The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan

Lena's life revolves around the ocean and she longs to surf with her friends, but her dad won't let her because of his near death experience with surfing. Lately though, something has been drawing Lena to Magic Crescent Cove and she doesn't know what it is until the day of her sixteenth birthday. It's a mermaid. While she continually searches for the mermaid, she'll learn about her family. When she looks into the mermaid's mirror, her life will change forever.

I absolutely loved The Mermaid's Mirror! The characters seemed real and after reading this story it made me feel like mermaids actually existed. L.K. Madigan did a good job describing the Lena's personality as well as the setting of the book and the feeling of surfing. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the ocean, mermaids, and romance.

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

Angels Unawares: Fall For Grace by Sofie Couch

Angels Unawares: Fall for Grace is a young adult novel by Sofie Couch that follows Grace Breeden. She has just moved to a new town, where most of her eccentric family lives. She's going to her cousin's school, her first normal school since the accident that killed her mother and left Grace scarred. Grace isn't normal, and not just because of the scar that mars her face, she can see blue guys, which is her name for the dead people that float invisibly around us. She routinely talks with her long-dead grandmother, and has become accustomed to hiding the fact that she can commune with the dead. Then why, at this new school, are there so many blue guys? And why can handsome blue guy Salter suddenly touch people? How come Grace has never seen her mother, when she is bugged by so many other ghosts? And who, or what, is determined to see Grace dead? In this story of angels, recovery, and love, Grace and Salter must figure out what is happening in the strange town on the Porpotank river-before another person ends up dead.

This book was interesting in some parts, but I felt that it was lacking in others. The setting, a small town on the Porpotank River, is beautifully described and came off as very real. However, the same cannot be said for some of the characters. Strangely, I felt that the more minor characters, such as Grace's cousins and their friends, had more depth and personality than the two main characters, Grace and Salter. I thought that both characters didn't have much background or personality, and that the love story between the two seemed forced. The thing that disappointed me the most was the ending. Almost all of the problems are left unsolved and it seems as if the book needs another fifty pages to wrap it up. This book, however, is the first in a series, and I would hope that the problems will be solved later on, but I am not at all motivated to spend another few days reading a sequel. I found the writing to be dull in some parts and the action scenes didn't seem quite right. I would not recommend this book to someone; I found it to be forgettable and boring, and even though some parts were very poetic and well-written, and the author conveyed her theme of recovery and love well, the rest of the book was lacking.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Milwaukee, Wisconsin United States

True Tails

According to the author, True Tails is a true book about a child who at two years old mysteriously discovers that he can communicate with animals through his mind. The story follows the author all through his childhood, his high school years and into his forties. Throughout the book there are different situations with animals where Jon helps them, plays with them, or just meets them. The animals that the author meets include anything from pigeons to peacocks and from snakes to whales. The author wrote the book to share his life experiences and to let people know that you are never alone.


This book is an autobiography. The author achieved his purpose of sharing some of his life experiences with others. However, kids like me might not be able to understand or relate to some of the things they read in the book. I didn't enjoy reading the book when I came across inappropriate concepts and bad language. I wouldn't recommend this book to my friends, but some adults might like it.

Reviewer Age: 11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Dickinson, Texas, U.S.A.

No Sleep Till Wonderland by Paul Tremblay

No Sleep till Wonderland, written by Paul Tremblay, is a book that fits fairly neatly into the mystery genre. It's main protagonist, Mark Genevich, is significantly different from any other private detective you are likely to come across in any other mystery novel. Alternating between wanting to throttle him to laughing out loud because of his utterly zany and confusing lifestyle, the book is a fairly quick and entertaining read. Mark Genevich suffers from narcolepsy but this does not stop him taking on cases even though he is likely to fall asleep at the most inopportune times. At the start of the novel he is scraping the bottom of the barrel but finally, against his will, be begins to attend group therapy, which proves to be the start of a series of events that will literally change the course of his life. Through a friendship he develops in therapy, he becomes ensnared in a world that includes drugs, arson, identity theft and a host of sad and angry characters.

You will not be bored by this book, although potentially confused at times. If you live a fairly
"normal' life, you will find yourself wishing Mark Genevich, the protagonist, would just do things that made more sense, like being honest with the police. Written in the first person, his wit and "thumb your nose" attitude has a certain charm and draws you in. You find yourself rooting for this somewhat hapless though determined private eye and glad when things begin to go his way. If you are looking for an interesting and witty book, you will enjoy this novel but be warned there are mature themes and a fairly descriptive sexual encounter. This novel is the second in a series and is written in a way that does not require you to have read the first.

There are two instances of sexual encounters, one of which is very descriptive. This book did not in any way resonate with me as a "teen" book and felt more like an adult (20's) book.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: South Pasadena, CA USA

Not safe for vampires

In this novel, the main character, Thomas L. Watson, is a vampire and has been one since the Civil War.  However, unlike some other vampires, he does not drink human blood.  In the year 2037, Thomas is a scientific researcher working under Professor Goldsmith with fellow researcher Allee on a project to harness the hydrogen atom for energy.  As the research nears completion, Thomas begins feeling somewhat human and becomes increasingly ill.  He must discover what is causing his symptoms and then enlist Allee s and possibly even vampires aid.  Flashbacks to how Thomas became a vampire and interactions he has had with humans and other vampires in the past are inserted throughout the story as well.
This is not your typical fantasy novel.  The grammar, punctuation, and capitalization are nonstandard.  This is probably done to mirror the way people actually speak and has an interesting effect on the novel.  As for the plot, it was entertaining and intriguing.  The characters are varied, and there are several unexpected plot twists.  However, I found the novel a bit confusing.  It would have been nice for the story to have been longer as the plot seems too rushed.  This book, because of its unusual writing style and shorter length, may be especially good for teenagers who are reluctant readers.

Reviewer Age:16Reviewer City, State and Country: Royersford, PA United States

The Enchantment Emporium by, Tanya Huff

To a Gale girl, family is everything. But when Alysha takes over her Gran's old store, can she stand the strain of family members who want to "help"? As if a barrage of phone calls every hour isn't enough, Alysha discovers moving to Calgary may have more than a few consequences. Why are there dragons flying over the store? Is there really a wizard living in the area? And, who is that handsome newspaper man? In the race to find out what's happening before it's too late, readers, along with Alysha, will discover the strength of family ties, the wickedness of a wizard, and the strong emotions that sweep us along the path of life.

One of my favorite things about this book is Gran's store. It's a little hole-in-the-wall shop with just about everything inside. And just like the store, this novel has a little bit of everything thrown into the plot. Readers who love mythical creatures will love the sections about Alysha's special visitors and Dragon Lords. Readers who love romance will find it sprinkled throughout the pages. For me, I was drawn in by how strong the family ties between characters were. Everything---every choice, action, and flavor of pie----was determined by how other family members would react to it. While this isn't my favorite book (I was a little turned off by how the Aunties seemed to "breed" their descendants), other readers interested in fantasy books will have their hands on an entertaining novel if they choose to give it a try.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, TX U.S.A.

Nonna's Book of Mysteries by Mary Osborne

Fourteen-year-old Emilia wants nothing more than to become a painter, but during the fourteenth century in Italy, that's near impossible. That is until Makarios, a foreign painter, recognizes her talent and asks her to become his apprentice. As Makarios's apprentice, Emilia gets more worldly exposure and maturity, and, through an old family treasure, she gleans wisdom.

At first, this book seemed really interesting; it's talking about Renaissance Italy! How could someone write a boring book in that time period? Apparently, Mary Osborne can. The author certainly did her research, and she tries to show this by cramming a copious amount of factual information into her novel. Did she really need to put Italian words in every other sentence? Not only that, the author has no writing style; as my English teacher would put it, she needs more showing and less telling. The book is a huge mix of cliched storylines, and the plot is not captivating. She uses so many foreign names for the characters that I had a hard time remembering who is who. The author's characterization is faulty; even her main character is flat. In her historical fiction novel, Mary Osborne's certainly got the historical part down, just not the fiction.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hinsdale, IL US

The Midnight Charter by David Whitley

The Midnight Charter is a realistic story about how everything was for sale, even people. The story begins with Mark being sold to a doctor by his father. Soon after being sold Mark meets Lily who teaches him to read and write. Upon learning of these abilities Count Stelli makes him his apprentice. From there things get both much better and worse for Mark. Meanwhile Lily still tries to uncover the answer to the question that has plagued her whole life: Who am I?

This was a decent book for people who enjoy reading. The state of Angora was fairly believable and the wording was good. It was fairly easy to picture the places and people. There were some scenes that it felt like I was there but others where there wasn't much to it. I would recommend this to people who love to read and have good imaginations.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Machesney Park, Illinois USA

I, Emma Freke by Elizabeth Atkinson

This is a story about a girl Emma, whose last name is Freke. She hates her name and how she looks. She feels like a freak. She is freakishly tall has freckles and orange hair. She knows nothing about her father or his family. Then one day she receives and invitation to the Freke family reunion and that's when everything changed.

I give I, Emma Freke a 10/10! It is one of the best books I have read in along time. It had very good imagery, I could see the places and people when I closed my eyes. I felt like I was the main character, Emma. I felt the pain and loneliness she felt. It had just enough detail. I would recommend this book.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: braintree, ma usa

The Boneshaker by Kate Milford

Natalie Minks know that strange things happen at crossroads, but the crossroads at Arcane, Missouri seem awful boring, until Dr. Jake Limberleg and his medicine show come to Arcane and turn everything upside down. When her mother becomes ill, whispers engulf the town in uncertainty and Limberleg prescribes odd medicines, Natalie knows something is up. She uncovers "bone shaking" secrets and finds that the town's future rests in her hands.

This book is not one I particularly liked, it tended to jump from one subject to another. I found myself rereading a lot to figure out what was going on. The characters were not very well-described except for the main character Natalie. The book had a very slow start. I wouldn't recommend this book.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: boothwyn, PA USA

Dracula by Nicky Raven

Dracula by Nicky Raven is the abridged version of the classic, Dracula by Bram Stoker. It is a lot shorter, one tenth of the original. On each page are added illustrations, depicting certain scenes in the book. It is written through a narrative, following two main characters, as they live through their encounters with the vampire, Dracula, and his followers. It is very fast pace, compared to the original, and a definite thriller.

Honestly, the book wasn't very interesting. Opening the book, my attention was not grabbed, and I had a hard time completing it. Desptite that, the pictures were pretty, and did help add to the experience. Although not as captivating as the original, Raven organized the book in a better way. It was very easy to follow, and I thought everything transitioned well from journal entry's to a narrative. It was a fairly small book, and the character developement was done well. I would recommend this book to a lower age audience than suggested, because it seemed to be more of a story book, despite some of the content. I would also recommend this book to someone who has already read the original Dracula and had a hard time keeping up with it, or got bored. Overall, it wasn't a horrible book, but it also wasn't outstanding.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springtown, Texas United states

Dark and Stormy Knights

With this novel, P.N. Elrod has compiled a collection of nine short stories written by many of today's hit "urban fantasy" authors. All of the stories have a paranormal-like quality to them. One hit story was A Questionable Client by Ilona Andrews. Readers of her Kate Daniels series can see what Kate's life was like before she met the shapeshifter, Saiman. I especially liked the Russian mythology woven into this tale. Another story that stood out for me was Rachel Caine's Even a Rabbit Will Bite, which was about a young dragon trainer. Other stories involve ghost hunting, vampires, and knights in shining armor, so there is something for everyone included here.

I'm not much of a short story reader, but I wanted to give this collection a try. There was a good variety of authors and stories to keep me interested throughout reading, even if I didn't enjoy some stories as much as others. This was also a great introduction to the urban fantasy genre. After reading this, I found some new authors that I would like to read more from. While this genre isn't for everyone, it's worth giving this collection a try. This would also make a perfect fall read.

Has some sexual content

Reviewer Age:23
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

Jump by Ginger Rue

Brinkley Harper is Miss Popular at her high school. She is
a beautiful cheerleader with a football player as her
boyfriend. Brinkley always gets the lead in school plays -
whether she deserves it or not. When Brinkley is almost
expelled, she has to go to therapy as an alternative.
Brinkley thinks she is perfect and that is an issue with
her counselor. Brinkley has never known what the life of
an unpopular girl was like - that is, until she wakes up
in a poor, Goth girl s body! Will Brinkley learn her
lesson?

This book speaks the truth! Brinkley is
described as a disdainful, upper-class cheerleader who
walks right over the underdog. It is only fitting that
Brinkley has to live the life of a girl she considers a
nobody . I found myself relating to this story. All
teenagers will be delighted with this book's wit and
humor. After all, everyone knows a Brinkley!

Content: 1

Rating: 10

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City,
Florida United States

Efrain's Secret by Sofia Quintero

Efrain Rodriguez is a senior this year, and he has high hopes for college. He is hoping to get into an Ivy League school, but he can't afford it. He has some money saved but it's not enough. His mom is already working two jobs to put food on the table, and his dad left their family for a younger woman. Efrain has to resort to other options to get where he wants to go. He needs to get money fast with graduation around the corner, and that only means one thing: the last thing anyone suspects.

Sofia Quintero did a stunning job expressing how hard it was to stay on top, and what the pressure can do to you. I now have a new respect for teens living in the slums, and who are having a hard time. The characters in this book were perfect. Efrain is the perfect example of someone who will do anything to make everyone proud; he makes mistakes, but still stays positive. Quintero did an outstanding job writing this book.

Content: 1
Rating: 7
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Enon, OH USA

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn

Florence Crutchfield moves from an orphanage in London to Crutchfield Hall, her uncle's house out in the country. When she first arrives, she doesn't think she will have a happy life at Crutchfield Hall because her aunt hates her. She has other things to worry about too, like her dead cousin, Sophia, coming back from the grave! Sophia thinks her brother James should be dead instead of her so she tries to kill him to revive her life. Florence is part of Sophia's plan to try to kill James.

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall, in my opinion is a great book that is written in a fast moving pace. It was one of those books that you can't put down until you're done--I know I couldn't! If you like stories that are very suspenseful, you will like this book. It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be, but the ghost was gross. It was a short book compared to what Mary Downing Hahn usually writes.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Friendswood, Texas United States

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

When Lenah becomes human after hundreds of blood-sucking vampire years, she doesn't know how to fit in. Although she is free from ruling her coven, taking innocent humans lives, and staying hidden, the real world is definitely different for her.

Going to high school is no challenge to Lenah. Lenah entered high school during the middle of the year but going to school is no challenge for her as she is one of the smartest students who knows practically every language. When she meets Justin Enos, she has a feeling she'd never felt before. Soon they are dating and Lenah learns to live. While they are at the winter dance together, something happens to Lenah which leaves her heart broken, but not by Justin.

Infinite Days is a very good book. Although it is about vampires, it has a different scenario; normally it's a human turning into a vampire but this book is the complete opposite, a vampire turning into a human. Readers who enjoy non-fiction books with lots of action and suspense with a little romance would love this book. This book is very detailed and written very well, and it seems like it is happening right in front of you! Infinite Days is a very fun and interesting book.


Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fairborn, Ohio USA

A Family Secret by Eric Heuvel

"A Huge Allied Assault of the most important bridges by Arnhem and Nijmegen took place on September 17, 1944..." Says Mrs. Helena to her grandson, Jeroen. One day, as Jeroen was digging through some old things in his grandmother's attic, he had noticed some old newspapers that were dated back in the 1940s and an old Jewish star. He had gone and asked his grandmother what the papers said. He couldn't read them because they were in German. When he asked about the star, Helena had told him that the star had belonged to her best friend because she was a Jew. She had started to tell Jeroen about the Nazi war, about how a crazy guy called Hitler was trying to take over. Helena had also mentioned to Jeroen that her dad worked for the German police, meaning that her dad was the one who took her best friend from her and sent her to a concentration camp. In a way this story had really helped me, because normally when you hear about the Nazi war in Germany it is usually always from a Jewish persons point of view, never from a German person. It was based off the point of view of the Grandma that had lived through that time but all she had to deal with was losing her best friend to the Nazi s. But seeing as Helena didn't want to remember it, she had never really mentioned this to her grandson, thus making that the Family Secret.

I really enjoyed this mainly. It's one of my favorite times in history that I love to read about, WWII. This book has a lot of historical facts in it about the Nazis and a lot of fictional things. I do prefer that you read this book if you like things on history. Seeing as it is a graphic novel, it tells alot more with the pictures than I think it could have if it was just a novel. It shows you the reactions on the faces instead of just describing how they looked. I think this would be a great book for all ages to read. Historical or not it is a very good book.

Reviewer Age:15

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

Almost To Die For by Tate Hallaway

Being a dhampyr brings its struggles for Ana. Her controlling witch mother tries to restrain her from seeing anyone but witches, and her vampire father tries to reclaim her for the vampire throne. What is hard about satisfying both parents? Vampires and witches are enemies and will do anything to stop each other. Ana must choose to side with her over-protective mother or her father who she only just met. Through high school drama, magic, and boys, Ana Parker goes through the craziest time of her life.

Almost to Die For is a novel that follows current trends. Vampires, boys, and action are in many new teen books. Tate Hallaway made her novel unique by incorporating witches as characters as well as normal humans. The plot is fun and interesting but rather predictable near the end. Though it is not a perfect piece of literature, this novel is worth reading to the teenage girl. Up-to-date vocabulary and slang make the dialogue seem realistic, and the first person narration draws the reader into the protagonist's mind. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys the Twilight series and other vampire novels.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

Secrets of the First Daughter by Cassidy Calloway

Secrets of the First Daughter by Cassidy Calloway is about the first daughter of the United States, and the problems that follow her everywhere - including England! Senior, Morgan Abbott, the first daughter, is perfectly happy. She gets to see her boyfriend, although it’s in secret, and she takes the role of class president after her enemy Brittany Whittaker is removed from office! Unfortunately for Morgan, nothing can go smoothly. With a secret relationship, Brittany, and now colleges, Morgan has her hands full. This is a sequel to Confessions of a First Daughter.

Secrets of the First Daughter is a perfect summer read full of love stories and hilarious mishaps. Although it doesn’t grab your attention at the beginning like its prequel, Morgan quickly gets herself into such a mess I found it impossible to stop reading. The author describes Morgan’s feelings well and makes the situations mostly believable, but still somewhat comical. There isn’t a complicated, intense plot or hidden symbolism. The morals are relatively simple. For me, this made it a nice book to read in between harder ones. It is a fun, easier summer read.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA

Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep

Strong, confident, courageous, and dangerous is what Gin Blanco is, also known as the Spider. Being one of the most dangerous assassins and one of the most gifted elementals, she has a reputation of being the most feared -until Gin Blanco retires from her life as assassin. Being bored with
her new retirement, she tries to find out why Fletcher, her tutor in the assassin world, left her a mysterious file after his death. This file has everything she would want to know about her life previous to becoming an assassin. It does not take long after her retirement, however, for trouble to find her again. After having a curious girl, Violet, asking about Fletcher, her restaurant being robbed, and then being shot at soon after, she has to find out what is going on. With the help of her Goth dwarf friend, Sophia, Fletcher's son, and an attractive detective she goes after one of the well known dwarfs in Ashland. While going on her next
killing, she keeps finding information that is making her second guess everything.

Web of Lies is the second book in the An Elemental Assassin series, and a good book to read if you like a little action. Set in a town called Ashland with giants, dwarfs and elemental magic such as ice, fire, earth, and stone powers, it is a good book for those who enjoy a perspective of a magical world.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Naugatuck, CT United States