A new student review of Ratscalibur by Josh Lieb

jotaf posted a new student review of Ratscalibur by Josh Lieb. See the full review.

Ratscalibur was a great book.  I really liked how detailed the characters were.  Also, I liked how much imagination was put into the book; for example, the author added something called Ragic, which is the rat equivalent of magic.  One of the parts I found funny in this book was when one of the rats that Joey met took Joey to a “restaurant” and ordered a stew for him.  After Joey tried the stew, he asked the other rat what was in it.  The reply was, “You do plan on being human again, don’t you?”  When Joey said yes, the rat replied, “Then you probably don’t want to know.  It might turn out to haunt you later.”  One of the only things that I didn’t like about this book was that it was too short.  If it was longer I would have liked it even better!  I would recommend Ratscalibur to anyone who enjoys funny yet adventurous books.  I am giving this book a well-deserved five stars.

A new student review of Toks & the Phoenix Project by A.S Lawal

sisto8 posted a new student review of Toks & the Phoenix Project by A.S Lawal. See the full review.

This book was great! The plot was interesting and very unique. I enjoyed reading about the characters’ findings in their projects. The author made each finding seem important to the character, while keeping their reactions from appearing overly dramatic. The characters’ interactions with each other were realistic. Some books make me wonder whether or not someone in real life would actually say what the character had said. That was not a problem with this story. I also thought the college setting was noteworthy. I have read very few young adult books based around a college setting.

However, I had a difficult time connecting with the story at first. I didn’t understand entirely what was going on; things seemed a bit jumbled together. I had to reread a few sentences in order to comprehend their full meaning. I became a bit frustrated when I read about the project, because I didn’t develop a full idea of what it was until I was several chapters into the book. By the middle of the book, most of my confusion was gone. I really enjoyed the last half. Overall, I think this book was wonderful!  I recommend it for teens aged 12 and above.

A new student review of From a Distant Star by Karen McQuestion

Gwendolyn posted a new student review of From a Distant Star by Karen McQuestion. See the full review.

Although From a Distant Star by Karen McQuestion reuses elements prevalent in classic science fiction, the author does a splendid job of placing a modern alien and human encounter into a comprehensible reality. The premise of a human aiding a harmless extraterrestrial on the run from the government can be found in many science fiction stories and does not fail to appear in this one. However, the characters captured my attention and kept me interested in where they would end up next.

 

I felt that this story did a sufficient job of transporting me to the places and situations in which the characters found themselves. I could not find any note-worthy flaws in the book. It kept me interested throughout the entire read.

 

An aspect of the book that I admired was its remarks on the nature of humanity. These thoughts were given with a questioning yet hopeful tone. This book displays both the good and bad caused by the human race, and prompts its readers to strive for something better. The juxtaposition of the two main characters from different planets allowed for many amusing scenarios as well as a thought-provoking narrative. 

 

I found Karen McQuestion's writing style in this book to be accessible and conversational in the best way possible. From a Distant Star would be a perfect summer read for enjoying next to the poolside or in a backyard hammock.

A new student review of Debunk It! by John Grant

Zack-Is-Swag posted a new student review of Debunk It! by John Grant. See the full review.

This book was great. It is a little confusing, but I understood most of it.There is a bit of profanity so that is somthing to be aware of before reading. This is my new favorite book. This book should not be read if you are under the age of 12 because it has a lot of adult content and content that is hard to understand. All around I LOVED this book!!!!! This book discusses some pretty serious issues that have happened in our world, and the author offers a great perspective. 

A new student review of Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

Lucy posted a new student review of Crash Into You by Katie McGarry. See the full review.

I really like the book, I found it really interesting and I think Isaiah and Rachel are a nice couple. I liked the book because I was also able to relate to the book. I felt like the situation between Isaiah and Rachel is almost the same thing going on in my life. I liked everything about the book and I love Kate McGarry and the books that she writes, I have already read Take Me On and I plan on continuing to read books that are written by her.  

A new student review of The Cake House by Latifah Salom

Star360 posted a new student review of The Cake House by Latifah Salom. See the full review.

You can have your cake and eat it too, but this Cake comes with a serious disclaimer. While it seems like Salom is heading for a creepy Shakespearean family tangle, Hamlet this is not. As a lover of mysteries and psychological dramas, I thought that this book would be perfect for me. Alas, this novel didn’t learn that brevity is the soul of wit. 

     

Salom’s sentence structures are well-developed, not littered with excess adjectives and adverbs. I never had to flip back pages in confusion, which is always a plus. However, I felt that the book’s plot got dry quickly. I’m all for a good remake, but the Hamlet elements seem forced. There was Claude (from King Claudius), a mother that doesn’t inspire much sympathy, Alex’s weird hints of an Oedipus complex, and the father’s ghost. Claude was a dull, dull villain. He was too bipolar (Nice dad! Bad dad!) for me to ever get a solid analysis of him. The father’s ghost was simply bizarre. It worked in Elizabethan England, but I don’t think that today’s audience will buy the Look! It’s a ghost giving me warnings because I don’t have the common sense to see them myself! storyline. I would have rather seen Rosaura do her own investigative work without having to rely on a dead person.

 

While I liked the idea of reading from a young girl’s perspective, I really disliked Rosaura by the end. She is nothing like the pensive woman on the cover; instead, she mopes around, makes rash decisions, has unfortunate friends, and seems rather out of place in the story. With a few tweaks, if Salom had inserted a twenty- or even thirty-something-year-old woman I would have found the tale more realistic. In fact, I wouldn’t recommend this book to any of my friends. Teens don’t necessarily need a breathtaking romance or epic fights to love a story, but they do need a fast-moving plot with relatable characters. Despite its great promise, The Cake House didn’t make the cut for me.

A new student review of Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir by Liz Prince

JesusFreak posted a new student review of Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir by Liz Prince. See the full review.

After finishing this book, I have one word to say: WOW.

I’ll admit it: I was iffy about reading a graphic novel. I’ve never been that into graphic novels, but the description of the book had me hooked. When I began reading it, I found myself not able to stop turning the pages as I devoured each word. Not only did I find some of the descriptions relatable, but I was also extremely happy that a book like this exists. Now parents can show their daughters this book so that they know it is okay to be a tomboy, and that there is nothing abnormal about it.

The main character, Liz, struggles throughout the book with constant bullying. This is an everyday occurance for most people that go to school. I thought the ways Liz deals with the harassment were excellent; she stands up for herself at various times throughout the book.

This book is a great representation of what it’s like to “be a girl” in the society we live in, and how to fight gender boundaries.

A new student review of Regina Shen: Resilience by Lance Erlick

JesusFreak posted a new student review of Regina Shen: Resilience by Lance Erlick. See the full review.

Most people say not to judge a book by its cover. Unfortunately, I can't help myself from doing so. If the cover doesn’t grab me from the start, I won’t bother looking at it. With Regina Shen: Resilience, this was not a problem. The cover art was very dark, but beautifully executed. Regina Shen holding the crossbow on the front cover was stunning; I was immediately intrigued by the book.

Some authors have trouble putting new worlds into words, but that was not the case for Lance Erlick. The author’s descriptions were well-written, resulting in me fully understanding the world.

The main character, Regina, was likable from the start. She loved to learn and was an amazing survivor. I felt that I could relate well to her, even though we both live in completely different worlds. My only wish was that the story was longer. At just over 200 pages, it was a quick read for me.

Overall, the author did an amazing job, and if you like post-apocalyptic novels about survival, this is definitely the book for you.

A new student review of Silent Alarm by Jennifer Banash

Star360 posted a new student review of Silent Alarm by Jennifer Banash. See the full review.

Silent Alarm is unlike any other book that I’ve ever read. First of all, Banash deserves major credit for undertaking the difficult project of telling the story from the perspective of the shooter’s sister. Alys was both a bystander and a victim, which added depth to her otherwise simple character. She was a violin prodigy, which I found to be cliched, but her talent helped underline Luke’s jealousy. As for Luke, I was satisfied with his character development. To keep the reader intrigued, Banash avoided making him a stereotypical monster, but she didn't make him a martyr, either. In doing so, the reader is able to see him not as an evil robot, but as a human whose inability to deal with his psychological issues led him to commit an atrocity. 

     

Supporting characters, while few, provide a strong backbone to the story. Though the novel is told in first person, the insight of characters like Riley, Luke’s best friend; Grace, the violin tutor; and all the journalists adds dimension. They remind us of how we act when school shootings happen, and they gently show us that maybe parents and siblings of the shooter shouldn’t be judged as harshly as they often are. As for the flow of the book, it was cohesive and sharp. Banash makes a wonderful use of parentheses and italics to illustrate Alys’s confused mind.

     

The reason this book didn’t get five stars from me is partly because of the first line, “Life changes in a second.” Maybe it’s just me, but there are way too many “life” metaphors out there. I prefer a subtle comparison rather than one plopped immediately on the page. The last three pages were also a bit of a disappointment. While it contained the required elements of hope and forgiveness,  it seemed to drag on thanks to a lack of action or dialogue. Besides those details, Silent Alarm is definitely a book to check out or keep on your home shelf. Mature teens and fans of Laurie Halse Anderson will enjoy this gritty, realistic drama.

A new student review of The Monsters' Anonymous Club: Don't Play with Dead Things by J.L. Lipp

nictaf posted a new student review of The Monsters' Anonymous Club: Don't Play with Dead Things by J.L. Lipp. See the full review.

Monsters' Anonymous Club: Don't Play with Dead Things was an awesome book. J.L. Lipp wrote an excellent book filled with excitement, fun, and many plot twists. One aspect I really liked about this book was the rich descriptions in it. For example: “Kimmy ate four hot-dogs, two helpings of potato salad, three ears of corn and a huge piece of cherry pie. And she didn’t even get a stomachache!” I felt the characters could have been developed further, but they were described adequately. I would recommend this book to anyone aged 8 and above.