The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod : Eighth Grade Bites

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod : Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer  [YA Fiction]

by David, 7th grader

Eight Grade Bites was an entertaining, comical and slightly creepy read. The main character Vlad has to live among humans. Vlad is a vampire whose parents have died in a house fire. He lives with a family friend who is a nurse, who sneaks blood out of the hospital to feed him. He is unpopular and has a  crush on a popular girl, and he also might be the Pravus. The Pravus is a vampire legend that will rule over all vampires, enslave the human race, and can’t be killed. Definitely a must read.

Bliss

Bliss by Lauren Myracle  [YA Fiction]

by Shreya, 9th grader

I know you’re looking at the author and thinking: “Oh, this will be good!”. Please think twice. This story has no substantial plot, weird characters, and is just downright boring. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of creepy novels just as much as the next person, but Bliss doesn’t make the cut. The main character is a teenager raised by hippies who attends a preppy private school. The students there are oddly obsessed with a popular girl who is secretly a freak that worships cats and blood. Every time Bliss (the main character) walks down a hallway in Hamilton Hall, she hears a creepy voice that occasionally gets ridiculously bossy and yells at her for being a “ninny”! Call me crazy, but the story never got me hooked and was a painful first 215 page read (I just couldn’t go on…)

Listen!

Listen! by Stephanie S. Tolan  [J Fiction]

by Meghan, Age 13

Listen! is a great book by Stephanie S. Tolan which tells the story of a girl and a “wild” dog. Charley names the dog “Coyote” and begins to tame him. When she finds out he has heartworm, can she get him inside her house in time to save him?

Happenings

Happenings by Katie Cobb  [YA Fiction]

by Abby, 7th grader

Happenings by Katie Cobb is an OK book. In general, it’s about a group of high schoolers that start a protest to stop doing any work until their teacher starts teaching the way she did last year. Everything gets out of hand and the students get in trouble. This book was pretty predictable, so out of a rating of 0ne to ten (ten being the best),  I would give it a six.

Right Behind You

Right Behind You by Gail Giles  [YA Fiction]

by Megan, Age 13

The book Right Behind You is about a boy who spends over four years in a mental institution for setting a friend on fire in Alaska. Kip begins a completely new life in another state with his father and stepmother under a different name, but not only has trouble fitting in, he finds there are still problems to deal with from his childhood.

Every Soul a Star

Every Soul a Star

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass  [J Fiction]

by Aziza, 7th grader

Wendy Mass has done it again with this magnificent book. Every Soul a Star puts you into the minds of three very different characters: Ally, short for Alpha, (who can name and find every constellation in the sky), Bree (a drama queen and most popular kid in school), and Jack (who doesn’t have many friends, likes to draw creatures in his spare time, and reads sci-fi books). These three unique characters find themselves together at Moon Shadow Campground (Ally’s current home) to witness a total eclipse of the sun together. It’s here that they find that they have more in common with each other than expected. They form bonds while true feelings and personalities begin to surface in each of them.

Wendy Mass uses phrases that are so beautiful in her writing that I was enchanted with this book. I was literally in awe after reading Every Soul a Star, so give it a try!

Scorpia

Scorpia by Anthony Horowitz  [YA Fiction]

by Sage, 7th grader

Alex Rider was working (as bait) for MIG trying to find out what a powerful terrorist organization named “Scorpia” was planning. It turns out that Alex’s dad works for Scorpia as an assassin together with a Russian spy named Gregorovich. The problem is, Alex doesn’t want to be a spy- he wants to be a normal school kid.

Twilight

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer  [YA Fiction]

by a 10th grader

I’m in the minority, unfortunately. I’m a teenage girl that dislikes Twilight.  I get that it’s a book that exists purely as wish fulfillment, which isn’t a bad thing- but it doesn’t deserve all the praise it gets. The writing is mediocre at best. We get it.  Edward’s gorgeous, Adonis-like, he looks like a model, and he’s amazing. We get that Bella’s clumsy… we get it!! Stephenie Meyer, you have some fixation with adverbs and obscure vocabulary words you probably pulled from a thesaurus  to make yourself  sound smart.

The characters, namely our protagonists, are flat at best.  Bella is plain, average, and clumsy, and yet all the Forks boys want to date her, and everyone wants to be her friend. Edward is broody and beautiful, and that’s about it. Their chemistry is even flatter. They have all of two conversations before they’re in “one true love”.  No actual conversations, no joking, or even becoming legitimate FRIENDS- just the two of them looking at each other and swooning about how beautiful they are.

Also… sparkling? REALLY??

by Jill, 6th grader

I know everyone loved Twilight, but I didn’t like it. It’s just another Cinderella story without the glass slipper. Bella falls head over heels in love with Edward, but the twist is that Edward is a vampire. There are events along the way, but in the end it’s happy ever after. Twilight was hands down the worst book I have ever read. I recommend that you NEVER read Twilight unless you think Edward is cute- which he isn’t!!

Someone Like You

Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen  [YA Fiction]

by Jill, 6th grader

Scarlett and Halley are best friends. But Scarlett’s boyfriend dies, and she finds out that she is carrying his baby. This is a heart warming book about what friendship is really about. I recommend this for grade 6 and up.

Marked

Marked by P. C. Cast  [YA Fiction]

by Shreya, 9th grader

Stephanie Meyer has initiated a vampire frenzy. Vampire books I would have never have looked twice at now catch my attention. If you’re thristy for more blood (just kidding!), Marked is definitely a vampire book to try. It starts out as a normal young adult book, girl in high school, annoying ex-boyfriend, etc.  Slowly, however, the plot thickens and you won’t be able to put it down! This book incorporates humans, vampires, and even some Native American spiritual beliefs, which always keeps it interesting. Plus- there is always the ever-present juggling of boyfriends, both human and vampires. Once you start the series, you’ll be itching for its sequel.