A new student review of A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans by Laurence Yep Joanne Ryder

O.B. WAN posted a new student review of A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans by Laurence Yep Joanne Ryder. See the full review.

This book was exciting and touching. There are scenes where the readers end up on the edge of their seats, but there are also scenes that warm the heart. It’s a mix of adventure and romance. There’s also some sad parts, like when Winnie was at her Great-Aunt’s funeral. I would recommend this book to boys and girls that like dragons, but accept a little romance. I would also recommend this book to people that liked the How To Train Your Dragon series or movies. 

A new student review of Ruthless

JesusFreak posted a new student review of Ruthless . See the full review.

This book immediately started with suspense. As I started reading, I realized that in no time I was already halfway through the book! With non-stop excitement throughout, it kept me thoroughly entertained.

In the beginning, I didn’t know quite what to think of Ruth. She was a complex character to like. However, as the story went on, she became more and more likable. As the story progressed, you could really see her start to change mentally and physically.

One of the things I really liked about the story was that it was very realistic. The villain of the story is what was the most believable for me; while menacing and unlikable, I found myself curious about his past and what had made him the way he was.

If you like suspense and mature YA fiction, than this is definitely the right book for you.

A new student review of Deception's Pawn (Princesses of Myth)

Star360 posted a new student review of Deception's Pawn (Princesses of Myth) . See the full review.

Deception’s Princess, the book before Deception’s Pawn, was one of the first books that interested me on LitPick. Though I wasn’t able to order it, I checked it out at my library and loved the unique tale of love, power, and kingdoms. So when I saw that Deception’s Pawn was available, I was thrilled! The YA novel met my expectations, and I’ll be recommending the series to my friends.

 

The YA market has been seeing an upsurge in strong female characters: think Katniss, Tris, and Tally. Maeve brings a strong spirit that was believable, too. She was loyal to her family and had a witty tongue, which always wins points with me. Her actions towards boys were not always the most sage, but what teenager really knows what she’s doing? The important thing was that she learned from her mistakes, and readers should take her lessons to heart.

 

The setting was absolutely delightful. I have a weakness for European castles, and Deception’s Pawn provided one not usually seen in YA lit. Ancient Irish myths don’t get a lot of attention in contrast to the Greek or Roman ones (I’m looking at you, Percy Jackson!). The character’s appearances were well described, and it was easy to keep track of the diverse cast.

 

The bullying storyline had its flaws, but I think that it added an important angle. At the beginning, naive Maeve believed that she and her roommates would be close friends. However, the first descriptions of the girls sent a red flag that she completely missed. Maeve did the right thing by eventually telling an adult, though there was a frustrating result. I was looking forward to seeing how she would confront the girls, but her final reaction was disappointing. Even so, it’s valuable food for thought.

 

Deception’s Pawn will enthrall teens who love their romantic dramas with a side of court intrigue and a dash of ancient fantasy.

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.