a new student review of Leo's Lion . See the full review.

This is a very good book because of the many adventures Leo and his uncle take, including their buggy ride to Leonardo's house and a meeting with a stone carver. I like how Leo completely changes his mindset in the story; he goes from annoyed at being there to excited at what is to come next. The plot's set up is amazing, the events flow right into each other. You never know what’s going to happen next or what trouble they are going to get into. Uncle Leonardo is a bit unpredictable at times and you never know what’s going to come out of his decisions. I would recommend this book to almost everyone.

A new student review of Orion Poe and the Lost Explorer by William Summerhouse

moseso posted a new student review of Orion Poe and the Lost Explorer by William Summerhouse. See the full review.

A reader should be warned that this book has a few derogatory words in it, but not awful enough to downplay the excitement of the plot. They are easy to overlook, but the author could have left out many of them without changing the story. Orion, who is the main character, is forced to be brave and fearless in this whirlwind of adventure. Once the crew is compelled to try and survive on a rough and harsh terrain, it takes every ounce of bravery to stay alive. Mysterious things begin to occur and sadly, a few men meet death. Boys ages 11-13 would enjoy this book most. As a girl, the blood and gore was a distraction to the plot. Setting aside the critical and slightly offensive words, this book will definitely capture your attention with cliff-hangers, action, excitement, and more!

A new student review of Earth Star by Janet Edwards

tankedman posted a new student review of Earth Star by Janet Edwards. See the full review.

You know when you can't put down a book? When you are so immersed into the words that you aren't even conscious of reading? You feel you are there. I think that this book is one that defines that description. The author was very detailed, and I could picture everything and feel as though I was the characters.

A new student review of The First Principle by Marissa Shrock

Star360 posted a new student review of The First Principle by Marissa Shrock. See the full review.

The YA market is flooded with dystopias and sci-fi worlds, but The First Principle has tackled an issue not found in others: teenage pregnancy. It’s more realistic than child gladiators (The Hunger Games) or giant labyrinths (The Maze Runner). Its female heroine has no bow and arrow, but Vivica – what a delightful name! – fights a frighteningly realistic battle against her controlling government and against herself.  As for her futuristic world, I felt it lacked the exquisite descriptiveness of Harry Potter or Divergent. I was left wondering: What do people dress like? How's the food? What do the buildings look like? Yet it did have the essential information I needed to comprehend Vivica’s plight.

 

Also, I was thankful that there was no instant love between the characters. Ben and Vivica are introduced after they break up, and readers later learn that they were good friends before taking things further. The fact that they don’t get back together after she finds out she’s pregnant raises an interesting question: Should Vivica have to settle with Ben because of the result of one night? There is a possible love interest between Drake and Vivica that would be interesting to read about, but I’m glad that this book focused on her dealing with her pregnancy. As for the Christian message, it is obvious. Ben gives her a Bible, people pray, and Biblical lines are cited in the text. However, I didn’t feel it was overly "preachy." After all, issues like abortion and familial betrayal are universal. The First Principle would be popular among teen girls who love relatable characters and heart-pounding adventures.