We Think Therefore We Are by Peter Crowther

Peter Crowther's "We Think, Therefore We Are" is compiled
with several short stories about the trepidation of
artificial intelligence. As there are many different
authors with their own points-of-view, there are many
emotions that this book evokes. From the demented machine
that thinks on the same level as a schizophrenic, to the
fastidious robot that would kill people if it would
increase production / efficiency, this book has it all.
Even religion and love are conquered, as artificial
intelligences vainly try to find God or have compassion
for others. In many of the stories, the machines try to
be more like humans and do not comprehend why they can
never be. Sure, holograms and metal can make machines
appear human, but true human emotions are never felt by
robots. That is why the fear of robots killing humans
without any tinge of remorse is so frighteningly
plausible.

The short stories in Peter Crowther's "We
Think, Therefore We Are" are definitely geared towards a
certain audience--those with a scientific background. The
impact of the book can not truly be felt by one who does
not know of how science is dashing forward. After all, to
those not immersed in science culture, the stories in the
book are just for leisure; they are not something that
will creep up on them possibly within the next couple of
decades. Overall, the book was engaging. The only flaw
was the occasional lewd sentence or interjected
obscenity. On the whole, the book is very enjoyable and
leaves readers sweating with fear if they know a thing or
two about technological development.

There are some
swear words in it.

Reviewer Age:17

Reviewer City,
State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

Fortune and Fate

The former Rider Wen has a decisively shady past. When she fails to protect her king, the ruler of the kingdom of Gillengaria, she is weighed down by guilt of her supposed failure. She flees the royal city and decides to punish herself by simply wandering around and helping those in need. Then, an unexpected event occurs. She rescues a girl named Karryn, who'd been abducted by a not-so-charming suitor. Karryn happens to be the daughter of one of the men that rose against the king, the king that Wen failed to protect. Eventually, after much frustration and confusion, Wen comes to work for Karryn and her uncle as a guard. She comes to terms with herself, a person that she'd started to hate.

This book is part of a series, one that I didn't read. It's all right to read it on its own, but might be a little less confusing to read if one had read the previous books. It was fairly well written, and the plot was pretty interesting. This was not a spectacular book, but it was a worthwhile read. The characters seemed believable, as if they were actual people. The ending was good, but a little bit predictable. I liked this book a lot. It wasn't boring, but neither was it as terribly gripping as Stephenie Meyer's books. Anyone younger than around 13 would not find this book to be that exciting.I would definitely recommend this book to anyone seeking a well-written book with elements of fantasy, action, a love story, and humor.

rating 8

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Charleston, SC USA

Seaborn by Craig Moodie

Life has gotten tough for Luke. His parents recently got divorced for some unknown reason, and his girlfriend is no longer talking to him. To top it all off his dad decides to take the two of them on sailing trip, pretending as though everything is completely normal. As if putting up with his aggravating father wasn't enough, they soon get caught in the middle of a huge storm. When his father is swept overboard, Luke is left to fend for himself on a mangled sailboat. He learns how much his father truly means to him, as he goes on a quest to find his father and himself.

This was a pretty solid book, with a good story line. Although the beginning was somewhat dull, the climax was suspenseful and captivating. The story addressed real life issues that many people can relate to. I really could understand Luke's confusion in his situation and the emotions were raw and well written. This is a good book for anyone who likes a emotional and exciting read.

Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Richmond, Virginia USA

Paper Towns by John Green

Margo had always been the mysterious girl next door whom Quentin has loved from a distance. But when Margo shows up outside Quentin's window one night he follows her and her crazy plan of retribution. The next day Quentin is excited to see how their relationship has changed, but she doesn't show up to school. Again, like many times before, Margo has gone missing. Quentin discovers she has left clues for him, possibly leading to her location. However, the only way he will find her is if he learns to see her as the girl she is, rather than the girl he thought she was.

Paper Towns is separated into three different parts, and each one has its specific purpose. I liked this layout because the three sections remained individual and unique parts. The first division set up the story. The next part had less action and was boring at parts. The last section was full of action and suspense because the plot gets extremely intense. There was humor all throughout the book that made each page an absolute joy to read. The vocabulary was perfect for the mature young adult reader, but younger children would find it inappropriate. One other compliment to the book was that there were themes and dialogue within it that made me think about life and how humans take in everything. I recommend this book to anyone wishing to read a humorous book about life.

This book contains crude humor and language.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

The Abominable Snowman by R.A. Montgomery

The Abominable Snowman is pretty much what the title says it is. The book is a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book and would be part of the mystery/adventure genre. The mystery? Your friend Carlos recently disappeared in the Himalayas while searching for the Yeti, a.k.a. the Abominable Snowman. You set off on a quest to find him.

Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman was an enjoyable read, although it was a little strange and degrading to the Yeti at some parts. As a newbie to the Choose Your Own Adventure series, I found it a little annoying that the book displayed different characteristics of the Yeti in almost every ending. One ending, for example, had the Yeti as a bit of a psychopath! Another example makes the Yeti harmless. Another thing that's a put-down to the Yeti is one ending in which the Yeti is a tribe from the planet Borodoz and you're the prince of a tribe of superior beings from Atlantis. If that's not humiliating enough, there's an ending on the very next page where people can change from a Yeti to a UNICORN! There's the ultimate put-down for the Yeti. However, the book managed to get most of their Yeti facts straight, which is something you usually don't see in fictional cryptid books.

Overall, The Abominable Snowman is a good campfire read or a under-your-covers-with-a-flashlight book (unless you don't like it when cryptids are compared to Atlantis or unicorns or shape shifters).

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Denton, Texas United States

Devil May Ride by Wendy Roberts

Meet Sadie: a clairvoyant who can talk to murdered people and, ironically, has the job of cleaning up a crime scene after someone dies. When cleaning up a scene involving a young mother who went through a violent C-section and the woman's dead biker boyfriend, Sadie accidentally interrupts a satanic cult ritual involving a goat and a baby and discovers thousands of dollars that belong to the biker gang. Now Sadie is on the run from the devil himself and the biker gang who thinks that she stole their money.

The book also throws a personal twist into the mix. Sadie's brother killed himself six years previously and his ex-fiancee is somehow connected to the cult. Now Sadie has to find out what happened to cause her brother's death and ultimately finds the reason why she has her powers. As if she didn't have enough to handle, Sadie is falling for her partner Zack who happens to be sleeping with another co-worker. How much can Sadie handle before she cracks?

I absolutely loved this book! The mix of supernatural phenomenon and mystery with a slight dash of romance makes for an exiting story. The book incorporates themes from both CSI: and Ghost Whisperer, yet the book has absolutely nothing to do with characters from the shows. I loved the way Ms. Roberts developed the characters. If you are interested in forensic science or the supernatural, I would highly suggest this book!

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Pottstown, PA United States

Been There, Survived That

"Been There, Survived That" is a book about surviving the dreaded freshman year of high school. It is written by four teenagers (one of them being a freshman while the book was being written) and edited by Karen Macklin. The book is broken up into three sections: Social Advice, Academic Advice, and Practical Advice. Each section contains smaller sections of advice that are two pages long, with one page giving the advice and a second page giving a chart of some sort that relates to the subject. The book also contains a "flipbook", which is a small sketch in the bottom corner of the book that shows a guy writing "Been There, Survived That" on a piece of paper.

I felt that the book lacked practical advice, despite having a whole section called that. I also felt slightly disturbed because there were several pieces of advice that are highly controversial, such as "Learning How to Fake It". It says that, "in order to make it through high school alive", you have to occasionally tell a lie. I believe that you can still make it through high school without telling lies about who you are. To put it in a book and encouraging people to do this is, in my opinion, completely unacceptable. Another section tells kids how to fake sick, which I also do not agree with. This book is useless with its advice, and I would definitely not recommend this.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Westerville, Ohio USA

The Oak Hotel by Walter G. Klimczak

Kayleigh's parents need to sell her grandparent's old house by Christmas. Her mom gives her permission to bring her best friend, Lincoln, to look around the house and keep anything they find. When they get to the house they find a book that has a screen in the front cover.

The book takes them to an unknown world called Burnam, where they meet
several people and learn that the trees can transport people from one place
to another. Then they meet Kayleigh's grandfather, who's king in that
world, and finds out she's a princess. They go on and have many more adventures together.

I thought the book was good but it seemed a bit too young for me. I would recommend it to student in grades 4-6 who like science fiction. It is not very difficult to read and not very long.

Reviewer age: 14
Leopold, MO USA

The Ghosts of Lone Jack by Lance Lee Noel

Jared Millhouse is spending the summer in Lone Jack,
Missouri when he encounters the ghost of a long-dead
innkeeper in the woods behind right field. Soon other
ghosts and groups of ghosts begin to make their presence
felt. First comes the innkeeper. Next, a gang of ball-and-
chain wielding slaves appear. Hot on their heels are two-
headed Indian ghosts. And then, there are the soldiers,
reliving the battle of Lone Jack, exactly as it happened in
1862. They all demand "the key". Now, it's up to Jared, his
friends, and two whacky ghost hunters to find this key and
save Lone Jack - from itself. This book is based on a real
Civil War battle so it's mostly adventure, but also part
mystery.

The author achieved his purpose, which was to
write an entertaining book in a way that was both effective
and easy to understand. Although there is a large amount of
detail (which you sometimes need to understand the story-
line)in some places it is a bit too much. My overall
response to the book was one of complete fascination. I
would not recommend taking it to school to read. Once you
start, you can't stop! It's addictive. The characters feel
like your friends and neighbors, the action feels like its
taking place all around you. I liked the ending but it left
me wondering what happened to Jared and Lone Jack - it
cries out for a sequel.(Lance Lee Noel, if you're reading
this, write one!) You don't have to know much about the
Civil War to understand and enjoy this book. I recommend it
to anyone wanting to read an exciting, true life adventure
story.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and
Country: Lusby, Maryland USA

Mao-Chan

Mao Onigawara, Misora Tsukishima, and Sylvia Maruyama are three grade school students who are also members of the Defense Corps of Japan. Mao specializes in ground defense, Misora in air defense, and Sylvia takes part in the naval defense. Dangerous aliens have been invading Japan, and it is up to the girls to stop them. However, the aliens are very cute and deceiving. Their separate grandfathers want their own granddaughter to get the glory from working alone, and this prevents the girls from working together. If they cannot find a way to combine their defenses then the aliens will not be put to a stop.

Mao-Chan is, as the description suggests, a very cute manga. The three girls have wonderful personalities that tie into the book very well. Also, the aliens themselves were distinct in appearance and characteristics. The drawings were very excellent; I found myself looking at them for a while before continuing to read. One minor feature that I did not like was that the book would probably entertain a younger audience more than an older one. This is because the characters are younger themselves, so they appeal to readers of the same age. The overall storyline was amusing, but it was not a page turner. I recommend Mao-Chan to readers who like a wide variety of manga.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

Runner

Flamingnet Student Book Reviewer VBer
This book was about Jane Whitefield, who helps people run away from their old lives so that they can survive in a new one. Jane takes the person and gives them a new identity far away from their old friends and family so that they will never be seen again. For several years she has not done this, because she has made a new life for herself, one where she doesnt have to worry about being killed every second of her life. Enter Christine, a timid secretary who has landed herself in a lot of trouble with her ex-boyfriend. Only Jane can save her but it will mean that she has to give up that whole not getting killed idea for a while. As the details of Christines life are revealed things that were just dangerous before become perilous adventures. Will everyone come out alive??? Find out in Runner.

This was an excellent thriller that I could not put down. The author was dealing with some pretty weird circumstances in the book but I believe that he handled that and the crazy plot very well. I was lost a little bit in the beginning, but I figured it out by the end. The only bad thing about the book was that I thought the sexuality was over the top at some points, but that did not really take away from the story, it was just an annoyance.

The only caution I have for readers is the aforementioned sexuality and extreme violence. You should be at least 12 or 13 to read this book.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Exeter, NH, USA

The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir

Cylin Busby is a regular nine-year-old girl with a perfectly ordinary family. Her father, John, is a police officer working for the town of Falmouth, New Jersey. Her mother is a med student. Her two brothers are stuck in their middle school lives. While John was driving to work one day, someone leveled an untraceable shotgun at his window, which leaves his lower jaw dangling off of his face, and provides a horrific foretaste of the Busbys' life thereafter. As John suffers with not being able to eat or talk, the rest of the family is put under twenty-four-hour surveillance, because they fear the shooter, a convicted arsonist, will come for the family too. Find out what becomes of the Busby family in The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir, by John and Cylin Busby.

The Year We Disappeared is an intriguingly tense memoir. I find it very appealing because you get both sides of the true story from the father's and the daughter's perspective. This book shows how injustice can change peoples' lives; how you may live a normal life one second and the next second that life can be turned upside down! This is definitely one of the most captivating books I have ever read. Page turning and intense, John and Cylin keep you asking for more. I expect that The Year We Disappeared will be a popular read for young adults and adults alike.

Lots of bad language, violent scenes, and frightening situations.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Osseo, Wisconsin United States

The Snake Prince of Montreal by Aliana K. Deveza

Agatha and Lucille are best friends. Lester and Prince Aaron are best friends. Lester likes Lucille who likes Aaron who likes Agatha who likes Aaron. Aaron and Agatha marry, making Lucille angry. So she runs off to her aunt (a black witch) and learns dark magic to plan revenge on Agatha. On the day of Aaron and Agatha's wedding, Lucille shows up out of nowhere and curses their unborn son. Every full moon, he will turn into a snake! Will he ever break the curse?

This book felt like a Dick and Jane book; the sentences were very choppy and didn't flow well. That was before I read the About the Author section. Turns out it is very good for her age - she is only 11! It had a very good storyline but I think the author could have given more detail. It was a cliffhanger ending, so I am going to have to locate the second book!

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Gearhart, Oregon United States

Rating: 5

Content Rating: 1

The Flame and the Shadow by Denise Rossetti

Cenda has just gone through a horrible experience losing her baby daughter. But out of the tragedy, she gained an invaluable power - the ability to call and control fire. Even though Cenda wants nothing to do with it, she must quickly find a way to manage the power before it ruins her. What she doesn't know is that there are hunters out looking for her, including Grayson, the Duke of Ombra.

Gray has his own agenda. As the Sorcerer of shadows, for as long as he can remember, he's been stuck with Shad. Gray believes that Shad is the darkness within himself, so he's on a mission to rid himself of Shad, even if he has to destroy people he loves.


As Cenda slowly starts to fall in love with Gray. But then she discovers that he's about to betray her and she must do something to save herself before it's too late.

This book has an interesting premise. I like reading fantasy books once in a while and this one fit the bill. But this wasn't the best novel that I've read in that genre. It seemed that the story focused more on the sex rather than on the plot. Personally it was a slow read. I would recommend this to a very select audience, and especially older readers.

This is definately for older readers because there is sex and language in the novel.

Reviewer Age:21

Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

The Twilight Companion by Lois H. Gresh

If you're a big fan of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, then this is the book for you! Just released to coincide with the movie, this guide gives behind the scenes information about the novels and their characters. Also included in this book are spotlights on the history and myths of vampires, werewolves, and much more. This Twilight Companion provides insights on almost everything regarding the Twilight books. By the end of this book, the reader should be very knowledgeable about Twilight and vampires.

While this book was entertaining at some parts, overall it wasn't my favorite read. This book initially caught my eye because I loved the Twilight books. I really liked the history parts of the book, especially the parts on vampires. The author did quite a bit of research to get the facts. But I didn't really like her sarcastic writing style and the numerous quizzes didn't really grab my interest. But I would highly recommend this guide to any Stephenie Meyer fans.

Reviewer Age:21

Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

Willow by Julia Hoban

The story of Willow, a teenage cutter who's addiction to the razor stems from the night her drunken parents were killed in a car wreck. The twist is Willow was the one driving the car that rainy night when she lost control of the wheel. Now it is hard for her to face the world without feeling like a murderer. The only glimmer of hope in her life is Guy, the love interest who is unwilling pulled into the drama of Willow's life.

A typical young adult novel. True it is the common "teen issues" that draw readers into these kinds of stories, but it can be said reading about these issues over and over again tend to make the genre a bit stale. Credit can be given to the author for trying to add a new twist to the tale yet it still can be put into the category of "just one of those teen books." There were some problems with pacing. For instance at times you don't realize a conversation takes place in two settings and by the time this is noticed you can not pin point the place were the transition occurred. The love interest was stereotypical for a teen novel, always popping up in the right places and being undeniably perfect. But again it is the "perfect relationship" image that young girls fawn over. The novel did end on a good note though. And although some people may view it as unrealistic, or soap opera like, or wonderfully sweet or perfect, you at least could put the book down without waiting for the sequel to find out if Willow's addiction was truly dealt with.

Since this book is about a cutter, some images described may not set right with young, or perhaps even mature readers, if they're sensitive to blood. Some inappropriate language and at one point Willow and her love interest Guy decide to have sex. Not much detail is mentioned, but still, it may not be appropriate for young readers.

Reviewer Age: 15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Holly Springs, North Carolina United States of America

Shadows in the Twilight by Henning Mankell

Shadows in the Twilight by Henning Mankell is about Joel, a twelve year old boy who experiences a miracle. A bus runs right over him. Unbelievably, it does not crush him. Luckily, Joel ended up directly between the tires and does not even get a scratch on him. Once Joel realizes what a miracle he experienced, he believes that he must do a good deed for the world in return.

I personally did not care for this book. It was extremely random and the thoughts were erratic. One example is Joel contemplates whether or not he should have been born a girl instead of a boy. The book was very odd. Another strange thing that happened in the story is that Joel goes into his mother's closet and tries one of her dresses on. I would not recommend this book, I found it boring and weird.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Lemoore, CA US

The Clone Elite by Steven L. Kent

This novel is action, adventure, science fiction, and has a military focus. This story is set in the years 2154 and 2155. Humanity had controlled the Milky Way Galaxy, but an alien force has quickly began conquering every planet inhabited by humanity for their own colonization. The two remaining human worlds, Earth and New Copenhagen, have lost contact with the conquered worlds and have received messages from the aliens saying that both of the remaining worlds will soon be invaded. Humanity decided to protect Earth by sending all their troops to New Copenhagen, which will be attacked first. All foot soldiers in the military are clones but these clones do not know they are clones. To recruit soldiers, all clones are forced into the military by the Elite Conscription Act, including Wayson Harris. Harris is a special type of extremely violent clone called a Liberator, and he knows he is a clone. He also quit the army before because clones were used as bait and left to die. However, time is running out for all of humanity, and Harris must find a way to lead his clone troops to victory.

I believe that this is a superb novel. The futuristic setting keeps readers occupied with a unique type of alien and clone military. The book was never slow because there was always action, battles, arguments within the army, and new discoveries about the alien adversary. It is the fourth in a series, but I had not read the previous books and still understood the plot. I may now go back and read the earlier books, however. I have always loved science fiction and action novels and would recommend this book primarily to people who enjoy the same. The novel is not very deep, and there is not much character development by the main character. The emphasis is on adventure.
This book contains cursing, implied sexual activity, and lots of death and violence.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Royersford, PA United States

The Ghosts of Kerfol by Deborah Noyes

The Ghosts of Kerfol was originally a ghost story told by Edith Wharton that was later turned into a novel by Deborah Noyes. Noyes takes Wharton's original story and uses the basic plot of it - a young Frenchwoman titled Anne de Barrigan is convicted of murdering her jealous husband and lord over the Kerfol manor, Yves de Cornault - expanding it into six intertwining tales that all link to the murder at Kerfol over different time periods.
The setting is the Kerfol manor which is the stereotypical haunted house. The author, Noyes, tends to use too much description in places and not enough in others. There are many different characters, considering the book is six intertwining tales, making it difficult to relate to any specific character. The author's voice is that of the main character in their particular story, which helped the focus some - although the stories strayed in many directions. The writing style mimics the era the author is trying to convey. At times it does spike an interest in the story, although overall it lacks clarity.


Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Holly Springs, North Carolina United States of America

Imaginary Friends by John Marco & Martin H. Greenberg

Everyone has had an imaginary friend. It may have been someone your age, a dog, or some memory left over from a tragic incident. All of them have either helped you or hurt you in their own way. This is a compilation of thirteen original stories about people and their beloved, and their not-so-beloved, imaginary friends. From a dragon and his imaginary human to a toy mountie coming to life to help save a woman's imagination, these imaginary friends bring chaos into the lives of their creators.

This book was an amazing collection of thirteen stories written by thirteen amazing authors. They made me smile and laugh, and they also made me cry. Some of the stories were confusing and didn't have a very clear plot line. They were muddled and made no sense. Others were clear and exciting, making me want more once the story was finished. A few were centered around psychological problems that kind of made for a scary read. All together, the stories made for very good reads.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, Pennsylvania USA

Eon by Alison Goodman

Eon wishes he could be a normal boy. He is a cripple that
has nowhere else to turn except to his master's house. He
must work hard and be chosen by the Rat dragon to become a
dragoneye, one who controls the dragon's power. Out of the
twelve apprentices, he is the worst. No one knows how a
dragon picks so his luck is as good as anyone else's.
There's another problem. Eon isn't a boy; he is actually a
girl named Eona. If anyone were to find out this deep
secret, Eona and her master would die. Follow her path.
Either, she will be defeated with her master or fool a
whole empire. Only you will find out.

I love this book!
This book is a fantasy reader's dream with twists and
turns that will keep you guessing till the end, plus magic
and fights that will put you in the scene. It is a book
that will tempt you to keep reading till it's finished.
You will be rooting for Eona the whole time. GIRL POWER!
Recommended to the hard core fantasy readers and also
anyone looking for a good read. I have high expectations
for the second book in the series.

Reviewer
Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Eaton's neck,
New York United States

Against The Tide by Hope Irvin Marston

This book is an inspirational story about a brave-hearted young lady. Based on a true story, you follow along with young Margaret as she is torn between her family and religion. She lives in a time of dragoons, kirks, unfair laws, and religious restrictions in 17th century Scotland. She is empowered to stay faithful to God but her life is threatened. With her true love and brothers off in hiding and her faith as strong as ever, will she do the unthinkable and run away with her younger siblings, or stay to keep her family safe? If she does leave, will she be caught?

Since the book was based on a true story it was more powerful. Margaret was very inspirational. I don't know how many girls could do what she did. I would recommend this to anyone would has just started reading historical fiction as well as those who have always loved historical fiction. This was not the most well written book but it was definitely a good book.

It has a few violent and disturbing thoughts and actions.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Germantown, TN United States

Rating: 10

Content Rating: 3

The Musician's Daughter by Susanne Dunlap

Maria Theresa lives in a place of murder and love otherwise
known as 18th-century Vienna. Her father turns up dead on
Christmas Eve, and the event does not help her pregnant
mother, little brother, or herself in any way. Theresa
finds a clue to her father's death when she notices the
gold pendant on his neck. Her friend Zolt￡n and godfather
Haydn help her overcome her struggle and sadness, and also
teach her about the secret life of her father. Meanwhile,
Theresa is learning more and more about her shifty uncle
and some interesting gypsies. Who exactly murdered her
musical father, and what role do they play in society?

An interesting mix of mystery, music, and romance is found in
The Musician's Daughter. The mixture of these genres
ensures that all kinds of readers will remain interested in
the book. I didn't particularly care for the musical aspect
of the story. However, the characters and plot were
interesting. A strength of the book is the multitude of
characters. However, after a while, I would forget which
characters were related and who was who. While it was a
good book, I didn't find myself always wanting to read it.
I recommend this book to readers interested in music and
mystery.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

The Seems: The Split Second by John Hulme & Michael Wexler

The Seems: the Split Second is the sequel to the book The
Seems: the Glitch in Sleep. This is a fantasy book in
which two brave young people go on a Mission to Fix what
happened because of a Time Bomb, a bomb that can destroy
Time on earth. Fixer Becker Drane and Briefer Shan Mei-Lin
travel through other peoples Frozen Moments, moments people
will never forget, that are melting. When Fixer Drane
arrives at his own Frozen moment, he and Briefer Shan get
separated. From there, the story takes an exciting turn.
Whether it is broken Split Seconds or snow filled
landscapes, this story is sure to keep you turning the
pages.

This book is like no other. Even though it is not
a Harry Potter-type fantasy, it is a good book for fantasy
lovers. The beginning is a little slow, but once the ride
starts up, it doesn't slow down. When I got the book, The
Seems: the Split Second I tried to read the first chapter,
but it was very confusing. I went back and read the first
book and then it all made sense. I strongly suggest reading
the first book, The Seems: the Glitch in Sleep, first, like
I did.

Content Rating: 1
Rating: 9
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Harleysville, PA USA

Trouble My Way

Karis Reed tries hard to be a godly person. She doesn't
mean to get into trouble; trouble seems to find her. When
Karis is busted for being at a boy's house unsupervised,
her mother takes away all of her electronics and grounds
her. Karis feels unjustly punished, and decides to take
matters into her own hands. Behind her mother's back,
Karis borrows her friend's cell phone which ends up being
a disaster and gets her into even more trouble. Will Karis
and her mother ever be able to get along? And can Karis
start acting like the good person she knows she is inside?

This book was okay. It was the author's first attempt
at writing young adult fiction and the writing showed her
inexperience. The premise of the story was good, but the
plot could use some doctoring. Parts of this book were
unrealistic and characters reacted to events differently
than what normally would be expected. Despite this, I
could tell that Karis was a good person even though she
got into all kinds of shenanigans, which is what the
author wanted to achieve. There were even some funny
moments that made me laugh. All in all, a good read that
could have been better with some more TLC.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States

Miley Cyrus by Brittany Kent

Miley Cyrus’s secrets and personal past, celebrity lifestyle, and much more, are revealed to you. With the help of this book, the reader ventures deeply into Miley’s world. This magazine style scrapbook is simple to read, yet informative. It is chock-full of photographs, fun facts, quotes, quizzes, and everything you ever wanted to know about Miley’s life.

This book served its purpose by presenting many surprising and interesting facts about Miley. I enjoyed the good advice on friendships and fashion, but was never truly engrossed in the hodgepodge of interview quotes. In my opinion, a complete interview might have been a better format. This book may best suit some of Miley’s super fans looking for the dish on their favorite star, but is not for her occasional admirers.

Reviewer Age:10

Reviewer City, State and Country: Cockeysville, MD USA

Book One of the Iron Elves: Darkness Forged in Fire

Konowa Swiftdragon is not your average elf; he was marked by the evil Shadow Monarch, was commander of the Iron Elves (a special branch of Her Majesty’s Military), killed a viceroy, and had his beloved Regiment disbanded. After his court-martial for killing the viceroy, Konowa was sent to the one place he hates the most, the forest. Now Konowa is called upon to reform the Iron Elves, but only as the second-in-command. However, the new Iron Elves are not his regiment from before. A legendary, magical Red Star falls from the sky and Konowa and the Iron Elves are in a race against several opponents to reach it first. If they fail to claim the Red Star, the empire may be doomed.

A Darkness Forged in Fire is a witty and tantalizing tale. I absolutely loved it! The characters are thought out and written well. The mood of the story changed depending on the situation; it was sarcastic and funny, but serious whenever the plot dictated. The main points of the story are well laid out and understandable. The text was very descriptive and enjoyable to read. This was an amazing read!

Sexual references and killing.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, PA USA

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Ever is sixteen and has been in an accident, where her family dies. After this tragic experence, Ever goes to live with her aunt and is presented with a new life. Most people would love it, but Ever just wants her life to be back to normal. Since the accident she can hear people's thoughts, see auras and know a person's life story by one small touch. Not only that, she can see her dead sister. Then Damen comes along and seems to be the cure to her weird gifts, yet there is something different about him.

I thought this book was very good! The author creates a great picture of each and every character in the book. I am a fan of the twlight series and I recommend this book to those who like the series as well. It is a very quick read, with all the interesting twist and turns in this book.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, PA USA

Need by Carrie Jones

Pixies have uncontrollable needs, and now one is stalking
Zara. Her step-father has just died, and she is living
with her step-grandma in Maine. At her high school, she
meets several friends: Issie, Devyn, and Nick. As she
learns more about them she also learns more about herself
and her phobias. As Zara gets accustomed to one fear, she
gains reason to add another to her fickle list. New
characters become involved frequently as Zara learns more
and more about the horrible nature of pixies. Who exactly
is after her, and what does he want from her?

Need was an exciting book to read because of the use of suspense.
The plot has great use of details and irony. This keeps
the reader interested and willing to continue reading. The
characters are not necessarily round, but they do display
significant traits that differentiate them from each
other. In the beginning of each chapter, it is named with
a phobia. I thought this was unique, but after a while it
didn't interest me and I stopped bothering to read them.
The resolution of the book was definitely worthy of
praise, and I loved the action that the climax had built.
This is a great book for suspense and romance lovers to
read.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and
Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

Ancient Forces

Ancient Forces is another collection of Bill Myers exceptional stories from the Forbidden Doors series. This one includes books 10-The Ancients, 11-The Wiccan, and 12-The Cards.
The Ancients - Becka and Scott have been sent on another mission by their mysterious friend Z. This time to the mountains of New Mexico where a Native American cult has been greatly mislead in their teachings of religion. It is not only the Natives who are in trouble here though. When Scott is led astray by these new ideas, they are all placed in great danger.
The Wiccan - There is this new show on TV that everyone is watching called ”The Hex”. It has a lot to do with a type of witchcraft called Wiccan. But it's just a TV show, so everybody knows those things aren't real, right? Sarina, the star of the show, has been promoting this witchcraft as a type of healing practice and many of Becca's friends are captivated by it. Can she stop them before they get in too deep? Can she reach out to Sarina and show her truth?
The Cards - Philip, a close friend of Rebecca, has been going through a trying time in his life. Overwhelmed with stress, he turns to the tarot cards for a bit of insight into the future. But what do they really offer?

Once again I was very pleased with Bill Myers' book. Each story addressed a different way that demons may try to trick you into turning away from God. It reminded me to stay strong in my faith and not to be too open to new ideas. On a more critical note, however, I did not enjoy this collection nearly as much as the last one I reviewed, Invisible Terror. It was not as exciting for me, but that may just be personal opinion.
If you are interested in discussing or learning more about the Forbidden Doors series I highly suggest checking out this page: http://www.forbiddendoors.com/home.htm
Forbidden Doors
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Osseo, Wisconsin USA

Cry of the Wolf by Rachel Roberts

Adriane has always shared a special bond with the
mistwolf Stormbringer. So when Storm finds out that she is
not the last of her kind and follows them to another
world, Adriane is determined to find the pack. Then she
finds that the Dark Sorceress has captured them. When she
meets an unexpected friend, they work together to free the
animals. But what is the mysterious rock that has been
following them around.

I was surprised that I still
understood most things without reading the second book in
the series. This book really describes where these sick
animals are coming from. I liked how the author had a
subplot including the mistwolves and the only other human
on Aldenmor. The book also explains how there is a safe
place, which is why not all of the animals on Aldenmoor
are infected with disease. I thought this was a good third
book in the series.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Exeter , New Hampshire US

Isabelle's Boyfriend by Caroline Hickey

Taryn's mom is recently divorced and she replaced her husband with a dog!!! Her mom treats the dog better then Taryn, her own daughter. But that is just one of the problems that Taryn has to face. Taryn goes to an all-girl's school and she is not the most popular girl on the block. Taryn is taking her dog for a walk when she runs into the boy of her dreams. The down side is his girlfriend is the most popular girl at her school, Isabelle Graham. As Taryn schemes to take Isabelle's boyfriend, she ends up being friends with Isabelle. Taryn is now popular and goes to all the parties, and she likes her new life. So she is faced with the decision of her new life or the boy. Which will she choose?

This book never grabbed my attention at all. It was definitely not what I was expecting. The book had no climax and the author just kept going on about a certain plot point. Then it felt like she was rushing at the end of the book. The book wasn't completely boring, I was able to sit through it, but I would not recommend this book to others. It is a quick read; I read it in one day. The ending didn't really do much for me; it summed it up, but it just sort of felt like it should have ended differently.

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Tipp City, Ohio United States

Scene of the Crime by Malcom Rose

Do you watch in CSI? Well, it's a great inside look at how forensic scientists figure out who commited a crime. The pictures are very colorful and detailed and easy to read. The book goes step by step to uncover the truth of how the murder happened. There are interesting facts along the way as well as indepth descriptions of what the investigation entails. You don't just read it, you discover who commited the crime yourself!
My opinion of this book was great. It wasn't what I expected for my first book but it was really interesting. The pictures help make the investigation real and exciting. The explaination of the book is very well done and descripive. It was very awesome!

The book has violence in it and isn't appropriate for children.

Reviewer Age:18

Reviewer City, State and Country: Newville, Pennsylvanis United States

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

It's Shakespeare's classic story of Macbeth, with lines untouched. The story begins with the king learning of Macbeth's fearless fighting on the battlefield. The king, it appears, is so impressed he decides to reward Macbeth in some way. Shift to Macbeth, our tragic hero, who has no lofty ambitions until he comes across the three weird sisters who inform him that he is to become Dane, and foretell his becoming a powerful king. Macbeth is skeptical at first but when he learns the king has indeed appointed him to such a position he begins to lust for even more power. Soon, he has vaulted down a road of obsession, greed, and guilt a combination that has nasty consequences. But how far is too far? Shakespeare's play goes on to explore the ideas of fate, the power of suggestion, and Machiavellian politics, in a truly emotional story that will grip you from the start.
I can't really say anything against Shakespeare's storytelling prowess. The graphic novel aspect of Classic Comics version of Macbeth made it much simpler to understand the more difficult parts of the play. It really is the best of both worlds: readers get to experience the integrity of Shakespeare's original text while getting the extra help of the graphics to better grasp the nuances of the play. The lines suddenly jump out with a vivacity that wouldn't otherwise be possible; they come alive. The comics helped make the play more understandable and thus more enjoyable without altering the lines. I would highly recommend it for anyone who wishes to explore Shakespeare, but is too afraid to tackle the challenges of Elizabethan English alone.

The play addressed some darker aspects of human nature...including murdering for the sake of personal gain. Additionally, to portray such things the comics showed some graphic pictures of violence, that younger children might feel squeamish seeing. Finally, Elizabethan english is difficult to understand, especially for younger kids.

Reviewer Age:17

Reviewer City, State and Country: Bellevue, WA USA

The Youngest Templar by Michael Spradlin

Tristan of St. Alban's has always lived his life with the monks. Now, he is being whisked away as Sir Thomas's squire. The Saracens are trying to conquer the Holy Land, and Tristan has been pushed into the conflict. Soon he meets a possible traitor within the Knights Templar and is entrusted with the most sacred relic in all Christendom. Tristan leaves Sir Thomas behind as he runs to deliver the relic to safety. His new allies, Robard Hode and a female assassin, help him remain alive and able to continue his quest. Can Tristan make it to safety with the Holy Grail?

By reading the summary of The Youngest Templar I knew it would be about the Crusades. However, I did not expect to read an extremely provoking, fiction story. While the beginning is slightly slow, the additions in plot move swiftly and beneficially in exciting the reader. The vocabulary was perfect for the young adult age group. Also, the character's personalities were intriguing, and the context clues made me want to know more about Tristan. On the downside, many conflicts were left untold and I will have to wait until the second book comes out to find more information.


Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

Rating: 7
Content Rating: 1

The Otherworldlies by Jennifer Anne Kogler

Fern has always been different. She knows this, and her family knows this. What she DOESN'T know is that she is not really human. She's a vampire, an "Otherworldy." The kids at school pick on her, with the exception of her brother and another vampire, and one of the popular girls. Together, the three children set out to discover the truth about Fern.

I loved this book to pieces! The author wrote the story so that it almost seemed like you were there, watching it unfold. The author made the characters very believable, and I loved all the main ones. I think that the story was wrapped up quite nicely, though there was room enough for a sequel, if desired. The vocabulary used was appropriate for middle school and up, though some elementary school kids would understand and enjoy the book as well. This book is different from other vampire books I've read, because the author took the term vampire and completely redefined it. I loved this book, and begged my library to get a copy so that others could enjoy it as well.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Highland, MI USA

The Floating Circus by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

The Floating Circus by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer tells the story of Owen, a 12-year-old orphan in 19th century Pittsburgh, PA. As the book opens, Owen seriously damages his arm falling out a tree at the orphanage where he and younger brother, Zack, live. Within weeks, they are herded onto a train with dozens of other orphans being sent out West to be adopted. The boys have to give up their dream that their penniless mother and alcoholic father will reclaim them, but they still hope to be placed together. Although they are accompanied by two elderly Quaker sisters who dote on them, Owen fears that his useless arm will prevent anyone from adopting him. Not wanting to hurt Zack's chances for a new family, he runs away. He ends up on one of the 'floating' circus boats on the Mississippi River, after being saved from drowning by Solomon, a former slave who has bought his freedom, but is still subject to a multitude of indignities. Although Owen works with many animals, the elephants really capture his fancy. This book relates the adventures of a young boy trying to find his own niche in the world, and also discovering the tough reality that African Americans faced in 19th century America.

Although historical fiction is not my favorite genre, this book had a relatively interesting story line, with the intriguing theme of trying to find your place in the world. Even though I was interested in Owen, and the descriptions of circus life were fascinating, the main reason that I kept reading the book was to find out what happens to Solomon, a free African American, and former slave. Solomon reveals that he has made terrible mistakes in the past, but he is goodhearted and tries to protect Owen as well as the circus animals from cruel treatment. The author's research is impressive, and her writing is clear, but there were so many subplots--including one involving the Greenes, a circus family whose son Caleb befriends Owen, and also features a depressed mother, and a beautiful, snooty daughter. The ending was disappointing for me as it left too many loose ends hanging, particularly Solomon's fate. I usually read a book in a few hours or days, but this book took weeks to get through as it rambled along and did not hold my attention very well. Even though this book is not at the top of my list I would still recommend it to readers between 9 and 14, especially if they like historical fiction, or are curious about circus life.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hingham, MA USA

My Name is Number 4 by Ting-xing Ye

In a time where what your parents did defines who you are, Ting-xing Ye is growing up. As the Cultural Revolution evolves and changes from white to black, Ye is trying to go to school and become smart enough to go to a University like her brother. That is the only way for her to become independent of welfare and live a better life then what she has. But when Ting-xing Ye is sent to a prison farm so her sister can get a job, not only has it become a much more difficult struggle to survive, but also it means the chances of her going to a University are getting thinner and thinner. Injuries and sickness plague the farm, but will Ting-xing be able to survive and overcome, and eventually be able to achieve her dreams?

Wow. Wow and amazingly good. That's really all I can say about this book. For this author to be able to go through what she did and then write about it is truly amazing to me. My Name is Number Four is a shockingly true poetic novel that will have every single person who opens the book unable to put it down. Not only is this book surprisingly easy to fallow, it also educates the reader about the Chinese Cultural Revolution without being boring or sounding to much like a homework assignment. My Name is Number Four may be one of the best books I have read this year.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Casa Grande, Arizona USA

The Golden Path by Anson Montgomery

In the book The Golden Path by Anson Montgomery you get to decide your own destiny. You and your two friends, Dresdale and Peter, spend the summer on an internship at an archaeological and geological expedition run by your parents in the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. You and your friends are exploring off the trails when you find an unusual pottery shard. You start researching it and decide to use it as a project for school. The next thing you know your parents are missing, some guy is accusing you of stealing the pottery shard and you're getting expelled from school. You have no choice but to find your parents and save the day. It's up to you to be the hero in this adventure.
I thought the Golden Path was a good book. I thought the beginning was slow, but the more I got into the book, the harder it was to put down. I thought it was a great idea to let the reader choose the decisions the character made and how the book was left with multiple endings. One of the strengths in this book is how it draws the reader's attention further and further into the story. I think a weakness in this book are some parts where the reader gets to decide what happens to the character, I think it becomes more confusing, like where the character can die. You have to find the place where you went wrong and re-read it and make another decision of what to do. I found myself trying to remember my page number or writing it down so I could just go back to that page if I made a mistake. I thought the ending in this book was okay. It left me with many questions but just enough answers to buy the next volume book and read on. I would recommend this book to anyone who is tired of reading the same types of books and wants to try something new.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon United States

The Miracle Girls

The Miracle Girls by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt tells
the story of 14 year-old Ana Dominguez. Ana has just moved
from San Jose, California to the nearby small town Half
Moon Bay. A few weeks after she starts her freshman year
of high school in this new town, Ana lands herself and
another girl, Riley McGee, in detention after accusing
Riley of cheating on a pop quiz. While there, the teens in
detention are required to write an essay entitled "The Day
My Life Changed" and are then divided into groups of four
to whom they must read their essays. Ana is paired up with
Riley and two other girls, Christine and Zoe. After each
girl reads her essay, they all realize that the four of
them each would have died years ago, but each was saved by
a miracle. Ana and Zoe team up and try to befriend the
other two "miracle girls" and in the end the four
experience adventures that can only be experience with a
true friend.

This book was an exciting, heartwarming page-
turner. The Authors have successfully written an
intriguing story for teens and preteens. The story is both
slightly foreseeable while also being reasonably
unpredictable. The details are vivid enough to let you
easily picture the settings of the story. Also, the
characters are very much real to life. The Miracle Girls
is an excellent book that I would recommend to any teenager
especially girls.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City,State and Country: Marble Hill, Missouri, USA

Papillon

This book is based in China and it is about twin sisters name Hana-Chan and Ageha. When they were little Ageha went to live with her grandmother in the country and Hana-Chan stayed with their parents in the city. Ageha came back to the city when her grandmother became ill. Hana-Chan and Ageha turned into completely different people even though they were twins. Ageha ended up working with her childhood friend but doesn't ever say anything to him because she is in love with him until one day he realizes who she is. She and her twin sister, Hana-Chan, end up competing for young Ryusei Koike. Along the way friendships are gained and lost and Ageha becomes friends with someone unusual who gives her a lot of helpful advice.

I loved the book Papillon because it was very descriptive of what an everyday life of a teenager would be like if they thought they were in love. I would definitely recommend this book to kids of mature age and good moral standings. It has some graphic details and vivid pictures so some parents may not approve of the children reading it. This book provides real-to-life situations and is very true to what love is like and what happens in relationships. I would definitely recommend this book and trust me you won't be able to put it down once you start to read it.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leopold, Missouri United States of America

Endless Quest by Bruce Algozin

This book is a great and adventurous story where you make the decisions of what to do. In the book, you are a halfling that goes by the name of Tammery Blackfoot, a quiet and peaceful person. However, behind this disguise, you are the Night Shadow, the only one who can stand up against the evil Blue Hag! And when your friend, Clarion the Pegasus, is captured by the Blue Hag, you immediately go out on a quest to find her, with some help from your friends. If you make the right decisions, you get closer every step you take, and will eventually find and save Clarion. But if you make one bad move, the Blue Hag will catch you, Clarion will certainly die, and it will be The End!

In my opinion, this book was exciting, but it lacked some crucial parts to it. The idea was a great one and I liked how the author set it up in the beginning. But, once the group got inside the castle, the choices you could make seemed obvious and boring. I did not think this was a very suspenseful book, and at some parts, I had wanted to close the book and give it up. Also, I felt that the story was short and not well described. However, I did like that one wrong turn could lead you the defeat or victory. This is my opinion of the book, Endless Quest 2: Search for the Pegasus

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Baltimore, Maryland United States of America

Rating: 4

Content Rating: 1

Time's Chariot

This novel is science fiction, action, mystery, and
historical. Its purpose is to entertain. This story is
set in future period called the Home Time. In the Home
Time, it is possible to travel back in time as long as one
is careful not to upset the history of the world. If
history is drastically altered, the time stream will split
and many more people will be created. The main problem
with the Home Time is that it will end in twenty-seven
years and it will no longer be possible to travel through
time. Two field agents, Rico and Su, that escort groups
back in time are swept into a plot involving a murder,
time paradoxes, and dangerous contact with the people of
the past by people at the highest levels of Home Time
society. While seeking the truth, Rico and Su are sent
through time, threatened, and held captive by their Home
Time foes and powerful historical figures. Though the
characters in the book travel through history, the book is
more science fiction and adventure than historical or
factual.

I found this novel very entertaining and
exciting. I read lots of science fiction books and many
contain time paradoxes or time travel, but this one was
unique. It was for a young adult, though not childish,
and more general audience, rather than most science
fiction books that are written for adult science fiction
fans. It was cleaner and less focused on hard science
fiction. The flawed futuristic society is not the focus
of the novel, but it does provide room for thought about
how much people should be controlled. The different
periods of time and alternate histories were enjoyable, as
were the straightforward main characters. There was
enough mystery and intrigue to keep me guessing, but I was
never too confused or lost. The ending has unpredictable
and exciting plot twists. The book is a short and easy
but thoroughly worthwhile read.

There are a few
instances of language and violence.

Reviewer
Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Royersford, PA
United States

The Writing On The Wall by Wendy Lichtman

When eighth grader Tess looks at the back wall on the church across from her school, she notices something that she's never noticed before: about twenty bright green fours. Her friend gives her the idea that maybe, just maybe, the fours mean something. With this in mind, and being the math whiz that she is, Tess decides that maybe they are a fours four problem (a type of math problem) and decides to figure it out and look for a pattern or a code. Throughout the next few days, she gets help with the problem from her friends and a boy that she really likes, who keeps waiting for her after her school clubs. Does that mean that he likes her too, and if so, will they be able to take their relationship to the next level? Will she ever be able to stop the harassment from Richard, a classmate, who is cruel to her because she was going to tattle on him for stealing the answers to the U.S. Constitution exam? Also, will she ever find out what the problem means? Find out by reading Writing on the Wall.

This story was ok, but I thought that it was written for younger kids because the vocabulary was very simple and it didn't possess a very complicated or interesting plot. Since I'm almost fifteen, I thought the book was rather boring and didn't hold my attention for very long. It was an extremely quick read and it only took a few days to finish. The story seems like it should be for kids ages 9-12 but some of the things included like the eight grade math problems make this story seem like it was written for younger teens around 13. I learned a lot of interesting math facts and formulas, which is definitely useful when it comes to getting good grades in Algebra. Overall, this was an ok book, and I recommend it to younger pre-teen girls.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, Pennsylvania United States

The Snake Prince of Montreal by Aliana K. Deveza

Agatha and Lucille are best friends. Lester and Prince Aaron are best friends. Lester likes Lucille who likes Aaron who likes Agatha who likes Aaron. Aaron and Agatha marry, making Lucille angry. So she runs off to her aunt (a black witch) and learns dark magic to plan revenge on Agatha. On the day of their wedding, Lucille shows up out of nowhere and curses Agatha's unborn son. Every full moon, he will turn into a snake! Will he ever break the curse?

This book felt like a Dick and Jane book: I felt like the sentences were very choppy and did not flow well. That was before I read the About the Author section. Turns out it is very good for her age - she is only 11! It had a very good storyline but I think the author could have given more detail. It was a cliffhanger ending, so I am going to have to locate the second book!

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gearhart, Oregon United States

Escape the Mask by David Ward

Escape the Mask is an action-filled novel that tells the story of a young girl named Pippa and a young boy named Coriko. These characters were captured and enslaved when they were no older than ten by soldiers called Spears. Spears seem especially frightening because of the fact that they wear masks, and they are never seen without them. Coriko and Pippa have been put to work in the Spears' special labor camp, digging up shards. Every day, they work in the sun, digging up baskets of shards. One day, however, Coriko and Pippa meet up with two newcomers, fellow diggers Bran and Tia. Then everything falls apart. Pippa begins to realize that something is out of place . . . the Spears seem awfully nervous about something. But no one can discover what! The story continues to unfold with an adventure of daring acts and an attempted escape. To find out more, read Escape the Mask!

My favorite part of Escape the Mask is when the four children (Coriko, Pippa, Bran, and Tia) work together to carry out their escape attempt. I think the story teaches a great lesson about cooperation, without making it seem like an actual "lesson." I liked the way the kids in the story developed relationships with each other in spite of the hardships they were going through. I would recommend this book to kids ages 12 to 15. It was a wonderfully exciting story filled with action and love and conflict -- very entertaining.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Saugerties, New York USA

Discovering Pig Magic

The book, Discovering Pig Magic, is about Matilda, a young girl, who along with her two best friends (Nikki and Ariel) discovers how hard growing up is when you are thirteen years old. Ariel has a dream to be just like Rachel Ray and follow in her footsteps. Nikki finds that it is hard to trust her parents after she finds out the big secret. Matilda started loving pigs at the age of six when her aunt gave her very first pig keychain. Now her thirteenth birthday is coming, and she hates pigs. Her dilemma is: should she tell her parents she hates pigs or risk receiving more pig presents. She keeps telling herself she can do it. The solution to all the girls’ problems is to get a magic book to make all their problems go away. However, they quickly find that to make a problem go away you must change what you do. For example, to get Matilda’s problem to go away she must tell her parents she hates pigs.

This book was fun to read. I would recommend it to anyone. It was well written. Julie Crabtree is an amazing author who held my interest and I could not put the book down. I even received approval from my 6th grade teacher to review the book for a report. I am hoping for an A+. My teacher thought it was perfect challenge for young readers.

Reviewer Age:11

Reviewer City, State and Country: Germantown, Tennessee United States

Julie Crabtree

Kurt Cobain: Oh Well, Whatever, Never Mind by Jeff Burlingame

Kurt Cobain. A name that, if you didn't know, you would never forget after hearing one Nirvana song. “Kurt Cobain: Oh well, Whatever, Never mind," by Jeff Burlingame, is a narrative about a boy who was not your typical boy of the seventies or eighties. He certainly wasn't your typical man of the nineties, and he didn't come from your typical family. This biography gives little known details about Cobain's rise to fame (which for the most part he did not want) to his not so shocking death. In the story, Cobain appears to be a good man (and child) who got lost. As a child, he never seemed to fit in, to which many young adults can relate. Cobain was a bit like an extra in a movie; he was just there. Kurt Cobain never really learned how to deal with a bad situation; maybe bashing instruments was his way of doing so. He was a bit misunderstood (like most) and a lost soul (seen frequently in society in today). Cobain walked to the beat of his own drum, or in his case the strum of his own guitar.

Although you can only capture a person's essence (especially one like Kurt Cobain’s) to a certain extent, Jeff Burlingame did an astounding job summing up Kurt's life in 134 pages. I would recommend this book to fans of Nirvana, Musical rebels, Kurt Cobain fans, and anyone who enjoys reading about celebrities or tragic stories.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Raleigh, NC United States

Between Golden Jaws by Tiffany Trent

After their adventure in Scotland, Corrine and her friends hurry off to London to try to find the next Rathstone, which can help them regain Hallowmere. On the long trip there, while trying to fight off the evil Captain, Corrine is surprised to find that her magical powers are bound, which causes her to be little help to Council. With that in mind, the Council needs all the help they can get and requests that her two friends and Siobhan join in on searching for information that can help find the whereabouts of the next Rathstone; they all agree to it. Throughout the next few weeks, many evil forces are working which puts Corrine and all of her friends in danger. When a report of two missing girls arrive, Corrine and Ilona go in pursuit of them, which leads them into a trap set by the Captain and The Dark Fey Prince. He makes Corrine a deal that he knows she'll accept: Become his lovely consort and he won't harm her beloved friends and Father Joe. As the day comes to complete the deal, will Corrine go through with her promise or will she find another way to escape the wicked arms of the scheming Prince?

Between Golden Jaws was a great book full of mystery and intrigue. I was kept on my toes guessing the whole time what would happen next to Corrine. While I was reading this book I was puzzled at how Corrine could possibly get out of the muddle she got herself into. This third Hallowmere novel also managed to reach my high expectations that were set by the excellence of the first two novels. I'm looking forward to reading the fourth book in the series, Maiden of the Wolf, to find out what problems and situations Corrine will find herself in next.

Reviewer Age:8

Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA USA

The Night I freed John Brown by John Michael Cummings

Ever since the Richmonds have moved in to the historical
town of Harpers Ferry, young Josh knows he has to
investigate further into an old family secret. The
Richmond's house is a five-story Victorian house, with a
Catholic church built in. The twist is that Josh's
grandmother's house is the exact structure, except it's
hidden by the woods. Josh shows his new neighbor, Luke, the
abandoned house in the woods, and describes the woeful
event that occurred in Josh's grandmother's house. Years
before, someone stole everything from the house and the
church; from the napkins to the bell. Ever since, the house
has been abandoned. A wax figure of John Brown, a
historical abolitionist, overlooks Josh's house. Could he
be the one causing all the bickering in Josh Conner's
house? What about Father Ron, the mysterious pastor? And
can Josh and his brothers solve the mystery of the
Victorian house in the woods before time runs out?

I liked the book. Considering that this is Michael
Cummings's first novel, The Night I Freed John Brown was
great. In the beginning, the story seemed monotonous. It
took me awhile to finally catch on to the book's action.
The story was very easy to predict, although the first
chapter leads you astray, making you think that this was
going to be a ghost story, not realistic fiction. I liked
the parts that held suspense, and the sudden change of
character each person displayed. Overall, The Night I Freed
John Brown was a great book.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country:
Osseo, Wisconsin United States

Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go

When Milton Fauster goes to the mall with his juvenile delinquent sister Marlo, he doesn't expect to be tricked into shoplifting and he certainly doesn't expect to die in a tragic marshmallow accident. But perhaps the most unexpected thing is Dale E. Basye's bizarre twist on the usual concepts of heaven and hell. Once dead, Milton and Marlo enter Heck, one of the many levels of the afterlife where they are to stay for all eternity, or until they turn eighteen. In the school-like institution, the Fauster children encounter a wide variety of characters from Captain Blackbeard to Mrs. Bea Elsa Bubb, the principal of Heck. Convinced that he doesn't belong in there, Milton along with his sister and their new friend Virgil must navigate the timeless realms of the afterlife to seek a way back to their world.

This book was excellent. The humor found within this novel with its witty observations and clever word play will appeal to young adults and even to their parents. In fact, it would be hard to find someone who doesn't enjoy the nonsensical logic of Heck and the dead men and women who make up the faculty there. The combination of humor and emotion that Dale E. Basye uses to tell this tale is one that will hold you captive until the last page. The only complaint I could possibly give was that it could have been even longer. In conclusion, this amusing and touching story which is about growing up as much as it is about dying, is an excellent choice for readers both young and old.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA United States

Immortal Prince

The story takes place in the land of Glaeba where a murderer is hung but does not die. He is thrown into prison and claims to be Cayal, the Immortal Prince, of tales. Arkady Desean the duchess of Lebec, where the hanging occurred, is asked to interview the prisoner and try to break his story. With the help of a Crasii, a human/animal hybrid that is in a nearby cell, the duchess tests Cayal’s story. The duchess slowly begins to believe the story and begins to fall for Cayal at the same time. But as the long vanished Tide starts to return so does the power of the Tide Lords, the immortal magic wielding gods of stories. As the Tide Lords begin to struggle and gain more and more power, Arkady finds herself deeper in their plots than she could have ever imagined.

Jennifer Fallon, the author, makes you feel like you are in the court and ancient stories. You can see what is going on and you can not wait to find out what happens next. The book’s characters are like real people, you can see their reasoning, desires, and you either hate them or love them just as the author intended. I enjoyed how the story was told from different character’s personalities as their opinions, thoughts and memories all showed the story in a more understanding way. There were many well placed cliffhangers and many plot twists to keep me guessing what will happen next; but it was too long and I started losing my patience and reading it less and less often as it went on. I think the book would be popular if it was shortened a little bit so people slightly younger could read it. It would also help if the book was publicized, because I have not seen it anywhere except my dresser and bookcase. I would recommend this to someone who is very interested in this genre. Overall I enjoyed the book.

The book refers to sexual content which is more implied than graphic although it is held behind a very thin curtain.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Eastchester, New York United States of America

Another Mother's Life by Rowan Coleman

Catherine was in love, or so she thought. The mind-blowing weeks she spent together with Marc as a carefree, crazy in love seventeen-year-old became the essence of her being, though now the memories are all she has left. And the memories are tainted by her best friend's disloyalty.

Alison was in love, too. Alison was in love with her best friend's first and only love, Marc. And so Alison ran away with her best friend's boyfriend at the tender age of seventeen, thus irreversibly betraying her closest companion.

Now, nearly sixteen years after the incident that shaped the lives of both Catherine and Alison, their situation is about to take another turn. Alison is moving back to her home town, the very same town in which ever-heartbroken Catherine still resides. Pick up Another Mother's Life, and read a heart-wrenching story of love, friendship, and the true meaning of forgiveness.

I truly love Another Mother's Life. For one, the characters seem real and are easy to relate to. You feel the pain of Catherine's heartbreak and Alison's agonizing decisions. Not only is the story interesting, but it is fun to read. Coleman's writing style is fluid, with just the right amount of description and dialogue. If you've ever been in love, ever been a mother, or even had a friend, this book is for you!

There are some adult situations that may not be suitable for young readers.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Tipp City, Ohio, USA

Citizen Alpha by Patrick E. Peterson

Citizen Alpha is the exciting story of five students brought together from all corners of the world. It starts with each character, Peter Jobe, Mousa Diop, Mario Costa, Kim Suk Bae, and Larissa Svenson, being introduced separately from their separate countries. Along with them, however are five characters, Musad, Park Il Sung, Xavier Salazar, Rachael, and Abdul, also from five different countries and cultures. Peter, Mousa, Mario, Kim, and Larissa all have a strong faith and interest in science. These two disciplines are rarely mixed, but they seek to connect them. Eventually, they all end up at the University of Chicago, and are put into a group together for a project. Their objective is to bring together all disciplines of science. They all have spiritual experiences, and have a sense of unease. They take a trip to Hawaii for a vacation, where they all have the same dream: five major American cities are attacked and destroyed. On the other side of the world, Musad, Park, Salazar, and Abdul come together with one goal: the downfall of the United States. Rachael ends up falling in love with Abdul, who uses her connections with America to further the group’s acquisition of nuclear weaponry. Will the students' group be able to interpret their dream and stop the terrorists, or will America finally succumb to attack? Read "Citizen Alpha" to find out.

"Citizen Alpha," by Patrick E. Peterson, is a fantastic read. The introduction of the characters is done perfectly, along with their coming together. They are all realistic, believable characters, and their ideas and spiritual experiences, while somewhat far-fetched, are well-thought and believable. While reading it, the story almost seems real. It's a fiction book that tricks you into thinking it's non-fiction. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Content: 1
Rating: 10

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA United States

Titanic's Last Secret

Join John Chatterton and Richie Kohler of Nova's Shadow Divers as they explore the depths of the ocean in search of one of the world's greatest mysteries: the Titanic. When John and Richie discover the resting place of Titanic, both decide to unravel the mystery of how the Titanic went down in the first place. The book tells the story as if you were watching a documentary of the Titanic. Towards the end of the novel, Chatterton and Kohler finally unravel the mystery of how and why the Titanic sank. Filled to the brim with scientific facts and mystery, this book will keep you reading until the end!

The beginning and middle were a little hard to get into because of all the facts that the author had to explain. Also, the beginning was used to explain why Chatterton and Kohler did the experiment. The greatest part of the book, in my opinion, was at the end when all the pieces of the mystery finally fit together. I also liked how the author compared the Titanic to Britannic, the sister ship of the Titanic. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in marine biology or ship building.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Pottstown, PA United States

Say You're One of Them is a collection of short stories by Uwem Akpan. In the first story, "An Ex-mas Feast," a poverty-striken family living on the streets of Nairobi, Kenya struggle to overcome hunger. In "Fattening for Gabon," two siblings living in Benin with their uncle are suddenly blessed with a small fortune by their godparents. But things take a turn for the worse when they realize that they are thick in the middle of a plot to be sold into slavery. "What Language is That?" is about two friends who are torn apart by thier religious differences and must learn to cope in an Ethiopia where civil war is a rising threat. In the next story, "Luxurious Hearses," sixteen-year-old Jubril is a Muslim refugee who must flee from Northern Nigeria to the South because of a religious civil war which has begun to tear apart his country. To accomplish this he must attempt to conceal his identity as he embarks on a treacherous trip on a bus filled with Muslim hating Christians. The last story, "My Parents Bedroom," is about a family in Rwanda who risks everything they have to save the victims of a terrible civil war.

Say You're one of Them was one of the most difficult books I have ever read. The author did an incredible job of revealing the lives of children in Africa -- the unimaginable pain and suffering and how hope can prevail in even the very worst of situations. The way he used points of view was very unique and helped give a peek into each person's world. In "What Language is That?, he used second person. I had never read a story in that point of view before and it really made me feel like I was part of the story. I enjoyed the book, but each story had a sad ending and though they inspired me, I walked away feeling kind of depressed. It helped me to realize that even though life isn't perfect, I still have it a lot better than most people. I would reccomend this book only to mature teenagers and older because some of the parts are rather graphic.

Some strong language and mature subjects, such as rape. Also contained some gore.
Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, Pennsylvania USA

Prom Queen Geeks, by Laura Preble

The Queen Geek Social Club strikes again in Preble's third installment. This time, the club is tackling prom season, after having aptly noticed that prom is only attended by those popular kids who can afford the outrageous ticket cost. So of course, the perfect solution is to hold their own prom, a low-cost Geek Prom. Unfortunately, their independent thinking poses a threat to the popular clique, especially as the Geek Prom begins to show signs of success and is expanding. This simple enough idea turns Green Pines High into territory for war and all the drama that goes with it.
While I was a huge fan of Laura Preble's first Queen Geeks novel, I must say that I found it challenging to get into this one. Though equal in length to the first two installments, the story becomes repetitive early on and loses the reader's attention. Also, the extreme expansion of the prom by Shelby and crew seems unrealistic, as if they plan on taking over the universe rather than holding a simple high school dance. This being said, Shelby's voice is as entertaining as ever, leading the reader to share in the life of a geek, even when it means feeling downright uncomfortable. While the end of Prom Queen Geeks resolves the prom tension, the girl fights, and the boy drama, Preble leaves the Queen Geeks open to yet another installment. Hopefully the next time we encounter Shelby, Becca, and friends, their story will have returned to reality, with each character remaining as quirky as ever.

Reviewer Age:19

Reviewer City, State and Country: Farmington, CT USA

The Secret Life of Josephine: Napoleon's Bird of Paradise by Carolly Erickson

In the book The Secret Life of Josephine, Rose Tascher, a 15 year old girl growing up on the French island of Martinique, spends all her days going to balls and hanging out lazily on the beach. Then, her aunt sends her family a letter one day saying she must travel to France to marry her cold, heartless cousin, Alexandre. He drives her crazy with his mistresses and controlling attitude toward her, so she seeks a separation. Living her life single once more brings joy to her. When a short military man by the name of Napoleon sweeps her off her feet she cannot help but think of moving up the social ladder. With her social climb comes a promotion for Napoleon. He becomes power hungry and tries taking control of the rest of the world. But what can Rose do? Save her world or help the man she loves?

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was very entertaining and fun to read. At points, I couldn't put it down because I just had to know what happened next. Also, the scenes were described to where I felt like I was in the rooms dancing with the characters. I think that many others will enjoy this book. I thought Carolly Erickson did a really good job with this book and I feel that it will be the next Harry Potter or Twilight.

Sexual Content and Foul language

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Minooka, Ill United States

See How They Run by Susan E. Goodman & Elwood H. Smith

See How They Run is a nonfiction book about how today's United States government came to be. This book is especially interesting because of this year's presidential election. It explains the electoral and popular votes that came into play in the 2004 election. Al Gore got more popular votes but George Bush became president. Accompanied by hilarious pictures such as talking presidents on Mount Rushmore, and informative side bars like "What would Ben say?" you won't want to put this book down.

See How They Run was an incredible book! It was the perfect way to learn about confusing government processes. Susan E. Goodman's writing was the perfect mix of humor and information. Elwood H. Smith s hysterical pictures had me turning pages to see what the funny cartoon characters would say next! From lame ducks to dirty tricks, this book gets my vote!

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewer City, State and Country: Harleysville, PA USA

Fashion 101

Have you ever wondered who invented the style of jeans you're wearing? Or who came up with the style of your favorite shirt? This book is a reference book and it gives you a complete look at clothing items in order from A to Z. There are over 200 different entries each containing the item, what to wear it with, what celebrities made it hot, and the designer of it. This book is meant for someone who wants to look up an accessory quickly and learn how to rock it! This book contains everything from shoes, pants, shorts, outerwear, underwear, dresses, and skirts to accessories. For someone looking to better their fashion knowledge this book is for them!
This book is one that I probably would not recommend unless you are someone who is totally into fashion. It had some interesting facts in it but it was nothing that I would want to go and purchase. It's not really something to sit down and read, but more something if you wanted to learn what to wear a black dress with and what accessories would match. This reference book had some nice pictures and a good easy layout to look up things, but I think it had too many side notes and paragraphs about the each item. Overall this book might be one to look in once or twice and that's about it.

Rating: 7
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Elephants and Golden Thrones by Trish Marx

Elephants and Golden Thrones is a series of fictional stories based on historic facts. It contains many stories about the emperors and empresses of China's Forbidden City. Each story has historical information at the end to help you understand its meaning. The stories have many details about their lifes. The photographs are amazing and colorful. Some of the stories are unbelievable.

The stories are amazing and educational. They are so incredible because they are based on real peoples' lives. My favorite story is about Empress Dowager Gixi in her private rooms. It is about an empress who ruled for forty years and then stepped down. It tells about her life after being empress. One of my favorite photographs is of The Temple of Heaven because the skies are blue and the temple is perfectly centered. It is good for kids and adults. You should definitely read this book.
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leopold, Missouri United States

My Letters to the World by Emily Dickinson

My Letters To The World is a collection of seven of Emily Dickinson's short poems. The themes range from death to hope. The tone is quite serene and a bit morbid at times. Overall, the collection is well written and gives the reader a glimpse of how magnificent poetry once was and has the potential to be.
Like most Emily Dickinson poems, this collection is not a book one can just glance and glide through. One may even have to read it twice to truly understand the meaning behind her words. There is a lot of reading between the lines involved, and many of the stanzas may appear to be a bit ambiguous. Dickinson uses many phrases and words of Old English. Therefore, the reader may need to keep a dictionary at hand or to do a little research. Word of advice, read the poems slowly to really understand the meanings. Emily Dickinson's poetry is definitely thought provoking.
I would recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys reading the classics. Such as: Shakespeare, Jane Austen, T.S Eliot, Ralph Ellison, Ralph Emerson, and so forth.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Raleigh , NC United States

Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

In this spellbinding return of our beloved Inkheart friends, we start off not long after the previous story ended. Even though Meggie and Moe escaped the Adderhead's grip in the last book by binding a book of immortality for him, the Adderhead is after them again. The book is starting to deteriorate, as is the Adderhead; overcome by fear of the White Women. He will stop at nothing to keep living, even if it means kidnapping children in order to reel Moe back into his trap. Meggie and her family are now fully immersed in the Inkworld and any hope of leaving is quickly disappearing. Will the story be saved, or will this made up world become one of it's own?


Wow! This was a completely ingenious ending to a fabulous series. Funke creates such a real world and makes me wish that it were really real to travel into books. The characters were well developed and felt very real and I felt like they were more like well-known friends instead of characters. Funke's kept the plot refreshing and new, keeping me riveted to the story and not bored in the least. I do suggest reading the preceding books in the series, as the author doesn't give a lot of background information and just dives into the story. This is a great book for all ages and I think everyone should take the time to read it. Whether you read it aloud, or read it until you cant read anymore, this story will truly mesmerize you and keep you wanting more. This is by far my favorite book in the series and I dearly wish it wasn't the last!


Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Currituck, NC Currituck

The Man Who Turned Into Himself by David Ambrose

Rick Hamilton was a successful business man. During one of the most important business meetings of his career, his mind drifts off and has what seems to be a dreadful premonition of his son, Charlie, and his wife dying. Going AWOL, Rick races to the scene to find that the tables have turned. Rick opens his eyes at the scene to realize it was he who had gotten into the wreck and his life is hanging by a thread. Frantic and out of sorts, he screams for his son, Charlie, unaware that he is living in a parallel universe of his own life. Same body, same people, same thoughts, same memory, different past. With no one to believe his crazy stories of former events, not even his wife, Rick struggles to find a way out of this twisted "many worlds" parallel universe he has been thrown into.

I thought this book was a great illustration of the "many worlds" quantum physics theory. I found that parts of this book reminded me of my own writing and how descriptive and in depth it went to show every true detail of his life. Although, confusing at times, I liked this book a lot.

some sexual innuendos and deep topics.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: , PA USA

Blog Tour Interview with Author Ken Mochizuki

Ever since the 1993 publication of his multi-award-winning, best-selling picture book, Baseball Saved Us (over half a million sold to date), Ken Mochizuki has made over 100 presentations around the country at schools, libraries, community centers and educators’ conferences to ages K-Adult. Ken’s books include: Baseball Saved Us, Heroes, Passage to Freedom: the Sugihara Story, Beacon Hill Boys, and Be Water, My Friend: the Early Years of Bruce Lee. Among the awards his books have earned include the Washington State Governor’s Writers Award and the national Parents’ Choice Award, American Bookseller “Pick of the Lists,” American Library Association Notable Book, International Reading Association Teachers’ Choices, Smithsonian Notable Books for Children and the Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards Honor Book.

When and why did you begin writing?
In 1981, while working as a professional actor in Los Angeles, I also had time to read the “classic” American novels that I should have in high school and college. I thought about becoming a writer instead, so I started writing my own novel at that time which would eventually become “Beacon Hill Boys.” I originally wrote it as an adult novel, but then the opportunity came along to turn it into a YA novel which was published in 2002.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Probably when I first seriously said to myself that I am going to be one – not just thinking about it or talking about it, but actually doing it. So, if I was going to be a writer, I had to learn how to write. I returned to my hometown, Seattle, that same year (1981) and started writing for local newspapers. Being a journalist taught me a lot about writing, especially about being concise – saying the most with the least amount of words, which would help tremendously in the genre of “juvenile literature,” especially in writing picture books.

What inspired you to write your first book?
In 1981 when I still lived in Los Angeles, I heard of the murder of a friend who was also an instructor of mine at the University of Washington (it was later uncovered that he was assassinated by orders from the regime of the former dictator of the Philippines). That incident made me think of those days when I was attending the university during the early ‘70s, when I was involved with others in fighting for the “Asian American” identity instead of being called “Orientals.” It was also a unique time all over America, and I wanted to recall those times and pay tribute to it.

Who or what has influenced your writing?
Aside from being a journalist, the Asian American authors who came before me and are currently writing books, especially fiction, are major influences. Another major influence – although I didn’t know it at the time – were the TV series of the ‘60s. “Combat,” an early ‘60s series about GIs in France during World War II, the original “Star Trek,” “Mission: Impossible” and especially “The Twilight Zone” were often brilliantly written and were actually 30- 60-minute short stories. Looking back, that’s where I learned story structure, character development and the character arc, the beginning, middle and end.

What genre are you most comfortable writing?
My books so far have been in the picture book and YA categories, both fiction and non-fiction, so those are what I’m used to so far. I tend to gravitate toward historical fiction – “Beacon Hill Boys” has been put in that category. But, all writing isn’t easy and – contrary to what most people might think – picture books are the hardest because so few words are required to tell the story. I often use this analogy: writing picture books is like driving on city streets, where you travel slow and have to stop for the lights and signs. Novels are like hitting the freeway and opening it up.

Is there a message in Beacon Hill Boys that you want readers to grasp?
Young people who know their histories, their family histories, are more proud and self-confident when they know of the achievements of their own. The underlying theme of the novel is the protagonist and his friends’ search for something to be proud of. Also, I wanted readers to know that everything that might be taken for granted today was gained by those before them who fought, struggled and sacrificed.

Is the book based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
“Beacon Hill Boys” started out as a sort of disguised autobiography, or at least about that time in my life. And as fiction writing goes, and when you start working with an editor, there are plot changes and cuts, characters change, or multiple characters are morphed into one. So, even though some of the incidents portrayed in the book did actually happen in my life, the story is still a work of fiction.

Can you tell us two of your favorite books?
My favorite of all time is Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and that novel is often considered to be YA now. I would have to say another would be “The Wizard of Oz.”

What book are you reading now?
A lot of the books I read are for research for my present writing project. However, a memorable book I read this year would be Sherman Alexie’s “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.”

What are you currently working on?
A YA novel set mostly in an incarceration camp for Japanese Americans during World War II.

Do you have any advice for young writers?
Read – that is the only way you will see how words are put together to become good writing and good books. And not only books, but read newspapers, news magazines – any form that tells a story. It is said that some of the best writers are sports columnists. Then you have to become a good observer. Everybody has the ability to look, but not everybody has the ability to see. Why do people do what they do? Then put those words together and write and write. It is a process in which you can be taught all the “how tos,” but it is also one in which you can only learn by doing.

Thanks again to Ken Mochizuki for appearing, courtesy of Provato Marketing, for other stops on the tour please check Provato Events.

Indie Girl by Arne Johnson and Karen Macklin

Start something new! This book helps you to accomplish goals and possibly even dreams as you read through the nine different possibilities to choose from. The options are: starting a band, publishing a zine, creating an art exhibit, forming a dance troupe, making a parade, filming a TV show, putting on a play, launching a fashion company, and holding a poetry show. This book gives inspiration to teenage girls who would love to accomplish something early in life. It gives you details and step-by-step guidance on getting started and what you'll need along the way. So, if you want to make use of those talents we all know you possess, this book is for you!

Indie Girl is a very inspirational book that makes me want to go out and achieve my goals. I really liked the setup of this guide because it was really easy to follow and understand what you are supposed to do. It listed all of the steps and the supplies that you'll need along the way. I liked how it gave you a list of nine different activities to choose from, and the topics were of interest as well. I recommend Indie Girl to teenage girls who are looking for an early start to a career or just for something fun to do in their spare time.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA USA