Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog

The Knife and the Butterfly by Ashley Hope Perez

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:17:00 PST

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

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 08:35:00 PST

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

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:41:00 PST

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

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:43:00 PST

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

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:14:00 PST

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

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:47:00 PST

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

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:40:00 PST

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

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:24:00 PST

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

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:58:00 PST

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

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 11:20:00 PST

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

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:48:00 PST

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

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:42:00 PST

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

Unto the Breach

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:24:00 PST

Book Title: Unto the Breach
Author: Sidney Gale
ISBN: 9780557687640
Summary:

Unto the Breach By: Sidney Gale

This book may not seem like something you would pick up at the library and read, but you definitely should. Sidney Gale offers us a story into which the readers quickly become interested. While the rest of the students in their class attend a school-sponsored camping trip, three students, along with their teacher, decide instead on a boating trip around Lake Ontario. When things go terribly wrong, three young kids fight to stay hopeful. Will the boys make it back in time before their beloved teacher Mr. Benson goes to sleep with the fishes? In this book, the story picks you up off your feet and into the life’s of these three kids. Unto the Breach by Sidney Gale is definitely a story any sailor, or non-sailor for that matter, will love.
Opinion: This book by Sidney Gale was awesome. The story honestly made me feel something, which is something that every author should want to achieve when writing. Honestly, I can say that when I was reading this, I felt scared for the kids. Sidney Gale has definitely achieved something in his writing. Unto the Breach could give a different feeling to all of us, but to figure that out, first you’re going to have to prop up a chair and open Unto the Breach to find out. You definitely should!

Content:1

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

Silver Zombie

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:16:00 PST

Book Title: Silver Zombie
Author: Carole Nelson Douglas
ISBN: 9781439167816

Summary: Carole Nelson Douglas does a wonderful job at combining companionship, action, and a little romance to spice things up. Although this journey starts in Vegas, Delilah, her partner Ric, and her half wolfhound companion Quicksilver go to Kansas to learn more about Delilah's past. It doesn't take long before Delilah begins to realize trouble lies ahead of her. She is soon dealing with zombie cowboys, weather girl witches, and a Hollywood fanatic. Although all of the battles Delilah faces, she is forced to face her biggest fear yet. This yellow brick road trip seems to have taken a wrong turn.

Opinion: In my opinion, this book was alright, but not one of my favorites. It was very difficult for me to read. I really enjoy the basic idea of the plot, but the way the author uses states the sentences doesn't really draw you into the book fast enough. The first few pages get you going, but the following pages don't pull through for me. The one thing I loved about the book is how the author combined companionship, Delilah and Quicksilver, Romance, Delilah and Ric, along with action throughout the story. Maybe it was because I have not read the earlier books in the series, but this book did not jump out at me.

Content:1

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 4
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Enon, Ohio USA

Taken at Dusk by C.C Hunter

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 12:18:00 PST

In the book Taken at Dusk by C.C. Hunter, Kylie thinks that now that she has gotten away from the sadistic vampire her life will get easier. Now she just has to figure out whatshe is. On top of that, she has two boys chasing after her. Lukas and Derek are both great for her , but how can she decide? Her newest ghost is an amnesia afflicted woman who can 't remember anything except that someone is going to die. Will Kylie s world come crashing down or will she learn to accept how she is?

This book was good. I didn't t likethat the book was written in third person. This made it somewhat hard to get engaged in the book. Overall, the characters were developed very well throughout the whole book. I would recommend this book to people who liked VampireAcademy, House of Night series, Hush, hush, Nightshade, Fallen and Hex Hall.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Northglenn, CO U.S.A.

Lovetorn

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:31:00 PST

Lovetorn

Recently, I read the ethnic novel, Lovetorn, by Kavita Daswani. Times are tough for Shalini, a sixteen year old Indian girl freshly uprooted from her native country, India, to the United States, where her father now has a position in a nationwide company. Used to her extended family always surrounding her and the comfortable life she has always lived, Shalini is in for a rude awakening when she moves to Los Angeles, where her now-immediate family starts to slowly fall apart. Her mother, pining for her familiar Indian home, is slowly slipping into a state of depression.Shalini, on the other hand, is new to this way of life, and is shunned by what seems like herentire new school, just because she is different. Also, she is not only homesick for India and the shelteredlifestyle she once lived, but now is missing her fiance, Vikram, whom she has been betrothed to since her third birthday. She is constantly thinking of him until she meets Toby. Finding she is woefully attracted to the handsome yet radical flute player, Shalini is trapped between her duty and her desire for love. She had once believed she and Vikram were meant for each other, but Vikram has never made her feel the sensations she now experiences when she sees Toby. Just starting to fit in, Shalini is fearful that if anyone hears of her engagement even her new flame, Toby--she will be an outcast once more. Guilty about her infatuation with the swashbuckling soloist, Shalini does not know which way to turn. Suddenly there are just too many decisions to make.

"He was staring at me. I looked away to avoid his gaze. I was barely breathing. He felt so close, so touchable. The air between us felt heavy, unmoving."

I was really disappointed in this book. All you heard about was Toby. Shalini's obsession with him was maddening! The book actually started out good for the first fifty pages until Toby waltzed into the plot. Then it just kind of got into a pattern-- She likes Toby, then feels guilty that she doesn't love Vikram, she likes Toby, then she feels guilty about Vikram...it just goes on and on. I honestly had to motivate myself so I could get through the next chapter! It seemed like she had nothing better to do than sit in her room fantasizing about Toby. I really wish that the novel focused a little bit more on the other secondary characters and would hone in on their stories more. It was all about Shalini and of course, her knight in shining armor, Toby. One thing I really liked about this book was that it exceptionally portrayed the insecurities of a new student and the difficulty people have accepting new cultures or anyone who is not like them, for that matter.

"I glanced up and saw Sasha and Magali standing by the door, both staring straight at me, huddling close to each other and laughing."

I would recommend this book for ages eight and up, partly because of the vocabulary and partly because of the story plot, which would be difficult to follow for younger readers. I assure you there are no sexual situations in this book, and the content is sparkling clean.

This book is all about how hard it is to fit in, especially when people have a narrow mind when it comes to accepting different ethnic groups, just because they are not alike. Shalini tries to break through all these barriers, and then has the choice to try and forgive those who once tormented her. Trapped in between these two countries, will Shalini finally find her place in her strange new world?

Age:12
Leopold, Missouri United States of America

Extraordinary by Adam Selzer

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:56:00 PST

For Jennifer Van Der Berg, life totally and completely sucks. When Eileen Codlin wrote that book about her, that wasn't even close to the truth. Jennifer felt the need to set everyone straight and write the real version of her story. Eileen's story makes Jennifer out to be a fairy princess with a fairy godmother who helps Jen get her prince charming. Wrong! In reality, Jen is just an average girl with purple highlights and a horrible fairy godfather by the name of Gregory Grue. Soon, Jennifer's life starts to get all tangled up into one big knot as more and more problems start to unfold. Can Jen set everything straight and save those she loves, or will the bad guys get the final word?
Adam Selzer did an amazing job writing the novel Extraordinary. This story was the perfect mix of everything for fantasy: fairies, vampires, unicorns, romance, and lots and lots of purple! I hope Selzer writes another novel as intricate in details as this one was. While reading Jennifer's story, I felt everything she felt; that is how realistic Selzer's writing was. I recommend this book to ages twelve and above. I recommend this book to ages twelve and above.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

Nathan Dee: Search for the Tree of Life by R. Shalendra

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:42:00 PST

Nathan Dee is an average, run of the mill school teacher, until he finds out that his father was the head of the ROSAA - Recovery Of Space Alien Artifacts. Nathan soon finds out that his father's journal that he has in his possession is the key to the kingdom, the way to find the Tree of Life. Nathan is now face to face with friends, traitors, lovers, and even aliens. All in search of one thing, the Tree of Life. Follow this adventure through the streets of Vancouver, helicopters in China, and the Himalayan mountains of Tibet. All this and more awaits you in Nathan Dee: The Search for the Tree of Life.

I personally didn't enjoy this book very much. It was pretty slow and at sometimes even confusing. Now, don't get me wrong, some parts of the book have my rapt attention and other times I just wanted to read so I could get it over with. The ending was really good though, it was the only reason I gave the book a review this high. I also found the book was full of grammatical errors. I hope it isn't finished being edited. If you have nothing else to read, only then would I suggest reading this book. Otherwise, I suggest reading something that makes sense and can hold your attention. :)

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Silver Spring, Maryland USA

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:32:00 PST

Cam is a typical 17 year old girl, except she has been fighting cancer for ten years. When the doctors give up, her mom, in a last effort to save her oldest daughter s, takes her on a trip to a magical city in Maine. Cam who doesn' t believe in hope or miracles reluctantly follows. Even with miracles so close like the flamingos in Maine, purple dandelions, and sunsets that last for hours, Cam still won 't believe. But as she starts to believe in love, she also starts to change. She decides whether she can believe this place can save her or if miracles are for the naive.
I loved this book. It might have been Wendy Wunder s first novel, but you couldn' t tell. The Probability of Miracles is full of emotion. You 'll laugh. You' ll cry. I would warn, it uses a fair amount bad language and some scenes hint at adult things. I would recommend this book to anyone who believes in miracles.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Cibolo, Texas United States

Welcome to Bordertown by Holly Black and Ellen Kushner

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:27:00 PST

Terri Windling, Holly Black, and Ellen Kushner had their work cut out for them. Making a sequel to a classic is very difficult. Making a sequel that doesn't stink is even harder. What's hardest of all is making that non-stinking sequel thirteen years after the original was written.

With the help of some very talented authors, they actually pulled it off. To make this book, Windling, Black, and Kushner decided to pick authors who are famous, but also some that are not. They picked authors that had grown up reading the original Bordertown books, along with some of the authors who actually helped write those books. These three women have done it. They've recreated Bordertown. And they've done it pretty well.

WELCOME TO BORDERTOWN BY ELLEN KUSHNER AND TERRI WINDLING - When Jimmy's sister says she's running away, her parents don't believe her, but Jimmy does. And Jimmy knows where she's headed: Bordertown. After thirteen years of waiting for Trish to return, Jimmy sets off to find her. Only, it hasn't been thirteen years for Trish. It's only been thirteen days.

I have never read any of the original Bordertown books, but after reading this story I feel as if I have. It has well-written and well-thought-out characters that get into situations that will either make you scream with frustration or laugh with joy. Trish and Jimmy were pleasantly life-like and just so real that I loved their characters immediately. I was rooting for them throughout their trials and tribulations, hoping they'd survive.

SHANNON'S LAW BY CORY DOCTOROW - Shannon is a genius with very few friends. His only one is a young halfie named Jetfuel. Together, they plan to leak all the knowledge of the World Wide Web into the Bordertown Web. Will they succeed?

While Shannon is obviously a genius, I couldn't relate to him. I didn't like him in the slightest. Which, for me, is extremely odd since I am usually drawn to those who are smart; those who love knowledge as much as I do. And yet...I hated Shannon's character.

The plot of this story just stinks. It really does. Every page you turn you find yourself thinking, "Hey, when is this story going to end?" The writing style of this story is nearly as confusing as the plot and just as see-through and paper-thin as well.

CRUEL SISTER BY PATRICIA A. MCKILLIP - As the first poem in the book, it does nothing but impress. Short and yet very well thought out, McKillip is a genius with words.

A VOICE LIKE A HOLE BY CATHERYNNE M. VALENTE - When Fig runs away, she is only 15. She meets Maria, who can't possibly be older than herself. There is only one thing different about the two friends. Fig is perfectly healthy. Maria is on her deathbed.

This was a good story. Not as good as "Welcome to Bordertown," mind you, but still a good story. The characters were believable, and I actually felt like cheering them towards their goal.

STAIRS IN HER HAIR BY AMAL EL-MOHTAR - This was the second poem in the book. While it was well written, it was not the best poem. I enjoyed it, however, and may be looking into other things written by this author.

INCUMABULUM BY EMMA BULL - He wakes with blood on his shirt. He finds that he's in Bordertown and he can't remember getting there, where he was before, or who he was before. Will he find out who he is and what he's doing in Bordertown?

This is my third favorite story out of the entire book. The plot is amazing, and the characters are life-like. The only thing I didn't like about this story were the pages and pages of descriptions. If there had been less descriptions and more action I would have adored it.

RUN BACK ACROSS THE BORDER BY STEVEN BRUST - This poem sounds as if it was made to be put to music. Had it been made into a song, I would've loved it. In its current form it is too repetitive for my taste.

A PRINCE OF THIRTEEN DAYS BY ALAYA DAWN JOHNSON - Peya's sister is a fortune-teller. So she decides to tell Peya's fortune. She says that in thirteen days Peya will lose her virginity and fall in love. Will Peya believe this silly fortune, or will she choose not to?

This was the second worst story in the entire book. Peya and the other characters are paper-thin and unrealistic. The plot is just as ridiculous and juvenile as the characters.

THE SAGES OF ELSEWHERE BY WILL SHETTERLY - When Ron's bookstore gets an enchanted book he thinks nothing of it. Enchanted items come into Bordertown all the time. This book is special, however. It can talk.

I really loved this story. It is possibly my favorite story out of the entire book. The characters were well-rounded and believable, and the plot was original and exciting. The other thing I loved was that the author didn't waste pages and pages describing stuff that just didn't need to be described.

SOULJA GIRRRL (A LONG LINE RAP PIECE) BY JANE YOLEN - I really am not a fan of rap. Needless to say, I didn't enjoy this piece in the least bit. There was too much cursing and an underlying tone of a bad attitude for me to really enjoy this.

CROSSINGS BY JANNI LEE SIMMER - Miranda and Analise just want true love. But after crossing into Borderland and meeting vampires, werewolves, and elves, the girls are in more trouble then they've ever been.

While this story is about vampires and werewolves, I quite liked it. Though there were parts with gore and violence, this was an overall good read. The characters were well-rounded, and the situations they get into seemed real and were as believable as the characters.

FAIR TRADE BY SARAH RYAN AND DYLAN MECONIS - When Abby's dad gets thrown in jail the court forces her to move in with her mother. There's something the court doesn't know, however. Abby's mother lives in Bordertown.

This, being the only graphic novel in the book, was quite enjoyable. When I didn't understand the dialogue, the pictures told the story. Speaking of that, the plot was original and was quite amazing. Overall, this story is an excellent addition to this book.

NIGHT SONG FOR A HALFIE BY JANE YOLEN - This poem is styled like a lullaby, and could easily be put to music. This is a lovely poem, and I found myself smiling at some of the ironic and silly verses.

OUR STARS, OUR SELVES BY TIM PRATT - When Allie runs away to Bordertown, she meets Alaunus. At first he seems nice, but soon his real colors show through. Is Alaunus danger or just plain annoying?

This is the one of the worst stories in the book. Not the worst, mind you. ONE of the worst. The plot doesn't exist, the characters aren't believable in the least, and every single page has profanities spewed upon it. I see why the editors included this story in the book, but it could've been written a whole lot better than it was.

THE WALL BY DELIA SHERMAN - This poem is interesting in two different ways. The first thing is that this is the only poem out of the entire book that doesn't rhyme. The second thing is that it is composed of descriptions of a wall. None of the descriptions match each other, and sometimes even contradict each other. This is a very pleasant poem, and I quite enjoyed reading it.

ELF BLOOD BY ANNETTE CURTIST KLAUSE - Lizzie is tired. She's tired of having to make sketches to pay for her next meal. Tired of drinking blood when she can't eat. Tired of living under the beaten-down shack that she calls "home". So, she works up a plan, but even she doesn't know if it will work, or if she'll live to see the results.

This is one of my favorite stories in this book. An amazing new twist on the traditional vampire story, this will keep you on the edge of your seat 'til you read the last page. The characters are life-like, relate-able, realistic, and believable.

A BORDERLAND JUMP-ROPE RHYME BY JANE YOLEN - As the title would suggest, this is a poem meant to be sung/said whilst jumping rope. It is quite fun, but nothing like any of the jump-rope rhymes I know.

THE SONG OF THE SONG BY NEIL GAIMAN - Without a proper meter, you can't have a poem. The meter in this poem is non-existent. The rhyme scheme is non-existent. Can it even be called a poem? In the first section of this poem, the rhyme scheme and meter are clearly there. But after that section there is no order what-so-ever.

If you can get past that issue, another one arises. There are four sections to this poem. You can only understand the first section! After that, it's run-on and unfinished sentences; not to mention words that seem to have been plucked from the sky and pasted onto the page at random.
Overall, this felt like a young child with no understanding of rhyme or meter had attempted poetry. And this thing was what it produced. I expected more out of an author like Neil Gaimon, and I am very disappointed.

OURS IS THE PRETTIEST BY NALO HOPKINSON - Damiana has made some bad choices in life. One of them was choosing to be friends with Gladstone and Beti. At the biggest party in Bordertown, they all show up. Will Damaina make it through the party alive?

This was the worst story out of the entire book. Yes. Even worse than A Prince of Thirteen Days . The characters were so flat and unrealistic that I truthfully didn't care whether they lived or died. The writing style was confusing, and by the end of this story I had more questions than answers. Speaking of writing, the plot is heinous. Here is the summary:
The three main characters get drunk. They hook up with people of the same-sex (and by hook up, that DOES include multiple scenes of making out and even more scenes of sex). The main characters dump the sex-toys (and if they don't do that fast enough, the people end up dumping the main characters). Then the cycle starts over again. And again. And again! In short, this story is awful, and I saw no reason at all to include it in this book.

WE DO NOT COME IN PEACE BY CHRISTOPHET BATZAK - Marius has a problem. He's in love with Mouse. But Mouse doesn't love him back. Mouse only cares about the war and fighting in it. Will Marius tell Mouse how he feels, or live alone for the rest of his life?

This story isn't very good. It's not awful, but it's not good either. The plot itself is original, and quite interesting. The character development was average, but still believable. Technically speaking, this had all the makings of a great story. The execution of it, however, was extremely lacking in many areas.

THE ROWAN GENTLEMAN BY HOLLY BLACK AND CASSANDRA CLARE - Ashley is living her dream. She gets to act at the only theater in Bordertown and loves doing it. She's been working there for months, and nothing bad has happened yet. Well, nothing bad happened until Lydia showed up nearly dead during one of their rehearsals. Will Ashley be able to find out who harmed Lydia, or will the perpetrator get to her first?

This is a very good story. The characters are well-rounded and realistic, the plot is suspenseful and clever, and there isn't a curse word in this piece (which is more than I can say about every other story in this book). I had my expectations set high, and I was not disappointed. Cassandra Clare and Holly Black do nothing but impress in this awesome short story.

A TANGLE OF GREEN MEN BY CHARLES DE LINT - When Joey meets the love of his life he promises to protect her. But that's a promise he will regret making; for even Joey can't stop death.

This was the perfect story to end the book with. I empathized with the characters and enjoyed following their journey. They were so realistic they practically leaped off the pages. The plot was amazing and well-thought-out. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

While this compilation had a couple of great stories in it, there were quite a few awful ones as well. I was disappointed in the over-the-top usage of unnecessary profanities. There is also a ton of drug usage and even more sexual stories and suggestive elements. What ever happened to a well-written story for the story's sake and not the shock elements.

As I've already stated, there is over-the-top usage of unnecessary profanities, a ton of drug usage, and even more sexual and suggestive elements. There are also quite a few gay and lesbian couples that made out, had sex, and did other stuff as well.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Yucaipa, California USA

The White Zone

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:14:00 PST

This book takes place in Iraq and features cousins, and best friends, Talib and Nouri. Nouri's world turns upside down when his uncle is killed in a Sunni bombing. Nouri's whole family is Shiite, but Talib is half Sunni. As far as Nouri is concerned, this is Talib's fault. As the book progresses, trust is lost between the two. Talib is faced with the hardships of being Sunni. He is excluded from the Shiite side of his family, and even kicked out of school. Nouri is quickly losing his best friend. By the end, rage has spread all through Iraq against the Sunnis. Can the tension be resolved without war?
To be honest, I found that this book was lacking excitement. Although there were a couple interesting events, the writing itself was a little bland. It was very realistic, although it was rather predictable. I did find it easy to relate to the characters. The author nicely described how the way they were feeling throughout the book. The book was a little bit hard to follow with the Arabic words thrown in here and there, but I did learn a good bit about the Muslim culture. Things like facing Mecca while praying or praying at the Muzzein's call gave me insight on a different way of life. Over all, this book gave a good message. I can't say I would recommend it to most people, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sterling, Virginia United States

Blackdaw Cottage

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:33:00 PST

Summary: Three young and adventurous children are outside playing when they decide to go wandering out into the forest to find BlackDaw Cottage. The children had heard many stories about the infamous Bentley who lived in the cottage out in the forest. Little did they know there would be a blizzard and they would be forced to stay with the mysterious old recluse. Bentley shares with them the story of Ivan and Gertrude and the children grow fond of the man they had once thought to be the devil. They learn that even though there have been numerous rumors about him, he is actually a caring man who helped them out in their time of need.
Opinion: Although the plot sounded like an interesting book to read, I didn't feel any connection to the characters; they were not people I could relate to. The book was way over-detailed and many parts dragged on for way too long. I felt like the ways the characters reacted to some situations were not realistic. Overall, I felt the book was dull, and hard to get through. I would not recommend this book to others.

Rae of Hope (eBook) by W.J. May

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:32:00 PST

All Rae Kerrigan remembers about her parents is the suspicious fire that killed them. She moved from her home in England to New York with her uncle, and never questioned her family's history. But when a super elite, super-secret Guilder Boarding School in England seeks her out, she finds out there might be more to her parents than she could have ever imagined. For one thing, everyone in this school is special -- they all get inked with a special tattoo (called a tat) on their sixteenth birthday that gives them supernatural powers. For another thing, she finds out that both her parents were inked. And for one more thing, her dad was some evil guy trying to use his power to control the world. Can Rae prove to the school that she is not the same person her father was? Can she even convince herself? Is there a ray of hope in her life?

I absolutely loved this book! It's not vampires, wizards, werewolves, or any of that other stuff that's so overdone now -- it's totally unique! Definitely a page turner, I loved finding out more about everyone's tats and especially Rae's and how she learned to use it. The ending is great but unexpected. I heard that there will be a sequel to this book and I am so excited to read it! This was a really amazing book, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy like Twilight or Harry Potter but wants something new. This book included mystery, magic, romance, and hot guys! I could definitely see it being an amazing movie.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gearhart, Oregon United States

Wicked Circle by Linda Robertson

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:12:00 PST

Persephone Alcmedi is back and in more trouble than ever. Heldridge has escaped from Menessos's prisons, and he is on his way to reveal a very dangerous secret. Along with attempting to stop Heldridge, Seph is trying to support Johnny as he reveals himself to all waeres as the Domn Lup. With everyone vying for attention, Persephone goes through her largest struggles yet, worried about those around her. Can she manage to fix all the problems before it's too late, or will she go down with everyone else?

Seph is back in the fifth installment of the Persephone Alcmedi books, Wicked Circle. Linda Robertson has written another fantastic book about Persephone's struggles as the Lustrata. There were periods in the book where I felt like I was witnessing what actually happened. The imagery Robertson inserted into the book was very vivid, and it was some of her best work for this series. This book was full of romance, adventure, mystery, and suspense. By the way the book ended, I can only assume that there is to be a sixth book, and I know if there is, it is going to be just as great if not better than the others. I would recommend this book to mature high school readers.

There is some sexual innuendo and sex scenes in the book. They can get pretty descriptive.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

The Blizzard by Marty Martins

noreply@blogger.com (Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews Blog) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:18:00 PST

Blizzard Review
This book is about a teenage boy named Chet Bucek. His dad is in the military, so his family moves a lot. They end up in Rockford, Illinois. That is where Chet meets Melanie, and is instantly smitten. She rejects his advances, but when classmate Tommy Schmidt tries to abuse her, she runs away and falls into an icy river, only to be saved by Chet. He rescues her and takes her to his cabin. They have to sleep in the buff to keep warm, and when Melanie's dad finds them in just their underwear he jumps to conclusions. Chet is accused of rape and put in jail. Will his named be cleared? You'll have to read the book to find out!
Blizzard Opinion
I highly enjoyed reading the blizzard. It has strong, well-rounded characters and is a San Diego bronze award winner. This, combined with an unlikely real-life scenario is a recipe for a great book. The book sometimes divides into little subjects that focus on a particular character, so you get interesting snapshots of that character's emotions, thoughts, and life. My only complaint is that if this was a movie it would be rated R. The whole book is about an innocent boy accused of rape. Do I have to say any more? Anyway, if you can get pass that stuff, it has a good plot. I would recommend it for ADULTS ONLY!
This book has some very graphic scenes.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockford, Michigan United States