Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies) by Justina Chen Headley

She's half Taiwanese, from her crazy mother, and half caucasian, from her almost non exsisting father. She's a lonely freshman and tells it like it is. She is Patty Ho. Her overprotective, very strict mother sends her to summer math camp when Patty's fortune teller grandmother says she is going to meet a white man. Patty is furious when she finds out that she is going to camp while her suck up brother does nothing. So she is sent off to Stanford with no tendency of enjoying it. She is glad that she is getting away from the classmates who tease her but the thought of leaving her best friend makes her week to the knees. What she doesn't know is math camp at Stanford might not be so bad after all.....

For me, the book overall wasn't that interesting. At the very beginning of the book, the second paragraph, didn't make me want to read more. It was kind of weird and almost gave the wrong impression. I started to read more and I just couldn't get into it. There were some parts that were suspenseful and exciting but after a few pages, it got kind of dull. The excitement faded out. To me, I felt there was no plot. All the book focused on was that Patty Ho was half Asain and half white. I also couldn't relate to the book. It was hard to understand where Patty Ho was coming from being half and half. Headley used excellent description and I could the see the situations in my head as I was reading it but it didn't grab my attention.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 4
Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Villa Hills, Kentucky USA

Girl in Development by Jordan Roter

In this cross between The A-List and Gossip Girl, this book provides a new look on the hardships of making it in Hollywood. Samantha Rose has been given an internship at a film company as a graduation present. Moving from the East Coast is a big deal, and Sam feels like she may not fit in like her cousin, Kate. As she gets into the West Coast way of life, she starts getting along with Kate, starts to get involved in scriptwriting and even starts to have a relationship with a hot co-worker. But just when Sam thinks she's on top, she realizes that she may not be getting credit for everything she deserves and goes about doing something to get back.

When I first saw this book, I thought it would be just like one of those books out there like the A-List books, but I was pleasantly surprised. The characters were likeable and the story was interesting as well. I loved the little quotes at the top of each chapter. This is a great summer read and I'm looking forward to the next book this author writes.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

Desert Blood 10pm/9c by Ronald Cree

Gus Gonzales, is a fourteen year old boy who has just been adopted by a twenty-six-year old famous actor. Despite it's glamorous appearance Gus' life is far from perfect. A group of upperclassmen make it their business to humiliate him daily. Some have even threatened to kidnap him. Find out what happens to Gus in this fast-paced action/mystery novel Desert Blood 10pm/9c

Desert Blood is a fast-paced Hollywood mystery full of movie stars, annoying paparazzi, and crazy fans. The characters are vivid, likable, and easy to relate to. This book will capture the interest of readers, regardless of what genre they fancy. The book is humorous, with a superb ending that was unpredictable, but yet it is believable. The surprising twist makes reading the book worth while. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to people who like action/mystery books. I look forward to reading the author's next book.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Starkville, Mississippi USA

The Year the Gypsies Came by Linzi Glass

The Year the Gypsies Came, by Linzi Glass, is a heartbreaking yet heartwarming novel set in apartheid Johannesburg, South Africa. The story is about tomboy Emily Iris, her older, flawless sister Sarah, and their self-centered, bickering parents, who welcome travelers and vagabonds into their home to ease their constant arguing and create the façade of a perfect home. Buza, the elderly Zulu watchman, is Emily’s constant companion, along with her sister. One year, when Emily is 12 years old, her parents invite the Mallorys, a “gypsy” family of traveling rovers – a wildlife photographer, his wife, their mentally retarded son Otis, and their younger son Streak, who is Emily’s age- to stay with them. The Mallorys’, a dysfunctional family in themselves, frighten everyone, especially Emily, and Emily and her family are transformed and devastated by their stay.

Linzi Glass has created a beautiful story of love, tragedy, and hope. The eloquence of her writing raises the English language to a whole other level of brilliance. Johannesburg, the author’s native city, is elevated to a state of exquisiteness. Emily Iris and other endearing characters will capture your heart, just like this book. The Year the Gypsies Came is a definite must-read.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aurora, Colorado United States

Grand and Humble by Brent Hartinger

This book is about two boys, Harlan and Manny. Harlan is having terrifying premonitions that leave him questioning them. Manny is having nightmares that he thinks are concerning his past. Little do the boys know that their problems have to do with their past and present lives. It turns out they know less about their past than they thought.

I thought this book was an excellent book! It was compelling, adventerous, and psychological - all in one book. I was not able to put it down. I also hope that their is an equally thrilling sequel. Everybody thought I was crazy walking around while trying to read that book because it was such a page turner.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Minooka, Illinois America

The Second Life of Linus Hoppe by Anne-Laure Bondoux

Linus Hoppe is a student currently living in Realm One. After he takes the exam by the Great Processor that decides which realm he will be in, he swaps scores with his friend, Yosh. He thought it would be fun living in Realm Two, but he is treated terribly and cannot see his friends anymore. When a girl named Toscane comes to talk to him, he is forced into hiding. With the help of a few of his friends, he must try to stop the Great Processor and all the exams to creat one big realm.

I thought that The Second Life of Linus Hoppe was put together very well. The characters all had there own importance and skill in the book when it was needed most. Sometimes it was hard to understand the book. That was mainly at the beginning of the book when they were introducing all the realms and characters though. What I thought was one of the best aspects of the book was that at first it told three storys that didn't mean anything but toward the end everything tied in well. I recommend this book for anyone who wants a good sci-fi book or even an adventure book to read.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, Pennsylvania United States

A LIttle Honesty by Jonathan Pearce

In A Little Honesty is a book about 16 year old Zack Burnross who is dealing with a lot in his life. His father is developing Alzheimer's, and his much younger mother is having an affair with the town scammer. He also has to deal with two girls; One violent and hormone prone the other a news paper journalist with a appetite not only for food... both are much older than him. He goes to a physiatrist because his teacher believes he is weird. To top it off he has to go to summer school or he can't achieve his dream of becoming a Supreme Court Justice.

When I first picked this book up I thought it would be a run-of-the-mill "how I got through summer school" book. I was wrong. The author uses a somewhat basic plot--a teenage boy going through summer school-- and transforms it into something exciting and fun to read. There are a lot of colorful characters: from a talking cat named Ally, to a private eye poet. These characters add a pleasant charm to the novel. This book is humorous which is a major plus. It keeps you interested and looking forward to the next joke. There were some things left unexplained that I wanted to know, for instance, how the boy could comprehend the speech of animals. Overall, this is an average book that is worthy of reading.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Starkville, Mississippi USA

Dr. Susan's Weight Loss Book for Girls by Dr. Susan Bartell

I loved the book. It is written perfectly for the mid to high school student. It gives proper nutritional advice that is easy to understand and doable. Girls will be drawn to the colorful pages. The exercises are well explained and the chapter flow logically and carefully. It covers some excellent concerns with dieting and issues that can result. It teaches young women the proper way to LIVE not DIET! I will recommend this book wholeheartedly in my library!

Danna G. Williams
Library Media Specialist - NBCT
4208 Chieftain Lane
Jonesboro, AR 72401
(870)910-7819 x128
dwilliams@nettletonschools.net

Yestermorrow: Time Tripper by Stefan Petrucha

This book is about Harry Keller an average High school student. Who can go into another demention called A-time. Well I guess he's not so average. In A-time Harry can view people time lines the past, present, and future of people depending on the choices they make. In A-time Harry also decoveres Quirks bad events waiting to force there way into people time lines. Find out how Harry deal with Quirks in A-time in Yestermorrow Time Tripper.

Let me give it to you straight, this book is fantastic! It starts off when Harry Keller a High School boy learns that he can go into another dimension called A-Time. In A-Time he can see people time lines: the past, present, and future of people and the different choices they make. Everything is going great in A-time when he discovers creatures that he calls Quirks. Quirks are bad events in time that try to force their way into people's time lines. Most of the unfortunates events are minor for instance, drop your mail or have a cramp in your leg but Harry finds a huge Quirk, a suicidal Quirk on Todd Penderwhistle's future time line. On top of all of this, Harry is faced with a huge conflict in his own life- the same boy, Todd threatened to kill Harry earlier that morning. Harry is faced with a decision- Will he use his power to save his enemy Todd, or just say "Well that's too bad for him." This book is fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat during the entire novel. The author, Stefan Petrucha (who has written many popular books including some of the Nancy Drew series) does a phenomenal job of story telling what otherwise could have been a confusing A- Time. You may wonder if the book is so great why did you rate it nine out of ten, and not ten out of ten? The book is great, but there are a few moments where you just say to yourself this part is stupid. I read the advanced copy so the writer might have changed it. These few moments are not enough to ruin the book. This book ends how I think every book should... with suspense. This book is the first in what I think will be a trilogy the second book, Inrage (that I am anxious to read) is already out and the third book BlindSighted will be released Nov 30,2006 according to amazon.com. In closing, I highly recommend Yestermorrow: Time Trippers to teenage readers of science fictions. This book is a must read!

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Starkville, Mississippi USA

Vandal by Michael Simmons

Vandal by Michael Simmons is the story about Will Brenner, an average 16-year-old boy dealing with normal teenage issues. But one thing about Will’s life isn’t so normal. Will’s brother, Jason, has been a trouble maker for as long as he can remember. Jason has had countless encounters with the police, was been in juvenile detention once, and torments Will daily. The only person who seems able to control Jason is their little sister, Olivia. But in a fatal accident, Jason slams a van into the back of their family car, leaving their mother with a broken bones and Olivia in a coma. Now, Will must learn to cope with the sadness and uncertainty of the accident, Jason’s behavior problems, and all of the other worries that accompany being a teenager.

At first, I thought the book was slow-moving and very confusing because it skipped around a lot. But once I got into the book I found it was interesting and quite good. Simmons puts into words fears that teenagers experience; the fear of losing someone close to you , the fear of your crush not liking you back, and the fear that someone might not like you however hard you try. This makes Will is a very relatable character. Overall I thought the book was excellent, though very sad. It’s a great book for preteens to teenagers.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Erlanger, Kentucky United States

Dead Connection by Charlie Price

Dead Connection by Charlie Price is a mystery about the people surrounding a teen cheerleader’s death. Murray, a social pariah who has the ability to speak with the dead, hangs out in the local cemetery. Just as he finally makes his first friend in the caretaker’s daughter, Pearl, he begins to hear a new voice lurking around the graves. They are immediately convinced that it is the cheerleader trying to communicate with them. The only problem is finding her. Meanwhile Deputy Gates is trying particularly hard to discover the whereabouts of the girl and the circumstances of her case, when he meets Mr. Robert Barry Compton. Mr. Robert Barry Compton is truly a rebel with a cause, diagnosed with schizophrenia; he holds the answer to the fate of the teen, if only he could remember it! When he begins to remember what he witnessed, all the evidence leads to Vern Billup, a police man whose alcoholic abuse and skewed volition brings nothing but trouble and pain. As the story unfolds the truth behind the popular teen’s death is revealed but never expected.

When I picked up this book I was a bit confused by the myriad of characters and things to remember which were thrown at me in the early pages. However, soon each character became an old friend, and tidbits of their personalities, strange as they were, began to remind me of traits of my favorite people. The great thing about each character was their human nature, they weren’t infallible, they made mistakes, and they learned to live with the consequences. This was a classic tale of the oddball overcoming the odds and becoming a hero. It was the story of ordinary people and their ordinary lives; ordinary lives that captivate the reader so. The mystery thickened as insights and motives of each character were revealed. In the end, even if bits of loose ends remained, this book made me feel happy just to be an ordinary person, because I knew that everything would be OK for the characters that deserved it.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 15

Once Upon Stilettos by Shanna Swendson

Katie Chandler, the assistant at MSI, lives an unordinary life. She is one of the few employees at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc who can see magical illusions, spells, enchantments and more. Yet she doesn't have one magical bone in her body. As the newly promoted assisstant to Merlin, she is given some rather special jobs. When someone breaks into wizard Owen Palmer's office, she is sent to investigate the crime. When it is determined that someone in the office is sabotaging the company, it's up to Katie to find a clever way to find the culprit before they can get to her first.

I'm a fan of chick-lit, so I was immediately attracted to the title and cover of the book. As soon as I started to read this book, I could not put it down. I loved the twist with the magical elements. It definately added a little something different. I really liked the main character, Katie, as well. I will try to find the prequel to Once Upon Stilettos as soon as I can. This is a great summer read!

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Narrated by a wise, non-threatening voice of, ‘the angel of death,’ The Book Thief by Markus Zusak tells the reader, “If you feel like it, come with me. I will tell you a story. I’ll show you something.” The something is an endearing, emotional journey not to be missed or soon forgotten. Through the main character Liesel Meminger and her love for books, The Book Thief is an honest account about the universal truths of the contagiousness of fear, childhood innocence, and the resilient power of people in the time of catastrophe - even while living through Nazi Germany. Living in the working neighborhood of a small town outside of Munich during WWII with an accordion playing foster father she adores, a Jewish boxer hiding in her basement she finds inspiring, and the undying love and childhood she shares with her best friend named Rudy, Liesel encourages her piece of the world with her fervent admiration and desire for books. Her spirit and strength, and Rudy, help fuel her desire by stealing books from where she can, from the mayor’s house, Nazi book burnings, and gravesites. She reminds the reader about the respect books deserve through their ability to medicate the soul even during bombing raids, the destruction of homes, and the loss of loved ones. The Book Thief is a book you will fall in love with. Markus Zusak has an artisan writing style. The thoughtful character development and engaging storyline are so carefully woven it’s almost breathtaking. Zusak is sensitive in providing small hints about the destruction and inevitable loss of life to come. Although still emotional moments, this foreshadowing helps prepare the reader. As such, this over 500-page novel is entirely appropriate for young adults and, the not so young, adults. The Book Thief is destined to become a true classic and find its place on bookshelves everywhere including yours.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 29
Reviewer City, State and Country: Arlington, Virginia United States

Come Back Jack by Gary Nei

All thanks to one little word, Jack Rabbit's life will never be the same. After losing to the tortoise in that oh so embarrassing race, Jack decides he wants to become a star. After searching for a way to become famous, Jack befriends a crow that tells him that he knows where Jack can fulfill his dreams. The crow takes Jack to Magicland where they meet the Magic Man. The Magic Man gives Jack an offer to become the star he wanted to be, but it will cost him a small price. Jack becomes a star when performing for the Magic Man, but is what he had to give to become that star worth it?

I think the author of Come Back Jack put in a lot of time and thought to create this wonderful book. I really enjoyed this book, but when I got to the last few chapters the book fell flat. The ending was pretty boring and the fighting scenes were continued way too long. I think the author could have made this book better by shortening the length of the fighting scenes and that he should have added more details to the ending to make it more interesting. There are cute, sometimes silly illustrations that were drawn by Heather Shellenberger throughout the book. I recommend this book for ages eight to twelve.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA US

Boys That Bite by Mary Mancusi

Sunshine and Rayne are identical twins, but they have completely different personalities. Rayne, obsessed with being goth and training to become a vampire, convinces her goody-two-shoes sister, Sunny, to go to a goth club. And that's where everything goes wrong. Being mistaken for her sister, Sunny is bitten by a gorgeous man, Magnus, who turns out to be a vampire. Sunny is shocked to discover that within seven days, she will be a full-fledged vampire. She desperately wants to return to normal person status, especially since she was just asked out to prom by the hottest senior at school. With Rayne's coaching, and Magnus's help, Sunny begins to understand the process of becoming a vampire while trying to find the holy grail, which is her only hope of turning back.

At first, I thought that this would be a cheesy vampire romance novel. But instead, I found this novel to be humorous, especially with all the pop culture references in today's world. The idea of turning into a vampire was uniquely refreshing as well; it was fun to read about modern vampires. The story was a quick read and I finished it in one day. I'd definately recommend this as a fun summer read. And I did not see the twist coming at the end and I cannot wait to read the sequel, which is coming out in December.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

The Wizard Lord by Lawrence Watt-Evans

The Wizard Lord is the ruler of all the land of Barokan. He controls anything and everything from the weather, to keeping the peace by hunting down rouge wizards and other criminals. However, if he goes bad there are eight Chosen people (the Leader, the Seer, the Swordsman, the Beauty, the Thief, the Scholar, the Archer, and the Speaker) who when working together can remove the Wizard Lord, through persuasion or other, more gruesome methods. Breaker is the main character of this story. He, after months of rigorous training, takes over the position of Swordsman. During his travels, which he starts shortly after becoming one of the Chosen, he meets the Seer and the Scholar. Then they head out to find the other five chosen, because they found some “reasons” to remove the current Wizard Lord. Find out by reading The Wizard Lord.

I enjoyed every aspect of this book, except for the beginning, which starts out too slow. I think the author did a very good job at developing the characters and the plot, which made the story suspenseful and mysterious at the same time. This book would be enjoyed by almost anyone who likes fantasy stories. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Denair, California United States

La Linea by Ann Jaramillo

Papá and Mamá left seven years ago to cross la línea, the line. Miguel, a fifteen-year-old Mexican boy, has been promised several times that he can join them soon, and still, nothing has happened. Then he gets a note on his birthday saying to contact Don Clemente, a rich man known for helping people cross into Estados Unidos, the United States. Miguel is finally on his way. Unfortunately, he didn’t reckon on his sister sneaking out of the house and onto the train with him, carrying enough borrowed money to cross on her own. She is determined not to be left behind, and if Miguel refuses to travel with her, she will go on alone. Together, they face extreme peril in their attempt to cross the line. Will they make it? Will they finally see their parents again? Will they finally get to meet the twin sisters they’ve never seen?

Ann Jaramillo has created a compelling story filled with fear, danger, and the importance of family. The story of two teenagers who set out to find a better life, one that actually includes their parents, teaches readers young and old of the strength friends and family can bring and the determination people must have to improve their lives. La Línea shows us just how hard some people are willing to fight to reach a place where they know hard work will actually pay off. Vivid pictures and horrors are depicted throughout the book, as well as common Spanish phrases and a view of the life Miguel, his sister Elena, and their grandmother, have on their farm in the middle of a drought. This is definitely a novel to remember.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA United States

Monterey Shorts 2

"Monterey Shorts 2" is a collection of short stories written by authors of the Monterey Peninsula in Central California. Each of these wonderful stories takes place somewhere in the area of the Monterey Peninsula. The stories date back from the days of the gold rush to present time. Another interesting aspect of the book is that some of the stories refer to characters in another story. This helps tie key parts of the plot together and gives a better overall understanding of the stories. If you like stories of all varieties without a large time commitment, this is the book for you. "Monterey Shorts 2" gives you the thrill of a best-selling novel and the feel-good lessons of life with its many stories written by some of the best authors in the country.

I thought this book gave great insight to the reader about life in the Monterey Peninsula. There is an excellent variety of stories from psychological thrillers to the stories that send great universal messages. The stories incorporated a lot into the plot and storyline, but not too much to confuse the reader or detract from the main idea of the story. Many of the authors wrote more than one story in the book, and I was impressed with their ability to write high-quality work from vastly different genres. I thought the subtle details blended with the plot very well to keep the reader on edge at all times. This book will not bore the reader because of the many twists in each story along with the wonderful pictures the authors paint the reader. "Monterey Shorts 2" is one of the best books I have ever read, and I recommend everyone to read it.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Eden Prairie, Minnesota United States

The Invisible Detective by Justin Richards

A local drunk is found dead days after he claims to see a thing in a soldier uniform with metal claws coming after him. Fear not for The Invisible Detective is on the case. Using his wits and a little bit of luck The Invisible Detective and friends solves the case of the Ghost Soldier. Meanwhile in the present his grandson Arthur is trying to solve a mystery of his own, read how it turns out in The Invisible Detective: The Ghost Soldiers.

This book is a paranormal mystery book complete with evil scientist and of course ghost soldiers. It keeps you guessing through half of the book and repeatedly loses you through a lot of loops and turns, most of which are irritating. Then the author brings you back with a lot of minor clues and explanations. Then, it loses you again with its continuous flash backs, which ranges between 1936 and the present. It can be somewhat confusing. I think the author does a good job of explanations though they are rather tedious. By the end of this book you basically know what has happened in the previous books of the series. This book is slow and takes a while to get through, but it has potential. The story of Arthur Drake finding his grandfather's journal made in Arthur's own handwriting from years before he was even born is a very intriguing plot. I am interested to see how the series will end. I recommend this book to people that enjoy reading slow mysteries, and have the time to sort through this book.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Starkville, Mississippi USA

Emma's Secret by Veda Boyd Jones

Twelve-year-old Emma Farley worries if her family will survive the cholera outbreak that was caused by the terrible flooding of the Ohio River. Emma wonders if her dreams of becoming an animal doctor will ever come true, because in Cincinnati in 1832, girls have to become wives and mothers instead of having careers. Emma tries to keep her dreams and her family alive during this hard time. What will happen to the people of Cincinnati and how will they ever get this mess cleaned up? Find out in this exciting story called Emma’s Secret.

Emma’s Secret is one of the many wonderful books in the Sisters In Time series. Emma’s Secret kept me up all night long and I liked reading about this time period in history. Emma’s Secret is a faith-based book that shows you how sometimes when you believe in God, good things may really happen. I think that this story could be improved by having more adventure and additional things happen. I really enjoyed reading this book and I recommend it to kids ages 9-12.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA United States