Faerie Winter by Janni Lee Simner

  After it is known throughout the town that all born after the war have magic in them the "Afters" are more free to practice their powers in front of the "Befores", those born before the war. Some of them use their gifts to help the town, Liza and Matthew do just this by going on patrols. The point of their patrols is to find shadows, spirits of those who died during the war, and lay them to rest before they reach the town in search of lost loved ones. One day during an ordinary patrol they come across something far from ordinary, a child's charred body buried in the snow. They return to town and tell Tara, Liza's mother, about their discovery so that the child may have a proper burial and the cause of his death can possibly be found. On their next patrol they find another child, but this time he is alive and a firestarter, one who can start fires in his mind. They bring him to the village so that they can possibly find out what happened, but he does not trust their intentions. One day he turns on them setting their house ablaze, Liza uses her gift and calls to him leading out of the house as well as her mother. Upon seeing what he had done he calls the fire back into him, putting his life at risk and burning him horribly. They must go get Kaylen from his town to heal him and Matthew insists on travelling alone so that they will be there sooner, Liza agrees on the condition that he will be back by sunrise.   She wakes up and finds Matthew is not back yet so she decides to set out to find him. To learn what befalls her on her journey read Faerie Winter by Janni Lee Simner.
Simner has created a post apocalyptic fantasy world where nothing is ever quite as it seems and romance keeps hidden in the shadows. The characters are quite memorable, this adds to the story making it that much better. Some of the more memorable characters are Liza,  The Lady, Kyle, Matthew, and Elin. The vocabulary was easy to understand and age appropriate. This book has a voice that is slightly eerie with undertones of romance. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a good read.
This book has mild gore
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Makanda, Illinois USA

The Girl Who Became A Beatle by Greg Taylor

Have you ever imagine becoming a legend? Everyone has a
fantasy of living the life of a famous person but it seems
impossible& right?  Well, Regina Bloomsbury thought it was
impossible too, but after one of the worst days of her
life, her band fell apart because of the minimal gigs they
were playing, she wishes her band the Caverns were as
popular as the Beatles.  The next morning Regina wakes up
and sees the Beatles collectables in her room were gone
and were replaced with Caverns memorabilia.   Suddenly her
life was drastically different from what it was before. 
The Caverns have replaced the Beatles and are on their way
to California to kick off their world tour. At first
Regina loves the fame her wish has brought her but she
realizes that it was not all that she thought it would
be.  When she is given a choice that will change her life
forever she is conflicted.  Will Reginas life be changed
forever or will she go back to her normal life?
Overall
this book was a very good read.  It started with a typical
storyline about a band but evolved into a very interesting
plot.  I enjoyed reading about the ups and downs of
Hollywood and I think that Regina s problems made her very
relatable.  The author told the story in a voice that made
it easy to read.  This book had many Beatle references and
I would recommend it to a reader with interests in music. 

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country:
Owings Mills, Maryland USA

Graffiti Art Coloring Book by, Aye Jay

Ever wish that you could capture the colorful art of graffiti on paper. Well now you can!
Color your own styles of the hottest art on the street. Paints like Lady Pink, Pose, Mear, and many more. So get out some crayons, colored pencils, markers, anything and get to coloring!

No one in the world is to old to enjoy a good coloring book. Now anyone can have his or her own graffiti masterpiece. The owner can color each piece of graffiti in any way. This adds a little of the personal touch the reader has. Whether it's in rainbow colors or outside the lines, this book is sure to satisfy anyone looking for a good coloring book.   


Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas America

The Other Countess by Eve Edwards

Four years previous William Lacey, the new, young, and penniless Earl of Dorset, was kicking Lady Eleanor Rodriguez, Countess of San Jaime, (also known as Ellie) out of his house after her father, ruined the Lacey family s name and fortune.  Now, in the year 1582, the two meet again on different circumstances at the Queen Elizabeth s court.  The Earl seems quite enchanted with Ellie quick wit and exotic looks, not recognizing her for the girl he kicked out so many years before.  If only he could find a bride with the money he needs to bring his family s home to its former glory.  Money - something Ellie was without.  William will have to choose between duty and love, Lady Jane and Lady Eleanor.
This book was absolutely my favorite book Flamingnet has sent me so far.  Eve Edwards s writing is a lot like that of Eva Ibbotson s, who happens to be my favorite author.  I have recommended this book to all my friends and cannot wait to read the next book in this romance series coming out in 2012!  I learned a lot about Elizabethan clothing which was interesting, and the spoken language was old fashioned, but very easy to understand, which made it very beautiful.  I have nothing but praise for this book and hope others enjoy this as much as I did.

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

Between Two Ends by David Ward

Between Two Ends, by David Ward, is a good book because it s about magical books.  Yeats, the main character, is a 12 year-old boy with a depressed father and a scared mother. He and his parents are visiting his Grandma s house.  He wants to find out why his dad is so depressed, so he asks his grandma. She tells him that 20 years ago, a girl named Shari, disappeared in the library.  Exploring the library, Yeats finds magical bookends that can transport him into any book.  The living bookends also tell him about a girl they transported into the book 1001 Arabian Nights 20 years ago. Shari was his dad' s best friend.  She never came out. So, he goes in after her in hopes of making his dad stop being so depressed.  However, some book' s spells are not easy to break and sometimes the people in the book lose their memory and become part of the story.  This story tells about love, bravery, mystery and humor.  I recommend this book for anyone who likes a good laugh and a great adventure.  Beware!  This book is addictive!
This book is very good with some unexpected twists. It took a while to get me interested,but once I was,it hooked me for good. The author did a good job, accept at the beginning,where he forgets to lay hooks for the reader.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Merced, Ca united states

The Poisons of Caux: Book Two by Susannah Appelbaum

Ivy the prophecy child and her sidekick Rowan have to travel to the guild to face the evil director.  Ivy keeps on healing others and is becoming well known around Caux.  They make many new friends on the way. They also face many hardships.   This book is packed with action from the start to the deadly encounter.


Overall I enjoyed this book. One of the things that I enjoyed about it were the people in it because they are really interesting.  One example is “the errant taster was on the run from the dreaded Tasters’ guild, where he learned his trade, only to practice it disastrously-killing twenty of Kings Nightshade’s men and the man he was specifically charged with protecting.”   The beginning was sort of slow for me but it got into a lot of action by the end. An example of that is “the footsteps were quickening now as she turned instead to  wake Rowan, and she had little time to shake her friend before the unwelcome arrival was upon them.”   I really hope that the third book in this truly frightening series is like the first two. The author did a great job on her second novel. My favorite thing I liked about this book is the main chaaracter Ivy. She is a very smart and courageous young girl. She also reminded me of Violet from the Series of Unfortunate Events.    I recommend this book to people 10 and up.


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

The Lunatics Curse by F.E. Higgins

In a town named Oppum Oppidulum, a twelve year old boy by
the name of Rex Grammaticus is the son of a famous engineer
and inventor.  His father is pronounced a lunatic by his
evil step mother and taken to a high security asylum in the
middle of a freezing lake. This lake is rumored to be the
home of a giant sea monster and diamonds are believed to be
at the bottom of the lake.  Soon after the story gets going,
there is a jail-break and the head warden of the asylum is
replaced by a mind doctor, who uses hypnotism in crooked
ways.  Rex 's father also escaped during the jail-break and
soon enough found Rex locked in his room by his step mother.
From there, Rex enters into various suspenseful adventures
that help him unravel the mystery of the asylum and the
strange Andrew Fey Society that controls it.
The Lunatic s
Curse was my first book to read by this author and I really
liked it. The characters were very interesting and the story
was good, even though confusing at times for me.  At first,
I wasn't sure I' d like it, but by chapter three, I was
hooked.  I hope that others will like this book, too, and I
think that people who liked books like Artemis Fowl should
especially like The Lunatic s Curse.  It has a good plot and
it is full of action and adventure.  There are a few dull
spots, but it gets interesting again fairly
quickly.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and
Country: MEMPHIS, TN USA

Amen, L.A. by Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld

Natalie Shelton is in for the ride of her life. She lives in a tiny Minnesota town where her mom is the pastor at their local church. Then out of the blue her mom landed a fantastic job as the new pastor in the Church of Beverly Hills. Natalie is dragged along to California leaving her boyfriend, Sean, behind. Soon Natalie forgets all about her old town and old boyfriend. She's living in a huge mansion, making friends with celebrities, and going to real L.A. parties. But is Natalie adjusting to the Hollywood life too fast? Do her morals even exist anymore?

I thought Amen L.A. was a pretty cute story. I requested it because I just needed a light, fun, book and that's exactly what I got. The characters were very interesting and easy to relate to, especially Natalie. Coming from a small town and being in a long distance relationship myself, her story was very appealing. The plot also kept getting better as new characters kept being introduced. The ending wrapped itself up pretty well, but the authors left plenty of room for a sequel. I really enjoyed reading this book and I am definitely going to recommend it to some of my friends.

Sexual Content, Explicit language, and Use of illegal drugs and alcohol. 

Reviewer Age:15

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

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

Silla Kennicott had a pretty good life - doting parents, a loving brother, a shot at becoming an actress - until the horrific murder-suicide committed by her father. Silla refuses to believe her father would commit such an atrocious act, and when she receives a book in the mail containing magic spells, she's certain something else is going on. All the spells require blood, but Silla's willing to do anything to find out more about her father's past. That's when she meets Nick Pardee, a transplant from Chicago, and the two might have more in common than they think. This isn't Nick's first experience with Blood Magic, and their shared powers might be needed to defeat evil that's lurking in the shadows of their small town.

I enjoyed Blood Magic and thought it was a decent addition to the Paranormal/Fantasy genre. I haven't read that many books about witches (excluding Harry Potter, of course), so I was intrigued by Blood Magic. Blood Magic was different in that you needed blood to complete any spells, which is a little gruesome but plays into the atmosphere well. The plot was very suspenseful even though it wasn't too hard to guess who the villain was. I thought that Silla was a resilient character because she was able to keep going after her parents died and didn't completely break down. Nick was an okay character; even though part of the book is his point-of-view, I still don't feel like I know that much about him. I'm starting to think that the love-at-first-sight thing is getting overdone, which is what happened in Blood Magic. Silla and Nick have an "instant attraction" but I don't think it was as well-written as it could have been. Besides that, I liked Blood Magic and look forward to the sequel.

Reviewer Age:19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States

Hatshepsut of Egypt by Shirin Yim Bridges

HATSHEPSUT OF EGYPT

Ever since they broke through the walls in Hatshepsut's tomb, people have been wondering about her, and how there could have ever been a female pharaoh. Because weren't pharaohs always males? This story is about a woman who bravely declared herself pharaoh. Why don't we learn more about her in school? You will find out about all of this in this interesting and informative book.


HATSHEPSUT OF EGYPT

Hatshepsut of Egypt is a very good book that I would recommend to GIRLS from the ages of 9-13. The illustrations are well done, and help readers to picture Hatshepsut's times. I thought it was good to learn how she ruled and increased Egypt's treasury. One of the reasons I liked this book is because it shows that women are fit to be rulers. Hatshepsut made plenty of money for Egypt and made peace with others instead of fighting them.

It was fun to read HATSHEPSUT OF EGYPT. It is perfect sized at about 20 pages.



Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockford, MI USA

Bargains and Betrayals

Bargains and Betrayals continues Jessica's and Pieter's story of love, lies, sacrifices, daring rescues and werewolves. Jessica, Jess, has just been unwillingly torn from her true love and checked into an asylum. Now she has to find a way out in order to save Pieter's mother from a life cut short due to their werewolf genetics. Like any sickness there is a cure but one only Jess can provide. In the third book of the 13 to Life series, Jess and Pieter make drastic sacrifices to keep all they love alive.
I loved the first two 13 to Life books and the third installment to the series kept me just as interested. I tore through the book in less then a day with eagerness that was not at any point disappointed. It was a great page turner but took a little thinking and rereading to understand at times. In this book Shannon Delany skipped in between characters demanding that you pay attention to who is telling the story. I can't wait to see what the next book has to offer.
I rated the content a 3 because it made numerous references to sex and at one point vaguely described it.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Glendale, AZ United States

Reel Life Starring Us by Lisa Greenwald

In Lisa Greenwald’s book Reel Life Starring Us, Dina is the new girl at Rockwood Hills Middle School. Rockwood Hills is known for its cliques and for Sasha Preston, the now famous movie star that used to attend the middle school. Dina soon learns that Rockwood Hills is not like her old school and that in this school you’re either in the in-crowd or, in Dina’s case, you’re not. When Dina gets assigned to work on a video project with Chelsea, the most popular girl in school, Dina can’t help but think that she will finally fit in. However, Dina soon realizes that Chelsea’s home life isn’t what you would expect for such a popular individual. Will the video project help these two become friends? Will Dina ever fit in? And most importantly, will anyone ever really be in the in crowd at Rockwood Hills Middle School? 

As I read this book, I felt compassion for Dina as she entered Rockwood Hills. People weren’t very nice to her, and being a new student didn’t help her case. I also felt compassion for Chelsea, due to the situation in her home life and the struggle she goes through in order to keep it a secret. The setting played a major role in this book because Rockwood Hills is a very wealthy community and Dina and Chelsea are very different when it comes down to money. The plot in this book was slow at some points and made it hard to read through some of the pages. I felt like this book took awhile to get to the climax of the story, but the climax and the rising action left led to a well thought out ending. If you are looking for an easy read and a book about true friendship, Reel Life Starring Us would be the right choice. 

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Springfield, Ohio USA

Sass and Serendipity by Jennifer Ziegler

A tribute to Sense and Sensibility, Sass and Serendipity is a tale of two sisters. Gabby, the older responsible sister, always sees the glass as half empty. She only has one friend, and spends all of her time either studying or at her job trying to support their single mom. Daphne is a junior varsity cheerleader with high hopes and tons of friends. She is always super positive and loves to kick back and enjoy life. The two sisters never see eye to eye on anything. Gabby always wishes Daphne would get her head out of the clouds and come back to reality. Daphne wants Gabby to get off her back and live a little. When some extreme changes enter these two sisters lives, their lives get turned upside down and the girls start questioning their perspectives.
I loved this book. I wasnt sure how difficult it might be, considering one out of the three words in the title I hadnt seen before, but it was an easy read. (Serendipity means good luck, or events playing out in a good way.) Some realistic fiction books dont seem very realistic. This book applies to any two sisters, and is as real as can be. An engaging mix of realistic fiction and romance, I would recommend this book to any girl over 12, especially ones with sisters.  

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leawood, KS United States

Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff

Brooklyn, Burning is about a street kid trying to fit in and create an identity for him/herself. Kid is just a teenager who has a love of the music and the soul of Brooklyn, but that is what seems to separate his/her father from him/her. When his/her father kicks his out of his home, Kid sleeps, hopes, and plays the drums anywhere he can find a friend. Another plot comes twisting into the story when Kid is found a likely suspect of burning down the historic warehouse, where he has been living for the past few weeks. In this story of survival, forgiveness, punk rock and love, the city of Brooklyn will be calling you home by the end.

In this book about a street kid trying to find his/her own life, it shows the power and force of dreams and love. Brezenoffs book reveals some harsher city moments, but also the hope that is sparked deep within those times. This book truly transforms the image of Brooklyn and its streets. I was a little confused with who Kid actually was, because it never completely said whether kid was a boy or girl. I understand that this may be intentional, but it bothered me because I couldn't fully relate to the character without completely knowing Kid. I thought that this was a great book, and it had a good fictional twist to the truth of the warehouse burning.


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

Wild @ Heart by Natsumi Ando

Like most teenage girls, Chino only wants one thing: to fall in love.  But when she finally does, it's nothing like she expected.  She ends up falling head over heals for Hyo, a jungle-raised boy who was found by her father on an exploration.  Hyo is completely uncivilized and has absolutely no idea of how to behave.  Nonetheless, when Hyo starts living with Chino's family and attending the same school, sparks begin to fly. 
A good manga has beautiful artwork and a more substantial storyline to match it.  A great manga has those two things, plus the ability to completely hold the reader's attention.  This manga is not good - it's great.  The artwork is beautiful, but clear, so it is easy to see what is going on in each illustration.  The storyline actually has depth and is not just an after-thought added to the pictures.  Everything about this manga works together and creates an overall great reading experience.  And since it is a three volume set, there is more of the story in one book, which is something that I look for.  I would recommend this manga if you've enjoyed mangas by Matsuri Hino or Bisco Hatori. 

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, USA

Messiah: Apotheosis by S Andrew Swann

This book is an exciting action adventure. It is about a alien AI (artificial intelligence) who is trying to become God. He has many bodies of himself and grows stronger by making people join his cause. This book takes place on a world called Bakunin and its surrounding space. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read sci-fi books.

  I liked this book. It had a ring of Star Wars about it but was totally different. It was written so that you cannot wait to read the next chapter. I could not put down this book until I finished it. The author did a great job of describing different parts of the settings and characters. I would definitely recommend this book to people who love science fiction.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Hunting Valley, OH USA

Starstruck by Cyn Balog

When Gwendolyn Dough Reillys best friend in New Jersey moves away from her all the way to California, the only real way to cope with this is to start eating more items from her mothers bakery. As time passes by she her friend, Wish finally asks her out to be her boyfriend. Dough accepts, but does not realize that he will be coming back to the east coast. As Wish transforms into a bronze goddess, dough has packed on a few pounds. Dough is just waiting for her boyfriend to break up with her once he sets her eyes on her. When they first meet at school, the pictures on facebook do not do him justice at all. Wish is acting really weird around Dough. Not only is he more in love with her then ever, but he is obsessed with the sun and is afraid from the rain.  The only thing is how did wish change from a lanky kid into a Hollywood rock-star? Will he still stay with her once he sees what Dough has turned into? Find out in this romantic, Sci-fi/fantasy mystery! The setting of this book definitely comes easily into the mind. I can totally picture the crappy bakery on the island that Dough lives in. I feel as if I was a fly following Dough around the whole book. The characters take a life of their own. Dough materializes so easy within my head, and all her actions I could see could be easily done. Balog writes her in the book in which her actions are easily seen. Barlog contrasts the character of Evie, Doughs sister, who is so pretty and skinny. Wish is also easily seen and just thinking about him could make anyone drool. Dough is the narrator of the book and she is so funny. Not because she jokes around, but I always start to laugh when she describes how bad she looks. The only thing is she does get a little annoying in the beginning when she talks about how fat she is.
The Author defiantly achieved her purpose, which was that looks are not everything. The writing is age appropriate, which is young adult. The vocabulary was alright for young adult, but definitely could have been a little more difficult. The strengths of the book are the characters and how they come to life, and the setting. The major weakness of the book is how the book develops. In the beginning of the book I barely read a few chapters. Dough was whining to much, but near the end I could not put down the book. I found this book refreshing and very moving. I find this refreshing because most of the books now-a-days in the teen genre are about vampires or werewolves in the sci-fi/ fantasy genre. It was nice to see something new and fresh. It was also interesting to see how the book developed till the end. Which I loved the ending! This book just reinforced that looks are not everything, and that exteriors are not everything. I would definitely recommend this book to others because it was funny and interesting to find out what happens between Dough and wish.
Some talk about sex and drinking alcohol.
Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Northport, NY USA

Touch of Frost (eBook) by Jennifer Estep

Gwen Frost is a freak, at least thats what all her classmates think. While they are rocking superpowers from fighter ancestors, Gwen is only a common Gypsy. When a fellow classmate is murdered, Gwen is all set to start tracking down the killer, but it seems she is the only one who really wants to know what happened. Along the way, Gwen will uncover family secrets, secret love, and possible love for herself. Will she find out the truth, or will the truth kill her?

A Touch of Frost is a mysterious and exciting book to hold. Esteps idea of having a bunch of warriors come together is truly unique. Ive seen spies, half-bloods, mermaids, and a bunch of other mythical beings, and this is the first time I can say that Ive never read anything like this before. It has a wonderful plot with magnificent characters to go with it. I cannot wait for book number two to come out! This is definitely being recommended to my friends.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

Touch of Frost (eBook) by Jennifer Estep

Gwen Frost is a freak, at least thats what all her classmates think. While they are rocking superpowers from fighter ancestors, Gwen is only a common Gypsy. When a fellow classmate is murdered, Gwen is all set to start tracking down the killer, but it seems she is the only one who really wants to know what happened. Along the way, Gwen will uncover family secrets, secret love, and possible love for herself. Will she find out the truth, or will the truth kill her?

A Touch of Frost is a mysterious and exciting book to hold. Esteps idea of having a bunch of warriors come together is truly unique. Ive seen spies, half-bloods, mermaids, and a bunch of other mythical beings, and this is the first time I can say that Ive never read anything like this before. It has a wonderful plot with magnificent characters to go with it. I cannot wait for book number two to come out! This is definitely being recommended to my friends.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

Gravestone byTravis Thrasher

In the second book of the Solitary Tales series, Gravestone, by Travis Thrasher, Chris Buckley a teenager recently moved from Chicago to a weird town called Solitaire and life is not the same. In this small town, he cant find anyone who is sane or normal and his mom is becoming an alcoholic. To make it all worse he loses his girlfriend, Jocelyn, who is now presumed dead. He begins a search to find out what happened to Jocelyn. Along the way Chris meets lots of interesting people who might be able to help but he is unsure if he can trust or confide in them.

This book should not be read without reading the first book in the series. It has a very slow start and takes over one hundred pages too get somewhat interesting. The book is classifies as a mystery and suspense but I found very little suspense. To me this book was very boring and hard to follow at times. Do not read this book while reading other books, stop reading and start this book after a period of time or accidently skip a page otherwise you may become very confused. I do not recommend this book for anyone who likes a lot of action and suspense because this book has none of that. I would give this book a four out of ten because it was not entertaining or exciting to read.


Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leawood, Kansas USA

The Kid Table by Andrea Seigel

The kid table is a story about a poker table that has been with the family for a while now. All 5 of Ingrid Bells cousins sit at it even though they are teenagers. All 5 cousins are struggling to with the challenges of growing up. Ingrid falls in love just to find out that he is already taken by her cousin! Her cousin decides to leave the kid table and leaves the cousins in shock. They all take different paths into adulthood and realize the kid table is where they belong.



The kid table is a easy read. It was enjoyable. Different emotions fly throughout the book and leave you wanting to read on. The book has a good ending that doesn't leave me with any questions. I could understand all of the characters' emotions. They were described very well.


Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: braintree, ma us

Nancy and Plum by Betty MacDonald

Nancy and Plum (whose real name is Pamela) are sisters who were orphaned when their parents died in a train wreck six years ago.  Without properly investigating it, their guardian, Uncle John, sent them to Mrs. Monday's Boarding Home in Heavenly Valley.  Ever since then, he has had very little to do with them.  Mrs. Monday seemed kind, but shes really menacing and cruel to all her borders except her horrid niece, Marybelle.  Despite their miserable life at Mrs. Mondays, Nancy and Plum are cheerful children. One of their favorite things to do is sneak out by way of the tree next to their window and help Old Tom, Mrs. Mondays kindly brother, who takes care of the cows and chickens in back of the boarding  home.  One day while the girls are attending a school picnic, Uncle John comes to visit them. but leaves before the girls return.  When the girls come home they find out about his visit and that Marybelle and Mrs. Monday purposely detained the girls return home so they wouldnt be able to visit with him.  That night the girls decide to run away, so they pack up all their treasures in some handkerchiefs and, with the help of Old Tom, climb over the spiked fence. Will they succeed in running away?  Who will be their new family if they do?
 
I enjoyed this book very much, particularly because of Nancy and Plum's cleverness and creativity.  I also liked the wide range of the personalities displayed by the characters.  I disliked, however, that most of the dialogue was written as if it was a movie script with the name of the person speaking written before what they said.  I recommend this book to anyone who likes books about clever, adventurous girls.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Annandale, VA USA

A Caper in Fabel, the True Story of Humpty Dumpty by Alexander Anderson

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the Kings horses and all the Kings men couldnt put Humpty together again. We always assumed this rhyme to be true, but iguana Detective Nathaniel Spade is being led to believe otherwise. When he receives a tip suggesting that Humpty was pushed, the chase begins! With the assistance of his partner Virgil, who happens to be a sea turtle, they travel all through the land of Fabel tracking down possible suspects. He meets everyone from Miss Virginia Muffet to Old King Cole, as well as the mysterious Riding Hood. Join Detective Spade on his perilous and exciting journey to bring justice to the land of Fabel.
A Caper in Fabel was a fun and enjoyable read. Most of this tale was simple and easy to read but sometimes the vocabulary became a bit harder to understand. At times it seemed as if it was written more as an informative piece and not a story.  For the most part, this book was an entertaining one. Any fans of The Sisters Grimm or Chet Gecko books will enjoy this playful read!

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Harleysville, PA United States

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanna Birdsall

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by: Jeanne Birdsall is the third book the Penderwicks series. It is a fantastic book. The Penderwicks are splitting up. Dad, Iantha, and Ben are going to England for there honeymoon(Ben is too little to stay home); Rosalind is going to New Jersey with her friend; and Jane, Skye, and Batty are going to Maine with Aunt Claire. While in Maine, Jane is having a love survey and along the way thinks she is in love, Aunt Claire has an accident, Jeffrey finds someone who he wishes were his dad, and many, many more events happen. What happens to Aunt Claire? How does Jane being in love end up? What happens with Jeffrey? Read this great book to find out.
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by: Jeanne Birdsall is the third book the Penderwicks series. I thought that it was a great book. I have read the first two books but the way the author writes this book you don't have to read the first two books to understand this one. It shows how great an O.A.P. Skye is even though she didn't believe in herself. And it also showed how the Penderwick sisters could be apart and survive. I liked how Jeffreys whole situation was cleared up and his father ended up being someone he very much liked.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon U.S.A

Super Life Secretcodes by Great Sun

"Super Life Secretcodes" is a self-help book on the topic of the metaphysical, written by Great Sun, which I can only hope is a pseudonym. Through various anecdotes, the author relays to readers his "tips" on how to live life better. This mental utopia of his--which he swears can be manifested in real life--includes everything from relationships, money, fame, happiness, and health. Lots of the advice has to do with thinking positively and somehow channeling energy into space to be enlightened (even though that word is not explicitly used). In addition to the many short chapters, there are little postscripts that read like letters to readers...and spirits.
I mostly dislike the New Age movement because it promises false hope (e.g.- do this, think this, say this, imagine this, and everything will be perfect).  The author left Christianity, explored other religions, and then met Friend G who gave him his insights.  Now, not everyone has to prescribe to Christianity, but it does not offer false hope.  Jesus says life will be hard but that we can persevere because He loves us.  This Friend G is written as having supernatural powersi, scientific insights and foreknowledge of doom.  I personally think this author has encountered the demonic or psychotic but not some great prophet.  There is a lot of fantasy universalism in this book.  God loves everybody, yes, but there is only one Way.  As a friend quoted, "If my truth and your truth aren't the same, then one of us is wrong."
This book mentions sexual things not suitable for young readers, amongst other mature topics
Reviewer Age:20
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Gwen Frost is the lowest of the low at the weirdest school around: Mythos Academy. It's a school of teens who are filthy rich, know how to beat people up, kill them, even, and use magic. Freaky, no? But when the richest, prettiest, most popular girl in school is murdered, it's too much for Gwen, especially given the fact that she is convinced she should the one dead.She uses her Gypsy gift to investigate, and uncovers a plot that puts her life at risk and learns a surprising secret that her family had been hiding from her.
The thing most focused on in this book is suspense. Which, in my opinion, is a very good thing to focus on, and the other parts were well taken care of as well. Not to mention, the main antagonist is just a little cuckoo in the head, so finding out the mystery of a girl's murder was quite difficult. So, when you finally read those last few chapters, it's a total surprise. Suspenseful book leading up to a surprise ending - what could be better? Although, sometimes when filling in details for a sentence you may not understand, the story fills in too many details. It's given you the info you need to make sense of what you just read, but then it goes on...and on... and on. Sometimes 2 paragraphs, when all you needed was two simple sentences. So, this book has it's good and it's bad.

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

The Amanda Project Revealed by Amanda Valentino and Peter Silsbee

The Amanda Project Revealed tells the story of three teenagers, Callie, Nia, and Hal, as they try to find out what happened to Amanda Valentino, who disappeared, and their vice principal, Mr. Thornhill, who was attacked and is now in a coma. The path to find Amanda is full of twists and turns, and more and more people then they realize are involved. Hal finds a data-base on Mr. Thornhill's computer that involves his family, and many people he doesn't know. To their surprise, they learn something from this that none of them would have ever expected. Amanda Valentino is not who she said she was, and her real identity is far more hidden then it looks.





The Amanda Project Revealed was a wonderful, intense story. The plot never stayed the same or was dull for more than a chapter, and had more twists and turns then a river does. The author, Amanda Valentino, knew how to tantalize you, and pulled you closer and further away to the real Amanda. I would tell any young teenager who loves puzzles and mysteries wrapped in a book. I loved reading The Amanda Project Revealed, but I would recommend reading The Amanda Project first, as that is the first in the series.

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

Changing the Little Things by J.L. Manning

Changing the Little Things by J.L. Manning is a book that is about changing small actions to affect those around you. The synopsis of this novel is quite short. A man, working on writing his novel, starts an online chat room to help people manipulate others to better suit their wishes. He starts a chat room to help people learn tricks to changing people. Each person is aiming to make someone close to them more likable; friends, family, coworkers. So they chat once a week and come up with ways to fix others instead of working on themselves.
This book is really not that great, in fact I hate to say it, but it is terrible. It wasnt just the lack of plot that made it bad, but also the scripted writing which was awkward and difficult to read. It was written in a very strict manner, but occasionally the author threw in common slang terms or acronyms like LOL. Some of them were less common though and left me wondering what the author was saying. Pretty much all of this novel was people complaining about how others need to work around them and how they could change them to make their own lives better. I was not fond of the idea, but the execution of this book made it so much worse. One good thing though: There were some insightful ideas on the small daily effects we have on others without even realizing, and the ability be have to influence everyone around us.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Minnetonka, Minnesota United States

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

As a college student trying to start her own career in New York, Erin Blackwell is doing her best to leave her past behind and pursue her career. In writing class one day however, it seems to be that her past appears in front of her at the worst time possible. Hunter's sudden appearance changes the way that Erin thinks, sleeps, and writes. Will Hunter coming back into her life change her future? Or will it just stir up bad memories of the past?
I thoroughly enjoyed the book Love Story by Jennifer Echols. I thought that the writer had the ability to connect with the reader, and make them believe anything that she says. The plot kept me turning pages to find out what would happen next in this incredible tale of a deep hatred and a fresh love that mixes together beautifully throughout the book. The characters relationships with each other add so much to the book and I think that Jennifer Echols did a wonderful job writing Love Story.Ill most definitely suggest this book to friends because of how much I liked it.
I gave this book the rating of mature readers only because the characters in the book are college aged, and the book is written from their points of view and what happens in their lives. I think at times it may be inappropriate for some younger readers.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hermantown, Minnesota USA

The Study Train: Reunion of the Untouchables by Kurt Frenier

The book Study Train was about a boy, Ethan, who gets a mysterious invitation to ride on a train. He was unhappy at home and school, so he packs his bags and leaves on the train. Ethan meets the conductor/headmaster, Althulos, of the train, who introduces him to all the other people on the train. They are all friendly and welcome him warmly. The headmaster shows him the delivery room, where he learns many interesting things.

He finds out about the untouchables, people whose images are in the delivery room. The untouchables identify Ethan as their leader, and they train him in their powers. Ethan is asked by the headmaster to fly the train wherever he likes. Ethan picks Shanghi, where Althulos powers are weakest.

A battle occurs in Shanghai, which tests Ethans loyalties.  In the end, Ethan learns who his true friends are .

In my opinion, this book was OK.  It wasn't amazing, and it wasn't boring.
The author could have improved by giving more details.  The book was too fast paced in my opinion, and too short.  More information would have helped this problem.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Friendswood, TX USA

Eternity by Heather Terrell

Our story takes place where "Fallen Angel" left us. Ellie and her boyfriend, Michael, are now fully aware of who they are but not sure what to do about it. On an off chance that acting like normal teenagers will stop or slow down the End of Days they decide to play pretend. Unfortunately Michael gets a little caught up in this play and a rift begins to form between Ellie and Michael. To make matters worse Ellie joins a volunteer group where she meets Rafe, who she can't stop thinking about.

Even with all their efforts the clock has already begun to tick. It is up to Ellie, the Elect One, to finally take charge of her destiny and judge the human race. If she plans to save them then she must defeat the angels in charge of the seven signs but on the other hand if she deems mankind unworthy will she join the dark fallen?
It was love at first sight. I have learned so much from the Fallen Angel series. I knew about the book of Revelations but I never knew about the Book of Enoch or Jubilees. I never expected to be so pulled in to a... well sort of "Christian" book. The only way I could improve the story is to make the ending a page or two longer. Heather definitely achieved her purpose with her powerful words and mental images. I definitely reccomend this book to those who seek more understanding then what the "traditional Bible" offers. Even if you don't believe in god this is still a good book.

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

The Look Book: 50 Iconic Beauties by Erika Stalder

According to The Look Book by Erika Stalder, celebrities have been setting hair and makeup trends for the last century. Now, you can recreate the look on your own, along with learning about the icon behind the trend. Because a celebrity hair stylist and makeup artist helped write this book, the book gives you tips and tricks to makeup and hair styles that only celebrities know. In the front of the book, the author also gives you basic makeup information that helps while trying to recreate the looks. The instructions for each look are well detailed and include pictures which help you visualize the look if you are confused.
I really enjoyed this book because it has a great concept and my friend is also interested in makeup, so we would have fun recreating looks from this book together. Some of the icons in this book I knew, but I also didn't know who some of them were. One recommendation that I have would be to mix some more current icons into the book to interest a younger generation. In this book, the directions were very easy to follow and if I wanted to recreate one of these looks, this would be my first stop to look for instructions and tips. Overall, I loved this book and would love to use it again if one of my friends or I wanted to achieve one of the signature styles.

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

Rock Bottom by Erin Brockovich

Rock Bottom is about AJ who teams up with a lawyer to bring down a big coal mining company in a small town. The small town happens to be AJs hometown that she left ten years ago. The companys coal sludge is contaminating the local water supply and the company is destroying the mountain top causing environmental problems. The lawyer dies before AJ begins to work with him. When lawyers daughter gets death threats because of his actions, AJ comes to her aid. AJ has conflicting emotions because she hates the man in charge of the company, but his son is a former boyfriend of hers and is the father of her child.

The best part of the book was the characters. I loved AJ, she was confident, extremely strong willed, and was a really good person with a lot of spirit. I also liked her son David and her friend Ty, who was so believable it felt like he could be sitting in the room with you. There was also a couple of interesting plot twists that I did not expect. I thought it was a little too dramatic towards the end and also that the AJs accident wasnt fully explained but it balanced out and I felt that the end of the book brought everything to a close nicely.
There is some language in the beginning.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockford, Illinois United States

Forgiven by Janet Fox

Kula is the seventeen-year-old of Wild West outlaw Nat Baker. But when her father is accused of a crime he didn't commit, he sends Kula to San Francisco to find a secret box that will guarantee his freedom. In a city where Kula knows no one, she is not sure who to trust: Philippa Everts, the lady who she is living with; David Wong, the kind and well-mannered boy she meets; or handsome and devilish Will Henderson, whose family might know something about this mysterious box. But what Kula doesn't know is that all these people are inextricably tied to her family, and ultimately her future.
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy Forgiven. Aside from the setting in San Francisco and the mystery surrounding a box, I don't know if I would have continued to read Forgiven. My biggest problem with the novel was that it was boring. Though Kula is supposed to be on the search for a box, I felt like nothing really happens. The character that was supposed to be a villain didn't really feel like one. There were two love interests, David and Will. I didn't care for either as neither's character was fleshed out and developed enough. And then when David started to declare his undying love for Kula, after only a few encounters with the girl, I liked him even less. The box, and the mystery that is a part of it, was a bit anti-climatic, but I kept reading in hopes that there would be something interesting about it. I did enjoy reading about the city of San Francisco and naturally, the earthquake of 1906 plays a big part in the end. I love history so that was a redeeming point but overall, I did not like Forgiven.

Reviewer Age:19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States

The Dark Deeps by Arthur Slade

Modo and Octavia are english spies in 19th century England sent by the government to follow the french spy Colette Brunet and figure out what she has been sent to find. After Modo steals some important documents from a french ambassador, they learn that Colette Brunet was sent to work on an assignment called Project Ictineo. It soon becomes imperative for Octavia and Modo to find and claim Project Ictineo for England before Colette Brunetcan claim it in the name of France. Throughout the entire mission, Octavia and Modo are stalked by a mysterious and sinister presence. Modo must also deal with his feelings for Octavia and his hatred of himself.
I really enjoyed this book because the author takes you into the story and the characters. Through the use of different points of view, each of the main characters enjoys a certain depth and has specific role in the book. The way the setting is described you really get the feeling that you are in 19th century london. Readers can relate to Modos unhappiness with his outward appearance but cannot fully relate to his true self hatred and loathing. I thought that the steady under current of romance in this book was done really well, and that all of the internal struggles fit together.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: 9376 Garden Ridge Drive, Texas USA

Isabella of Castile by Shirin Yim Bridges

Isabella of Castile is one of history's most celebrated princesses, but not because she sat on the sidelines during the events of her time period. In fact, Isabella was anything but the typical princess. She was blessed with a desire for learning and an intellect that far surpassed her male counterparts, and she had an independent personality. Rather than let her brother select an appropriate husband for her, Isabella married Ferdinand of Aragon by her own choosing. In her later life, she ruled alongside her husband and became active in the affairs of her country. One of her most famous endeavors was funding Christopher Columbus's journey to America. However, she was not always kind and gentle in her rule of Spain, and killed thousands of people in her efforts to secure total Catholicism. Despite this, Isabella of Castile will always be remembered as the princess who spoke her mind and made her own decisions no matter what the cost.
Isabella of Castile, by Shirin Bridges, is an excellent wealth of information offered in a colorful and engaging setting. Even though I was already familiar with the story of Princess Isabella, I learned many new facts about her that I had not known before, such as the story of her marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon and her brutal assimilation to the Catholic faith. The sections of the picture book that provide general information on the time period are a useful way to fully understand what life was like at the time Isabella lived. This book takes new meaning to the term "picture book," as every page is decorated with a painting, illustration, or photograph of items related to either Isabella or her time period. I plan on passing this book on to many other readers, both young and old, because of the rich detail encased in an easy-to-read children's book.

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

Gray by Rachel Karns

Gray by Rachel Karns is about 19 year old Maggie who is a little lost in her life. She has grown up in a small town and has opted out of going to college so she can run her father's jewelry store. Maggie is also masquerading as a jewelry maker named Lenora who has put her parent's store back on top. While her parents are away Maggie reads of a John Doe that desperately needs her help and that is when the real story starts. Maggie pretends to be John Doe's fiance so she can help him out but ends up going with him on a great adventure. Maggie then finds out what love and life really mean.

Captivating! That is the best word to express my opinion of this book. I was delayed on a plane and was able to finish this book in less than three hours before we even landed. The character of Maggie was familiar yet a mystery. I am the same age as Maggie so I could relate to her but I also found myself so intrigued that this 19 year old girl could fall in love with such an older man.  This book was not only intriguing but enthralling and well thought out. The love story aspect was expected but the wolf aspect was very surprising. I was very interested in reading about those amazing creatures. I would recommend this book to any person around the age of 18-20 that likes a good love story but also likes the theme of animals. I give Rachel Karns 5 stars. Excellent novel!

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

Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre World Of Food: Brains, Bugs, and Blood Sausage by Andrew Zimmern

Have you ever considered eating a beating frog heart or worm filled cheese? For most of us, the answer is no. For Andrew Zimmern, these are both tasty snacks.  Zimmern is a true foodie and aims to find good local food, where you least expect it. In this book, the Bizarre Foods host explores the world of food and travel, one bite of brain at a time.

This book seems like it would be page after page of disgusting depictions of nasty pots of moose jelly and head cheese, but its more like a behind-the-scenes journal. There are a lot of gross dishes, but its more a natural extension of the Travel Channel show Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. Overall, its pretty light reading, broken into chapters each describing a food adventure. Zimmern has a strong, adjective- heavy voice. He has a true passion for food and it carries through in his writing. I liked the little fun facts sprinkled throughout that give a bit of insight about a culture or type of nosh.  I think this book would be best read on vacation, where you need no emotional characters or twisting plot, just a good read that may inspire you to seek out an exciting meal.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Crescent City, CA USA

Dragon Castle by Joseph Bruchac

Why is Prince Rashko the only intelligent being in his family? No one knows. His parents mysteriously rode off in the middle of the night. His lovesick brother welcomed the Baron Temny and Princess Potenshenie - who may be their fiercest enemies - inside the protective walls of their castle, Hladka Hvorka.  However he may find help in the story of his ancestor Pavol the Good and his slaying of the seven Dragons. As he follows Pavol's story he finds there's much more to him and this castle than meets the eye. It is also possible that Rashko is the foolish one.

At first I had trouble with some of the words as the characters use some Slovak in their speech. Though as I eventually figured out, it translates the foreign words into English next to the Slovak words, and if you still don't understand, there is a glossary in the back. It was entertaining from the beginning through to the very end. All of the characters are deep and it makes them so real, even the bad guys! I believe we all have a mini Baron Temny and Princess Poteshenie inside of us and this is a perfect way of showing this. I recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy, especially on the subject of Dragons.

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

Nashoga: Book 1 of the Redstone Series by Rebecca Weinstein

In this book, a wolf named Nashoga has been driven from his pack by a rival wolf and his minions.  He makes friends and travels far on his quest for justice.
In this book, the auther tells the story through the eyes of an alpha wolf named Nashoga.  I enjoyed the uncertainty, the way you couldn't tell what would happen next. My favorite detail was how she described everything. I could see it as clearly as if I was there. I was, however, depressed and disappointed by the ending, which made several paragraphs earlier in the book pointless.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: woodbine, maryland USA

OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy

A Jewish girl at a Christian debate camp; what could go wrong? Ellie Taylor never thought that her religion would pose a problem at camp, but when an opportunity arose for her to gain a full scholarship to Benedicts, the school of her dreams, she started to rethink everything. With the help of Devon, the scholarship benefactor's grandson and her sizzling new crush, she might be able to pull the wool over his grandma's eyes. But when her deceit is made known and her family starts falling apart, Ellie might lose everything and everyone she loves. OyMG is right!
OyMG is a hilarious and fantastic addition to my library of books. Amy Fellner Dominy has written a story that shows kind of what life is like for teens during their first crushes. It also helps people, especially the teens of today, understand what can happen when people are prejudiced and don't respect others religions. It's a wonderful lesson that is put into a magnificent storyline. I can't wait to have my friends read it!

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: fresno, California USA

Accidental Ashes by Sara C. Roethle

'Accidental Ashes' is a top-notch fiction-fantasy novel written like a mug full to the brim with warm coffee - creamy with creativity and rich with reality. And everyone loves coffee.

In her previous book, Xoe Meyers, an extreme coffee lover of 17 years, is thrust into a realm she thought never existed; one completely built out of myths and legends. Her friends are vampires and werewolves, evil is lurking behind every corner, and nothing, absolutely nothing, is what it seems. Then again Xoe is thrown into a world of questions when she is cursed to bare the title 'half demon' upon her back.

The story continues in 'Accidental Ashes' when Xoe's powers begin to reveal themselves. She can burn things when she is angered - which seems to happen more frequently now - and her body seems to just mend itself when hurt. On top of it all, Xoe's father, who abandoned her as an infant, seeks out Xoe to warn her about more evil, coming closer and closer by the day. All collides in a fierce, illuminating birth of flames, as truth, dreams, and reality are spun together in an everlasting whirlwind, revealing the dark secrets from beyond.

If you're looking for a phenomenal fiction novel, Accidental Ashes will attract with its twists between haunting drama and uplifting levity. Sara C. Roethle begins and completes each chapter to perfection with the exactly the right proportion of apprehension, sense of evil entanglement and admirably, astonishing perception. I simply relished this absorbing fiction novel.

Content: 1
Rating: 9
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Akron, Ohio The United States of America

Dark Passage by M. J. Putney

     In the romantic sequel to Dark Mirror, the gang is finally back in their own time period, only to face drama back home.  Tory and Allarde get closer together, but they get torn apart ton to a levitating mishap which gives Torys magic away to Allarde parents. He is to be disowned if he stays with Tory, so she does the brave thing and leaves him, with a huge hole torn in both their hearts. Cynthia is left at school for the holidays and finds a companion in Jack. She dines with, dances with, and even shares a Christmas kiss with him. But Cynthia being the daughter of a duke is turned off by his poor status. Can she overcome to love him? The group then goes on another adventure through the mirror to help Nick in 1940. They need to rescue a scientist who was inventing a medicine that one of nicks family members needs desperately. Can they do it in time? Will the Irregulars ever solve their relationship dramas? Read Dark Passage to find out.
    This book was dreamily romantic, with a couple dashes or drama and a splash of adventure.  It was a fun read. I would probably recommend it to girls my age, not to many boys though. Even though this book was very sweet and romantic, that was pretty much the whole of the story. Not as much adventure as I thought there would be. I really loved the characters in the book, especially Jack with his fun and teasing nature. Overall this book was fun and sweet, and definitely worth the read.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leawood, Kansas USA

The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson

The Friendship Doll tells the story of early America's relationship with Japan. They sent us 58 dolls as Ambassadors of Friendship, and this book follows the path of one doll, Miss Kanagawa. She traveled from New York to Oregon, visiting the Chicago's World Fair and many museums all during the time of the Great Depression. However, Miss Kanagawa's life of traveling from museum to museum was cut short when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. She was declared unpatriotic and was to be destroyed or hidden. In the story, she appeared one last time to cheer up the old lady who last knew her many years ago, but to this day her actual location is unknown.
In my opinion, The Friendship Doll, is a good book, but a bit confusing. As the book follows Miss Kanagawa's journey as an ambassador doll from Japan to the United States of America, the story line jumps around a bit. As Miss Kanagawa travels, she meets young girls, and the changing of the main character, from one young girl to the next is what makes this book confusing to me. This book takes place in the past, so while children might not realize it, they are actually learning American history. All in all, I think this is a wonderful book, and any young girl who enjoys more of a fantasy type book will definitely enjoy The Friendship Doll.

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

A Million Miles from Boston by Karen Day

Lucys mom died when she was six, so she lives with her dad and brother in Boston, where the worlds most annoying boy, Ian Richards, just happens to live. She cant wait to get away for the summer at Peirson Point. She and her family have been going to the point ever since she was little, and it hasnt really changed. But, as soon as they arrive, news is brought to them that a new family is spending the summer, and it just happens to be Ians family. How could Lucys summer get any worse? How about her dads new girlfriend constantly coming up to see him? Her summer is a complete disaster, until she finds an unlikely friendship with Ian. And is her dads girlfriend really so bad?
I liked how the author made you feel like you were right there in the book. You could get a good picture in your head of what everything looked like. I felt like I could understand the characters easily.  I found the book very interesting. I thought there was too much information sometimes, but it was still good.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, Iowa US

The Resisters by Eric Nylund

 Ethan was torn from his home, the only place he had ever known. Fed an unbelievable story by Madison and Felix and then realized that he was fed a lie his entire life. So he joins the resisters--a group fighting the Chzar with mechanical insects. His ride is a hornet. The only problem is they almost have his sister.  He goes on a mission to save her and others.  
I think the author did a really good job writing The Resisters. The detail of his world makes you feel like youre there as Ethan, fighting for your life and the life of the planet. It stands out from other books that I have read.  One of the ways it stands out is the aliens unique bug-robots including spiders and ants.  When describing the ant, the author wrote But the thing that made Ethan involuntarily scoot back in fear was the stinger that extended from its rear.  It was six feet long&smoldering with heat.  And pointed at Ethan.   You could easily make a video game out of the idea. Many kids and teens would like this book. The only thing I didnt like about this book is how short it is and how there isnt a second book out yet. If you read it and like it then you should like The Roar by Emma Clayton. I recommend this book to people 10 and up.



Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Uxbridge, Ma USA

Dark Eden by Patrick Carman

I thought that Dark Eden, by Patrick Carmen, was a most enjoyable read. The plot line features a group of seven children who are struck with completely debilitating fears. These seven children are all the same age, and are all seeing the same therapist, Dr. Stevens. Dr. Stevens recommends a place called Fort Eden to help them with their terror. The story follows one of the children, Will, a fifteen year old teenager who already knows everything about the other people- and Fort Eden. The reason behind this is that he has hacked Dr. Stevenss computer and borrowed the files on it. He knows that something is amiss about the place, so he hides and refuses to enter. His hiding place is a place just outside the fort called The Bunker. In his race to find out what is wrong with Fort Eden, Will tries to save the girl he has been secretly watching for a long time, ever since the sessions with Dr. Stevens before Fort Eden. But will Will be able to save her, and deny her the cure, or will he even be able to save anyone? It will be impossible to stop reading once you get going.
I enjoyed reading Dark Eden, but it had large draw backs as well that made it hard to read in some places. Even though it had problems it was a very easy story to get swept away in.  It had a good story line, fantastic characters that are really very easy to relate to, and a most puzzling dilemma. One of the draw backs I thought held the book up was that it seemed to be pushing hard for a creepy, slightly scary theme, but never really achieved it. Whenever it got a little bit scary, it always killed the suspense by adding good or happy elements to the book. The angle in which the story is written is through the observers eyes. I enjoyed this because I have never read a book like that, it was rather interesting. The other major drawback in the book was the explanation. The story seemed to branch out into a completely different story when it finally explained everything. The explanation never even seemed like it was trying to flow with the rest of the story. It almost seemed like the author took the easy way out. It was such a good book, and the story was so well written, however, that it I could not stop reading this book once I picked it up. This book may have flaws, but if you focus on them, you can never enjoy this book as what it is, a good read.  

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Monrovia, MD USA

Heir To Power: Book 1 by Michele Poague

Kairma is a member of the Healing family, and its her duty to become the next Miral, or leader, of Survin, her secluded home nestled in the shadow of a huge mountain. The once- pretty little girl was perfectly accepted in her community, that is, until she was bitten by a White One. The White Ones are horrid creatures whose bite causes fever. They haunt the people of Survin, striking fear into the hearts of those who see them. Kairma was the first to survive their bite. Years later, at age sixteen, the fever has left her with pale skin and white hair, so similar to that of the White Ones, so different from the dark skin and hair of her people. Now, Kairma faces discrimination from many members of the village. As if coping with this isnt enough, a stranger has come to the village, and an ancient law orders that he must die. When Kairma and her grandmother Isontra, the current leader of Survin, choose to allow him to live for the present, discriminators only have more reason to hate the Healing family. The stranger then starts trying to convince members of Survin to go to the city, his home. The Survinees are forbidden from leaving their valley, though. Will they leave for the city and risk exposing the location of the Healing Crystal, the very center of their village  and purpose for their seclusion? Will the Survinees allow the stranger to live? Will men from the city attack their village to harvest its gold and make the Survinees lose their home forever?
I really enjoyed this book! I do think its lengthier than it needs to be, but the overall story is original and creative. For me, this book was well worth the length. I like the fact that this book doesnt use a corny or common formula. It has a completely unique plot, with all the action and adventure you could hope for, as well as a touch of social drama and romance. If youre looking for a book thats simply a good read, this is the one for you.

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

Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan

Henry Atherton is an average boy. When he wakes up on a not so average day, he finds out several things. First of all, his parents' relationship is ruined because his mother is having an affair with his dad's secretary. Secondly, when he goes to work for old Mr. Fogarty, he finds a mysterious fairy named Pyrgus Malvae, the Crown Prince. Pyrgus is from a different world, the Faerie Relm, and he is next in line for Emperor. He doesn't care for politics too much, anyway. While he is out roaming the streets, Brimstone of the glue factory captures him and needs to sacrifice him to the demon Beleth. Pyrgus gets rescued by the Emperor's guards [his father's]. When his father knows he isn't safe in their world anymore, he gets sent in their magical portal to the Analouge World [the human world]. Pyrgus somehow gets sabotaged in the process, so instead of going to an island, he gets sent to Mr. Fogarty's backyard. Henry and Mr. Fogarty try to help Pyrgus get back to his own world, but something else goes wrong. The whole time this is going on, his sister Holly Blue, is trying to help get Pyrgus back and find out who sabotaged him. Will he get back to the Faerie Relm safely?

When I first started the book, I thought it would be about a war going on [because of the title]. However, after reading a few chapters I knew that it wasn't. The chapters go back and forth from character to another to another, so you have to pay attention to understand the whole story. The vocabulary is understandable and has a great variety. I would recommend this book to people who like fantasy because of the different 'species' of characters. There is great foreshadowing to help you predict events that would happen later in the book. I found this book very well-written, addicting, and I cannot wait to get the second book to read in this series!

There is mild violence.


Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

All You Desire by Kirsten Miller

In All You Desire (the second book of the The Eternal Ones series) Haven is paranoid she can tell that the black man is watching her again, but no one not even her boyfriend, Iain, will believe her. But when her best friend Beau goes to find a boyfriend that he may have known in a previous life and disappears Haven and Iain must leave their beloved Rome and travel to New York the home of the Ouroboros Society and its leader the black man whose name is Adam. The Ouroboros Society is a secret society for people who have been reincarnated. The people of the Ouroboros society each have a talent that they improve on each life and many of them are the famous actors, politicians, or business people of today. This book is an exciting and dark adventure of Haven desperately searching for her friend Beau and the love triangle that Haven is in the middle of.
Opinion of the book:
All You Desire is a magical and enchanting book. Although is can sometimes get a little to dark for my taste because of a main part of the plot being reincarnation, I like it because a big part of the reincarnation is the love and soul mates that are formed over their lives.

        Adam is a confusing character in a good way, he loves Haven so much an Haven thinks she could be in love with him but he has done so many evil things in the past and Haven feels that every good thing he does is only for her sake. Iain is so important to the story and my second favorite character. Iain is one of the only reincarnated person that can remember every detail of each of his lives, he is born every life with his purpose to find Haven and they love each other dearly but Adam is starting to pull them apart. Beau and Leah are my favorite characters because although they are both only in the ending of the book they both are so unique and so well developed. Leah is a fortune teller friend of Havens who comes to help her later in the book and Beau is the one who is kidnapped at the very beginning of the book.

        Reading this book is sometimes a little confusing and the book is definitely for mature readers only but I have not read the first book so that may be only my opinion. This book is very hard to classify because I dont think it is fantasy or science fiction but I would compare it to Twilight or other vampire book because of its darkness and its focus on love. One of the only things I really did not like about this book was the ending it was such a cliffhanger it has been driving me crazy all week!

I would definitely recommend this to teens and adults for a fun read.

Homosexuality and reincarnation.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Holland, Michigan USA

This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth OppelVictor Frankenstein, his brother Konrad, their distant cousin Elizabeth are in the library one day when they discover a secret passage. Surprised that they hadn't found it before, they go down the passage to find a secret library, filled with books about ancient medicine and alchemy. When Konrad falls deathly ill, Victor returns to the "Dark Library" and finds the instructions to prepare the Elixir of Life - supposedly the only one that really works. With the help of Elizabeth, their friend Henry, and an old alchemist, Polidori, they set about collecting the ingredients for the Elixir. Surviving the dangers of creating the Elixir, they then fight for the Elixir with Polidori, who wants it as his own. Narrowly escaping Polidori (and his lynx Krane) they return home to give Konrad the Elixir, and his health returns. But soon after, they discover the Elixir does not work - when Konrad dies. Crazed, Victor vows that he will someday raise his brother from the grave...This book was exciting at every turn, as well as dark and mysterious throughout. It is a very interesting prequel to the classic story Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. I think that it is a very accurate portrayal of Frankenstein's childhood, the author captured his character quite well. The book is also quite realistic, almost as though it actually happened. There was only one thing I didn't like, though I can't explain it well, it was sort of like the levels of a video game, if you understand what I mean. There's an objective, they have to go through the challenges, complete the task, and then they go through another "level". It's not too bad though, and i really liked the book despite that.Quite gory toward the end, examples: fingers being chopped of with a chisel and hammer, then being flayed and cut up. And cutting open a lynx's stomach with guts spilling out. I thought it was cool, but it might be a little over-the-top for others.Reviewer Age:13Reviewer City, State and Country: Santa Fe, TX USA

Victor Frankenstein, his brother Konrad, and their distant cousin Elizabeth are in the library one day when they discover a secret passage. Surprised that they hadn't found it before, they go down the passage to find a secret library, filled with books about ancient medicine and alchemy. When Konrad falls deathly ill, Victor returns to the "Dark Library" and finds the instructions to prepare the Elixir of Life - supposedly the only one that really works. With the help of Elizabeth, their friend Henry, and an old alchemist, Polidori, they set about collecting the ingredients for the Elixir. Surviving the dangers of creating the Elixir, they then fight for the Elixir with Polidori, who wants it as his own. Narrowly escaping Polidori (and his lynx Krane) they return home to give Konrad the Elixir, and his health returns. But soon after, they discover the Elixir does not work - when Konrad dies. Crazed, Victor vows that he will someday raise his brother from the grave...

This book was exciting at every turn, as well as dark and mysterious throughout. It is a very interesting prequel to the classic story Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley.  I think that it is a very accurate portrayal of Frankenstein's childhood, the author captured his character quite well. The book is also quite realistic, almost as though it actually happened. There was only one thing I didn't like, though I can't explain it well, it was sort of like the levels of a video game, if you understand what I mean. There's an objective, they have to go through the challenges, complete the task, and then they go through another "level". It's not too bad though, and I really liked the book despite that.

Quite gory toward the end, examples: fingers being chopped of with a chisel and hammer, then being flayed and cut up. And cutting open a lynx's stomach with guts spilling out. I thought it was cool, but it might be a little over-the-top for others.

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

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

I feel really tired.

But it's a good kind of tired. Like after you run a marathon. Or after you finally finish taking all your finals. You're exhausted but content and your heart is just a teensy bit heavy.

Saving June details Harper's life after her older sister June commits suicide. Unable to bear it all anymore -- the hurt, her mother's tears, the unfamiliar pats on the back by random strangers -- Harper escapes to California with her best friend Laney, her sister's apparent acquaintance Jake, and June's urn. California was June's dream, and fulfilling it for her seems like the only way Harper can come to terms with what happened. But a place is just a place. Mostly. And the journey there is only a road trip. Sort of.

Man, I cannot stop myself from pausing every once in a while, picking up Saving June again, and re-reading some of the standout passages. I'll probably be willing to shout the title of this book from the rooftops, and it's coming out in paperback. Seriously? Saving June deserves a hardcover edition and a few weeks in a comfy spot on the NYT Best Sellers List.

Why all the enthusiasm? Our protagonist Harper has backbone and doesn't take crap from anyone. Puke on her, and she'll puke on you. Jake is a sweetheart with a music obsession and a spiny exterior. Laney is fun and flirty and fiery, and I'm running out of adjectives that start with f to describe her. This is what all fictional characters should strive to become. They should have a life and a heart and a soul and a personality. Physical attraction isn't a bad trait, either.

Really, this book was about healing and maturity and dealing with death. I feel like reading it has made me a different person (that's what all great novels should do, in my opinion). But it also made me chuckle and sigh. And this weight on my chest just won't disappear.I recommend Saving June to anyone looking for truly beautiful YA contemporary fiction.

Sexual content.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Palo Alto, CA USA

Gaia Warriors by Nicola Davies

Everyone has heard of the threat of global warming. Scientists believe that this devastation is inevitable, and humans must prepare for its effects now. Although it is bound to happen, we know of several ways to slow down the process. These methods include reducing CO2 and methane emissions, especially in areas of the world such as the United States that produce the most of these gases. Many methods will have to be used by large companies and factories, but there are also ways that normal people can reduce their own carbon footprint like walking or biking instead of driving a car, reusing clothes, and being careful about electricity use. Everyone must work together to help protect our world and become Gaia Warriors.
I love to learn about science, and I wanted to explore the study of global warming because of its prominence in political and intellectual talk. This book helped me to not only learn the terrible effects of the problem, but it also showed me many ways that I can do my part in slowing down the process of global warming. The book was written in a very friendly manner, and people of any age could enjoy this book. It is a book compiled into many segments of stories and opinions of different scientists and everyday people. This makes it interesting to read because there is a wide range of interests explored, such as athletics, fashion, travel, and (of course) the environment. I wish that everyone would read this book so we can work together to ensure that we are prepared for a raised global temperature.

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw

In a once beautiful, but now dark and cruel world Kate Winters is about to discover just how dark it can be.

When Kate discovers that she can bring a blackbird back to life her whole belief of existence is shattered. She must now except that she is a Skilled and learn the secrets of the ancient book Wintercraft to stop the cunning and ruthless Council members from destroying Albion and the few loving people she has left. As her home is destroyed and her best friend isnt who he says he is, Kates old life will never be the same again. With secret passages, hidden libraries, and murdering immortals Kate will embark on a journey that will change her life&&but for the better or the worse?

Jenna Burtenshaw has created something entirely new that is a mixture of genres, but cannot be placed in any specific one which makes it quite wonderful. The setting was dark, intense, and well fleshed out. It really fit will with the theme of darkness and death.

The writing is also well done and very fluid and impassioned. The only problem I had with was the charactors. Kate is nice and sweet, but slightly bland. Her best friend Edgar at first seems sweet and soft, but turns mysterious and possibly untrustworthy. The rest of the charactors, which there are few of, are also good but still have that bland quality. The plot was my favorite part of the book because the best plots are unpredictable, and this one was very much so. The ending was somewhat commendable and completed the book with contentment.

  I would recommend this book to older teens, because of the violence and bleak atmosphere. It is a great read and I never got the feeling of wanting to put down, so in my opinion it was a fun way to fill my day.


Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Colorado Springs, Colorado United States of America

Amos Daragon by Bryan Perro

Amos Daragon: The Mask Wearer is a book about Amos Daragon, a teenage boy, that one day, when hunting crabs, meets a mermaid who sends him on a quest to meet someone named Gwenfadrille.  On his quest, things are beginning to turn to stone at random.  He later figures out that this was caused by gorgons, and he meets Beorf, a humanimal that can turn to a bear.  While Amos continues on his quest, Beorf fights the gorgons and eventually gets turned to stone.  Amos later accepts the mask wearer title and with it, an army under his command.  In the end of the book, there is a war with the naga, snake humanimals.  How does the war end? Does Amos save Beorf? Read and find out!

I think the author's purpose was to provide an entertaining book to read.  I think the book would be good for ages 9-13, but my parents thought they might like it too.  The book is well written and keeps your attention with the storyline feature of going back and forth in time. For example, there is a point where someone travels back in time, becomes young again, and then raises an army for Amos.  The author did a good job putting in mythology at certain parts in the book and it wouldn't be as good without it. I would recommend this book to most of my friends and anyone who likes mythology.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Dickinson, Texas United States