Amigas, Fifteen Candles, by Veronica Chambers

Alicia Cruz lives in Miami, Florida with her 3 amazing friends. There is Jaime, the fashionista. She loves hip hop and is the fashion know-it-all. Then there is Carmen, the designer of the year. Carmen could totally be a model, but instead she chooses to make the most amazing clothes anyone has ever seen. Last Alicia is friends with Gaz, but lately she has developed feelings for him and she isn't sure if she should go for her feelings or hide them in case it ruins their friendship. On top of the big issue, Alicia has decided to start a quince-planning business. To her seems like everyone is perfect for the job, Jaime with her fashion, Carmen with her sewing, Gaz with his band, and Alicia with her dancing. It is all great until Alicia falls under pressure with the time crunch, and with her new internship. Will she and her friends be able to pull it all off?

Amigas, Fifteen Candles was a pretty good book. I thought that there was a good setting and part of the ending was unpredictable. I loved the characters in the book; they are what kept it interesting. The only thing I didn't like about the book was that it was pretty predictable.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Enon, OH USA

Sea by Heidi R. Kling

On Sienna's 15th birthday she receives a plane ticket to Indonesia. Something she didn't want after her mom died in a plane crash over the Indian Ocean. Sienna reluctantly accepts and agrees to help children recover from their losses during the tsunami.


While in Indonesia Sienna meets Deni, the most handsome man she's ever met. Sienna and Deni fall in love too quick and soon Sienna would be going home. While with Deni they travel back to Aceh, Deni's hometown. There Sienna sees the damage from the tsunami clearly with mass graves and the death wall. Also Sienna is caught by surprise from someone unexpected looking for Deni. Sienna had to leave for home not only without Deni but also with a broken heart.

Sea was a very good book. It was a love story woven with suspense. I would recommend this book to teen readers looking for a romantic novel. Heidi Kling was very good with bringing everything to life with so many details. She also made the book seem like it could really happen.
 
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fairborn, Ohio USA

Is Anybody Out There by, Nick Gevers

Have you ever wondered if other kinds of life existed somewhere out in space? Fuel your imagination with fifteen original stories about aliens. Gaze up at the stars and think about the possibilities that aliens might exist. Could it be that these stories are not just fiction? Ask yourself, is anybody out there?

"Is Anybody Out There" was many things. It was comical, suspenseful, horrifying, and many others. I enjoyed this book because of its variety of views on alien life. Anyone who reads will find something they like in this book. Some of the stories really make you wonder, is anybody out there.

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

Tomorrow's Guardian by Richard Denning

Tomorrow's Guardian, by Richard Denning, is the story of a boy named Tom Oakley who discovers that he can "walk" through time. His job as a Walker allows him to go back in time and save other Walkers. A conflict arises because a dimension parallel to ours, where the Nazis rule, wants to control Tom's world. The story takes the reader from a sinking U-boat to the Great Fire of London, from a Nazi-controlled England to a Zulu vs. English battle. With Tom's ability to walk through time comes hard choices that need to be made, enemies to recognize, and worlds to keep apart.

I really enjoyed reading Tomorrow's Guardian. Richard Denning put a lot of ideas and problems into the book, but the combination worked well and made sense. His descriptions were good, not too general but without the fluff you sometimes encounter. His characters were also very believable. Mary, the Walker rescued in the Great Fire of London, was one of my favorite characters because it made sense that she would be scared and worried at her sudden time change. Her worries and failure to call Tom anything but "Master" were details that made her very real to me. Overall, I think the book was well written, with a believable plot and characters. The book made good use of history, fiction, and science, and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes science fiction books, adventure, or an enjoyable read.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lederach , PA USA

The Skinny On Success by Jim Randel

The Skinny on Success is not your normal novel. This book is written in stick figures, word bubbles and quotes. It tells a story about Beth and Billy, a couple who both have ambitions, but just can't reach the goal of success. Jim helps them realize what it actually takes to succeed and that it's not just a walk in the park. Throughout the book it gives you all the tips you need to reach the final goal: success.

The Skinny on Success was a very different book to read; I've never really read a self help book before but I liked it. I am graduating high school and I have so many goals to which I want to succeed at. This book was a tremendous help to show me what I need to do to succeed. I recommend this book to teenagers and young adults who are looking for some help in reaching their goals. I'm very glad I read this. It's helped me want to preservere on my current goals. It only took me about a day to read and is definitely worth it. Please Read!

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mantua, NJ USA

Dark Oracle

Tara is a criminal profiler. Her ways of doing things are a little different than those of her coworkers, however. Tara uses Tarot cards and her own powerful magic abilities to learn things about people. Before her untimely death, Tara's mother belonged to a group of women, called the Daughters of Delphi, all of whom had extraordinary powers. By birth, Tara belongs to this group, too, but doesn’t want anything to do with them. After receiving scars all over her body in a previous mission, Tara decides to abandon the profession of profiling so that she can recover from the trauma of her injuries. Her wish, however, is not to be. Tara is recruited by one of the Daughters of Delphi to find a missing scientist whose mind and research may hold enough information that, in the wrong hands, could lead to the destruction of the earth.

This is a book for the person who wants a strong heroine. Tara has to work hard to overcome her fears, and she has plenty of them from having been captured and scarred by a serial killer. Williams, the author, spends too much time explaining the meanings of each Tarot card for the casual reader. It can get a little wearisome when the meanings go on for pages. She could have spent more time, however, explaining the power and the details of the Daughter’s of Delphi, so that the reader better understands their community and its meaning. Overall, Dark Oracle is a little tedious because of the way it is broken up by long definitions and the detailed backgrounds of Tara’s readings. The concept of the story is a good idea, but the finished product could use a little work.

There is one sex scene in this book that may not be appropriate for younger readers. Many of the murders and tortures in the book are described in detail, which may be uncomfortable for readers with a more sensitive nature.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leverett, Ma USA

Conspirator by C.J. Cherryh

The book Conspirator is based on an alien planet dominated by a species called the atevi. There are events already in motion when the book opens, events like political intrigue, attempted coups, and attacks on the atevi seat of government, the Bujavid. Tabini-aiji, and his son Cajeiri and paidhi, Bren Cameron, have survived the coup and have returned to the Bujavid. But regaining control after rebellion is no easy task, and this coupled with the escape of Tabini's son provides a tense opening for the book.

I found this particular book to be rather confusing, especially since I did not read the previous series of books. The names and places were a little overwhelming, and the action was rather confusing. I lost my place in the story a couple times, and I had to read it bit by bit, rereading every so often to make sure I understood where the story was going. I would recommend this book only to fans of the series, or fans of the genre. Personally, it's just not my genre, but it was a little halting anyway.

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

The Last Seal

In the year 1380, Stephen Blake of the Liberati released the demon Dantalion. The demon was stopped by the sorcerer Cornelius Silver who trapped Dantalion in a new prison. For 286 years, the demon was trapped beneath London. Now, in 1666, Artemas and the evil Liberati are working to bring the demon back to wreak havoc on the unknowing people of London and the rest of the world. It is up to Benjamin, a school-skipping schoolboy; Freya, a thief; Dr. Tobias Janssen, a Dutch doctor on the run from the King s personal spy; and Gabriel, the only one left of the Praesidium, the group that works against the evil Liberati. Artemas is gathering the supplies and knowledge needed to raise the demon. He also needs
Ben, who is the flesh and bone and blood of the man who imprisoned the demon, Cornelius Silver.
Ben and his friends must stop Artemas. The world is at stake. The Liberati and the Praesidium must fight.  It will be the battle that causes the Great Fire of London and destroys 13,000 homes and leaves 70,000 out of London's population of 80,000 homeless. Will Ben, Freya, Tobias, and Gabriel be able to stop the demon from rising and save their precious London?
The Last Seal by Richard Denning was an interesting book. It is a fantasy book with a hint of historical fiction. One of the main events this book talks about is the Great Fire of London. I found this book more enjoyable after I looked it up and learned a little about what the Great Fire of London actually was.
There were times in this book where I felt nervous and couldn't wait to see what was going to happen. At other times, the book didn t seem to be going anywhere. Overall though it was a pretty good book.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country:
Harleysville, PA USA

The Gecko and Sticky : The Greatest Power by Wendelin Van Draanen

The Gecko and Sticky: The Greatest Power is the second book in The Gecko and Sticky series. It is a hilarious action novel in which 13-year-old Dave Sanchez and his gecko named Sticky battle the infamous Damien Black. Dave has a magical ancient Aztec wristband that was previously owned by Damien. The wristband has a slot for an ingot that gives the wearer of the wristband a special ability. Different ingots give the wearer different abilities. In The Greatest Power, Dave must recover items stolen by Damien, including money and a ring.

I found the story absolutely ridiculous at first, but then I couldn't put it down because the story was told so entertainingly. Part of what makes the story so entertaining is the playful wordplay that is rhythmic and rhymes. For example, on the first page, a gun is described as "a multi-muzzled, peculiar puzzle of a gun." The story is also entertaining because of the humor, which made me smile and occasionally laugh out loud. The wordplay plus the magnificently drawn illustrations give the story a cartoon-like feel. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cartoons.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sammamish, WA USA

The Summer of Moonlight Secrets by Danette Haworth

When Allie Jo’s friend goes away for the summer, she doesn’t expect to do much more than her usual. But when a guy named Chase comes to stay at the hotel everything starts to change. Soon she sees Chase getting tremendously hurt. Allie Jo meets a girl walking straight out of Hope Springs. Fate soon arrives and they all meet and become friends. Once Chase and Allie Jo know the girl’s, Tara’s, secret, can they keep it; or will they ruin the secret and Tara’s life?

The Summer of Moonlight Secrets is an enthralling, captivating book that you don’t want to put down. It’s a story about friendships, summers, first loves, and the importance of keeping the secrets entrusted into your care. At first the story frustrated me with the switching of characters every chapter, but then I realized that to hear the story from both Allie Jo’s and Chase’s sides was the only way to hear it. I hope the readers will love this book for years to come.

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

Andrea Carter And The Trouble With Treasure by Susan K. Marlowe

The bank robbery in Fresno won't stop Andi and her friends from taking their long anticipated camping trip to the mountains. But when her brother Mitch gets gravely injured, it's up to Andi to save her brother. When the former deputy visits them things become complicated, and dangerous. Can Andi save her friends? Andi has never wanted to grow up, but when she gets a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, she decides it might not be so bad after all.

Susan Marlow did a great job writing this book. It s action-packed and exciting. All the characters have great depth, especially Andi Carter. The responsibility that falls on her shoulders is portrayed realistically. The twists and turns really keep you wanting more. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves old western stories.

Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockwell City, IA USA

Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag

Beautiful Americans follows four American exchange students who join a Parisian study program. Alex, a typical New York socialite and an expert in spending her parents money, joins the program after she is cut off. Olivia has been given the opportunity to train at a famous ballet school. PJ is hoping to get away from a scandal plaguing her family. Zach is a Southern boy who has been hiding his gay lifestyle from his conservative hometown. In Paris, all four students want to escape their problems at home and hope to change their lives for the better. The story alternates between the different perspectives, and documents the trials and adventures of the four teens as they live in Paris for the year.

As a fan of books like Gossip Girl and the like, this plot of this book interested me right away. The plot of Beautiful Americans isn't a new one, but the way the story was written was attention-grabbing and the Parisian background adds a whole new level to the novel. The drama behind the four teens is interesting to read and the further I got into the story, the more I wanted to know about them. Beautiful Americans is a great summer read. This book is the first of a series and there are new other books out. So for a taste of teen drama and adventure, give the Beautiful American series a try!

Reviewer Age:23
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

The Tale of Halcyon Crane by Wendy Webb

With one letter, Hallie James' life changes in an instant. After discovering that her mother had died recently instead of many years ago as she had previously believed, she is summoned to a remote island to hear her mother's will read. But that's the first of many strange things that Hallie encounters. She inherits millions of dollars and an old mansion where she discovers that she's been living a life full of lies. In the mansion, she finds ghosts, magic and other unnatural beings. She learns a lot about what happened to her family so many years ago and it's up to Hallie to clear her family's bad name and break the curse that's kept a hold on the family.

Once I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. It had aspects of all my favorite elements, from mystery, to suspense to romance. Hallie James was an interesting character to read about and the plot was captivating. This is not a story for someone who gets scared easily! The Tale of Halcyon Crane is not the typical summer beach read, but it's one that I definitely recommend picking up. I'm looking forward to seeing what the author will come up with next!

Reviewer Age:23
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

Anna Maria's Gift by Janice Shefelman

What if you could study under the most famous geniuses in music? Anna Maria will promise her dying father to study under a world famous musician. When he dies, Anna Maria is sent to an orphanage in Venice, Italy with one possession, a violin her father made her. The violin is her prized possession and the only reminder of her father. Anna Maria arrives at the orphanage not knowing what to expect. She meets the other girls, meets the teachers, and learns the rituals of the orphanage. The only thing that Anna Maria looks forward to during the day is music class with the famous composer, Antonio Vivaldi. Anna Maria loves music and shines in the class. Paolina, the best violinist before Anna Maria comes, becomes jealous. To get revenge, Paolina throws Anna Maria's violin into the canal. Anna Maria goes on a search through Venice to find her violin, and learns about the magic of Venice along the way.

Janice Shefelman wrote a sweet book with a good message. The message of the story is reiterated at the beginning and the end, the message being to not judge a place or people without getting to know them first. Anna Maria, being the main character does put the message across, but it is mostly the minor characters that give the message. For example, the gondolier gives the message. Many of the minor characters in the book play an important role in the overall outcome of the book. This makes the book more unique. I would recommend this book to beginning readers because it has simple vocabulary, and is easy to follow.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States of America

Global Warming and the Dinosaurs by Caroline Arnold

The age of the dinosaurs was millions of years ago, but they lived exactly where humans do today. In fact, the dinosaurs covered more of the earth than we previously imagined! The far reaches of the world, the Arctic and Antarctic, used to be covered with forests. Also, global temperatures were much hotter than they are currently. Polar dinosaurs can be found in places such as Alaska, Canada, Australia, and South America. That is because the landmasses were only Laurasia and Gondwana. Since, they have split to become the seven continents that we know today. If dinosaurs were dominant in the world, what brought about their destruction?

The author's goal in this short story is to inform the reader about dinosaurs. She emphasizes the types of dinosaurs from different areas of the world. This book is not necessarily for pleasure reading. Its purpose to inform is met, however, because Arnold uses many descriptive words and presents the material in an organized fashion. I could foresee this book being used to teach elementary school children. My only dislike is that there are almost too many specific dinosaur names listed in the book. It would flow better if there were a chart in the back with the types of dinosaurs and less in the actual text.

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

His Own Where by June Jordan

As his dad lay dying in the hospital after a car accident, Buddy Rivers, an African-American teenager, finds himself alone. While visiting his father in the hospital Buddy meets Angela, the abused daughter of his father's nurse. Peering over his father's bandaged body, Buddy and Angela immediately form a bond of friendship and of love. Their relationship only grows stronger as Buddy witnesses the constant physical and physiological abuse Angela endures by her parents. After one final drunken attack by her father, Buddy is forced to take Angela to the hospital. As a result, Angela is taken away from her parents and sent to live in a strict Christian girls' home. While at the home Angela is not allowed to see Buddy and is held under constant watch. It is up to Buddy to free her and start a life together.

While I found June Jordan's His Own Where to be a unique and interesting book, I also thought it to be difficult to understand as the entire book is written in Black English, a dialect used by members of the American-American community. Despite the hard to understand dialogue, I was eventually able to understand the language and found myself intrigued with the New York black culture of the early 70s. Although a fairly short book (only 92 pages) it is not an easy read and it takes work to read it. Nevertheless, for someone that doesn't mind putting in a little extra effort, I found the book to be very interesting and would definitely recommend it.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Potomac, Maryland United States of America

Cthulhu's Reign by Darrell Schweitzer

Cthulhu's Reign is a collection of stories about several different creatures, such as Cthulhu, a large sea serpent. These creatures come from the past and cause problems for many civilizations. The stories may seem more interesting to someone who enjoys reading fictional stories. One story was about a telepathic girl who helped her family fight its way to safety from the creatures that came to Earth. Several of the other stories were also about people who have visions or omens that help save them from different creatures.

I felt the various authors did an excellent job of using descriptive text. I could easily picture the various creatures and characters. I feel that this book is appropriate for middle school students. I found this book especially interesting because I enjoy researching Greek mythology. I recommend this book to people who enjoy reading science fiction and fantasy.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Helena, AR USA

The Time Pirate by Ted Bell

The Time Pirate is the exciting and fast-paced sequel to Nick of Time. The setting is England during Word War II and the American colonies in the late 1700s. Nick McIver, the main character, has access to a rare time traveling machine created by Leonardo da Vinci. In this book, Nick must face his nemesis, the infamous Captain Billy Blood, who he has battled in the past. He has to betray his country to aid the Americans in the American Revolution in order to ensure their help in the future. This book combines fantasy with historical fiction to create an intriguing and suspenseful book.

I enjoyed this book because the author successfully included two time periods, which was the purpose of the author's writing. The vocabulary was sophisticated, but not too complicated for the age range, which is about 10-12. I found it interesting, and I would definitely say that the quality of writing is just as good as the first book in the series. I thought the ending was appropriate because it had a good closing to the story, without ending the series. I would recommend this series to readers who enjoy adventure and historical fiction.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Bayside, WI USA

The Fire Opal by Regina McBride

The Fire Opal by Regina McBride follows the life of Maeve O'Tullagh, who seems to take after her mother, Nuala, in hearing voices in the secluded Ard Macha, Ireland. When Maeve's sister Isheleen is born, Maeve is overjoyed. It took a while because she had to be reincarnated twice. However, Ishleen and her mother fall under a strange spell that renders them unconscious. Maeve suspects that the handsome yet dark-spirited Tom Cavan has had something to do with this. She discovers that he's made a pact with an ancient goddess to gain control of Ireland. Also, he wants to marry her and finds it hilarious to see her angry after seeing him chuck baby seagulls off a cliff. The goddess lives on a slightly weird ice barge and keeps girls as slaves. Those girls must care for their mothers, who have been frozen by the spiteful goddess. In the midst of all this, Queen Elizabeth of England is fighting the Spanish Armada, but not by herself.

I really didn't like The Fire Opal. The plot didn't seem very original, or just entirely too bizarre. It might have worked with better explanations. For example, the entire idea of cursed goddesses wasn't very well explained and so left the reader hanging. I had absolutely no idea what the goddess was doing on a stationary ice barge in the middle of the ocean, of course guarded by fierce mermaids. Maeve was slightly strange and underdeveloped. While it was nice that she rescued a Spanish soldier, he disappeared and nothing more was heard of him. Also, I wasn't sure how she discovered all these conspiracies or why she kept seeing the nice ancient goddess. Overall, The Fire Opal was pretty terrible. It had some decent ideas, like covering Irish disputes with Queen Elizabeth, but lacked something extra, like depth.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Charleston, SC USA

Whaling Season by Peter Lourie

Whaling Season is a journey through a spring season in the
Arctic Circle in Alaska with bowhead whale scientist, John
Craighead George, or "Craig." As you follow Craig, vivid
pictures help describe the process of a thorough examination
of a bowhead whale. The tribe that ensures that the whaling
is purely for tradition and culture are the American Indian
tribe, the Inuiat. Once the whales are harvested, Craig
studies them to see what effects pollution is having on the
environment. In the midst of the season, Craig and his
fellow scientists have a contest to see who can get the most
data. Craig and his scientists also study the DNA of the
whales to see if the whales are evolving or adapting to
pollution in any way. Overall, Whaling Season is a very
interesting and factual book.

Whaling Season is a
nonfiction book that lets you feel like you are there in
Alaska. I loved the book because of the interesting facts
in all of the amazingly written detail. As you go through
the season, you learn more about Craig and his team, and
that they are all very smart, willing, and committed people.
The author, Peter Lourie, grabs you into the season while
Craig and his scientists study the whales in the Arctic. I
would definitely recommend this book to people of all ages
because it is interesting has great imagery.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Pepper Pike, Ohio USA

Keyholders 4: The Wrong Side of Magic by Debbie Dadey

Keyholders # 4
The Wrong Side of Magic

This story is about a magical world on the other side of a border where evil creatures live, including trolls and shape shifters.

The main characters are friends, Natalie, Luke and Penny. They are apprentice key holders. A key holder is someone who holds the keys to the border and protects the border from being breached by the evil doers.

The story begins when a troll crosses the border and the adventures continue as some of the other evil creatures try to take over the town and the human's bodies. Natalie, Luke and Penny work to save the world from them.

This book was interesting and entertaining. It kept me excited and wanting to know what would happen next. Anyone who likes books about adventure, will love The Keyholders four.

Natalie, Luke and Penny are the three main characters. Natalie is prissy, Penny is smart and Luke is always up for adventure. I liked them all and it did make me like the book more. Also, it made me want to read the other Keyholder books.

The book was not really funny, it was more of an adventure book. As for the end, I wish I had known for sure that all of the people who had their mind's taken over, were all ok. I know the main characters and their friends were ok, but I wasn't sure about everybody else.

I just finished book Five of Harry Potter. This is the kind of book I can read into between The Harry Potter books when I take a break because it is very short and you can get to the story and the end very quickly.

I would recommend the book because it did keep my attention and I will read the other books in this series now.

Reviewer Age:8
Reviewer City, State and Country: Phoenix, MD USA

The Dream Maker in the Desert by Marie Krushing

Emmet Watts is a lonely teenage kid who has no friends and when he miraculously does make one they are shunned by the rest of the school and leave Emmet who everyone thinks of as a freak. He has been bullied constantly his whole time at school for being a "freak" but Emmet doesn't know why people feel this way since he as always tried to act "normal" to try to fit in. After another day of this sort of torture at school he gets attacked by an evil little man named Braedan. Luckily Emmet is saved by a group of people who say they are part of the Society, that fight people like Braedan who they call the Dark Ones. Emmet is taken by the people of the Society and comes to realize he plays a bigger part in the fight against the Dark Ones that anyone could possibly imagine, while making a new life as part of the Society.

The book was okay. Wasn't the best book I've read but the last half was better. The storyline started slow but once you got to the middle things picked up when the actual battle with Braedan and his minions started. This would be a book that someone should make a movie out of because it has the right amount of different elements like action and romance. The author could have improved the story mostly by making it shorter and maybe chopping a few things in the first half out where nothing that important to the plot was happening. All in all it was a good book to read that I would read again and would most definitely read the sequels to find out what happens to all the characters in their next adventures.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Loves Park, Illinois, United States

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

Alton barely knows anything about Uncle Lester, except that he is wealthy, blind and elderly. When Uncle Lester calls asking Alton to be his cardturner, he is very surprised. Alton's mother pressures him to become tightly knit with Uncle Lester, with high hopes that they will inherit a fortune, but there is other competition. In the process of becoming cardturner, Alton learns to enjoy the game of bridge. In the twists and turns of the novel, Alton realizes that he has more in common with Toni, the competition for the fortune then he thought, and discovers the mysterious past of Uncle Lester.
Louis Sachar builds the character's knowledge of bridge, the past, and each other in a creative way that hooked me as a reader. One of the main characters, Uncle Lester, had an interesting past that made me want to find more. The main topic of bridge may be thought of as boring, but Mr. Sachar navigated around that in a way that made it interesting. The book's writing style was interesting and funny. I recommend this book to boys and girls from grade 6 to adulthood.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake Bluff, IL United States

Chasing Romeo by A. J. Byrd

Anjenai, Kierra, and Tyler have been BFFs for what feels like eternity now; they always have each other's back. So on the first day of school when trouble brewing at the bus stop lands the girls in the principle's office, they're there for each other. That's where it all begins; in the principle's office where they meet the Redbones, the most popular girl trio group in the entire school, and where they first catch sight of Romeo Blackwell, the boy of all of their dreams. They never could've guessed what getting involved with the in-crowd would lead to. Fights with the Redbones over everything from winning Romeo's heart to getting a certain lunch table has their friendship in distress. Is their bond strong enough to get through this together, or will the drama get the best of them?

I thought Chasing Romeo was definitely a well thought-out book and the author, A. J. Byrd, did a nice job of writing it. The story got better and more intense with the turning of every page. I was looking forward to the conclusion to put the curiosity of what would happen next to rest. This was definitely a tough-girl novel and for the most part enjoyable, but one thing I honestly didn't enjoy or approve of was the characters' nasty and vile behaviors or the constant and unnecessary cussing, swearing, and foul language that was spewed throughout almost every page. Overall, though, the story kept my interest fairly well and didn't take excessively long to read. The word choice was definitely appropriate for young adult readers and easy enough to understand. The author chose a good plotline and created a very dramatic story that I'm sure will please many. Be sure to look for the continuation of the BFFs' story in the upcoming sequel to Chasing Romeo.

There was a lot of swearing, cussing, and foul language. As well as sexual suggestions, alcohol/drinking, and a lot of fighting.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA USA

Cycler by Lauren McLaughlin

The book "Cycler" is about a teenage girl named Jill. At the end of each month for a period of four days Jill morphs into a boy named Jack. His body replaces hers, and yet at the end of the period of four days her body transforms back to normal. Doctors have no cure or explanation for the oddities of Jill's body. Despite all of these complications Jill tries her hardest to lead a normal teenage life, whatever that may be. Jill is trying to juggle the perfect plan to win herself a prom date, a best friend that's fashion-crazy, and in all effort to stay normal Jill tries to hide Jack's existence from the world. Although soon she finds that Jack is crossing not only into her life physically for those four days, but now his desires and thoughts are streaming into her regular life. Jill finds her perfectly planned life to have flaws she never saw coming, and she holds a truth that could make or break her future. The question is, with another person ruling her body can she try to suffocate the truth before it materializes?

The whole concept of Cycler intrigued me from the very beginning. I feel like the concept is one that will draw many wandering eyes into the book. The highlight for me had to be seeing all of the realistic relationships forming and breaking, all around the surreal idea that one body can be shared by two people. That being said, I feel like there were two disconnects in this book one being that it always revolved around sex or sexual intentions. Teenagers read books with sex in the them all the time, however this book had a sexual reference on every page if not taking up the page. The second downside to this book for me was that I didn't fully understand the transformations between Jack and Jill until close to the very end. Almost the whole book I'd misled myself to believing that the transformations were taking place in two separate bodies; when close to the end of the book the details made themselves more apparent, all the same the book hadn't corrected my wrong thinking until later on. Overall, the book had a great idea propelling it and I'd be interested in checking out the sequel to see what happens to a few of the loose ends I've been pondering over.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Libertyville, IL US

Your Life, But Cooler by Crystal Velasquez

The book I just read was Your life, But Cooler by Crystal Velasquez. This book was about YOU. Have you ever wondered what you might do in certain scenarios? Have you wondered if those choices made you a bad person? In Your life, Only Cooler, you are the main character and you get to decide how the story ends. At the end of each chapter, there will be a personality quiz in which you decide what you would do in certain scenarios. This book fits into a realistic fiction genre. Interested? Read Your life, Only Cooler by Crystal Velasquez.

The book Your Life but Cooler, was a very interesting and was written in an unique style. What I mean is that the book's main character was&.. you! I was able to imagine what the characters looked like because I was the main character and there were vivid descriptions of the other characters that play my friends. I could also envision the setting because it takes place in a middle school and I know what a middle school looks like. However, even based on my knowledge as a middle-school student, the setting was still a little blurry in my head. The book does not really have a specific tone, but that is what is nice about the book. As for the main character, you can believe that they would be a real person because YOU are the main character! The narrator's voice was kid friendly and was serious at sometimes and funny at other times. The narrative was about you, but you were not narrating the story. The author achieved her purpose by making this a fun and unique book. The writing was, again, kid friendly and the vocabulary was definitely age appropriate. The strengths of this book are that it was a funny book and that kids everywhere will enjoy this book. There are no major weaknesses that I thought made the book less enjoyable. However, I would have liked the book to be a little longer. To be honest, I have read no other book like this before from a realistic fiction genre, but that makes it all the more interesting. The whole book was a thrill, and I was on my toes the entire time. As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing that needs to be changed about this book. I did not learn much from this book. I would definitely recommend this book because I'm sure children from all over would love to read this book where they make up a story. In conclusion, I liked the book Your Life but Cooler.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, Massachusetts United States of America

The Necromancer by Michael Scott

Twins Josh and Sophie Newman have arrived back home from their magical trip in Europe with the immortal alchemyst, Nicholas Flamel, and his sorceress wife, Perenelle. Upon coming home, Sophie is kidnapped by Aoife of the Shadows, the sister of a close friend of the Newmans. In order to get Sophie back from Aoife, Josh needs to find the Flamels and track Aoife. Meanwhile, in England, Dr. Dee hasn't been able to get the final two pages of the Codex. Having failed in this mission, Dr. Dee is made an outcast by his master Elder and has a bounty on his head. But Dee has a plan. With the Help of Virginia Dare, a friend of his, he will release the monsters trapped on Alcatraz and take over the world. But he needs the help of a powerful Archon named the Mother of the Gods. In order to summon her, Dee needs to train a necromancer to raise the Mother of the Gods back from the dead. But she is always hungry...

The Necromancer, by Michael Scott, is a wonderful addition to the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series. Scott has created a fantastic fantasy that could possibly exist in mainstream society. Josh and Sophie Newman are perfect main characters. Their separate personalities and loyalty to each other make them the perfect hero/heroine combination. I also like that he makes his minor characters famous people from history, like Shakespeare, and mythological gods, like Mars, the Roman god of war. Also, Scott's interpretation of magic is phenomenal! I love how he includes "auras" and elemental magic together. The auras are a kind of mystical plasma that can be formed and shaped into pretty much anything. This book is a great continuation of the series and doesn't disappoint in anyway possible. This book and its series are a must have for any library. I would recommend this book to teens who have a love of the fantasy genre and to people who loved the Eragon and Harry Potter series. This book doesn't disappoint in any way. There is action from start to finish to create an exciting thrill ride throughout the entire book. You will not want to put this book down when you pick it up! Michael Scott is a talented writer with a knack for writing fantasy. Personally, I can't wait to read the next book!

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Paynesville, MN USA

Out of the Woods by Lyn Gardner

"Out of the Woods" is a classic good vs. evil story that has numerous references to Greek myths and common fairy tales. Underneath all of the magic and action the theme of the story is really about family. Three sisters, who all have their own differences, all miss their mother and wish their father would be home more often than not. When one of the sisters faces several problematic encounters with a magic pipe the family begins to live in fear. They all look for something to make them feel safe so when a mysterious stepmother walks into their lives they cling to her. Only after many long quests does the family realize that they have each other and that's all that matters.


I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The characters were very relatable and the imagery was wonderful. At many times I felt like I was in the book with them. The book can make you laugh or cry. It was fun finding all of the connections and predicting what would happen next. Unlike some stories it was highly unpredictable and the entire time I was "on the edge of my seat" so to speak. I was moved by the love of the family members at some points in the book. I would classify this book as a preteen to early young adult level. It was a fantasy story teeming with magic. The book had very clean content and little to no disturbing scenes. I would recommend "Out of the Woods" to all of my friends.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, Massachusetts United States of America

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

Dana is fed up with her mother's alcoholism; so much that she decides to run away and live with her father. Dana has grown up knowing that she's part fae and that her father is a faerie, but she doesn't realize how much of a problem that will be when she enters the magical world of Avalon and is subsequently kidnapped by her aunt Grace. As Dana learns more about her heritage and the dangers of fae politics, she finds herself the target of both assassins and abductors. Between her father, her aunt, and her new friends Ethan and Kimber, Dana doesn't know who to trust and how to make her life return to normal.

At first, I did not like Glimmerglass. One of the reasons that I didn't like it was that I couldn't get used to a magical world that everyone knows about. In many fantasy novels, the mythical world is kept hidden from ordinary humans. But not in Glimmerglass. In this book, everyone knows about Avalon and fairies and a whole host of other things. It kind of threw me off, but soon I started really enjoying Glimmerglass. I especially liked Jenna Black's writing and Dana's voice. It sounded just like a teenager, complete with witty comments and funny thoughts. I think I laughed out loud a few times. Throughout the book there were a lot of twists and turns that made me want to keep reading. There is a sequel that I can't wait to get my hands on. Glimmerglass is a great novel for fans of fantasy.

Rating: 8
Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States

The Secret to Lying by Todd Mitchell

James Turner was the invisible kid in his dreary, small-town school, until he got accepted into America Math and Science Academy. There, he resolved to create a new image for himself, and the new James is a purple-and-orange-haired rebellious street fighter. At first, James does crazy things and tells outrageous lies to seem interesting and exciting. While he is fabricating his pyromaniac tendencies and hooking up with eccentric but beautiful Jessica Keen, James is slowly losing himself. He begins to dream about fighting demons, and at the same time, begins to cut himself, just to stop the numbness he's feeling. As his life slowly spirals downwards, a human ghost is trying to bring him back up and help him realize what he's losing.

Reading this book was like reading something of John Green's, with a slight twist of fantasy. Like John Green, this book captures the teenage voice really well with its smart, witty dialogue and candid descriptions. Also, it deals with similar themes of self identification. Todd Mitchell, the author of this book, writes about the issues of anorexia and self mutilation in a subtle, potent and believable way. The author really gets the reader to understand how the events in the character's life build up to this point in his life. I love the way the author incorporates classical literature into a contemporary book. Along with the characters alluding to classics, the author includes a Shakespeare quote before each part of the book, which provides in interesting clash of style and tone. The pacing of this book, however, could be a little better; I felt that the ending was a little underdeveloped. Also, I'm not sure I like the fantasy meets reality aspect of this book because I felt that it wasn't necessary and makes the book a bit cheesy. The author writes the fantasy part so that it seems pivotal to the plot, but I felt like it could have been easily omitted. However, it did add an interesting dimension and metaphor. This book's characters are very unique and realistic. The formatting and writing of this book was fascinating. The author's voice captures the reader's attention immediately and the plot sucks you in even more. All in all, it was a one-of-a-kind book. Even after you finish it, you want to linger on the ending and think about the characters.

This IS young adult content meaning language, sensuality, violence and dark themes.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hinsdale, IL USA

The Singing by Alison Croggon

The Singing by Alison Croggon is the fourth and final book in the Books of Pelinor series. It begins were the last book in the series left off. Maerad and Hem are traveling to Edil-Amarandh in search of one another. Maerad and her companion first go to the boarding school of Innail, while Hem and his companion Saliman journey north, attempting to flee the Black Army. A prophecy has been spoken over them which says they will release the Treesong, which is the only way to conquer the Nameless One and defeat the forces of darkness.

The Singing is full of plot twists, battles, betrayals, and even visions, all with the underlying theme of brother and sisterhood, of a bond which can never be broken. While this novel contains the typical structure of the average fantasy story, it has much more depth than most books. The story is influenced by the power of music, and the author obviously has skills in both prose and poetry. The author's writing is graceful and flows in a way which makes its 454 pages speed by. It is, however, not overly flowery and is composed in a way that makes it an accessible read to most older teens. The author's characters are memorable and her writing is effortless. All of these things combined make The Singing an enjoyable novel.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Cary, NC USA

The Season of Second Chances by Diane Meier

Joy Harkness is a college professor and she doesn't have a very carefree personality. One day, she makes a decision that is opposite of what she would normally do. She's decided to move from the big city to a small college town, leaving behind what she's so used to. She's giving up her usual life to renovate a dilapidated Victorian house. As she works on te house with the town handyman, Teddy Hennessy, she realizes that there is nothing wrong with a little risk or challenges. Do second chances really come to everybody?

The Season of Second Chances is a humorous, touching novel. Diane Meier did a wonderful job expressing the emotions of her characters. She not only created a wonderful novel about the renovation of a house, but of the main character's life. Going into the book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but now that I've read it, it was actually one of the better books I've read in a while. It was a very interesting story that I recommend to all young adult readers.

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

Gimme A Call by Sarah Mlynowski

Devi's life has just been turned upside down. Her boyfriend of four years, Bryan, dumped her and now she has no date to the senior prom. But more importantly, Devi feels like she wasted four years on Bryan because she has no friends and slacked off at school, so now she's attending a third-tier college. But when Devi's cell phone falls in fountain after she wishes that she could change her past, she's only able to make one call: to her freshmen self. Devi is determined to tell herself what to change, so she can keep her friends and get into a better college, but she doesn't realize how much these changes will affect her present.

I loved Gimme A Call. It was so cute and surprisingly, hilarious. I actually laughed out loud a few times while I was reading. The antics that the two girls (or should I say: one girl?) get themselves into is priceless. I loved that Devi was able to talk to herself, because everyone wonders what they would tell their young self. And now Devi actually has a chance to do that. I thought at times Devi was a little hard on her younger counterpart; she made her take really hard classes and join a bunch of extracurricular activities. It was a little annoying to see how bossy Old Devi could get, but it just added to the overall funniness of the novel. I would recommend Gimme a Call to fans of humor or fans of time travel.

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States

"A Little Wanting Song" by Cath Crowlery

This book, "A Little Wanting Song" by Cath Crowlery, is about two girls, one named Charlie and the other Rose. They are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Charlie is a shy and easily intimidated girl who lives and breathes music, but she doesn't let anyone hear her play. Rose, however, is outgoing, always with her two guy best friends, and has a plan to move to the city to get out of small town life.

Since Charlie's grandpa lives next door to Rose, when Charlie visits from the city she sees Rose, but she has always been intimidated her, always watching but never joining Rose and her friends. Rose doesn't want anything to do with Charlie until she gets a scholarship to a school in the city and sees Charlie as a way to convince her parents that she could go. The girls' relationship later on gets complicated, as one of Rose's best friends, David, begins to like Charlie, and Charlie starts to open up.

"A Little Wanting Song" is a cute, romantic, well-written book about a good, if slightly overused, topic. The writing is good, not perfect, with a few flaws such as minimal setting description. I get that the story takes place in an average town, but not much detail beyond that is provided. The novel makes up for that flaw with its characters and its moods. It alternates between two characters, which I've seen go drastically wrong because you get bored with one or the other, but the author carries it out flawlessly. The voices of both are distinct, and I relate to both characters of the book equally. The mood, while changing from regretful to elated, always contains hope, which is perfect for a romantic book such as this; it never gets too dark and isn't always about the romance. It includes friendships between the characters which are just as important as the romance and add to the book. Also, this book achieves its purpose as a cross between a coming-of-age story and a cute romance, and is a rather simple read. This simple style fits the book well. It will not be the next Twilight, but it is a nice read. I find it interesting, and the ending is perfect. It isn't too happily-ever-after, and it has a positive but realistic feel. Though it does not teach much of a lesson, it gives you a good story that is a nice break from your life. I would recommend this book for someone who has time to relax, but doesn't want a complete fluff and nonsense story.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Milwaukee, WI United States

Bone Rattler by Eliot Pattison

This novel is a fictional mystery set in colonial America
during the French and Indian War. It combines aspects of
the cultures of the Highland Scots, Native Americans, and
European settlers in the New World. The main character is
Duncan McCallum, an exiled chief of a Highland Scot clan.
He is being transported on a British convict ship to the
American colonies, where he will be forced to do manual
labor. While on the ship, several murders and suicides,
as well as a bizarre ritual, occur. Because of Duncan s
skill as a doctor, his captors force him to investigate
these acts. His findings indicate that the cause of the
disturbances is tied to a larger mystery involving aspects
of both America and Europe. After his arrival in America,
Duncan continues to try to unravel the mystery and
understand the cultures of the Native Americans and
settlers while remaining true to his Highland Scot
roots.

This book was definitely enjoyable and engaging.
The mysteries kept me guessing and motivated me to keep
reading. The characters are interesting and varied, and
the backdrop of colonial America and the clash of
different cultures were intriguing and informative.
However, I felt that I never had all of the clues to solve
the mystery because the main character had knowledge not
shared with the reader until the very end. Therefore,
when the mystery was solved, it seemed abrupt. I would
recommend this book as a fun read that is good for those
who enjoy adventure and history. However, mystery fans
might be disappointed because the mystery is not always
easy to follow.

This book has some violence that can be
moderately graphic at times.

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

Enigma by C. F. Bentley

Sissy is the high priest of all of Harmony, and is therefore expected to have an intense connection with the goddess. However, in her previous adventures, she lost her sacred bond as a result of an attempted murder. One of her closest friends had died in the bombing, and left her with the prophesy to fix her connection with the Goddess among the stars. So began Sissy's adventures aboard the Labrynithe Station. These adventures include a forbidden love for a man who is not born of her planet - a love ominously threatening to destroy her reputation among her people. However, she is not prepared for a monumental discovery about her origins, aliens who desire to take over the station, or double-crossing humans prepared to leave no trace of their passing.

I found Enigma to be a fascinating read, a bit boring at the beginning, but quickly picking up speed as the plot developed. It only really had two settings though, and this could become drab if you prefer variety in the books you read. However, the two settings were very intriguing, one being a complex space station in which invaders could seemingly move about undetected, and the other an imaginative planet not too different from our own. The tone of the book was mysterious; you never knew when a critical event was about to take place. Thus, I was on the edge of my seat for the entire book. Another factor that contributed to my overall enjoyment in the book was the main characters. The human characters were very true to their race; they felt anger, pity, love, hate and other human emotions. They believed in a higher being, such as a god, as many humans do in the real world. Interestingly enough, the alien beings experienced very similar emotions to those of humans. I found this to be a fascinating aspect of the novel, and it caused the book to further appeal to me.

The author achieved an excellent novel that explores the ideals of religions, as well as exposes the unfavorable characteristics of many humans. However, this is done in a very captivating fashion, one that was not boring in the least bit. Sure, the book had a few weaknesses, like its slow beginning and slightly complicated and confusing setting, but overall it had many more strengths then weaknesses. It had strong, realistic characters with very real emotions. The book had a strong plot that kept you guessing where it was going next. It had romance infused with drama. Because of these traits, it was one of the best books from the science fiction genre that I have read. However, I don't believe it was better than its prequel, "Harmony", but it was still very good. My personal response to Enigma is that it was a thrilling novel with mystery intertwined into the plot, and thus deserving its title. I would definitely recommend Enigma to most anybody, as it is very age appropriate, as well as exciting.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Baltimore, MD United States

Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban

Princess Andrea has always been the rebellious outcast of the family, having preferred instead to spend her time riding her horse Flecha, shooting her bow, and training to be a squire. Her sisters, on the other hand, are everything her mother wishes Andrea would be: perfectly beautiful and proper, just like ladies should be. So when Andrea gets banned from attending the Spring Ball for fighting with her older sister Rosa, she decides to spy on the occurring events from her favorite oak tree. There she meets Don Alfonso de Alvar, a prince and an enemy of her father, the King of Montemaior. He tells her of the ancient Xarens and how they had discovered a door leading to another world. Andrea is sick of her fancy life of frills and dresses and curtsying and once Don Alfonso departs, Andrea runs away on a search to find the door. She has no idea what she is getting into and what will be the outcome of her decision when she finds the door and meets a boy who will change her life forever; but maybe not in the way that she was hoping he would.

I absolutely loved Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban. It was an enchanting and enthralling story full of adventure and romance, history and intrigue, full of battle and war, and lies, love, royalty, and more. I was highly impressed with this engrossing novel, definitely since it was the first book the author has ever written. I would definitely recommend Two Moon Princess and I read this story all day long in hopes of finding out the conclusion to the intricate web of romance and deceit the author had woven. She did a wonderful job with using foreshadowing but still had me guessing as to what would happen next. I was greatly content with the ending and thought that it would be a perfect book to create a sequel to. I definitely would read a sequel and am curious as to what would happen to them next since the ending opened up to what could be an entirely new story. The characters were fairly well developed, but Sebela, Andrea's oldest sister, was lacking a few details. Overall though, I really enjoyed this novel and Two Moon Princess is a definite must-read for adventurous romance lovers.

Reviewer Age:16

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

The Wide-Awake Princess

As Princess Annie walks through the castle, everyone bows away from her. But this gesture is by no means a sign of respect, but one of caution. You see, when her elder sister Gwendolyn was born, she was graced with amazing beauty, but cursed by an evil fairy. In order to prevent Annie being cursed, her parents asked that she never be touched by magic. Now that Gwendolyn's curse has taken hold, Annie must find her sister's true love to kiss her awake. Will Annie finish this quest...or will she be doomed to failure?

The Wide-Awake Princess is an enchanting tale of magic, princes, and possible love. E.D Baker spins a wonderful tale that incorporates new and old fairy-tale friends. I especially liked this book because it reminded me of all the tales I read in my younger youth. The story moves along at a good pace, with enough details so it's realistic, but not so much you feel like skipping over full paragraphs. I'm suggesting this book to young girls looking for a pleasant magical read.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Seaside , OR USA

Prisoners In The Palace by, Michaela MacColl

Becoming an orphan after your parents die in a tragic accident is hard enough, but after learning she must pay her father's debts, Elizabeth Hastings' life begins to deteriorate. Elizabeth, also known as Liza, must become a lady's maid to Princess Victoria in order to cover her father's debts. As a worker at Kensington, Liza begins to see things in a different light. Who is Annie that everyone whispers about? Is Sir John truly trying to become king in all but name? For those who love historical fiction, pick up this book and join Liza as she struggles to help the future queen.

I loved this book. It is an interesting mix of mystery, secret motives, and romance. My favorite character, besides Liza of course, was a teenager who went by the name "Inside Boy." He lived inside Kensington and no one knew he was there. As the story progresses the action's pace picks up and brings everything to an amazing climax that will leave readers satisfied. I think the most interesting part of this book is that it takes a look at what would most likely happen to a maid who had been dismissed from Kensington and how some of the newspapers operated at the time. The most amazing thing about this book, however, is that many of the plot lines have some truth in them. At the back of the book, the author gives her reference books and websites so that the reader can further explore the life of Queen Victoria. This book is a definite read for anyone who likes romance, historical fiction, or just a good plain book.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, TX U.S.A.

Nocturne, by L.D. Harkrader

Vampires, magic, a child abandoned in the night. These are the forces you will encounter as you enter the world of Flannery Lane; a 15-year old girl who was left on the doorstep of Monsieur Anatole's Books, Wonders, and Charms when she was only a year old. She has always wondered who she is and where she came from, and it seems as though Uncle Anatole does not want her to discover the answers to these questions. She possesses a powerful magic and has secretly been studying her art and practicing all the while keeping her actions a secret from Uncle Anatole who happens to be the town's resident wizard. Life progresses normally until, one night, a young vampire hunter arrives at the shop begging for an exceptionally strong talisman, a Talisman of Undead Mastery. She fulfills his order, falling for him along the way, and it is not until her friends and neighbors start to disappear that she really starts to wonder about who he is and what his intentions are. And when a long lost Lord Blakely returns, she takes matters into her own hands and sets out to save her village, her uncle, and the family she never knew.

L. D. Harkrader's "Nocturne", a companion novel to "A Practical Guide to Vampires", grabbed my attention the moment I picked it up. The adventures and personal struggles of Flannery Lane, or Flan, are remarkably similar to choices ordinary teenagers will have to face; such as love, losing friends, and discovering who you really are. The plot was engaging and had several twists that I never would have expected. I would recommend this book to anyone with a taste for adventure and fantastical creatures. However, this is a fantasy book, and if you're looking for something with a bit or reality, this wouldn't be my first choice. It's a wonderful read and I enjoyed every word of it.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, MA United States

Why Dogs Eat Poop by Francesca Gould

Do you know what species of bird can sew? Do you know what
species of octopus has females that can be 6 feet, 6
inches long, and males that are 1 inch long? And, do you
know the answer to the question that baffles many pet
owners, why do dogs eat poop? This book answers all of
these questions and many more. It also talks about
interesting and disgusting characteristics of animals,
even some species you probably have never heard of.

I enjoyed reading this book, however at some points, I
wished that the author had explained how or why something
happened in more detail. It's written in a question-answer
format, so it gets you curious about a topic, and then
dives into it. After reading the book, I think that it
would have been more enjoyable if I had skimmed through
the questions in the book, and only read the ones that
made me interested in the topic. Overall, this was an
interesting and informal read, but not a cover-to-cover
one.

This book talks about mating rituals, and
reproductive systems.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country:
Leawood, KS United States of America

The Tilting House by Tom Llewellyn

You don't understand. YOUR house is straight. Aaron and
Josh never had that option- at least not in this house.
Their house is tilted, but not only that. Beneath its
normal exterior, the house holds many secrets of its past
owner. Aaron and Josh, assisted by their neighbor Lola,
discover somthing extraordinary in the house. Good thing
their dad insisted on buying the house...read the book,
and you'll understand how strange staring neighbors,
different writings on walls, and previous secrets can
be.

In my opinion, the book was haphazardly insane! It
was hard to follow in my opinion. I did not like the
characters, and quite frankly - the story's background
annoyed me. I may sound a little harsh, but I did NOT like
this book. The author did not achieve the "Edgar Allan
Poe" theme he was going for. The author should have better
explained things.

1

0

Reviewer Age:12

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

Faithful by Janet Fox

Margaret "Maggie" Bennet has an elegant life amongst the elite families in Newport, Rhode Island. But when Maggie's father tricks her into going on an excursion to the wilds of Yellowstone Park to look for her mother, Maggie realizes that they are in Montana for an entirely different reason. A reason, that Maggie is desperate to find out. Alone and isolated in a dangerous wilderness, Maggie must discover what she wants most: freedom or a life she's always known. Fox's debut novel, Faithful, is a thrilling and heartwarming story of love, discovery, and of course, faithfulness.

The first time I laid eyes on Faithful's book cover, I immediately thought: majestic fear of the unknown. That's exactly how Maggie feels when she first arrives in Yellowstone, uncertain with a desire to conquer the mysteries surrounding the park and her mother's disappearance. Faithful is a great book; not only because it was written quite nicely, but because of the sense of adventure within the pages. The image of Yellowstone is very dominate throughout the story - as it should be - and Maggie's devastation and anger can be felt on a very personal level. I couldn't help but cheer Maggie on as she battled for freedom as the men around her continually tried to control her. When you start this book, you must understand, back then (even in 1904), a woman's future was deeply nestled in the will of a man's. Maggie is at their mercy; sometimes she had to make sacrifices that a 21st century girl would never dream of doing. Even though Faithful is in fact a historical fiction, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone who doesn't normally read that genre. Faithful is not all about the time period (even though it is important), it's about knowing what you want and standing up for it. Overall, I absolutely loved Maggie, the adventure, Yellowstone, and the discoveries Maggie made along the journey. I am whole heartedly looking forward to seeing more fiction by Fox.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: , NM United States

Stringz by Michael Wenberg

For Jace Adams life has never been really easy for him. His mother moves them from place to place always looking for a better job. Jace on the other had moves from school to school, sometimes four schools in one year. The only thing that can keep him sane is his cello, and whenever he plays his cello Jace goes into a different world. His most recent move is to Seattle. When money is tight at home Jace decides to go to downtown Seattle to play his cello for some extra money. When Jace is finished for the night he collects his belongings and starts to count his money. Jace soon finds out that someone threw in a hundred dollar bill with a business card attached to it. What will happen to Jace? Will he call this guy who gave him a bribe ? Find out when you read Stringz.

I love the beginning of this book it is very comical but still very true. The author did a great job in the setting, characterization, and overall concept of the book. I believed that I was in high school as a freshman all over again. Also I felt that the main characters where my best friends and that they were truly human beings. The writing of the book was very easy to read and very effective. I feel that this book was very interesting. Anyone who likes to read a good book that shows the hard ships of a young person and also an amazing cello player then this book is for you. If you also like coming of age, comedy, and some serious moments stuck into a book you would also like this too. All in all a very good book that I recommend everyone to at least pick up and read.

Some drug references.

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

All Star by Jane Yolen

Honus Wagner was born February 24, 1847 in Chartiers Pennsylvania. He went to school all the way to 6th grade but stopped there. After 6th grade, Honus went to work in a coal mine with his dad. He and his family always played baseball on Sundays because it was his father's day off.
When Honus was still young, he signed up to play on a real team. He was so fast that he had to carry a teammate so he wouldn't pass him. His brother, Al, already played professional baseball and got Honus a deal to play too. Honus set two records in the World Series and one still stands today. When people sold his card in cigar packs, he didn't like it so they stopped printing them. Honus died on December 6, 1955. Now his cards sell for nearly $3,000,000.

Overall I thought this was an excellent book. Jane Yolen did a good job of summarizing Honus Wagner's life. The book is very short and is only about 30 pages but it is still very good. I think this book would catch the attention of boys more than girls just because it is about a boy's sport, but girls would like it too. If you like nonfiction biographies then this book is for you.

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Merino, Colorado U.S.A.

Princess of Glass

Princess of Glass, a retelling of Cinderella, is a companion
novel to Princess of the Midnight Ball. In this book, Poppy
and her unmarried sisters are sent to different countries
through a royal exchange program of sorts, to promote better
relationships between countries and, hopefully, result in
some marriages. A second aspect of the story is Elenora, a
girl who went from riches to poverty when her father's
business transactions did not pay for their lifestyle and
both her parents died. She changed her name to Ellen, and
started working as a maid. Somehow, she always ruins
whatever she does. One day, an invitation to a royal ball
comes to the Seadown household where Poppy is staying with
her cousins and Ellen is working as a maid. It invites all
the eligible women in the household, and Ellen insists on
going. Ellen does not go to the ball, but a mysterious Lady
Ella does.
This book is as good as, if not better than,
Princess of the Midnight Ball. The suspense steadily builds
as Poppy gains information, but still has no idea how to put
a stop to Lady Ella. There are some sketchy ideas that could
use elaboration, but overall the story makes sense. There is
also a side love story, adding to the plot. Although you
don't need to read the first book, there are references in
this book to tie the stories together. Princess of Glass is
an amazing way to twist Cinderella into a completely new
story.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and
Country: Milwaukee, WI USA

Shooting Kabul by N. H. Senzai

In N.H. Senzai’s debut novel, we see a flash of what it would be like to be a Muslim family in the U.S. during 9-11. Fadi, now entering middle school, has to deal with bullies, honor, and the guilt of knowing that it was his fault that his baby sister was left behind in their escape from the Middle East. Will Fadi, with the help of his new friends and teacher, be able to find and rescue her from a country torn by war on the other side of the globe? This book takes us through issues that are still prominent today. With many people, the Middle East is a hot subject. Senzai explains points of interest in Middle East history and politics from the experiences of this twelve year old boy.

This story gave me a new perspective of looking through someone else’s eyes on events that I myself witnessed. This flashback style plotline jumps around a little, but gives the book the feeling of a photo album of Fadi’s life during this trying period. This wasn’t the first book I’ve read on the Middle East, but it is the first book I’ve read pertaining to these modern day issues. It helped me understand that just because someone is of a certain religion, it doesn’t mean that they agree with radicals who believe that Americans need to die. I enjoyed the book immensely and would recommend it to anyone ten years and up!

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Provo, Utah U.S.A.

Freaksville by Kitty Keswick

Kasey Maxwell has the gift of sight. Her gift has been passed down by generation in the women of her family. Kasey normally doesn't like using her gifts but when it brings her to the cute British exchange student, Josh, she doesn't mind as much. Kasey can also talk to ghosts, so when she finds that her school theater is haunted, she investigates. But when Kasey and her friends get stuck inside the theater, she wonders how far the ghosts will go and if they will ever get out.

'Freaksville' was an okay book. I didn't think that the story line was very original, and it was kind of a mix of 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'Twilight'. I did get a good understanding of the characters and how they thought, so they seemed pretty realistic. I wouldn't really recommend the book to anyone.

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

My Bonny Light Horseman by L. A. Meyer

In My Bonny Light Horseman, Jacky Faber faces many dangers
such as a dangerous battle at sea and a close to death
visit to the guillotine. She comes close to death many
times and every time she wiggles her way out. When she is
captured by her old enemy from British Intelligence, she
is placed as a dancer in a nightclub to get secrets out of
French officers who frequent there. She soon blows her
cover though and is forced to follow Emperor Napoleon
Bonaparte into war. The thing is, this time death might
not let her go as easily.

My Bonny Light Horseman was a page turner and I loved
it. Throughout the whole book I felt I was there with
Jacky Faber. Dancing alongside her, following her into
war, I could really picture every detail. I also loved
Jacky s personality. She was brave, kind, and smart in her
own kind of Jacky Faber way. The book had a lot of mature
content and I would suggest it for the older readers.
Overall My Bonny Light Horseman was an amazing book and a
great read.

I gave the book a content rating of
3 because there were a few words and mature content
that would not be appropriate for younger kids

9

Reviewer
Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City,
Florida United states

Men's Stage Monlogues and Scenes by Lawrence Harbison

This book contains the best stage monologues and scenes for men from stage productions in 2009. Since there are many different pieces in this book, it is not possible to give a plot summary. But the book is filled with many dramatic pieces that deal with issues ranging from having a parent walkout on their son to teen pregnancy. There are also comical pieces that are sure to make people laugh when reading. Also, there are pieces that are dramatic AND funny. The scenes have only two actors, both of which can be read as male parts, or male and female. The monologues sometimes contain pauses, which indicate that someone is speaking. This book can be used to entertain or as a reference for finding audition pieces.

I really enjoyed reading the different pieces in The Best Men's Stage Monologues and Scenes for 2009. I enjoyed reading the comic parts, and often became emotional reading the dramatic parts. I think that this is more of a reference book than a book with a plot. However it is still entertaining for people who love to read powerful passages from plays. Anybody with an understanding of theatre will love to read these pieces from familiar playwrights like Don Nigro, and from newer playwrights like Jonathan Rand. This book is great for anyone who is interested in the high school activity called Speech. The comic and dramatic pieces are perfect for that activity. In conclusion, this book contains many great pieces for teens through adults. This book is a great reference for any aspiring actor, or professional actors looking for fresh, new audition pieces.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Paynesville, MN USA

Dormia by Jake Halpern & Peter Kujawinski

Dormia, by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski is a terrifying adventure. Twelve-year-old Alfonso Perplexon is an ordinary boy - while he's awake. However, in his sleep Alfonso can climb 200-foot-tall trees, tightrope-walk on telephone wires and grow a Dormian Bloom that is the key to saving a legendary land called Dormia. When Alfonso's Uncle Hill comes to visit, Dragoonya Plants of War attack the bloom. Alfonso, Uncle Hill, Judy and Pappy escape the Dragoonya Plants in a very old airplane. Alfonso and Uncle Hill then book passage on a rickety old ship which will take them to Barsh-Yin-Binder, the closest port to the Ural Mountains, in which Dormia is hidden. After reaching Dormia with one missing and one blind companion they realize Dormia is under attack from the Dragoonya, their greatest enemy. Will they be able to fight off the Dragoonya? More importantly, will they be able to replace the founding tree of Somnos before it's too late?

This book was so good I was sorry I couldn't read it while I was asleep. It was very easy for me to imagine being one of the characters. I liked their different personalities and their fearlessness. I especially liked Resuza. She seems to like telling Alfonso, "You don't know a lot of things." Bilblox is also very funny. He is always refering to Resuza as "your girlfriend" in Alfonso's case. I found it interesting that the whole plot was focused on a bloom where the petals change colors every six minutes. If you like warfare, adventure, a small bit of romance and sleep-drivers, this is the book for you!

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

Prowling the Seas by Pamela S. Turner

Describing the adventure of the seas through animals, Pamela S. Turner brings a wave full of education to children. Within this wave, is the story of a tuna fish, turtle, shark, and seabirds. These sea creatures serve as a gateway of knowledge to children, in a simplistic way. Using these taged organisms, she weaves in the treatment of oceans and how each organism is important.

I thought that this book was a good way to provide knowledge to children in an understandable way. Everything was age appropriate and held pictures to perk their interests. It gives the reader information on the organisms and the facts about the ocean. There are diagrams that are simple enough for a child to understand and get something out of it. I would recommend this to children to provide easy awareness and education.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, PA United States

A Wind in Montana by Mitch Davies

Rory is a 16 year old guy whose life shakes in his junior year of high school. He has played basketball and in the band for years, but he decides that chemistry is his true calling. When a scholarship opportunity arises, Rory quits everything but chemistry--and girls. Rory struggles to determine which is better: relationships or academics. When Rory meets Victoria, a girl interested in playing the oboe, he reassesses what is important to him. Of course, teachers, coaches, and parents try to influence him to live out his life THEIR way.

When I began to read this book, I was very interested in the subject matter. Like Rory, I love chemistry and want to study it in college. Rory's personality and relationships with others are strikingly similar to those that I have. This connection made the book realistic and contemporary. The writing was well done, and it is accurate to real life. Some of the main themes are trying to succeed, falling in love, and power struggle between teenagers and adults. I recommend this book to any teenager who desires advice on the coming-of-age. It may also be a good read for parents who do not understand the behavior of their teenage child.

This book contains many sexual scenes and uses some foul language.

Reviewer Age:16

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

Painting Souls by Benjamin Dudley

Painting Souls is the story of two heroes in a magical fantasy world full of adventure and mystery. The Unholy War pitting an alliance of numerous races against the evils of the Shadow and the Wraith has ended by the sword of Adrian, the first hero that is introduced in the book. He is canonized across the world of Celestia as the greatest hero the planet has ever known. However, when Adrian returns home after days of celebrations in his name, he finds that everything dear to him has been swept out from under his feet. Gai, the second hero of the story, is a student at the Ibiza Peacekeeping Academy. One can think of it as a Hogwarts with magic only being one of the subjects taught. Throughout Gai's time at the academy, he experiences blackouts and encounters a form of himself from the future. At the end of the book, these two stories develop and ultimately face the same threat of a new war. This threat looms until the next book in the series.

On the final pages of the book, Gai says to himself, "Are we headed anywhere?" Unfortunately, I felt the same way as I finished this book. The book claims to be the most enveloping fantasy fiction story ever written, and this claim could be very true. However, the ambitious inclusivity of Painting Souls is its ultimate downfall. Fantasy fiction stories that have lasted the test of time all have expansive backgrounds and mystical beings. However, there are intangible "limitations" that appear to the reader. How could readers relate to a world that appears to have no borders or limits? The seemingly endless amount of different races the author presents becomes overwhelming very quickly. Furthermore, the numerous attempts by the author of hints at universal truths are placed in the most awkward locations, and the dialogue rarely seems fitting for the character or the situation. As a whole, Painting Souls seems like a collection of pieces of other famous fantasy works. Very little seems original or thought provoking in an innovative way.

Language and sexual references.

Reviewer Age:20
Reviewer City, State and Country: Eden Prairie, Minnesota United States

After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr

Both Leigh and Maia have issues. For Leigh, he's in love, with no hope of falling out of it with Maia. She on the other hand has too many problems of her own to think about love; after battling anorexia and physically hurting herself, she thinks she can't handle romance or even close friendship in her life. Even with all these factors against them, love quickly blossoms then disappears after Maia’s tragic rape by three prep-school boys. With Maia at her most vulnerable, she needs Leigh to help her, but Leigh discovers that the world such as the case with war can reason everything, especially what the guilty does. After the Moment takes place four years after the last time Leigh and Maia were together and it is a time of remembrance and overall forgiveness for both.

Freymann-Weyr has one of those strong writing styles that brings the reader in with such clarity that it displays the raw emotion of young love and the lasting pain it can cause. Each character was created with their own unique personality that also brings the reader into each character's own personal struggles. Leigh especially was created so deeply to love and protect, that for each movement he made the reader was blindly aware that it was calculated and directed towards Maia. I felt like this book was a little too serious, though there were happy moments the book had an overall melancholy feel that left me questioning if love is worth the pain.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Brewster, N.Y United States

The Hard Kind of Promise by Gina Willner-Pardo

The Hard Kind of Promise by Gina Willner-Pardo is about a girl, Sarah, who promises to be best friends forever with Marjorie. The only problem is that she promised this when they were young and now Sarah and Marjorie like different things. Sarah tries her best to be friends with Marjorie, but they are just too different. It would be very hard for Sarah to keep this promise. This is a story about friendship and how hard it can be.

The Hard Kind of Promise by Gina Willner-Pardo was not one of the best books I have read. I found it hard to keep reading because there was nothing to draw you into the mood of the book. The plot was not very good. Willner-Pardo's writing style did not draw the reader in or make you feel a strong connection with how the characters felt. This is a book I would definitely not recommend to anyone.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, Ma USA

A Legacy of Daemons by Camille Bacon-Smith

Evan Davis and his partners, Kevin Bradley and Lily Ryan, handle dangerous and otherworldly cases in Philadelphia. Lily and Kevin (Brad) are daemons that belong to the second celestial sphere under the lord Ariton. When Matt Shields hires Evan to retrieve a box from the house of the recently deceased Grayson Donne, Evan is trapped in the middle of a battle between daemons and a group of wealthy people with a dangerous interest in the dark arts. During the investigation, Evan is captured by those people. After he escapes, the police search the grounds of the manor where he had been held, only to find a graveyard full of tortured mortals. The police interrogate Carlos Sanchez, whose daughter Alba is missing and who worked for Grayson Donne. Then, Sanchez goes missing and Evan has to find him and an heir of Grayson Donne to unlock the box and release the demented daemon, Kady (Kady and Matt Shields were bound by Grayson Donne to the box). As Grayson’s plot unfolds, a new angle of the problem comes to light; a half-daemon child named Katy(not to be confused with Kady), the sole heir of the Donne fortune and the only one who can release Kady from the box. Evan and Kady must summon daemon lords to release Matt Shields and Kady from the binding put on them by Grayson Donne to prevent a war between the lords of the second-celestial sphere.

The book itself was difficult to understand and connect to. I often reread a paragraph or chapter to get a better understanding of what the characters were doing. The story line was a follow-up from two previous books, which I was not able to find in my public library, making it hard to connect to the characters’ references of pain. The author was very descriptive of some of the settings from the main character’s point of view, such as Evan when he was kidnapped at the manor house. The storyline was moving and the book had a great ending with the introduction of Katy, but left me wondering if they found Alba Sanchez and why Lily left Evan. I might recommend the book, but only after reading the first two books. It also contained mature content I didn't think was suitable for a young teenager.

Content: 1
Rating: 4
Reviewer Age:
Reviewer City, State and Country: Garden Ridge, Texas USA

Amazon Queen by Lori Devoti

Zery has only ever known the tribe, her family of Amazons. After living for over a hundred years Zery is a queen; the top of the heap. When a new priestess comes to her safe camp and starts to challenge Zery s authority things start to go from bad to worse. The tribe is falling apart and Zery is on the outside, it doesn t help that she seems to be falling for a son, the sworn enemy of the Amazons. In this stunning sequel to Amazon Ink; Zery s life falls apart as she finds old friends, new friends and her voice.

In Amazon Queen by Lori Devoti, Zery the queen of the Amazons finds her world falling apart. The book starts out strong with a fast paced action scene and the tone is continued throughout the book. With multiple twists and turns that keep you on your toes this quickly moving book keeps a reader entertained till the early hours of the morning. On top of the constantly changing alliances and friendships there is an underlying element of romance that although present does not over power a book based on powerful women. Over all this book was and exciting and entertaining read that I certainly recommend.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Greenwood Village, Co USA

Ernest Hemingway: A Writer's Life by Catherine Reef

Ernest Hemingway was not only one of the most influential American writers of all time - he also had a fascinating life. He was born in 1899 to a wealthy Chicago family. He began writing in school, where his teachers encouraged his talents. When World War I broke out, he went to Italy to fight. His experiences in the army influenced one of his most famous books, A Farewell to Arms. Throughout his life, Ernest Hemingway enjoyed doing the unusual - he was fond of bull fights and safaris. He joined with Spanish forces in the Spanish Civil War. However, despite his exciting life, Hemingway struggled with depression over his writing and life. In 1961, he took his own life. But his writing lives on - his books have become classics of American literature.

Reef's biography of Ernest Hemingway was a fascinating account of Hemingway's life. She aptly used quotes from Hemingway's friends and family to describe his life from his childhood to his death. She provided numerous antidotes that enabled the reader to glimpse into the life of Hemingway in an engaging way. Also, the book had lovely photographs chronically Hemingway's life. However, what I particularly enjoyed in the book was Reef's careful analysis of the factors that influenced Hemingway's writing. Having read some of the Hemingway's works, I found it fascinating to read about the experiences that led Hemingway to write his books. Even for those who have never read a Hemingway novel, this biography gives you a extraordinary glimpse into the life of one of the most influential Americans of the twentieth century.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Urbana, IL USA

Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boot

Jenna is just a girl living in the New Jersey suburbs and has a life revolved around environmentalism. From recycling to protesting out on the streets, her and the Green Teens, a group of fellow environmentalists, do everything possible to help the planet. Then, Jenna
decides to fly to Canada to visit her godmother, Susie, during the summer. After some crazy encounters with the locals and wildlife (a stray moose on Main Street, a group of cute, nature-loving boys, and Susie's stepdaughter, Fiona), Jenna soon realizes that her eco-friendly ideas
don't appeal to the residents of Stillwater. As Jenna arms herself with a nature survival guide, she sets out to learn how to live in the wilderness the locals call home.

Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots is about a girl trying to fit in and survive that wildlife that she's always heard about. Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots is a fun and fast paced novel that contains humor, romance, and a group of fun-loving, characters that readers can relate to. The relationships between the characters that Abby McDonald established were very realistic. They have traits that readers could compare themselves to. Jenna is a eco-friendly girl that supports nature, but doesn't really know much about
living, or surviving, in it. The boys she meets, Ethan, Grady, and Reeve, are a group of boys that love having fun and can do that in nature. The characters have obstacles that they have to learn how to overcome. I think that these traits will let the readers to actually imagine the
characters as real people. This book was a very enjoyable read and kept me hooked to it until the end. I think that many young adult readers will enjoy reading this.

Unfamiliar Magic by R. C. Alexander

Unfamiliar Magic is about a young witch named Desi, whose mom is also a witch and she refuses to teach Desi any spells or tell Desi anything about her father who has been absent Desi's whole life. Desi has a cat named Devil which is a familiar. (Devil can travel to different worlds- the witch or the demon world) Desi's mom, Desi, and their cat have moved all over the world for an unknown reason to Desi. They have just moved to the suburbs when her mother leaves without any notice right after turning their cat Devil into a teenage girl. After Desi's mother leaves unexplainably Desi is lost. She makes friends with the boy next door, Jarrett. Devil, who is now called Cat, starts dating Jarrett's older brother, Bob. Unfortunately Cat is just a person on the outside and still thinks like a cat, which causes problems for Desi. When the foursome goes to the mall Desi meets a magician willing to teach Desi some magic. Bad things happen after that include battling demons, learning magic, getting stuck in portals, and her mother and father fighting over what is best for Desi.

I think that the book Unfamiliar Magic is a great book and a must read for all who like fantasy. I really liked Desi she was full of energy and never gave up. I also liked Cat because she would do anything to save Desi. This book was very well written, very exiting, and a real page turner.

Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Boothwyn, PA USA

Travelers Market by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

When an evil rat bites Timothy's mom, its up to him, his sister Sarah, and their newly found friend, Jessica to find the cure. An old acquaintance leads them to the Traveler's Market. They don't trust anyone, and an old foe that hides in the dark of the Market makes it dangerous. Timothy and Sarah find two extraodanary talents inside themselves that lay dormant, until now. Even with the help of Timothy and Sarah's new talents, the Dark's warriors are a threat to millions of lives.

This book was awesome! Almost all the characters had a lot of depth. The plot was very well written, and I loved the different things that the characters find deep inside themselves. Although it is the second in the series, you don't have to read the first book to get the story line. For you older kids who still like illustrations, there are illustrations throughout the book and they're very well drawn. Whether you've read the first book or not, I strongly recommend this book and hope you have as much fun reading it as I did.

Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockwell City, IA USA

The Whispering Sand by Ian Kenworthy

Annabeth a young girl comes to stay with her very down-to-Earth grandpa, Grandpa Bambertide. Grandpa Bambertide lives in an enormous, wacky house called Gull Cove Cottage located on Gull Cove Beach. Living on this property, Grandpa Bambertide feels that it is his job to take care of, and protect Gull Cove Beach.
Something is terribly wrong with the sand on the beach. The sand begins to whisper a song and when the song is over, the sand turns grey and dies. Annabeth and Grandpa Bambertide must get to the bottom of this. Upon going on many adventures, Annabeth figures out that songs are trapped inside the sand, and by being sung, they are keeping the sand alive. Every song in the sand has been sung, and old memories trapped in the sand have faded. Grandpa Bambertide and Annabeth must save the sand and figure out how to cure it.

The Whispering Sand by: Ian Kenworthy was meant to really bring out your imagination. It did not. It was hard to follow and did not keep me intrigued. Written with many details, I wanted the story to come to life in my mind. At parts of the story, I began to loose interest. The main plot was good however, my loss of interest was due to reading about problems in the story that absolutely had nothing to do with the main plot. Overall, The Whispering Sand was a creative book for someone who enjoys fantasy books.

I gave The Whisering Sand a rating of 3 because the book was not mainly focusing on the plot, which would have made the story clearer. The story had smaller more less important problems more focused on, than the entire main plot of the story.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Cleveland, Ohio USA

Ghostgirl: Homecoming by Tonya Hurley

Charlotte's world is turned upside down by a
simple gummy bear in the first book of this series,
ghostgirl. She dies and enters the afterlife where she is
forced to work at a hotline for troubled teens.
Charlotte's old friend, Scarlet, desperately needs
her help because her big sister, Petula, is gravely ill.
Charlotte's friend, Maddy, in the neighboring cubical
intercepts the call from Scarlet. She has to find another
way to get to Charlotte. So she enters the afterlife
world herself to find Charlotte. When she finds her,
they go on a search for Petula's holding room . Along the
way Maddy tries to lead them astray. Maddy is trying to
steal Petulas life for herself, in the end Petula is saved
and crowned Homecoming Queen.

I did enjoy this book the author made me feel like I
was there. The characters were great and worked together
well; she really made me feel as if they were best friends
or sister. The authors voice changed thought out the
book to what every mood they were in at the moment (funny,
serious.). She gave great detail and I was never left
wondering what was happening. I found this book to be
entertaining and interesting. I think the ending was great
because I like happy endings. I would recommend this book
to others.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: mineola , Texas USA