A new student review of Fighters, Feared and Fallen by N.D. Richman

nictaf posted a new student review of Fighters, Feared and Fallen by N.D. Richman. See the full review.

N. D. Richman is back with a thrilling new addition to the Boulton Quest series! This series is getting more action-packed with every book! The characters are very well described; I was rooting for Thomas throughout this book.

 

I like that N. D. Richman took this book to a new level by changing the setting to a futuristic one. This third book adopted a more sci-fi-like feeling. Because it is the third in the series, and follows the stories of three main characters, it is not a stand-alone book. This series is so addicting; with every addition you can't wait for the next book, because each one leaves you hanging! I would recommend this book for ages 12 and up.

A new student review of The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas

JesusFreak posted a new student review of The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas. See the full review.

When I began reading this book, I wasn’t sure what to think of it. I don’t read very many murder mysteries, so I didn’t know what to expect. I’m happy to say that I was amazed by this book. From page one I was hooked on the storyline and Tessa, the main character. The plot twists had my head reeling almost every chapter. It was well written and didn’t bore me once.
All the characters in this novel were interesting in their own way. My favorite character was Tessa, who had a very strong will. She demanded to know the truth at all times, and I felt that that was a very strong character trait.
By far, my favorite part of the book were the last chapters. Though the book was suspenseful throughout the entirety of it, the last chapters really had my head spinning (in a good way).
This book is an excellent read for anyone who likes murder mysteries and who is looking for a great twist-filled book with an excellent writing style and relatable characters.

A new student review of Calamity by Brandon Sanderson

TrickyCrow posted a new student review of Calamity by Brandon Sanderson. See the full review.

This was an amazing book. The story was thrilling and held my attention until I had finished. The end felt a bit rushed when compared to the first two books in the series. It started out slowly, then went to a quick jog and then to a sprint in the pacing of the story line. They dynamic between David and the Epics was interesting. Through the interactions David's true strength is found and his past no longer holds him. There is danger at every turn for David including the dangers of just interacting with Epics even his team members. I had a great time reading this book. Most fictional books have a repeated pattern that leads to a somewhat pradictable outcome, however, this book was inventive and kept me guessing. Calamity provided an amazing end to the Reckoners series.

A new student review of Lark Ascending by Meagan Spooner

ongsai posted a new student review of Lark Ascending by Meagan Spooner. See the full review.

I read this book without previously reading the first two. I had hoped that it would give a little more background at the beginning of this book, even as a third book, but there really wasn't. It took a good while to get and idea of what was going on. Once I understood the setting a little more, I didn't really enjoy the plotline. One of the things that I dislike in fantasy/science fiction books is when authors try to combine mechanics or modern technology with magic. There are some authors who can do it well, but this one was not well done. The boundary between machine and magic just did not flow well, and there was not enough information on the magic's limits. For books like Eragon or the Moratal Instruments, there is a deeper sense of the magical part of the story. In this book, it baiscally said: "Oh, she has magic, and it can break barriers. Yay." Also, the storyline in itself was very predictable. The troubles with her "boyfriend", the trouble with Eve being like the pefect person and making Lark misjudge herself, and the fight against an all powerful organization that thinks it's doing something good for the sake of the nation were all bad renditions of things that I have read before. 

A new student review of A Most Magical Girl by Karen Foxlee

hawkreader10 posted a new student review of A Most Magical Girl by Karen Foxlee. See the full review.

 I would recommend A Most Magical Girl to anyone in grades 4 - 7 who loves fantasy.  The format of this book is a little unusual:  It starts before Chapter 1, first describing Annabel's ability to see the future in puddles, then introducing Mr. Angel.  I found this a bit confusing at first, but it made sense as I kept reading. Overall, the book was a fast, entertaining read.  Even though “A Most Magical Girl” is a fantasy, the characters were realistic and I found myself rooting for them as they tried to complete their quest.    I think fans of Harry Potter will love this book – it has a very similar plot and fantastical feel.   

A new student review of Asleep by Krystal Wade

lovereading posted a new student review of Asleep by Krystal Wade. See the full review.

This book shows that when you do something that goes against rules or morals, there will be consequences.  As Rose finds out things about the asylum, we can see it teaches us that the unseen can be seen; you just need to know how to look and give it time. This book has horror that kids in their teens will love, the romance of a couple that think that they can’t be together, and the mystery of what is to come. Asleep has a meld of everything you could want in a book. I hope you enjoy. Happy Reading!

A new student review of Minotaur by Phillip W. Simpson

O.B. WAN posted a new student review of Minotaur by Phillip W. Simpson. See the full review.

Minotaur was a good, surprising tale. It also changes the readers’ perspective on myths by making them rethink everything. It’s a mix of adventure, romance, and war. There are some sad scenes, like when Asterion’s brother dies, and when Asterion is thrown into the labyrinth. There is also a bit of romance in this book. It’s very sweet. I would recommend this book to readers of the Hunger Games and The Maze Runner.

A new student review of Shades of Blue by Joyce Scarbrough

Melissa32301 posted a new student review of Shades of Blue by Joyce Scarbrough. See the full review.

Sam and JoJo are so sweet together. They're always there for each other, and they put each other first. As they grow up Sam starts changing which scares JoJo. Her best friend has become a muscular teenage boy who started to like JoJo as more than friends. When JoJo finds out about Sam being abused, she tries to help him and get him out of the house, even if it means lying to her parents. Scarborough pulls at your heart and makes you feel so many emotions, from sympathy to heartache. Sam goes through so much because of his step-father and it's so sad to read about. The writing style in Shades of Blue was really easy to follow and I felt as though I was part of the story. I felt a lot of the same emotions as JoJo did. The only thing I didn't like about the book was that JoJo seemed younger than an eighth grader and I felt a lot older than her, when I'm only in ninth grade. 

A new student review of Search (SEEK #1) by Candie Leigh Campbell

Melissa32301 posted a new student review of Search (SEEK #1) by Candie Leigh Campbell. See the full review.

I loved this book. It was a great read! As Keira learned more about the Khayal and fell in love with Johnathan, she became a very relatable character. The relationships and emotions throughout this book were really amazing, and the plot of the story was very fun to follow. I felt like I was part of the story. I can't wait for the next book to come out.

A new student review of Six Kids and a Stuffed Cat by Gary Paulsen

Madiinfl posted a new student review of Six Kids and a Stuffed Cat by Gary Paulsen. See the full review.

This was a quick, easy and enjoyable read.  The characters are very likable and the constant banter between them was perfect for the play version of the story.  I thought it was drastically different than any other piece I have read by Gary Paulsen.

This story will be perfect for a school English class, since it can be studied as a novella and/or a play.  It is for a compare and contrast.

Having a picture of a stuffed cat on the front made me think this story was for upper elementary, but it is clearly written for middle school students.  The wit used would be above most elementary student's heads.  Some of the terms would simply not be understood by younger readers, example "emotionally tone-deaf" when describing how the boy just did not notice the needs of others.