A new student review of The Ghost of Sephera by J. D. Tew

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

The Ghost of Sephera was an amazing sci-fi title filled with adventure. It held my attention until the last page. J. D. Tew outdid himself with the second installment. This book had epic fights and close encounters that kept me on the edge of my seat! This series is the best I've read in a long time.

The characters and their backstories were written so well they felt true to life. Theodore could very well be a real person, because he was the best described of all the characters. Not only were the characters well written, but the author was able to fully capture the setting as well. I could easily picture what he was trying to convey.

I would recommend this book to kids ages 13 and up, because there is death and big words. If you like Ender's Game, then you will love this series!

A new student review of Fairy Godmothers of The Four Directions by Jennifer Morse

Anjel posted a new student review of Fairy Godmothers of The Four Directions by Jennifer Morse. See the full review.

When I began reading this book, I had difficulty becoming engaged with it because it didn't hold my attention. However, I became more invested in the story once I read about a quarter of the way through.

I really liked this book because of the independence and stubbornness of Cinderella; she reminded me of myself at times. My favorite character was Blackie the dog; he seemed very loyal and friendly. I would recommend this book to children 8-12, fans of Cinderella, and to young girls who love princesses!

A new student review of Meet Me At The River by Nina de Gramont

tlang posted a new student review of Meet Me At The River by Nina de Gramont. See the full review.

I easily became emotionally attached to this book. I love Tressa and Luke's relationship and I love Luke's past life story. His past life story consists of what his dad went through over and over whenever Tressa's mother broke his heart and ran away with Tressa. Luke also talks about his best childhood memories, his worst, and the memories he had with Tressa.

Tressa loved Luke because he was her very first friend; she moved around so much with her mother that she'd never stayed in one place to really make friends. However, Luke remained her friend no matter how many years they were apart. He made her laugh, taught her how to snowboard, and chose her instead of his popular friends at school. Luke is the kind of guy who would never let you down, who would give you the chance of friendship even if no one else did; he is a strong-willed man who shows how much he cares about people with his actions.

Tressa is a lonely teenage girl who doesn't have a friend except her beloved dog and Luke. After Luke's death, Tressa falls into a depression that made me want to cry along with her. The author did an amazing job with each description. I couldn't stop thinking how I would act after my best friend died. I was so attached to this book and definitely recommend it to anyone.

A new student review of The Secret Cookie Club by Martha Freeman

PurpleGoose! posted a new student review of The Secret Cookie Club by Martha Freeman. See the full review.

This book had very good details in describing the characters and was a very simple but sweet book. My favorite character in the book would have to be Grace. Grace is very smart, strong and she is a really good friend. I would suggest this book to anyone who likes stories about friendships, cookies, or light romance. I would give this book a 4.5 star rating, instead of a perfect 5 just because it did not tell us their nicknames until farther ahead in the book. 

A new student review of After Isaac by Avra Wing

piercelg posted a new student review of After Isaac by Avra Wing. See the full review.

I can say that I LOVED this book! I found the narrator easy to connect with and relate to, maybe because I have experienced the death of a very close family member. My heart ached for Aaron, as I felt I was experiencing his grief and struggles with him. The author’s descriptions were spot on with what I went through- it was clear she did her research (or has experienced it herself). When my father passed away, I remember thinking that it is true what they say...everyone handles their grief differently. But what they do not say is that you have to live with others as they handle their grief differently than you do. The author nailed that.  I cannot say enough about this book, except maybe that I could not put it down. I read it in four sittings- all in the same day. I could not go to bed without finishing it. Overall this was a very good book.

A new student review of Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven

mashagoodspeed posted a new student review of Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven. See the full review.

This book was difficult to finish because I could not connect with the characters. The main character, Cassie, is supposed to be this young girl with a lot of acting potential, but she comes off as annoying, boy crazy, and not very exciting.

This book also gets a little more explicit than was necessary, and honestly, I felt like I couldn't read this in public because had anyone read over my shoulder, they would be very concerned about the type of book I was reading. This book had great reviews on Goodreads, but I did not find it enjoyable. If you enjoyed/enjoy books like the Fifty Shades of Grey series, then maybe you would like this book.

A new student review of The Zero of Oxymoron by Pierre Moessinger

Champion721 posted a new student review of The Zero of Oxymoron by Pierre Moessinger. See the full review.

Because this story was very short, it was to the point. It gave an interesting view of how things were so long ago. One of the characters is often described as fat, which is not very nice. Thankfully the rest of the story is very good. My favorite character was Oxymoron, who did not give up his beliefs even when everybody else rejected them.

A new student review of Hexed by Michael Alan Nelson

McTower posted a new student review of Hexed by Michael Alan Nelson. See the full review.

Hexed is literally the best book ever. It definitely kept the pages turning. Hexed is so action-packed, it was never slow or boring. Michael Alan Nelson made me feel as if I was in the middle of the setting, and if I closed my eyes, what I was reading played like a movie in my head. I would absolutely recommend this to almost anyone. As long as you are interested in reading fantasy or paranormal and are at least 12, you would absolutely love Hexed.

A new student review of Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick

Star360 posted a new student review of Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick. See the full review.

Small towns, romances, and murder mysteries are typically a winning combination with me. Sadly, Becca Fitzpatrick’s latest YA novel, Dangerous Lies, did not deliver. The main character, Stella/Estella, was insufferable. You would think that as a murder witness, she would understand the importance of cooperating with the police. But no.

 

Stella was far more concerned with contacting her boyfriend than being grateful that she was kept safe. She did not stop to thank Carmina for risking her life to take her in over the summer. Instead, she whined abut how she had to actually get out of the house and find a job. A seventeen-year-old working! What a radical thought! 

 

Her brattiness diminished slightly throughout the novel, but her character arc was still not satisfactory. The main reason she changed was because she liked (quite literally) the boy next door, Chet. Now, Chet was sweet and all. Yet, he failed to convince me as a love interest. He was too perfect, the figment of a dreamy thirteen-year-old’s imagination, not a realistic teen. And her ex? Nope, nope, nope. I did like how Reed was shown mainly through letters, which is unusual in the Facebook era. Yet he reeked BAD IDEA – a warning that Stella ignored for about 98% of the book.

 

The plot was sadly predictable. The “twist” at the end had me very impatient, because I had figured it out a good fifty pages before it happened. Based on Stella’s questionable actions, I really doubt that the Witness Protection Program is as straightforward and menacing as it is in the book. After all the goal of the WITSEC is not to break up young love, but to protect witnesses.

 

I was really looking forward to this YA mystery, but I left the book disappointed thanks to an irritating main character and weak plot points. Perhaps fans of Fitzpatrick are accustomed to her writing style and will enjoy this trite read far more than I did.

A new student review of Silver Eve by Sandra Waugh

Anjel posted a new student review of Silver Eve by Sandra Waugh. See the full review.

This is the 2^nd book in The Guardians of Tarnec series. I suggest reading the first book (Lark Rising) before reading this one.

I was again amazed by the ability of the author to make me feel as if I was a part of the story. I liked how independent the girls have been in both books, like how Lark (from Lark Rising) saved Gharian by herself, wounded, and like how Evie walked the countryside by herself, helping the people with wounds and in need. My least favorite part was when the book ended in a cliffhanger. I was surprised, and slightly upset, that I have to wait to find out what happened. My favorite part was when Laurent rescued Evie the first time they met. I recommend this book to adventure-seeking girls who love fantasy.