"Nokosee: Rise of the New Seminole", by Micco Mann

Stormy Jones hates the Everglades, which, unfortunately for her, is where she is forced to spend her summers with her divorced father. This particular summer, her dad decides to take her on a fire-fighting expedition in the forest, and immediately loses track of her. Stormy, a regular city girl, is left to fend for herself, until she meets Nokosee. Nokosee, a native of the Everglades, takes her on several adventures on the way back to the "Outside", as he calls civilization. Along the way, Stormy starts to fall for Nokosee, and by the time they reach civilization, they are both madly in love with each other. But when Nokosee tries to leave after delivering Stormy to her father, Stormy's father won't let him, and wants to arrest him for kidnapping his daughter. Nokosee and Stormy find themselves scrambling to make everything, including their relationship, end happily.

I did not enjoy "Nokosee: Rise of the New Seminole" as much as I thought I would. There were too many sub-plots to follow, and that made the book confusing. I also feel that there were far too many life-or-death situations, so by the time the 5th or 6th situation rolled around, I knew how it would end. Despite these points, Micco Mann was able to use his descriptive creativity to paint vivid pictures of each scene in my head, and was able to tie up all the loose ends in the story in a way that I would not have thought possible. I would recommend this book to young adults 13 and up.

This book has content that is not suitable for children under the age of 13.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Boothwyn, Pennsylvania USA

Kujibiki Unbalance 1

Bad luck follows Chihiro everywhere he goes. However, he wins an odd lottery allowing him to enter in Rikkyoin High School. Everything there is decided by a lottery; this includes the student council. When Chihiro draws a winning ticket to become the student council president he doesn't realize what is involved with the position. Everyday he faces evil with the other members of the new student council. Will Chihiro's luck improve enough to fight the evil or will it cause them to die?

Kujibiki Unbalance 1 was a very interesting and short manga. I liked the beginning because the story started without unnecessary introductions. The pictures were beautiful, but sometimes the female characters were drawn inappropriately for younger readers. I liked the different personalities and mysteries of the characters. The main character Chihiro was unique because he was a leader, but he wasn't a super macho person. The ending leaves you hanging and makes you want to read the next one. I recommend this book to any reader who likes manga.

Reviewer Age:15

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

The House of Djinn by Suzanne Fisher Staples

Honor, tradition, and expectations. When Mumtaz's Baba
dies everything she knows and understands is changed. She
does have a mother, though she may be hidden away from the
world. And she also has a pre-arranged marriage to her
American cousin Jameel. The marriage must be quick, as
soon as possible. What happens if Jameel and Mumtaz's
desire for a future that isn't planned out for them is
stronger then their desire to please their family and
uphold the expectations placed on them by the Amirazi
tribe?

I really liked the House of Djinn. It put into
perspective what teenagers' life in other parts of the
world may be like. I also liked the surprises that
appeared in the story, like the possibility of Mumtaz
going to Cholistan with her mother. It was surprisingly
easy to fallow, something I wasn't expecting after reading
the summary on the back of the book. This book makes me
feel as if I am in the same room as Mumtaz. Its as if I'm
there with her, and I understand what she's feeling and
what is going through her mind. This is a great book to
read as you are getting ready to start school, and it will
interest almost any reader under the age of twenty-
one.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and
Country: Casa Grande, Arizona United States

The Automatic Detective by A. Lee Martinez

This book is a science fiction mystery set in a futuristic world filled with mutants and robots. Its purpose is to entertain. The main character is a robot named Mack Megaton. He was created to be destructive, but he developed free will, as did many other robots. He is now a cab driver attempting to earn his citizenship. When his neighbors go missing and he is attacked, he decides to get to the bottom of it. Along the way, he makes new friends and enemies.

I enjoyed this book and found the plot interesting. The plot is far-fetched and comical which greatly adds to the humor and uniqueness of the book. The characters were all likable even if they were not deeply moving. The book moves quickly and is a short but pleasant read. I recommend it specifically for someone looking for a funny, science-fiction mystery, but anyone would probably enjoy it.

Reviewer Age:14

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

Breathe by Cliff McNish

Inhale, exhale. A simple, involuntary action that most of us do without trouble. Jack, on the other hand, has asthma: asthma that has almost killed him. But in his new house, there are things at work... things much more dangerous then his asthma. The more Jack learns, the deeper he gets into the secrets of his new home, and the more danger he puts himself and his mother in. And what he finds out, just might kill him.

Although death and theories of an afterlife might be deep and complex topics, Breathe by Cliff McNish was an easy read. The combination of simple vocabulary and phrases and the non-stop commotion caused by the colorful cast of characters practically gave me insomnia. I couldn't stop reading and I got through the 261 pages in little under four hours. I was instantly captivated by the twisting plot and the portrayal of the hero, Jack, as a brave and intelligent young man. Breathe was refreshing and simple, but one of my favorite books this summer!

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: marblehead, MA US

Rating: 8

Content Rating: 1

Jars of Glass by Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler

Jars of Glass by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler is a story of Shana and Chloe, two teenage sisters who struggle to find ways to cope with their family problems. From a mother who is hospitalized, a father who drinks and smokes to help him detach from feeling alive, and an adopted brother who is emotionally scarred and speaks a small amount of English. These girls decide that if you don't enjoy the family you have then you should go out and make another one. They come up with their own ways to escape their family and attempt to create a separate life that will help them forget about the issues occurring at home. Through many events, Chloe and Shana come to realize: some things aren't all that they seem to be, Love (even for a family member) is blind, and that life is only as appealing as you make it.

The author gives a pretty good description of the settings but at times they became a bit hard to follow, as if maybe they were too elaborate or not elaborate enough (i.e. the families home). The tone was a bit bleak and at times suggested a feeling of despair and abandonment from both sisters. Shana, your typical misunderstood girl, turns Goth; but the author did an excellent job of explaining why she chose that path and how she truly feels about the whole Goth scene. Chloe ditches her artistic ability in fear of becoming like her mother and longs to find someone who will befriend her. The fact that the book is written in both sides of the story (alternating sisters with each chapter) makes it quite enjoyable and helps the reader to understand why each girl chose certain actions. The writing brings each character to life, from their corky smarty-pants comments to their confused and lost moments. The book was very well put together, switching chapters to the next sister at just the right moments. Fortunately, the book did not have your typical fairytale ending; but it did have a very happy-go-lucky conclusion. I would recommend this book to lovers of Lurlene McDaniel books or anyone who enjoys reading about dysfunctional families.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Raleigh, North Carolina United States

Mousetraps by Pat Schmatz

Maxie and Roddy designed hi-tech mousetraps together while in elementary school. But that was elementary school. In high school everything changes. After the change between schools they don't talk nearly as much. Now Roddy goes by Rick and he is an outcast. Nobody treats him with respect. Since Maxie's high school-best friend Tay finds new friends while snowboarding, Maxie continues to hang out with Rick like in the old days and she notices that he is nice. Maxie wonders if they are more than just friends. Then everything goes terribly wrong.
The book Mousetraps started off rather slow although it got better as I made it through. Pat Schmatz showed me that life isn't perfect for everyone, and if you can, help those kinds of people. Overall I would recommend this book to anybody, boys or girls.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Oakmont, Pennsylvania United States

The Night Children by Kit Reed

Jule is just an ordinary girl...except for the fact that her parents have mysteriously been taken away one night. Her aunt disappears soon after and Jule decides to visit one of the biggest malls ever, the Castertown MegaMall, to escape her loneliness and fear. After being locked in the mall's biggest attraction - the WhirlyFunRide - she accidentally gets stuck in the mall overnight and discovers mysteries about lost and abandoned children and some who just ran away. No one knows about these children. They have formed different groups of night children and are staying and living in the mall with all the other groups and their leaders. What they don't know is that the evil Amos Zozz is scheming to take revenge on all the night children for an incident that destroyed his life many years ago. Even the two biggest group enemies see that they will have to work together to save all of the night children from what is about to happen.

I thought this book was very fun to read. I liked reading and learning from all the characters and different sides of the story. The author created a very fun and exciting book for anyone to read. I think the book is very unexpected in a good way. This book was hard to put down. I got involved in the story within the first few chapters. The book gave few details in the beginning and made me want to read even more. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a little mystery and adventure.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Midlothian, VA, USA

Forever Changes by Brendan Halpin

Inspirational, emotional, heartfelt, and vivid. These are all words that describe the book, Forever Changes. Brianna is in her golden years. She's in high school, has a social life, and a parent who cares about her a lot. Even though Brianna has an illness that is hard to cure, she does her best in whatever she sets her mind to. Ever since Brianna started her third year of high school, something seems to be missing. Her father keeps nagging her about college and her best friends push her to the limit with things she doesn't care about. On the other hand there's Mr. Eccles, her math teacher, who gives her the idea that solving infinity is possible. Brianna seems to struggle to pull the pieces of her life together, but stops when she see's that her future may be coming to an end.

At first when I started the book, I knew I couldn't put it down. Every one of those words were sinking into me deeper and deeper as I read along. Forever Changes really made me think about all the challenges that a person might have to face in life and how they deal with them. When I finished that book, I realized that I was a really lucky person. I'm healthy, athletic, and I have friends and a family that care for me very much. If I lost any of those things, I don't know how I would survive. Forever Changes truly showed me that there isn't always that perfect little world out there for everyone. There will always be people who get the short end of the stick and others who are more fortunate and get the long end of the stick. No matter what kind of obstacles are out there, a person can always make them into journey's that they will never forget.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gearhart, Or U.S.A.

The Last Patriot

The Last Patriot by Brad Thor marks the next chapter in the Scot Harvath saga. The former Navy SEAL and Secret Service agent finds himself back in the fray when he witnesses a car bombing outside a French cafe. Under Harvath's protection, the bomb's intended target reveals to Harvath that the most powerful threat to Western Civilization, Fundamentalist Islam, could be eliminated without a single military offensive. This revelation sends Harvath in search of the the prophet Mohammed's last revelation. With the help of Islamic scholars, the FBI, and Thomas Jefferson's diary, Harvath must obtain the revelation before it is found by fundamentalists who see the future of the United States as a nation under Sharia law.

In The Last Patriot, Brad Thor provides all of the characteristics necessary to deliver a great thriller: character development, plenty of plot twists, and an unexpected ending. However, Thor also adds something else that may distinguish the novel from others. Political thrillers have examined the threats to the West (specifically the United States) for many years. We have read about Soviet conspiracies, nuclear war with North Korea, and terrorist cells in the Middle-East. But Thor's observation of the foundation of Islam is a place few authors have gone. This concept embedded into the plot contributes to the thought-provoking nature of the novel as we step into an uncertain future. A fast read with plenty of punch, I recommend The Last Patriot to readers who enjoy secret-agent storylines along with political intrigue.

Violence and religious examination

Reviewer Age:18

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

Violet in Private

Violet Greenfield knows she's supposed to be a super-confident nineteen-year-old because she's done runway shows in New York and internationally. But now that she's finally headed to college, she's afraid she'll turn back into that girl who blended into the walls in high school. Vassar is just two hours away from New York City--her friends in fashion think she's crazy to stop modeling now. And her old friend Roger is there...but things have been weird ever since they kissed. The real question is if she's not going to be "Violet on the Runway" anymore...who is she?

I absolutely loved reading Violet in Private. Melissa Walker did an exceptional job, with unique characters and plot, and interesting details and dialogue. This book teaches readers to follow their dreams, whether it is becoming a model or going to college. It also shows you can be happy with your body, no matter what size or shape you are. I think every girl should definitely read this book.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Leopold, MO USA

The Eyes of a King by Catherine Banner

Leo North is a gifted child. Though it is not apparent, his magical gifts must be suppressed under the laws of the kingdom. Leo lives in Malonia, a land ruled by the worst of kings who puts all his people under worry and strain. Leo's life has no prospects and appears bleak until he finds a plain blank book in the snow. From the first time writing appears in the book, Leo is thrown into the minds of others, and his life begins to change. Through the black book he is shown the life of Aldebranan, an exile who has similar, yet stronger powers than Leo. This opens Leo's eyes to the hidden world just out of his reach. He must balance experiencing these secrets with striving for a normal life in the broken down kingdom he lives in. Leo's life becomes even more stressful when his brother falls critically ill and Leo is taken to fight the war. When everything goes wrong and you can't live another day, anything seems possible.

This was a very complicated book. It took me a while to get enthused about it as it is rather slow to start. However once it became riveting and exciting, which it did, it was very hard to put down. The Eyes of a King was a creative and intriguing read which provoked a lot of thought. Leo is faced with decisions and situations which would be terrifying in reality, watching them unfold in his life was extremely confronting. I felt that I really related to this book and it both made me cry tears for the characters and become truly happy when things went their way. I found a few errors in the text, more than in most books, and I often found myself lost with unnecessary complications in how the story was written. The Eyes of a King was written by a girl of only fourteen years old and was her first novel. Knowing this, it was an exceptional debut and I will expect great things to come from this young author.

General mature content

Reviewer Age: 14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Melbourne, Victoria Australia

Dragon and Liberator by Timothy Zahn

In DRAGON AND LIBERATOR by Timothy Zahn, Jack and Draycos have yet another adventure together. This time, Draycos's people, the K'da, a symbiotic kind of dragon, are at the mercy of Arthur Neverlin, a crime lord. In the beginning of DRAGON AND LIBERATOR, Jack, Draycos, and their burglar companion, Alison, are trying to break into a supposedly invulnerable K'da safe that contains data diamonds that may save the K'da people. Unfortunately, the safe is on a truck guarded by armed Brummgan soldiers. Alison prepares to set a trap for the vehicle in a hangar. She knocks out the guards on the truck and successfully opens the safe, but at the last minute Arthur Neverlin shows up! Alison has nowhere to go but into the safe, which just so happens to be booby-trapped with a bomb. If you want to know what happens to Alison and Jack, then read DRAGON AND LIBERATOR by Timothy Zahn.

Overall, I enjoyed DRAGON AND LIBERATOR, however, unlike many serial novels, this one is confusing if you have not read the previous five books in the Dragonback series. It is definitely one of the best Sci-Fi novel series in the genre, but Zahn could have done a better job of informing new readers of what is happening in the plot by providing context and background from the previous novels. If you liked the other Dragonback novels, then you will enjoy DRAGON AND LIBERATOR. If you enjoy Science Fiction novels you'll probably enjoy this one as well, but if you haven't yet read the others in this series, I strongly recommend starting from book 1 and reading the novels in order. It's worth it because you'll have a better understanding of the story line, and you'll enjoy each novel individually and the series as a whole much more that way.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Saugerties, New York USA

Sovay by Celia Rees

The lovely Sovay is not all that she appears to be. When she was betrayed by her sweetheart, she arranged for a test in order to determine his fidelity. He failed. Unfortunately, he was the son of the powerful Sir Royston, who had some powerful connections. When her family is threatened, Sovay takes matters into her own hands. She does quite a few astonishing things, such as disguising herself as a man, befriending a highwayman, and traveling to Paris during some rather shaky times, which became necessary because of the enemy that she made in Dysart, a very powerful man. She actually made his house collapse. Sovay must work to keep her life and others.

This book was rather well written, though I did wonder what happened to Sovays father and Captain Greenwood, the highwayman, at the end. Other than that, all loose ends were nicely tied off. There was a lot of detail, but not too much. The characters seemed realistic; their choices were not mysteries. Also, the story was well written, and there was quite a bit of action. I would recommend this book to those that enjoy historical fiction, adventure, and some romance. Sovay is a very entertaining read.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Charleston, SC USA

Outside Beauty by Cynthia Kadohata

Shelby's mother is an addict; addicted to men, that is.
Every night, another man is at their house, forcing Shelby
and her three other sisters, Marilyn, Lakey, and Maddie,to
take care of themselves. Though the sisters are extremely
unique, the bond between them couldn't be stronger.

Then one night, their world was changed. A serious
accident
causes the girls to be taken by their respective fathers.
Will the bond of sisterhood be strong enough to survive
through this adversity?


Overall, I liked this book. The strong bond of
sisterhood was clearly portrayed throughout the novel. The
characters, though related, were as different as anything.
From Marilyn, the prettiest and most motherly of the
sisters, to Shelby, the different and quiet sister, the
characters create a sense of unity and family. From the
hardships such as Maddie's controlling father and the
distance between the sisters, it is nice to know that
family can overcome anything - which is what this book
teaches.

Reviewer Age:15

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

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In the country of Panem, one can be killed simply for existing. In fact, ever since the rebellion that almost wiped out the country's government, being born may be a death sentence, at least for children between the ages of twelve and eighteen. It is these children, after all, who risk the most brutal execution imaginable in the form of participation in the Hunger Games, an annual competition in which a randomly selected few are pitted against each other in a brutal fight to the death.

Unfortunately for Katniss Everdeen, she is one of these unlucky few. As if life wasn't already hard enough for her, she suddenly finds herself with the whole world working towards her death. Sure, she's smart and good with a bow-- but is that enough to help her survive amongst trained killers and a bloodthirsty audience?

This is quite possibly one of the best new books of 2008. Not only is it impossible to put down, it's also impossible to stop thinking about-- but with a plot like this one, that's a given. This is one book that doesn't rely entirely on plot, however. Collins amazes with brilliant choices in writing style and character, electing to use the ceaseless excitement and suspense of present tense and expertly steering her characters away from the cliches that would be so easy to fall into. There's never a dull moment, and the large print makes this a quick and satisfying read, a perfect addition to the genre of dystopian fiction.

Many violent deaths, some described in detail

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

Score! Sports Stories by Alan Durant

Score! Sports Stories by Alan Durant is a collection of different short stories about sports. The book includes extracts of other books and complete short stories. Each story in the book is unique and they're all about different kinds of sports. There are stories on soccer to stories on horseracing to stories on cricket. This book is great for anyone who enjoys playing or watching sports.

Being passionate about sports myself, I really enjoyed this book. It does a great job of accurately portraying the energy in a sports match. Each story had a different writing style, as they were all written by different authors. Although the book was pretty good, some of the stories were confusing and didn't seem very clear. Others were not very captivating and didn't really hold my attention until the end. Overall, Score! was an interesting book and is perfect for sports fans.

Rating:7

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Champaign , Illinois USA

As Good as Anybody: Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham

As Good as Anybody: Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom by Richard Michelson and illustrated by Raul Colon is about the early life and beliefs of King and Heschel. King grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and encountered racism everyday. Herschel
encountered anti-Semitism as a student in Berlin and Warsaw. He moved to the United States before the Holocaust. Both King and Herschel fought tirelessly against prejudice. Herschel joined King's march in Selma, Alabama. The two became close friends.

I give As Good as Anybody: Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom a rating of 7. Richard Michelson's book is a good introduction to the Black Civil Rights Movement and the Holocaust. I enjoyed how the author parallels the lives of King and Herschel. Perhaps because I am older, I was not the best judge of this book, but I always find it interesting to see what facts authors include and what facts they omit. For example, the author never mentions the Holocaust by name. The illustrator, Raul Colon, does a wonderful job with the pictures. They are very realistic. I would recommend this book for early elementary school students

Reviewer Age:18

Reviewer City, State and Country: Urbana, Illinois, USA

Over A Thousand Hills I Walk With You by Hanna Jansen

Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You is the true story of Jeanne, a young girl growing up in Rwanda. At the start of the book, she lives a normal, happy life in Rwanda with her family. Until one fateful day, on April 7, 1994, the Rwandan genocide begins. Jeanne and her family are Tutsi, the group of people that are being prosecuted. Suddenly, Jeanne and her family must fight for their lives. The genocide lasts for only a hundred days, but those days decide the fate for Jeanne and her family.
At the end of the book there is a historical timeline of dates and events to put Jeanne's story in context.

I would recommend this book to any person, particularly young adults. It is not a light subject matter, but the book does not have graphic descriptions and is approachable for all people. The book is unforgettable and deeply moving. It is a story of courage, love, and survival, and a story of death, destruction, and anger. But, most importantly, the book gives hope for the future. The translation was very smooth and I enjoyed the writing style.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Urbana, Illinois USA

Rating: 9

Content Rating: 0

A Likely Story by David Van Etten

Mallory is born, bred and has grown up on the sets of soap operas. Her mother is the star of long running soap, Good as Gold. For Mallorys 17 years she has stuck by her mom. Mallorys mom leads the drama queen life on and of the set of the soap opera. And without knowing it, Mallory does too. At school she has one best friend, Amelia, in whom she confides everything and does nothing without. Mallory has an on/off boyfriend; only he is in a troubled relationship that he cant get out of. Drama. Drama. Drama. As if that wasnt enough, when Mallory blogs about her life on the internet, she is picked up by a television company, as a scrip writer. The thing is that it is the same company that her mother works for and subsequently all hell breaks loose. Her mother no longer talks to her and writing a show for the soap opera audience proves harder than she thought. Everyone knows that when one part of your life starts going right, another falls to the ground!

This was one of those books that you finish and think
"Oh is that it." For a story that could have been so big I don't think this book climaxed to much. It was set in and around Mallory's home, school and her new workplace; the soap opera sets. Mallory is defiantly the sort of character that one could relate to if she were not so mallow dramatic, everything is always a problem and nothing is ever going right. But the author does write all her feelings with great description, so you can get a good insight into her world. I also thought he wrote the relationships involving Mallory very well. The idea of this book caught me, painful mother, exciting job opportunity, strange school life and there is no doubt that this all happened but it was all a little less stimulating than expected. Likely Story was obviously in the genre of teenage but compared to other books, I believe there is a lot better out there.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Melbourne, Victoria Australia