A new student review of Liberty Frye and the Witches of Hessen (series) by J.L. McCreedy

jotaf posted a new student review of Liberty Frye and the Witches of Hessen (series) by J.L. McCreedy. See the full review.

I thought that Liberty Frye and the Witches of Hessen was a good book filled with action, adventure, and mystery. I liked the plotline that the author, J.L. McCreedy, created; it pulled me in from the first page. Also, everything was well described: from Germany to the characters, it left a beautifully painted picture. 

A part in the book that I enjoyed was when Libby tried to escape from the castle in which she was being held. Did she succeed or not? You’ll have to read to find out for yourself.  

I loved this book from start to finish. I would recommend it to students ages 11 and up, though it has characteristics that would be appealing to readers of all ages. It would also be enjoyed by people who liked The Series of Unfortunate Events, as this book is similar in some ways.

A new student review of The Acolytes of Crane by J. D. Tew

nictaf posted a new student review of The Acolytes of Crane by J. D. Tew. See the full review.

J. D. Tew wrote an excellent book that was jam-packed with adventure and action! The author has a way with words that made the story very interesting. I loved the genre of this book, which is a mix of sci-fi and fantasy.

The characters were very well written. I especially liked the character Theodore Crane, because he is a hero, and that is what I like the main character to be. I would recommend this book for ages 12 and up.

A new student review of The Brewster Boys and the Red Revenge by Stephen Dittmer

Anjel posted a new student review of The Brewster Boys and the Red Revenge by Stephen Dittmer. See the full review.

This was not one of my favorite books. I feel like there weren't enough details to imagine the scene, like there was bubble glass blocking my view. I also felt the story moved too fast. It quickly jumped from one action scene to the next. Although the characters felt real at times, they also seemed see through.

My favorite part had to be when Olaf and Yuri ditched Vallentina; it was hilarious! I thought it was really cool that I live close to this author, and that the story started in this area. This is the second book in a series, so I would recommend reading the first book because the beginning of this one was a little confusing. I would recommend this book to middle schoolers, action lovers and sci-fi lovers.

A new student review of Manicpixiedreamgirl by Tom Leveen

derbyc posted a new student review of Manicpixiedreamgirl by Tom Leveen. See the full review.

I like how Tyler has to figure out who he wants to be with, and how the story flashes to certain stories about Tyler.  My favorite thing about the book is when all of Tyler and his friends meet and get to know each other freshman year, and how they continue to be friends through good and bad times.

I was sometimes confused when the story goes back to Tyler's past.  It made me feel lost in what's going on in the present time of the book. What I disliked most of all is how the book ends. It left me hanging, wanting to know what would happen next.

I gave the book 4/5 stars.  I would not recommend this book for kids under 13 because of the content that deals with drugs and alcohol.

A new student review of The Blind Guide to Stinkville by Beth Vrabel

aliviathesmartee posted a new student review of The Blind Guide to Stinkville by Beth Vrabel. See the full review.

A Blind Guide to Stinkville is a spectacular book that shows how a small community with many differences can come together in an adventure of harmony and love. Some things that I really liked about the book was that all of the characters were very different from each other, and that the point of view was in first person, but still clearly explained the plot of the story.

 

There are a few things that I disliked about this book. One was that the author did not let the suspense of the story last very long. Another was that the vocabulary in the story was not very broad, and could be much more exciting.

 

Overall, this book is very well-written and full of humor and adventure. I would definitely recommend it to any readers looking for a fun and entertaining book. Enjoy reading!

 

A new student review of Mercy: The Last New England Vampire by Sarah Thomson

townsonm posted a new student review of Mercy: The Last New England Vampire by Sarah Thomson. See the full review.

Mercy The Last New England Vampire was well written. I could understand what was going on and it just drew me in. Once I started reading I didn’t want to stop. I liked that while she was dealing with her struggles she still had to deal with life on top of the strange unexplained experiences. What I didn’t like was that the names started to blend together and get confusing. I would recommend this book to readers 12 and older who would like an extreme paranormal story. I gave this book 5/5 stars because it was beautifully told and now it's one of my favorite books.

A new student review of Julian Rigby and the Keepers of Time (Volume 1) by John Grammatico

nictaf posted a new student review of Julian Rigby and the Keepers of Time (Volume 1) by John Grammatico. See the full review.

John S. Grammatico crafted an amazing book filled with fantasy and imagination. The characters were very well described, with descriptions like: “Freemont arrived at the front of his shop to find a stranger who stood lean and tall with his back turned. The man was clad from head to toe in what looked like a black, leather flight suit woven with medieval fabrics.”

This book was full of twists and turns, so I had no idea what was going to happen next. I think the author put exceptional thought into creating this wonderful book! I would recommend this book for students ages 9 and up.

A new student review of Warrior Kids: A Tale of New Camelot by Michael Bowler

jotaf posted a new student review of Warrior Kids: A Tale of New Camelot by Michael Bowler. See the full review.

I really enjoyed Warrior Kids: A Tale of New Camelot. I enjoyed how the author, Michael J. Bowler, was able to turn issues like global warming and pollution into a storyline that was action-packed and fun to read. I also liked the knights’ motto: do what is right rather than what is easy. If more people lived that way, then maybe pollution wouldn’t have become so bad in the first place. 

A part in the book that I really liked was when Lance had to save Billy. He had to make a pretty big sacrifice for him, but it ultimately furthered their goals. 

At times, I felt the book lost me and the action slowed a bit. It would have held my interest better in those parts if the pace had stayed consistent.

This is a stand-alone book, but there are five other books in The Knight Cycle series. I would recommend this book to students ages 11 and up, as well as to anyone who has read the other books in this series.

A new student review of Julian Rigby and the Keepers of Time (Volume 1) by John Grammatico

moseso posted a new student review of Julian Rigby and the Keepers of Time (Volume 1) by John Grammatico. See the full review.

This book was extremely gripping, and it held my attention the whole way through. The author immediately jumped into the action, yet still left enough time to introduce the plot.

 

As a United States citizen, I’m not sure how police act across the pond. In my opinion, the police in the novel came across as hostile and not helpful. This book was also more mature and male oriented than I imagined it would be; the action was too gory for my taste.

 

On the other hand, this book was written in an amazingly realistic manner and incorporated believable time travel. I felt the main character, Julian, was developed as a side note, with the action-packed plot being the main focus of the book. The action was like a curtain hanging in front of the development of the main character, which left me confused when Julian suddenly became more mature and wise. All things considered, Julian Rigby and the Keepers of Time is a captivating tale demanding your attention.

 

 

 

 

A new student review of Warrior Kids: A Tale of New Camelot by Michael Bowler

JesusFreak posted a new student review of Warrior Kids: A Tale of New Camelot by Michael Bowler. See the full review.

When I first read the description of this book, I thought it was going to be a fast-paced mystery/thriller that would keep me on the edge of my seat. However, the majority of this book was simply the characters discussing the environment. With this constant dialogue regarding climate change, the book's message to the reader that they should care about the environment came across too strongly for me.

Additionally, I wasn’t a fan of the characters. I had difficulty connecting with them and finding them likable. I’m not sure if it was the author’s goal or not, but they seemed almost too old for their age at times.

One thing I enjoyed about this book was that the author frequently stated that kids matter. I feel that adults often think that kids' opinions are worthless, or they don't take them seriously. This book stated that kids’ opinions do matter, and that they can make a difference.

Overall, this book didn't live up to my expectations. I would have found this book a more entertaining read if the author further developed the characters or brought more action into the plot.