Book Reviews by YOU.

Here are some of our Teen’s Top Ten Book Reviews from over the summer.

Paranormalcy
by Kiersten White
Reviewed by Victoria, 8th grade
Paranormalcy, a book by Kiersten White, tells a story about a girl who always thought herself to be normal, despite all the paranormal things in her life. Evelyn, or Evie, the protagonist, has worked for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, or IPCA since she was eight. She never had a family. She is one of their agents, who works in the field to neutralize paranormals. When she finds out that she is one, and she is caught up in a faerie prophecy, that's when things begin to take a turn for the worse. Read Paranormalcy to find out what happens.

Enchanted Ivy
by Sarah Beth Durst
Reviewed by Lena, 7th grade
If you enjoy fantasy books this is perfect for you. I really enjoyed this book. It's about a 16 year old girl named Lily Carter whos dream is to go to Princeton, but when her grandfather takes her there she's in for a surprise. If she can pass the Legacy Test and find the Ivy key she is automatically accepted in. There's only one problem she doesn't know what it is.


The Seventh Level
by Jody Feldman
Reviwed by Samantha, 7th grade
I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to all of my friends. This book is about a boy name Travis. Travis wants to be a part of The Legend. The Legend is his middle schools most top secret club. But first he has to pass the seventh level. I mostly enjoyed that all seven tasks got him into trouble.


Once
by Morris Gleitzman
Reviewed by Victoria, 8th grade
Once, by Morris Gleitzman, tells the story of young Felix in his quest to find his parents, during a time when the Jewish weren't so welcome. This was the time of Adolf Hitler, and the Nazi soldiers. The Nazis were killing the Jewish, and Felix had a close encounter. He is rescued by a kind man named Barney, who has done the same for many kids. The novel tells of all the lucky things to happen to Felix. "Everybody deserves to have something good in their life at least once" -Barney (page 122)

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall
by Mary Downing Hahn
Reviewed by Casey, 6th grade
"The rating word choice for me in regards to this book is ""Eh"". It was not a horrible book, but I would not recommend it to anyone. The storyline is about a ghost that haunts a house in the late 1800's in England, the boy who hides in his room in fear of the ghost which is his sister, and the cousin that comes along to this crazy household. Although the ghost was a nasty character, her self-centered and evil personality made her the most interesting one. Her time was spent finding ways to torture those that were still living because she was mad that she died. The only thing I liked about the book was that it was an easy read. For some reason I could not get into the book. I tend to like supernatural stories but this one was boring. My favorite quote from the book is said by the ghost - ""I tell you, you WILL be my friend, whether you wish to be or not. I always get my way. It's useless to fight me."" A friend is someone you like to be with, are not forced to be with. This ghost is too self centered to understand that. I did not care for this book to be on the Top 10 list. Maybe others would like it more than I did."

Someday My Printz Award Will Come- Results

Over the winter, teens in grades 6-12 volunteered to read and review books from a selection of titles that were possible contenders for the Michael Printz Award, an annual award given by the American Library Association for excellence in Young Adult Literature.  Participants rated the books on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best) and gave their opinions, both positive and negative.  Thanks to all the teens who contributed to the "Someday My Printz Award Will Come" read and review volunteer project. 

Titles (listed alphabetically)                                    

13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison

(Reviewed- 2 times; 5 stars)

After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick

(Reviewed- 2 times; 5 stars)                    

Ashes by Kathryn Lasky 

(Reviewed- 2 times, 4 stars)

Batboy by Mike Lupica 

(Reviewed- 3 times, 4 stars)

Countdown by Deborah Wiles 

(Reviewed- 1 time, 4 stars)

Death Defying Pepper Roux by Geraldine McCaughrean  

(Reviewed- 3 times, 4 stars)

Escaping the Tiger by Laura Manivong 

(Reviewed- 3 times, 5 stars)

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta  

(Reviewed- 1 time, 4 stars)

Free as a Bird by Gina McMurchy-Barber  

(Reviewed- 4 times, 4 stars)

I.Q. Book 1: Independence Hall by Roland Smith  

(Reviewed- 2 times, 5 stars)

The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork  

(Reviewed- 5 times, 4 stars)

The Line by Teri Hall  

(Reviewed- 3 times, 5 stars)

Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell 

(Reviewed- 3 times, 5 stars)

Lucky by Wes Tooke 

(Reviewed- 2 times, 4 stars)

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper 

(Reviewed- 1 time, 5 stars)

Paper Daughter by Jeanette Ingold 

(Reviewed- 2 times, 2 stars)

The Rivalry by John Feinstein 

(Reviewed- 3 times, 4 stars)

The Shadow Project by Herbie Brennan  

(Reviewed- 3 times, 4 stars)

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi  

(Reviewed- 4 times, 4 stars)

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson  

(Reviewed- 11 times, 4 stars)

Theodore Boone: kid lawyer by John Grisham 

 (Reviewed- 5 times, 4 stars)

The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt 

(Reviewed- 3 times, 4 stars)

Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill  

(Reviewed- 3 times, 4 stars)

Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen 

(Reviewed- 6 times, 4 stars)

You by Charles Benoit  

(Reviewed- 10 times, 4 stars)

Yummy by Randy DuBurke 

(Reviewed- 7 times, 4 stars)

This project was very successful- we received a total of 94 reviews!  Out of the 28 titles that were available to read, only two were not chosen at all by the teens participating: Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick and To Come and Go Like Magic by Sharon M. Draper.  I'm kind of curious why these two titles weren't chosen by anyone to review, especially because Revolver was chosen as the official runner-up for the actual Printz award.   I tried to read Revolver myself and couldn't get through it, so maybe my question for that one is why it won the runner-up prize of the Printz Honor award!   Any thoughts on this would be welcome.  

The actual winner of the Printz Award was Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi: 

 "The best thing about this novel is how the realistic aspects intermingle with the fictional components so smoothly." -Staci 

"The best thing about this book was also what made it disturbing... how very real the futuristic world seemed." - Megan

The two books that were reviewed most often (and favorably as well) were:

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

"This book was absolutely amazing.  There were twists within the plot, with surprises you'd never expect.  The suspense keeps your fingers ready to hungrily turn to the next page!"- Raisa

"The best part of the book was its poetic roots.  The poems Lennie writes are very beautiful.  she leaves them lying around, on random scraps of paper, cups, tree bark, etc, and it makes it seem as though you're walking through her town finding the poetry."- Sarah

You by Charles Benoit 

"The best thing about this book is how you feel as if you're actually a high school student facing the same things as Kyle.  I liked the book although it ended too quickly." -Kerrin

"I liked how realistic it was... you probably know or knew someone in high school like Kyle or maybe he reminds you a little bit of yourself." - Danielle

"This book doesn't have a "happily ever after."  It involves a lot of self-reflecting, putting you in the shoes of Kyle.  I personally was led to question a lot of decisions I have made and any book with such power deserves to be recommended."- Brendon

Battle of the Books Review: Wednesday Wars

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt

Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
This book was okay. At times it was a little confusing, but it gives you a sense of what life was like at that time. Also, there are some unique, funny problems and a really funny family. Also, they do a good job of incorporating events that were going on in the 1960s into the story.



Reviewed by: Jocelyn, Gr. 9
There is one thing Holling Hoodhood knows from the first day of seventh grade: his teacher, Mrs. Baker hates his guts. It was an odd concept to Holling: he wasn't a bad kid, he never pulled cruel jokes on any teachers, but Holling knew from the second Mrs. Baker called his name that she had a problem with him. And so begins seventh grade at Camillo Junior High, 1967. Holling has to face a battle against expectations, rats, cream puffs, flower children, baseball, and (the horror!) Shakespeare… and all in time for strawberries. This is a fantastic, quick read and I strongly recommend it to anyone.

Battle of the Books Review: Schooled

Schooled by Gordon Korman

Reviewed by: Erika, Gr. 9
This is a very interesting book. It tells the story of a boy whose body is in 8th grade in present day, but his mind is stuck in 1967. Since Capricorn (Cap) Anderson's grandmother Rain went into the hospital, he had to live with a former resident of the commune, and go to Claverage (C Average) Middle School. Since he is in 8th grade, one of the school bullies named Zach Powers sets things up so that Cap is stuck as 8th grade president which in middle school, is a big joke for the rest of the school. Meantime, Cap has no idea what is going on, but after a few weeks, he has become the best middle school president yet, and Zach Powers does not like it at all.

I think that this book is a wonderful way to look back on the 60's, and understand how life has changed, and how in some instances, oblivion is a good thing. I would recommend this book to everyone, even people that don't enjoy reading. =]



Reviewed by: Reah, Gr. 7
Schooled is a great book! Capricorn "Cap" Anderson lives with his grandmother Rain. They live on Garland Farm. They live like it's still the 60s. After Rain gets hurt when she falls from a tree, Cap is sent to Mrs. Donnelly, who is the guidance counselor at Claverage Middle School, the school that Cap will be going to as an 8th grader until Rain gets better. Claverage is called "C-Average" by its students. When Cap is voted to be the 8th grade president, he doesn't know what to do. This book has funny parts, romantic parts, sad parts, and a lot of mean parts. I really liked this book.



Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
I didn't like this book very much. I found it to be pretty boring and I thought that it was weird that a person still lived like a hippie in the 21st century. I wouldn't really recommend this book to a friend.



Reviewed by: Jocelyn, Gr.9
Capricorn Anderson is stuck in the sixties. He was brought up in the commune of Garland, where peace is a necessity, money means nothing, and duct tape fixes everything. He has never had a haircut, he wears all tye-dye, and his shoes are made from dried corn husks. Living with his grandmother, Rain, in their sheltered home, means he has no idea how to live in the outside world. But that is exactly what he must do when Rain is injured and forced to attend months of therapy. He must face the cruel justice of middle school where bullies rule. But Cap, although clueless about some things, spreads a message of peace and love to the students of Claverage Middle School and to all those he meets. Schooled is a well written story of the harsh reality of middle school life. I strongly recommend it.



Reviewed by: Sarah, Gr. 9
I really loved this book! "Schooled" was a hilarious, inspiring, and touching story about a hippie-boy who came from the middle of nowhere and had to deal with the sudden transition into a life at a public school. Cap has to learn social skills, organize social events, and please everyone in the school-while he has only known one other person, Rain, his entire life. He tries his hardest to juggle everything he considers his duties by being President of Claverage Middle School: writing checks, learning everyones names, and teaching tai-chi classes on the lawn. This book has an amazingly unique story! I would give it 4 out of 5 stars!!

Battle of the Books Review: Ranger's Apprentice- Book 1

Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan

Reviewed by: Reah, Gr. 7
This book is about Will, a castle ward that was chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. Will always thought that he could have a chance at being accepted into Battle school to train to be a knight, but Sir Rodney didn't accept him. Halt, the Ranger that chose Will, teaches Will the ways and techniques of a Ranger. I don't like fantasy books much, but I really loved reading this book. I was glued to it until I finished reading it.



Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
I really liked this book, the plotline is very interesting and the mystical land of Alaruen is really cool. Also, the villains are real strong and they are completely ruthless. Also, it tells the story of a boy who doesn't fit in anywhere but gets a life worth living eventually.



Reviewed by: Jocelyn, Gr. 9
Will is an unusual case. Unlike the majority of the fiefdom, he is a ward of Baron Arald, being raised out of the goodness of the Baron's heart. This means that he has no parents to set the course for his future and thus will take part in Choosing Day with the rest of the wards and be chosen by one of the craftsman to be taken in as an apprentice or else become a farmhand for the rest of his life. But unlike the rest of the wards, he has no skills to speak of for any of the known crafts. So when Choosing Day comes, he is hopeless. But, Will is, as mentioned, an unusual case. And he is chosen to train under Halt, a shadowy member of the even more shadowy group known as the Rangers. And so Will starts his life as a Ranger, a protector and spy for the kingdom. Even as an apprentice, he will face danger and action beyond his imagination. The Ranger's Apprentice was an engaging read that I completely enjoyed. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and recommend this book to everyone.

Battle of the Books Review: Peeled

Peeled by Joan Bauer

Reviewed by: Reah, Gr. 7
Hildy Biddle is a journalist for Banesville High's newspaper, the Core. There, the newspaper is based on facts. The only town's newspaper, The Bee, twists lies around to sound like the truth. Their story talks about the so-called ghost of the Ludlow property. Years ago, Clarence Ludlow was found dead on his property. It's up to Hildy and the rest of the Core staff to uncover the truth.



Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
I didn't like this story very much because I am not very interested in books about reporting. I find them kind of boring and I didn't find the plotline to be very interesting.



Reviewed by; Jocelyn, Gr. 9
Hildy Biddle desperately wants to prove herself as a journalist. She lives in a small town where news is slow going and everyone's focus is on this year's apple harvest. But, there is one thing attracting the attention of everyone in the small town of Banesville. The old Ludlow house seems to be the home of a ghost. Soon, the rumors of the ghost spread out of Banesville and through the country as wild and sensational stories are being published by the other local paper, The Bee. But Hildy and her friends aren't willing to listen to the rumors. Hildy is determined to get to the bottom of this ghost story and see who really is lurking as a threat to Banesville. Joan Bauer weaves a tale of mystery and suspicion in this fast paced book that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

Battle of the Books Review: Peak

Peak by Roland Smith

Reviewed by: Reah, Gr. 7
Peak is an amazing book. It involves friendship, trust, and one of the most famous mountains in the world-Mount Everest. When Peak Marcello is busted by the cops for scaling and tagging a skyscraper, he is sent to court. The judge decides to put Peak on probation and make him pay a fine. The state will refund the money if Peak follows his probation. Peak would have to leave New York that day so the story that the media is talking about would die down. When Peak leaves New York to go live with his dad in Thailand, he finds out that his dad, the famous Joshua Wood, is going to take him to climb Mount Everest. If Peak makes it to the top before his 15th birthday, he will be the youngest person to ever climb to the summit of Mount Everest. Will he make it in time? I really enjoyed this book and was glued right to it.



Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
I enjoyed this book. Reading about mountain climbing is always cool because it is so adventurous. Also, it is pretty dangerous and people are breaking the law, which gives it an interesting twist. The main character is very nice.

Battle of the Books Review: The Lightning Thief

Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Reviewed by Reah, Gr. 7
Last year, The Lightning Thief was one of my favorite books. I still love it as much as I did last year. Percy Jackson is expelled and sent to another school every year because something weird happened. Percy is now finding out who he really is...and he is definitely not normal. He is sent to Camp Half-Blood to keep away from monsters, but on his way there, a monster finds him and his mom disappears in a flash of golden light. Where is his mom, and will he save her? This book has monsters, fighting, and some sadness in it. It involves a lot of Greek mythology. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.



Reviewed by: Rebecca, Gr. 6
This was a really good book! Rick Riordan created very real characters with an interesting plot. I liked that the book took place on Long Island.



Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
This is one of the best books I have ever read. There is a lot of adventure and it is very unique how Riordan uses Greek gods as part of his story and the characters are very well developed as well.



Reviewed by: Jocelyn, Gr.9
The Lightning Thief is the story of Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old, New York City boy who learns that he is the son of Poseidon. He is whisked off to Camp Half Blood to train as a hero but quickly realizes that he is the child of a prophecy that affects the future of the gods. This means that there are many, many people who quickly dislike him. Percy must, with the help of his friends, Annabeth and Grover, go to the Underworld, retrieve a stolen weapon, and prove that he is not the lightning thief. This book is packed with excitement and Greek history and I strongly recommend it.

Battle of the Books Review: Kingdom Keepers

Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson

Reviewed by: Reah, Gr. 7
Kingdom Keepers involves a magical place, Disney. There, in the Magic Kingdom, the tour guides are called DHIs, standing for Disney Hosts Interactive and Daylight Hologram Imaging. The 5 kids that are DHIs are Finn, Charlene, Maybeck, Philby, and Willa. Together they have to stop the Overtakers, a group of villains from the Disney parks such as Maleficent. This was an amazing book full of magic, suspense, and secrets.


Reviewed by: Jocelyn, Gr. 9
What would you do if you had the chance to roam Disney Parks after dark? Finn Whitman is an Orlando teen who gets to do just that, along with four of his friends. Finn, Charlene, Willa, Maybeck, and Philby are connected for a special reason. They were all chosen to be a part of the DHI (Disney Hosts Interactive) program. At first this means filming and having hologram copies of themselves roam Disney's Magic Kingdom as tour guides, but as they all soon realize, it is more than that. The DHIs were created to save Disney, and the world as we know it, from a mysterious enemy group called the Overtakers. The question is, will they be able to? Read this exciting, action-packed, first installment of the Kingdom Keepers to find out.


Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
This book was great. It has a really unique idea in how the park comes to life and there are villains. I like the imagination in how there are holograms that people can turn into in their sleep. It’s like having superpowers, except in a funny and unpredictable way. I really liked this book.

Battle of the Books Review: Found

 Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Reviewed by: Reah, Gr.7
Found is a great book. Jonah Skidmore is adopted. When he starts receiving weird letters that make no sense, he wonders if it has something to do with his adoption. His wondering gets him, his younger sister Katherine, and his best friend Chip Winston involved in a crazy adventure. I really liked reading this book.



Reviewed by: Jocelyn, Gr. 9
Jonah Skidmore is an average kid. He is adopted, but his family is his family: quirky, annoying, and loving. Everything about Jonah's life is normal until, one day he receives a mysterious note in the mail: "You are one of the missing." Six words that change his life. Jonah looks deeper and finds that his new neighbor, Chip (who is also adopted), is also receiving anonymous notes. Jonah, with help from his loyal sister, Katherine, and his new friend, Chip, now must look back to his past to figure out what it means to be one of the missing.



Reviewed by: Varun, Gr.9
This book was very good. Haddix has unique ideas about time traveling and they are really cool. I also think it’s cool how everybody moves to the same place to be sent to the cave. The sequel to this book is really good too.

Teen Book Review: The Princess Bride by William Goldman

The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Reviewed by Erika, Gr. 8

Even though I have seen this movie a thousand times, I still think that the book was better. And to be quite honest, I didn't think that it even was a book, till i searched it on the web, and decided to take it out. If you haven't read the book or seen the movie, I highly recommend you at the very least read the book. You haven't read a fairy tale story with a happy ending till you read The Princess Bride.

This book is about a regular girl that lives on a farm with her family and her 'farm boy' Westly. After Westly has left, and had been killed by the Dread Pirate Roberts, the Prince chooses her to be his bride. As she has been kidnapped, she is reunited with the only love of her life Westly, and they go through many battles with the prince to save their love.

This was and still is a wonderful book, and I recommend it to everyone that loves a good fairy tale. =]

*Note from Miss Catherine: The 20th Anniversary Edition of the movie has the coolest cover I've ever seen in my life... check it out below.  It reads the same upside down as it does right side up!  Unbelievably clever!  (By the way, fabulous post Erika!)

Printz Book Evaluation Results

Thank you to all the teens who participated in the Printz Award Book Evaluation Project!  From December 2009 until March 2010, teens in grades 6-12 have been reading books from our list of award nominees and then filling out in-depth evaluation sheets for each book.   We received 33 evaluations- here are the results:

Alligator Bayou by Donna Jo Napoli (2 out of 2 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Carlos is Gonna Get it by Kevin Emerson (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)

Charles and Emma: the Darwin's Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman (1 out of 1 thought it WAS NOT worthy of an award)
Cricket Man by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Fire by Kristen Cashore (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Going Bovine by Libba Bray (2 out of 2 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (1 of 1 thought it WAS NOT worthy of an award)
If I Stay by Gayle Forman (4 of 4 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Jolted by Arthur Slade (2 of 3 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Jumped by Rita Williams (1 of 1 thought it WAS NOT worthy of an award)
Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Riot by Walter Dean Myers (1 out of 1 thought it WAS NOT wothy of an award)
The Roar by Emma Clayton (2 out of 2 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Tropical Secrets by Margarita Engle (2 out of 3 thought it WAS NOT worthy of an award)
The Unnameables by Ellen Booraem (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
When you Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (1 out of 1 thought it WAS NOT worthy of an award)
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (2 out of 2 thought it WAS worthy of an award)

If you're interested in seeing the more in-depth answers on a particular title, just ask me and I'd be happy to share it with you!  And if there's anyone who submitted a book evaluation and hasn't gotten credit for it in their community service binder sheet, please see me... I have 3 nameless papers that need to be claimed!!

Teen Book Review: Stolen Children by Peg Kehret

Stolen Children by Peg Kehret

Reviewed by Jeewon

Amy learned a lot in her babysitting course, but not what to do if two thugs show up, intent on kidnapping. Armed with misinformation and a weapon, the men take Amy and little Kendra to a remote cabin in the woods. There they make videos of the girls and mail them to Kendras wealthy parents in an effort to get ransom money. After several of her escape attempts fail, Amy is forced to make one last, desperate move. Award winner Peg Kehret crafts a suspenseful thriller with a spunky heroine who uses her wits to save herself and the toddler.

Teen Book Reviews: Assorted Titles

Chronicles of Ancient Darkness: Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver
Reviewed by Sharon, Gr. 6
I think this book is very exciting and fast paced. It is adventurous and a great friendship story between a boy and his wolf.

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Reviewed by Isabella, Gr. 6
This is my all-time favorite book! I love the whole idea of it!

The Fire Within by Chris D'Lacey
Reviewed by Sharon, Gr. 6
The Fire Within is a great book for kids that love fantasy. Dragons are mythical creatures but this book can make them seem real.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
Reviewed by Isabella, Gr. 6
This book keeps you hooked until the end! I read the whole series in a week! The best book I've ever read!

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and other Extreme Sports by James Patterson
Reviewed by Sharon, Gr. 6
This is the best book ever!! This book was very shocking and made me want to read more. I was so shocked I hit myself in the head. I seriously thought I was dreaming. That's how shocked I was.

Teen Book Review: Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson

Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson
Reviewed by Jacquelyn, Gr. 12


Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson is the witty, sparkling sequel to Suite Scarlett. Scarlett Martin is 15 years old, mastermind of stupid-plans-actually-get-carried-out-a-lot-more-than-you'd-think and a victim of slavery. Not exactly, but her eccentric boss Amy Amberson (who rivals Grandmere from Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries in terms of sanity) is pretty close to a slave driver. While Scarlett tries to keep her own sanity intact over her ex-flame Eric, her goofy brother Spencer becomes New York City's most hated villain, her levelheaded sister Lola goes over the edge, and her prickly youngest sister Marlene is acting disconcertingly sweet. Add her lab partner Max who is determined to push Scarlett to her breaking point and it's easy to see why everyone is plagued with Scarlett Fever.


Johnson writes dialogue so realistic one has to wonder if she spends her spare time hiding out in bushes, eavesdropping on teenagers. She puts a fresh spin on the New York City setting with the opulent but run-down Hopewell Hotel, where the charmingly quirky Martin family works and resides. The ending will leave you literally feverish for the last installment in the Scarlett series. This is one fever you won't want to get rid of.

Teen Book Review: Tattoo by Jennifer Barnes

Tattoo by Jennifer Barnes

Summary: When four fifteen-year-old friends share the temporary tattoos they bought from a mysterious woman at the mall, each develops psychic powers that will help them fight the ancient being who plans to wreak havoc at their school dance.

Reviewed by Erika, Gr. 8

This book was a very easy read. It is about these four girls who find these tattoos, that they gain powers from. After learning that they had these powers, they realized that they were evolved with the three fates, and had to save the world all while trying to figure out how to fight the evil power, and to control the powers within them. I wouldn't recommend this book to all people since it is a girly book.

Teen Book Review: Evermore and A Midsummer Night's Dream

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Reviewed by Erika, Gr. 8

This book was as good as a book can get. It was romantic, tragic and at the same time a little creepy. Even though it was sort of a love story, I think that many people would like this book because it is wasn't all about the couple through out the book like most true love stories.

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Reviewed by Erika, Gr. 8

This book, even thought most of you may think that it is boring, was fantastic and funny. A Midsummer Night's Dream is a love story with a few twists. Twists like people falling in love with the wrong people, and a play gone bad. Either way, you will definitely enjoy this book.

Teen Book Review: Unclaimed Heart by Kim Wilkins

Unclaimed Heart by Kim Wilkins

Reviewed by Caitlyn

Constance is a young woman in 1799. She sneaks about her father’s ship to join a search for her mother who disappeared when she was a baby. Her father discovers her and decides to let her stay. When Alexandre, a young French man comes into the picture, Constance falls in love. Alexandre worked on a pearl diving ship for about 8 years and ran off when Constance’s father claimed his old ship from a cruel man by the name of DeLocke. When they arrive in Ceylon, Constance and her father stay at a friend’s. Alexandre remains on his “home”, the pearl diving ship. Constance’s father wants to sell the ship. Constance also sort-of befriends a girl name Orlanda. Orlanda ends up falling in love with Alexandre, too, while Constance’s father continues his own search for his lost wife. Constance gets help from Alexandre to find her mother. This book is full of young love, drama and wonder.

I recommend this book to all of the young women and girls around the world. It was a very good book. I give it four stars out of five. It is one of those books where you have to read in one day to a few days. The library should get it.

Teen Book Review: Riding the Universe by Gabby Triana

Riding the Universe by Gabby Triana
Reviewed by Caitlyn

Chloe Rodriguez is a teenager in high school. She struggles a little with her work, especially chemistry. She should be studying but instead she hangs out at her secret “hideout” and daydreams. Only her best friend Rock knows about it. Then she meets her peer tutor, Gordon Spucirka. Chloe has to go to tutoring because she is failing chemistry. If she doesn’t raise her grade, her bike (motorcycle) Lolita will be taken away. Chloe falls in love with Gordon, one of the smartest people in her grade. When Chloe invites Gordon to her “secret” hideout, things change. Instead of studying chemistry, she starts studying the other chemistry. Gordon and Chloe become boyfriend and girlfriend. Chloe starts getting distracted with Gordon. Chloe soon faces challenges throughout her junior year.


I would recommend this book. I cried, laughed, smiled, and was touched. This book should be for teens in high school and possibly 8th graders. This book shows everything that can happen in a high school year. The beginning isn’t the most interesting but I got into it.

Teen Book Review: Hallowmere by Tiffany Trent

Hallowmere: In the Serpent's Coils by Tiffany Trent
Reviewed by Caitlyn
Corrine is now an orphan. Both her parents are dead. By her uncle she is sent to Falston Manor, a school for girls. Girls are sent because their parents don’t want them or the girls are “not girly”. Corrine starts to have dreams about mysterious Vampire People who are called the Fey. At Falston, Corrine becomes friends with Ilena. Ilena helps her survive the school and shows her many things. Soon, Corrine suspects that there is some evil at Falston Manor. A few girls go missing and Corrine sees some of the staff in witchcraft. When Corrine joins this secret society (not officially), she ends up finding out secrets that mean everything. Will Corrine be able to find out who is evil? Who are the Fey? Why do weird things happen at Falston?
I say read the book! I read this in one night and couldn’t put it down. I recommend this for kids in middle school and high school, mostly girls. This is a five- star book and I can’t wait to read the next one!