At LitPick, we review books from a variety of genres, as well as enjoy promoting reading and writing worldwide among adults and students. We also like connecting authors and publishers with readers.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Looking for Marco Polo by Alan Armstrong
I thought this book was really adventurous and good. This wasn't my favorite book in the world but it kept me going. I think people who would like to read this book would have to love to read adventurous books. Im more of a person who likes to read mostly mysterious books.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Nokomis, Illinois United States
Yokaiden 2 by Nina Matsumoto
A great book I highly recommend it, but if you don't like Japanese Mangas then I suggest you don't read it. This is definitely a great book so please read it. You can even skip the first one, it explains it to where you know enough to where you understand the story. It's great 'cause unlike a lot of Mangas you don't have to read back to front. It's an easy quick read that provides an entertaining story.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon USA
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Short Circus by Stephen V. Masse
task is to write a report on his summer vacation. Short
Circus is Jem's story about all of the adventures he went
on with his friends and famliy. Jesse Standish is Jem's
older brother through the Big Brother Association and he
may be forced to move. That is one of Jem's problems
along with someone destroying the swimming pond, and
problems among his friends. Will Jem even make it through
the summer?
I didn't like Short Circus very much. In
fact, it was difficult to pick up and read because I
wasn't really interested in it. I couldn't finish the
book. I thought Short Circus had a weak plot and no
rising action. There was not much happening throughout
the book. It is written in a kid's point of view, but it
is not like what a kid would do. If I had a say in the
making of the book, I might make it more of a narrative
instead of a first person story.
I thought the book was
uninteresting. I had a tough time getting into it. There
wasn't much action or interesting things
happening.
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and
Country: Randolph, NJ United States
Riding Invisible by Sandra Alonzo
school, does not get in trouble, is a talented writer and
artist, and keeps his responsibilities to his horse, Shy.
Yancy's brother, Will, has a conduct disorder. He is the
one who does not do well in school, gets in trouble, beats
on other kids and needs to have a good deeds chart
completed before he can get his learner's permit. So, why
is Yancy the one who runs away? After Will attacks Shy,
Yancy packs up his horse and leaves home, attempting to
find a place where he and his horse can live safely. He
gets himself into a whole heap of trouble and has more
adventure than he could ever imagine.
As a horse lover,
myself, I have often been disappointed by the inaccuracies
in horse-related books. I was not with this one. Yancy
is a clever and detailed narrator and it is a pleasure to
step into his mind while reading his so-called adventure
journal . Travel with Yancy and Shy along their journey
that is full of sarcasm and potholes. This is a book
about a boy, his horse, and the life they are determined
to escape from.
This story is told through the eyes of a
sixteen year-old boy in journal format. He does not mince
his words and some of his references to the female
characters could be offending. Also, Yancy's brother does
things that include drugs and alcohol.
Reviewer
Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leverett,
Massachusetts USA
Willie-Off-The-Pickleboat by Thomas M. Wilkinson
I thought that this book was confusing. It wasn't one of the best books I have read. I thought this because, I don't really like these type of books. I thought it was very appropriate for the age level given.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: nokomis , illinois united states
Hero's Tribute by Graham Garrison
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: cleveland, ohio United States
Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley
This book was great! I loved every word of it! The outside of the book itself is very nice: the cover is really cool (its hard to describe - it has this shadow in a coffin but when you flip it open, the shadow is Charlotte), it's hardcover, and the sides are silvery! The inside was just as amazing! The story is really great and I will definitely be reading it again and again and again! Charlotte is as easy to fall in love with as it is to hate Petula. The author uses nice wording and you really feel like you're in Charlotte's shoes trying to figure out what happened and how to get Damen to like her even though she's dead. I would recommend this to anybody. Period. It has action, humor, and boys - and all around good book.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gearhart, Oregon United States
Women's Stage Monologues and Scenes by Lawrence Harbison
The monologues and scenes used in the 2009 edition are quite versatile. The ages range from early teens to early eighties. The vast amount of delicately selected monologues allows the reader to find a commendable amount of speeches that can relate to. I would recommend this book to women who are pursuing stage acting or to anyone who wants to read a few excerpts in order to find an excellent script to read.
This book contains some sexual content
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Raleigh, NC United States
Living Hell by Catherine Jinks
This is one of the best young adult books I have read in years -- when I started it, I couldn't bring myself to stop until I'd finished it at the end of the day. The pacing is just right and there is just enough tension (and cliffhanger chapter endings) to keep any adventure-loving reader's nose in "Living Hell." Science fiction fans will automatically love this story, especially the vast amount of detail incorporated into the concept of a living spaceship. To anyone not as open to the genre, the "life force" idea may sound preposterous, and there is one other, minor preposterous occurrence near the end of the story. Yet nothing seems very strange in the context of the book, since every aspect of it is strange. The author's descriptive and convincing voice makes almost anything possible in the ship Plexus. Any reader will notice there are also a great number of technical terms and acronyms pertaining to the ship's operating system, but most can be remembered easily enough if the reader has the will. Ultimately, the most unfortunate aspect of this book is that the title is frustratingly vague, and without the cover illustration and the synopsis, I would never have guessed its contents and probably would not have wanted to read it.
Rated 3 for frightening descriptions, especially disturbing and gruesome deaths,young children in peril, and some language.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: San Jacinto, California USA
Sky Girl by Joe Sergi
Reading this book was hilarious. Considering this book was probably made for kids younger than me I loved it. Some of the villains' conversations with each other in the beginning were great because it sounds just like if it was an actual television show or was actually happening. Even if some of the conversations were just he said she said type of stuff it was still a page turner where you wanted to know what was happening in the next chapter. One of the more annoying things was that the character of Jason doesn't like to use contractions so instead of saying could've or can't he would say could have or cannot. Otherwise it was great to read and I can't wait for the sequel and I would most definitely recommend it to anyone.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Loves Park, Illinois United States
The Midnight Curse by L. M. Falcone
poor. They never had the money to go on trips, until their
Uncle Jonathan dies, sending them to England for the
reading of the will. Once in England, they reach Blaxton
Manor, the home where Uncle Jonathan locked himself away.
While their mother is out, Charlie and Lacey go exploring
in the house. They didn't know what they were getting
into. Charlie gets cursed, they meet two spooky ghosts, a
creepy butler, and a woman with a head in her fridge! This
book is full of mystic twists that keep you up all
night.
I could not have read a better book! L.M Falcone
writes about mystery, terror, and going to the extreme to
help your family. I was up all night, both because I was
scared and because I couldn't rest until I finished the
book! If you dream of horror, love Edger Allen Poe works
and other strange books, You'll love "The Midnight Curse".
I know I did.
Although there is no vulgar language,
younger children might find it scary.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City, Florida United States
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Storm: The Infinity Code by E.L. Young
Storm the Infinity Code starts off slowly. It takes a while for STORM to form and Will to commit to the group. But once STORM is all set the plot started to move along. And the chase and adventure never stopped. But STORM is always up for the challenge. Although the adventures are ridiculous, the characters are real. Throughout the story the characters are well developed. Storm the Infinity Code is full of surprises. One frustrating thing is that its a little hard to follow all of the names. Storm the Infinity Code was a great book and it was interesting that the science in it was based upon real experiments. Overall Storm the Infinity Code became a good page turner.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Amherst, MA USA
Friday, May 28, 2010
Party by Tom Leveen
"Party" follows the night of eleven different teenagers at one different party. Little do they know that they all will be connected. What starts out to be a small crowd turns into a mob and trashes the guys house. Soon afterward smoking and drugs get mixed in with the beer. Not long after everything is getting heated up with fights, kissing, and shouting the police arrive. Not only do they show up with ambulances the party breaks up, and teenagers are scrambling to get out of there without being caught.
"Party" seems to be full of drugs, addiction and racism at the first glance. After you get in for a while the plot unfolds. Every one of these characters seems to be caught up in their own drama mashing it together into a big mess. The book seemed to have some realism and some fantasy in it.I believe that "Party" is a good book but could use a little more of real life situations mixed with the fantasies in it.
This book contains swearing, drugs, and alcohol for minors. It might give some bad ideas to immature readers.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hopkins, Michigan U.S.A
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony
I absolutely loved this book. I thought the setting was brilliant. Joelle Anthony gives you a picture of the future that I have never read or even thought about before. The characters were set up perfectly. Especially Molly, she is the best kind of heroine. I think her small, quiet relationship with Spill makes the story perfect.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springfield, OH US
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Sweet 15 by, Emily Adler
I like the storyline because I enjoy hearing about other cultures' birthday celebrations. However, this book was hard to get through because, for most of the book, Destiny let herself be swayed back and forth by her mother and sister and never took control of her life till the end. This book presents an interesting view of the modern day feminist (America, Destiny's sister) and the strain of being caught between two cultures. I liked how in the end, Destiny managed to make her Quincenara her own with a mix of fancy and grungy aspects. Over all, this book has a sweet and inspiring story that female tweens will surely enjoy.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, TX U.S.A.
Nature Girl by Jane Kelley
I liked this book because I love how Meagan perseveres; hiking from Vermont to Massachusetts. She thinks about the times when she and Lucy were together and how she acted. I found this book very moving. I would definitely recommend this book to others. Why? This is a very touching book.
Reviewer Age: 10
Reviewer Cities, State and Country: Katy, Texas USA
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Conspiracy 365: May by Gabrielle Lord
I wasn't a fan of this story. It was book 5 in the series and I didn't understand the plot. The setting wasn't very appealing, or interesting. The author didn't make the mental institution as exciting as it could have been. The main character is Cal, he wasn't a very interesting character. He was locked in a mental institution, yet didn't share his strong feelings for this situation. The author of this book made Cal feel boring, and i didn't connect with him at all. The author's voice just had a humdrum tone about it. The writing was difficult to follow and at times just didn't make sense. I found this book dull and at times it felt like the author was trying to push the situation too hard! I didn't learn anything from this book. I wouldn't recommend this book to readers, it was humdrum and the plot didn't make sense.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Enon, Ohio United States
Monday, May 24, 2010
Change of Heart by Shari Maurer
soccer, friends, and parental problems. However, her life
is radically changed in a short few days when she
contracts a virus that led to congestive heart failure.
Now, her life is in a form of a beeper, and she's waiting
day in and day out for it to tell her a new heart has come
so she can go one with her life. Soon, Emmi realizes how,
maybe, her life will never go back to normal, and through
it all, she learns how great her family and friends
are.
I felt like I've encountered this storyline so many
different times, and this book doesn't write it in a very
refreshing way. The plotline is predictable and cliche.
The characters and situations are underdeveloped. One
dramatic event happens after the next making them seem
unrealistic and jammed together to make the book more
exciting. Also, the characters relationships are
established, but the reader doesn't feel the full
connection between the characters. Moreover, the narrator,
Emmi, is extremely whiny and immature. The author's
writing is choppy and unsophisticated. Although she
captures the teenage voice pretty well, at times it seems
as if she's trying too hard. All in all, it was a decent
book if you're looking for a light read full of cheesy,
predictable drama.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City,
State and Country: Hinsdale, IL USA
Keeper by Kathi Appelt
Keeper, by Kathi Appelt, was a truly enchanting story. This book reminds me of me, of something I might do if told certain things. A strength of Keeper is always keeping the reader puzzled. It had me guessing what would happen next, and then amazed me by doing something totally different. One weakness it had was the skipping between characters. Most of the time I'm pretty good about realizing who is talking in the story or whose point of view the story is coming from, but in this book's case I was constantly confused about what was going on in the different story settings. I would recommend this book to kids who love mermaids and to kids between the ages of eight and twelve.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA
The Squad: Perfect Cover by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
I do not think that the book was all that great. I was expecting the author to be more descriptive. Though the author was not descriptive, she was very good at talking as if she was a teen. This book is more of a leisurely read. The words the book used were very easy to read and understand. I would not recommend this book for others because it does not do a very good job in drawing a person's attention. If I had to recommend this book to anyone, I would for middle school cheerleaders because I think they would be able to relate well with the characters.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Newville, Pennsylvania, United States
Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey
Going into this book, I expected a lot. Something based off of Jekyll and Hyde had to be amazing, which is partly why I chose the book. Unfortunately, I was let down. The book started off being amazing, and I could not put it down. But the more I read, the less fascinating it became. A minor issue I had was the awkward formalness of every conversation the high school students had. It was also really jumpy at some points. It alternated chapters between Jill and Tristen, but I was often left confused and wondering, usually for so long that at one point I could barely keep track of all that was happening. The author seemed to stuff five or six different plots into this one book, leaving it confusing, with twists and turns, some stories starting while others come to abrupt halts. It was just far too much, and I felt a little overwhelmed. It was a good idea for a story, but I was ultimately let down by it.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Minnetonka, Minnesota United States
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Kiss in the Dark by Lauren Hendersen
Dan McAndrew's murder behind her and start fresh at
Wakefield Hall Collegiate that her grandmother runs and
will soon be hers. Everything is going her way with a new
boyfriend, new best friend, and nobody who knows about
what happened with McAndrew. But that is all ruined when
Plum Saybourne is transferred to Wakefield from Scarlett's
old school, and establishes her reign in no time.
Scarlett can handle Plum just fine until she targets
Taylor, her best friend, and Jase, her boyfriend. And
things can only get worse when Jase's dad is found dead on
campus. Could Jase be involved with the murder? Or is
Scarlett just bad luck like everybody says?
This book is incredible! It's kind of a cliff hanger ending, but not
the kind that stops in the middle of an exiting part, and
it's not the first book in this series, but everything is
really well explained. You could easily read just this
book and be satisfied, but yet there is a bit of mystery
that intrigues me to read the others in this series. You
can really get into the characters, and unless you are a
Nancy Drew prodigy, the ending isn't what you would
expect. Scarlett goes through a lot of different suspects
and with each one you thing Oh yea, they definitely did
it! but they didn't. So it was really interesting in
that way. I would say this book is like a Sarah Dessen
mystery book.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gearhart, Oregon United States
Split by Swati Avasthi
Split is one of those books with characters that you feel sorry for in the beginning but eventually fall in love with by the end. This book should be read by as many people as possible. It is an open window to domestic violence in the homes of those we are told to trust. While some of the passages were graphic, this was one of the better books that I have read in a long time. I was glad to see that after everything Christian and Jace were able to stay together and finally have a happy ending. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good read with a little angst mixed in. Great Story!
Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mantua, NJ USA
Friday, May 21, 2010
Fire Will Fall by Carol Plum-Ucci
Tyler Ping and Shahzad Hamdani are internet spies, they've taken on the illegal job of tracking members of ShadowStrike online. Only problem is no one will listen to them when they find out that ShadowStrike might not be as far away as everyone seem to believes. And their coming back.
Fire Will Fall by Carol Plum-Ucci was a great sequel to Streams of Babel. I had not read the first one before this, but I still understood. Each page was filled with thought-provoking words, weaved in with suspense. Each chapter was terrifyingly realistic, every page raised goosebumps on my arms. It was entertaining yet filled with horror. I would think I had everything figured out, and then Plum-Ucci would throw in a horrifying twist. There was action, mystery, and even romance. I was engrossed with the book the whole time I was reading it. I would extremely recommend this book to a mature reader. A lot of the language, and sexual content was mature. I didn't approve of it, even though it did make the situation more believable.
Violence, sexual content, and mature language.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springtown, Texas United States
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Phliberty-Jibbits by William Moore
William Moore writes an adventure story filled with different feelings, like sad, excited, surprised and disappointed. This story was definitely a page turner and I could picture the setting when I close my eyes. Moore taught me a lesson that anything was possible. The author gave a lot of details and did a pretty good job wrapping up subplots. I would recommend this book to anyone who believes anything is possible and likes adventure.
Reviewer Age:9
Reviewer City, State and Country: Elkton, Maryland United States of America
Arson by Estevan Vega
I would recommend this book to readers that like to go against the grain, as the book is not written in a straightforward manner, nor is it written with the same style as most other authors. Almost everything that happened was a surprise, and while some events were more logical than others, this helped keep the book interesting. Without the shockers every few pages, however, this book would have been quite boring. By not telling the story in its entirety, and leaving ends not tied up, I felt like a heavy fog had been placed in my head,rendering me unable to fully comprehend the plot and make connections to the text. The information Vegas gave was often not complete and out of order- which is an interesting style, but one that prevented my total enjoyment of the book.
Having said my piece on Vegas' style, I want to congratulate him on excellent character development. Arson's grandmother was especially real to me, as was Emery, because they had such real feelings of loss and shame.
Another admirable part of "Arson" was the setting development. By the time the book ended, I felt like I had lived in Arson's town my whole life. Arson and Emery, along with the other characters, visit so many important parts of the town and these places are described with a poetic detail that makes visualizing the scenes incredibly easy.
I gave Arson a content rating of 2 because there was some inappropriate "stuff" that should be looked at by an adult before allowing young children/ teens to read the book.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lederach, PA USA
The Letter Writer
The Letter Writer is as good as the rest of Ann Rinaldi's books. It may start slow, but it is necessary to describe Harriet's life and "set the stage". The climax, although a bit gory, is as exciting as any novel. It was educational and taught me about the Nat Turner Slave Rebellion, while I had fun reading it. I could imagine the setting and relationship between Harriet and her "girl", Violet. The plot was believable. Overall, the book was educational, well-written, and interesting, but lost my attention at points.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
I thought that this book was a serious yet humorous story about a boy and his "quest" for the truth. If you read quickly it's a short read but something to occupy your time. If you are a slower reader then this will be a good book for you too. It's short as well as easy. It's got fun little doodles on some of the pages which just adds to the humor.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon USA
Sunday, May 16, 2010
My Double Life by Janette Rallison
The story Maestoso Petra is about a young colt that has a very exciting life. He goes to the Spanish riding school to learn how to get off his feet and to fly, he thinks of her mother because she taught him how to move and to speak to others. I like this book it has a lot of great details to it. Plus it would be great for kids under my age as well. One thing I dislike is that it could be a little longer.
2 because it has good details in it.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: hopkins, michigan allegan
Chaosbound by David Farland
Chaosbound is an exciting book that keeps you on your toes; one moment everything is going great,
then in the next, the world is falling apart. This is the eighth book in the Runelords series, and it's confusing in
the beginning if you haven't read the other books; there isn't enough information for new readers. I loved how
Farland described the family, it really painted a picture in my head. The book is action-packed, but I think it was a little rushed and short. I would also recommend this book for older readers, because there is some mature content. Overall, it was a good book, but not necessarily the best I've ever read.
Sexual content.
Rating: 6
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City, FL USA
Orange Planet by Haruka Fukushima
In this book you will feel you are apart of the story, because her life is probably as crazy as a normal junior high school students', or maybe even crazier. But then in some parts you will be - wow is that really happening? I would really recommend this book to anyone who likes a good romance Manga every once in a while. There is also humor, and just plain out embarrassing things on every page. I really think the main purpose of this author writing this book is that what goes on in Rui's life can really be happening to junior high schoolers today. So anywhere in the world there is someone who has lived in the footsteps of Rui.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Casa, Arizona United States
Goose Chase by Patricia Kindl
I chose this book to review because I really like reading fairy tales and fairy tale remakes, and this one turned out to be really good. The author does a good job of putting together typical fairy tale elements such as romance, magic and concealed identities, and sends her heroine and hero on a quest that is only revealed after it s well under way. Many of the characters in this book were quite funny, such as the three ogresses, Lucinda, Nellie, and two-headed Tessa. Alexandria sometimes finds her gifts to be an annoyance, because they make it harder for her to go unnoticed, and when she wakes up, she has twenty-four carat dandruff. Alexandria's hair is fun to imagine, because not only does it give off gold dust, it has other magical powers that Alexandria can use as long as she speaks to it very nicely. I would recommend this book to fairy tale readers and fans of writers such as Gail Carson Levine and Shannon Hale.
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, IA USA
Virginia by Susan Hughes
This book was rather interesting because it was the exact opposite of what I expected. I wasn't expecting the mystery of the novel to be about a modern day Virgin Mary. The plot was very well lined up and I was intrigued the entire way through. However, there were parts where the book switched back and forth between different points of view and it took me a while to figure out who those points of view were. Overall, a well-written book full of mystery and an interesting plot from cover to cover.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, PA USA
Hot Issues: Cool Choices by Sandra McLeod Humphrey
The very first thing written in this book hit me and made me think of this book in such a serious light. It said, "In memory of Tommy who took his own life at the age of twelve years, two months, and ten days." This shocked me that someone so young had taken their own life. As I read through this book, I found myself putting myself into all of the situations and assessing what I would have done; sometimes I liked the outcome, and sometimes I didn't. It changed the way I view a lot of things, especially bullying. This is a must-read for children of all ages and would be especially helpful if it was then discussed with a parent or a teacher. I loved the layout, I loved the illustrations included, I loved that there were statistics and references included, and I loved the message this book sent.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, PA USA
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
One In A Hundred Million by, Marion Urichich
I'm sure others might find this book very intriguing, I, however, had a hard time reading it. I didn't particularly enjoy the first chapter because it seemed like Marion spent the whole chapter telling readers that he wrote this book to share his stories and let others know how generous and big-hearted he was. However, if you look past the first chapter, the stories are interesting. It surprised me to find that Marion suffered awful injuries and hardly ever received medical care. Anyone who enjoys reading the unbelievable will probably enjoy this book as well.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas U.S.A.
Swim the fly by Don Calame
This book was a peek into the male mind. Reading Matt's thoughts and feelings was refreshingly funny and sweet. This book drags you in, to do crazy dares and goof off with Matt and his friends. The author's writing style made for a relatable and hilarious read. Be prepared to laugh-out-loud 'till your stomach hurts. Each chapter in this book plays out like a scene in a comedy movie. This book is perfect for more mature readers who enjoy quick, entertaining reads.
This book contained a lot of raunchy, sometimes crude humor.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Wailuku, HI United States
Monday, May 10, 2010
Powerless by Matthew Cody
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
Invisible Girl by Mary Hanlon Stone
I think this book is well written from the view of a teenage girl. You can feel the pain of the character Stephanie when she is abused by her mother or when someone makes fun of her. The writing is heartfelt. When she felt something, I could feel it. The description of the feelings make you feel as though you are the girl who is being abused.
Content Rating: 1
Rating: 9
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, MA USA
Saturday, May 08, 2010
The Resurrection Fields by Brian Keaney
I liked the book The Resurrection Fields by Brian Keaney, however I did find it very confusing and dull, because I hadn't read the first two books. Everyone who reads this book MUST read the first two; otherwise the whole point of this story is a blur. However, the plot had an interesting storyline. Many parts were violent or frightening that would scare many children, but the literature was an extremely short and easy read. I recommend this series to anyone over 12 who needs an easy read on a rainy day.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Osseo, Wisconsin United States
A Stone In My Hand by Cathryn Clinton
A Stone in My Hand by Cathryn Clinton is very interesting and deep. I was thoroughly haunted by the story of young Malaak and all of the troubles she has faced as a girl living in Gaza with deep restrictions forced unto the Palestinian people. The characters came to life, and I could really sense all of the emotion that sweeps through Malaak's heart as she struggles to keep her family together and to keep her sanity. I recommend this to everyone who feels they can truly understand Malaak's struggle and faith as she goes through this terrible time. A Stone in my Hand is very moving and thoughtful - I will never be able to think of Gaza or Palestine again without thinking of Malaak; the world is not at peace.
Some very frightening, graphic, and disturbing scenes that younger readers may not understand. Mainly age 12 and up.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Osseo, Wisconsin United States
Thursday, May 06, 2010
The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary by Jeff Kinney
The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary was a nonfiction book that showed how scenes from the author's original series was used to create a movie. I thought it was a very good book but I didn't enjoy it as much as the actual series. The books in the series are funnier. I recommend this book to young readers.
Reviewer Age:9
Reviewer City, State and Country: Glenwood, Arkansas US
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
The Book of the Maidservant by Rebecca Barnhouse
servant. She is sent to another country, but she can't
speak the native language, while her master can. When her
master leaves her behind, she has to find some way to
communicate with the people around her. Readers follow
her on her journey to figure out the language of the
country.
This was a great book, it was interesting and
kept me reading to the end. You learn about friendship
and loyalty, and also about medieval life. This book is
wise and funny, and filled with excitement to the very
end. I would recommend this book for everyone. If you
don't read it, you are missing out.
1
8
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City, Florida USA
30 Days to Finding and Keeping Sassy Sidekicks and BFFs by Clea Hantman
This book was an interesting read. I found the activities and information within the book helpful and it helped me to reevaluate the people that I am currently hanging out with. The book also gave me ideas to do with my friends. I would recommend this book to any girl, even if they already have friends. It never hurts to try something new!
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States of America
TIGER MOON
Raka, waits in fear of being killed by her husband. To
pass the time, she spends time with her sole friend Lalit
by telling him a story.
Thief and all-around bad guy Farhad Kamal has been
targeted by the Hindu God Krishna to rescue his daughter
who was kidnapped by a demon. Farhad has been given the
cycle of one moon to find the princess. Only given a few
riddles, Farhad enlists the help from the white tiger
Nitish and decides to go ahead with the dangerous task.
He knows that there are dangers everywhere he goes, but
Nitish and Farhad rely on each other to get through them
and an unlikely friendship begins to grow between the two.
As a lover of fairy tales, this novel caught my
attention immediately. I've never read a tale centered in
India, so I loved that aspect of it. Everything about
this story was amazing, from the characters to the plot
and the writing style. The themes in the novel also left
an impression, such as the importance of friendship. The
historical aspects were interesting as well. Once I
started this, I couldn't put it down. I would recommend
this novel to readers of young adult fiction, and
especially all lovers of fairy tales.
Reviewer
Age:23
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia,
PA USA
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
A Cousin's Challenge by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Do read this book. The setting is in an Amish community and while that is not the usual setting for most books, Wanda E. Brunstetter makes it work well. She uses phrases that the people in the community say that are not familiar to us but they help to immerse us in the reading. The characters were interesting and complex, and they were the reason that made me keep turning the page to find out what was going to happen next. The characters stories were intertwined in some way that made them interesting. The writing was effective and it was not too dull. The ending was good, it was not too abrupt and it told me what i wanted to know about the characters. I would recommend this book. It was interesting and a fun read.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Pittsburgh , PA United States
Noodle Pie
Noodle Pie was a very interesting book. I found the description of the setting to be very vivid and descriptive, and I felt as if I were really in Vietnam with reckless drivers and polluted air. The book contains a humorous and yet serious tone. The book is funny because it is from an 11 year old boy’s point of view. However, the author also pinpoints the fact that there are thousands of street kids in Vietnam today. This brings a touch of seriousness to the book, but does not kill the humor in this book. I believe that the characters could be real because they act like any other kids would if they were in that situation. I think the way I felt about the characters really affected how much I liked the book. The author has a humorous yet serious tone. In this book, lack of detail was non-existent. The author left me hanging at the end, and I was left wondering about the main character’s adventures that started at the very end of the book. In conclusion, this is what I thought about the book Noodle Pie.
Content: 1
Rating: 6
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, Massachusetts United States of America
My Double Life by Janette Rallison
This book was simply amazing. I have read several of Janette Rallison's books before and this was definitely the best one. Her portrayal of Alexia had so much depth to it, as did her portrayal of Kari, a seemingly one-dimensional, shallow pop star. The twists keep you occupied because they just keep on coming and you never know what to expect. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, as it was just extremely enjoyable to read and had me sucked in from the very first page.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Westerville, OH United States
Monday, May 03, 2010
The Secret Satrudays by Elizabeth Hurchalla
I thought the book was way, way too short. If you aren't going to read the whole series, don't read this book because it ends in a cliffhanger and the entire book is mostly just an introduction. The introduction takes up too much of the book and the action is crammed into the end. I think it should have had more of a plot. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it was unsatisfying.
Unsatisfying because too little action and too much introduction.
Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sammamish, WA USA
Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Vibes was definitely not what I was expecting. Kristi was a great main character that kept me glued to the pages. Her witty, but deep, narration made her one of the most unique characters I've ever read about in a YA novel. She was someone I would have loved to know in real life. Not only was Kristi a fantastic character, but I enjoyed many of the minor characters as well. Gusty, Mallory, Jacob, her mother, Aunt Ann... they all had a great place in this heartwarming debut. The plot was original and realistic even though I couldn't connect with a lot of the things Kristi was going through. Readers will feel for Kristi and go on the wild ride of her life all the way until the end. Kristi matures a lot by the end of Vibes and really discovers who she is. The writing style was fantastic, and the descriptions sucked me right into the novel. I can't wait to read Ryan's next book!
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hightstown, New Jersey USA
Bakugan: Battle Brawlers by, Elizabeth Hurchalla
My opinion of the book was that the author did a very good job of keeping to the episode it was based on. However there were a few mistakes. One of those mistakes was switching the names of some of the Bakugan. Besides a few mistakes the book was very good. I hope you all get a chance to read this wonderful book.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas The United States of America
Sunday, May 02, 2010
The Debs by Susan McBride
what they want. Their names are Laura Bell, Mac Mackenzie,
and Ginger Fore, who have dreamed of becoming a debutante
(deb) ever since they were little girls. Laura is a little
overweight, but that doesn't stop her from attracting a
hot jock named Avery, making her rivals fiery with
jealously. Ginger falls in love with this older, college
guy named Javier, which almost lands her in jail. Mac on
the other hand, is the calmest out of the three. She
doesn't really want to be a deb, but will do whatever it
takes to make her friends happy. But the three girls have
some competition on their hands, Jo-Lynn Bidwell and her
posse, Camie and Trisha, who will do anything- I mean
anything- to keep Laura and her friends out of the Class
Slipper Club. Scandal, Lies, Secrets and much more lies
ahead.
The book was very interesting and made me want
to know what happened next. It gave great detail about
the characters and made me feel as if I knew them in
person. One thing I had to get used to at first was that
each chapter was about a different character and their
actions, but it all blended well together. I would
recommend this book to any girl in high school because
this book contains what most girls go through in high
school, such as making the wrong friends, dealing with boys,
backstabbing, and heartache. I would definitely like to see
a Part 2 of this book, and see what else Jo-Lynn has in
store for the girls.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer
City, State and Country: Cumming, Georgia United States
Noonie's Masterpiece
The book’s illustrations by Sarajo Frieden are of high quality. The pages themselves have decorations and color; even the text has color. The plot itself isn't too intense, but this book is meant for the grammar school age, anyway. While it is great that a girl pursues her art dreams, it is a bit disappointing that she is noted as disliking math. Overall, this book is a nice bridge for young ones, and one that will prepare them for chapter books.
Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Troy, NY 12180
Revenge Fires Back by JR Thompson
I think this is a really good author. When I got my book, it was personally signed by him! It was amazing to see, which made the book even better to me to read. Once you read this, you can really tell that this author puts a lot of thought into his work. What he wrote about was truly delightful, but it's also sad because it talks about things that some people don't think about, but they're things that are really happening out in the world. This book will rip at your heart and make you ache to read more. I think JR Thompson really did achieve his purpose and that he worked really hard on this book. It was all worth it. I found it very moving and interesting. I wanted to read more to see what was going to happen next and see what else he wrote about in the book to make it connect with the rest of the story. I recommend this to anyone who gets that feeling in their hearts when they read a heart ripping story and a beautiful tale.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas USA
Saturday, May 01, 2010
Flight of the Renshai by Mickey Zucker Reichert
In the middle of all this is three brothers: Calistan, Saviar, and Subikahn. One is a brillantswordsman who is traveling to the North to kill the man who murdered his mother. One is struggling with who he is and his parents seperate heritages. One is struggling with his sexuality and who his father wants him to be.
And the pirates are drawning nearer; an epic battle awaits the people of Bearn,who will need the Renshai to survive. In the end it takes the Renshai and the Northmen coming together along with the Bearn to defeat the marauders. Calistan discovers that vengence is not the answer. Saviar learns that a man can live happily honoring both of his heritages. And Subikahn finally accepts who he truly is and also gains his father's acceptance.
My opinion of this book is that it is very complicated. I had a hard time getting into the story itself. It has several plots that are happening at the same time and it was difficult for me to follow. I did enjoy reading about the struggles that each brother went through on there own journies, but it wasn't enough to hold my attention. I feel that maybe this book was meant for someone older then my twelve.
This book deals with homosexuality
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas USA
Friday, April 30, 2010
Dirty Little Secrets - C.J. Omololu
like for Lucy. With her mom's obsession of keeping useless
stuff and shoving it futher into her trash-compacted
house, Lucy has never been able to have friends in her
home. But things are turning around for Lucy. Her long-
time crush finally wants to date her and she is making the
popular girls envy her. But one day she comes home to find
her life completely turned around. How will she live a
normal life? You'll have to read the book to learn
her "Dirty little secret".
In my opinion, this book is crawling with mystery, horror, and sorrow. I found myself crying for Lucy as she struggled with her temperamental
mother. I never met a dull moment in this book. Secrets are a part of everyone's life, but Lucy possesses a secret that could never be matched. I also felt like I was in the cramped house, crying with Lucy. I could read this book over and over and never tire of it. C.J. Omololu has
created one of my favorite books.
It's scary.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City, Florida United States
The Family Greene by Ann Rinaldi
This book, while not my favorite by this author, was an interesting read. I enjoyed getting to know the two main characters, whose likeable personalities made me want to keep reading. The setting did not serve to spark my imagination, but I was still interested in the characters' surroundings. I thought the relationships between the characters were strong and believable, but I was left wanting a little more action besides what they did in their everyday lives. In my opinion, the quality of writing was the same as other books by this author, but the plot was a little lacking. I liked the ending, and I also enjoyed learning about the real family, the Greenes, who this book was based on. I would recommend The Family Greene to all historical fiction lovers, or anyone else who enjoys a story with strong female characters.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Bayside, WI U.S.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Shadowglass by Erica Hayes
In the dark fairyworld of the Shadowfae, hidden in the human world, Ice is just one fairy trying to survive the violence and catastrophe that surrounds her. The fairies are obsessed with clubbing, sparklies, and sex. Ice lusts after the hot metalfare, Indigo, a dangerous thief with a secret. When he turns her down, yet again, she throws herself into the arms of the demonlord, Kane. After a sultry night at his apartment, she leaves and steals a shiny mirror from his coat pocket. Soon, she and her friends begin to hear whispers after they looked in the mirror. The mirror shows Ice her counter-self, and it scares her deeply.
This dark and sultry novel kept my attention all the way through to the end. The storyline was exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat constantly wondering if the characters would figure out the mystery behind the mirror. The author made an exciting mix of romance, action, and psychology into this one novel. Although the storyline was intriguing, I was somewhat disgusted by the amount of sex scenes in the book. It seemed as though one was happening every other page. At the beginning of the book, I was reminded of Tithe by Holly Black because of the genre. However, Tithe is a more PG-13 alternative to the rated R Shadowglass.
Sex scenes
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, PA USA
Monday, April 26, 2010
Think Again by JonArno Lawson
I enjoyed reading Think Again and it was nice to pick up and read when I had a few extra minutes throughout the day. It was very convenient to read because it presented many different opportunities/places to stop at since it had a new poem on every page. I thought the poems were cute and pretty creative and the author did a good job at writing it. One thing I didn't like, however, was the shortness of the book. It didn't take very long to read and I was disappointed when I came to the end. I think Think Again would be great to take to the beach or just read before going to bed. It made me light-hearted and I got a few good laughs from this quirky book of four-lined poetry written by JonArno Lawson.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA USA
Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
Shade was a decently written novel with a mildly interesting plot and characters. It seems as if pretty much as if all of the supernatural beings, such as ghosts, werewolves, and vampires, have pretty much been written to death, but that does not stop even more from continuing to be published. While Shade had some unique characteristics, such as using obsidian and the color red to ward away ghosts, for the most part, the story-line and setting were not especially unique. I was intrigued by the strong and willful character of Aura, who kept going, even after her mother and boyfriend died and her father disappeared. Shade was a decent read, but it was definitely not a masterpiece.
Alcohol and drugs were part of the plot.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Charleston, SC USA
Saturday, April 24, 2010
The Adventures of Jack Lime by James Leck
"The Adventures of Jack Lime" uses convivial details to add to a solid, enjoyable plot. Leck uses his characters to add great panache to the tale, cleverly supplying the main character Jack with catchy sayings and endearing quirks. The book doesn't aim to be thoroughly thought-provoking, and instead intends to entertain and amuse readers, something it does well in its concise 126 pages. Written entirely in the first person, the book continually involves readers although it does not flow as one long tale. The book begins in the middle of the action and ends with the proper back story into Jack Lime's P.I career, but this backwards way of story-telling manages to work with Leck's atypical flare. The book goes down like a chilled glass of lemonade in the summer: tangy, refreshing, and just what you need to kick back and relax with. A nice read for middle and high school students, The Adventures of Jack Lime proves an easy yet highly entertaining novel that will keep you grinning with every page.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: South Pasadena, CA U.S.A
Birth Marked by Caragh M. O'Brien
Birth Marked by Caragh M. O'Brien was a good book. Birth Marked is a little bit creepy because it takes place in the future and could possibly, but hopefully not, happen. The creepiness is part of what makes this book so good. The science in this book is about DNA. The scientists in the book have to check people's DNA to make sure no siblings marry each other. There were a few slow parts in the middle but other than that it was very interesting. O'Brien's writing style reminded me of Margaret Peterson Haddix's Among the Hidden books. I enjoyed both of these authors so if you like the Among the Hidden series, you will probably like Birth Marked. Overall, Birth Marked was a very interesting and captivating book.
This book is fine for young adults, but, since the main character is a midwife, there is a lot about giving birth in it.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Harleysville, PA USA
Worldshaker by, Richard Harland
This book was one of the best that I have read in a long time. It had a revolution, surprises, twists, turns, and just a little bit of romance. I kept turning page after page as fast as I could to get to the end. The author describes the juggernaut where the characters live with such vivid details that I think I might could navigate the structure! The part of this steampunk story that I liked the best, though, was when Colbert, the main character, realizes exactly what kind of person his grandmother and grandfather are. Let's just say nothing in this story is what you'll expect, but everything fits. ANYONE who gives this book a chance will love it. Guaranteed!
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, TX U.S.A.
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Gates by John Connolly
about a young boy, Samuel Johnson, and his dog, Boswell.
Not meant to necessarily be comic reading, the author
weaves the story with a funny twist, so as to render a
laugh or two in the process. Here is the plot of the
story. Samuel and his friends (and dog) happen to stumble
upon some strange activities going on at a neighbor's
house, just a few days before Halloween. The neighbors,
the Abernathys, while tinkering around with some
recreational devil-worshiping, just so happen to
mistakenly call forth Satan who ventures through a pair of
very large gates - the "gates" of Hell. It is then up to
Samuel and his friends to save the world from Satan and
his often funny demons by closing the gates before Satan
takes over the planet. The adults in his world don't
believe that the gates exist and that makes it harder than
ever to fight the battle.
Overall, I really liked this
book. I felt like the author brought me into the plot and
I could actually see myself as one of Samuel's friends,
running around with him and trying to save the planet.
I'm also a dog lover, so I easily identified with Boswell
and his keen senses and intelligence. As a follower of
many fantasy books, this one held my interest throughout
the entire story. There was enough of everything - scary
parts but not too scary, funny scenes, scientific
information (which I can identify with, too, since I am
interested in all types of science and experiments), and a
good, follow-along and kid-friendly story. I couldn't put
the book down for too long because I kept wanting to see
what would happen next. The characters were all developed
well and I could easily follow who did what and when. My
favorite characters were some of the demons. The story
flowed nicely and it wasn't too confusing like some books
can be. This book was probably one of my favorite to
review ever.
Reviewer Age:14
Towson, Maryland U.S.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Conspiracy 365: February by Gabrielle Lord
Since I read the first book I've been itching to read this one, and it lived up to my expectations. February's book went by really fast, but was still written very well and was overflowing with action and excitement. Even though I felt frustrated at the cliff hanger ending I still really applauded it. Before delving into this story, though, I recommend finding out how it all beganin Conspiracy 365: January. Ages 12 up.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: , New Mexico USA
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Lawn Boy Returns By, Gary Paulsen
I like how in this book it flows very smoothly from the last. I like how his friends come back and they help him out. I like the new character Zed. I really like the ending how Lawn Boy moves up north and gets an ice-cream maker. It sets the book up for another sequel.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas United States
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Book of Samuel by Erik Raschke
In my opinion this book was ok. It was definitely not my favorite book I have ever read, but it was probably the most interesting. Some of the things that I didn't like about The Book of Samuel would be, the plot. There really was nothing for me to hold onto in that area. I couldn't exactly get into the book when the main idea of the story was a mystery to me.
In The Book of Samuel there is some very questionable content. Some may not be very suitable for younger children. Such as graphic fight scenes, racism, and some foul language.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas United States
Monday, April 19, 2010
Green Dragon Codex by R.D. Henham
I very thoroughly enjoyed the Green Dragon Codex. The harrowing tale of a boy who stumbles upon a dragon egg was very intriguing. I think many would love this book for its surplus of high adventure and suspense. Its fast-paced action and nerve-racking mystery really kept my attention. Of course, this is my opinion. So pick up this book and decide if you can handle the story.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas America
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Swoon at your own risk
Reviewer
Token of Darkness by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Token of Darkness, by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, is a fun, quick read. It is not overly challenging to digest but still has an imaginative and intriguing plot. It takes an unusual (but welcome) turn away from the typical ghost story and still maintains some of the familiar elements of the genre that will keep the reader in their comfort zone. Atwater-Rhodes presents interesting characters that are vividly rendered and always have a certain aura of mystery about them. The characters who I found most enjoyable to read about were Cooper and Samantha. The dynamic and fun banter between them were excellent elements of the novel and their developing relationship was a great part of the novel. The one thing I really disliked about the novel was the relationship between Delilah and Brent as all their interactions seemed contrived and out of place. I also think that there were too many loose ends at the end of the story that I would have liked to see tied up. Other than that, this novel was very entertaining and kept my attention the whole way through. The settings felt true-to-life and were very well described. The dialogue between characters was, for the most part, natural and flowed very well. I would recommend this to any reader who enjoys reading about the supernatural and is looking for a quick, roller-coaster of a book. I definitely look forward to reading some of the author's other books in the future.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: San Diego, CA USA