The Girl in the Mirror

The Girl in the Mirror is about a girl named Lizzie. She is adopted and is searching for her birth parents. Something dramatic happens near the time she graduates; her adoptive father dies. She goes through a tough time, and she does not handle it well. She ends up hanging out with the wrong crowd and starts drinking.

The book was good, but it was not as dramatic or suspenseful as I had expected it to be.  Lizzie doesn’t get seem to experience a real crisis. There was an issue, but it wasn’t a huge problem, so it didn’t always hold my attention.  A lot of the time I had to reread the last page because it jumped and didn’t really flow as to what was happening on the page before. It was an okay read and  I liked the story behind it. I just thought it could have been a little more interesting and suspenseful.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springfield, Ohio North America

The Girl Behind The Glass by Jane Kelley

Twins, Hannah and Anna were best friends, until they moved to the house on Hemlock Road, which tears their whole family apart. Is the house they’re living in temporarily haunted, or is Hannah just going crazy? Is there really a ghost haunting their house, or is it just former resident Ruth who died as a little girl in their attic? Whoever....or whatever it is seems to be talking to Hannah. Do her parents really think she’s crazy? Or do they believe her? Find out in this haunted story, The Girl Behind the Glass.

Throughout the whole book, I actually felt like I was there experiencing everything the characters were. I think the author did a great job describing everything, and getting the reader more sucked into the book, I know I was, waiting to read the next page and get more and more into the book. I thought she did a really good job with that part. It wasn’t a horror book, but it was the sort of book that had mystery and horror in a perfect combination. The author did a really nice job with the book.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Skokie , Illinois USA

A Million Suns by Beth Revins

It's been three months since Amy was awoken from her cryogenically frozen chamber and found herself on the spaceship Godspeed traveling to a new planet. It was tough transitioning to a world where there are always four walls surrounding her, but she had Elder to help her. However, now that Eldest is dead, Elder has become the leader of Godspeed. While he is dealing with imminent rebellion of the crew, Amy is sent on a hunt to unlock the secrets of Godspeed....before it's too late.

I haven't read much science fiction but I really enjoyed Across the Universe, the predecessor to A Million Suns, when I first read it. I was very excited to get my hands on the sequel, and I'm happy to say that A Million Suns did not disappoint. The story picks up right where Across the Universe left off, and even though many things were revealed at the end of that novel, there are still more secrets to be uncovered in A Million Suns. I liked watching Amy hunt for clues and thought it was a very interesting way for Amy to discover new information about Godspeed. On Elder's side, he is dealing with mutiny from the crew, who want a more equal form of government. While I understood the complaints of the crew, when reading from Elder's point-of-view, it's easy to sympathize with him. Even though he was not voted to be the leader, he still has the citizens' best interests at heart. A Million Suns was a great continuation of this trilogy, and I can't wait to read the conclusion because this book left off with a huge cliffhanger.

Reviewer Age:20
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States

Color Struck by Pamela and Joel Tuck

Racial conflicts have torn families apart for centuries, whether it is as far back as the Civil War or Martin Luther King Jr.’s Civil Rights Movement. Color Struck by Pamela and Joel Tuck demonstrates the effects of prejudice in the Steele family, a problem in fifteen-year-old Renee Steele’s life to a problem color once caused for her grandmother. Renee loves her two older cousins, but as they grow older, they seem to bicker more and more. Pat, proud of her African heritage, is fed up with Cherie’s light-skinned friends and near abandonment of their culture, accusing her of thinking white people were better than they are. Cherie thinks Pat simply refuses to apply herself to her full potential. Poor Renee is caught in the middle, and she turns to their grandmother for help.


Grandma Bell is one of a kind. She is brave and loving and kind and firm. However, she didn’t get that way by accident. She had a hard time in the beginning of her marriage, the effect of her dark skin among prejudiced in-laws. Throughout the book, she tells Pat, Renee, and Cherie all about how she met their grandfather, and how she came to live with him and his parents, who hadn’t exactly taken a liking to her. In fact, they went out of their way to make things difficult. Yet Bell persevered, raising several fine children and even reaching a surprising status with her husband’s troublesome in-laws.

Color Struck was definitely an enjoyable read. Grandma Bell’s old-fashioned pluckiness makes her the most likeable character in the book, and her courage in the face of bigotry sets an example for people in a tight spot everywhere. The reader will feel like they have sat down next to their own grandmother as she recounts her younger years, instilling an almost nostalgic feeling in them, longing for their own story times with loved ones. Renee, on the other hand, felt like a bit of a weak character. She didn’t have anything to contribute to the stories and couldn’t help her cousins, nor did she have an opinion in their fight, altogether coming off wishy-washy. The other characters were also decent, though I must admit that I developed a certain fondness for Pat as well as Bell’s sister Hattie, both young girls set in their ways and daring enough to carry out elaborate plans.

The writing of the book was pleasant, although the dialect spoken by the characters was hard to follow at first. The modern day chapters seemed a lackluster, but the twists and turns of the story told by Grandma Bell made up for them in the long run. Grandma Bell’s descriptions of her life with her sisters in her younger years and of how she dealt with her thorny in-laws were particular bright spots. The in-laws were also formidable antagonists, not people one wants to meet, making it all the more impressive for Bell to deal with them so patiently. Over all, it was a nice read, nothing to rant about, but definitely a book that someone interested in historical fiction, or even just the simple triumphs of a human being, should pick up.

Content Rating: 1


Rating: 7

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Locust Valley, New York The United States of America

Out of Breath by Blair Richmond

Out of Breath is a thrilling mystery book about a young woman named Katherine. She is a very talented competitive runner but had her foot crushed in a car accident in her senior year of high school. She recovered but lost her chance of scholarships. She runs away to her hometown of Lithia, a picturesque small town. She meets a caring couple that allows her to stay with them and as her stay goes on, she meets new people and starts learning about the darker side of this sunny town. Richmond has blended elements of adventure, romance, mystery, and horror beautifully through her vivid descriptions and realistic dialogue. I believe that Richmond definitely achieved her purpose because the writing was very realistic and descriptive. I was snatched out of my bedroom and into the story. Her writing is effective because it flows very naturally. The vocabulary was age-appropriate; I never had to stop and figure out what a word meant, nor did I feel like I had to turn my brain off in order to get through it.

This book's advantage is in the delicacy and clarity of its writing. One weakness I did find was that the plot seemed a bit predictable. I don't think this book could be the next Harry Potter because there's no real surprise. The major plot twists and climaxes in the story are heavily hinted at beforehand, which I felt was unnecessary for a teenage audience; surely we can figure it out ourselves. Other than this unfortunate detail, the book was very strong overall. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fun read; perhaps a stress-reliever or a comfortable, curl-up-by-the-fire and read book. This is because it is very smooth as far as flow goes, and the predictability of the plot may annoy those readers who are looking for something deeper or more mentally challenging, those who want to think hard to solve the mystery.

Rating: 8
Content Rating: 1
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Columbus, Indiana United States

Sister Mischief by Laura Goode

Sister Mischief, by Laura Goode, tells the tale of a quirky all-girl hip-hop crew in the Twin Cities. The four girls are each struggling to find their own identities; Esme's the lesbian lyricist, Marcy's the violent drum-line captain, Tess is the power vocalist and former church enthusiast, and Rowie is the beautiful, brilliant chorus-writer, but who are they really? The girls stick together as they discover their places in the chaos that is high school life. When the school makes an outrageous new rule that goes against what they believe in, the crew steps up to cause a scene in the school and show the world how educational hip-hop can be. Before long, their crew, Sister Mischief, is causing a stir in Holyhill High School in a way that only they could ever do.Though at first I was hesitant to read this book, I ended up really liking it. Each of the four main characters seems very realistic and is faced by real-life situations that high-schoolers face. The narrator, Esme, is amusing and engaging. The book was definitely a page-turner: it's not a challenging read, and I found myself finishing the 367-page novel in 2 days. Some mature themes are involved in the storyline, including sex, relationships, partying, swearing, and the uncertainty of sexual orientation. Teens who are uncomfortable reading such themes should avoid this book, but mature readers should find it a very entertaining read.
The book includes some mature themes such as sex, swearing, partying, drinking, and sexual orientation.
Rating: 8
Content: 3
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Columbus, IN USA

Destined by P.C. Cast

Zoey Redbird has just gotten home to Tulsa with her Warrior, Stark, by her side.  Rephaim and Stevie Rae can finally be together now that Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim and he has agreed to walk the path of the Goddess, Nyx. Everything seems perfect, right? Zoey soon learns that things are worse than she thought as Darkness begins to threaten their beloved school, House of Night. Soon Light and Dark collide in an epic battle, and Zoey must prepare to fight Neferet once again. Kalona, Rephaim s father, is relentless to stop him from following the path of Light. Is Zoey prepared to fight Neferet again? Will Rephaim be able to stay on the path of Light? And can true love find the Light when challenged by Darkness? Find out in the breath-taking next novel of the House of Night.

This book is the ninth book in the House of Night series, I would recommend reading the eight books that came before this book because there is not a lot of explanation about the past events. This book was well written and was very interesting to read because there weren't any dull moments.  This book was told through different characters' points of view which made the book interesting and action packed, but could be confusing to some readers. I would recommend this series for anyone who likes fantasy novels.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chittenden, Vermont United States of America

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia Mccall

Lupita is a teenage girl who moved to the U.S. from Mexico.  She is certain she can handle anything, but when she leans her mother has cancer, she is devastated.  Her only consolation is writing poetry under a mesquite tree which has sprung up in her mother's rose garden.  She also tries to battle her feelings by joining the school's drama club.  Finally, Lupita's mother and father go to Texas so her mother can get chemo treatments, leaving Lupita behind to care for her siblings.  Eventually, they are forced to live off the charity of their neighbors.  Lupita struggles on, but her determination may not be enough...

Wow.  I don't know what else to say.  This book was...beautiful.  Lupita's life was a nightmare, but she was persistent, ever hopeful.  I don't know how.  This book conveyed such strong emotions.  Parts of it were so sad, I almost cried.  I can hardly describe this book because it had such strong feelings in the writing.  It had too much feeling to put into words.  Under the Mesquite is definitely one of the best book's I've ever read.  This book is a gift to the world of literature. 

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, IA USA

Dragon's Oath by PC Cast and Kristin Cast

Dragon's Oath is the beginning of the doomed fates of the star-crossed lovers Anastasia and Dragon.  Dragon grew up in nineteenth century England as a rebellious, troublesome teen.  When his father is fed up with his son's embarrassing actions, he banishes Dragon to America.  Upon Dragon's departure, he is marked by a vampyre, a mystical being, to study at the Tower Grove House of Night, a school to learn the magical ways of the vampyre.  At the House of Night, Dragon becomes a skilled swordsman and warrior.  He also meets Anastasia, Professor of Spells and Rituals.  These two vampyres, from completely different backgrounds, come together to face a rising evil, but what will this threat do to their relationship?

As an installment in the House of Night series, the book added a decent amount of value to the continuing story arc, and I am interested to see what happens next.  However, as a standalone book for the casual reader, there definitely isn't enough substance despite its easy accessibility.  I was intrigued by the combination of the vampyre myth and magical realms.  This world isn't often created nor explored.  Another unique set piece was the fact that the Houses of Night are in U.S. cities with humans living nearby.  The clash between vampyres and humans will be an interesting plot point as the series continues.  Unfortunately, the story and dialogue doesn't grip you like other notable sci-fi/fantasy series, but Dragon's Oath may provide some value for those who enjoy the series.

Reviewer Age:21
Reviewer City, State and Country: Eden Prairie, Minnesota United States

The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten

Alex was Lucy's first boyfriend, her first love, her first everything. After spending the summer apart Lucy couldn't wait to see Alex on the first day of school, and share her special surprise with him. Only instead of reacting the way she thought he would, Alex breaks up with her!

Lucy is completely devastated, and utterly heartbroken. Then she meets Olivia, a striking but mysterious girl, who gives Lucy the opportunity of a lifetime! Olivia is part of a secret sisterhood of heartbreakers, a group of girls who are immune to ever having their hearts broken. If Lucy joins the secret sisterhood, not only will her own heart be healed, it will never be broken again! The rules are simple, make someone love you in the next seven days, and then break their heart. But Lucy has another plan in mind! What if instead of using the secret sisterhood of hreatbreakers to win a heart and break it, she used it to win a heart and keep it? With the clock ticking away will Lucy be able to win Alex back, or is she destined to be heartbroken forever?

Lynn Weingarten made this book come to life! She set the story up beautifully and it captivated me from the very first page. I found myself reading this book as fast as I could so that I could find out what happened next. Before I knew it, I devoured the entire book in one sitting!

Lucy is the main character in this book and my heart literally broke for her. She was completely devastated by her breakup with Alex. What girl hasn't been down that road at least once? So could I blame her when she decides to use the Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers to win a heart and keep it forever? Well, this girl couldn't!

I loved this book and would definitely recommend it to others. I think a broken heart is something everyone can identify with. It really makes you wonder, if you were given the same opportunity, what would you do?

I haven't read any other books by this author, but now I want to read every book she's ever written! I can't wait to read the sequel to this amazing novel!

Content: 1

Rating: 10

Reviewer Age:26

Reviewer City, State and Country: West Columbia, TX United States

Lighthouse Nights

Trevor enlists Jules in his plan to make a profit from the
suicides of frequent visitors of a depression chat room.
Jules makes a pact with each victim to commit the act
together. Jules fakes it, and Trevor swoops in to make off
with the valuables. Everything goes as planned until she
begins to fall in love with Gabe, their seventh potential
victim. Now, Jules faces the most important decision she has
yet.

Vander Ark' s novel is filled with dark romance and
twists and turns that keep the reader turning the pages.
Unlike most young adult novels with mature content that can
be overlooked to enjoy the book, the content of Lighthouse
Nights cannot. It is as much a part of the book as the
setting and characters. I would definitely recommend this
book to others who enjoy realistic novels, but I advise
caution because it may be triggering to some.

Language, graphic descriptions
Reviewer Age:22
Reviewer City, State and Country: Bay City, Texas USA

The Silent by Rebecca Kenney

The Silent by Rebecca Kenney

At Mourning High, everything seemed normal. Normal kids, normal teachers, normal school, normal day. But as Nikki Altemann arrives at school one day she learns everything is no longer normal. The head faculty and staff received threatening, and frightening emails. Detectives and police are called in.  The problem is, the emails are untraceable. So a head detective "hires" Nikki to be the ears and eyes of the school.  Only her faith can give her the courage she needs to face what's coming in the months to come.

I think the book was very well written. The author was very specific about the events that occurred. Every page had me on the edge of my seat down to the end of every sentence. In almost every scene I pictured myself in the background. I also found it easy to relate to several of the events. If I could have changed anything about the book, it would have been to make the final chapter longer and more vivid so the reader could've had a more vivid idea of what was going on. I learned to never take life and what you have for granted, because you never know when everything can change.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Jackson, Missouri USA

Artemis Rising by Cheri Lasota

The book Artemis Rising is centered around a young pagan girl. The story takes place between 1600 and 1800 AD. Then most people were Catholic and those who weren't were considered wrong and a disgrace, never to be associated with. In the new land, Arethusa and her mother were suspected pagans who believed in the Greek god Artemis. Arethusa's father was Catholic and constantly beat up on his wife. When he discovered proof of their beliefs, he decided to take his wife and Arethusa back to their homeland. On the way there Arethusa and her mother completed a ritual bonding Arethusa to the evil Diogo, the ship captain’s son. She is washed ashore, unable to physically utter a word or remember anything after the ritual, and meets a handsome young man. She is quickly torn between two evils, turning her back on her beliefs for the one she loves, or living unhappily for rest of her life with the one chosen for her by unseen forces. In this book by Cheri Lasota, two worlds, beliefs and stories combine causing chaos in one girl’s life. Who will she choose?

I thoroughly enjoyed the book Artemis Rising. It was well written and entertaining. I couldn't put my laptop down or read it fast enough. I felt the despair, hope and longing that was described so vividly right along with the main character. I could close my eyes and picture the landscape and the people without even trying. It had a sense of seriousness and heart throughout showing Arethusa's determination to stick to her beliefs no matter what anyone said. It was a great book that didn't feel like it was written specifically for one gender. I think men and boys will enjoy it just as much as woman and girls! I have and will continue to recommend this book and look forward to reading more by Cheri Lasota.

There are a few references to religion, violence, and culture. Parents may want to approve first.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Glendale, AZ United States

My Beating Teenage Heart by C. K. Kelly Martin

In this book My Beating Teenage Heart a girl is trapped in an unfamiliar place of darkness, with no memories or meaning. All she knows is her name, Ashlyn. Then she stumbles upon Breckon, a teenager torn apart by the loss of his younger sister. While Breckon fights to forget and rid himself of his life, Ashlyn is struggling to gain hers back. As she watches him, she realizes she may be able to help him forgive himself for what happened to his sister. Working behind the scenes of his life, Ashlyn tries to bring back peace to Breckon's life while remembering her own. 

This book is different and written in a new and upbeat style. I could connect it to other books I have read without it being the same story line. I liked how the characters transformed in the book and the plot was continually moving. All of the characters were well developed and fit together to make this book a success. The writing and plot reminded me of Sarah Dessen's writing. I would recommend this book to teen girls who enjoy dramatic fiction.

There was some sexual content in this book.

Reviewer Age:14

Hot And Steamy by Jean Rabe and Martin H Greenberg

Hot and Steamy is a book full of little stories, all of steampunk romance. All of the stories take place in the Victorian era. All of the stories are love stories. Of course, what else did you expect? But, there is more than just love in these stories, there are intrigue, danger, pyrotechnics, and plenty of gadgets. The stories have varying settings and plots.

My personal opinion, on this book is not pretty. I rarely run into a book that I do not like, but this was one of them. A lot of the stories were confusing, and too in depth, and by the end of them you're left standing there going, HUH?! The stories were almost too old, a little dreary, for teens. This would be a very good adult book, but I think many teens will agree with me, that this isn't a very good teen book.


Rating: 2
Content: 1
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Silver Spring, Maryland USA

Recruited

Recruited
Suzanne Weyn

Kadeem Jones is the star quarterback at southside. When he begins his senior season, he starts getting attention from college scouts. When Teller University, a top football program, recruits him, he gains attention from the cheerleaders and even gets money from a recruiter. Then he slips up and tells a rival recruiter of his times at Teller. It turns out those good times were actually violations. So now Kadeem has to chose between helping an NCAA investigation or playing at Teller.

This book was a great book; it shows what happens today in major college sports. The main character in this book has to make an important decision:  whether to tell the truth or not, to go play at Teller with all the illegal benefits, or to risk not playing at all. I believe the author used appropriate language and achieved her purpose, showing how the difficult choices are sometimes the better. I think this book was similar to the other sports books I have read. I would recommend  this book to anyone who likes to read sports books.
7
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fairborn, Ohio USA

Wherever You Go

Wherever You Go
Heather Davis

Lonely and lost. No other words can better describe Holly Mullen after the loss of her boyfriend Rob in a tragic accident. However, its been a few months, and Holly needs to move on. Although,  how can she forget the only boy she has ever loved? Meanwhile, her Alzheimers-stricken grandfather, Aldo, has come to live with Holly, her mother, and her little sister.

Holly’s  mother works two full time jobs; Holly is left to care for her grandfather and her little sister. Due to his disease, it is normal for Aldo to have hallucinations. But what happens when he begins to see the ghost of Holly’s boyfriend Rob, who has not yet crossed into the light? And what will Robs ghost think of Jason, ( Rob’s best friend when he was living)  trying to get close to Holly? Wherever You Go is book filled with romance, haunting stories of the past, and finding the strength to move on.
I really did enjoy the book Where You Go. The love triangle and connection between Rob, Jason, and Holly made the book hard to put down. I never knew what would really happen at the end of the book, due to the constant love triangle between the three. I felt Holly was a great character, mainly because her way of life is much different then Rob’s and Jason’s, so she gave you another form of living in the story. The romance between Holly and Jason also made the book interesting to read. Since they are both fighting to get over Rob’s death, I felt the connection between them was even stronger and that formed a great plot.
Even though I liked a lot of things about this book, it did take me awhile to get through it, due to a slow beginning, but it was worth getting beyond that. If you like stories of romance, love triangles, family, and ghosts, Wherever You Go by Heather Davis is a great read for you.
7
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springfield, Ohio USA

Skary Childrin and the Carousel of Sorrow by Katy Towell

Nothing has ever been the same since the Storm arrived in Widowsbury.  Anything odd or weird is seen as dangerous to the villagers; even scary children like Adelaide Foss, Maggie Borland, and Beatrice Alfred. They are three girls that attend Madame Gertrude s School For Girls, and they are harassed because of their special talents. Adelaide has traits of a werewolf, Maggie is super strong, and Beatrice claims to see and talk to ghosts. Some of the townspeople begin to disappear, and the girls want to get to the bottom of this mystery when their new friend disappears as well. With the help of the cook's son,  the girls try to figure out who, or what, is behind the disappearances. Will they be able to get everyone back, or will Widowsbury become a ghost town?

Skary Childrin and the Carousel of Sorrow is a novel by Katy Towell. A little slow at first, Skary Childrin gradually steals your heart as more and more people get taken away. The characters and their stories are amazing. I love how the pieces all clicked together at the end of the story. The characters were fantastic, and I think that the world needs more heroes and heroines like Adelaide, Maggie, Stephen, and Beatrice. Even though it is doubtful, I hope to see a sequel to these books with the eventual ending of the Widowsbury curse. I recommend this book to all ages, especially those who like skary stories.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

Cracking the Ice by Dave Hendrickson

Cracking the Ice is about a black, smart, teen boy who has a passion for hockey. In 1968, the civil rights era, Jessie Stackhouse is given a scholarship to go and play at a private, all white, and all boys school in New Hampshire. Jessie has to leave behind all the things he loves in order to fulfill his hockey dreams.  Jessie knows he will have to face many racist people. Jessie is surprised when he finds out that he is in much danger, and his team and coach despises him purely for the color of his skin.

I enjoyed this book because of the suspense. Every event was always interesting. Hendrickson kept me intrigued into this book.  I never wanted to shut the front cover. Another reason is the way Hendrickson writes. The narrator in this book is half Jessie and half Hendrickson. You can hear the thoughts going on in Jessie s head, but then you hear things that Jessie hasn' t even heard yet. This book really touched me. It really showed me how hard it was to live in that era, and the danger that they lived in.  One thing that I disliked was that fact that Hendrickson took the violence a little too far in the book. By doing this Hendrickson disallowed younger children to read this masterpiece.
I rated this book a three, because the violence. In one point of the book, they try to kill a boy. There is also use of alcohol in the book. There are terms used in this book that are not appropriate for younger kids, and there are racist terms.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leawood, Kansas United States of America

Trance by Kelly Meding

Trance is a generally enjoyable book about a girl named Theresa, who inherits superhero powers and is fighting an invisible threat, a supervillan on the loose. Meanwhile she has to figure out her feelings for an old friend, who she has just been reunited with. Teresa is trying to figure out where her place is in her world. After she has been bouncing from one dead end job to another, and getting into a fair amount of trouble. It takes place in Los Angeles, California.
I think this book was interesting, especially since it's mostly action, with some romance. But, the beginning was a little confusing. At first I thought it was a sequel! There were too many new characters, while there was a lot of action, so it was a little to much to grasp all at once.  But after the first chapter, I  couldn't wait to finish the book. Once I got to the end, I was plesantly suprised by the way things turned out. Also I think the book needed a little mire humor, it seemed a little dull at times, and some humor would spice it up. The characters seemed well- rounded. But, a warning, this book has some sexual content. All in all I liked this book, and would reccomend it to others.
There is a sex scene in this book
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon United States