Ernest Hemingway was not only one of the most influential American writers of all time - he also had a fascinating life. He was born in 1899 to a wealthy Chicago family. He began writing in school, where his teachers encouraged his talents. When World War I broke out, he went to Italy to fight. His experiences in the army influenced one of his most famous books, A Farewell to Arms. Throughout his life, Ernest Hemingway enjoyed doing the unusual - he was fond of bull fights and safaris. He joined with Spanish forces in the Spanish Civil War. However, despite his exciting life, Hemingway struggled with depression over his writing and life. In 1961, he took his own life. But his writing lives on - his books have become classics of American literature.
Reef's biography of Ernest Hemingway was a fascinating account of Hemingway's life. She aptly used quotes from Hemingway's friends and family to describe his life from his childhood to his death. She provided numerous antidotes that enabled the reader to glimpse into the life of Hemingway in an engaging way. Also, the book had lovely photographs chronically Hemingway's life. However, what I particularly enjoyed in the book was Reef's careful analysis of the factors that influenced Hemingway's writing. Having read some of the Hemingway's works, I found it fascinating to read about the experiences that led Hemingway to write his books. Even for those who have never read a Hemingway novel, this biography gives you a extraordinary glimpse into the life of one of the most influential Americans of the twentieth century.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Urbana, IL USA
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Friday, June 04, 2010
Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boot
Jenna is just a girl living in the New Jersey suburbs and has a life revolved around environmentalism. From recycling to protesting out on the streets, her and the Green Teens, a group of fellow environmentalists, do everything possible to help the planet. Then, Jenna
decides to fly to Canada to visit her godmother, Susie, during the summer. After some crazy encounters with the locals and wildlife (a stray moose on Main Street, a group of cute, nature-loving boys, and Susie's stepdaughter, Fiona), Jenna soon realizes that her eco-friendly ideas
don't appeal to the residents of Stillwater. As Jenna arms herself with a nature survival guide, she sets out to learn how to live in the wilderness the locals call home.
decides to fly to Canada to visit her godmother, Susie, during the summer. After some crazy encounters with the locals and wildlife (a stray moose on Main Street, a group of cute, nature-loving boys, and Susie's stepdaughter, Fiona), Jenna soon realizes that her eco-friendly ideas
don't appeal to the residents of Stillwater. As Jenna arms herself with a nature survival guide, she sets out to learn how to live in the wilderness the locals call home.
Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots is about a girl trying to fit in and survive that wildlife that she's always heard about. Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots is a fun and fast paced novel that contains humor, romance, and a group of fun-loving, characters that readers can relate to. The relationships between the characters that Abby McDonald established were very realistic. They have traits that readers could compare themselves to. Jenna is a eco-friendly girl that supports nature, but doesn't really know much about
living, or surviving, in it. The boys she meets, Ethan, Grady, and Reeve, are a group of boys that love having fun and can do that in nature. The characters have obstacles that they have to learn how to overcome. I think that these traits will let the readers to actually imagine the
characters as real people. This book was a very enjoyable read and kept me hooked to it until the end. I think that many young adult readers will enjoy reading this.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Unfamiliar Magic by R. C. Alexander
Unfamiliar Magic is about a young witch named Desi, whose mom is also a witch and she refuses to teach Desi any spells or tell Desi anything about her father who has been absent Desi's whole life. Desi has a cat named Devil which is a familiar. (Devil can travel to different worlds- the witch or the demon world) Desi's mom, Desi, and their cat have moved all over the world for an unknown reason to Desi. They have just moved to the suburbs when her mother leaves without any notice right after turning their cat Devil into a teenage girl. After Desi's mother leaves unexplainably Desi is lost. She makes friends with the boy next door, Jarrett. Devil, who is now called Cat, starts dating Jarrett's older brother, Bob. Unfortunately Cat is just a person on the outside and still thinks like a cat, which causes problems for Desi. When the foursome goes to the mall Desi meets a magician willing to teach Desi some magic. Bad things happen after that include battling demons, learning magic, getting stuck in portals, and her mother and father fighting over what is best for Desi.
I think that the book Unfamiliar Magic is a great book and a must read for all who like fantasy. I really liked Desi she was full of energy and never gave up. I also liked Cat because she would do anything to save Desi. This book was very well written, very exiting, and a real page turner.
Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Boothwyn, PA USA
I think that the book Unfamiliar Magic is a great book and a must read for all who like fantasy. I really liked Desi she was full of energy and never gave up. I also liked Cat because she would do anything to save Desi. This book was very well written, very exiting, and a real page turner.
Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Boothwyn, PA USA
Travelers Market by Maureen Doyle McQuerry
When an evil rat bites Timothy's mom, its up to him, his sister Sarah, and their newly found friend, Jessica to find the cure. An old acquaintance leads them to the Traveler's Market. They don't trust anyone, and an old foe that hides in the dark of the Market makes it dangerous. Timothy and Sarah find two extraodanary talents inside themselves that lay dormant, until now. Even with the help of Timothy and Sarah's new talents, the Dark's warriors are a threat to millions of lives.
This book was awesome! Almost all the characters had a lot of depth. The plot was very well written, and I loved the different things that the characters find deep inside themselves. Although it is the second in the series, you don't have to read the first book to get the story line. For you older kids who still like illustrations, there are illustrations throughout the book and they're very well drawn. Whether you've read the first book or not, I strongly recommend this book and hope you have as much fun reading it as I did.
Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockwell City, IA USA
This book was awesome! Almost all the characters had a lot of depth. The plot was very well written, and I loved the different things that the characters find deep inside themselves. Although it is the second in the series, you don't have to read the first book to get the story line. For you older kids who still like illustrations, there are illustrations throughout the book and they're very well drawn. Whether you've read the first book or not, I strongly recommend this book and hope you have as much fun reading it as I did.
Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockwell City, IA USA
The Whispering Sand by Ian Kenworthy
Annabeth a young girl comes to stay with her very down-to-Earth grandpa, Grandpa Bambertide. Grandpa Bambertide lives in an enormous, wacky house called Gull Cove Cottage located on Gull Cove Beach. Living on this property, Grandpa Bambertide feels that it is his job to take care of, and protect Gull Cove Beach.
Something is terribly wrong with the sand on the beach. The sand begins to whisper a song and when the song is over, the sand turns grey and dies. Annabeth and Grandpa Bambertide must get to the bottom of this. Upon going on many adventures, Annabeth figures out that songs are trapped inside the sand, and by being sung, they are keeping the sand alive. Every song in the sand has been sung, and old memories trapped in the sand have faded. Grandpa Bambertide and Annabeth must save the sand and figure out how to cure it.
The Whispering Sand by: Ian Kenworthy was meant to really bring out your imagination. It did not. It was hard to follow and did not keep me intrigued. Written with many details, I wanted the story to come to life in my mind. At parts of the story, I began to loose interest. The main plot was good however, my loss of interest was due to reading about problems in the story that absolutely had nothing to do with the main plot. Overall, The Whispering Sand was a creative book for someone who enjoys fantasy books.
I gave The Whisering Sand a rating of 3 because the book was not mainly focusing on the plot, which would have made the story clearer. The story had smaller more less important problems more focused on, than the entire main plot of the story.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Cleveland, Ohio USA
Something is terribly wrong with the sand on the beach. The sand begins to whisper a song and when the song is over, the sand turns grey and dies. Annabeth and Grandpa Bambertide must get to the bottom of this. Upon going on many adventures, Annabeth figures out that songs are trapped inside the sand, and by being sung, they are keeping the sand alive. Every song in the sand has been sung, and old memories trapped in the sand have faded. Grandpa Bambertide and Annabeth must save the sand and figure out how to cure it.
The Whispering Sand by: Ian Kenworthy was meant to really bring out your imagination. It did not. It was hard to follow and did not keep me intrigued. Written with many details, I wanted the story to come to life in my mind. At parts of the story, I began to loose interest. The main plot was good however, my loss of interest was due to reading about problems in the story that absolutely had nothing to do with the main plot. Overall, The Whispering Sand was a creative book for someone who enjoys fantasy books.
I gave The Whisering Sand a rating of 3 because the book was not mainly focusing on the plot, which would have made the story clearer. The story had smaller more less important problems more focused on, than the entire main plot of the story.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Cleveland, Ohio USA
Ghostgirl: Homecoming by Tonya Hurley
Charlotte's world is turned upside down by a
simple gummy bear in the first book of this series,
ghostgirl. She dies and enters the afterlife where she is
forced to work at a hotline for troubled teens.
Charlotte's old friend, Scarlet, desperately needs
her help because her big sister, Petula, is gravely ill.
Charlotte's friend, Maddy, in the neighboring cubical
intercepts the call from Scarlet. She has to find another
way to get to Charlotte. So she enters the afterlife
world herself to find Charlotte. When she finds her,
they go on a search for Petula's holding room . Along the
way Maddy tries to lead them astray. Maddy is trying to
steal Petulas life for herself, in the end Petula is saved
and crowned Homecoming Queen.
I did enjoy this book the author made me feel like I
was there. The characters were great and worked together
well; she really made me feel as if they were best friends
or sister. The authors voice changed thought out the
book to what every mood they were in at the moment (funny,
serious.). She gave great detail and I was never left
wondering what was happening. I found this book to be
entertaining and interesting. I think the ending was great
because I like happy endings. I would recommend this book
to others.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: mineola , Texas USA
simple gummy bear in the first book of this series,
ghostgirl. She dies and enters the afterlife where she is
forced to work at a hotline for troubled teens.
Charlotte's old friend, Scarlet, desperately needs
her help because her big sister, Petula, is gravely ill.
Charlotte's friend, Maddy, in the neighboring cubical
intercepts the call from Scarlet. She has to find another
way to get to Charlotte. So she enters the afterlife
world herself to find Charlotte. When she finds her,
they go on a search for Petula's holding room . Along the
way Maddy tries to lead them astray. Maddy is trying to
steal Petulas life for herself, in the end Petula is saved
and crowned Homecoming Queen.
I did enjoy this book the author made me feel like I
was there. The characters were great and worked together
well; she really made me feel as if they were best friends
or sister. The authors voice changed thought out the
book to what every mood they were in at the moment (funny,
serious.). She gave great detail and I was never left
wondering what was happening. I found this book to be
entertaining and interesting. I think the ending was great
because I like happy endings. I would recommend this book
to others.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: mineola , Texas USA
Looking for Marco Polo by Alan Armstrong
The book Looking for Marco Polo is about an eleven-year-old boy who travels to Venice. His father traveled with him on the adventurous journey. On the trip Mark had an asthma attack. He went to see one of his father's friends named Dr. Hornaday. He found out that Dr. Hornaday had a big, black dog named Boss. While all the adults were asleep Mark found out that Boss was his dog named Marco Polo.
I thought this book was really adventurous and good. This wasn't my favorite book in the world but it kept me going. I think people who would like to read this book would have to love to read adventurous books. Im more of a person who likes to read mostly mysterious books.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Nokomis, Illinois United States
I thought this book was really adventurous and good. This wasn't my favorite book in the world but it kept me going. I think people who would like to read this book would have to love to read adventurous books. Im more of a person who likes to read mostly mysterious books.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Nokomis, Illinois United States
Yokaiden 2 by Nina Matsumoto
Hamachi Uramaki travels to the Yokai realm, to avenge his grandmother's death. A Yokai named Madkap has killed his grandmother for setting a Yokai trap and severing Madkaps leg. Hamachi is in search of the nine tails, but when he finds her she wants him to stay so she gives him three different tasks. They endanger his and his only chance of survival and completion of the tasks is his knowledge and determination to avenge his grandmother. So will he succeed or will he fail, find out in this adventurous novel by Nina Matsumoto.
A great book I highly recommend it, but if you don't like Japanese Mangas then I suggest you don't read it. This is definitely a great book so please read it. You can even skip the first one, it explains it to where you know enough to where you understand the story. It's great 'cause unlike a lot of Mangas you don't have to read back to front. It's an easy quick read that provides an entertaining story.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon USA
A great book I highly recommend it, but if you don't like Japanese Mangas then I suggest you don't read it. This is definitely a great book so please read it. You can even skip the first one, it explains it to where you know enough to where you understand the story. It's great 'cause unlike a lot of Mangas you don't have to read back to front. It's an easy quick read that provides an entertaining story.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon USA
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Short Circus by Stephen V. Masse
Jem Lockwood has just got back to school and his first
task is to write a report on his summer vacation. Short
Circus is Jem's story about all of the adventures he went
on with his friends and famliy. Jesse Standish is Jem's
older brother through the Big Brother Association and he
may be forced to move. That is one of Jem's problems
along with someone destroying the swimming pond, and
problems among his friends. Will Jem even make it through
the summer?
I didn't like Short Circus very much. In
fact, it was difficult to pick up and read because I
wasn't really interested in it. I couldn't finish the
book. I thought Short Circus had a weak plot and no
rising action. There was not much happening throughout
the book. It is written in a kid's point of view, but it
is not like what a kid would do. If I had a say in the
making of the book, I might make it more of a narrative
instead of a first person story.
I thought the book was
uninteresting. I had a tough time getting into it. There
wasn't much action or interesting things
happening.
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and
Country: Randolph, NJ United States
task is to write a report on his summer vacation. Short
Circus is Jem's story about all of the adventures he went
on with his friends and famliy. Jesse Standish is Jem's
older brother through the Big Brother Association and he
may be forced to move. That is one of Jem's problems
along with someone destroying the swimming pond, and
problems among his friends. Will Jem even make it through
the summer?
I didn't like Short Circus very much. In
fact, it was difficult to pick up and read because I
wasn't really interested in it. I couldn't finish the
book. I thought Short Circus had a weak plot and no
rising action. There was not much happening throughout
the book. It is written in a kid's point of view, but it
is not like what a kid would do. If I had a say in the
making of the book, I might make it more of a narrative
instead of a first person story.
I thought the book was
uninteresting. I had a tough time getting into it. There
wasn't much action or interesting things
happening.
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and
Country: Randolph, NJ United States
Riding Invisible by Sandra Alonzo
Yancy is the good kid. He is the one who gets all A s in
school, does not get in trouble, is a talented writer and
artist, and keeps his responsibilities to his horse, Shy.
Yancy's brother, Will, has a conduct disorder. He is the
one who does not do well in school, gets in trouble, beats
on other kids and needs to have a good deeds chart
completed before he can get his learner's permit. So, why
is Yancy the one who runs away? After Will attacks Shy,
Yancy packs up his horse and leaves home, attempting to
find a place where he and his horse can live safely. He
gets himself into a whole heap of trouble and has more
adventure than he could ever imagine.
As a horse lover,
myself, I have often been disappointed by the inaccuracies
in horse-related books. I was not with this one. Yancy
is a clever and detailed narrator and it is a pleasure to
step into his mind while reading his so-called adventure
journal . Travel with Yancy and Shy along their journey
that is full of sarcasm and potholes. This is a book
about a boy, his horse, and the life they are determined
to escape from.
This story is told through the eyes of a
sixteen year-old boy in journal format. He does not mince
his words and some of his references to the female
characters could be offending. Also, Yancy's brother does
things that include drugs and alcohol.
Reviewer
Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leverett,
Massachusetts USA
school, does not get in trouble, is a talented writer and
artist, and keeps his responsibilities to his horse, Shy.
Yancy's brother, Will, has a conduct disorder. He is the
one who does not do well in school, gets in trouble, beats
on other kids and needs to have a good deeds chart
completed before he can get his learner's permit. So, why
is Yancy the one who runs away? After Will attacks Shy,
Yancy packs up his horse and leaves home, attempting to
find a place where he and his horse can live safely. He
gets himself into a whole heap of trouble and has more
adventure than he could ever imagine.
As a horse lover,
myself, I have often been disappointed by the inaccuracies
in horse-related books. I was not with this one. Yancy
is a clever and detailed narrator and it is a pleasure to
step into his mind while reading his so-called adventure
journal . Travel with Yancy and Shy along their journey
that is full of sarcasm and potholes. This is a book
about a boy, his horse, and the life they are determined
to escape from.
This story is told through the eyes of a
sixteen year-old boy in journal format. He does not mince
his words and some of his references to the female
characters could be offending. Also, Yancy's brother does
things that include drugs and alcohol.
Reviewer
Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leverett,
Massachusetts USA
Willie-Off-The-Pickleboat by Thomas M. Wilkinson
This book is about King Krausen 1 hides a pickle somewhere in his village and it is up to the villagers to find the pickle. Then when Gherti finds the pickle in a pine tree, she also finds Willie. Willie is the character which the book is based on because he drives a pickle boat. Will Ghertis life now change because she finds the pickle. The reason the book was probably written is because it has become a custom for people to find a pickle ornament. It is suppose to bring good luck if you find it.
I thought that this book was confusing. It wasn't one of the best books I have read. I thought this because, I don't really like these type of books. I thought it was very appropriate for the age level given.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: nokomis , illinois united states
I thought that this book was confusing. It wasn't one of the best books I have read. I thought this because, I don't really like these type of books. I thought it was very appropriate for the age level given.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: nokomis , illinois united states
Hero's Tribute by Graham Garrison
Hero's Tribute by Graham Garrison is a mystery. It is about a news reporter named Wes in a small town Talking Creek. He writes a sport page until one day he gets a message from his boss. It was a note from a local hero who was a sport legend at Talking Creek; he served in the army and got the biggest award possible the Medal of Honor, and ran a foster care retreat for young kids in Talking Creek. His name was Michael Gavin he had passed away a week ago from cancer. Michael wanted Wes to write his eulogy and to find everything about him, the good and the bad. Wes never met Michael and didn't know him at all. Then Wes decides to go off on his journey to uncover the truth about Michael Gavin. What good and bad will Wes find out Michael did? What will happen next? What will Wes uncover about Michael that no one knows?
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: cleveland, ohio United States
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: cleveland, ohio United States
Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley
Charlotte Usher was an invisible nobody... last year. But this year there's going to be change - she's going to be popular. That includes dressing the part, hanging out with the popular girls like Petula Kensington and the Wendys, and of course going to the Fall Ball with the most amazing guy in school, Damen Dylan. But now she really IS an invisible nobody. She's dead. And all because of a gummy bear. How can Damen possibly fall in love with her if he can't see her? Can anybody see her?
This book was great! I loved every word of it! The outside of the book itself is very nice: the cover is really cool (its hard to describe - it has this shadow in a coffin but when you flip it open, the shadow is Charlotte), it's hardcover, and the sides are silvery! The inside was just as amazing! The story is really great and I will definitely be reading it again and again and again! Charlotte is as easy to fall in love with as it is to hate Petula. The author uses nice wording and you really feel like you're in Charlotte's shoes trying to figure out what happened and how to get Damen to like her even though she's dead. I would recommend this to anybody. Period. It has action, humor, and boys - and all around good book.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gearhart, Oregon United States
This book was great! I loved every word of it! The outside of the book itself is very nice: the cover is really cool (its hard to describe - it has this shadow in a coffin but when you flip it open, the shadow is Charlotte), it's hardcover, and the sides are silvery! The inside was just as amazing! The story is really great and I will definitely be reading it again and again and again! Charlotte is as easy to fall in love with as it is to hate Petula. The author uses nice wording and you really feel like you're in Charlotte's shoes trying to figure out what happened and how to get Damen to like her even though she's dead. I would recommend this to anybody. Period. It has action, humor, and boys - and all around good book.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gearhart, Oregon United States
Women's Stage Monologues and Scenes by Lawrence Harbison
Women's Stage Monologues and Scenes by Lawrence Harbison is a collection of monologues for women of diverse backgrounds and ages. The book contains 62 monologues and 15 scenes that include two to three all female or coed casts per scene. The book contains various dramatic, seriocomic, and comic excerpts from actual scripts.
The monologues and scenes used in the 2009 edition are quite versatile. The ages range from early teens to early eighties. The vast amount of delicately selected monologues allows the reader to find a commendable amount of speeches that can relate to. I would recommend this book to women who are pursuing stage acting or to anyone who wants to read a few excerpts in order to find an excellent script to read.
This book contains some sexual content
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Raleigh, NC United States
The monologues and scenes used in the 2009 edition are quite versatile. The ages range from early teens to early eighties. The vast amount of delicately selected monologues allows the reader to find a commendable amount of speeches that can relate to. I would recommend this book to women who are pursuing stage acting or to anyone who wants to read a few excerpts in order to find an excellent script to read.
This book contains some sexual content
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Raleigh, NC United States
Living Hell by Catherine Jinks
The young inhabitants of the spaceship Plexus (please italicize) have never set foot on Earth. A few of their parents might be a little homesick once in a while, but without any contact with the planet, their species's home is rarely on their minds. The ship, safe and reliable, harbors them through the vacuum of space as two crews switch between four-year-long bouts in suspended animation. Their mission: to find an inhabitable planet where they can start a new life. But when the ship is forced to pass through an unidentifiable and mysterious energy field, the humans' dependency on their beloved Plexus (please italicize) threatens to doom them all as the ship, quite literally, comes alive.
This is one of the best young adult books I have read in years -- when I started it, I couldn't bring myself to stop until I'd finished it at the end of the day. The pacing is just right and there is just enough tension (and cliffhanger chapter endings) to keep any adventure-loving reader's nose in "Living Hell." Science fiction fans will automatically love this story, especially the vast amount of detail incorporated into the concept of a living spaceship. To anyone not as open to the genre, the "life force" idea may sound preposterous, and there is one other, minor preposterous occurrence near the end of the story. Yet nothing seems very strange in the context of the book, since every aspect of it is strange. The author's descriptive and convincing voice makes almost anything possible in the ship Plexus. Any reader will notice there are also a great number of technical terms and acronyms pertaining to the ship's operating system, but most can be remembered easily enough if the reader has the will. Ultimately, the most unfortunate aspect of this book is that the title is frustratingly vague, and without the cover illustration and the synopsis, I would never have guessed its contents and probably would not have wanted to read it.
This is one of the best young adult books I have read in years -- when I started it, I couldn't bring myself to stop until I'd finished it at the end of the day. The pacing is just right and there is just enough tension (and cliffhanger chapter endings) to keep any adventure-loving reader's nose in "Living Hell." Science fiction fans will automatically love this story, especially the vast amount of detail incorporated into the concept of a living spaceship. To anyone not as open to the genre, the "life force" idea may sound preposterous, and there is one other, minor preposterous occurrence near the end of the story. Yet nothing seems very strange in the context of the book, since every aspect of it is strange. The author's descriptive and convincing voice makes almost anything possible in the ship Plexus. Any reader will notice there are also a great number of technical terms and acronyms pertaining to the ship's operating system, but most can be remembered easily enough if the reader has the will. Ultimately, the most unfortunate aspect of this book is that the title is frustratingly vague, and without the cover illustration and the synopsis, I would never have guessed its contents and probably would not have wanted to read it.
Rated 3 for frightening descriptions, especially disturbing and gruesome deaths,young children in peril, and some language.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: San Jacinto, California USA
Sky Girl by Joe Sergi
DeeDee Dandrudge is your average teenager. She wants to win the National Gymnastic Tournament and beat her enemy Nicole who is also dating her crush, the high school quarterback. She has a best friend named Jason who is the ultimate comic book nerd and has a single mom. But when she realizes she has strange powers similar to a comic book superhero named SkyBoy her world turns upside down. She is introduced to villains of SkyBoy who for some reason want to steal her gymnastics trophy and to find SkyBoy. DeeDee must somehow live two lives as DeeDee the gymnast and regular girl and SkyGirl.
Reading this book was hilarious. Considering this book was probably made for kids younger than me I loved it. Some of the villains' conversations with each other in the beginning were great because it sounds just like if it was an actual television show or was actually happening. Even if some of the conversations were just he said she said type of stuff it was still a page turner where you wanted to know what was happening in the next chapter. One of the more annoying things was that the character of Jason doesn't like to use contractions so instead of saying could've or can't he would say could have or cannot. Otherwise it was great to read and I can't wait for the sequel and I would most definitely recommend it to anyone.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Loves Park, Illinois United States
Reading this book was hilarious. Considering this book was probably made for kids younger than me I loved it. Some of the villains' conversations with each other in the beginning were great because it sounds just like if it was an actual television show or was actually happening. Even if some of the conversations were just he said she said type of stuff it was still a page turner where you wanted to know what was happening in the next chapter. One of the more annoying things was that the character of Jason doesn't like to use contractions so instead of saying could've or can't he would say could have or cannot. Otherwise it was great to read and I can't wait for the sequel and I would most definitely recommend it to anyone.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Loves Park, Illinois United States
The Midnight Curse by L. M. Falcone
Lacey and her brother Charlie are used to a life of being
poor. They never had the money to go on trips, until their
Uncle Jonathan dies, sending them to England for the
reading of the will. Once in England, they reach Blaxton
Manor, the home where Uncle Jonathan locked himself away.
While their mother is out, Charlie and Lacey go exploring
in the house. They didn't know what they were getting
into. Charlie gets cursed, they meet two spooky ghosts, a
creepy butler, and a woman with a head in her fridge! This
book is full of mystic twists that keep you up all
night.
poor. They never had the money to go on trips, until their
Uncle Jonathan dies, sending them to England for the
reading of the will. Once in England, they reach Blaxton
Manor, the home where Uncle Jonathan locked himself away.
While their mother is out, Charlie and Lacey go exploring
in the house. They didn't know what they were getting
into. Charlie gets cursed, they meet two spooky ghosts, a
creepy butler, and a woman with a head in her fridge! This
book is full of mystic twists that keep you up all
night.
I could not have read a better book! L.M Falcone
writes about mystery, terror, and going to the extreme to
help your family. I was up all night, both because I was
scared and because I couldn't rest until I finished the
book! If you dream of horror, love Edger Allen Poe works
and other strange books, You'll love "The Midnight Curse".
I know I did.
Although there is no vulgar language,
younger children might find it scary.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City, Florida United States
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Storm: The Infinity Code by E.L. Young
Storm the Infinity Code follows the adventure of three new friends; Will, Gia and Andrew. Together they make up STORM, Science and Technology to over-rule misery. Andrew is the visionary and investor. Gia is the language and explosives expert. Will is the inventor. Andrew has grand ideas for STORM whereas Will thinks they are being overly optimistic. But after a small success they decide that they can make a difference. They soon discover that Andrew’s friend Caspian is up to mischief. Caspian’s father was abducted and Caspian is trying to save him by creating a deadly weapon. And the members of STORM are the only ones who can stop him.
Storm the Infinity Code starts off slowly. It takes a while for STORM to form and Will to commit to the group. But once STORM is all set the plot started to move along. And the chase and adventure never stopped. But STORM is always up for the challenge. Although the adventures are ridiculous, the characters are real. Throughout the story the characters are well developed. Storm the Infinity Code is full of surprises. One frustrating thing is that its a little hard to follow all of the names. Storm the Infinity Code was a great book and it was interesting that the science in it was based upon real experiments. Overall Storm the Infinity Code became a good page turner.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Amherst, MA USA
Storm the Infinity Code starts off slowly. It takes a while for STORM to form and Will to commit to the group. But once STORM is all set the plot started to move along. And the chase and adventure never stopped. But STORM is always up for the challenge. Although the adventures are ridiculous, the characters are real. Throughout the story the characters are well developed. Storm the Infinity Code is full of surprises. One frustrating thing is that its a little hard to follow all of the names. Storm the Infinity Code was a great book and it was interesting that the science in it was based upon real experiments. Overall Storm the Infinity Code became a good page turner.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Amherst, MA USA
Friday, May 28, 2010
Party by Tom Leveen
Party by Tom Leveen
"Party" follows the night of eleven different teenagers at one different party. Little do they know that they all will be connected. What starts out to be a small crowd turns into a mob and trashes the guys house. Soon afterward smoking and drugs get mixed in with the beer. Not long after everything is getting heated up with fights, kissing, and shouting the police arrive. Not only do they show up with ambulances the party breaks up, and teenagers are scrambling to get out of there without being caught.
"Party" seems to be full of drugs, addiction and racism at the first glance. After you get in for a while the plot unfolds. Every one of these characters seems to be caught up in their own drama mashing it together into a big mess. The book seemed to have some realism and some fantasy in it.I believe that "Party" is a good book but could use a little more of real life situations mixed with the fantasies in it.
This book contains swearing, drugs, and alcohol for minors. It might give some bad ideas to immature readers.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hopkins, Michigan U.S.A
"Party" follows the night of eleven different teenagers at one different party. Little do they know that they all will be connected. What starts out to be a small crowd turns into a mob and trashes the guys house. Soon afterward smoking and drugs get mixed in with the beer. Not long after everything is getting heated up with fights, kissing, and shouting the police arrive. Not only do they show up with ambulances the party breaks up, and teenagers are scrambling to get out of there without being caught.
"Party" seems to be full of drugs, addiction and racism at the first glance. After you get in for a while the plot unfolds. Every one of these characters seems to be caught up in their own drama mashing it together into a big mess. The book seemed to have some realism and some fantasy in it.I believe that "Party" is a good book but could use a little more of real life situations mixed with the fantasies in it.
This book contains swearing, drugs, and alcohol for minors. It might give some bad ideas to immature readers.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hopkins, Michigan U.S.A
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony
Molly McClure is only 16 years old when her parents send her to America to find her grandma that may or may not be alive. This is a big adventure for Molly especially since she lives such a simple life in Canada. In the year of 2041 destruction and poverty is everywhere in the U.S. She has to brave getting to her grandparents alone, and surrounded by people who are hungry and chaotic. Along the way she learns that everyone is not as they seem and you have to learn to trust the right people to survive. Luckily, she meets someone special to help her along the way.
I absolutely loved this book. I thought the setting was brilliant. Joelle Anthony gives you a picture of the future that I have never read or even thought about before. The characters were set up perfectly. Especially Molly, she is the best kind of heroine. I think her small, quiet relationship with Spill makes the story perfect.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springfield, OH US
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