I think this is a great young adult novel
599342
I think this is a great young adult novel. It would be a great book to discuss in a book club setting because there are a lot of nuances, metaphors, similes, etc. in the story telling.
3476552
I have to be honest and say that when I started reading Bridgetown High I feared it may be too much a Young Adult read for me but I was wrong. Yes, its a great young adult book, but its a book that anyone will take something from. The author did a great job of building believable characters and getting me engaged in their lives very quickly. His use of dialog in this book is excellent, and it really adds to the atmosphere of the story. I wondered if some of the emotional reactions of the characters might have been exaggerated too much until I remembered what it was like to be a teenager myself, that was when I remembered that every crush was love, every setback was a disaster, and every slight was tantamount to treason.

All in all, Bridgetown High for me was a very very enjoyable read and I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone.
3410525
The Ghost of Cattingham Hall by Amber Cross is a great young adult book. This book comes to life through each turn of the page. The characters are developed enough that you can connect with them, especially Maddie. You feel what it is that she is going through. This book takes you on a journey with a young girl that encounters a ghost. This story had a great plot line, but I think that it could have been fleshed out a little more. I liked how she had obstacles and there were twists and turns. Some of them left me wanting more. I think that story could have been a little more detailed at times, but the story was good. It had me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens next.
 The plot was that a young girl, Maddie, goes to stay with her aunt Lydia that lives in Cattingham Hall. This is an old building that has been haunted. There are many things that happen to Maddie during her stay at that hall. One of my favorite scenes was when Maddie is coming out of the basement and a hand grabs her ankle. This is the kind of device that will bring the reader back for more. The characters are developed enough to make a connection, but I do believe it could have been better. This story is thought out, but could use a little more creativity, because it lacks where other ghost stories come to life.
 I would recommend that anyone read this novel. Amber Cross did a good job of convincing me that there was a ghost in the hall. It had me wondering what was going to happen next. The witches were a nice touch that helped move the story along. The ending was left on a cliff-hanger, which will have readers wondering what will happen next. I would recommend that younger adults should read this for a guilty horror pleasure. The book was a great read, and I hope that Amber continues to write stories like this. There are many stories out there about ghosts, and, yes, this one follows some of the same plot devices, but it does stand on its own. I hope to read more from this author in the future. My only criticism is that it should have been fleshed out more in the plot and with the characters.
498878
Francesca has changed schools and is facing new problems. She has only a few friends at her new school, most of her friends from before seem to have abandoned her. She is also trying to figure out more about a boy she likes. This is a young adult novel focusing on the things that are important to and affect teenagers. It is a great book that young readers can relate to. It mentions many of the things young teens are facing today. I suggest it for readers in 8th and 9th grades.
2685102
If you own a smartphone, check to see if it supports the kindle app. I wasn't going to get this because I don't own a kindle, but then a friend told me about the app and this was the first book I got for it!

It has the classic appeal of a YA novel, and is relatable not only for teens, but for adults in their 20s and 30s too. It also feels like a comic book, despite having no pictures. I mean it reads a lot like superhero stories, but Leonard also does a great job of describing things in a way that makes it easy to picture scenes from the story. And the characters are extremely relatable, but still have flaws. Devin is a great main character and has great character development, but still reads as a human with issues he has to work through. We see him both full of determination and just going through the motions, both of which have universal appeal.

There are a few issues with the writing, but it's all small grammatical things that an editor would fix. Overall very good storytelling and characters. Would read this book again and definitely looking forward to other titles from Leonard!
4156407
For starters, this novel is extremely well written.  This is obviously a plus because I think there's a number of YA authors out there who try to "dumb" down their prose for the sake of the teen audience.  This is something I don't agree with because I believe teenagers are far more intelligent  today than most give them credit for.  Alora Dillon's writing style allows the reader to make connections in their head about what's going on by showing us facial expressions, body language, etc.  This always make the reading experience a lot more fun and entertaining!

The story itself is very sweet.  It is not your typical, predictable "insta-lust" tale.  We are introduced to Melody, who first of all, is a very accomplished and intelligent young girl (great role model for female teen readers).  She has had a crush on her best friend Jake for quite some time now.  She and Jake share a bond  like no other.  He is a well mannered boy who cares for Melody and eventually reciprocates her feelings.  However, Melody is very down to earth and really does not really pick up on this at the beginning of the book.  Hilarity, and heart warming moments ensue when Melody and Jake participate in a school project that involves being paired up with another classmate.  Certain that they will be paired up with each other, Melody's world and grades are put at risk when she gets paired up with Kyle Warner, an attractive, but seemingly arrogant, wealthy athlete.  However, not all is as it seems...and Melody discovers that there is always more than meets the eye.

Funny, witty, and very charming, Melody's Crush is a book that I can't imagine anybody not enjoying :)
3464717
The novel is about a teenage woman who discovers she has a supernatural ability to heal peoples medical infirmities. She cannot summon the healing power at will; it manifests itself occasionally. Exercising the healing power complicates her relationships with her family, friends, and boyfriend. It also entwines her into the life of another woman and puts them both in harms way.
  Even though the cover says the novel is a young adult tale, and my young adulthood is a fading memory, I enjoyed the novel and always looked forward to my next opportunity to read more of it. The characters were easy to identify with, and the situations in which they became engaged were believable. In fact I occasionally found myself unwilling to put the book down until I found out how some crisis was going to be resolved.
  The story is written from a mature Christian perspective. By mature, I mean: 1) The interactions among the characters make it clear that people are flawed, and that people have the capacity for both good and evil. 2) Compassion, especially for people in lower economic and social strata is very evident in the way the characters are developed.
514603
I think that any  young adult would enjoy reading this  book.
I also believe that a lot of young people may identify with
Some of the characters and think about the things happening
in their own life.
4889948
There are so many things about this book that should make me give it a rather poor review but the thing is, there are so many things I like about it, too. The story has all of the bones of a really good young adult novel. Theres romance, the supernatural, a bit of mystery, and some humour. Unfortunately, the humour often leaves the characters looking ridiculous and unrealistic. Even though this is a work of fiction, I still want to find some realism in the characters and their dialogue.
 Amy and her group of friends are the oddballs of their age group and are often the butt of jokes made by the cool kids. A new boy moves to the school and Amy falls head over heels for him. Max, however, starts missing time, having blackouts and some of the jocks that he has had run-ins with have disappeared or, worse, are found dead. Is Max behind these strange events or does the ghost that Amy sees have something to do with it? Amy, Max and her friends are determined to save their school mates from the same fate that has happened to their peers but they may end up dead themselves.
 I understand the idea that this is supposed to be a bit tongue-in-cheek but coming back to school the day after students go missing and some are murdered seems a bit unbelievable to me. Also, Amy is attacked in quite a nasty way but casually goes back to school the next day and doesnt bother to inform the authorities. The dialogue is not always at its best either. One kid states he doesnt want to go to jail because they don't have Nintendo. I know todays kids are fairly materialistic but really?
 Having listed all of these complaints about the book, I still have to say that I really liked the overall story. The ending is sweet and I loved the character of Bobby who is sad and tragic even as he tries to be menacing. Amy and Max are also well written characters and Id love to see them in a future book. This book has every bit of potential to be a great young adult novel and Ms. Duke has a lot of talent once the wrinkles get ironed out.
 I read the digital version of this book and it formatted well, although there were a few minor editing mistakes. The cover has significance to events in the book and pertains well to the young adult genre.
4820816
This young adult novel by Marissa Meyer is a great story about a young 16 year old mechanic who works under a terrible boss named Adri who works her too hard. Cinder barely gets any pay and she needs to learn how to work on her own and be self  sufficient. She is also an essential part of humanity. Even though her boss does not know it she tries to let her know. Obviously Adri never listenes. I would give this book a 4.7/5 and it really captivated me into the liking of reading.
3458046
I, too, was skeptical about reading a young adult novel.  Being a sixth grade Reading/Language Arts teacher has my head full of kiddy-lit! However, I was so thirsty for more of the Neteru Guardian squad, I could not resist purchasing this book (a steal at $3.99 on kindle!)  I absolutely loved the characters and the story line.  The way the Net-pound kids developed as the world around them suddenly changed from being sequestered at home and sheltered from everything outside their compound, to being a part of a whole new dynamic (school with host of other kids and adults), was quite realistic.  We were able to watch Sarah, and others, discover themselves while adjusting to life beyond the compound.  I think this is a good read for young adults as well as fully grown adults because we all encounter peer pressure, mean-girls, self doubt, and fear of the unkown just like these characters.  School/lunch room politics were very prevalent in this novel.

Although we Regulars don't have supernatural powers (although at times I wish I did), we can all see a little of ourselves in at least one of these characters.  I loved the way Sarah found her voice and learned not to make herself small to help make others feel big/good about themselves.  That's a lesson a lot of us must learn.  This novel had all of the great elements we are accustomed to getting in an L.A. Banks novel, including teenage romance.  Unfortunately, we had to lose the blow your head off love scenes we're used to...but since this is for the young adults, I can forgive that. I for one can not wait until the next book in this series is released!  I'm eager to see how this series develops.  Job well done Ms. Banks.
739673
I am an adult but I really enjoy the YA genre. I find that sometimes writing geared towards younger audiences tends to be a bit condescending and completely unrealistic of how a teenager would think or speak. Not so with this author. This book is intelligently written and the characters are well developed. Although Mr. Latshaw is an adult male, he really seems to understand the female teenage mind. I Love this book and I cannot wait to read more from him.
1014027
This book is a great piece of Young Adult Lit.  It offers suspense, drama, situations needing critical thinking and ends without things being all wrapped with a bow.  Looking forward to the next in the series.
3673475
The Fountain is a well written YA novel that does not follow all of the standard tropes. It reads like a stand alone story though I've heard there will be more to come.  I liked how you jump right into the action and then go back to find out how they got there. The ending was well crafted and satisfying. Even as an adult I was hooked and found it hard to put the book down. I actually finished it in one day. This would definitely make a great read for most teens.  It was nominated for an Aurora for Best Young Adult Novel.
81062
This book is a great one for the "coming of age" audience. Lettie has a lot of anger and darkness to her, and who can blame her? Forced to be a family caretaker, an absent mother, an alcoholic father. Life has stacked some rough cards for her to be dealt. But she's never overly brooding, an issue I find in a lot of other teen fiction. She felt real, and relatable, and it was easy to cheer her on when she needed it, and silently swear to yourself when she made bad decisions, like watching a friend.

In fact, this whole book is written with a great, shadowy tone. It has a gritty sense of realism. The setting is well developed and well described to match the characters. And yet, as heavy as the issues in this novel are, there is a fair bit of sarcasm and humor, which is a huge plus for me. It was nice to have a book that's a great balance of light and dark, and I think that's part of what makes this book go down so easily.

The only issue I really had with No Alligators in Sight was that it lagged a bit in the middle. I understand that certain points were important for development and movement of the plot, but the middle of the book started to lose me a bit. I do promise you though, that the ending makes up for it; it ends strong.
2443089
Radley is 17 and alone.  She returns from a trip abroad to a country in the midst of political turmoil and her parents are missing.  She flees to Canada fearing she is being hunted by law enforcement.  Along the way she meets another lonely traveler named Celia who is also running from something.  They form an unlikely bond and learn to survive.  This is a novel full of heart.  It is filled with Radley's longing for her parents and her old life and at the same time her realization of how much she took for granted.  Definitely makes you think about how we all do the same thing every day in our own lives.  The story in also illustrated with photographs taken by the author.  Sometimes they really add to the story and sometimes not so much even though they are all beautiful photos.  I think this book really transcends the YA audience it is apparently categorized into.  It's a novel that I think most adults would find as gripping and moving as I did.  I also think this would make a great film.  Great work, in my opinion, and definitely worth reading no matter what age you are.
889803
I loved this book! I often enjoy young adult fiction, but sometimes find it a little too cheesy or unrealistic for my taste. Things I Should Have Known actually felt realistic and true to what teenagers' lives are like these days (man, I sound like such an old lady!). While I can't speak from personal experience, it did also feel like LaZebnik portrayed living with autism in a realistic light and in a different way than how it's usually approached. The relationships and emotions in the book felt very real and as far as I could tell, stereotypes of autism weren't used. More than anything, this felt like a story about the bonds between siblings and if nothing else, will make you think about your own sibling relationships and how things could be different.

While it does deal with more actual issues than most YA novels, this was a quick read for me and one of those books I didn't want to put down. If I had to compare the novel to others in the YA genre, I'd probably say it most reminded me of Jenny Han's summer series. I haven't yet read any of LaZebnik's other novels, but I certainly will now! I also can't help but hope that she'll write a followup to Things I Should Have Known, so we can continue to follow Chloe, Iris, Ethan, and David's stories.