A new student review of A Girl's Guide To Fitting in Fitness

avolzer posted a new student review of A Girl's Guide To Fitting in Fitness . See the full review.

 

Overall it was pretty good but wasn’t what I expected. It said it would make exercise fun, but there was hardly anything that looked fun. I did like the part about dancing. The yoga poses and weight lifting were cool too. It said it wasn’t hard to get up early if you choose an exercise you enjoy. The ones they suggested were things like push ups and lunges. Those aren’t going to motivate me to get up. It had useful information about setting and keeping goals. The writing was easy to read and conversational. The purpose was to explain the benefits and reasons to exercise and share practical ways to begin being more healthy. The authors achieved their purpose. The part about setting and reaching goals was great. It was a motivational and practical book. It is good for beginners just getting started or for people who are already pretty fit looking for a challenge. It’s best for high school girls.

 

A new student review of Darkwater by Catherine Fisher

Feeder24 posted a new student review of Darkwater by Catherine Fisher. See the full review.

I thought that this book was interesting, but that it was rather confusing. There were mentions of magic, but the author did not elaborate on them and left the reader in the dark. I also didn't like the ending to the book. Throughout the whole story, the author made Azrael out to be an evil warlock who would do whatever he had to to get what he wanted, but then at the end, she portrayed him as a good person who did only what he promised and nothing else. I just thought that it was a little random and disorganized. However, it was well-written and kept me interested in the story. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy and mystery type books, but it will take some brain power to understand what is happening.

A new student review of Death, Doom, and Detention

R. Mae posted a new student review of Death, Doom, and Detention . See the full review.

 

Darynda Jones, who is an expert YA writer, happens to have a thing for cliff hangers. I was absolutely thrilled by Darynda's sequel to Death and the Girl Next Door. Of all the possible ways to antagonize me, she ended with a cliff hanger! Of course, I do really love a cliff hanger...

Lorelei proved to be an excellent MC once again, her epic humor and choice in friends was perfect. Brooke is still my favorite character, although I feel Glitch is just as oblivious as ever. The characters in Death, Doom and Detention really add to the story, fighting invincible monsters could get boring without some fun. I was impressed by the plot in Death and the Girl Next Door, but the plot in this one practically threw me off my feet. I love action.  I don't think you can ever have enough action in a book, but silliness really makes up for it where it is lacked. I think Lorelei could get into a couple more scrapes in the next book *crosses fingers*, but I will survive if she doesn't.

To sum it up, I continue to love Darynda Jones' beautiful writing, and I think I always will!

A new student review of The Geneva Project - Truth

ykhalfi posted a new student review of The Geneva Project - Truth . See the full review.

 

 

I found this book really good to read. It seems unfinished and that there should be a sequel..

It's so good it is destined to become a best-seller.

A new student review of Through the Skylight

sisto8 posted a new student review of Through the Skylight . See the full review.

I liked the book Through the Skylight because of the characters.  Each character got to narrate his/her own parts of the story.  Since there were six kids, one could get confused with all the different perspectives. The conflict was very interesting.  The story didn't turn out just the way I expected. The clues twisted and turned until the very end of the book. The language stayed on the age level;  there were very few bad words.  I recommend this book for people 10+. 

A new student review of Beneath the Heavens by Christine O'Neill

sabol posted a new student review of Beneath the Heavens by Christine O'Neill. See the full review.

Beneath the Heavens, written by Christine O’Neil, is a suspense-filled adventure story that kept me hooked down to the final line. When I first began to read I thought I would get lost in the multitude of characters but each was skillfully crafted so that I was able to follow the plot even between changes in perspective. In fact as the novel progressed I found myself getting deeply attached to each character and their idiosyncrasies. The clichéd yet heartwarming relationships that ensue among the characters and comical wordplay used, is just the frosting on the cake. O’Neil’s engrossing novel captures the very essence of a good story and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a juicy mystery to sink their teeth into.

A new student review of Diverse Energies by Malinda Lo Ursula K. Le Guin Paolo Bacigalupi

alphatauri posted a new student review of Diverse Energies by Malinda Lo Ursula K. Le Guin Paolo Bacigalupi. See the full review.

There were a few stories I really enjoyed, while others I'd hesitate to recommend to anyone anytime soon. "The Last Day," by Ellen Oh, opens the collection and was a standout as well. It's filled with action, and has got a fascinating world, a likeable protagonist, and an ending that you won't forget anytime soon. Meanwhile, the story that follows it, "Freshee's Frogurt," by Daniel H. Wilson, didn't really do it for me. Generally, I dislike it when novels are excerpted as short stories, and this one was no exception. The other few stories I really liked were "Uncertainty Principle", by K. Tempest Bradford, "Good Girl", by Malinda Lo, and "A Pocket Full of Dharma" by one of the best known writers in the collection, Paolo Bacigalupi. Overall, Diverse Energies is indeed, a diverse collection of stories with quite a lot of lesser known authors that readers will enjoy discovering! 

A new student review of Tempest: A Novel (Tempest Trilogy) by Julie Cross

Hickey posted a new student review of Tempest: A Novel (Tempest Trilogy) by Julie Cross. See the full review.

I thought this was a wonderfully written book. The second I picked it up and started reading it I was hooked. I thought the author did an amazing job with the plot development, but could have done a better job with having more vivid descriptions of some of the scenes. Everything included, I highly recommend this book to the average teenager who likes fantasy. 

A new student review of William and the Lost Spirit

ReesaOnFire posted a new student review of William and the Lost Spirit . See the full review.

 

Set in Medieval times in a feudal society, “William and the Lost Spirit” by Bonneval and Bonhomme takes the reader into a land of magic, science and folklore. This magical tale takes you to far off lands that reach the depths of young William’s imagination.  Although the art for this graphic novel was really great for the subject, and I give gratitude and respect to the artist for having the patience to draw every single board, the plot was disappointing. I was expecting a ‘coming of age’ story or a thrilling mystery from what I read in the summary. Unfortunately I didn’t get that. There were some ‘coming of age’ aspects in the story but it wasn't the main story.  The book was also a bit too strange for my taste. In my opinion, William’s ‘adventures’ or dreams were quite odd—even for a young boy of his background. Also another problem I had with this book is the main character. William doesn't seem to care about anything.  In the beginning, he doesn’t seem to care about his father’s death—he had a ‘let sleeping dogs lie’ persona almost—and at the end he doesn’t seem to want to hold his father’s killer accountable.

Needless to say, I had many problems with this book because in my opinion, a book—whatever type it may be—must have a good, some-what logical plot with developed or developing characters, and this particular book did not seem to have it.  Perhaps I am too harsh on this book and my ability to get into this book was just too weak—the fantasy didn’t take hold; but that still is a problem. Why couldn’t this book catch me and keep me in?

You may decide for yourselves, but for myself, I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would.

A new student review of Here Where the Sunbeams Are Green

TaurielOfMirkwood posted a new student review of Here Where the Sunbeams Are Green . See the full review.

This book was awesome! I loved it! It had mystery, adventure, and a little romance. It also had some Spanish, and I thought that was pretty cool. The author did a great job describing the scenes, and I could see them in my mind. Overall, this is a great book!

A new student review of Birdie by Tony Rosa

MIZZIQ posted a new student review of Birdie by Tony Rosa. See the full review.

For the most part this was a very boring story. I'd suggest taking your time with it even though it's small. There are meanings that you can take from it--whether the author intended them or not. I think that most people can identify with some parts of all the characters. The old man and Mark have a true friendship which is heartwarming. The story doesn't really leave you anywhere. It's more of a story of a kid learning to move on even though he makes mistakes. There's a few flashbacks which were interesting. I wouldn't particurly reccomend this book. It's a lot like the books I usually read so trying to beat some of my favorites are hard---all that to say I wouldn't NOT read it...I just think it was more of a debut book. (Not sure if it was or not.) So the story had meaning and some parts I throughly enjoyed. The ending was almost worth it....however I was glad it was so short.

A new student review of Lunch Lady and the Picture Day Peril by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

LegoLover posted a new student review of Lunch Lady and the Picture Day Peril by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. See the full review.

Krosorzka brings us another heroic tale from the school cafeteria, of the Lunch Lady and her sidekick Betty.  As always, “Lunch Lady and the Picture Day Peril” is full of nutritious lingo that will make you laugh and your tummy growl.  Once you start this adventure, you'll find yourself unable to put it down.  I liked how creatively the Breakfast Bunch came up with a plan.  What I really loved about this book is how Krosorzka not only writes lots of details but draws them into the background of nearly every scene.

A new student review of The Crimson Shard by Ravette

Ravette posted a new student review of The Crimson Shard by . See the full review.

It was a wonderful and very enthralling read. I enjoyed the details the author used to describe eighteenth-century London; it made it much clearer and easier to visualize. I also liked how  Sunni and Blaise enjoy drawing and art, because I felt that I could relate. I also really liked the characterization, because every character had a very distinct and different personality from one another.

A new student review of And Then I Found You: A Novel by pandagirl312

pandagirl312 posted a new student review of And Then I Found You: A Novel by . See the full review.

Arguably my favorite thing about this book is its organization. Instead of telling the story straight through, Callahan Henry jumps from place to place, year to year. She gives you a snippet of young Katie, present-day Kate, and present-day Luna. This really gives balance and structure to the story. The book kind of ended all at once; all the conflicts were resolved within the last pages. However, the story is one readers will enjoy.

Secrets of Tamarind by Nadia Aguiar

The fact that it has taken me months to "get around" to reading this book just might tell you how I thought it was.  I kept picking it up and putting it down, picking it up and putting it down, you get the picture. The tone of the book, I felt was over all appropriate for the story, a light adventure tone, and the characters were believable for their ages (Maya,16, Simon,14, Penny,5), the plot, good, but the voice for the story was boring.  In my opinion the author did not live up to what is a great plot and what could have been an excellent book.  In school, english teachers tell you to always put details in your stories because it provides for a more interesting book and helps the reader visualize the story.  I generally agree with this, except for the details in this book.  The author OVER-detailed everything. Even things that were unnecessary to detail, making it very hard to get through certain areas. That doesn't go to say that there were never areas I didn't enjoy.  I thought there were great characters and I enjoyed the interesting names of the locations they went to, other peoples names etc.  Maybe if I had read the first book in the series I would of been more immersed into the book, but I really doubt it.  I would not recommend The Secrets Of Tamarind to others because the writing style is dull and not very interesting or enthralling.  I am fourteen so maybe a younger reader would enjoy this. 
Maya, Simon and Penny return to Tamarind, the mysterious island they first encountered in The Lost Island of Tamarind(Book one in the series), after alarming messages from their friend Helix and strange deceased animals washing onto the shores of Bermuda.  The three children and Helix board the Pamela Jane (the family boat) and sail to Tamarind only to find the Island to be invaded by the Red Coral a mysterious, private and dangerous organization.  The children discover the island in chaos as the Red Coral is invading and destroying homes looking for the valuable and magical element, Ophalla.  The children go on a quest to save and restore Tamarind to its former glory, before it's to late.Reviewer Age:14Reviewer City, State and Country: Annandale, VA United States

I AM MORE THAN JUST A GIRL by Leah Oviedo

I Am More Than Just a Girl is an empowering book all about girls, for girls. This book is dedicated to allowing girls to be themselves, be safe, and live happy healthy lives. It includes lots of cute graphic images and plenty of space for journaling. Topics covered in this book include beauty, self defense, anger management, confidence building techniques, and so much more. Every girl should know how to deal with everyday things like these and this e-book is the perfect resource for them.

 I really didn' t get a whole lot out of this book. There was a lot of information that was good, but I kept feeling like I was being forced to read a pamphlet at one of my old girl scout meetings. I felt like they were pushing the journaling a little too much too. I thought, originally, this was just a nonfiction, possibly historical, book about empowering women, not a journal to write down my feelings in. Overall, the information was good, I didn' t necessarily learn anything new, but I could see how it could be a use to others.  Younger girls may want to consult with an adult before talking about more serious topics in this book such as eating disorders and sexual abuse. Reviewer Age:16Reviewer City, State and Country: Hopkins, MI United States

We Are Savages (eBook) by Jessie Atkin

Tris has never felt like anyone. Her parents want her to be more ladylike, and she has no friends except her dog, Mars. But that all changes on a mysterious night when Tris falls down the sewer into an amazing world full of children that call themselves savages. Fireflies that fly above the children s' heads light everything and kids sleep at any time they want to. But that' s not even the weirdest part. There are no adults. Join Tris on an adventure where she' ll meet some pretty weird kids and monsters that snack on children.

To tell you the truth, this book did not intrigue me very much. It was hard to continue on with the book, and I felt like I was being forced to read it. When I was reading, I didn't have any of those " ooh" or "ah" moments that make a book really good. I didn't feel the emotion from the characters like I have in many other books I have read. Even though you were supposed to feel bad for Tris for a chunk of the book, I could not really empathize with her. Overall, this book did not intrigue me, and I did not enjoy it very much.

Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Charlotte, North Carolina United States

The Shining City by Fiona Patton

The Shinning City takes place in a world where Gods rule over the people who dwell inside the God-wall.  A newly rising God, Hisar, must stake his claim in the world, but he is not without struggles. From the hovering threat of hungry spirits to the mortal battle moving closer and closer to Anavatan, it is even more important that he comes  to his full powers.  But he is not to fight the battle alone.  Three children of prophecy: the seers Spar and Graize and the warrior Brax have sworn to help him if only they can get past the animosity and distrust among themselves in order to help the young God to survive.  The third book in Fiona Patton' s Warriors of Estavia is a thrilling and mystical adventure cast in a fantastical world that expounds the bond between gods and men. 

This book by Fiona Patton is well written and an enticing novel that caught my eye just by the title.  Patton will blow you away with her dexterous descriptions and delectable dialogue.  It is a dense book that requires the reader to pay attention.  Therefore, I would recommend starting with the first book of the trilogy to prevent getting lost in the complex prophecies and characters.  Patton has created a new world that is both mysterious and enthralling.  This fast-paced novel will not leave you disappointed. 

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Middlebury, CT USA

Guy Langman, Crime Scene Procrastinator by Josh Berk

Guy Langman is a quiet, self-centered, 15-year-old with one friend, Anoop. Nothing much has ever interested Guy, except for girls and sleep. His friend Anoop convinces Guy to sign up for the Forensics Club at school, but he insists only to meet girls. After a few weeks of detective training, Guy begins to enjoy, and become good at, detective work, especially lifting fingerprints. And when someone breaks into his recently deceased dad' s pirate treasure, The Forensics Club is called on to solve a real crime. As they search for evidence and answers to the mystery, they uncover another crime scene. After another week or so, The Forensics Club must compete in a competition against their rival school to solve a fake crime, until Guy and Anoop find a real dead body along with some suspicious fingerprints. As Guy uncovers more secrets about his father's past and begins to piece together the boy 's death and the coin robbery, Guy makes new friends and uncovers new things about himself.

Guy Langman: Crime Scene Procrastinator is a funny, page-turning story that keeps the reader engrossed throughout the entire book. The plot starts out a little slow but picks up after the first couple chapters. The author expertly combines mystery and crime-solving with the life of a grief-stricken teenager. By creating a sad and lonely main character, the author is able to develop both Guy' s and his friend s' character traits and personalities. I extremely enjoyed this book and found myself not being able to put it down. I enjoyed the rich but humorous plot and narration, but I was also able to pick out clues while reading the book. I believe that Josh Berk did a fantastic job, and I would love to read another one of his stories.

I would give this book a 2 for content because there are some more mature things going on such as crime and emotional difficulties and high school conversations. If someone younger than about 12 wanted to read this, I would recommend parent guidance.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Parker, Colorado USA

Ruby (eBook) by Amanda Burke

Ruby is a book about a girl named Ruby who has a gift. This gift is not one that she knew of for most of her life, only recently has her gift arisen in her. Ruby is special, her gift provides her with abilities beyond human capabilities. She was known as a witch. Ruby is a witch from one of the most powerful witching families in the world, the Sullivan clan. As a child, she and her grandmother would practice magic, but when her father found out, he took her and forced the grandmother to plant a spell that stops Ruby from using her powers. The grandmother had a different idea though, she put the spell on Ruby, but made it so that when she turned 18, the spell would lift and Ruby would be able to use her powers again.  Her father was a man who hated wizardry and witchdom, even though he himself was one, so he kept his identity as well as Ruby s own identity secret during the time she couldn t use her magic. Then one night, a few days after Ruby turned 18, Ruby s father was found with his insides cut out and his blood covering the wall. So now she must find her grandmother, and accept the truth of who she is. She must learn to control her magic and use it stop the evil that is threatening to destroy the world as we know it. It is up to Ruby and her cancer-ridden grandmother to perfect her abilities and accept her fate.I loved this book! I loved it so much, I finished the whole thing in one day. It kept me intrigued with high action, but also wasn t too much. The book was amazing, but the prologue could be a little more interesting, I almost wanted to put the book down until I got to chapter one. The author could change the wording from old English to today s form of English because a lot of teens and young adults don t really know that form of English anymore.  Other than that, I felt the book itself was spectacular and I hope the author writes a sequel. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wishes to read it. It will keep anyone intrigued, from 8-100 years old. Reviewer Age:13Reviewer City, State and Country: Charlotte, North Carolina USA