A new student review of The History Major by Michael Phillip Cash

JesusFreak posted a new student review of The History Major by Michael Phillip Cash. See the full review.

When this book arrived in the mail, I was surprised by how small it was. At only 140 pages, it was quite a swift read. Usually, short books aren’t my cup of tea, but The History Major ​was an exception. The first thing to note was the gorgeous book cover. Although very simple, bursts of colors compliment grayer tones nicely.

The writing style that the author implemented in this story was different from a lot of young adult books I’ve read. The author’s words didn't make the reader feel stupid or juvenile, like some young teen books do.

At times, I found it hard to relate to the main character and found the side characters could be insulting. However, this may have been the author’s objective, in which case he executed it well.

Another thing I liked about this book was the plotline. Although slightly hard to follow at times, it was a very interesting plot that I was greatly invested in.

With an intriguing plot and unique writing style, The History Major by Michael Phillip Cash is sure to impress.

A new student review of The Hunt for the Missing Spy by Penny Warner

ethanlax posted a new student review of The Hunt for the Missing Spy by Penny Warner. See the full review.

The Hunt For The Missing Spy (The Code Busters Club Series)  is a great action novel with many crossroads and codes to decipher. One thing I liked about this book was that it sort of taught you many different codes from different times and countries. Another thing I liked about the book was that it was very creative, with great writing and ideas. There is one thing I didn’t really like about the book, which was that at some points it did not quite make sense. I give this book a four star rating and recommend it for ages 8-12. I also recommend this to all readers who want an interesting and mysterious book. Have a great time reading this novel!

A new student review of Zero by Tom Leveen

Melissa32301 posted a new student review of Zero by Tom Leveen. See the full review.

Throughout the book Tom Leveen makes his readers think that Zero is an overweight teenager, until she meets Mike and we discover she was just wearing really big clothes and thought she was fat. By making us think she was overweight, we could relate to her even more. Not only did she hate most of her artwork, she also hated herself. People who struggle with the way they look would read this book and realize they are not what they see. Mike was a very good guy for Zero. He showed her she was beautiful and made her more confident with herself and her art. 

A new student review of Shades of Blue by Joyce Scarbrough

CalMarie posted a new student review of Shades of Blue by Joyce Scarbrough. See the full review.

In a fast-paced series of events, Joyce Scarbrough writes a beautiful story about the troubles of adolescent kids getting a taste of the real world. The plot is well-structured in a detailed exposition and rising action. The climax and resolution were rushed and vague on details explaining the events playing out. Small scenes that foreshadowed important events should have more detail that gives the reader better comprehension of the plot without relaying too much information. The story was very interesting and addressed topics engaging to a wide range of readers.

 

A new student review of Hamster Princess: Of Mice and Magic by Ursula Vernon

Jowill posted a new student review of Hamster Princess: Of Mice and Magic by Ursula Vernon. See the full review.

I am a big fan of the Dragonbreath series, so I was really excited to read this book! It looked like it was geared more for girls and many would think the Dragonbreath series is for boys.  I like them both!

I thought this book was extremely amusing!  I enjoyed the character of Harriet.  She is funny, brave and has a great attitude! 

This book has wonderful illustrations that help keep the reader interested.  I would recommend it for anyone who likes books like Dragonbreath or Babymouse.

A new student review of Under a Purple Moon by Beverly S. McClure

Melissa32301 posted a new student review of Under a Purple Moon by Beverly S. McClure. See the full review.

This book shows the mental psyche of teenagers with deep emotions. McClure shows that "family" doesn't have to mean blood, it means love. Eden, Murphy, Toby, and Josh help each other get through their home lives by being there for each other and they get each other through each day. Sadly, a lot of kids go through constant fighting between their parents and this novel will allow people who don't go through this to see a perspective on what it's like.  The story also shows how people who do go through difficult home situations can have hope. It shows them that they'll be okay. The four teens that meet at this abandoned house aren't just there for each other but they're there for the readers too. 

 

 

 

 

A new student review of The Bolds by Julian Clary

masongill posted a new student review of The Bolds by Julian Clary. See the full review.

The Bolds is a pretty good book. The story is a quick-paced read and very funny. My favorite character was Mr. McNumpty because I could not figure out if he was a good guy or a bad guy untill the end.  And the ending was a very good suprise. The things I liked about this book was that the author did a good job of making the hyenas seem like real people and did not make them different from the other characters.  I thought that the jokes and humor in the book was engaging. My only suggestion would be that I would have loved to get to the "big problem" earlier in the book.

A new student review of Mind Over Bullies - A MOB Forms by D.K. Smith

Lcat1427 posted a new student review of Mind Over Bullies - A MOB Forms by D.K. Smith. See the full review.

Overall I would give this book four out of five stars. I loved the way Smith lured me in, making it impossible to put the book down. He is a beautiful writer, creating a milieu of the modern day high school, something I could relate to. I was easily able to connect with the characters and put myself in their shoes, making the book much more enjoyable. The only downside to this book was the counterfeiting addition. It was difficult to follow along when the chapters changed from Margo's viewpoint to the facilitators of the counterfeiting. In the end, I would recommend this book to anyone ages 12 and up.  

 

A new student review of Sidekicks by Linda Palmer

Sweetfable posted a new student review of Sidekicks by Linda Palmer. See the full review.

I really enjoyed reading this book and was entertained the whole way through. There were many aspects of this novel that were really well done. This includes the relationships, and I was excited to see how each character developed. I connected with Mia, despite our differences, as she is still very relatable. I enjoyed the pacing of the novel, which never felt rushed or too slow. The writing was also fantastic, so I never became bored. I recommend this novel for anyone looking for an amazing, quick read that is full of romance and suspense.

A new student review of The Liberation by Marissa Shrock

JesusFreak posted a new student review of The Liberation by Marissa Shrock. See the full review.

When I started reading this book, I had no idea that it was actually a sequel until I reached the author’s acknowledgements at the end. I was glad to see that even though I didn’t read the first book, the descriptions in the sequel were so informative that I wasn’t confused at all. I was also quite surprised that it was a faith-based book. The majority of young adult novels aren’t faith-based, so this was an interesting and pleasant change of course from most YA books.

The plot was what first got me interested in this book. Any novel that has a dystopian universe grabs my attention, as it is my favorite genre. From start to finish, this story was an exciting, heart-pounding adventure that never lost my interest. It especially ramped things up in the last few chapters, in which I was eager to read word after word until the epic finale.

The protagonist, Vivica, was a very intriguing character to read. The way the author wrote her made her lifelike and believable. I felt her struggles as if I was right alongside her in the novel.

With non-stop action and excellent writing, The Liberation is sure to impress.