Only One Wish by Mia Ikumi

There is an angel who will grant any one wish for you, but there is a catch. She tends to be mischievous and will warp your wish. Several young girls fall prey to her scheme. All they need to do is text the dark angel and make their wishes. The angel has granted girl's love wishes, revived the dead, and brought revenge. With each wish, however, the angel warps the wisher's dream. Be careful what you wish for...

This manga by Mia Ikumi is a fun read. I would say that it does not rank near the top of others that I have read, but it was still decent. The drawings are very complimentary to the story, and the plot is intriguing. I like how the characters are different for each chapter, but the angel and her personality remain the same. This book is appropriate for any age; there are no references to derogatory themes. I recommend this book to one who likes manga or a person looking for a quick read.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

Behind the Columns by Arlette Gafrey

This story is about a southern belle named Desiree Bordeaux, a beautiful Creole living in the year 1846. She is wooed by the evil Philippe Jaunet, a cruel and mean man who only wants her grandfather's plantation, Chene Vue. When she meets the handsome American, Lance Van Buren -who falls deeply in love with Desiree- her life, definitely takes a twist. When her grandfather dies, someone needs to take over Chene Vue, and whoever takes the farm, takes charge of Desiree, too. In this incredible love story, and exciting page turner, Desiree makes decisions that will change her life forever.

This is a strong and very descriptive book. It has a very well thought-out plot and is very easy to understand and visualize every scene. This is definitely a book like no other I have ever read before. I think it had a certain style to the writing that made you feel really connected with Desiree and her feelings, and you got her point of view. Although this is a book for an older audience, I would definitely recommend it to those of you, who love the old time romance, and challenges of the 1800s lifestyle.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas United States

Monster Fliers by Elizabeth MacLeod

"Monster Fliers" by Elizabeth MacLeod is an incredibly informative book. Nineteen amazing creatures from pre-historic times are highlighted. Each has a page or so and a small chunk of text. Name pronunciation, metabolic facts, descriptions, and overall miscellaneous facts are given. There are even questions every so often that are answered. Also included is a picture of each creature in its habitat performing some sort of action.

The pictures illustrated by John Bindon are marvelous. There is a pristine quality about them that makes them appear quite real. Besides the lively illustrations, the facts are presented in such a way as to not appear intimidating to young readers--small sections of information are given, instead of massive chunks of wording. As a non-fiction book, this will excite readers and, contrary to the title, even girls will enjoy this book. Additionally, this book is not overtly pro-evolution.

Some pictures show creatures eating other creatures

Reviewer Age:18

Reviewer City, State and Country: Troy, NY USA

Vampire Sunrise by Carole Nelson Douglas

Delilah Street is a paranormal investigator living in post-Millennium Revelation Las Vegas. She recently discovered a group of Egyptian vampires living in one of the city's hotels after they tried to kill her and her boyfriend, Ric. Delilah is also being framed by her possible twin sister, Lilith, who doesn't want Delilah around. So, with the help of her wolfhound Quicksilver, Ric, her mirror-walking abilities, and her silver familiar, will Delilah be able to take down these vampire enemies?

Vampire Sunrise was an interesting book but it definitely was not one of my favorites. There wasn't much plot to the story and it was very confusing. The reader is introduced to too many characters and you have to try to remember who is who. I later found out that this book is part of a series which could explain some of the confusion. The author, Carole Nelson Douglas, did a good job of keeping us in tune with some of the characters thoughts and feeling. She also kept the story going and didn't over-explain unimportant details.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States of America

Night Head Genesis by George Lida

Two brothers, Naoto and Naoya, have amazing psychic powers. When they were abducted from their parents many years ago, they were taken to an institution that studied their powers. Years later, Naoya starts having visions that mirror Kamiya-sams's visions. They both see the destruction of mankind by virus. Endangering everyone is not who they thought. Kanako Kurahashi-san is the head of a lab that is developing a cure for Aids that causes mutation. After poison and death face them, they save the world. But a new threat has surfaced and they must soon fight it for their survival.

I thought the author did a very good job of telling the story. Since the book was a manga book, the setting wasn't difficult to visualize. The book kept a constant action feel. The characters were very believable and their powers were pretty cool. Some parts of the book didn't fit well with the others and I got confused in some points.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Oakville, Pennsylvania USA

Daughter of Kura by Debra Austin

Snap, a bubbly and creative woman living in an native clan named Kura is on line to be Mother, or ruler of the city. But, when her mother's mate dies in a hunt, she chooses to accept Bapoto, a foreigner as her mate. This man has unheard of ideas about a god called The Great One , hunting rituals, and male leadership in the clan. Many people are starting to practice his religion, and Snap and her mate are getting worried. Soon, the males leave for the summer to hunt, but Bapoto stays. He gradually takes control of the leadership roles, and Snap has to make a very important decision, whether to try to fix things and Kura, or leave the clan forever.


I really enjoyed this book. It took me a while to get into it, but it was worth my while reading it. The characters were so real, and scenes so descriptive that I had no trouble making them into a mental movie. The book talked about real life problems, like difference in thoughts about leadership and different religion. Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was that here and there, the author would use an African word. There is a glossary at the back of the book with the words in it. This made the words genuine, like there was actually someone saying them, only many years ago. The characters, scenes, conflicts, and even words in this book were real, and that made the book fantastic.

Sexual content

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leawood, Kansas United States

Hallowed Circle by Linda Robertson

The High Priestess of Cleveland, Ohio has disappeared. To restore order out of chaos, the town holds a competition for the new leader. As a future key player in the town, Persephone (Seph) Alcmedi must compete for the job. When people start disappearing from the competition and one woman is murdered, it's becoming harder and harder for Seph to hide her biggest secret from the judges; to add to the trouble, her sexy boyfriend, Johnny, is having trouble with some fairies. Will Seph be able to handle everything without completely breaking down?

I adored the novel. It always kept my on my toes, and I thought the plotline was interesting. In this time where everyone is obsessed with vampires and magic, it's refreshing to see a twist on the classic vampire-is-in-charge-of-human plotline. All of the plotlines were tied up at the end, and I put the book down feeling satisfied. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy with a roll-and-roll twist.

Sexual situations.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Pottstown, PA United States

Paper Daughter by Jeanette Ingold

"Paper Daughter" by Jeanette Ingold. Maggie's father died in a hit-and-run accident, and it made her determined to follow in his footsteps and become a journalist. As she interns at her local newspaper, the truth about her father and his past that she's never doubted is collapsing. Maggie grows bolder and sets out on a quest to discover her ancestry and clear her father's name as she uncovers a local scandal. Intercut with Maggie's story are chapters following the story of Fai-Yi Li in the 1930s, who illegally escaped to America as a "paper son" with his sister, Sucheng, because she killed a man. In the end, it is revealed that Fai-Yi Lin is actually her great-grandfather.

"Paper Daughter" is a good enough book, but not spectacular. Maggie didn't show very much emotion at her father's death and, because of that, I couldn't feel like I was looking through her eyes. I also was confused by the ending. It was cookie-cutter precise -- Maggie got better at her job, her father's name was cleared, the scandal was exposed, and she found out who her ancestors were -- except for Sucheng Li. She never received any justice for the murder that she had committed, except for living in "a shadow world of madness." That does not make sense to me -- Maggie's father is killed trying to expose the truth and she gets to walk?

However, I did like how Maggie grew stronger throughout the novel by exposing her family's past instead of closing her eyes. Accepting a paper-thin lie instead of the truth made her stronger, and we all can learn from that.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Seaside, Oregon United States of America

Leprechaun in Late Winter by Mary Pope Osborne

This was a great book. I know that this book is very light reading for me but I have always loved this series. In this book Jack and Annie are sent by Merlin on a Merlin Mission. They go to Ireland in the 19th century and their mission is to inspire a girl named Augusta so that she can share her amazing gift, her mesmerizing potential with the rest of the world. Jack and Annie face a few obstacles along the way but after all that is one of the milestones in making a great story, creating conflicts. They successfully achieve their goal in the end.

This was a good book. I personally liked it. The only thing that I don't like about this series is that the author always follows the same format. She never varies or differentiates from her strict format. Other than the story itself. That is what gets you fed up with the series. You know, if you're not a 7 year old.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: flushing, New York United Sates of America

Dear Big V by Ellen W. Leroe

Dear Big V is about a young girl, Courtney, who is battling with her club, Donuts and Coffee, and her school's sexual activities. Donuts and Coffee is a club that Courtney founded to announce and protect girls' and boys' virginity. As the book progresses Courtney finds that she is slowly falling for the school's biggest hunk and player, Lance Lindsey, and is losing the one thing that matters to her, her virginity. Courtney finally makes a decision that will not only determine if she stays with Donuts and Coffee or to go against everything she ever believed and throw away her virginity.

Reviewer Age:14

Savind Maddie by Varian Johnson

Saving Maddie by Varian Johnson is difficult to put into words. The synopsis makes it seem as if this is about a wayward girl with low morals that is brought back to the Church by a preacher's son that must resist her temptations. However, Maddie never returns to the Church. She claims to still believe in God but renounces organized religion. She drinks, smokes, wears provocative clothing, and is not sexually pure. She does seduce the preacher's son and causes him to rethink why sex before marriage is wrong--something the author does not explicitly use Scripture to back up.

There are some parts in the book that are unnecessary. Sure, Maddie and the preacher's son never "make babies," but they get awfully close and in detail that readers will not want to hear. Also, while God is mentioned, there is not any explicit discussion of Jesus. There are even points in the book where Catholicism is subtly demoted compared to other forms of Christianity. Towards the end of the book, readers discover why Maddie acts the way she does. There is a seed of sympathy, but that seed is not planted on good soil (pun intended for Bible scholars). The book is engaging, but readers are left unhappy with the ending, longing for a more Christian basis for a book with a cross on the cover, and an edition of the book with perverse scenes deleted.

Inappropriateness

Reviewer Age:18

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

Still Sucks To Be Me by Kimberly Pauley

Mina (Hamilton) Smith is a regular teenage girl about to start her senior year of high school. She has a boyfriend, George and a best friend, Serena, both of whom she cares for deeply. She argues with her parents and even does a little bit of rule breaking. There is one thing, however, that makes Mina different from other girls her age. She is a newly turned vampire. After her changing, Mina's life starts to go downhill. The Vampire Council stages her death, changes her name, and forces her family to relocate. Against all rules, she manages to let Serena know about everything that is going on. But her life continues to get worse. Her family moves to Cartville, a tiny town in the middle of Louisiana so that her dad can play historian with some vampire doctor who is older than the earth itself; her boyfriend goes to Brazil to reconnect with his absentee parents and she has not heard from him since he left; the only other vampire teen in town, Cameron, is oh-so-complicated, mysterious and smells way too good to be allowed; and, to top it all off, a weird, vampire wannabe, Goth girl, who got kicked out of Mina's vampire (propaganda) preparation classes, is stalking Serena. Add to that the fact that neither girl should know anything about the existence of vampires and Mina is in a whole lot of trouble.


Kimberly Pauley sucks the reader in with her capture of Mina's voice. Her writing style makes a reader feel as if Mina is their close friend. Her sarcastic and witty humor keeps a reader laughing at every turn. I was glued to this book from start to finish and if a reader enjoys teen fiction, then they will be too. Mina's life is a roller coaster of laughs and thrills all the way to the finish.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leverett, Ma USA

The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger

The Seven Rays, a fantasy and science fiction novel by
Jessica Bendinger, is about a girl named Beth Michaels, a
seemingly normal girl who's a senior in high school and
on her way to go to Columbia University, after a lot of
hard work. She receives a strange golden envelope, at her
school, with an intriguing message that's not even
addressed to her, rather to an Aleph Beth. Then she
starts seeing things, strange things, like dots, bands,
and ropes. She has surgery done to her eyes because she's
so worried about her strange vision, but it doesn't work.
She also falls in love with a guy from school, Richie. He
happens to be the brother of her best friend's love
interest. Beth eventually ends up in a mental institution
because she keeps seeing things and has episodes. She's
diagnosed as a schizophrenic. While she's there, she
befriends a girl that happens to be deaf, learns difficult
truths about her mother and best friend, who actually
turns out to have a terrible character, and discovers that
she's actually not crazy.

The Seven Rays started off
pretty boring, when Beth got her golden letter. It got a
lot better in the middle, when Beth was at the mental
hospital, but got worse when she got even more messages in
golden envelopes. It was somewhat interesting when she
broke out of it. The plot was interesting, though not
spectacular, and Beth was a decent character. It was,
however, pretty predictable. I could tell that something
was off about her mother from the beginning. This was not
one of my favorite books, but neither was it one of my
least favorites. It was pretty strange when Beth got a
tattoo and started talking to a deaf person, who talked
back, at the mental hospital. I got mildly sad after
Richie, Beth's boyfriend, left. If you're looking for a
fantastic book to read, go somewhere else. If you're
looking for a decently written book with interesting
characters and an somewhat unusual plot, then read The
Seven Rays.

There were some inappropriate and
disturbing scenes with Beth and Richie.

Reviewer Age:17

Reviewer City, State and Country: Charleston, SC US

Prowling The Seas by Pamela S. Turner

Daniel Corrigan just moved to Nodle's Green, Pennsylvania and notices something strange. Soon, he figures out that his new friends have superpowers. One can fly, one is super strong, and another can turn invisible. These kids watch over the town and keep everyone safe. The only problem is that the superheroes are disappearing one by one because when they turn thirteen, their powers and any memories of them disappear. To find the villan that is stealing the powers of the kids of Noble's Green, everyone will have to work together and stop him once and for all.

This book is now one of my favorites! The author made me feel like I was actually there. I felt like I could relate to all of the characters in some way. I also liked how the author described eveything in great detail so you knew exactly what was going on. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good adventure or mystery.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Enon, OH USA

I Kissed A Zombie, and I Liked It by Adam Selzer

Alley knows how it is with vampires.She has them as daily life.When she goes to review the Sorry Marios there is a mysterious new guest that she falls under his musical voice. When they start dating she is so head over heels in love she can't see that he wears the same clothes,has a weird smell,and can't talk a lot. He's a zombie... She knows that they have to break up but,later learns that she can't shake him.Then figures out that another guy(dead) is after her and has an expirement in mind.Will she survive the expirement and dating her boyfriend?

The book I would say have mainly the ideas of the book have love,fighting,death.I would say Alley has the characterictes of in a popular and a stab in the back with disses.She really likes to make fun of people.It was kind of dull. Adventure here, attack over there. Lots of talking. A little weird with some of the things.Make it some more romantic. If she did a vampire I think it would been a little more exciting.I don't think I would recommend it to others with how the story went.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: katy, Texas U.S.A.

Hunted by P.C.Cast and Kristin Cast

Zoey Redbird, and her friends are at it again. The secret about Stevie Rae and the other red fledglings is out, but there is a new secret to crack; Neferet has a new console, Kalona. No one else seems to think there is anything suspicious about him, but Zoey and her friends have their doubts for various reasons. He is gorgous, and he seems to have everyone under a spell that makes them blind to the truth about him. It's up to Zoey to try and break the spell, but along the way, she discovers truths she dosen't want to know, and secrets that she feels should be kept hidden. With all the pressure of boyfriends, and the red fleglings that seem tohave aged, but have they really?

I thought that Hunted was an amazing book. It was really suspenseful, and had me reading all the time. I couldn't put it down. This book is filled with action, friendship and romance.Zoey's romance problems were unpredictable, and exciting. I recomend this book to anyone who likes vyampire fantasy.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springfield , Ohio US

Defining Twilight by Brian Leaf M.A.

Defining twilight is a workbook that helps you learn vocabulary that often appears on SAT, ACT, GED, and SSAT. Brian leaf has done all of this and he also uses one of the most popular books written in the past fifty years. Stefanie Myer's Twilight! This workbook helps you learn over 600 vocabulary words. Also you learn synonyms, Latin word parts, and memorization tools throughout the workbook.

Teen girls will find this book very useful with their studies. They may even find it fun, I know I did. Brian Leaf found a way to teach teens vocabulary, and it's fun. This workbook makes you think and if you are a vocabulary buff like me it does have words that even you won't know. I hope this book helps you I know it helped me :)

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Tipp City, Ohio United States

Secrets of a Christmas Box by Steven Hornby

Christmas is near, and the Ferguson family has just finished decorating thier Christmas tree.But later, when the family is drifting to sleep, others are waking up. In the living room, on the tree, the ornaments, lights, and other decorations are awakening from a year of slumber. As "Tree-Dwellers" catch up with one another, Larry, a joly snowman, spends hours searching for his brother, Terrence, who has seemed to dissapear. After giving up on his search, Larry- along with his girlfriend, Debbie; his long time companion, Tinsel; and a new-comer, Splint- breaks the laws of the Tree Elders and escape the prickly branches in search of Terrence. But how will Larry and his friends fin Terrence without being noticed by the family and the "Tree-Dwellers?" Will they make it back to he tree in time to be packed away? And why is this new-comer so eager to help?

Secrets of a Christmas Box is a wonderful holiday story. Steven Hornby captures the essence of Christmas while making the book thrilling and exiting with a happy and justified ending. Beautifully sketched illustrations help tell this tale without taking to much away for the reader's imagination. The story made me want to run out to my garage and find my family's Christmas box. All in all: a magical children's tale any one could fall in love with. Soon to be a Christmas classic.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fortuna, California USA

Timeshares by Jean Rabe

Timeshares is a book made up of short stories. All the stories are related to timeshares in one way or another. Sometimes the narrator is a customer or maybe a rival or just an employee. Timeshares is a travel company; they can take you anywhere, wait, no anywhen. All of the stories have at least one problem. If you expected that every story has a happy ending, then you are far wrong. In some of the stories, the character fails, it might be in their mission or they just might die. There are also some happy endings too though. Most of the times the author leaves you on a cliffhanger so you have to infer about what would happen next.


This book is an okay book for me. I don't really like short stories but since timeshares is all related to the timeshares company, it is better than some of the other short story books that jump from one subject to another. I liked this book the way i do is because to me, the subject of time traveling is confusing and challenging to understand but that's what I like in a book. The last short story changes everything if it WAS real life. It's pretty surprising. I really like the last sentence in the book: I did it for mystery" I cannot tell you why without spoiling some of the stories and taking away some of the suspense.

There are cuss words and adultish stuff

Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: katy, texas United States Of America

Cat Burglar Black by Richard Sala

Cat Burglar Black tells the story of K. She is an orphan who has lived a fairly difficult childhood. One day, she is invited to a mansion by her aunt, whom she hasn't seen in a very long time. When she gets there, she finds three other girls at a mysterious academy her aunt runs. Only one issue: her aunt is very ill and the staff of the academy have taken it over while her aunt is laying in bed. They begin to train K to become an expert burglar, which they have already been doing with the other three girls. They have to steal paintings from around the village to solve a mystery hundreds of years old.

This book was fairly interesting. The plot was a little slow at certain points of the story, yet it was still captivating and I was excited to see how the book would end. The artwork was slightly distracting, as it was drawn in an intentionally unpolished style. I got used to it after awhile, but I found it somewhat hard to concentrate on the story with the drawings the way they were. I would recommend this book to fans of other graphic novels and definitely for fans of spy stories.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Westerville, OH United States

The Sapphire Sirens by John Zakour

This book is about Zachary Nixon Johnson,who is the last Private Investigator on the earth. The story takes place in the future, when humanity has evolved into a robot friendly environment. His own best friend is a hologram with a brain! Things are going great for Zach, and he seems to be putting together a life that works for him.

Then, one day, he is kidnapped and brought to the island, Lantis, with only women, to solve a crime. The queen of Lantis had been killed and it's up to Zach to find out who the killer is, and the suspects include the queens daughters themselves!

I really liked this book because it has tons of action, and even a trial of faith between Zach and the Amazonian women! The book went a little slow, but not everything in life is fast, and the author stayed in the role of Zach the whole time. Some parts are hard to understand and I found myself skimming every once in a while, but then the action grabs you and keeps you on your toes until the end! I felt that the setting could be our possible future, and the author portrays everything excellently. I would recommed this to peoplewho like to read fiction and science fiction.

I rated this a two becuase it would be a little mature for som people under 12.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: New York, New York United States of America

Moyasimon 1 by Masayuki Ishikawa

Tadayasu would have loved to experience the college life as soon as the year began. Of course, he could not. The first day that he arrives at his university, Tadaysasu meets his professor at a possible human murder scene. The second day of school, he is already sick from eating infected curry. To make matters more interesting, Tadayasu can see bacteria with his naked eye. More than one person at the university wants to take advantage of his ability, whether for bootlegging sake or research. Who will he help?

Moyasimon is a book that does not follow the normal manga plotline. Oddly, Tadayasu does not meet any cute girls or have a fan club. Instead, his character serves as a puppet for the other characters' desires because of his ability to see bacteria. I love science, and this book was all about microbiology. This made it very interesting and unique to read. Being a manga, the end of the story leaves plenty of room for more volumes to come out. I look forward to reading them too.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

The Goldsmith's Daughter by Tanya Landman

In the book, The Goldsmith' Daughter by Tanya Landman, fourteen year old Itacate lives in Tenochtitlan, at the heart of the Aztec Empire. Ruled my the emperor Montezuma and blessed by the gods, the city thrives, but Itacate lives in fear, for it has been predicated that she will bring ruin to those around her. When her father, a goldsmith, discovers Itacate's talent for crafting fine jewelry and statues, she becomes his apprentice, even though the profession is forbidden to women. Her skillful work is soon noticed, and when it attracts the attention of the emperor, Itacate finds herself playing a dangerous game of deception. But nothing is staying the same in Tenochtitlan, as the rumors of pale strangers approaching the city cause fearful acts. Itacate wonders if her the prophesy foretold at her birth is coming true. With her heart full of fear, especially for her family's safety, how can Itacate live through it all?

I truly loved this book, from the moment it begun. Every page is filled with so many enticing details that the author included, and made the book all the better. The way the author writes makes you think you yourself are in the bustling city of Tenochtitlan. There was not any graphic writing or inappropriate context that would make the book more belonging to the young adult category. I give it ten out of ten stars, and I highly suggest this book to anyone who wants to read a good, suspenseful story from the ancient past.

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

The Pricker Boy by Reade Scott Whinnem

What happens when you live in a forest and you see a boy whose skin is gray and resembles dead bark with thorns covering his body. Well that's exactly what happened to Stucks Cumberland. When his friend Ronnie tells all of his summer friends , Vivek ,Emily, and Robin, the story of the Pricker Boy everything goes down hill. If you are caught alone in the woods past the Widow's Stone then you will get kidnaped by the thorns and disappear forever. Is the Pricker boy real, or is he just someone making a big joke. When you adventure with Stucks and the gang you will find out in this thriller adventure what is really out there.

I believe this book was pretty good. Some of it was confusing but it all made sense in the end. The author did a really good job in making it feel like you were in the woods for the summer figuring out this mystery. I really liked what happened in the end and it really tied up all the loose ends well. This book "played" with all your emotions. I was very sad at some parts and cracking up at others. I believe the author found a good balance of mood. It also kept me on my toes the whole time I read it. I didn't find out every thing till the end which was good. I believe it was a little slow at some parts and that was the only thing that the author needed to change. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a woodsy ghost tale and to people who like thrillers and adventures.

There was an incline to suicide, kids smoking cigarettes, and some cursing.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Northport, NY USA

A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott

This is a good book but, it goes very slow.In this book, Genna gets transported into Brooklyn in the time of the Civil war.I got to page 50 and she still didn't get transported.This isn't a book where the author captures you and makes you want to keep reading.If you like reading about history,be ready to wait.

I found this book not a book to read.I found this book dull.After 20 pages I felt like abandoning the book.This book also has colorful words(bad words).I am never going to read this book again.

For book's content I gave it a 2 because it has colorful words(bad words).

Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Katy, texas United States of America

A Brief History of Mantmaray by Michelle Cooper

The kingdom of Montmaray lies on a tiny island in the
Atlantic Ocean. It consists of a few villagers, a three
remaining princesses, and a crumbling castle. You'd think
it would be boring...but think again. Jump into Princess
Sophia's diary and experience her day to day adventures.
From nursing a love for the housekeeper's son, battling
storms, calming her tomboy sister, and occasionally
combating her mad uncle to unannounced airplane visits and
Nazi soldiers, Sophia's life on the brink of World War Two
is anything but boring. Experience the anxiety, love,
tears, and relief of "A Brief History of
Montmaray."

Readers who enjoy historical fiction will
have their jaws dropping in amazement when they finish
this story. The story is told through Sophia FitzOsborne's
diary and begins with an interesting plot: an almost
forgotten kingdom with a small, sweet family of royals.
Michelle Cooper did a fantastic job of giving her
characters individual personalities that everyone could
relate to: Veronica, a bookish young woman who seems to
always be in control; an ambitious Simon Chester; a young
man, Toby, who's not quite ready for his responsibilities;
a tomboy by the name of Henry; and of course, a mad uncle.
I think some of the best parts of this story are the
subjects that are not necessarily discussed in other books
in this genre such as a king's funeral. I think anyone who
is interested in a thoroughly enjoyable good read would do
well to pick this book up and give it a try.

Reviewer
Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, TX
U.S.A.

The Less-Dead by April Lurie

In the book, The Less-Dead, Noah Nordstrom hates being the son of the famous Bible Answer Guy, and constantly likes to rebel against his parents. Whether it's eating crackers topped with apricot-has jelly or coming home drunk from parties, Noah loves to test his father's patience and claim that he's spreading hate. When two gay teens are murdered, Noah is almost positive that it's been a frequent caller on his dad's show. Then Noah meets Will Reed, a cool guy that understands him. But when he finds out that Will's gay, he gets a bit freaked out, and even more when Will seems really into him. Meanwhile, the killer is still out there, and has found it's next victim. Will. Filled with guilt, Noah is determined to find out who has been killing off these gay teens. After pocketing Will's journal at the scene of the crime, Noah uses clues with the killer wrote down in a poem format. The closer Noah gets to uncovering the murderer's identity, the more his own life is put into jeopardy.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. The suspense scenes made me chew on my lip, and can easily keep reader's wondering what comes next. On a rating scale of one to ten, I give it an nine. The way the details are written by the author are very descriptive, and makes you envision the characters and the setting. I don't have any negative comments, except for that their could have been a few more clues to who the killer was and that would've lengthened the book by a little more. There was a lot of content that was always there, but took some studying of the words to get the concept. I suggest no on under the age of 13 reading this.

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

Watching July by Christine Hart

"Watching July" by Christine Hart is a mix of teenage angst, thrilling mystery, and supernatural sci-fi. When July's lesbian mother is killed in a hit-and-run incident, July [with her other mother's partner] move to where her mother used to work as a shrink and bring the family on vacation. Sad and lonely, July writes in her diary, eventually manages to make friends, and even snags a hot boyfriend. However, she is perturbed by odd sensations she feels in her rural home that make her think she is being followed. Drama escalates when July's boyfriend becomes controlling and jealous.

This book feels a bit like "The Lovely Bones," but it has enough differences to not seem like a direct copy. The author has some predictable moments, but others are truly twists (e.g.- who July's mother's real killer is, who is following July, etc). In terms of lessons, it's great that July's gorgeous boyfriend is seen as obsessive. Usually, culture paints the good-looking as virtuous, and it is essential for teen girls to learn that appearances do not always reflect character. In terms of detail, there are no explicit details of relations, but the author hints at events that make this not suitable for very young readers.

There is some swearing, sexual innuendos, and the fact that the main character has "two mothers"

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

Mango for the Beginner Chibis by Christopher Hart

"Mango for the Beginner Chibis" by Christopher Hart is an instructional drawing book for kids. A chibi is a term for a short, stock, cute character in Japanese manga (cartoons). They tend to represent children or are supposed to be adults transformed by emotion. Their bodies are only about as long as three of their large heads, and their expressive eyes take up most of their face. This book both shows and tells readers the basics of drawing them and then goes into the more complex nature of motion, backgrounds, costumes, sidekicks, and more.

This book is great for kids that want to draw cute little chibis. Girls will probably enjoy this book more than boys because, while there are some action drawings and weapons, for the most part, the drawings are fluffy and girly. While chibis are a form of Japanese manga, this book does not show just Asian-looking characters; providentially, there are some Aryan looking characters as well as some African looking characters. Additionally, while some manga has a bad reputation of depicting boys and girly grossly immodestly, this book shies away from that and does not draw characters with "adult" bodies. Overall, this book would make a great gift for young artists, especially girls.

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

Dark of the Moon

Brittany, a young girl, strives to be a Dark Guardian, a group of powerful shifters. She wants so badly to be a Dark Guardian. But, to be one, you have to be a shifter. Unfortunately, Brittany did not experience shifting and she was devastated. She acted normal, assuming everyone thought she was a shifter. She became close with Connor, a longtime crush. Connor and Brittany were captured by Mason, a scientist, and while they were locked in a cage they grew closer. Will they escape?

I really liked this book. I was not at all into fantasy books before reading this. But this book kind of ties romance with fantasy, and it makes the book more interesting. I would totally suggest reading this book! It describes vividly what is going on and puts you in the moment.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Cedar Park, Texas United States

What would you do for money? Would you travel to a foreign country thousands of miles away from home? Would you risk your life? "Dodger's Lot" tells the tale of Jack Dawkins, a 14-year old orphan willing to do whatever it takes to get his hands on some "shiners". This adventure book follows Jack, better known as the Artful Dodger, after the story of Oliver Twist.

Jack's story begins as Bill Sike's ends, supposedly. Sikes, Jack's friend in the "business" of stealing, fakes his death as the entire town of Borough,London watches. When Jack meets up with Sikes, the pair stays at a suspicious boater's house for the night. Their suspicions are confirmed when the boater sells Jack and Sikes to the captain of the Opium Clipper.

Upon the Clipper, Jack learns to be at ease with the seafaring life, thanks to his new friend, Aaron. He also meets Jeremy Fynne, an aristocratic businessman, whose refined ways persuade Jack to work with him. Mr. Fynne promises Jack more money than he can imagine if he plays a small part in stealing opium sold by a merchant in India.

Turns out, the plan is a little more complicated than Mr. Fynne let on. However, Jack sticks to his goal and motto, "in for a penny."

I enjoyed the time period and setting that this book took me to. The author's descriptive words and old-fashioned writing style made me feel as if I were right alongside Jack in the poor streets of London, the rough decks of the Clipper, and the exotic town of Calcutta.

The mood was constantly suspenseful and mysterious, which kept me turning the book's pages. The plot contained tons of twists and turns, so I was never bored. However, the ending left me wanting to know more. Luckily, the last page of the book advertises the sequel to this story.

After reading this story, I learned much of the olden day British lingo. At times, Jack's crude grammar was hard to follow, but made the story feel more "real". I also found quite a few of typos and misspellings.

I would recommend this book to adventure and suspense lovers. If you liked the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean", this book is for you.

This book contains lots of violence and murder. Some of the language is also crude.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Wailuku, Hawaii United States

Shadowrise by Tad Williams

Barrick and Briony Eddon are prince and princess of a northern nation called Southmarch on the continent of Eion. The people who live to the north of them are the elfish race called the Qar. After two hundred years of peace they again are about to attack the castle of Southmarch for some reason only known to them. Hendon Tolly takes control of the castle after Barrick leaves for war against the Qar and after Tolly's failed plan to get rid of Briony, Briony is smuggled safely out from the castle by the master of arms. While this is going on the mad Autarch of the large country of Xis is trying to take control of Eion also. While Briony is trying to round up troops in other countries to retake her rightful castle her brother gets entangled with Qar's problems and learns of why the Eddon family is cursed. The third book of the Shadowmarch series is full of other exciting plot twists and interesting characters like Qinnitan, one of the youngest of the Autarch's wives who can somehow talk to Barrick when their asleep and Ferras Vansen the guard captain who is in love with Briony.

Considering Shadowrise is the third book in a series and I read the other two it was a very good book. Even with the synopsis of the other two books in the front you wouldn't understand some things that happened to the characters and important stories the characters tell about the stories of the gods that are important to the story. The plot was very good especially with the random twists that sometimes happen especially at the ending. Because of the many characters that have their own unique personalities and quirks it's not boring at all. Sulepis the crazy Autarch (god/king) was one of the more interesting characters I think. The point of view changes frequently in this series at least at every chapter. Just when something exciting or important happens in one chapter it turns you into the next point of view. If you don't like when books do that then you probably shouldn't read it but otherwise it is a very good book.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Loves Park, Illinois United States

That's Life, Samara Brooks by Daniel Ehrenaft

"That's Life, Samara Brooks" by Daniel Ehrenhaft is
something else. The book starts off with Samara getting
in trouble for starting a gambling ring at school. Then,
she proposes an idea to her principal--she will use an
electron microscope to test her DNA against Lily's (school
president and friend that bet on blackjack and lost); if
the structure is the same, Samara should not be punished
more for being "bad" because she is innately no different
from Lily. Nathan--a geeky boy obsessed with alien / code
theory--joins in the experiment, too. Mystery heats up as
Nathan points out a mysterious "eye" in the photos of
Samara's DNA that hint at extraterrestrial origins. The
story gets even more intense when the photos are stolen
and detectives are hot on the trail of the children.

This book is written from the perspectives of Samara,
Lily, and Nathan in chunks. The topic of God comes up a
lot--particularly because the donor of the electron
microscope to the school was a scientific rival to a
creationist. Certain characters believe in God as a
gambler but think it's okay if others don't believe in him
(Samara), certain believe in Jesus (Lily), and certain
claim not to believe in God but simultaneously think he is
an alien (Nathan). Unfortunately, at times, the
creationist is seen as stupid and an ill-representation of
the church. This book is a great mystery and quick to
read, but the religious views are somewhat reflective of
the perhaps confused nature of the author's own views. If
anything, this book will be good for young Christian
readers to test their faith and see how they react to what
these characters say, which would be excellent for group
discussion.

Religious discrepancies
Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

2009 The Best New Playwrights by Lawrence Harbison

In Play 1 a Korean family living in America are struggling
with the divorce of the parents divorce, coping with the
fact that their father has returned home from Korea after
years, and the separation of their family. The Playwright
is called "American Hwangap". This Playwright will make
you laugh and cry. It truly relates to modern struggles of
families. Another one of my favorite Playwrights
was "Animals Out of Paper". The play is about a woman
who's life is a mess. A fan of her's comes to ask her to
teach his student. Not to give away to much, this play is
full of romance, sorrow, and pain. It is definitely a
great play.

This book is a great read for an interested
actor. I enjoyed the relations you get to the characters.
I feel like I know the people in the stories. As, great as
the plays were, the book had one fault....The language.
Due to the vulgar words, I would only recommend this book
to people over 13. Other than that, this book was great! I
laughed, I cried, I felt like I was literally in the
audience at a Broadway play. The book was
enchanting...Four stars!

The language is vulgar.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama, Florida United States

Kris Longknife: Undaunted

Kris Longknife Undaunted is a sci-fi novel with military undertones. It opens with Kris captaining the scout vessel the "Wasp" in semi-neutral space. Kris has to turn her trigger-happy computer off to stop it from shooting up other ships, shortly afterward, she takes an Iteeche Imperial messenger on board the Wasp where she is promtly told her great-grandfather is needed and Kris will "take him to her leader", after which she takes off to settle some other dispute while her great grandpa takes care of the Iteeche problem.

It seemed a little forced, and not very smooth-flowing. Content-wise it was very well put together, but I thought the writing style left a little to be desired. The plot jerks the reader around a bit, and left me slightly confused as to the characters' place and rank and whatnot. Nicely done action-wise, I liked the military throwbacks and the few battles were well written. Overall, I thought it was a decent sci-fi novel for anyone with some spare time.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Loves Park, Illinois U.S.A

Rise of the Heroes, by: Andy Briggs

At the click of a button, Hero.com gives you power beyond your wildest dreams. These powers send four kids on a quest to save their mother and the world. They don't realize that Jake Hunter, the school's top bully, has discovered Villain.net. Now he is working with Basilisk, who will guide Jake on the path of evil! Can the heroes of Hero.com end the evil rampage. Read to find out.

The Hero.com series is a series that I think everyone would love. The story of downloading superpowers is so original. But with these powers, the characters must go on perilous quests to save mankind. Who knows what other websites are out there. It just goes to show, you should be careful what you find on the internet.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas America

Patriot's Reward by Stephen Clarkson

Patriot's Reward is the story of an African man captured by slave traders in 1755 when he was sixteen and brought from what is now Senegal, Africa to America to be sold off as a slave. At the beginning of the novel main character Will Clarkson, having adopted the surname of his owners, undergoes many emotional, physical and circumstantial changes, thus allowing him to develop into an interesting and appealing character central to the plot. Will develops a yearning to learn the English language, like the white men he is surrounded by. With this skill Will gains an air of confidence, a newfound skill as a leader in social situations and is able to establish himself as an admired member of both the black and white community. When Will hears word that all slaves signing up for war would have assured freedom upon return, he is eager to claim this reward. Therefore Will is sent first to fight in the Civil War in southern colonial areas, subsequently he is involved in the Revolutionary War in which he must overcome the racism throughout the army to fight side by side with the whites. Will is acknowledged in many of these battles for his heroism and acts of strength during conflict. When Will finally returns from the Wars, he is haunted and shattered by his experiences. Though, not free as promised, he continues to petition for his liberation.

I liked the idea of this book. I was interested to learn about the slave history of America and captivated by the first hundred or so pages. But after this point, the appeal faded as the war scenes lengthened. The way Patriots Reward was written in third person made it easy to follow and I liked the eloquence of language used, fitting to the era. The author depicted well the personal side of the story, in which we see Will care for his family and his struggle for acceptance and freedom, whereas the description of conditions and events during the Wars became tedious. My impressions and thoughts after reading this book were varied with a slight disappointment at the ending to amazement at the strength of spirit of one African man. The preface and comments included in this book made the characters and situations more real to me due to the direct ancestry between the author and Wills owner, James Clarkson. I would recommend this novel, Patriot's Reward to mature reading history enthusiasts who will be able to understand the powerful and articulate language as well as appreciate the scenes of war.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Melbourne , Victoria Australia

Grk Smells a Rat

Tim’s friend Max is going to play in a tennis tournament in India. One of the richest men in India doesn’t know what to do with his money, so he hosts an under-16 tennis tournament. Tim travels with his sister, Natascha, his friend Max, and Max’s parents. On a train they meet a kid named Krishnan, who tries to sell them a pirated book. Krishnan tells them about his sister who has been enslaved by The Blue Rat Gang. They wind up trying to free Krishnan’s sister from the gang led by an old lady with a pet blue rat, which she says has magical powers.

Overall, this book was good, but it took a while to get exciting. It took about 80 pages to get interesting. At first, I didn’t really want to keep reading, but at the end I was glad I did. Joshua Doder would have done a lot better of job if he had made it more exciting, more quickly. Boys and girls will like this book, but it would be better for young readers. Joshua Doder has written five other books about Grk, but none are really well known. There are only 202 pages in this book but I wish there were more. They get shot at once, but other than that there is no violence. If you like adventure stories and you are willing to read a while before it gets interesting, this book is for you.

The Junto Racing to the Bell by Ron Costello

This book is about a boy named Jamil Jamil, who is in a bad
situation and looking for outside help. His mother is into
drugs, and jumping from nasty boyfriend to nasty boyfriend.
The latest one beats Jamil often. Even school isn't safe
anymore; the principal has it out for him. The only place
were he is comfortable is at his grandmother's house. She's
also the only one who knows his secret. He can communicate
with animals! One day while doing his homework, Jamil gets
a message from Bette the elephant saying that there have
been bad people at the zoo plotting to blow up the city.
But what could Jamil do? He's just a kid. Can he save the
city or will he be blown up with it?

I think that this book is interesting. I think it would
have been better if it started in medias res. Instead, it
is sort of slow starting. I like the fact that he can't
actually 'speak' to animals. It's more like the animals and
Jamil just know what the other is saying. There are too
many books where animals talk. I also like the parts where
the author explains why the terrorists are terrorists. It
is a helpful insight, that helps the story I think. All in
all, though it is a good book that I recommend to anyone
who likes slow intros.

I give this book a 2 because it's about terrorism and
has references to drugs and not exactly a book for fifth
graders.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and
Country: Sandy, Oregon USA

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

There's only one thing that Micah Wilkins will honestly tell you: she is a compulsive liar. To her, lying is as easy as breathing. She's fooled her parents, classmates, teachers and she can always stay one step ahead of the many lies she's told. When her boyfriend ends up dead, his death is suspected as murder, and Micah's trickery begins to catch up with her. Can Micah tell the truth when it matters most? If she does, will anyone really believe her?

I really enjoyed Liar. I thought the beginning was a little boring, though. I was hooked on the book after that, however. The ending caught me by surprise because it was nothing that I expected it would be. I thought that the book was very interesting and I recommend it to any young adult readers.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Enon, Ohio United States

China Clipper by Jamie Dobson

Nick is back in another book, but this time instead of going overseas, he's back at school and has managed to get a job working on the China Clipper, a "flying boat". But some force is determined to not the plane fly. Nick is sure his old enemy Miyazaki is to blame, but is he working alone or does he have acomplices hidden everywhere? There's also Haas who's loyalty has been shifty, the two new kids at school, Rodger and Nancy, but they've been behaving suspiciously too. Nick may just be alone on this one.

I reviewed the first book in this series, Flying Boats and Spies, and thought it was just great! I was so excited when I found out there would be a second book. Although it is written with guys in mind (lots of mechanical terms and stuff while working on the planes, I still love reading it and this time, his girlfriend, Leilani, plays a bigger role in it which is great to read! I would reccomend this book to anybody! It's very well written and clearly explains terms I would not recongnize.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gearhart, Oregon United States

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

The Island of the Blue Dolphins starts when a group of people called the Aleuts come to the island that is Karana's home to hunt sea otter. When the Aleuts don’t want to pay fairly for the otter pelts, they have a battle with the island tribe. Karana’s father, the chief, is killed. A new chief is chosen who goes in a canoe to a place in the east to ask white men to help them. He sends back white men to bring the tribe to the place he has found. When Karana’s little brother, Ramo, misses the boat, Karana jumps off to stay behind with him.

While they are alone on the island, Ramo is killed by the wild dogs. After a while, Karana learns to make weapons and captures the leader of the wild dogs, whom she names Rantu. She also makes friends with birds and a sea otter. She survives on her own for many years, until the white men finally come back and rescue her.

This book was very interesting because you were never quite sure what would happen next. I chose this book to review, even though I had already read it, because I really like the way the book described the animals and the whole environment of the island. It’s easy to imagine what the island was like. I like Karana because she’s brave and even though she did what she had to in order to survive, she still took care of how she looked and made herself nice clothes to wear in case the people came back for her. I thought it was really interesting how she could make friends with so many different animals, so she wouldn’t feel so lonely.

This is the 50th anniversary edition of this book, which contains a new introduction by Lois Lowry. The introduction told the few facts that were really known about the woman Scott O’Dell based Karana’s story on. Ms. Lowry also uses parts of the book as she tells us why she admired it so much. If you’ve never read The Island of the Blue Dolphins and you like survival stories or animal stories, this is a good one to read.

Reviewer Age: 11, Lake City, IA USA

After

"I wondered for a second if I was dying. Far away I could hear Logan yelling and Tanner crying but I couldn't hear Dad. Why couldn't I hear Dad?"
Lacey's life used to be normal. She had two parents who loved her and two brothers to annoy her, everything was as it should be. Then one day a tragic accident changed it all and her dad was gone forever. the months that follow the accident are extremely hard for Lacey and her family. Her mom had become an alcoholic, Logan has changed into a different person, Tanner won't speak and Lacey believes it's all her fault. Everything seems to be deteriorating until two good things come into Lacey's life. 1.Support group for kids who have lost a parent and 2. Sam Stome. Sam has also lost his father. Can he bring Lacey out of the guilt trip she is taking or will he just make everything a whole lot worse?

This book is AMAZING! Kristin Harmel has done an excellent job telling Lacey's story just enough to make me want to turn the page to find out more. This story would appeal to anyone. It has all the components to a great story: Tradegy, family and romance. I finished this book in one sitting and by the end of the book I had cried numerous times. Amazing story and excellent writing. Brava Kristin Harmel!

Reviewer Age:18

Reviewer City, State and Country: Mantua, New Jersey USA

The Hollow by Jessica Verday

The Hollow is the debut novel for young author, Jessica Verday that follows a blooming girl, Abbey on her journey to solve her best friend's disappearance at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Abbey refuses to believe her friend, Kristen is dead, but has trouble convincing herself and others of Kristen's motive for vanishing. At Kristen's funeral, she meets a mysterious young boy, Caspian, who always seems to appear at the most opportune of moments. As Abbey tries to solve the mystery she begins to unveil secrets that make her question everything she ever thought she knew about her friend and the boy she's fallen in love with.

Overall, I thought this was a good first attempt by Verday. I could tell just in the first chapter by the way her sentences were structured and the number of cliches used, that she is a new writer. The plot was weak, but could have been made stronger with more focus on the main storyline. The characters were well crafted, although Abbey had her whiny moments which made it hard to relate to her at times. The chemistry between Abbey and Caspian was nice and I really enjoyed the paranormal element brought to the table.

Reviewer Age:25
Reviewer City, State and Country: Reisterstown, MD USA

Everything is Fine

Despite the title, Mazzy's life is not fine. Though she continually repeats that that everything is fine to her father, her neighbors and even herself, she's suffering. Mazzy's mother is severely depressed and her father has abandoned his family for his career. She looks to her caring neighbors and painting for some kind of solace. As readers turn the pages, they will discover what tore the family apart and learn how it can be put back together.

This book was very sad. Mazzy is only eleven or twelve years old and has to care for her mother, who can barely get out of bed. Somehow, she is strong enough to pull through, which is nice to see in such a young protagonist. However, even with a great main character, the book seemed poorly written, without much of a plot; it jumped around between topics, making the story a little choppy. It's a short book, but don't mistake the length for a light-hearted story; it's anything but.

Content: 1
Rating: 6
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States

Dizzy in Your Eyes by Pat Mora

Pat Mora's, Dizzy in Your Eyes, is a book of poems about romance and love. There are all types of poems in this book, and at the bottom of the page it tells you what type of poem it is, and how you could write a poem like that. There are poems about a love for swimming, pets, grandparents, sisters, and a boy trying to find a creative way to ask out a girl. Some are about breaking up and peer pressure, and a couple are even in Spanish.
Dizzy in your eyes was a quick read of about fifty poems. It wasn't the most amazing book ever, but it was interesting and kind of cute. Some of the poems I really liked, and I even showed to my family, but most of them were just ok. I thought it was cool how it showed you how you could write a poem, and what type of style the poem you were reading was. I wish I would have known that some of it was in Spanish though, because I can't read Spanish. It was very educational, and I thought it was fun to read.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springtown, Texas United States

Everything I Need To Know I Learned From A Children's Book by Anita Silvey

An inspirational collection of essays from leaders, artists, authors and even comic book writers who recall their favorite children's book and the impact it had on their lives. This book can be read by people of all ages and each essay is accompanied by illustrations and an exerpt from the selected books.

This book is sweet, comforting, inspiring and even unexpected. Usually books full of essays are boring and after a few pages are put down and never touched again. However this collection of essays is unique and honestly, although this is a slang word, very cool. I couldn't put it down. When I read it it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling in the pit of my stomach and put a sweet smile on my face. It is also a must read if you are looking for wholesome children's novels that teach a life lessons for your daughter or son.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fuquay Varina , North Carolina United States of America

Cook the Books by Jessica Conant-Park

Chloe's boyfriend, the talented chef Josh, just left her and moved to Hawaii. But she has been dealing fine by overindulging her 3-month old godson and eating lots of ice cream. To pay off her credit card bills Chloe looks for a job, and finds the perfect one, a Cookbook Writer's Assistant. She gets to eat great food and gets paid to do it, what could be better! Not to mention, her new boss Kyle is attractive too. But things quickly turn bad when Josh's good friend dies in a suspicious fire.

Chloe is a quirky and lovable character, even though she spends just a bit too much time pining for her ex, she is real. The accompanying characters also add flavor. The constant theme of food in this book made my mouth water and including the recipes in the back was a great addition to the story. But the plot was almost nonexistent. The fire occurred a few chapters in but the idea of murder didn't come up until the second half. Then, nothing was really done about it. For the first ninety percent of the book very little happened, then in the last few chapters everything was revealed and resolved and boom we're done. There was no mystery, there was a crime and then later the crime was solved. That's it. In the end, the delicious food and lovable characters barely held the book up through the plot.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Amherst, MA USA

The Shadow of Malabron by Thomas Wharton

When Will steals his father's motorcycle and runs away from the campsite where they are staying, his plan is for revenge not to crash and end up in another land. He wants revenge on his father for taking him and his sister, Jess, away from the house they lived in before his mother died. His destination on the motorcycle is the Perilous Realm, what he thinks is an amusement park a few miles down the road from their campsite. Will does end up in Perilous Realm; too bad it is not an amusement park, but an entirely different world. An evil sorcerer brings him there and wants to capture Will to use him for his own nefarious reasons. The Perilous Realm is a world of stories where everyone and everything has their own and are all part of the weaving, the largest story of all. The Angel and his master want to create the end of all the stories; they want to control all of them for themselves. Will sets off on his journey accompanied by a young girl with extraordinary powers, her storytelling grandfather, a talking wolf, and a knight-in-training. Along the way, they pick up a man who is of the storyfolk and has a dark past as well a raven companion. Will and his friends set off on a journey to nowhere, to find the gateless gate in order to get Will back home to Elsewhere, avoiding the Angel and his minions the whole way.

Wharton does an extraordinary job of weaving the tales of many people together in order to create Will's story. His characters are vibrant and come to life. One cannot allow Will to stay in the Perilous Realm and it keeps a reader going until the very end. The book is action-packed and good for anyone who loves fantasy books. Delve into the Perilous Realms, read a story of stories and travel with Will across an unknown land as he endeavors to get back home.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leverett, Ma USA

Scars by Cheryl Rainfield

Scars by Cheryl Rainfield is a book full of many unexpected
twists and turns, a very suspenseful novel. Kendra has lived
he life in fear. She was sexually abused as a child by
someone she can't even remember, and she has kept this a
secret for many years. She has this terrible sense that the
same man who abused her is now following her, haunting her,
and making her afraid. So much is wrong in her life, this
man following her, her mother being so protective, and
looking down on Kendra because she is gay. So she cuts,
because it seems to be the only relief from her life. But
what happens when the truth starts to come out?

Rainfield takes a head on charge at many sensitive subjects: teenage
homosexuality, sexual abuse, cutting. She has written a book
you don't want to put down (and I don't think I did), but at
the same time you are so horrified that you want to throw it
against the wall, feeling so much for this girl, Kendra, and
the pain she must feel. Yes, it is an amazing story, but at
the same time there are so many blanks, which can be good in
a thriller, but in this book there are just a few too many
blanks. You are left with unanswered questions at the end.
And while I loved the story, I think it ended to soon, there
was more I wanted to know. I would recommend this book to
those who go through things like this, for those who need an
alternative world, like this book creates, and for those
looking for just a good, 'can't put it down' read.

This book has a lot of very sensitive subjects, involving
sexuality, abuse, and inflicting pain on oneself, it is
somewhat graphic, and is for readers who can handle such
things only.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and
Country: Minnetonka, Minnesota United States

The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill S. Alexander

"The Sweetheart of Prosper Country" is a touching story about a young girl who overcomes emotional struggles. Austin Gray is a fifteen-year-old girl who resolves to be the Sweetheart of Prosper County so she can be the center of the annual parade in her small town. She joins the Future Farmers of America, raises a rooster named Charles Dickens, and tries to get over the death of her father that occurred a few years before.

Austin resolves to prove her town and the stuck-up boys and girls her age that she is worth something. This inspiring message is well suited for young girls around Austin’s age. She overcomes struggles on her life on her own, using only her determination and free spirit. Having to take care of her own mother’s hat she can grow up, be responsible, and work hard to earn what she wants. She remembers the good times she had with her father while he was alive and strives to do what might have made him proud if he were still there. This book is a great example of how young people can shape their own destinies and conquer any obstacle in their path.

This book was a truly touching story. However, it seemed tailored for younger readers, mainly pre-teens or younger girls. The story line was quick and enjoyable. Its inspiring plot is suited for those who want to go above and beyond their current circumstances and make something of themselves. The main character, Austin, shows her strength when she tries to win the title of 'Sweetheart of Prosper County', but also remains true to her convictions and integrity.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Cary, NC USA

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

Princess Selene and her twin brother Alexander, twin children of Queen Kleopatra VII and Marc Antony, were only twelve when their whole life changed. Caesar Octavian and his men had won the Battle of Actium, which meant all hope of saving Egypt from the enslaving force of Rome was lost. Within months of their parents' deaths their kingdom fell. They were taken to Rome to live with Octavian's sister Octavia. While living in Rome mysterious notes from a rebel called the Red Eagle keep appearing. While no one knows who the Red Eagle is his goal is clear: end slavery in Rome. Selene, who loves to sketch, tries to prove herself as an architect on hopes of being found useful to Octavian and some day returned to Egypt with her brother.

While reading Cleopatra's Daughter I felt that I was transported back to age of Rome. If you are interested in the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Rome I highly recommend this novel. It is, along with being historically accurate, very well written and will interest even those who do not enjoy reading. Her characters were all based on real people, with the exception of a few minor characters, and were so real I felt as if they were standing next to me. Each character had his or her unique personality that is also historically accurate. This is an over all interesting read.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Machesney Park, Illinois USA

Wunschkind by Liesel Appel

Wunschkind is about a girl named Liesel. She was born near the end of WWII, as a wunschind, or gift to Hitler. Liesel grew up believing what her country, Germany, had done was right. When an old Jewish neighbor visits and tells her his story, she sees what a great crime her country has committed. After this, Liesel sees her mother as the enemy because she believed Hitler and taught Liesel to believe Hitler too. The neighbors turn against her. It seems that her life has changed overnight.

This book was great!!! The author goes into great detail. You feel mad at Liesel’s mom when the character does. The really fun thing is the author is the girl she is writing about and you get a behind the scenes look, almost. This is a true story. I would recommend this to any reader who wants to learn about WWII.

Content: 1

Rating: 9

Reviewer Age:10

Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockwell City, IA USA

The Silver Mage by Katharine Kerr

In the Magical world of Deverry, war has broken out. The humans and their allies, the elves, are realizing that the fate of the Northlands is in their hands. The evil army of the Horsekin continue to try to convert the denizens of Deverry with any means possible, even deadly force. In order to stop the powerful Horsekin army, the magic of the elven Wise Ones, such as Dallandra and Valandario, and the help of the dragons, Arzoash and Rori,can possible defeat the crusaiding army. But at what cost? Will Rori, a man in a dragon's body, ever be freed? The Silver Mage by Katharine Kerr, is the exciting ending to the entire Deverry saga, which fans of the series will enjoy immensely.

The Silver Mage, by Katharine Kerr and her world of Deverry is a wonderful fantasy, but hard to follow. In the Silver Mage, you are immediately thrust into the middle of a war and you hardly get to realize who is the main character. There is many character names and view points that are thrown at you that can get confusing at times. I wouldn't suggest this book as a way to start reading the Deverry saga. It is also hard to visualize the layout of the story (previous books in this saga probably describe Deverry more indepth than The Silver Mage does). Although, when Kerr writes about the way that Dweomer (magic) is used, she creates a wonderful painting in words. The way she describes magic makes it seem real to the reader. With an overall view of the Silver Mage, it was well written and a good conclusion to the Deverry saga. It left no loose ends and ended happily. A very good book overall. One more thing, there are no chapters in The Silver Mage, only parts and symbols that start the beginning of a different section. Very confusing at times but it was a decient way of breaking up the information.

Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Paynesville, MN USA

Ghostgirl

Charlotte Usher has always wanted to fit in at school. She wants to be popular. Her first day back at school doesn't start out great, but it starts to get better. Then, just as it does get better, its jerked away from her just as fast as it came. And all because of a gummy bear. Now she actually is invisible, dead. She still wants to be popular and she still wants that perfect moment with the guy she likes. What will she go through to get this? Will she be able to survive with her ghost friends, a ghost herself?

Ghostgirl was a very creative and different novel. It was extremely interesting and not like other books I have read. Tonya Hurley was able to express so many different emotions in such a unique way. The way she describes the emotions and the events in the story will reach out to every teenager. This story had a very clever plot and definitely reached out to me. Tonya Hurley did an incredible job on this novel and I recommend it to all young adult readers.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Fairborn, Ohio USA

Flightsend - By Linda Newbery

Charlie was young when Sean moved in. Sean has been there almost as long as she can remember. Everything was going right; her mother was going to have a baby, Sean had moved in, and it seemed as if they were headed toward marriage. But then everything went south.
Her mother had a miscarriage, pushed Sean away, and seemed to be suffering from depression. Charlie thinks that Mum is making a terrible mistake, and doesn't know what her mother is going to do.
Mum's solution - move to Flightsend. Of course, Charlie thinks that this is the worst thing ever. But through the course of this novel, Charlie grows up and shows maturity beyond her years. But will her mother?

I felt that this book was very well written. The plot didn't drag, the characters were fun and easy to relate to, and the writing style was good. The book is in first person; from Charlie's point of view. This alone makes it interesting, to see it from the kid's point of view. I loved how reality hit hard for both her and her mother and seeing their ways of dealing with things. Also, I enjoyed how she and her mother lost, then found, a connection with each other. Lastly, I think that it was interesting so see Charlie's way of dealing with her mother's "depression".
I would most definitely recommend this to other readers my age, for it shows the true hardships of growing up.

This book deals with some more mature themes, dealing with pregnancy and relationships. Some children might need some guidance with these themes.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Oakmont, PA USA

Dragonfly by Julia Golding

Taoshira,or Tashi to her friends, was commonly known as the Fourth Crown Princess of the Blue Crescent Islands. Soon, however, she must marry Prince Ramil of Gerfal, and she doesn't want to leave her friends and family. She's not too keen on marrying a stranger, either. Upon arriving at Prince Ramil's palace, she finds he's every bit as rude as she imagined. Then the two get kidnapped by the enemy, Fergox. They fight their way out of his prison after being humiliated and tortured, but due to unforseen problems, Tashi and Ramil are separated on their way home.
But will they ever reunite and defeat Fergox? Can they bring peace to their two different countries? And will they ever become friends?

I thought this book was well written. It gave me a clear picture of what was going on. Golding clearly describes just enough so that you don't get bored, but not too much so that you still need good insight. It wasn't very realistic though, and there was no modern technology, either. There's lots of action. Definitely a book for people who like suspense.

There was quite a bit of violence in this book. There was also a lot about different faiths and religion.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Eagle River, AK United States

Snapped by brntpopcorn

Melany, a girl looking for trouble gets way in over her head when an angel comes crashing into her window. Melany would have loved to forget what happened but that soon becomes nearly impossible. The next day the angel with a friend, follow her to school. She soon discovers that he is no ordinary angel. (Not that angels are ordinary!) What Melany doesn’t know is that her life is about to change forever.

I have to say that I thought Snapped definitely had a lot more potential. I wish the writer had been a little more creative when it came to their plot lines. This book just could not keep my attention and even though it was only about 200 pages it took me months to read. Melany’s character was not very well developed but of what we did know about her she suited the story well. Sadly I would not recommend this book to anyone.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Tipp City, Ohio United States

Chosen by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Zoey Redbird is a unique fledling with intricate tattoes who is on the verge of becoming psychotic. She is having trouble deciding who she will be with between her boyfriends, Heath and Erik. Along with being outstandish and blessed by her Goddess Nyx, she tries to live a normal life. The themes are romance, comedy, and fantasy. It is romance because it deals with Zoey trying to find her true love. It is comedy because it has a lot of really funny jokes in the book. It is a fantasy because it talks about vampyres.

The way the authors wrote it makes me feel like I'm Zoey herself. They give vivid details and characters. When I close my eyes I feel like I'm there right where Zoey is. It has a very dark mood because it talks about death and the apocolypse coming. The characters are very vivid and I feel like they are real because the way the authors describe them reminds me of my friends (except Aphrodite because none of my friends are that mean). I like how it's written because the main character, Zoey, talks in the first person.

I think the author's purpose was to keep the reader reading and yes I think their purpose was achieved. The way it was written was very beautiful. They used proper grammer and a very big vocabulary. The strength of this book was very vivid. The weakness of this book was sometiemes it got off track. I found the book to be very interesting. I didn't like the ending because it made me want more. No, I did not learn anything important from the book. I would recommend this book to others because of the vividy, characters and vocabulary.

The book has a ton of cuss words and sexual content.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Loves Park, IL U.S.A

The Georges and the Jewels by Jane Smiley

The Georges and the Jewels is set on a horse farm in California. Abby, a seventh-grader, lives on the farm with her parents, and misses her brother Danny, who left home to work for the local horse-shoer because he had a fight with his parents. Abby's parents' goal is to train and sell each horse within six months, so they try to stop Abby from becoming attached by naming all the geldings "George" and all the mares "Jewel." Abby does most of the work of caring for, riding, and training the horses. The author takes more time describing the horses than the people. Each horse has a different way they like doing things; for example, Ornery George does not like being bossed around. Even though her father doesn't want Abby to get attached to the horses, she does, and makes nicknames for each horse. At school, Abby makes friends with a new girl, Stella. Stella, out of a jealousy over a boy, causes trouble for a popular group of girls, and Abby ends up taking the blame. Abby struggles to clear her name at school and keep up with things at the farm.

This book was a little slow at the beginning, but after I got through a couple of chapters, I could hardly stop reading it. I don't usually read horse stories, so I really liked the sections at the beginning of each chapter that showed different pieces of tack and equipment along with their names. They helped me understand the vocabulary in the book. Abby is a good character because she has a mind of her own and even when she is blamed for the troubles at school, she doesn't get upset. I liked the ending of the book because Abby's parents decide that she can name the horses. Her mother says, "maybe when we name them, we're really seeing something in them that will help us train them the best way we can." This book is really about learning to recognize who people (and horses) really are.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, IA USA

Once a Witch

Tamsin Greene is a seventeen-year-old witch in a family of witches that have special talents. Tamsin’s talent is supposed to be more powerful than anyone else's. It has been nine years since her magic was supposed to show, and nothing has happened, making Tamsin's life difficult at best.

One day, a handsome professor comes into her grandmother's shop asking for help finding an important clock. Tamsin, although she knows she can't find it without any talents, agrees, in hopes of proving herself to her family. Tamsin's search soon turns into an extraordinary adventure through time, with powerful dark magic entwined. With her friend for help, they unravel the mysteries of the Greene family's past in this enthralling story.

This book can't be set down. Every chapter has a cliffhanger ending, keeping interest throughout the book. The plot moves quickly and never lacks excitement. It is easy to sympathize with Tamsin, making the reader a part of the book. The climax is slightly confusing, but most questions are answered in the epilogue. At the end, there isn't a strong theme to finish the book, which leaves plenty of space for a sequel. I would definitely recommend this book as a good read.

This book contains some bad language, underage smoking and drinking.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Milwaukee, WI USA

The Popularity Papers by Amy Ignatow

"The Popularity Papers" by Amy Ignatow is a girly book written in the form of a pseudo slam book (as the colloquialism goes). Full of print and cursive writing alongside hand drawings, the two main characters fill pages of the book trying to decode popularity. These are the two authors of the book, although they are fictitious entities made up by Amy Ignatow. The two girls share their feelings, describe classmates, recount school events, and go back and forth as they discuss what makes other students popular (which they try to emulate).

The structure of this book is fun and will make reading enjoyable for young girls that are a bit put off by large blocks of text in regular chapter books. The book describes crushes but is in no way graphic. It is mentioned how some kids have gone through divorce, the loss of a parent, and the betrayal of a friend. Most shocking of all is that Ignatow chooses to have one of her "authors" have two fathers (homosexual, of course). The book does not promote this lifestyle, but it does put it in a positive light. Overall, this book is entertaining and will make young girls keep turning the pages, giggling along the way.

This book mentions traumatic events, as well as homosexuality.

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Troy, NY USA

Meanwhile by Jason Shiga

"Meanwhile" by Jason Shiga is one doozy of a graphic novel. The main character is a boy whose journey starts out with ordering ice cream. Readers make decisions that lead to different pages with different scenarios, the first of which is as simple as chocolate versus vanilla. The boy then goes on to meet a mad scientist with many inventions. The story diverges yet again when the reader decides which device the boy will tinker with. More diversity comes when new characters emerge--some of which are directly correlated with a doomsday of sorts. The story goes on in many directions afterward.

This book is remarkably creative. The cartoon slides do not progress in a linear fashion; rather, they are discombobulated and connected with lines. Also, the tabs on the sides that protrude from each page make this interactive book fun to flip through as the story progresses. The style of art is quirky and fun for young children. After going through just a few of the boasted 3,856 story scenarios, readers will not be surprised to read on the last page of the book that the author graduated college with a degree in pure mathematics.

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Troy, NY USA

Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls

Jeannette Walls's book Half Broke Horses is the true story of Walls's grandmother, Lily Casey Smith. Growing up on a ranch in Arizona with her parents and two younger siblings, Lily felt there was something more in life for her. At a young age, she began teaching and traveled across the country. Half Broke Horses takes the reader through Lily's life from work, to marriage, to raising her own family. It's a true testament to the struggle women had during the Great Depression.

Out of all the books I have reviewed for Flamingnet, Half Broke Horses is my favorite. The true accounts of Lily's life were so detailed, it almost felt like I knew her. Walls was able to portray Lily's thoughts and emotions through a first-person narrative. Lily's life was so extraordinary. She lived every day to its fullest and truly lived to the statement, "Live like you were dying." This book has inspired me to do the same. I can't just live every day thinking of what could I do, but instead, do it. I can't rave about this book enough. I got my mother to read it, and she loved it just as much as I did. Anyone who wants to read an inspirational book, without wanting to be preached to, this book is for you.

There are some curse words in the novel.

Reviewer Age:18

Reviewer City, State and Country: Villa Hills, KY USA

Shadow of the Dragon by Kate O'Hearn

Shadow of the Dragons has a little bit of everything, romance, mystery, adventure, and more. Kira and Elspeth are the main characters that are leading a rebellion to abolish an unfair law. During their adventure, they visit the future, past, and back to the present following a prophecy. This is a interesting book and every page leaves you wanting more. With an unexpected ending, this book is wonderful to read!


Shadow of the Dragons caught my attention from page one! I can honestly say I didn't want to put it down. The main characters (Kira and Elspeth) really are exciting and make the story all the better. The author, Kate O'Hearn, really excelled on this story. The story is not only original and exciting, but it also presents a unexpected twist. This book left me wanting more, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone.


Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, TX Wood

CancerVixen by Marisa Acocella Marchetto

Marisa Acocella Marchetto draws on her experience as a cartoonist for Glamour and The New Yorker to write and illustrate this graphic novel. Cancer Vixen is Marchetto's memoir, describing her fight with cancer. Marchetto starts off before her diagnosis, with her exciting Manhattan life then takes you step by step through her journey with cancer. Marchetto takes a comedic approach to a very tough subject. Cancer Vixen tells an "overcoming cancer" story in an upbeat and inspirational way.

Cancer Vixen by Marisa Acocella Marchetto puts a funny spin on a tale about overcoming cancer. Marchetto, a big city fashonista, takes you throughout her journey with friends, doctors, needles, her mother and great shoes. Marchetto is witty, honest and real. The characters all grab your attention, especially her overbearing mom and loving fianc￩. Marchetto's colorfull drawings add to the story and bring everything to life. But, even though it is full of bright colors it is a heavy topic that Marchetto is able to respect. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and hope to read more from Marchetto.

CancerVixen dove into a very deep and emotional topic and describes in detail doctor visits and procedures.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Amherst, MA USA

The Locust and the Bird: My Mother's Story by Hanan Al-Shaykh

This is a true story. Kamila Al-Shaykh, the author's mother, lived in Lebanon. Kamila's father left her family when she was young. Soon after, Kamila, her mother, and her brother moved to Beirut, the capitol. There, they lived with an old, strict family. When Kamila's sister, Manifa dies, Kamila is promised to Manifa's widower at the tender age of nine. At 13, she is married against her will to Abu-Hasan, Manifa's widower. She gives birth to her first child at age 15,but she does not love Abu-Hasan. She loves Muhammud, a 17-year old boy. Two years later, she gives birth to Hanan, the author. Things grow tight and tempers run high between her family and Muhammud. Kamila dreams of eloping with Muhammud, but she can't bear to leave her two daughters. Will she ever be able to marry her true love and begin the life she imagined?

I think this is definitely one of the better books I've read. It draws the reader in because it has so much new information. It's all about how life was in the typical Lebanon household. I think that because they were, and are so poor, that they have so much pleasure in small things. Just going to the movies, drinking coffee, and smoking cigars were wonderfully engaging pastimes. The book clearly expresses the emotions and tragedies of Kamila. The book is so sentimental. At the back of the book, There is an old, faded photograph of Kamila and Muhammud. You can see the youthful joy and happiness in them. It makes me want to cry. I think the author did that purposely, to make us remember her mother by writing each detail in a way that makes us want to mourn for Kamila. I think it is a wonderful book, and I would recommend it to people who are looking for a bit of a romance, but also some adventure.

There is lot's of cussing, and mention of sex. Also an inappropriate scene of romance.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Eagle River, AK United States

People of the Sword by Neil O'Donnell

People of the Sword is about druids, goblins and knights. In this book all of these people are enemies, but when Crarnock takes the lead of all the goblins he turns them on the humans. Knights and druids have to work together to beat him. It’s a never ending race between good and evil. This is an action adventure book with a little mix of romance in it also.

I found that the beginning of this book was a little hard to follow, and the characters at the beginning were not well explained. As the story went along I started to follow more and more and it made more sense.

It’s a great book with lots of action and fighting scenes and a little romance. The author was great, but it really wasn’t my type of book. He did make me feel like I was apart of it all and was engaged in all the fighting. The book had a serious tone, and he made the characters fit well together. I wouldn’t say that this was my favorite book, but I would recommend it to anyone who loves action.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola , TX USA

King of RPGS 1 By: Jason Thompson

Shesh Maccabee is the hard-core gamer of the University of California in Escondido. Aided by Theodore Dudek, Shesh makes his name as the ultimate gamer. But with a dark twist. Every time he plays a game his split personality takes over and turns him into his character. In Dudek's eyes, this is the number one gaming skill, but it lands Shesh in a deadly dilemma with Gavin Slane. How will Shesh ever manage college?

Poor Shesh! All this because of a game. The King of RPG's was a book I could really enjoy. All the artwork was really cool along with the story board. Anyone who loves the wonderful world of gaming will love this book.

Reviewer Age:13
Mineola, Texas America

Hunger by Michael Grant

Hunger is a thrilling sequel to Michael Grant's book Gone. It's a fictional story showing how kids survive when everyone above 15 disappears. But survival is the least of their problems. More and more children are developing strange powers. This causes a split between the normal and power ridden kids. On top all the civil war threatening to boom Sam, the leader of the Perido beach, is trying to protect his side from Caine, his twin brother, and his gang. Not to mention the darkness trying to kill them all. As the society and food starts to run low things crumble, war rages, and blood will be drawn.

This book is great for any one who enjoys a good story. Michael Grant is a fantastic writer and has treated us with a new prize indeed. This story keeps you hocked from the beginning, always begging for more. I would, though, recommend reading Gone first. It is the first novel to the 'Gone' collection. Hungry really showed how much order, communication, and maturity are needed for the everyday society we live in. So if your ever in a hungry mood for a new fascinating book, pick up Hungry by Michael Grant. 5 stars to this one and two thumbs up!


Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Germantown, TN United States

In Shade and Shadow by Barb and JC Hendee

In Shade and Shadow is the first installment of the second
series in the ongoing Saga of the Noble Dead. Since
returning from her last journeyor's assignment two seasons
ago, Wynn Hygeorht has found it difficult to adjust to life
in the guild; not to mention much of the order envies her
for bringing back one of the greatest treasures in the
guild's history. But things stir up in Calm Seatt after two
sages are killed and a translation folio is stolen by an
unknown suspect. Many investigations are initiated by
Siweard Rodian, captain of the Shyldfalches, as it is his
duty and determination to solve the murder of the two sages.
However, as Captain Rodian digs deeper into the mystery, he
feels there is more to the translation project than meets
the eye. Wynn is also curious about the death of the two
sages and believes they were killed by a Noble Dead. During
one encounter with the Noble Dead, she is protected by a
majay-hi, or wolf, which she later discovers is the daughter
of Chap and Lily who was sent to protect her. Around the
same time, Wynn runs into a past friend, Chane, who is an
undead. The three work together to figure out the meaning
behind the stolen translation folios while also attempting
to vanquishing the Noble Dead yet they discover a hidden
truth in return.

This book is surprisingly good and very
descriptive, but it is one of my harder books to get into at
first. The plot is nicely woven together and very
interesting but I found it was the author's writing style
that took me awhile to get used to. The author liked to add
many miscellaneous little details that strayed from the main
topic, which consequently became confusing at times. Other
than this, In Shadow and Shadow is a great book for young
readers and has a captivating plot that will keep you
turning the pages!

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City,State and Country: Knoxville, TN United States

The Amberstone: Saving the Flame

In the early years of the Planet Vale, a healer named Alma is forced to become a flame inside an amberstone. When Carrie leans on a meteorite in her rock garden, she is pulled onto the planet Vale, where she finds the Amberstone. Alma speaks to Carrie, begging her to go to Lobo the Gray Wolf. Carrie and Alma have to brave an old manor, floods, and even people they thought were friends. However, with the help of Alma, Carrie finds friends in places she never thought possible.

I thought this book was very good. The author did a great job of having Carrie find courage within herself. There were a few problems though. To understand thoroughly the book, you really should read the prologue, and it I thought it took until chapter 5 for the story to become exciting. Another thing that might be a problem for some readers is that you see through the eyes of so many different characters that the story can get a little confusing. The plot was great; Carrie and Alma have to face obstacles that make the book interesting. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a new adventure.

Content: 1
Rating: 7
Reviewer Age: 10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockwell City, IA USA