A new student review of Switch by Ingrid Law

nictaf posted a new student review of Switch by Ingrid Law. See the full review.

Ingrid Law wrote a magical book filled with fantasy and wild fun! The book was very well described, like: “At the the front of the store, a small bag held what was left of holiday clearance: mesh bags of crushed chocolate Hanukkah coins; flattened marshmallow Santas; a torn package of silver confetti; a few scraggly, wilted poinsettias.” The characters were well developed; I could tell what they were feeling and thinking. I was very impressed with the theme of the book, “Family comes first.” Even though this is the third book in the Savvy series, Switch can be a stand-alone. It would help to read book one and two first, but it isn’t needed. I would recommend this book for ages 8 and up.

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

S.Ehlers posted a new student review of Lies in the Dust by Jakob Crane Timothy Decker. See the full review.

Lies in the Dust is an incredibly interesting book. Once a person becomes very mature I believe that they should read this book because it is good to be well-rounded and hear about everything in the world, even if it is horrifying and cruel. This book was also very interesting because it was a graphic novel. I enjoy reading graphic novels, but this one stands out because it is not cheerful and bubbly. Lies in the Dust is dark and wicked. To conclude, Lies in the Dust is a very unique book and I recommend it to any mature audience. 

A new student review of The Blue Woods by Nicole Maggi

khoef241 posted a new student review of The Blue Woods by Nicole Maggi. See the full review.

I couldn't put this book down! It was very well written. While usually I detest the use of more than one character narrating a story, I loved the parallel view on the same issues going on. Overall this was a great read and is entertaining for all age groups above twelve or thirteen years of age. If you enjoy this reading selection make sure to check out other books in the fantasy genre such as Nightshade by Andrea Cremer, Shape Shifter's Secret by Heather Ostler, and Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houch. 

A new student review of The Fog of Forgetting by Genevieve Morgan

mail4chase@yahoo.com posted a new student review of The Fog of Forgetting by Genevieve Morgan. See the full review.

I really enjoyed The Fog of Forgetting by G. A. Morgan. Her ability to give depth to her characters is impressive. As a reader I could connect with every character she invented and each character had qualities I liked and didn’t like, making them more realistic. Her idea is also spot on. Morgan’s combining of mind and magic is intriguing; the way each characters' daylights represent their most basic anatomy and desire. I am very excited to follow the journey of the five kids throughout the remainder of the trilogy. I find that Morgan’s writing excites me and makes me want to read more. I often found myself not getting to bed until 12:30 because I couldn’t bring myself to close the book. I would most definitely recommend this to anyone interested in fantasy or adventure; it is completely worth the read.

A new student review of The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall

Katiedid.Break posted a new student review of The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall. See the full review.

It was good, not a favorite, but it still was worth the read. Pearsall does a good job setting up the plot throughout the book. Sadly she does the worst thing an author could do- kill a major character with just one sentence. That is probably my biggest pet peeve when reading a book. I like how the story was based slightly on a real person and the epilogue at the end was a nice touch. I would recommend it for a book project.

A new student review of The Originals: The Loss by Julie Plec

Lucy posted a new student review of The Originals: The Loss by Julie Plec. See the full review.

Readers should be aware that this is the second book of a series and should first read The Originals: The Rise to help them fully understand the storyline. The Originals: The Loss starts slow, but the action picks up toward the middle of the book. At that point, I couldn’t put the book down because I absolutely loved the story! I would definitely recommend this book to a friend. It's a great story for readers who love paranormal romance. 

A new student review of The Deadly Wizard Games by Scott Spotson

Sweetfable posted a new student review of The Deadly Wizard Games by Scott Spotson. See the full review.

I became immersed in the world presented in The Deadly Wizard Games from the beginning of the story. The concept of wizards taking control of the government was quite interesting to me. Reading about all of the magical games was definitely a treat, and I found myself wishing I could play them, too.

I have never read anything quite like this story. The characters were very realistic; I wish all stories had characters who think like actual people. I enjoyed the pacing of the novel, as well as the politics and philosophies it discussed.

I liked the main character, Amanda, as I could see a lot of myself in her. However, I did not feel the same way about many of the other characters. It was difficult to form strong connections with them. Overall, I really liked how things turned out within the novel. I definitely look forward to what this author has to offer in the future!

A new student review of Ms. Rapscott's Girls by Elise Primavera

kgirlskittles posted a new student review of Ms. Rapscott's Girls by Elise Primavera. See the full review.

Ms.Rapscott's Girls has an interesting plot. The daughters of busy parents don't always learn what they need to know to survive. The goal of Ms.Rapscott is to teach these girls how to do things she believes are necessary for little girls to know. An honorable goal, but the way she went about it can't be the best route. 

Shipping kids in boxes: maybe try a train, or a car, or a plane. There are plenty of ways that are less traumatizing.

Parachuting: I have no problem with this, but maybe explain what they have to do before you strap them into a harness. There's got to be a better way than just "do it right the first time or you'll be smashed into the ground!"

Finding your way: I'm all for teaching kids to navigate. But the no maps rule needs to go. Also, you need more than crackers if you plan on taking eight-year-old girls into the middle of the woods overnight. Especially if they have a reputation for doing things wrong or not knowing anything.

Ms.Rapscott is very kind. but not the type of person I'd trust with a child. I mean she shipped them in boxes! When a child fell out, and they found a note from her several days later, instead of helping the child, she was judged on penmanship, spelling and grammar. This isn't English class!

My favorite part of this book was at the very end, when they introduced the School for Boys of Busy Parents. If I had a chance to change anything, I would have introduced the school for boys at the beginning of the story. I'd do this to create a possible romance between headmasters for my fellow fangirls and fanboys.
One tip for reading this book, don't take it too seriously. If you do it will drive you crazy.  The book was magical and meant to be taken lightly.

I'd recommend this book to anyone ages nine to fifteen, who are looking for a light read.

A new student review of Tempus: The GenEx Saga by Holly Lauren

alison_S posted a new student review of Tempus: The GenEx Saga by Holly Lauren. See the full review.

First of all, let’s get one thing straight: from the opening hook to the messy, exhilarating final chapter, Tempus delighted me. Though Lauren’s humor could occasionally deteriorate from giggly teenage antics to corny bouts of forced comedy, I couldn’t help but smile through my groans. You could call Tempus lighthearted, even generic teen fluff, and you’d have a point; from the angelic blonde to the bad boy she falls for, Tempus’ plotline runs parallels that of most supernatural romance novels. You might consider it comfortingly familiar, or you might consider it formulaic escapism. Or you might, like me, consider it a little bit of both. Though a tangle of marginally related subplots slows the novel’s earlier chapters, Lauren whirls through Tempus’ electrifying climax fast enough to give you whiplash. So fast, in fact, several earlier subplots fade into the rush of pheromones and adrenaline.

Tempus defies just, you know, fundamental scientific laws while putting young adult lit’s tired, so-called “rules” on a pedestal. Love YA paranormal (because, despite the flimsy scientific explanation, I still consider this paranormal)? Then I’m all too certain you’ll adore Holly Lauren’s Tempus.

 

A new student review of Gaby and The Best Middle School Self-Defense Book Ever by Linda Elkin

ACS41404 posted a new student review of Gaby and The Best Middle School Self-Defense Book Ever by Linda Elkin. See the full review.

This is an excellent book.  The author of the book, Linda Elkin, did a great job of using the characters to explain how to survive middle school.  As a middle schooler myself, I could really relate to the characters and the challenges they faced.  Using Gaby and Lily, the author gives great examples on how to handle multiple problems.  I would recommend this book to all middle school girls.  It's encouraging and will make you feel differently about middle school.