The Rise of Nine

The Rise of Nine is the third installment in the Lorien Legacies series. It was very similar to the two previous books (I Am Number Four and The Power of Six), with lots of adventure, unexpected surprises, and suspenseful fight scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat. The book is told from three different points of views, making the plot confusing at times, but unique and interesting. Overall I loved the book and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an amazing quick read (should finish other two books first).

Joy, 14

Waking Storms

Waking Storms is an exciting and thrilling fantasy novel about mermaids living deep under the ocean. As the second book in the Lost Voices trilogy, it follows the story of Luce, a young mermaid who has left her mermaid tribe. She faces many perils and dangers living on her own, such as sharks and orcas, however her biggest threat is the boy she broke mermaid law to save. He is angry, and Luce is worried he will tell the humans about the mermaids. Meanwhile, the humans are showing fretful signs that they have suspicions about mermaids living in the ocean, which could be a danger to all mermaids, everywhere. I really enjoyed this book. It is an edge of your seat fiction story with a pinch of romance. Some parts can be dark and dangerous, and will have your palms sweating and heart thumping. I would recommend this book to girls who love romance and fantasy, age 12-16.

Natalia, 13

Beautiful Days

Meet Cordelia, Letty, and Astrid, three unforgettable young women who are each trying to make it in 1920s New York. Cordelia and Letty, best friends from childhood, grew up in Ohio and are recent arrivals to the city. Clever, driven Cordelia, now reunited with her family only to have her bootlegger father shot by his rival, is planning the opening of a nightclub. She will be running the nightclub herself, and pressure is mounting. This will prove difficult to balance as she finds herself in a blossoming romance with a daring pilot who owes her his life. Opening night will be the most important night for ambitious but sweet Letty's career-- she hopes to be in the spotlight, alone with her beautiful voice. The tension will build as she finds that her dreams of being a star are in Cordelia's hands-- and Cordelia doesn't seem to be handling them carefully enough. Astrid, fiery, lovable and impulsive, is in a tumultuous relationship with Cordelia's brother Charlie, and when he becomes her fiance she must find an unfamiliar new level of maturity.

Sparks fly in Beautiful Days, the fulfilling sequel to Bright Young Things. It's full of surprises-- from the suspenseful moments (when you hold your breath without realizing it) to the glorious ones when you can't help smiling (you would jump for joy, too, if you weren't in public). Beautiful Days was a thoroughly enjoyable novel. An even more exciting follow-up to Bright Young Things, it portrays a side of the protagonists which you can relate to, and which you haven't seen before. It allows you to mourn their losses and delight in their triumphs in a wonderful new way. Stop in the middle of whatever-you-may-be-reading and take the time to read just 50 pages of this book. You won't regret it, and you definitely won't be able to stop there-- there's an undeniable appeal in watching such unique people work toward achieving their dreams.

Diane

The Templeton Twins Have an Idea

The Templeton Twins Have an Idea is the funniest book I have ever read.

In every chapter there is a little box with questions for review written in it. One question that will give you the idea of the writing is this:

"Why is it a good idea to call something that sinks a sinker? Write your answer in the form of a brief opera."

The entire book is written with side comments and questions and editorial comments like: 

"actually what the man had said was let's do it and then review it but John misheard his snappier version. It's just as well, don't you think? Don't you believe as I do that things should be as snappy as possible? Oh please. Yes, you do." 

The Templeton twins left me laughing my head off! 

Maia, 10

Unstoppable

Unstoppable is exciting and sad at the same time.  Harrison never played a football game before, and now he's unstoppable.  His coach is also his new foster father and he's very impressed with Harrison.  Then Harrison loses the lower half of his leg to cancer.  He gets a new lower leg and trains with it every day. He also starts lifting weights.   

At the end of the story he manages, with his new lower leg,  to get onto the kickoff team.  The story was amazing!

Max, 9

The Dead Girls Detective Agency

The Dead Girls Detective Agency is a great read for anybody who loves realistic fiction. It's about a girl named Charlotte who is your typical teenage girl -- she has a cute boyfriend, some friends, and is dying to get out of high school. But when someone pushes her under the F train, Charlotte finds out she's dead (obviously) and meets The Dead Girls Detective Agency: Nancy, Lorna, Tess, and Edison, the super cute dead boy next door. With the help of her new dead friends, Charlotte goes on a search to find her killer so she can go through The Big Red door. Throughout the search, she sees some things that make her wish she really wasn't dead, and learns new things about different people, living and dead. Will Charlotte find out who her killer is? Will she make it out The Big Red door? Find out in The Dead Girls Detective Agency.  

Sonam, 12

True Legend

True Legend is an amazing sports story that captures your heart.  

"True"  Robinson, the high school basketball phenom, wants to realize his dream of going to the NBA. Then he meets an old playground legend who was supposed to be dead and has second thoughts on his NBA future.

Max, 9

The Brides of Rollrock Island

I loved The Brides of Rollrock Island! The writing was really rich and beautiful, the story was splendid--both sad and happy. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in folklore, or the legend of selkies. This story chronicles an island and their longing for seal women, which eventually ruins there lives.

Jenna, 16

Butter

Butter is the story of an overweight high-schooler, nicknamed Butter, whose only friends are his mom, band teacher, doctor and his saxophone until he declares his plan to eat himself to death. Once his web site goes viral, he becomes popular at school, he begins losing weight and he starts to question his decision. The book keeps you interested and even though I wasn't rooting for one ending over another, I wanted to know how his plan turned out. The ending is satisfying but I still felt a certain amount of pity for Butter.

Celia, 13

Gravediggers: Mountain of Bones

Gravediggers: Mountain of Bones is a very funny and scary book that will make you laugh and scream at the same time. Ian, PJ, and Kendra get lost in the woods, find a cabin, and get attacked by zombies. Then Kendra accidentally burns the dream catcher and sets the zombies free to go wherever.  

They have to stop them!  I liked the book a lot.

Max, 9

Lulu Walks the Dogs

Lulu Walks the Dogs is a sequel to Lulu and the Brontosaurus. In Lulu Walks the Dogs, Lulu is trying to get money. The author does not tell what Lulu is trying to get money for until the end of the book. Lulu walks three dogs to get the money. She has a chant about money. This book is funny. The chapters are short, and there are time-outs which are not chapters.

Sara, 7

The Peculiar

The Peculiar is an amazing book. With every chapter the characters become more real and easier to identify with, and with every page you find even more questions. The plot keeps all the characters on their toes, so as the plot unfolds the story gains more and more excitement. In the story, a changeling named Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie live in New Bath. Meanwhile in London, Arthur Jelliby, a politician, finds a dangerous secret of a faery coworker. Eventually the oddities, mysteries, and troubles of Bartholomew and Arthur Jelliby lead them towards a great evil. I recommend this book to all fantasy readers.

Emmett, 10

Origin

In Origin, Pia is immortal, and she grew up in a secret compound in the rainforest with a group of scientists who are creating an immortal race. Pia's goal in life is to learn the secret to her immortality, which the scientists will tell her when she is old enough to run the experiment. But that all changes when she escapes and meet Eio, a boy who lives in a nearby village. She continues to sneaks out and he teaches her about the outside world. Together, they learn the real reason behind the experiment, and why it might not be as good as it seems.

Sophie, 13