Lunch-Box Dream by Tony Abbott

In the Lunch-box Dream by Tony Abbott, the character Bobby and his brother Ricky go on a road trip with their family to visit Civil War battlefields.  The year is 1959, the era of the Civil Rights movement, and Bobby does not like black people. He calls them chocolates and does not want to have anything to do with them. When an accident cuts their trip short the family ends up taking the bus back to their hometown of Cleveland. Bobby and his family come face-to-face with racial discrimination that may jeopardize a black family' s seats on the bus.  The reason the family has to be on the bus though is because their child is missing in a different town.
This book was not one of my favorites. I did not really like the structure of the book. This book was not a back-and-forward book. It was a back-and-back-and-forward-and-other-and-another-and-other again book. The book was also very confusing since it contained many characters which made it hard to try to keep track of who was who.  Most of the book was building up to the end which wrapped up in two chapters.   If there were fewer characters telling that story it may have been better.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rochester, New York USA

Sorghaghtani of Mongolia

        I read the book Sorghaghtani of Mongolia by Shrin Yim Bridges. It is a nonfiction book about a princess named Sorghaghtani. About the age of twelve Sorghaghtani married Prince Touli who was the son of Genghis Khan. While still a teenager she gives birth to their first son. Later she had three more sons. Touli spent most of his time away fighting while Sorghaghtani stayed home to care for their children. She also had to deal with government business if her husband was away. When she was only forty her husband died after a night of drinking alcoholic mare's milk . After her husband's death her brother in law gave her all authority over her husband's land . Later when this same brother in law tried to take control of most of China Sorghaghtani had to be wise and brave to keep him from taking all the land. In the end Sorghaghtani's son was elected the supreme ruler. Sorghaghtani was respected for her wisdom and for teaching her sons to be kind leaders that hel their people.


       This book is more than a story about Sorghaghtani life. It is also about the culture of the Mongol tribes who lived north of China. The book shows pictures of some many everyday things Sorghaghtani would have used. Princesses wore a dress with trousers tucked into boots. When they got married they wore a Baqta which was a hat that showed they were married. I was surprised to learn that the women did all the hard work of loading the wagons and getting the horses ready when the tribe decided to move to a different area. This book was very interesting and fun to read.

Destiny and Deception by Shannon Delany

The Rusakova family has just begun a normal life, as they have taken the cure to extend their lives and cease being werewolves. However, normal seems to be a let down after the previous adventures Jess has had with her boyfriend, Pietr Rusakova. Upset that his attentions seem to now be lying elsewhere, but determined to support him through anything, Jess finds herself caught between her wants and her promises. Then danger comes to the town in the form of a new werewolf pack. Will the Rusakovas be able to overcome past grievances to save the town? Or will their attempts simply crash and burn?

Destiny and Deception was an engaging read with interesting plot twists. However, the way the author connected the two interwoven plots of the story was oftentimes confusing. The plot seemed to rely more on the romantic interests of the characters than the dangers occurring in the town, a disappointment, as these conflicts were interesting and engaging. Nonetheless, Destiny and Deception was well written and the chapters written from each perspective gave the reader an understanding into every character s feelings and purpose. I would recommend Destiny and Deception for those who are fans of mysteries and fantasies, as well as those who have read the books in the 13 to Life series preceding this one.


Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Colleyville, Texas US

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

Eloise has lived a normal life with her funky single mom, Jaz, and her two best friends, Devin and Jo. She also had no idea that faeries existed; that is, until she was abducted by Strahan, the king of Faery. Strahan wants to use Eloise as a bargaining chip to get Eloise's Aunt Antonia back to the Faery court. Antonia is the only one who can stop Strahan, who has yet to give up his crown after the maximum seven years of ruling. Eloise must figure out a way to escape and help Antonia defeat Strahan, before the conflict of the Faery world trickles into the human world.
I wanted to read Stolen Away because I previously loved Hearts at Stake, another book by Alyxandra Harvey. Unfortunately, I didn't think that Stolen Away was as good as the author's other series. I liked the premise of Stolen Away, especially because I don't read that many books about fairies. However, I wish the book was a little bit longer so there was more development about the Faery court and politics. That seemed very interesting but was just glossed over. I also wish the characters were developed a little more beyond some superficial characteristics. Other than that, I really enjoyed the action at the end, and the romance between Eloise and Lucas and Jo and Eldric added something extra to the novel. Overall, even though Stolen Away wasn't as good as I was hoping, it was still an enjoyable novel.

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

The Phantom Limb

Summary: I read The Phantom Limb by William Sleator and Ann Monticone. I greatly enjoyed this book. It had an interesting plot and was unlike any other book that I have ever read. It is the story of Issac, a boy with a dead father and a mother in the hospital. Friends reccomend a hospital for Issac's mom, so the family moves to a new house with Issac's grandfather who hasn't been himself in years. Issac feels neglected and alone until he finds a mirror box in his new bedroom. When he tries out the mirror box, he realizes that it not only reflects his other limb...it reflects the limb of another boy. With Issac's mom getting worse, Issac turns to the phantom limb for help. Doing a little poking around, Issac soon learns that the phantom limb belongs to a boy murdered by the same doctor operating on his mother now. The phantom limb directs Issac on how to save his mother. But can Issac trust the phantom limb?


Opinion: I really enjoyed The Phantom Limb. It was extremely original, I doubt you could find anything else like it. William Sleator and Ann Monticone really made you feel for the main character. The boy who has been through so much, you really get a sense of who he is. However, my only problem was that the book was a little bit predictable. I didn't really see the ending coming, but I saw the rest of the book coming within the first half. The end wasn't one of those books that makes you want to throw it across the room, it ties up all loose ends which I liked. It's a short read, but each chapter leaves you wanting more. All in all, I would highly recommend The Phantom Limb.


Content:1

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Tipp City, Ohio USA

Horse Diaries: Black Cloud by Patricia Hermes

Horse Diaries is about a horse named Black Cloud.  The story begins when he is born.  He explores around the meadow as his mother keeps them from harm.  After discovering many things throughout the meadow, they go back to the herd of horses.  He meets his father and some other colts and fillies.  After many days of playing, grazing, drinking, and sleeping with the other foals, a strange machine flies above their herd.  When all the other horses go running, Black Cloud follows.  He runs from the machine, which his mom calls a helicopter, for hours on end.  Soon, many of the horses begin to fall and never get back up.  When the machine leaves, the horses stop near a foul-tasting creek.  Many horses are captured by humans.  What will happen to Black Cloud?

The story wasn't as long as it could have been.  It was a nice story someone could read to a little brother or sister.  If it had more chapters, it could have been more interesting.  It had a lot of repeat sentences in the first two chapters.  The story didn't get me attached to the characters in the book.  Horse Diaries didn't have a lot of details about most of the things that happened to the horses.  I wouldn't recommend this book for people over the age of 9.

Reviewer Age:11

Reviewer City, State and Country: Leesburg, Virginia U.S.A

 

Battle of the Onoxmon by Alison Kartevold

Princesses Sophie and Veronica live in the castle in KenKarta, located on Virtier. Above Virtier are the Upper Tiers, where magical creatures live. In the Lower Tiers, the evil creatures are imprisoned. In KenKarta Veronica and Sophie spend their time playing, studying, and learning to use their Gifts. (Gifts are a little like magic powers but not quite the same.) Sophie, Veronica, Queen Alison, and King Dale make up a very happy family. But all that changes when Alison is stuck on an entirely different tier, Dale is being held and tortured who knows where, and Sophie is kidnapped! Veronica sets out to save her little sister, but ends up with the task of saving her entire world. She has some help from old friends, Julia and Dalminyo, and the help of a new friend, a stable boy named Zane. Even so, is she up to the challenge?
This book was one of the best books I have reviewed! The plot was complicated and kept changing, so you never got bored, but you didn't become really confused either. The characters were really relatable (for me at least) and had a lot of the impulses I do. I love how one of the bad guys isn't completely bad and Sophie is the only one who can see the good in him. I would suggest this to fantasy readers ages 10-14 (especially those with younger siblings) because it's one of the better books around with main characters close to that age.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockwell City, IA USA

R and the Sabre of Slaytr (eBook) by Summer Lockhart

This book is about a young orphan who goes on a quest to find out who his parents are. It starts out with him on a beach not knowing anything about himself. He then sees terrifying dreams. Except the dreams he sees are real events that happened. He is then taken to an orphanage by a man called Right Virgil. After a few years Right Virgil dies and on his deathbed tells him to read from the Sabre of Saltyr.
I loved this book. It was really well written and had me guessing what came next. In the end there is a twist so huge not even a magician could have predicted it.  The vocabulary was a little interesting and I had to look up some words but not to many. This book compares to Eragon but is more amazingly written. This is a beautifully written book with a beautiful ending.
I would recommend this book to anybody who liked Eragon but can handle a more twisted plot.





Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hunting Valley, OH USA

The Knife and the Butterfly by Ashley Hope Perez

After a huge gang fight between Azael's MS-13, and a rival gang, 16-year-old Azael wakes up to a familiar sight--juvie.  Or is it?  No lawyer, no phone call, and no news about his brother. The only thing they make him do is watch some white girl he doesn't know and remember what happened.

Lexi Allen has no trouble remembering the fight, but her family and lawyers would love it if she could choose to forget it once it's time to testify.  She may be the key to Azael's understanding of what happened. There's a connection intertwined between them that goes deeper than they could both imagine.  Will Azael be able to figure out what happened before it's too late?  Can Lexi sort through what's right and what's wrong?
At first, I was a bit apprehensive about this book because of the language. Azael uses a lot of swear words and likes to describe girls in a rough manner. Not to mention that there were a lot of Spanish phrases that I did not understand, having never taken Spanish before. Then I realized that it was all part of the character. Perez does a beautiful job getting into Azael's head, and had she not used this language, Azael would not be believable.
The whole book is rather like a mystery trying to figure out what happened during the gang fight, and once I finished, I read it again and was able to pick up clues. The ending was absolutely beautiful, and immediately I gave the book to my English teacher to read because I really think she will like it. The chapters switch between then and now, so the reader finds out more of Azael's past along the way and what caused his tough life. Through his past, the reader is able to find Azael's lovable side of the boy who's just trying to survive. Even the disrespectful Lexi has a heart, and I came to love her, too.

I loved this book so much. If it were a movie, it would probably be rated R because of the profanity and gang violence, but it would be powerful enough to get nominated for an Academy Award. I would recommend this book to anyone, and think it should be read in school. And I will say it again, the ending is beautiful!
There was a lot of swearing and some slang descriptions of girls that would be a little disrespectful to someone who may not be OK with that. 

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gearhart, Oregon United States

Narrative Loserdom by Ryan Collins

     Narrative Loserdom, by Ryan Collins, is a classic tale of two teenage boys.  This book is written in the journalistic style by Justin Taggart; he writes about all the interesting things he and his friend Adam do.  From video games and girls to money, they're always doing something different.  Justin's fear of being rejected makes his dating life very miserable.    Find out if Adam and Justin make it through high school, in Narrative Loserdom.

     The plot to this book was very interesting, yet confusing.  Justin would often have flash backs or change the scene.  The author did a nice job at making you feel like you're part of the book.  You could feel Justin's voice the whole time.  This book is not meant for younger kids, although it's short.  It involves stealing and some pornographic references.

I gave this a 3 because there is references to Adam watching pornography, and stealing.

Reviewer Age:12

Flying to the Light (eBook) by Elyse Salpeter

Flying to the Light by Elyse Salpeter is about two brothers- Michael and Danny- whose parents get kidnapped at an awards ceremony late at night. The next morning, they wake up to immediate chaos. Michael sees news reports telling of his parents being partners with an evil biochemist, Samuel Herrington, and soon the bad men begin chasing them down, desperate to capture Danny. Michael doesn t know much at first, but he discovers that Danny isn t just his innocent kid brother. Danny can do the impossible: he knows what happens after you die, and Herrington is after that ability. Through betrayals, discoveries, and Danny s unique abilities, Michael and Danny do their best to escape from Herrington s men- and find their parents.
What I enjoyed most about this book was learning about Danny s powers. At a few points in the novel, I was shocked by how creative the author was being. She drew me into the story by exposing little by little of Danny, and each part made me want to discover more. I also liked the characters of both Danny and Michael. Danny seems like just a regular little boy, and he doesn t act like his ability makes him all that special. Michael always does anything he can to get him and his brother out of tight situations.


The author s style is just perfect for the plot of the book: she has fairly good writing, but it didn' t go into too much detail about every little thing, which I liked.


Some things I didn' t like about the novel: I felt like almost every chapter, there was a new discovery about someone they trusted being evil. Although it kept the plot moving, it was a little too much. Overall, I would recommend this book to someone who likes mystery novels and adventure- it was a page turner.



Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Burke , Virginia USA

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Aria has been cast out of Reverie, out of the Realms, out of her home.  Now she is in the outside, "the Death Shop".  With the raging Aether storms, she doesn't know how long she'll be able to survive.  Then she meets an Outsider named Perry who is her only chance of survival.  Despite their mutual hatred for each other, Perry and Aria come to an agreement so both can get what want most: Aria her life and Perry his salvation.  But will they be able to work together long enough to save everyone they know?

Under the Never Sky was an amazing book.  I could not put it down once I opened it and read it in one sitting.  Veronica Rossi has the book switching back and forth between Aria's and Perry's perspectives.  This helps the plot to be smooth and continuous and melds the lives of Aria and Perry.  The characters were extremely well developed, and there is never a dull moment in Aria and Perry's story.  I would recommend this book to anyone who liked the Uglies series by Scott Westerfield.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States of America

Cutting Cords

Book Title: Cutting Cords
Author: Jo Ramsey
ISBN: 9780983262428
Summary: This book was about a young girl named Shanna, who's father just moved out, due to an unhealthy marrige. Shanna is now left with her abusive mother. The only person she can look to for comfort is her best friend, Jonah. Jonah is trying to teach Shanna about being of light, banishing demons, and how to meditate. A friend of Shanna's, named Tammi, is cursed with a demon, and the demon has created an invisible cord, attached to Tammi, so she can drain Tammi's energy and transfer into the real world. Shanna must overcome her insecurity, and fear of her mother, to cast out the demon in Tammi.
Opinion: Wow. This book was amazing. I loved how the book started out by introducing the marrige problem between her mother and father right off the bat. It made me want to keep reading to see what might happen next. I loved the suspense that the author used at the end of some of the chapters. It gave the book an element that kept me reading. I appreciated that. I also loved how she eventually became more comfortable with her friend Jonah. It gave a romantic edge to the book that was very fun to read about.

Content:1


Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Enon, Ohio USA

True Grime by Natasha Deen

True Grime, by Natasha Deen, focuses on the adventures of a teenage fairy cop named Pepper Polly Pebble Petunia Powder Puff, but don't ever call her that unless you're her partner Harley Hands! Pepper and Harley, two hard-working Grime cops, work to keep magical creatures from misusing their magic. However, when a high-tech bomb set by terrorists turns Pepper into the world's first fairy amputee, things get personal. Pepper and Harley go undercover as humans to keep the very same terrorists from destroying all of humankind by unleashing a Violent Illness of Unusual Resistance and Strength (V.I.U.R.S) in one of the human world's biggest shopping centers. The mission, however, ends up being tougher than Pepper had expected -- what with the fancy new technology of the terrorists and the unpredictability of humanity.
I did not find the book to be a particularly engaging read. While the characters were witty and likeable, the plot was quite predictable. The writing style and vocabulary were not very advanced, though that may be due to the fact that the narrator is a teenage fairy. The book was a mix of fantasy, adventure, and teen romance. Many aspects of the fantasy world created by Deen were unoriginal and made me immediately recall markedly similar elements or items from popular series such as Harry Potter. I will say that True Grime was a quick read and fairly amusing. However, readers should not expect to find any underlying themes; it's a story told for the sake of telling a story.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Columbus, IN USA

The Undrowned Child by Michelle Lovric

Teodora has been long anticipating her trip to Venice, a place where she feels she belongs. She has come from Naples with her adoptive parents, and is eager for an enchanting vacation in the little city. Teo is touring a charming old-fashioned Venetian bookshop when one of its volumes falls on her head. Venice turns out to be more than meets the eye as Teo begins to unlock centuries-old secrets that have led the ancient city into perilous danger.
I liked this book! It' s a little slow to take off, but once it does, it's an interesting story that ties into Venice s history and gives it a magical twist. If you 're someone who likes details to be perfect, parts of this story might bother you: The characters often accept undeniably magical and impossible situations and don 't question it. Personally, I didn' t mind and still found this story to be a satisfying read that taught me a little about Venice and told a good story at the same time. The young heroine in this tale will charm readers of all ages. An overall good read!

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Tigard, OR USA

The Lily Pond by Annika Thor

Stephanie finds herself a year older and still in Poland. Her parents still suffer in war-ravaged Germany, trying to survive. So when Stephanie gets the chance to continue her schooling beyond six years she does everything in her power to be able to stay at the school on the mainland. Stephanie is staying with a fairly rich couple that rented her foster parents' cabin the summer before. She soon begins to fall in love with the couples son, who is five years Stephanie s senior (he' s nineteen, she s fourteen). In the end Stephanie is accused of cheating on a test, and Sven, the couple's son, tells Stephanie something that devastates her so much she is willing to give up her education, which would help her have a better life

At first I was kind of disappointed in this book, but then around the second or third chapter things started to pick up, and the book began to have more action. Soon it was as if someone had glued my eyes to the pages of the book and I couldn 't put it down.
The ending did surprise me, when it came my mouth formed an O shape. I was stunned I would have never thought they' d be friends again (Stephanie and Sven). I thought Stephanie would' ve been to embarrassed to show her face again, I thought she was going to just wallow in her pity, but this ending literally left me there thinking WOW, I never would' ve guessed this book was going to take me by surprise. I 'd rate this book out of ten ponds, eight ponds. I really believe you wouldn' t regret picking this book to read (if you' re a girl.) because of the romance in it.


P.S. I also think the author left all loose ends tied up at the end of the book, and this book taught me that nothing is always easy, but if you persevere that things will end up all right.


Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Nampa, Idaho U.S.A

Over the Edge by Norah McClintock

When Peter (a person from Chloe's school) is found dead at the bottom of MacAdam's lookout, nobody knows if he jumped.... or if he was pushed. And to top it all off, Peter's mother seemed to think that Chloe was a friend of Peter's, when Chloe barely even noticed him. Will Chloe find out what really happened to Peter?
Although this book was good, it was my least favorite of the whole series. It didn't have as much action as the other ones in the series. This book was still amazing, though! It just didn't answer a few questions I had at the end of the book.... such as, what happened to Mrs. Flosnick? What happened to Lise's father? What happened to Daria? What happened to Matt? Although there were a few questions unanswered, I didn't figure out the ending before it happened (like I did with the other books in the series). The ending was a complete surprise to me. This book was very good (other then the unanswered questions), and I suggest you read it! :)
I rated this 2 because there are some violant scenes that may be too much for the younger age.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Yucaipa, CA USA

Spirits of the Noh

Kara Harper and her friends survived a nightmarish summer fighting to stop the Kyuketsuki. They succeeded in closing his window into our world. The demon left them with a curse that would draw demons that would exact the revenge of the Kyuketsuki. After months of dread, things seem to be back to normal. School was back in session, and people were moving on, but the darkness is looming. Worry starts to arise when two students go missing after working on the play Dojoji for Noh Club. The official theory is that they ran away together, but after Miiho is attacked they know something more sinister is afoot. There is a demon in Miyazu City that seems to be only interested in the Noh Club kids. Kara and her friends decide to attempt to protect the club members after the violent murder of the play's star by the demon, Hannya. In this pursuit Miho is kidnapped and wakes up trapped in the Hannya's lair. To find out what happens read "Spirits of the Noh" by Thomas Randall.

"Spirits of the Noh" is a riveting story that has the reader holding their breath up to the last page. This book can be a little complicated at first if you have not read the first book. If you want to have a better understand you really should read the first book, "Dreams of the Dead". The story flows from one point of view to another without warning. Each of the characters has a distinct personality that seems to bleed through and blend with the other character's perfectly. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a thrilling read with hints of mystery, romance, and the supernatural.

There are some graphic scenes described.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Makanda, Illinois USA

The Space Merchants

Book Title: The Space Merchants
Author: Frederik Pohl and C.M. Kornbluth
ISBN: 9781250000156
Summary: In an overpopulated, future Earth, Mitch Courtenay is a star-class copywriter in a world run by business. He has been given the job of advertising an ad to attract colonist to Venus by the Fowler Schocken advertising agency that he works for. Venus has just been judged to be hospitable, even with the harsh climates. Mitch’s relationship with his wife, Kathy, is in turmoil. His relationship with his boss, however, is strong because Fowler Shocken is giving Mitch the most important job that the agency has ever been a part of. The Taunton agency is fighting for the right to have Venus and will do anything to get it. However, Mitch’s career takes a turn for the worst after a betrayal leaves him with nothing and he may never have the same life again.
Opinion: I really liked this book. The author used a good setting of how the world could easily turn into. The characters fit very well into the setting and plot of the book. I would have liked the author to explain some of the products in the book a little more clearly such as the anti-soot plugs and what they were used for. The twist that the author put in the book had me turning the pages just to find out what he does next. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction and/or dystopian novels

Content:1


Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springfield , Ohio United States

The File on Angelyn Stark

Book Title: The File on Angelyn Stark
Author: Catherine Atkins
ISBN: 9780375869068
Summary: “You think you know me?” This is how Angelyn Stark would respond to meeting a new person. As an outsider, you would not know much about Angelyn. Sure, at school, kids see the bad girl side of her, the one that doesn’t mind getting in trouble. But what happened to the good girl, the one that studied with Mrs. Daly after school when she was younger? And why does she hate Mrs. Daly’s grandson, Nathan, so much? What did Nathan do to make Angelyn’s mom and step-father hate her? And then there is Mr. Rossi, Angelyn’s World Cultures teacher that says Angelyn is “one smart girl.” Angelyn hates teachers, but Mr. Rossi doesn’t act like a teacher…he’s more of a friend. But how friendly will Angelyn and Mr. Rossi become?
Opinion: The File on Angelyn Stark was a good read, but the title of the book left me confused. When I first started reading the book, I thought that a file of records would have a significant meaning in the book, but there never was a file. Although I was confused by the title, I liked the book and thought that Angelyn was an interesting character. I never knew what she would do next, which left for an exciting plot. However, the book was a little slow at some parts and, to me; the author took awhile to let you know some major events that would affect the plot. All in all, the book was a good read. I would recommend this book to girls 14 and above, due to some language and sexual content.

Content:2
Contained profanity and sexual content. Also involved a student-teacher relationship.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springfield, Ohio USA