The book, Warped, is about a girl named Tessa, who, at an auction, buys a set of boxes. Inside one of these boxes is a tapestry with a unicorn on it. Meanwhile, the Norn (the Weavers of Life), have a missing piece from the Wyrd (threads of human life). Do these things have any connection? You'll have to read to find out. This book is very interesting. It has a lot of action and suspense. Maurissa Guibord does a very good job writing it. But it is for advanced readers. Some kids under ten might not understand it. All in all, a pretty good book.
Miles, 10
Torment was well written and agonizingly intriguing. Fallen by Lauren Kate was the base for the series, the building block for the developing of some extremely incredible characters.
Torment was like the icing on the cake. It gave you a different point of view and filled in some of the details. Honestly I did not think she would be capable of writing a sequel worthy of Fallen but Torment gave Fallen a run for its money. There I something about the way that she wrights Daniel and Cam and Luce that is just mesmerizing and leaves u wanting more and more and more. There are really no words to explain it I guess you will just have to read the book.
Elizabeth, 14
Calli Be Gold is about a girl named Calli, who is eleven years old and the third child in her family. Her siblings have a activity which they are very good at but Calli hasn't found one for herself yet. Then at her school there is a thing called PHP (Peer Helper Program). Calli's peer is a boy named Noah she met lying under a table at the skating rink. The day before winter break the two teachers decide to do a friendship fair. Each pair has a booth and can do anything they want.? Calli and Noah decide to do something about friendship. I like this book because it is showing you that you might not have talent but you can still help people, which is why I would recommend it.
Leela, 14
Unlocked is an incredibly eerie book that I don’t think I will ever forget. It is about a boy named Andy, who realizes his best friend Blake is going to commit a school shooting. This book causes you to question what you would do, and shows how hard it is to do the right thing. As Andy struggles with whether he should tell, you as the reader are taken along for the ride, you feel Andy’s decision as though it is your own. It brings up a question that I never though I would ask myself, and one I am not sure I know the answer to. If you knew that your best friend was planning a murder, would you tell?
Jenna, 14
Time Riders by Alex Scarrow This book was about three teenagers who all have something in common; they should have died. Maddy in a plane crash, Sal in a fire, and Liam should have gone down in the titanic. Instead, moments before they were scheduled to die, they all disappeared out of their different times and places to New York City 2001 by a strange man who appeared out of nowhere. Now, they all have one purpose as time riders; to save the world, and now people are at work who will make it so the world as they know it will need them more than ever. I really enjoyed this book, it kept me on my toes.
Leah, 12
The Defense of Thaddeus is an intriguing book. Written in scrapbook style, it tells the story of a boy named Thaddeus who has been put in ISS (in school suspension). Thaddeus, a rather strong headed boy, decided to write a defense to get himself out of ISS. Unfortunately though, Thaddeus has done everything the school is accusing him of, and more. From setting a priest’s robes on fire, to choking old ladies with oranges, Thaddeus is going to have to write a pretty good defense if he wants anyone to believe him. The Defense of Thaddeus is a hilarious story about a boy who causes chaos wherever he goes.
Leila, 12
Sweet Treats & Secret Crushes is just like the fortune cookies within: light, sweet, and oddly reflective of life. It’s a good pleasure read, nothing too serious, about three best friends who live in the same building. It’s Valentine’s Day, a day when school is fun, and Olivia, Kate, and Georgia each have plans to enjoy it. There’s one problem: it’s a snow day! The girls decide giving fortune cookies out to the people in their building is a good way to cheer their neighbors- and themselves- up. As they deliver, the fortune cookies begin to come a little true.
Alix, 13
Haven was an enjoyable book about a girl named Violet, who has sycic abilities, who fell in love with a vampire named Aidan. I liked this book, though I found it to be very stereotypical, I felt that the author didn’t bring any new ideas to the table. I would suggest it to people who liked Twilight, though at some points I found that Haven was a little too similar for my taste. It is a good book if you are looking for a light read.
Jenna, 14
I really loved Darkness Becomes Her. It was an incredibly quick read (I finished it in a night) but also very fun. I would recommend it to someone who liked Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, because this book also deals with Greek mythology. It is about a girl named Ari who goes on a quest for her mother, who she hasn’t seen since she was four. But what she finds is more than she was barging for. This book has a little bit of romance, a little bit of friendship, and a lot of action and is defiantly a dynamic read.
Jenna, 14
I really enjoyed Smile for the Camera, which is actually a memoir. I usually don’t like memoirs, but this one was very different from the ones I read in the past, it was told in a very fast paced manner. It is about a girl, Kelle James, who goes to New York City to get away form her abusive father. She wants to be a model, but once there she realizes the city is tougher that she thought. While there she deals with a lot of exploitations by men and cruelty from people in general. But it also is an uplifting book and I thought it was great. I would recommend it to people who like realistic fiction.
Jenna, 14
Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card is just as magical as Ender's Game or Seventh Son. It is well up to Orson Scott Card standards. Rigg has been able to see the paths of where living creatures have passed. He thinks that he is alone, but when his father dies, he discovers that there are others with similar powers. On his quest to find his sister and collect his inheritance, he joins with Umbo, a boy with the power to slow down time. Combined, their powers have shocking effects... Meanwhile, almost 20,000 years in the past, Ram Odin, a starship pilot, pilots a craft full of colonists from earth through a dangerous space jump...This mind-boggling story about time and space travel is a feat of sci-fi worthy of Orson Scott Card. The two part narrative of Rigg and Ram, that clicks together in the end is enticing. This book leaves all Orson Scott Card fans anticipating his next book.
Mattie, 12
I found Wither, the first of a trilogy, to be incredibly eerie. It takes place in the not so far future, when the human genes have been so tampered with that women only live to be 20 and men 25 years old. To keep the human race from dying out girls are taken and sold into polygamist marriages, often against there will. This is what happens to the main character of this book Rhine. She is given to a rich man with 2 other girls, Jenna and Cecily. Slowly the three sister wives begin to form a bond, but all the while Rhine is planning to escape. Her plan comes to an abrupt halt when she meets Gabriel, a servant on her floor. All of a sudden Rhine is questioning everything she has ever known, and wondering if life is worth living if you leave everyone you love behind. I would recommend this book to everyone, I really loved it. It makes you wonder what you would do with your life if you knew you had so little time to live.
Jenna, 14
Take a ride ten miles past normal and you’ll find Janie Gorman, a formerly enthusiastic freshman who has just stepped onto the school bus with goat poop on her shoe. Eating lunch alone in the library and stinking of a bad attitude aren’t going to make her life any better. But what Janie Gorman doesn’t know is that living like this may just kill what’s left to love. Enter the absolutely probably not true world where there are boys named Monster and music vibrates with the certainty of living large.
Irene, 12
As with most works by Todd Strasser, Famous was incredibly unnerving, and not something I am likely to forget. It is about a girl named Jamie who lives in New York City and takes photos of celebrities. When she gets offered a job taking photos of one of the most famous Hollywood starlets, Willow Twine, Jamie is incredibly excited. But when she discovers photos on her camera that she never took, and that could be the down fall of Willows entire career Jamie has no idea what to do. I love Todd Strasser, and this book was not a disappointment. The only issue I had was the formatting was a little confusing in the beginning, but once I read about 50 pages I started to understand it better. Famous makes you question what you think you know about the lives of famous people, and asks one of the questions that not many books do. Is it really that great to be on top?
Jenna, 14
Nora Grey is a regular teenager, except for the fact that she's in a forbidden relationship with her guardian angel, Patch. Nora gets suspicious when Patch refuses to answer some of her questions. Her doubt soon deepens when she suspects that Patch had something to do with her father's murder. If Patch truly loves her, then why does he keep lying to her? I enjoyed Crescendo. It was exciting and it kept me reading late at night. The only thing I disliked was the lack of good female characters. Nora, the most promising girl, got on my nerves quite often. I strongly recommend that you read this book if you want a quick, fun read.
Katrina, 13
Anyone who is familiar with Ellen Hopkins other books Crank and Glass, will recognize the woman in Fallout as Kristina Snow. But she is not the focus this time. The story alternates perspectives between her three children, Hunter, Autumn, and Summer. The story they tell is very different then Kristina’s own, often filled with abuse and neglect, or simply the need to be loved. The style is Ellen Hopkins usual, free verse poetry. Even if you have not read Crank and Glass you will be able to understand what is happening. This book is beautifully written and the story it tells is one that is not often told, that addiction does not only affect the addict, but every one around them as well.
Jenna, 14
Zombies vs. Unicorns is a wonderfully written and edited anthology. Its purpose: to determine which are better, zombies or unicorns. The 12 authors and 2 editors are split into two teams (zombie and unicorn) that fight it out over the course of 415 pages, both through the short stories of the authors and the arguments the editors have in between the stories. The book is not only about the mythical beasts, though. There's wit, romance, thrills, chills, moral questions, and bittersweet endings. Each view is unique. Read this book with a group of friends (for best results both boys and girls) and debate. Prepare to be awed by this epic battle of undead and mythic beasts.
Gabe, 12
I don’t have too much to say about Grace because I simply gave up in disgust after 38 pages. The plot seems to be about a dictator and the natives attempts to overthrow him with suicide bombings. The plot moves much too fast to understand, like trying to read a four panel comic out the window of a moving acela. By the end of my short reading I was completely confused by the half-baked plot and society. By no means should this book go on your shelves.
Gabe, 12
Anyone who fell in love with Werlin's previous book Impossible as I did, will definitely enjoy her most recent novel Extraordinary. Both are clever takes of the fairy tale genre. In Extraordinary, a girl from a prominent family is sought by fairies to repay a debt owed by her ancestor. In the fashion of Impossible, the mythical beings don't have good intentions and they use their magic to manipulate her. For fans of classic fairy tales, this dark one with a modern setting is sure to be enjoyed.
Orly, 13
I really loved The Sweetness of Salt. It has just the right mix of sadness and joy, so that though it is a sad book, the end result makes you feel uplifted. I would recommend this book to people who like realistic fiction. It is about a girl named Julia, just graduated from high school, who has her whole life mapped out. But suddenly everything is thrown of coarse when her older sister, Sophie, who she hardly ever sees comes for a visit. Suddenly family secrets are thrown into the open and Julia flees to Vermont with Sophie to help her fulfill her dream of opening a bakery. But well she is there Julia comes to realize somethings about herself, and that life, and the decisions it forces you to make, are not always as black and white as they look from the outside.
Jenna, 14
Crazy is about a boy named Jason who is struggling.His dad is crazy, his mother is dead, and his only friends are imaginary ones. Yet bit by bit, his life changes, for better or worse. This was a very emotional and gripping book - it was impossible to read it and not get involved. Despite the dark topic, the author managed to insert plenty of humor and send out a positive message. I would definitely recommend this book - it’s unpredictable and very well written. The book leaves you with a lot to think about by the end.
Megan, 13
Drought is about a girl named Ruby who lives in a cult in the woods. The cult leader, Darwin, beats and hurts all the people there and makes them collect water off of trees, because he thinks it makes people immortal. And the water does, but it is not the scrapping off of plants, but Ruby’s blood, which is put in secretly every night. I found this book to be very slow throughout, and very hard to understand in the beginning, it took me about 70 pages to get what was going on. I enjoyed the idea of it but would not recommend it to other people simply because I felt like it was work getting through this book.
Jenna, 14
Notes From The Blender- you'll laugh you'll cry, it'll knock your socks off! This is a very "stimulating and hilarious novel" and I just could not put it down. This is probably one of the best books I've read in a while. The (two) main characters, Declan and Neilly, can connect with every person in a different way. Declan, who is very death and violence oriented, comes out as a sweet, charming 16 year old boy and Neilly, who is the (gorgeous hot shot) turns out to be a gorgeous (sisterly) hotshot. Overall, very intelligent and witty read.
Emma, 11
The Rendering is in blog format, so everything is a little bit blocky, with each few paragraphs having a new heading. This format has its uses, but fluidity isn’t one of them. The blog is written by Doug Solomon a fugitive from justice, an orphan, and our hero. He is taken care of by his aunt Margaret, a biodigital researcher, meaning she researches how to turn people and animals minds into code. Doug loves the research center where she works because there are free video games. But when the evil Dr. Roach sneaks in and digitizes aunt Margaret, Doug has to stop him from digitizing everyone earth too! With the help of some zany friends, he works towards saving the world from a state of eternal slavery on this whirlwind adventure!
Gabe, 12
Imagine that everything you love is banned.Your books,music,movies, art, imagine even your imagination at risk. Inhuman right? The novel begins by raising these questions. If you are Whit or his little sister Wisty in The Gift by James Patterson all of it is real. As Whit and Wisty run away from the new government because of their "gift" they get caught up in a page-turning mystery. If you liked Witch & Wizard you will definitely like this amazing fantasy tale!
Gabriel, 10
The Mockingbirds is an amazing story of finding life after a horrible act. Alex, a junior at Themis Academy is date-raped, and the story is about what happens after. A secret group at the school, called the Mockingbirds helps her: a group that fights for justice, something that the "perfect" school refuses to do. With references to To Kill a Mockingbird, and good writing, The Mockingbirds is not your typical High School Story. It's so much more: so much deeper, so much more realistic. If you like Speak, or other books like that, you will love The Mockingbirds.
Emily, 16
The Daughters Break the Rules is the book to read. This book is the second in the Daughters series and is the best non-fantassy novel I've ever read, and that's saying something. In this book, Carina, whose father is a successful billionare, goes to the most expensive and best school in New York City. When she almost ruins her dad's business, she has all her credit cards and money taken away and is only given $20 a week to spend. Desperate for money, Carina lies her way into becoming the party planner for the biggest party of the year, and meets many new people along the way. This book is a romance and a realistc fiction novel, and it's similar to books like the Clique and Secrets of My Hollywood Life because of the drama and the shopaholic theme. I recommend this book to teens who like drama and romance, but a lot of thinking in the mix. In all, The Daughters Break the Rules by Joanna Philbin is a novel to read because of the addicting topics inside it.
Rebecca, 13
The DUFF by Kody Keplinger is a fast paced book with interesting and complicated characters, and a plot that will always keep you on your toes and anxious to find out what happens next. Bianca Piper is not the prettiest girl in her grade, and she knows it, but when Wesley Rush, her grade's hottie, gives her the nickname Duff, designated ugly fat friend, it gets under her skin. The choices that she kept making aggravated me at times, but that's what kept me going. My friends have all heard me raving about the book, and now that I'm finished I would recommend it to everyone in a heartbeat.
Celia, 13
Bloodthirsty is a refreshing take on the (in my opinion) really, really overused vampire plot. Sun-sensitive reader Finbar has felt overlooked all his life in favor of his brother, Luke, the cool twin. Luke has always been more popular- and gotten all the girls. That is, until Finbar decides to become a fake vampire. This book chronicles his struggles with love, high school, friendship, and of course, vampirism. It’s a pretty funny idea implemented almost perfectly. I didn’t love the book, but it was definitely worth my time, and much better than some other vampire novels.
Alix, 13
Beautiful Darkness is a very quick read despite its size. It is the second book in what appears is going to be a trilogy, and I would recommend that you read the first book before this one, as it would be very confusing if you didn’t. This book is about a southern town called Gailtin where mortals and casters live together (though most of the mortals are unaware of this.) Ethan Wate (who is mortal) is in love with a girl named Lena (who is not.) When Lena runs away from home, Ethan and his two mortal friends go looking for her deep into the caster world. I found this book enjoyable but also rather forgettable; a great read if you just want something light and fun.
Jenna, 14
I read Jane Eyre before when I was younger, the children’s version, and then part of the adult version. Jane is quite similar to the basis of Jane Eyre with a modern twist. The story plot is generally the same although the characters, events, character traits and descriptions are modernized. I liked how it was in a way the teen version of Jane Eyre. It has the same plot and more advanced ideas yet it was not the simple version of the children version of Jane Eyre. The only negative comment I would say about it is that it is extremely similar to Jane Eyre, just restructured to fit the time period. I would say that one confusing point in the story is that there, as in Jane Eyre, the main protagonist other than Jane Moore is that Nico Rathburn has been married to another woman and is now making his comeback. The woman he refers to as his former wife is also Maddy’s mother. Overall I would rate this book a 7.5-8 out of 10!
Leela, 14
The book Jane, by April Lindner, is a modern retelling of Jane Eyre, a well-known book which I have never read. Even though I haven't read it, I was just as entranced by this book, as people who have read it will be. The book starts of slow and steady, but not hard to get through. Halfway through, the book takes a surprising turn that unless you know the book, you cannot predict. In the end, you feel the happiness of the characters, but also a sense of longing, of needing to know how everything works out. Even with that sense of longing, I was satisfied and enjoyed the book.
Celia, 13
The Duff by Kody Keplinger is a good, easy, fun read. While fun, this realistic fiction book deals with serious issues that make it easier to relate to and catchy. The protagonist, Bianca, experiences many emotional difficulties. The Duff is for ages 15 and up. Although it has some cliches, you always want to know what happens next.I would easily recommend this book to my friends.
Joelle, 14
The Mockingbirds, by Daisy Whitney is a bittersweet story of a girl gathering the courage to fight for the truth. When Alex, a junior at an elite boarding school, is date-raped, she consults a group of vigilantes known as The Mockingbirds to punish the student who hurt her. I learned so much about date rape from the novel, and the power of students when they put their minds to it. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a realistic fiction novel that is by no means a cookie cutter romance.
Orly, 13
I really loved this book, though it was rather slow in the beginning, and would recommend it to people who are fans of fantasy and romance. Immortal Beloved (not as romantic as the name makes it sound) is about a girl named Nastasya who is immortal. The story starts with her living for parties and drinking to forget what happened in her past. But one night something happens that changes everything. Sad and confused she goes to visit an immortal woman, River, who offered her help 80 years ago. Nastasya finds a safe haven within the walls of Rivers house. It is there that she begins to have visions of her past, and realize that at some point in your life, you have to stop running away.
Jenna, 14
In Revamped, the thrilling sequel to Vamped, vampire Gina is sent off to spy as Goth girl Geneva Belfry. But when things start to get out of hand, Gina begins to wonder what’s really happening. Soon, the group of teenagers she’s befriended start to doubt her identity and Gina finds herself asking what’s really important. This romantic novel is a thrilling story, full of twists and turns. I loved this dark and exciting book and could barely put it down.
Sasha, 11
When Lily Odilon mysteriously disappears, her boyfriend Albert is driven to search for her both by his love for her and the circle of suspicion that surrounds him. Accompanied by Lily’s sister, Olivia, Albert must begin an adventure to find Lily before it’s too late. The Last Good Place of Lily Odilon is uniquely told through three different time lines, each adding gradually to the reader’s understanding. As the story progresses, it explores not only the circumstances of Lily’s disappearance, but also the personalities of the characters. Very powerfully written - Read it!
Megan, 13
Decisions, decisions, decisions! In Melissa Marr’s final installment of the Wicked Lovely series, Darkest Mercy, Aislinn must choose between the summer king, Kennan, or her once-mortal love, Seth. If she picks one or the other, it could turn into a big battle. What’s a girl to do? This book is similar to Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garci and Margaret Stohl. It is also similar to Need by Carrie Jones. And I definitely would recommend this book to my friends.
Stephanie, 17
I loved The Gathering, which is the first of a trilogy. It is about a girl named Maya, who lives in a small secluded town in Canada, a town built entirely around a medical facility there. But strange things start happening, first the death of her best friend, then the way that the cougars in the woods near her house start to follow her around. Slowly Maya begins to realize that her town is not what it seems, and that the people of it will do anything to keep there secrets. This book is great for people who love mystery, fast paced, or fantasy books. The only thing I did not like was that the ending was really abrupt and left me wishing that the next book was out.
Jenna, 14
Delirium is the kind of book that I will never forget. It is a chilling science fiction novel about a society were love is feared and everyone gets The Cure when they are 18. The main character of this book could not be more excited for the day when she finally gets it, or more scared. Because her mother was the only person that The Cure never worked on, and she was driven so mad by love that she killed herself. But two months before her date to be Cured Lena does the unthinkable, she falls in love. This book explores the bounds of what we think is really possible, how much propaganda can twist our view of the world, and how far some people really would go to not feel anything at all.
Jenna, 14
Once in a Full Moon is about a girl named Celeste who falls in love with a boy name Brandon. It sounds like a normal love story, until Brandon turns into a werewolf. To tell the truth I did not like this book very much. I found the characters not very believable, and the writing not very good. It seemed to me as though it was kind of a rip off of Twilight. I would recommend it if you want a fun light read that has no meaning whatsoever.
Jenna, 14
The Lying Game is a strange, unique, modern gem of a book. By the author of Pretty Little Liars, this book is probably for ages 11 and older, because of the confusing and slightly frightening aspects. The Lying Game is about a foster girl named Emma, who discovers that she has a long-lost twin sister. But when her sister Sutton is murdered, Emma finds a note that changes everything.
Sofia, 10
I enjoyed Vesper. It was a quick read and it’s very addicting, once I started it I couldn’t put it down. It is about a girl named Emily, who is your typical shy high school girl. All of that changes when a girl that goes to her school, also named Emily, is killed only blocks away from her house. Suddenly Emily’s personality starts to change. She starts sneaking out in the middle of the night, going to parties and getting drunk. But soon the changes go too far, turning her into something that isn’t even human.
Jenna, 14
Pink by Lili Wilkinson is a story about discovering yourself. It tells you that not knowing who you are or what you want to do with your life is okay. Throughout the story, Ava tries to find herself, although she doesn't know where to start looking. By the end, she has come to terms with not knowing and is happy being her -confused -self. The story flies by and you find yourslef wanting to know what happens with the rest of the characters' lives. I liked the book a lot and by the end, I had that feeling of being content with who I AM.
Celia, 13
I really enjoyed All You Get Is Me and I would recommend it to people who like realistic fiction. It is about a girl, Aurora, who lives on a farm in a small town. Though she was never truly happy she was content in her life until one day she witnesses an accident that changes everything. This book is about a romance, a trial, and small town living and I thought it was great.
Jenna, 14
See What I See was really short, but captured my attention. I loved this book because of all the different character relationships. There are so many characters that have relationships with one another that are so complicated. This made the book really interesting. I also enjoyed this book because of the author’s descriptive writing style. Some of the sentences had a lot of adjectives and metaphors. This made the writing really beautiful, and fun to read. This book is also a little bit similar to a book I read called, And Then Everything Unraveled. If you have read and liked that book, you might like this book because the plot is sort of similar.
Lucia, 13
I always find Terry Pratchett, one of my favorite authors, entrancing because he is wildly creative, thought provoking, and laugh-out-loud hilarious. This is the fourth of Pratchett’s books about Tiffany Aching, the young witch, and her allies, the rambunctious blue pictsies known as the Wee Free Men. Though much of the Discworld series is written for adults, this portion is geared toward a teenage or young adult audience. I really enjoyed I Shall Wear Midnight, as it was in turns funny and dark. Fans of Pratchett’s other Discworld books will enjoy seeing some familiar characters and new readers will discover a fantastic series.
The Goblin Gate is a story based in a fantasy world about a boy named Jeriah. In this book Jeriah goes on a quest to rescue his brother Tobin from the Other world kingdom, but he has to seek help from goblins who have a very strange way of helping where if they help you, you have to help them or you will be in debt to them until you pay it off. To get his brother out of the Other world kingdom he must find a way to work with goblins, can he do it?
Walls Within Walls is a mystery with three young heroes: CJ, a rowdy 12-year-old boy; Brid, a thoughtful 9-year-old girl; and Patrick, a creative, dyslexic 6-year-old boy, who always wants to tag along. The somewhat unoriginal plot drags them through Manhattan, looking for clues left behind by millionaire Lyon Post that will lead to artifacts worth millions. A good amount of the clues are actually hidden within their own home, the former Post residence. The children are led by the 80-year old daughter of the millionaire, Eloise Post, for whom the puzzle was meant. She uses fond memories of? her father to tell which clues are right and which clues are wrong. A good novel for those who are entering the world of more adult mysteries.
Gabe, 12
I absolutely loved Songs for a Teenage Nomad, and would recommend it to anyone who loves music. It is about a girl named Calle, struggling to find herself after moving form place to place when her mother finds a different boyfriend. But when they end up in Andreas Bay, California, Calle begins to feel at home, and even make some friends. That is until she makes a shocking discovery that turns her whole world upside down. This book explores the bonds of family, how far we will go to find someone we love, and how easily that bond can be broken.
Jenna, 14
