Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George

Princess Celie loves her castle because it makes additions to itself, usually on Tuesdays.  When her parents go to her eldest brother's graduation from the college of wizards, all that returns is news of an ambush by a pack of bandits in a pass on the way home. Celie's father, mother, and brother are believed dead.  A couple of princes from nearby kingdoms come to Castle Glower in hopes of gaining the throne.  When the schemes of one prince become life-threatening, Celie and her sister Delilah hide in a new castle tower with magic spyglasses and secret passageways.  By watching the secret council chamber, they learn just how serious this prince is about destroying them.  Can Celie, Delilah, and their brother Rolf save the castle from his evil plotting?

Tuesdays at the Castle was absolutely stunning.  It was a beautiful tale of sorrow, pain, betrayal, and humor.  I have read a great deal of other books by Jessica Day George, but this one was by far the best.  I think it would be fun to live in an ever-changing castle.  This story is completely original.  It's nothing like any other book I've ever read(and I've read a LOT of books).  This book is sure to delight Jessica Day George fans, and encourage readers new to this author to read her other books.  In other words, it's the perfect book for fairy-tale lovers.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, IA USA

The Unknown Spy by Eoin McNamm

When Danny starts to wonder if his parents are his real ones or not, a strange attack happens. He then leaves the Upper World after a remarkable discovery, and goes to the Lower World, where he is reunited with Wilson's Academy, a school for spies. He is sent out on a dangerous journey with death and sacrifice. Will he survive?
This book was AMAZING! It is now one of my favorite books! It kept me interested, and I just had to keep on reading! It showed me different points of view and explained everything thoroughly. I want to read this book over and over again! There where some slight violent scenes which may be too much for younger kids, but besides that it was absolutely awesome! If I were you, I' d buy this book straight away!

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Yucaipa, CA USA

Dreams of Significant Girls

Dreams of Significant Girls by Christina Garcia is about

three girls who are nothing alike. Their names are
Vivien, Ingrid, and Shirin. They meet one summer at a
camp in Switzerland. At first, they do not get along very
well. They end up being roommates for two more summers,
which causes them to become best friends. They back each
other up when they are going through issues or first
loves. They form a bond that lasts for years after their
last year in Switzerland. The girls' differences pulled
them closer together as friends.

I thought that this
book really made me feel as if I were a part of the
characters. I thought it was well-written. I also liked
how the point of view changes from Ingrid's point of view
to Vivien's point of view to Shirin's point of view. It
made it a bit different and interesting. The plot of the
book was good though some parts were a bit inappropriate
for younger readers. I would recommend this book to older
teenagers.

strong language; inappropriate scenes for
younger readers
Reviewer Age:14 Uxbridge, MA USA

Journal of a Schoolyard Bully by Farley Katz

Niko Kaylor is feared by all-at least, he is feared by all in his middle school! He takes lunch money from innocent nerds and gives anyone willing to face his wrath the ultimate wedgie. When he gets caught, though, and he has to keep a journal of what he does in order to stop his bullying, he actually makes his feelings into a guide for wanna-be bullies. Finally, after weeks and months of being an angel, Niko makes a plan to take down the middle school once and for all, giving everyone, including the teachers and adult staff, a good lesson in bullying.

I thought this book was all right. When I was browsing for a new book, the description said that if you liked the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series that you would like this. Well, being a Wimpy fan, I got the book. I would read it again, but it wasn't my most favorite book in the world. It was somewhat hard for me to believe in Niko Kaylor, the main character, as a real person. He does things that most bullies wouldn't even think of! He dunks kids in the toilet, he launches smell planes, and more! I think that the reason that I can't believe that he is real is because this is a fiction book. oh, well! All in all, it was a fairly good book, and if you like cartoon novels, I would recommend it.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hopkins, Michigan USA

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Delaney Maxwell's survival is a miracle. She fell into an icy lake and was underwater for eleven minutes. Most people die from lack of oxygen after five, but Delaney was rescued and remained in a coma for six days. When she awoke, she had little to no brain damage, which is extremely rare. However, even though the doctors can't see it, Delaney knows there's something wrong with her. She starts to feel an inexplicable pull towards certain people. People who are dying...

I really enjoyed Fracture. The concept is extremely original, which is what drew me to the book. There are also a lot of themes in Fracture that resounded with me: survivor's guilt, parenting extremes, death, love, and even hope. As I was reading, I connected with Delaney and could feel all of her emotions, which shows how effectively the author was able to convey them to the readers. But, like I mentioned before, there were a lot of themes and plot points which made the book seem a little rushed. I wish it was longer so there was more time to develop some of the aforementioned themes. Even with this minor fault, I still really enjoyed Fracture and can't wait to see what else this author writes.

Reviewer Age:19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

The Guarneri: a prestigious violin competition that Carmen Bianchi and her mother, Diana, have been dreaming about winning since the start of Carmen's career. Carmen has been training for this her whole life, and now she finally has her moment to shine. But what happens when she meets Jeremy, one of the other contestants in the competition who is not only good looking, but also may be a better performer than Carmen?? Until Carmen met Jeremy, her whole focus had been on winning the Guarneri, but after one single kiss, Carmen just can't stay away. She relates to Jeremy as more than just a great violinist. But no matter how close Carmen and Jeremy become, he can never know her secret: Carmen takes Inderal, an anti-anxiety drug that helps her perform, and she has quickly become addicted to it. She wants to play the violin for herself, not for her mother or to beat Jeremy. Does Jeremy really love her, or is he just trying to distract her from beating him? How far will Carmen's mother go to ensure a win? Will Carmen ever play just to hear the music?
Virtuosity is a great read. Carmen is such an interesting character; I never knew what she was going to attempt next. Her addiction to Inderal also makes her character interesting. I really like Jeremy too; he brings out Carmen's character with his actions and feelings. I think Jessica Martinez does a great job of bringing out each character and throwing in major twists throughout the plot. I do like the ending, but it leaves the reader hanging because we never learn Carmen's final decision. All in all, Virtuosity is a great read. I had trouble putting it down! I would recommend this to girls who are 13 years and older and who love romance with a twist of mystery.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springfield, OH USA

Better Off Undead by D.D. Barant

Jace had the experience of coming into an alternate parallel dimension that looks exactly like Earth but instead of humans the planet is populated by werewolves, vampires and golems and only one percent is human. For Jace to go back to Earth she has to work in this world's National Security Agency. After making friends in Thropirelem, Jace's friend Dr. Pete has been magically turned into a dark side of himself called Tair and Jace is going to do anything to get Dr. Pete back. After Tair escapes from prison, Jace is on a mission to find Tair and bring back the old Dr. Pete. On her journey she faces many challenges after Tair infects her with the werewolf virus. Jace must try to keep her human self while also helping Tair become his past self again even if he doesn't want to. With help from her trusty partner Charlie, the golem, Jace gets involved in a werewolf mafia and is locked in the fight of her life.

Better off Undead is the fourth book in The Bloodhound Files series. Considering the book is the fourth one and I didn't read the other three this book made sense. The book would have made more sense of course with the other three but D.D. Barant did a good job of catching the readers up. At some points the reader can get lost in this story's plot line where one event happens then another happens with barely any explanation. The characters and setting were written well and you believed in them as if they could be real people and places. The ending was interesting and not a letdown at all.

Content:1

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Loves Park, Illinois United States

Dark Territory by J. Gabriel Gates and Charlene Keel

Ignacio Torrez moved out of L.A. to avoid becoming a gang member. However, when he gets to Middleburg, he finds himself in the middle of a gang war. The Toppers live on the rich side of the tracks, and the Flatliners are struggling to live on the other. When the leader of the Flatliners, Raphael, falls for the sister of a Topper, Aimee, both gangs start to prepare for a war. When the mysterious Magician appears to both gang leaders, the boys realize that there may be a chance for peace. Will the two gangs finally make peace or will Middleburg and the world be destroyed?
Dark Territory by J. Gabriel Gates and Charlene Keel was very interesting and entertaining. It was a little slow in the beginning but after a few chapters I started to get the feel of the story. This book, in a sense, is an awesome spin-off to Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet. The only difference is the ending. I loved all the character's personalities, especially Ignacio s. The characters made the story seem like it could be real. I recommend this book to those who like mystical beings and martial arts.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

The Guardian by Robbie Cheuvront and Erik Reed

Anna was given a gift and an option. Stay home and live a
normal life or travel the world to unlock the secret of the
scroll of John. Back in time, two hundred years ago, the
disciple John was given a scroll that would unlock the key
to the apocalypse. No one has ever solved it and now it s in
the hands of college student Anna Riley but there is danger
ahead. A very evil man, let s call him Prince, is after the
scroll and wants to use its power to conquer the world. Anna
races to solve the puzzle, beat the villains, and figure out
more of her mysterious life. This is a journey so dangerous that the Pope may not even make it.
 The Guardian had an amazing story-line with enough twists
and turns to keep you on your seat and wanting more.  The
story definitely flowed smoothly and had me wrapped up in it
so I just couldn' t stop reading.  The characters also really
made this story, Prince with his stunningly evil ways and
Anna with her humor. Even the Pope himself gets in on the
adventure! This book was fun, fresh, and has an ending I' m
sure no one will want to miss.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country:
Leawood, Kansas USA

Wildcat Fireflies

Meridian is a Fenestra, a half-human, half-angel being who guides souls to heaven.  Together with her soul mate and protector, Tens, she must rescue another Fenestra from an orphanage run by the Aternocti, who want to get rid of the Fenestra.  Along the way, Meridian meets a large cat, is chased by Nocti, learns some very interesting things about fireflies, and struggles with her relationship with Tens.  When they finally find Juliet (the Fenestra) she refuses to believe them.  Can they persuade Juliet to believe them and save her from the Nocti?

Wildcat Fireflies was a very interesting book.  I thought the Spirit Stones were a nice way to know what kind of person someone was, since they lit up when a Fenestra was near and they went dark when a Nocti was in the area.  I liked how when a person died, their window took them to a place they liked, where their family was.  An interesting thing is that Fenestra is the Latin word for window.  I think this book could be comforting for people who have lost family members and wonder what dying is like.

Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, IA USA