A new student review of Uncertain Glory by Lea Wait

Anjel posted a new student review of Uncertain Glory by Lea Wait. See the full review.

After reading this book, I have decided to increase the variety of books I read. I learned that I not only have fun reading historical fiction, but I get a look into the past. And it helps that I am studying the Civil War at school as I was reading this book. I was really intrigued when I learned that the printing shop in this book actually did exist. My favorite part was when Nell didn’t have to live with her Uncle anymore, but my least favorite part was when Owen disappeared. Not only because he disappeared, but why he disappeared because it makes me sad to think about living back when not everyone agreed to racial equality. 

A new student review of Spinner by Michael Bowler

Gwendolyn posted a new student review of Spinner by Michael Bowler. See the full review.

This novel certainly does not fail to provide its reader with an overdose of gruesomely described violence and truly unnerving instances that hold the power to be made scarier depending on each reader's imagination. This book was rated for ages 12 and up, but I personally feel that, judging from the subject matter, the instances of gore, and the language and conversations between characters in this book, it would give a fairer warning to those approaching it if this book was rated for mature readers. 

 

Although I cannot say that I necessarily enjoyed the scenes of gore and violence, I admire the author's bluntness in creating a world where the reader does not sense a safety net around the main characters, preventing them from permanent peril. Much like the new film Kingsman: The Secret Service, this book doesn't hold back when creating shocking imagery and unbelievably intense scenarios.  While on the subject of the imagery, I feel that many scenes in this book have a uniquely cinematic vibe, opening up a visual reading experience without there being any actual images in the book. Interestingly enough, in a Q&A with the author in the edition of Spinner that I read from, Bowler states ¨I like to visualize scenes in my head before I ever write anything down...So when I do sit down to the keyboard, I describe scenes as I saw them in my head, almost like a movie.¨

 

Spinner by Michael J. Bowler has a truly absurd story-line, with various intertwining characters and segments that merge together into one mess of craziness. However, despite the absurdity of all the paranormal activity and horrific scenarios, this book is a well-written read with realistic and human characters. The selection of characters in Bowler's story come to life on the page. They drew me into the story as a reader and kept the story interesting.

 

I felt that there were some lulls in the story, usually in scenes of suspense that felt wrongly placed. These suspense scenes were usually in sections of unnecessary pages throughout the book where I wanted it to get to the point, and I became impatient the more it seemed to provide unnecessary descriptions or dialogues. 

 

The gory paranormal horror genre that this book fits into is not one that I would usually delve into. When I began this book I did not know if I would enjoy it or not. On a whole, this was a genuinely entertaining and gripping novel with truly solid characters. I do not think that I will be re-reading Spinner, but I found it to be a worthwhile read.

 

A new student review of Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins?

faithreynolds2002 posted a new student review of Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? . See the full review.

I enjoyed this book because it helps you learn about life. I gave this book a five star rating because it has parts that just suck you in to keep you reading. This book helped me learn what the true meaning of friendship is, like when Izzy helped Jessica control the disappearing. I would recommend this book to people who love fantasy. My only wish is that the author put more detail in the book of what the characters looked like.

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.