A new student review of Infandous

snehayamsani posted a new student review of Infandous . See the full review.

“The word. What does it mean?”

 

“Infandous?”

 

He nods

 

“It means something that’s too terrible to be spoken aloud."

 

Elana K. Arnold does an excellent job conveying Sephora’s story in the form of a fairytale. The book explores the ups and downs of teenage life, including depression and finding your identity.

 

Arnold alternates Infandous by weaving fairy tales written by the Grimm brothers. As the story continues, Arnold incorporates the fairy tales into Sephora’s life retelling the events of a night gone bad. The crude, yet truthful, writing of this piece is hard hitting. The story brings to life the raw pain that a teenager goes through every day in a different form.

 

I think my favorite thing about this novel is the title, Infandous. I do not know if Arnold picked the name, but if she did, kudos to her for selecting a word that conveys the undermining truth of her story.

I give this book a 5 out of 5.

A new student review of The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein

jotaf posted a new student review of The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein. See the full review.

I thought The Island of Dr. Libris was a great book. The author, Chris Grabenstein, did an awesome job putting together such a creatively imaginative book.  Another thing I appreciated about this book was that it was so fun; I enjoyed reading it and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. I could tell a lot about the main character, Billy. He is curious, a great friend, and very trustworthy. A part in the book that I really liked was when Robin Hood and Hercules meet on the island after defeating a villain. Out of sport, Robin Hood challenges Hercules to a duel with nothing but a long staff to defend himself. You can probably guess how that went. I don't think there was anything I didn't like about this book. I would recommend this book to ages ten through fifteen, because I think that age group would enjoy this the most.

A new student review of ElsBeth and the Call of the Castle Ghosties by J Bean Palmer

moseso posted a new student review of ElsBeth and the Call of the Castle Ghosties by J Bean Palmer. See the full review.

ElsBeth and the Call of the Castle Ghosties

A new student review of Oranit || Crossed Lines by Michael Benjamin

JesusFreak posted a new student review of Oranit || Crossed Lines by Michael Benjamin. See the full review.

Oranit | | Crossed Lines 

A new student review of We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach

123evae123 posted a new student review of We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach. See the full review.

The fact that this is his first novel still stuns me. The plot was driven, the dialogue flowed wonderfully, and all of the characters were beautifully portrayed. Their struggles and fears were palpable things that readers could relate to. Despite it being an apocalypse novel, the characters connected in a way that was completely believable. All of the characters struggled with something, be it parents who don't care or parents who care too much. The end of this novel was complex in an unexpected turn of events that leaves readers questioning moral standards and outlooks on life. This book is perfect for any reader, whether it be a more advanced reader who is looking to explore a new genre of literature, or a reluctant reader who is looking for a book where it is easy to maintain interest in the plot. 

A new student review of Vanished in Berlin by Gry Finsnes

JesusFreak posted a new student review of Vanished in Berlin by Gry Finsnes. See the full review.

When I began reading this book, I realized within the first chapter I already liked the main character, Ellen. The choices she made, though hard, weren’t much different from the choices I would have made if I had been in the same position as her. I also appreciated that her and Friedrich’s love for each other was evident, and their romance was believable.

In the beginning I was a bit confused about the timeline. However, as I continued reading, I caught on and understood where the author was going.

I was only disappointed when the book had to end because I was not ready to put it down. I wished the story had gone on for a bit longer and had a few more questions answered, but those answers were left to the imagination of the reader.

Overall, this book is great for those who like historical fiction and romance.

A new student review of Make The Grade by Lesley Schwartz Martin

Queen_Ri posted a new student review of Make The Grade by Lesley Schwartz Martin. See the full review.

"Make the Grade" was a very useful book. I believe I got the book a week before school started. It is more helpful to get the book at least 1 month in advance to help prepare yourself. I used a lot of techniques throughout the book to achieve success throughout the school year. My favorite part of the book were pages 54-57. I really enjoyed that part the most because it told me what to expect from teachers and how to handle them without being disrespectful. I would recommend this book to a student who seems to almost never be prepared and is struggling more than others. It may not be the most exciting book but it will help you out a lot.

 

A new student review of Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton

pavannah posted a new student review of Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton. See the full review.

To begin, I definitely enjoyed reading this book, however there were some parts that made me cringe, because I mean what cliches do not make people want to look off into the distance with disappointment in their eyes? It was only a cliche because it was a strong woman fighting for her beliefs, with a little love and betrayal thrown in.  But even though there was this cliche in there it was present in a good way, and I am more than thrilled I made this lovely books acquaintance.  The fact that the main character is strong and intelligent made her more relatable and a role model for the readers, because who doesn’t want to be an awesome female warrior?  What I loved most about her as a character was her ability to adapt to the situations presented, and try to find a solution that she truly believed in, and I think this is an admirable trait in anyone.  Throughout the entire novel I was thrilled by the author's skill and devotion to developing the characters into more understanding and respectable people. The plot not only took me on a ride, it brought me on a rollercoaster filled with flips (that at times want to make you get off, but it's too good to stop, and, well, you’re stuck), which I thoroughly enjoyed.  Overall I have to say I was pleased, and will be looking forward to more in the future.

 

A new student review of The Time Hunters (Book 1) by Carl Ashmore

Anjel posted a new student review of The Time Hunters (Book 1) by Carl Ashmore. See the full review.

This book is now my all-time favorite! Blending fantasy, sci-fi and folklore, Carl Ashmore created the perfect setting for all ages. One of my favorite parts was when Becky unknowingly became the Fleece's new guardian. However, my absolute favorite part was when the minotaur turned out to be the friendliest guy. I think the only part I didn’t care for was when I thought Milly was dead and Sabian was an orphan. I would recommend this book to middle schoolers, fantasy and sci-fi lovers and readers who enjoyed Fablehaven by Brandon Mull.

A new student review of My Near-Death Adventures (99% True!)

nictaf posted a new student review of My Near-Death Adventures (99% True!) . See the full review.

My Near-Death Adventures (99% True!) wasn't that good in my opinion. Now on a good note the characters were believable (except Stan) which made this book decent. It finally started to get good maybe 20 pages away from the end. I just didn't like this book because it was too exaggerated (for example, a character said, "I broke my head" when it was really a small cut.) I would recommend this book to ages 7 and up. If you are a fan of Geronimo Stilton, then you will love this book.