A new student review of Gray Zone by Veronica R. Tabares

thudson36 posted a new student review of Gray Zone by Veronica R. Tabares. See the full review.

I enjoyed reading Gray Zone and appreciated its themes concerning bullying, since it is so common in schools today. I liked how parts of this story were told through Sophie Rose’s diary entries, which allowed you to learn about events through dual perspectives. The events described in this story were realistic, but I don’t think the ways the characters handled the situations were lifelike. It was easy to like the main character, Autumn, as she was very relatable. Overall, I liked this novel and would recommend it to others, especially victims of bullying. This book brings attention to issues that are occurring every day in schools.

A new student review of Lies in the Dust by Jakob Crane

king-persassy posted a new student review of Lies in the Dust by Jakob Crane. See the full review.

The great parts of this book make up the majority, and Lies in the Dust truly is stunning when looked at critically. The quiet, slow pace of the book creates a striking contrast with its stark, black and white art. It wastes no time dallying on topics which are unneeded, and each chapter has an impact on the reader which, in my experience, has not been paralleled by many works of literature. Putnam's thoughts on the cruelty of these trials are as beautiful and depressing as they had to be. The majority of the book is thought provoking and intriguing. Though the simple art may sometimes be lacking, it still serves its purpose well. It is simple to imagine the characters any way you wish to, which is an important, easy way to help the reader envision their book. Ann's siblings also represent the innocence which is held by children, even in such a horrible, cruel situation. Once more, its contrast with Ann's older wisdom, gained by all her experience, is an amazing, powerful complement to the book. Its simplistic art style only deepens the impact of its meaning. There is no distraction here, whether with narrative or art, which is why I believe it is a great read for anyone. If you are interested in history, as I am, then I believe you will enjoy this book very much.

However, the book is nowhere near perfect. The pacing of it is fairly difficult to keep up with, as it frequently shifts from Ann’s perspective, post-trial, to a flashback of the trials. The art, though simple, is not of the greatest quality, and it is sometimes difficult to tell what drawings are supposed to be what. Those are all the really striking problems I could find with it, though, so the good parts of this book truly outweigh the bad.

Though it has its own issues, as all books do, Lies in the Dust truly is a masterpiece. And as a debut title for Crane, there is surely much to expect from him in the future. Some of its themes could be found inappropriate, with death and depression being the main violations. Beyond that, I would recommend it to seventh graders and up. Though there is some Old English which is difficult to read, it is not too hard beyond that. However, it still is a challenge, so the book’s difficulty is nicely balanced. If you would like to read about the Salem Witch Trials, but don’t believe that you are ready to tackle a book like The Crucible, then this is just what you need. I would give this book a 4 out of 5 rating.

A new student review of Growing Up Dead by Chelsea M. Campbell

baseballal posted a new student review of Growing Up Dead by Chelsea M. Campbell. See the full review.

I did not like the book that much. It was not as funny as the reviews stated and did not appeal to me. I was expecting a kid to be leading a life as a dead kid, zombie like, but this was not the case.  Although it is fiction, I did not find it very amusing or entertaining.  It was very predictable which did not hold my attention.  I am more into action, mysteries and comedies.

I would recommend this book to boys and girls ages 8 and up that like romance and non-scary monster stories.

A new student review of Adam Undercover, The Presidium Files by Aaron Foster

ihatezombies posted a new student review of Adam Undercover, The Presidium Files by Aaron Foster. See the full review.

I loved this book. When I was reading it, I could get a clear image in my mind of the images the author was trying to convey; the details were rich and descriptive. However, I found the details to be a bit too specific at times. The entire story was balanced and moved at an appropriate pace. It progressed very nicely. It was a book that I think anyone could read and enjoy.

A new student review of Stolen: Heart of Dread

selaspatherman posted a new student review of Stolen: Heart of Dread . See the full review.

In the beginning there was a blast of action and the next one-hundred pages were sort of boring. A suggestion is to throw funny parts into scenes that are between the action.  The ending picked up with action and that's when I started flipping those pages.  My favorite character is Wes because he is funny, fearless, and doesn't complain about everything that happens throughout the book.  My favorite part of the book is the beginning with the drone battle.  I would suggest this book for people that like futuristic fantasy.

A new student review of My Wizard Buddy: Target Earth (Book Three) by Scott Spotson

sschu5 posted a new student review of My Wizard Buddy: Target Earth (Book Three) by Scott Spotson. See the full review.

I think this is a very good book because of all the adventure that is in it. The whole plot is genius, the fight for power- people or aliens. There are a lot of problems placed on Tyler (take care of the two 6 year olds, leading the group, and of course the decision to rebel or not) and these shows how much he can take and adds emotion through the journey. Overall, this is a great book and I would recommend this book to almost anyone.

 

A new student review of MARTians

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

The first thing about this book that caught my eye was the cover art. While simple, the white shopping cart and title against the red background was nicely done.

As for the actual story, I was not impressed. The main character, Zoë, was not a very likable character.  If the book had been in a different character’s POV I most likely would have liked it more. Zoë was aggravating, didn’t make very good decisions, and her dialogue was annoying to me.

The setting could have been described better. I was not sure if Zoë's world was post-apocalyptic or an alternate universe. I also found myself very confused at certain points in the book due to descriptions that were unclear and difficult to follow.

This book was a disappointing read. Perhaps if the author had explained things more clearly and had chosen a different main character, it would have been more enjoyable for me.

A new student review of Autumn of Elves by Joanne Vruno

moseso posted a new student review of Autumn of Elves by Joanne Vruno. See the full review.

This book is incredibly exciting and difficult to put down. Joanne Vruno does an astounding job painting vivid descriptive images throughout the book. Her descriptive words help the reader picture scenes from the book, making it seem as if they are a part of the book. The plot is developed well from the beginning. Vruno keeps the reader on the edge of their seat while still finding time for character development. The climax leaves the reader wondering what will happen next and anxious to read more. I would recommend this book for students aged 10-12. Autumn of Elves is a perfect read for those who enjoy magic and adventure.

A new student review of Autumn of Elves by Joanne Vruno

jotaf posted a new student review of Autumn of Elves by Joanne Vruno. See the full review.

I thought Autumn of Elves was another great read from Joanne Vruno. It was filled with magic, adventure, and suspense. I loved that the author put a new twist into the story; I would never have expected that Emily would be able to see the magical creatures too. The book kept me interested and engaged. I wasn't able to guess what would happen next; it was unpredictable. 

A part in the book that I really liked was when Emily first saw a troll. It was so funny how the troll tried to get the attention of Aly’s family. Time and again it failed, and it finally walked away in defeat. I can't think of any part in the book that I didn't like. It was fantastic from start to finish. I think this book would be great for anyone who read and loved the first book. I also recommend it for anyone who likes magic and adventure. 

A new student review of The Serpent's Curse

cbill6 posted a new student review of The Serpent's Curse . See the full review.

This book by Tony Abbot is a good read for ages 8-13. I found this book enjoyable for me as an action, adventure, and mystery fan because it includes all three. I think you should read the first book so you can understand the history of the story, although the author gives a brief overview at the beginning. It has some rough parts, like in the beginning after the car chase, Becca stabs a "goon" because he had Lily over the edge of a bridge. So if you're interested in a wild adventurous story involving mystery I recommend this book to you.