Jack Blank by Matt Myklusch

Twelve-year-old Jack Blank has been living in an unbearable orphanage, where he is persistently picked on by a bully named Rex. The only excitement he can find is in reading comic books. Jack Blank does not have any idea where he came from, where his family might be, and who he truly is. During the morning a killer robot from one of the comic books Jack reads becomes comes to life and tries to kill him. Jazen Knight, an agent from an ambiguous country named Imagine Nation, has arrived for Jack.

Imagine Nation is in perpetual motion and passes through countries of our world, even though the residences are from this nation they come from different places whether real, imaginary, or from outer space. There is a city named Cognito, a place where people go to disappear. The streets do not even have names. Imagine Nation is comprised of all sorts of living creatures, from regular people to androids, aliens, ninjas, sorcerers, kung-fu masters. It almost felt like another version of Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood. The main characters had almost identical identities.

The book is a brilliant mix-up of characters that I have heard of and those that I have only dreamt of. The androids were describe as never before. The ninjas were almost predictable and yet their movements were hard to follow, along with the kung-fu masters and aliens. I could not believe how hard his life was due to him not knowing where his parents were and the life he lived in the orphanage. I had wished it had a better ending for my taste but there was not anything wrong with it.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Dyess, Arkansas United States of America

Color Struck by Pamela Tuck

Color Struck is the story of Bell, a young African-American woman who runs off to marry Buck Steele in secret because their fathers do not get along. Due to lack of money, the young couple has to live with Silas and Emma Steele, Buck's parents, who are less than thrilled to have Bell in the family. Living with Silas and Emma is hard enough for Bell, but soon she realizes that something about her stirs up a Steele family secret. The book is narrated by Bell herself as she uses her past to teach her granddaughters the lessons she learned because "A deathbed shouldn't be the peacemaker in this family."

I loved "Color Struck." Bell and her granddaughters are lovable and believable, showing realistic emotion and making hard decisions. The other characters, including Buck, Silas, and Emma, were well thought out and described. While their actions were sometimes horrible, they always fit with their personalities perfectly. The storyline itself was almost addicting, and I couldn't wait to find out what horrible thing Emma would do to Bell next. The very best thing about "Color Struck" was the lesson of love and acceptance, a theme that came out in a wonderful resolution that tied up all of my questions and left me feeling full. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes family secrets, strong young women, and realistic fiction.

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

Freshman: Tales of 9th Grade Obsessions, Revelations by Corinne Mucha

Annie is a mess. She's just started high school! Her big brother, a junior in high school, told her that what happens in her freshman year will strongly affect the rest of her life--forever. If what he told Annie is true, then her future's not looking too bright. Annie's lousy at sports, jealous of everyone else, and she has the hots for her best friend's older brother. Finally, Annie gets cast as a crying, whining old lady in the school's play. Annie totally forgets about the rest of her life--she just wants to survive freshman year.

I think this book was all right. I chose it because I am going to be a freshman in the fall, so I thought this would give me some pointers. I was a little dissapointed when they brought up smoking, drinking and being drunk, swearing, and making out. If that were to happen in high school, I would think it would start in sophmore or junior year. Other than that, the book was good. Annie's new best friend helped to bring out the best in her and to be true to herself. And, besides grades, I think that's all that really matters in high school.

I gave this book a 2 because there were a few inapropriate references, such as smoking, drinking/being drunk, swearing, and making out.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Hopkins, Michigan USA

Flamingnet Recommended Readng

Check out this article by the LA Times. It's a fascinating look at the trend of adults reading young adult fantasy books.

Speaking Out: LGBTQ Youth Stand Up, edited by Steve Berman

This collection of short stories is a look at situations that homosexual youth face in America. Although there are some coming out stories, it focuses more on stories of the finding out for yourself moment, rather than the tell people moment. This is a welcome change from most stories of gay teens, which heavily stress what society thinks of the person rather than what the person thinks of themselves. There are about an equal number of stories about girls and boys, another change from other books about gay youths. Many of the authors are homosexual themselves, which I think makes the writing more realistic, if slightly emotionally stiff. There are so many different stories in this book that it sort of defies placement into a genre but it is almost a romantic adventure, if not in the classic sense.

This book was inspirational, a moderately quick read, and I think it would be for anyone of any sexuality, as long as the reader is open-minded. I doubt that any homophobic people would consider reading this book in the first place, but obviously that would be one audience that this book would not appeal to. Many of the stories had only so-so writing, although the situations were realistic and moving. I really enjoyed the book overall, regardless. It is very different from any other books out there about homosexuality. Some of the stories got a little bit boring because the authors put too much outside information that didn’t have to do with the plot, but for the most part, this wasn’t something that happened. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the struggles of gay teenagers or just more about homosexuality in general.

Some of the stories have sexual material and the content is something not all parents would want their children reading.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Exeter, NH USA

Rating: 9

Content Rating: 2

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Hannah Baker is dead. She killed herself. So, who sent Clay Jensen the tapes with Hannah’s voice on them? And who is following him to make sure he sends them on? When Clay begins listening to the tapes, he starts hearing the thirteen reasons why Hannah decided to end her own life. He loved Hannah and never got to tell her, he doesn’t want to know what part he played in her death.

Thirteen Reasons Why is a thought-provoking story about love, loss, friendship, high school and tragedy. Clay’s character is one anyone can relate to. He is that person who didn’t say what he wanted to, and then found out that it was too late. Hannah’s voice on the tapes is cryptic, sarcastic and brutally honest. The insight that Asher provides into their lives and brains makes them seem as if they could be your friend, or even you. This book was wonderful and sad with comic relief intermixed in all the right places. This is a book that I would definitely recommend.

Reviewer Age: 18

Reviewer City, State and Country: Leverett, Ma US

Basic Anatomy for the Manga Artist by Christopher Hart

Unlike other Manga drawing books, this tells you about anatomy--the study of the structure of the human body. Most Manga books do not tell you about muscles to show in your drawings. It is divided into 6 chapters. The chapters are, for example: Body Symmetry & Asymmetry, The Foundations of the Body (bones), Topographic Anatomy (muscles), and Putting it All Into Practice.

I found this book very interesting. My personal favorite was Chapter 1 -- Basic Head Elements, like eyes, teeth, nose and ears. All of the pictures were very detailed but easy to take in. I really like how it told you what muscles to include in your drawings. It has cool little paragraphs and pictures to get the full Manga book experience. The author puts it in a way that is easy for children to understand. I recommend this book to anyone.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Uxbridge, MA USA

A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley

"A Traveller in Time " by Allison Uttley, is the story of a little known tale lost to one of the most well known eras of history. The Elizabethan times , also known as the Shakespearean times was a great Golden Age of England with much credit to Queen Elizabeth the wonderful.Yeah, everyone knows that. What people do not know, however , is that she quietly got rid of her cousin , Mary, Queen of Scots , her main opponent.

Penelope Cameron is sent to London to her Aunts farm , Thackers ,which ,in a different era is the place of Queen Mary's escape route and ardently devout supporters.Penelope is caught in a tug of war of time between the 1930's and the Elizabethan age, where she comes to love the era that is not her own.

I think this is an awesome book....for a girl living in the early 1900s. Uttley is an incredibly gifted writer with a knack for comprehensive and eloquent use of lexicon. Honestly, it was the first time I had ever actually seen the word flibbertigibbet used to describe someone. But sadly, the average 2011 child can t handle the vocabulary and would be yawning real soon while reading the overly descriptive writing.

I would not recommend this book to anyone, but if they had spunk and wanted to try anyways ...I will just give this one warning:

THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN IN THE 1900S !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: rockland county, new york usa

Punkzilla by Adam Rapp

Punkzilla is a short novel about a young man who travels across the country to see his older brother. It is told through a series of letters between the young Jamie "Punkzilla", his brother, parents, and old friends. There are also journal entries told from Jamie's perspective as he travels. He faces many challenges including being beaten in the bus station, having to lie to people, hitchhiking, and people constantly believing he is a girl. In this somewhat humorous but vibrantly honest novel, Jamie discovers much about himself and his place in this world.

I felt that Punkzilla was an interesting novel, and although it is not my favorite, it shows a dark side to teenage life that many people do not see. Most of the main characters had major flaws to their character, but it only made them more human and easier to believe in. A lot of the time I really liked the characters, but they also made me think about what I believe in when they fell out of my good graces. I had to recognize the motives behind their actions and consider my own moral standpoint, making this an interesting read. One problem I had with the novel was the format it was written in. It was often confusing and out of order and I found myself having to go back and reread. Keeping track of all these people who were flying through time with no organization was difficult and differed from the enjoyment of reading this book.I found this novel very interesting and it revealed a world that is vastly different from my own.

There is a lot of explicit language and some grafic descriptions of violence.

Reviewer Age:16

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

In the Shadow of the Lamp by Susanne Dunlap

'In the Shadow of the Lamp' is a fufilling, deeply
immersing
story of willpower, truth, and the search for everlasting
love. In 1854, Molly Fraser, a lowly servant working for
an
elegant London household, is wrongly accused of thievery.
She is quite promptly banished from her claim and nearly
thrown out onto the streets. Now, her work and little
money
gone, she is forced to wander the city in search of a new
way of life. So when an opportunity arises for Molly to
possibly go to Crimea with a team of Florence
Nightingale's
nurses, she determinedly sets out for the battlefield. The
work there is exasperating, the hospitals are filthy and
infested with vermin, and young men lay writhing in pain
on
the blood-splattered floor. But Molly, refusing to back
down, does everything within her power to care for the
wounded soldiers. Caring for the young men soon becomes
more
than just that, though, when Molly finds herself falling
deeply in love with one of the doctors working in her
hospital. But all transposes when an old love from home
comes to fight as a soldier in the war, and seeks out
Molly
to tell her that he came just to be near her. One man of
two
will fall prey to the war's deadly guns, and where will
that
leave Molly? Dunlap carefully winds this story through
true
friends, deep love, and the acceptance of death as the
truth
of this story unfolds.

'In the Shadow of the Lamp' is a very lifelike, oldtime
almost-novel exceptionally written with very true
personalities and emotions. I think this book is very well-
done with astounding characters and will create incredible
pictures in readers' minds. Susanne Dunlap could have
lived
in this time herself for the way she deeply wove this
story.

n/a

Reviewer Age:12

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

The Best Teen Writing of 2010 by Foreword - Davy Rothbart

The Best Teen Writing of 2010 is a collection of essays, poetry, memoirs, and more. All of them are written by teenagers like you and me. The young authors put together a portfolio and then are judged by teachers, authors, and other literally professionals. Though, these writings aren 't your typical class assignment; they are real, and full of both sensitive and rough emotion. These pieces are the best of the best.

I 'll admit I was a little skeptical at first. I thought this book would be some little thin paperback with some essays about family vacations and favorite gifts. Boy was I wrong. Every time I started on new author or a new piece I became more and more engaged. The stories and the stories behind the stories were so real. So different from everything else that I expected. It was very refreshing a real eye-opener. I am most likely going to recommend this book to my friends.

Explicit language and themes

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hopkins, Michigan United States

Kennedy: Through the Lens by Martin W. Sandler

Born into a highly successful family, John Kennedy endured a competitive childhood, constantly being shadowed by his older brother, Joe Jr. He suffered many childhood illnesses, but managed to overcome them and eventually graduated from Harvard University with a degree in government. As a fighter pilot during World War II, he became a war hero after leading his vessel crewmen to safety. He later rose up the ranks in politics before being elected as the President of the United States. This book not only describes his journey to the presidency, but also offers an inside view of one of the most photogenic presidents in history. His charisma and energy as seen on TV and newspapers inspired millions of Americans. Kennedy launched a new generation in American presidency, one where his public image relates to the everyday citizen: playing with his children, golfing, reading, etc. This biography offers a moderately detailed account of Kennedy's rise to the presidency and the major challenges he faced as president while also attempting to capture the essence of his life that made him so appealing to the American people.

"Kennedy Through the Lens" paints a picture of not only John F. Kennedy as our 35th president, but John F. Kennedy as a person. While the book's purpose is not to offer a detailed account of his life, it does do a fairly decent job of capturing all the important details in his life and presidency. But what makes this book unique is its emphasis on the specific traits and qualities that made John Kennedy one of the most popular presidents of all time: his openness to the camera and to the media. He was the first president to fully take advantage of the new technologies taking presence during this time. Through the carefully-selected images and the accompanying text, readers will have no difficulty learning about the professional and personal life of John F. Kennedy. While I did not live during that time period, reading this book helped me understand why many people considered the Kennedy era the "Camelot years". This book possesses a special component that truly made it interesting to read and different than those traditional, boring biographies. It would be even better if it had more quotes from Kennedy himself, particularly his own reflections.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Palo Alto, CA USA

The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton by Connie Nordhielm

The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton by Connie Nordhielm is a fascinating biography that details the famous author s difficult and somewhat scandalous life. A very early reader, Edith Jones was born into a prominent New York family. As a child, she enjoyed voyages overseas to her favorite country, France, and quickly became fluent in English, French, German, and Italian. The next year, she began writing a novel but was criticized by her discouraging mother. She never finished the novel and instead switched to writing poetry. At the age of fifteen, she completed a first novel entitled Fast and Loose, a racy romance; a collection of her poems was published anonymously in 1880 when she was eighteen. After that, her published work increased, and she wrote many famous novels, including Ethan Frome.

The book also details Edith s unfortunate love life, including her unhappy marriage to Edward Wharton in 1885. Furthermore, it touches upon her volunteer work during the first World War, and, as an American, her allegiance to France. However, the title of the book is somewhat misleading. The escape mentioned is not actually an escape at all in the traditional sense. It is a metaphor for Edith s escape from the conventions of from her dysfunctional marriage and New York high society into her becoming a writer and an independent woman.

While this biography detailed some of Edith s creative process, it focused more on her personal life. However, her controversial life story was intriguing and well-written, so it held my attention. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I learned a lot about someone of whom I knew nothing. However, the emphasis on her personal life and relationships - marital and extramarital - was a bit much, and it took away from a full exploration of Edith's work. In all, though, the book was a entertaining overview about a famous author, and I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history or literature.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Chicago, IL United States

Ashfall

Thank you Flamingnet and JK_Panama for spending some of your precious reading time with my debut novel and writing such a thoughtful review. I'm currently working on my second draft of the sequel, ASHEN WINTER, which is scheduled for Fall 2012 release by Tanglewood Press. Thanks again! --Mike

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Ashfall by Mike Mullin

We open on a teenage boy, relaxing in his room; nothing
out of the ordinary. He is home alone, his family is on
vacation. As he takes a minute to think, his world is
changed forever. He is thrown violently around his room,
as he hears screams and terror outside. He manages to
survive the impact, and crawls under the remains of his
furniture to the door. Outside he meets his neighbor, who
is equally unsure of the current events. He soon discovers
that the Yellowstone volcano has erupted. Destruction is
widespread. This book follows Alex as he becomes a hero,
stopping at nothing to save his family. Alex experiences
feelings he's never felt before on his journey. He finds
love...and experiences the death of someone close. Will
Alex overcome his worst nightmare and eventually save his
family?

One word: wow. I was blown away by this book.
It's hard to say which was my favorite part. The eruption
was so detailed, I felt like I was experiencing it. When
Alex cried because of a death, I felt the way he
did. "Ashfall" sucked me in and wouldn't let go until it
was three a.m. and I fell asleep. I literally could not
stop reading, from the moment I started from Chapter One.
Alex and Darla form an impeccable duo, working together to
save their families. I laughed, I cried, I fell in love
with this fine literary work. And what a cliffhanger! I
cannot wait for the sequel. This book is on its way to
stardom.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City, Florida USA

RE: The Hunger Games

ohmygosh yes! I was so mad with who she ended up with!

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Fast Readers

So....Im a VERY fast reader, and my teachers, parents, everyone says I skip words, but I dont! Then When I try to slow down I end up speeding up without knowing about it! Who Else does this????

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Miles From Ordinary by Carol Lynch Williams

Lacey's mother is not well. She is plagued by the demons of years past and wrong decisions she made; because of her illness, she can't support herself or her fourteen-year-old daughter. Needing money to survive, Lacey gets a job at the local library- the same library where her aunt, who abandoned Lacey, worked years ago. She hopes that she can find any trace of the woman who left, the woman who can piece together the broken parts of her mother's mind. Miles From Ordinary chronicles one day in Lacey's life, the one day that changes her life forever.

I thought the book was extremely well-written. The author was able to portray what actually goes on in a normal fourteen-year-old's head- the narrator was not immature nor too mature. However, I was confused about her mother's illness; the words and phrases that the author uses seem to show a woman plagued by actual ghosts instead of a woman who is mentally ill. I thought there would be a supernatural aspect to the novel when I first read the description; however, this book has nothing of the sort. I liked that the novel encompassed only one day of Lacey's life. If the novel had minimized the depth of the descriptions of what happens, the reader would be left confused and wondering what had occured. All in all, Miles From Ordinary was a good read and I would suggest this novel to those who are interested in the life of a fourteen year old with hardships to face that are beyond her years.

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Pottstown, PA United States

Master and Apprentice by Sonya Bateman

Master and Apprentice is a story about Donatti a distant relative of a djinn, or genie, Ian. But unfortunately Ian is the last djinn of the wolf clan, who were murdered viciously by the snake clan many years ago. Ian has been filled with rage ever since and is determined to hunt down every last member of the snake clan. If he doesn’t kill every last one of them, the curse goes down to the next generations. Ian and Donatti soon get caught up in a life or death adventure when Ian’s wife and then Ian get kidnapped by a group of the snake clan that is led by an evil djinn named Vaelyn who wants to take over the world. Now it’s up to Donatti to save everyone but the only way he can do that is if one of the enemy teaches him how to wield his untapped powers or everyone will pay the ultimate price.

In my opinion this book was written very well. The characters were so well developed that it made this book hard to put down. Master and Apprentice was full of originality with hilarious bits of sarcastic conversation. There were a few things that could have been explained better that were inconsistent. Donatti and Ian also enjoy swearing like sailors on every page or two so if you don’t want to read that sort of language through the whole book don’t read it. Otherwise I would fully recommend this book because the plot and characters were fully described and developed.

The swearing is excessive.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Loves Park, Illinois United States

Star of Stone by P.D. Baccalario

The sequel to 'Ring of Fire' by P.D. Baccalario, 'Star of Stone', involves four kids trying to save the world: Harvey from New York, Elettra from Rome, Mistral from Paris, and Sheng from Shanghai. As they find people who knew the late Alfred Van Der Berger, the professor who started them on their mission to Rome, they realize that their quest isn't over yet. When they find four coded postcards, written by the professor years before, they see their destiny even clearer than before. The kids go all over New York City searching for the Star of Stone, an artifact. Unfortunately, they are not the only ones looking for the Stone. A new bunch of villains will do anything to stop them from reaching their goal.

I was annoyed when I picked up the book and saw it was the second installment in the Century Quartet series. Having not read the first book in the series, it was very confusing to me. Some parts were very exciting and intense, others were somewhat boring and dull. I enjoyed the way P.D. Baccalario wrote the book from different peoples' points of view, but sometimes that confused the story a bit. The ending was a very good cliff-hanger,and I liked that. All in all, it would have made more sense if I had read the first book before reading this one, but in itself, it was a pretty good book.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Tatamy, PA USA

The Summer Of My Fourteenth Year

Check out my two books at: http://www.jamesmeaders-author.com/. My second book just came out: Hitchhikers in Each Other's Mind. Both available on Amazon.com in print and as ebooks. Also available for Nook and Kobo ereaders. Thanks, Jim Meaders

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The Girl in the Steel Corset

I really liked the review. I think Im going to read this book next. Was this your first review? Ive only written 2 so far. :D

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Color Struck

Color Struck, YA Novel What happens when a young girl doesnt measure up to superficial beauty standards, has eyes that stir up trouble from the grave, and holds the key to unleash a forbidden family secret? Authors Pamela & Joel Tuck answer these questions and more in their heartrending novel, Color Struck, told with a southern flair. To read a 1st chapter excerpt, visit http://www.pamelamtuck.com/color-struck-excerpt.php

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Dark Territory

We are thrilled with the Flaming Net review of DARK TERRITORY, the first book in our new YA supernatural romance adventure series. Thank you so much. Theres no feeling like the one a writer gets on learning that his or her words have grabbed the readers attention, entertained them and touched their hearts. Weve just completed the second novel in the series, GHOST CROWN, which our editor thinks is even better than the first (but youll have to wait until January, 2012, to find out).

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Dark Territory

Hey there, Flamingnet! Thanks for the great review of my upcoming book, Dark Territory, book 1 of The Tracks series! Please also look for my teen horror novel The Sleepwalkers coming out in October, check out my website and "like" me on FB! www.jgabrielgates.com Thanks again, and happy reading! ~J

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RE: need more reads!

Try the Septimus Heap series. Here are the books in order: Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste, Syren, and Darke. Yes, they are spelled correctly!! The author is Angie Sage.

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SUBJ1

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Flamingnet Facebook Page

Please visit our Facebook Page and tell us which of the Harry Potter books was your least favorite?

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Belladonna by Mary Finn

When Thomas Rose stops at the edge of the road because he sees a mysterious red handkerchief, he has no idea that his life is about to change. Formerly known as the slow and stupid one who lacks the brains for schoolwork and the patience to help his father at home, Thomas finds his whole world shaken apart when he meets the beautiful Helene, known as Ling. Ling tells Thomas magical tales of her life as a performer in France, and especially of her fantastic white horse, Belladonna, who was taken from her. She convinces Thomas to help her find her horse and return it to her. In their efforts to locate Belladonna, the pair meets Mr. Stubbs, an anatomist and painter. He takes Thomas under his wing and offers to teach him the tricks of his trade. Thomas finds his whole world changing as he learns not only to read and write but to understand the way animal and human bodies function. Through Thomas and Ling's journey to find Belladonna, the two learn more about themselves and each other in this touching coming-of-age narrative.
Belladonna, by Mary Finn, is an eloquently written book with imaginative characters and a heart-warming storyline. The characters are very relatable and life-like, and I felt empathy for their struggles and triumphs throughout this book. However, the plot was at times less than exciting and left me struggling to keep reading. Despite this, I enjoyed the encouraging tone this book sets for those struggling to find their place in life, like Thomas. I would recommend this book to historical fiction lovers, but I would caution future readers that it takes some determination to finish the book. Belladonna is by no means exhilarating, but offers a fresh storyline and interesting characters.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Bayside, WI USA

Everlasting by Alyson Noel

Ever and Damen have finally defeated all their current enemies, and they are going to embark on their final quest, to break the curse that Roman put on them so they can finally be together. Their quest will take them into past lives and mythical places. The strange old lady may actually be the key to survival and not their demise. But will Ever and Damen s relationship survive the challenges?

Everlasting was mediocre. The idea for the story was wonderful but it did not reach its goals. I felt that the challenges were too long. On the other hand Ever and Damen were portrayed perfectly. The description of the setting was perfectly described as well. I recommend this book to people who liked the Mortal Instruments series, House of Night series, Hush, hush books, Fallen series and Beautiful Creatures series.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Northglenn, CO United States

Marked, Soul Guardians Book 1 by Kim Richardson

Kara Nightingale is on her way to an art exhibition when she dies in a bus accident. She wakes up in a new world called Horizon and has a new job as a rookie for the army of Guardian Angels. Kara now has to save the lives and souls of mortals with the help of her cute partner David. When the Legion's power is threatened by demons, it's up to Kara to save them.

I really liked the idea for this story. It was a unique story and I've never read anything like this book. Kara and David were believable characters and their emotions and feelings were very realistic. One of the few things I disliked was how the story was written in third person omniscient. I would rather have the book be focused on one character's personality instead of hearing the thoughts of both Kara and David. Other than that, I really did like the book.

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

Truth from the Shadows (eBook) by Courtney Harvey

Truth from the Shadows is one girl's story of learning to believe in herself and her abilities despite what others think. Alex is a young medium who desperately needs to make sense of her abilities in order to help and rid herself of the young ghost who won't quit till his family knows everything about his suicide. The only problem, Alex's parents ignore her screaming for help. Her mother, a psychiatrist, thinks she is only hallucinating, and decides she's crazy. Her father only tries to keep the peace by siding with her mom. And don't forget the ghost: He is determined to get her to talk with the mysterious new guy, fresh from California who deems her Crazy.

I really enjoyed Courtney Harvey's writing. She managed to take you on the same emotional roller coaster ride as her characters. Between the love, loss, betrayal, and hurt, it kept me wanting to know more. She had a good ending that could make you cry. The beginning was a little slow but picked up about a third of the way in. Overall it made a good summer read.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Glendale, AZ United States

Diary of a Part-Time Ghost by Vered Ehsani

All that 15-year-old Ash wants is to be normal. Then he starts having nightmares. Nightmares of his own death. Ash knows something is up and the arrival of his slightly sane great-aunt Bibi does nothing to ease his worrying. She leaves him a very mysterious birthday present - The Book of History. Ash hates history! He soon discovers that the book is more than just an old, moldy, boring history lesson. It allows him to travel back in time to the American Revolution. Tension is high in the colonies and Ash must stop the evil Kali before it s too late.

Diary of a Part-Time Ghost by Vered Ehsani was a fun, easy, and enjoyable read! Written from the viewpoint 15-year-old Ash, it had the right mix of adventure and humor. As teen myself it was easy to relate to some of the problems that Ash had to deal with like wanting to be accepted by other kids. Diary of a Part-Time Ghost combined the history of the Revolutionary War with a twist of magic. Parts of the plot were dull but for the most part, this book was an entertaining read. I would recommend this book to kids who enjoy reading, history, and magic.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Harleysville, PA USA

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Gwen Frost is being forced to attend Mythos Academy, an elite school set apart to train kids who just so happen to be descendants of various mythical warriors. Of course, Gwen doesn't believe in any of the supernatural skills her classmates supposedly possess. The only type of magic she actually accepts is her own and that of her own family. When the school's most popular girl, the icy Valkyrie princess Jasmine, is murdered right in the library next to a stolen mythical artifact called the Bowl of Tears, Gwen is determined to get to the bottom of the entire situation. It's never a good idea to poke your head into other people's business, though. So the results? Who else is to blame but yourself?

Touch of Frost belongs to the new batch of paranormal stories that all seem exactly the same, only with different character names and fantastical elements. This novel's back story is a mishmash of tons of various warriors -- from Norse gods to ninjas. While that is certainly a nice idea, it's never really delved into. Except for a few key warrior gods, all the others felt extraneous and were barely mentioned at all.

The characters aren't especially mind-blowing, either. You have the blonde mean girl clique, the quirky and unpopular heroine, and the
hot bad boy who falls in love with the heroine anyways; just the same formula used over and over and over again. The character with an actual personality was Vic, the ancient magical sword, who has a grand total of about five lines in the entire novel. That is just sad. A sword beats out all those other full-fledged human characters? Sad, sad, sad.

Touch of Frost is a quite a cliche, but lovers of stereotypical teen paranormal stories (I know there are a lot of you out there) will devour it with glee.

Sex is mentioned although not graphically described.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and
Country: Palo Alto, CA USA

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Birthday Parties by Lenore Look

This book is about a boy named Alvin who's afraid of everything. He thinks there are monsters under the bed, aliens at the mall, and other crazy things. In addition, Alvin, no matter how hard he tries, has a string of bad luck. One night, he wishes to go to Howard's party, his friend. Instead, he gets an invitation to a girl's party. Now he has to figure out how to impress Howard in order to get an invitation to his party. Will Alvin get to the right party? Then at school, poor Alvin forgot to wear his collar shirt for the class picture. After a crazy shirt switch disaster, Alvin ends up wearing a dress for his class picture. These and other adventures all take place in the town of Concord, Massachusetts. This book is full of humor that will make you laugh.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me laughing because Alvin gets in trouble in a humorous way. The book is written well. It was satisfying because the author put a lot of care into it. I would recommend this book to a friend in second grade or up.

Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Purcellville, VA USA

Alice-Miranda at School by Jacqueline Harvey

Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones is a very peppy girl who turns Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Acadamy upside down! When Alice-Miranda first arrives at Winchester-Downsfordvale she finds a sad cook, and a sad gardener. Can she make them happy with the help of her parents? And when Ms.Grimm makes her take an awful test can she pass it? Maybe with the help of the people she helped she can!

I chose this book thinking it was written for kids my age, but after reading the book I realized it was written for kids 7-10. It was based on a 7 year old, but even if you are over that age range you will still like the book. I did. It's just written for kids younger than me.

I liked the plot of the book. It was written very well, but what I didn t like about it were all the long confusing names such as- Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, and Winchester-Downsfordvale. I found it hard to keep everything together since everyone had long name like that.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Skokie, Illinois U.S. of A.

The Charmed Return by Frewin Jones

Charmed Return is the next book in Frewin Jones' Faerie Path books. The book picks up where the last left off. It starts out with Anita/Tania back at her human home and she had no memory of Faerie or her other half: Edric and her sister. The first part of the book revolves around uniting with her past selves and defeating her evil uncle. The second part talks about her adventures relearning herself again.

Frewin Jones shot high and missed. This book left more questions than answers. The ending left quite a bit to be desired. It lacked the flair that Frewin Jones normally had for her endings. She leaves the ending open and shut. She could have ended and moved on from this mess, or she could try and save this series. The book was rushed and Anita/Tania did a 180 from the previous books. It wasn't one of Ms. Jone's nicer pieces.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carbondale, Illinois USA

C I N by Christina Leigh Pritchard

Lisa Brown's life has just taken a turn for the worst. Her mother has decided to commit herself to a psychiatric ward, and leave Lisa with her aunt in Lynn, Massachusetts. As if that isn't enough, this city is bizarre. The locals have a saying "Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin. You never come out the way you went in." Lisa must live in the local boarding school for geniuses, which her Aunt owns. There, she meets a dog named Pig, and a cat named Rat. "Mind the cat" everyone says. She also meets Ally and Alex Moody, who are both anti-social and very rude, and she learns that she has to share the house with them. Things just keep getting worse, and then she's hit by lightning...Things begin to get very strange, very quickly as Lisa unravels the mystery of Lynn.

C I N was an amazing read. From the first page to the very last, the tone and writing style captured me as the plot thickened with each turn of the page. The characters were rich and strange, the setting was perfect, and the plot was original. Christina Leigh Pritchard has obvious talent and deserves to go far. There is one problem that permeates this book, however. Since C I N appears self-published, I assumed that the author had no editor. I may be wrong, but if so, I feel that Ms.Pritchard needs a new editor. Her book, while wonderfully written, is full of punctuation errors. I found myself going through with a red pen and correcting every one. It also had several typos, and there were a few paragraphs that needed to be re-written entirely in order to make better sense. Some sentences were very oddly written, and I had to edit in my head to get around them. This book has great potential, but these mistakes really got in the way when I was reading. I give this book an 8/10, but it definitely has the potential to be a 9 if the errors are fixed.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sykesville, MD United States

Infinity: Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon

This is a fantasy novel about a boy named Nick Gautier. He lives a normal life in New Orleans with his mom and they both struggle just to get by. That all changes when he learns of a whole new side of the world he lives in. He learns that his world is just a mask for all the creatures he once believed to be a myth. Nick has to try to survive in a realm of vampire hunters, werewolves, demons, and zombies and hopefully not get eaten on the way.

Zombies, Werewolves, Vampires, Oh my. Infinity is a fantasy/supernatural novel that will keep you wanting more. I personally am not a fan of zombie books, but this book kept my interest the whole time. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes supernatural books with a few different creatures thrown in. Kenyon did an amazing job with this book and I can't wait to read more.

Reviewer Age:19
Reviewer City, State and Country: mantua, NJ USA

The Jewel and the Key by Louise Spiegler

It was definitely the mirror and the earthquake that started it all. One moment, Addie is strolling through the crumbling streets and frantic crowds of Seattle; and the next, she is amongst weirdly dressed people who apparently make a habit of injuring each other with bricks. It is in this parallel world that Addie meets Reg and discovers the Jewel, a professional theater and any budding actress s dream. When she is offered a job as assistant director, Addie makes every effort to return to this old version of Seattle as frequently as possible. When events in each world seem to almost mirror each other, Addie realizes that there is a lot more at stake than her own desires.

I am often weary of time travel books, as it is very easy to butcher them. However, I enjoyed The Jewel and the Key immensely. The fact that I had never heard of the Industrial Workers of the World, an organization central to the novel s plot, was very surprising considering the long hours I ve spent in various high school U.S. history classes. The author s incorporation of history and theatrical arts sets up a great background for the novel.

Also like every other YA story, there is lurrrve. What seems like a love triangle at first quickly becomes more of a line segment or a diatomic covalent molecule (if you are in a particularly chemistry-oriented mood like yours truly). The object of Addie s affections is young Reg, a flamboyant actor with quite a dramatic personality. Their relationship was adorable, and the conclusion succeeded in stealing a few tears from me. I actually went back and reread the ending a few times after finishing the novel. I guess it can be described as bittersweet without going overboard with cheesiness. Mostly, it was just heartbreaking.

The Jewel and the Key is a quaint historical novel that packs quite a punch. It also contributed to my lack of sleep, as I couldn 't stop myself from reading late into the night instead of sleeping like the rest of the normal human beings in my time zone.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Palo Alto, CA USA

The Fallen: Demon by Kristina Douglas

Kristina Douglas's book The Fallen: Demon tells an exciting story of hatred, love and prophecy. Former ruler of the Fallen, Azazel, regrets not vanquishing the noxious Lilith when he had the chance to do so. With fear of a prophecy that threatens to wed him to the evil seductress fresh in his mind, he ventures out once again in an attempt to destroy her. There is a problem though, Lilith no longer has any memory of her time spent as a seductress. Now Azazel must construct a plan to end Uriel's murderous wrath that involves keeping both he and his mate alive.

The Fallen: Demon is the perfect combination of mystery, romance and suspense. It captured my attention right away and kept it throughout the entire book. The writing was phenomenal. Very well thought out. The point of view involving the Bible was strange for me but otherwise I loved it. My only criticism is that there are a few spelling errors here and there. I would definitely recommend this book.

This book should only be read by mature readers because it has swearing and sexual content.

Rating:9
Content Rating: 3
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chico, CA USA

Etched in Bone by Adrian Phoenix

This is the fourth book in "The Maker's Song" series. The
main character is a human female named Heather who has
bonded to a half vampire, half fallen angel named Dante.
The plot is centered around Dante's struggle with his
things from his past coming back to haunt him as well as
the different groups in the magical community pulling him
in multiple directions. He also has to deal with his own
mind betraying him as he was, perhaps irrevocably,
tortured while growing up as part of a covert
assassination group.

Overall, the book had a good plot
the keep the reader attentive wanting  to know what was
going to happen next. The author's use of multiple points
of view allows the reader to really get into the different
character's skin and to experience what they are
experiencing. The book combines both the idea of vampires
and fallen angels together to create a hidden world that
coexists with the world as we know it. This gives the book
depth and frees both the author and reader to use
their imaginations. The frequent sex scenes however, were
a definite turnoff and readers should exercise caution
according to their own standards and moral values.

This
book contains frequent graphic scenes involving detailed
descriptions of sexual intercourse. These justify
a "mature readers only" rating.

Reviewer
Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Berwyn Heights,
Maryland United States

Hemingway Man by Jim Maher

In the book the Hemingway Man, a sixteen year old Will has
just lost his father. At his father s funeral, one of his
dad s friends approaches him, and tells him that he will now
have to be the man in the family. Will is very lost on this
subject because he has no one to guide him into manhood.
Will searches for guidance, and finds a role model in Ernest
Hemingway, an American writer. Hemingway had four steps to
become a man-- 1. Plant a tree  2. Fight a bull  3. Write a
book  4. Have a son. When Will first finds this counsel, he
is delighted at such an easy answer, but as he sets out on
his mission, not everything is as easy as it seems. Will s
journey takes him through the pain, mental and physical, of
growing up. Although Will may not complete Hemingway s list,
he uncovers the true man in himself even if it might not be
Hemmingway s man.

I really enjoyed reading this book a
lot. It was a realistic example of a teenager growing up
with all of the external and internal pressures of modern
times, while still being comical. I would put this book
under realistic fiction because it realistically told the
story of Will growing into a man, even with his failures. If
I could change three things in this book, it would be that I
would add more emotion, other than just laying in his bed,
of losing his father in the beginning. I would also explain
what the italicized parts of the story were. Lastly,
sometimes the book wandered off into areas that were not
really related to the story, but then the important details
were just briefed over. I relay enjoyed reading this book,
and I was laughing in a lot of parts. It s great!

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country:
Lederach, PA United States

Vampire Kisses 8

Our story takes place after Alexander's party. We find our two protagonists on a romantic date but this is soon ruined when they spot Jagger's hearse in front of the old factory. Upon examining the factory they find Jagger and Sebastian discussing the opening of a new club here. With this discovery two emotions start to flood Raven; fear and happiness. A club would be great for the town but if it were open to vampires Alexander could be in danger of being found out. Now it is up to Raven to convince Jagger to open the club only to humans. Although there could be even more trouble if Raven's best friend Becky finds out the truth.

I am always amazed by Ellen Schreiber. She writes beautifully always achieves her purpose. Her characters are easy to picture and her descriptions are so good I can almost draw them. I am absolutely in love with Vampire Kisses. I can't wait for the next book.

Reviewer Age:20
Reviewer City, State and Country: Az city, Arizona USA

he Last Apprentice: Rage of the Fallen by Joseph Delaney

In this book a boy named Tom Ward is headed to Ireland, but for an odd reason. Tom is a spook's apprentice- he deals with the dark everyday-which gives him an upper hand. His master and him are  in a pickle. They have to either stall the devil from tormenting Tom's soul, or stop the the wizards from stealing power from the old god Pan. Well, I'll let you find out the rest.

I'd say, it's a good stand alone book. I read it with out even reading book 1 in the series! I think the author really hit the spot with this book. He also had developed character like i've never seen before. I mean, he created a whole new career with this series! If you like a book with magic a bit of gore, and gods getting their butts kicked, this is your kind of book.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Merced, CA United States

Angel In My Pocket by Ilene Cooper

Angel in my Pocket is about a girl named Bette, who finds a coin with an angel on it in a pile of money her sister earned in a car wash, for charity. It s like a good luck charm for her. A person named Gabby moves in downstairs and looks like an angel to Bette. After Gabby moves away Joe steals Bette s angel coin. She was so upset at first, but soon forgets about it.  Joe soon starts having good luck too. He gives it to Andy whom Joe takes money from, like a bully. He gives the coin to Andy who has a sister named Vivian who has bad asthma. They all become friends. Andy and Vivian are going on a trip to Florida and hope to bring Bette. Let s just say& both Bette and Vivi find a special someone.
                 More to come read the book!

I really liked Angel in my Pocket. The format was great for my reading style and the story itself was awesome. It's the kind of story  that kids ages 10 to 13 or 14would like if they are into stuff like angels. It's not really that much about angels. So, Angel in my Pocket is appropriate for the recommended age group... and it's a REALLY GREAT BOOK!

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Claremont, New Hampshire United States

Gladius and the Bartlett Trial by, J.A. Paul

In the Wiggin culture, once a child has reached the age of fifteen they must embark on a journey call the Bartlett Trial. They must prove their worth by surviving in the wilderness for one month before returning home and collecting some money. Sounds like you just have to camp for a month to get some serious cash right? That is what Gladius Oldmont thought for a while. But after hearing of his family's experiences he is determined to have an adventure greater than his siblings. And so that adventure was began the moment that he enters the wild. After being attacked by a great cat he meets a man named Flint. Together they work to help reclaim to home of the Lake people. Can they succeed against a hoard of death bats? Find out in Gladius and the Bartlett Trial.

Gladius and the Bartlett Trial was a fairly good book. It supplied plenty of action and suspense along with enough of a plot to keep the readers hooked. Though it maintained a steady tempo throughout most of the book it faltered in some places. It was a great renaissance themed book and was enjoyable from cover to cover. I would recommend this book to just about everyone looking for a thrilling action-adventure book.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: P. Hurley, Mineola, Texas,  America

Trying to Figure Out Some Great Reads For Teen Boys This Summer?

Check out this excellent list by Don Calame (author of Swim The Fly) on some of the books that helped him turn reading from a chore to a pleasure. The list contains books specifically designed for the teenage boy who wants something humerous, insightful, and true to life. 

The Galapagos Islands by Terry Ross

The Galapagos Islands, the first of the Steve Trek Adventures, is a novel written by a first time author, Terry Ross. The author has always loved the sea and he shows it in his book. He writes about a young, charming divemaster, Steve Trek, his love interest, Jenny, and his friends, Doc and Jeff. Steve and his crew encounter iniquitous drug lords. Together the gang defends the peace of the Galapagos Islands, a beautiful and exotic landscape surrounded by pristine waters, and later confront and defeat the merciless leader of the drug lords, Hiro.
For a first time author, Terry Ross has written a creative piece. His idea to write about divemasters is unique. His sentences and descriptions are clear. His choice of setting, the Galapagos Islands where Charles Darwin discovered the variety of species and started to develop his theory of evolution, is very appropriate.
However, I must admit there are some flaws. The story seems to be in a hurry, for one. For example, the love line was introduced in the very start of the plot. Regardless of the hasty plot, the story seemed to make pauses whenever introducing new material, sometimes abrupt ones. While reading, I was confused by the tense in which the author was speaking on numerous occasions. Also, the book would be more enjoyable if the outline were subtler; many times I thought that the scenario seemed obvious.
All in all, The Galapagos Islands is a good book, but not a great one.
The love interest of the book might be considered suggestive and portions contain violence.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Washington Depot (Seochogu), Connecticut (Seoul) USA (Korea)

Almost Final Curtain by Tate Halloway

Wow! High school really sucks! Ever since Anastasija Parker found out she was half vampire and half witch, her life has been spiraling out of control. Between boyfriend troubles, spring musical tryouts, and trying to please her parents, Ana almost doesn’t have time to breathe. To make matters worse, an ancient talisman that allows witches to turn vamps into slaves has just been stolen from its safe house. Ana needs to track it down fast, or else this year’s performance may just be her last.




Tate Hallaway has made a masterpiece! Her thrilling sequel to Almost to Die For has forbidden love, mythical creatures, and an awesome battle scene. She really pulled me into the story, especially in the more intense scenes. There were a few parts though where the writing didn’t seem to flow; I wish she could’ve made those scenes fit a little better into each other. Otherwise, it was a wonderful book that I’d be happy to read again. I’d recommend this book to 13-15 year olds. It’s not entirely for little kids, but it might not be what an older teen is looking for in a good read.

Reviewer Age: 14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

Passion by Lauren Kate

This book starts off right were the Torment left off, after Luce jumps into the Announcer. As Luce travels through her past reincarnations, she discovers what really happened between herself and Daniel. With some help from a little gargoyle friend, she discovers what Daniel was hiding from her. But soon Luce starts to doubt whether he loves her or just her soul. Will their relationship survive the journey?

This book was great. I loved how descriptive the setting and characters were. I did not like that the story had no background to it. I recommend this book to people who liked Hush, hush, Banished, Delirium, and Nightshade

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Northglenn, CO United States

Paradise Island by J.L. Manning

Paradise Island Summery

By: Ellie Johandes

This book starts when Josh and Anna win an island through a credit card company contest. They then proceed to build a small resort with huts, a sauna, and a pool at the top of the volcano. Most of the workers they hire are scared off by strange events that occur around the trees.  The first guests arrive and encounter tree spirits.  WARNING: I HAD TO FORCE MYSELF TO READ THIS BOOK! It was that boring.

Paradise Island Book Review

By: Ellie Johandes

This book was like a bad apple: full of promise on the outside, but when you cut it open, it was squirming with  worms.  I was excited in the beginning, because Josh and Anna won a small island through a credit card company's contest. But as they were building on it, weird things start to happen with the trees. I personally think that the author spent too much time building the resort. By the middle of the book, I couldnt tell you more than three sentences on the characters' personalities. It gets a bit more interesting when the guests finally arrive, with a girl who sees the paranormal. But when the guests leave, it goes back to being unbearably dull. It ends with a bad, drop off ending that does not finish the book properly.  The author has a choppy writing style that makes it difficult to read, and the book contains many grammatical errors to boot (example, page 118 the last sentence in the first paragraph, it should be their instead of there). I would not recommend this book to anyone, and am surprised it even was published. I hope I get a better book next time. 

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockford, Michigan United States of America

Kiss of Death by Lauren Henderson

Kiss of Death, by Lauren Henderson, was a wonderfully written book with its own twist on a traditional type of story line. Having failed to realize it was the last book in a series when I chose this book, I would hardly have figured out that it happened to be a sequel if I hadn’t checked. Noted, I did wonder why it left so much unexplained. This book is about the adventures of Scarlett Wakefield while on a school trip to Edinburgh. This school trip turns out to be no pleasure retreat however, for someone’s out to get Scarlett. When Scarlett is faced with a rather unpleasant blast from the past at a Celtic Connections concert, she falls into a void of memories, which include a few boys, and a couple near death experiences. To the avid readers of this series it will make perfect sense, and I even grasped more than just the general idea of the happening between Scarlett and her ex-best friends, Luce and Alison, who appeared with noted contempt for Scarlett. Plus, an old murder rears its ugly head in the appearance of the victim’s twin brother. After a prank goes wrong, which nearly ends in Scarlett’s death, Scarlett must find out who’s behind this mystery before it’s too late.

I hugely enjoyed this book. I liked that it showed individuality when there are a million or so teen mystery romances. As a boy, I will never understand fully the emotional trip that Scarlett is tumbling head over heels through, however, I marvel at how the character is flushed out. On the down side, I felt she was just a little dependent on others. For instance, she spent a good portion of the book bemoaning the fact that her boyfriend wasn’t right by her side. Still she almost seemed to be a real person. One of the most amusing and logic based characters in this novel was Scarlett’s best friend, Taylor. In fact, she had me chuckling throughout most of the book. Taylor seemed like the anchor of sense through the pages of this novel. The obvious bully in this tale was Plum; the rich, self-absorbed and domineering bully who has it in for every other girl in Wakefield Hall. I was cringing as she tormented Scarlett with her sideways comments, snide remarks, and other general unpleasantness she displayed towards the heroine. I am looking forward to reading the previous books in this series, and advise anyone who’ll listen to give it a go. It’s quite worth it.   

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Monrovia, MD USA

The Crepe Makers' Bond by Julie Crabtree

Ariel has had 'M' as a friend forever, and Niki soon came to the group. And they are BFFs FOREVER! Things change when the girls hit their 8th grade year. Ariel think she is the laughing stock of the year when she trips in front of the whole school on the first day. But then people start acting all nice and sympathetic to her and she doesn't know why. Luckily Ariel has her baking. She cooks when she is nervous and her friends are always willing to be her guinea pigs. But is it enough to deal with the upcoming problems? Something is up with Niki, and M is on the point of a breakdown. The girls think they fixed M's problem, but they made it worse. A lot worse. For all of them. Will they ever survive this friendship crisis?

The Crepe Maker's Bond was an entertaining novel. I felt that I could truly relate it. I was familiar with all the emotional things that Ariel was facing. In middle school friends are tough and you don't often know where they stand. Another delicious thing about this book was that they had little recipes pertaining to that chapter. I tried one and I was a huge hit in my family! The only problem I had was with the ending. It was predictable and a bit too 'happily ever after'. All in all this is a book you should read.  

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Coconut Creek, Florida U.S.A

Dragonfaerie by Christoper A. Cooke

Will is crazy. So everyone thinks, when he is constantly babbling about how a goblin came out of the closet and stole his baby brother. But 10 years later, the goblin comes back for him, taking him to Enoch, another world. A girl rescues him and they meet with a party of men, the leader of who assigns the girl to be Will's teacher until he is able to return to his own world. To return to Earth, Will, his teacher Adept Tenhmur, and his friend Prentice McBride must seek out the help of the Dragonfaerie. Enduring painful training and a dangerous journey, they at last meet the Dragonfaerie. But instead of returning home, Will stays in Enoch, for he learns that his brother still lives...

Enoch is a world so different from ours that Will is completely lost, but it is still detailed and believable. The plot has many twists and turns that lead you in circles right up until the end. The characters fit perfectly with their world and are just as detailed and believable. Many stories related with great battles are right in the middle of it, with a few key characters who can turn the tides of war and whatnot. But in this story, the two lands of Enoch are at the brink of war, close to fighting but not there, just spying and inside operations. Yet even so it only touches on the whole war idea and instead focuses on the character making the deadly journey to a goal he is not even sure he wants. All in all it is a wonderful adventure.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Santa Fe, TX USA

Chime by Franny Billingsley

Briony Larkin lives in rural Swampsea with her troubled sister, Rose, and her father. For years, she s kept the secret that she s a witch from everyone she knows, afraid of being sentenced to death. She also believes that she s responsible for her sister Rose s mental state. When Mr. Clayborne and his son Eldric arrive, she strikes up a friendship with the son. However, she doesn t reveal either of her two secrets to him. When Rose develops a swamp cough, Briony turns to the Boggy Mun, for help. Unfortunately, she gets into quite a bit of trouble.

Chime, by Franny Billingsley, was a surprisingly enjoyable read. Briony was a multi-faceted, interesting character. She seemed genuinely upset over her sister Rose s condition. The other characters, such as Eldric, were also quite intriguing. The plot, with its swamp cough and Old Ones, was unique. It did not seem like a retelling of another book, or a combination of books. The gripping writing style keeps the reader focused and interested. This book is certainly recommended to readers interested in fantasy fiction

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Charleston, SC United States

Plan B by Charnan Simon

Plan B by Charnan Simon is a book about the challenges  and roadblocks teenage pregnancy can put in the way of an otherwise successful and responsible teen.  The plot follows the story  of a junior girl named Lucy who is  at the top of her class, a really good dancer, popular, and of course has a handsome boyfriend to top it all off. She and her boyfriend have long term plans to go to the same college and get married and live their lives out together in a picture perfect manner.  Of course, none of these plans include getting pregnant at 16! Now, Lucy and Luke are faced with difficult decisions and must make hard choices. With their relationship in shambles, they need to leave their carefree childhoods behind and quickly become adults.

This book would have fit perfectly in an after school special. You know, that moment when the concerned teacher character, or the best friends mom wants to help the at risk girl with the low reading level understand that pregnancy is serious business. Unfortunately, the book is as terrible as the majority of those after school specials were. In only 98 pages in (at minimum) size 16 point font, the plot manages to drag its heels and linger on the unimportant stuff. Even the sensual parts of the book did not managed to be interesting, merely a bit over the top. We hear way to much about her  dancing and how it s a metaphor for her life and not nearly enough about the only interesting part of the book, the relationship between the (also a teen mom) mother and Lucy. We walk away from this book with very little insight on either of the two main characters or what they are actually going to do with the baby once it comes. Unless I become a concerned teacher on an after school special, I would never consider recommending this book to anyone.

Sexual content

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Exeter, NH USA

The End by Nora Olsen

The End by Nora Olsen is about five kids that have all come
together by one strange thing, a magical amulet from mystical
gods who want them to save the world because of a nuclear war.
They have to learn to protect themselves from nuclear
radiation all while figuring out to travel back in time. The
pressure of saving the human race is on them. Will they be
able to handle the pressure and save the world?
The book is an adventure because they have to travel to all
different parts of the world to find everybody who has a
magical amulet.

I REALLY enjoyed this book! It kept me turning the page and
I couldn t set it down.
The author s voice was always very distinctive. The narrator
was always changing from every person and yet they all
reflected the author a little bit.  The main characters were
Julia, Vikki, Marly, Ginger, and Skilly. The characters were
hard to believe as actual people because they had magical
powers.
I wish the ending had been a bit different because it was a
little strange and also suspenseful so I hope she comes out
with a second book in the series.
I definitely would recommend this book to others because I
enjoyed it very much.

I rated the book a 3 because some of the characters were
lesbians and it also talked about sex.

Reviewer
Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Valparaiso, Indiana
USA

So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti

Sometimes Brooke Greene just knows things.  Not in the way of being super smart (thought she is a teenage genius as well), but in the sense that The Knowing is always right.  And right now, The Knowing is telling her that she and Scott Abrams were destined to be together. That explains why she followed Scott when he moved from a suburb town in New Jersey to the bustling New York City. But sometimes, life has a way of turning unexpectedly.  NYC brings out a side of Brooke that no one has seen before, a side hidden from insecurities.  So when her opportunity to be with Scott arrives, will she take it, or take another path?

I really enjoyed this book every page of the way.  Brooke has so many hidden layers and the reader learns so much more about her as the story goes on.  The stuff you will find in the book is real life drama it could happen to anyone, which is another reason why it is so interesting.  There is a great motto buried throughout the book Look Up that I love (you ll have to read the story to find out why this is so important).  I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading Sarah Dessen books because this shares a lot of the same qualities.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gearhart, Oregon United States

Vlara's Song by Neil O'Donnell

Summary: Vlara's Song is a set of several stories - some short, some long. The first story is Vlara's Song, telling of a druid priestess who traveled a long way to her husband's family. She is haunted by visions of Harrison (her dead husband) throughout her journey. Wizard's Woe, the second tale, is about a wizard who kicked out a foolish apprentice and was never seen afterwards. In the third story a soldier loses his memory during a battle and can't remember whose side he's on. The fourth tale tells of a troll who refused to eat human flesh and eventually became a monk. The next three stories are: Siege's End - about the last days of a keep facing too many enemies, Master's Calling - the tale of a magician with unruly apprentices, and Hidden Temperament - about a wolf who, when angered, becomes larger and humanlike. The last story, The Realm of Author, tells how when authors die the worlds they created become real and the authors themselves become one of the characters.

Opinion: This book was astounding; not simply because of the stories themselves but because of the feeling I got while reading. For example, Vlara's Song was distinctly sad, Soldier Lost was full of confusion, and the author's notes were very humorous. Many of the characters were extremely determined and persevered in helping their friends. All these characters made it through many difficulties (with a little help from friends). I liked the ideas behind The Realm of Author, which would make it possible for authors to visit worlds from their favorite books. I would love to visit Narnia. (Guess I better create an awesome literary world.) I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to read stories where you can feel what the characters feel.

Reviewer Age:12

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

101 Ways to Become a Superhero by Richard Horne and Helen Szirtes

101 Ways to Become a Superhero is the definitive guide for anyone who wants to don a cape, fight super-villains, or leap tall buildings. The book has 101 "ways," or tasks, to become the ultimate superhero. However, you can also use these ways to become an evil genius. Each "way" outlines items you will need as well as objective to complete to master that "way" to becoming a superhero. It is a book that is meant to be written in, and there are spaces for you to place photos and stickers to track your progress. 101 Ways to Become a Superhero is the ultimate interactive journey to becoming your own hero. Warning: The book won't actually make you fly.

101 Ways to Become a Superhero is another book in the authors' "101 Ways" series. However, the subject of superheroes and super-villains is quite different from the other topics they have examined. The authors deliver a fun, enjoyable experience through this book. Each page has items to fill out as well as places for pictures and stickers (stickers are provided in the back of the book). Younger readers will get more value as they are more likely to do some of the tasks outlined in the book. They are advised to get some help from their parents in gathering materials and inserting pages and photos in the book. Although this book's main use is geared towards its interactive use, the book can also provide value for older readers who may be interested in writing their own superhero stories. The 101 ways give an aspiring author plenty of questions to mold an origin story for a new hero or villain. Overall, I think this book will give readers a very unique experience, and it is a great choice for younger children who want to have fun becoming their very own superhero.

Reviewer Age:21
Reviewer City, State and Country: Eden Prairie, Minnesota United States

Into the Unknown by Stewart Ross

Into the Unknown by Stewart Ross is a great teacher recourse. Not only are the maps big, detailed, and easy to follow and read, but the book is actually hard to put down! While some of the explorers you learn about most students already heard about, this book puts these explorers in a whole new perspective.  As I was reading this book, I also didn't realize how much inventions from other countries affected the explorers. I recommend this book to any student who has to learn about explorers, any teacher who needs a book on explorers, or any kid who is just interested in learning about explorers
In my opinion, this book was actually kind of interesting. It is not a book I would read if I had a novel with me, but if that was the only book I had I would read it. I was afraid this book would be a snore, but it wasn't. In a way, it was interesting to read because it was factual. I learned things I had not known about explorers and odd things, such as how silk is made. This book has improved my mind, and how things we take for granted, such as a compass, really have improved our world

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Nappannee, Indiana United States of America

The A Circuit by Georgina Bloomberg and Catherine Hapka

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The A Circuit has an unusual toleration/friendship that seems to work: Tommi, a billionaire heiress; Kate, a true working student; and Zara, the daughter of a famous rock star. However, Kate and especially Tommi don t want Zara around, which may have been because she was acting superior and expecting everyone to serve her. These girls do work through their differences, and eventually tolerate each other. The A Circuit is a fast-paced book and will keep any reader on their toes.


I enjoyed this book, however I would have enjoyed the book more if the language would have been appropriate. This book may not be a best seller, but the author has a lot of talent and could have some best sellers. This book is all about horses, so it will appeal to any girl who loves horses or thinks she does. However, parents would be advised to read this book before there child, especially if she is younger. If any young girl enjoys this book but would like a horse series with cleaner language, I would recommend the series Canterwood Crest.  
some bad language I would have made it a 1.5 but that was not available so I just put two.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Nappannee, Indiana United States of America

Departures by Christy Miller

   While heading out for summer vacations, Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen cross paths. They will soon realize the true meaning of friendship.


   After a high school graduation and a breakup from Todd, Christy Miller sets out with her family to Wisconsin for her grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary. While in her hometown, Christy reconnects with Matthew Kingsley, her old crush from junior high. As the two bond, Matthew shows a romantic interest in Christy. Christy will soon realize that this summer vacation will have a big impact on her future.


   Sierra Jensen's summer vacation is starting off great. Sierra is going to a lake cabin with her best friend Jana and Jana's family. As they arrive in Montana, Sierra soon realizes that Jana is set on getting a boyfriend and will do whatever it takes to get one. Sierra just wants to enjoy the vacation with Jana and hang out with the guys as friends. Sierra will need to discover her true feelings and realize that she is growing up.

 I really enjoyed this book. I liked both characters in the story. Christy's story line was a great way to show how two people can reconnect after such a long period apart. Sierra's story line was an effective way to show how girls grow up and what they will do to get guys to notice them. The plots and settings of these stories were used appropriately. The settings made sense in the story lines and the plot kept me turning pages in the book. 

  I would recommend this book to girls who love romance and friendship.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springfield, Ohio US

Start It Up by Kenrya Rankin

Start It Up is a complete guide that helps budding entrepreneurs realize their dream and expand their horizons. It covers the entire process of starting a business, from the initial planning to official paperwork filings to customer service. In each step, Rankin presents factual information required to accomplish the step, tips that will facilitate and enhance the process, and anecdotes from successful teen entrepreneurs. For example, this book describes the pros and cons of each of the three type of legal structures for a business: sole proprietorship/partnership, limited liability company, and corporation. It also provides several arguments for whether or not to form a partnership or go solo. Lastly, stories of teen entrepreneurs on their experiences throughout the process reinforce the themes described in the book. Founders of Free Mania and Milo.com, among many others, describe what they learned since starting their businesses as teenagers. There are also web resources at the end of every chapter that provide useful information to supplement the material presented. Overall, this is a very thorough manual to starting a business and should be an interesting read to anyone with a desire to become an entrepreneur.

Like I said before, the book is fairly thorough and covers pretty much every aspect of starting a business. Being an introductory book, it serves as a beginning guide for people (especially teenagers) who are interested in entering the entrepreneurship field. But it is certainly not detailed enough at every single step to be the sole consultant of a starting business. One of the most helpful features is the personal anecdotes by people who have gone through the same process and excelled. Reading their stories put things in perspective and helps us learn from their experiences.

Personally, I believe that the hardest part of starting a business is finding that Next Big Idea . The obstacle for an entrepreneur is not necessarily whether or not a company name is trademarked, but what product/service to provide in the first place. It often seems like every conceivable idea out there has already been thought of. In terms of finding that lightbulb moment, Start It Up offers little advice other than pursue something you are good at . While the stories do offer how other teen entrepreneurs first came up with their ideas, I'd prefer if more tips are given on how to come up with a unique idea that combines both a person's strength and a necessity in society. Other than that, the rest of the book will be of significant help to the beginning entrepreneur.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Palo Alto, CA USA

Nerd Camp by Elissa Brent Weissman

     In the book, Nerd Camp, by Elissa Brent Weissman, the main character Gabe, is invited to camp at the Summer Center for Gifted Enrichment, or as some of the kids call it, the Summer Center for Geeks and Eggheads. Gabe is really excited for camp until he meets his soon to be step brother Zack. Zack is cool, handsome and grammatically incorrect, everything Gabe isn t. Gabe really wants his brother to like him, so he hides his intelligence, for the most part. At camp Gabe has more fun than ever! He loves his classes and his two bunk mates, Wesley, who talks in his sleep, and Nikhil, who always plays it safe. The only person he doesn t get along with is a girl named Amanda who claims that they were meant to be! . But life in camp turns upside down by a lice epidemic, which may cause the camp to cancel the camper s favorite event, Color War. Will Color War be cancelled? Will Gabe be brought down by lice and a girl? Or will he forever be labeled a nerd by his step brother? Read the book Nerd Camp and find out.

Nerd Camp is the perfect summer read for someone who wants to relax and have a few laughs. I thought that this book flowed very smoothly. It was also a very content and light read. The characters in this book are very agreeable and are the kind of people you d love to get to know. My only complaint would be that there wasn t a lot suspense or drama throughout the story. Overall I though this book was well written and a very fun read.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leawood, Kansas United States of America

The Silver Mage by Katharine Kerr

The dragon Rori, formerly known as the man Rhodorix, is closer than ever before to getting his human form back. However, the one thing that holds the secret to his restoration is in the wild northlands, in the hands of a slave. An army of Horsekin is marching, and only with the help of Dallandra, Valandario, and Salamander can they be stopped, and Rori restored. With Haen Marn, the Island of Healing, having vanished, the heros' fear of losing the war grows.
I loved this book. It could have done better on the descriptions, but the characters were, in my opinion, very well written. One thing I liked was how the author left some of the characters hanging, but left just enough of a guide line for you to imagine their end. It is like many fantasy books but has its own uniqueness. I liked the ending, since it seems to have resolved the main conflict of the whole series: Rori, a man, being turned into a dragon. I would recommend this book to anyone that reads books about magic and mythical creatures.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Ardmore, Oklahoma United States

Instinct by Jeremy Robinson

This novel is the second in a continuing series about the Chess Team. The genre is military science fiction and fantasy. When a weaponized disease stops the president's heart, he is revived only because of the actions of the Secret Service. However, the deadly disease threatens the human race with extinction. The Chess Team, a group of five highly trained members of the United States military, is secretly sent to the disease's point of origin in Vietnam. Its mission is to escort a CDC scientist as she searches for a cure, but many dangers, such as Vietnamese soldiers, a bizarre humanoid species, and the disease itself, complicate the task.
I have read and enjoyed the previous book in the series, Pulse, and I also enjoyed this novel. It mixes modern military tactics and weaponry with fantasy and science fiction. The result is a story which is impossible but is still grounded in fact. As a result, I recommend this book mainly to people who enjoy both adventure, especially military adventure, and fantasy. As the story progresses, it becomes less realistic but remains entertaining. This book can be understood without reading the previous one in the series, and the main story concludes by the end of the novel. However, a new complication relating to the earlier book is introduced in the epilogue. I would recommend reading the previous novel first, if only because it is a great read that introduces the characters.
This book has lots of violence and some sexual references. Its target audience is high school students and adults.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Royersford, PA United States

Killer Pizza: The Slice by Greg Taylor

Killer Pizza, the Slice by Greg Tayler includes the same characters we love from the first book plus some new people and monsters. Toby, Annabelle, Strobe, Harvey and Steve continue to protect the world from monsters. There is a new type of monster in this book that the pizza shop front knows nothing about. There is an almost invincible, invisible demon plus more "fun" as you turn the pages of this book . As Toby, Annabelle and Strobe protect Calanthe from her abandoned tribe and from the dangers of High School, this fun filled horror continues.
This book had me hanging on the edge for the entire thing as I was wondering what was going to happen next. Killer Pizza, the Slice was a huge page turner with its great description and suspense. I recommend this book to anyone over 8 yrs old because it is a little scary.
Reviewer Age:11 Uxbridge, MA USA

The Fallen: Raziel by Kristina Douglas

The fallen Raziel by Kristina Douglas is about a fallen angel named Raziel whose job is to bring the souls of the dead to their destination in the other world, whether it be heaven or hell. Raziel has been empty for a very long time and he doesn't care about anyone or anything except annoying the angel who condemned him and the other fallen, Uriel. When he is sent to take a writer, Allie Watson, to heaven he does so without thinking twice about it, but when he realizes he is taking her to hell he changes his mind and decides to take her home, but why? Throughout the story Allie and Raziel begin to fall for each other and they must face the consequences that follow. Raziel and the other angels on earth are not the only ones who fell from heaven; blood thirsty hideous creatures fell as well with only one task: to kill the fallen angels and their mates. Allie has to learn to survive in a world just minutes away from breaking out into a war between angels.

I absolutely loved this book, I couldn't put it down! I was anxious and excited to see what would happen on the next page, and there would be a surprise in each page! I can not wait to read the next book in this awesome series!

Some sexual content in book.
Reviewer Age:14  Uxbridge, MA USA

The Warlock by Michael Scott

Josh has chosen his path, Sophie hers. Josh goes to meet up with Machiavelli and Billy on Alcatraz with Dr. Dee and Virginia Dare at his side. Sophie prepares to meet Tsagaglalal to learn earth magic. Dr. Dee prepares to send a 7 headed dragon on to San Francisco . The Alchemyst is dying.  And the world is set to end unless the twins go back in time to Danu Talis, where their friends are waiting.


Opinion: The Warlock is an awesome book. Michael once again crafts a novel for this unusual chain of books, perfectly. The best thing I like about this series, is about how the characters can use their auras differently than any other books that I have read. I just cannot wait for the final one to complete this heart stopping series. I recommend this to anyone 11 and up.

The Storm Before Atlanta by Karen Schwabach

It’s 1863, and ten-year- old Jeremy DeGroot is itching to join the Union Army -- so he runs away from Old Silas, the brutal man to whom he is indentured.  After reaching Washington D. C. by train, he is able to enlist in the 107th New York Volunteer Regiment as a drummer boy; a key player in the Army’s communication system.  One day, while refilling his canteen at a stream, Jeremy happens to meet Charlie Jackson, a Confederate soldier whom he befriends.  They meet again several times throughout the book.  Jeremy also meets Dulcie, an escaped slave from a Georgia plantation.  She is soon able to find work as an assistant to Dr. Flood, the camp surgeon.   Dulcie also realizes that now she is free and able to make her own decisions.  Together, Dulcie and Jeremy go through terrible trials, such as friends dying from wounds and Jeremy losing his drum in a battle.  Will they be able to survive the War Between the States?

I think the author did an excellent job at describing the situations in this book.  She also sometimes brings characters into the situations for only one or two chapters, which I think makes the situations more realistic.  She also incorporated a few fascinating facts into the book.  For example, Maryland almost seceded from the Union to join the Confederate States.  I enjoyed The Storm Before Atlanta very much and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in America’s Civil War.  

Content:  1

Rating:  10
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Annandale, Virginia United States

Cheesie Mack by Steve Cotler

Ronald Mack, otherwise known as Cheesie to his friends, isn't a genius or anything, but he does remember all of the events that happened before, during and after his fifth-grade graduation, and he wrote it all down in his very own way-including drawings, lists, and lots of made-up words. But Cheesie doesn't just talk about his graduation ceremony/party-he also talks about his everlasting battle with his older sister June, his best friend Georgie's discovery of a strange old coin that could change their summer, and a mouse plot gone wrong. Will Cheesie and Georgie get to the bottom of the coin mystery? Will they get in trouble for their mouse plot? Who will win the sibling battle? Will the coin change Cheesie and Georgie's summer forever? You'll have to read for yourself and find out.
I thought this book was great! I could totally picture the characters and the settings (and not just because of the pictures, although they did help). I could probably picture Cheesie as a real person because he goes through some of the same things a normal kid would go through. An example of that is a seemingly-constant battle with an older sibling, which is present in the book. The book was told in first-person, so that made it all the more realistic to me, because I almost always write in first-person. The author included just the right amount of detail at all times throughout the book. I would totally recommend this book to others, especially if you are a "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series fan, because it is a good and humorous read

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hopkins, Michigan USA