The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 

Yes, No, Maybe So: Yes

Stars: 4.75

Age Group: Grades 8 & up

This book is really beautiful. and that's really all I can say. Except for to keep a box of tissues handy, because you WILL need them.

The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare

Yes, No, Maybe So: Definitely!

Stars: 5

Age Group: Grades 5 and up

To be honest I fell in love with these books. I laughed, I cried, and I reread over and over again. I begged my friends to read them, they did, they begged their friends too. I guarantee once you pick up the first book, City of Bones, you won't be able to put it down until you finish City of Lost Souls. Then you'll cry until May 6 when the last book comes out, but who cares?!  I don't write on this blog a lot anymore, but I'm begging you all to read these books and spread the word to your friends!



Flash Fire by Caroline B. Cooney

Yes, No, Maybe So: Maybe so

    Stars: 3.5

         Age group: grades 8 & up (could be upsetting to younger)

The Mortal Instruments City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Yes, No, Maybe So: YES YES YES

   Stars: 5

        Age group: Grades 7 & up

MUST REAAAAADD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Schooled by Gordan Korman

Yes, No, Maybe So: Yes
   Stars: 4
       Age Group: Grades 6 & up

Emergency Room by Caroline B. Cooney

Yes, No, Maybe So: Maybe so
  Stars: 3.5
    Age Group: grades 7 & up
Sorry for not posting! I wasn't sure what to make of Emergency Room. It was a good story, but not written that well. I guess that I expected more from a well-known author such as Caroline B. Cooney.  It definitely wan't written for younger children because there was gore, death, drugs, gangs, etc. i would recommend it, but not as strongly as for other books.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

 

Yes, No, Maybe So: Yes

  Stars: 5

   Age Group: Grades 8 & up (pretty frightening)

            I apologize for all the completely positive reviews lately. but I've been rereading.

            So I really liked this book, I would recommend it to the not-easily-frightened because it was pretty graphic in descriptions of violence, and it was really very scary. It describes that Abraham Lincoln wasn't really fighting secession, just the vampires of the South who fed on the  blood of innocent slaves. The end is the best part with an awesome twist.

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

Yes, No, Maybe So: Yes

 Stars: 5

  Age group: grades 5 & up

          I think this book is really good and enjoyable. I have to say, I read it twice, and it's still not boring. It was the John Newbery medal winner of 2012.This names it the "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children" of the year 2012. It rightfully earned this title.

          It is an partially-fictional autobiography of the author, Jack Gantos. The main character, Jack Gantos (duh autobiography) gets in trouble with his parents for an deed I will not specify, and now has to help his elderly neighbor, Miss Volker write obituaries for the town's original residents, who are dropping suspiciously like flies. Meanwhile, Jack's father is building a plane in their backyard. Mix in dancing Hell's Angels, towed houses, and creepy obsessive old-person love and things in Norvelt have never been weirder. 

Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick

Yes, No, Maybe So: Yes
 Stars: 5
  Grade Level: grades 6 and up (the vocabulary isn't hard, but it's pretty sad)
           I wouldn't have looked at this book without a recommendation, but I'm glad I did.
I love this book. I love it so much. Yet it hit me in a soft spot; Childhood cancer.
           Steven thinks his 5-year-old brother, Jeffery,  is the most annoying person ever. But one day as Steven is watching him, he takes a small, innocent fall from a stool. Instantly he has an uncontrollable bloody nose. What's more, he has been having extreme pain and chills. At the ER he is diagnosed with leukemia, a deadly form of cancer.
          Steven is now mostly unacknowledged by his parents who have Jeffery's illness and financial issues to deal with. But not by Jeffery. Ever since he was born, Jeffery has idolized Steven. Steven is now Jeffery's superhero and rock, supporting him, playing with him, and comforting him. All this cancer business is taking a toll on Steven's grades and mental health. Meanwhile, he is busy preparing to be the star drummer of the all-city jazz band, and trying to deal with girl issues.
          Definitely an awesome book for anybody.

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

 

Yes, No, Maybe So:

 Stars: 4.9

  Age Level: Grades and up (I recommend grades 6-8 especially)

 Smile is a graphic novel. Before you start groaning and whining about how terribly corny anime is (that's what I do), let it be heard that this is not a typical graphic novel, and certainly not anime! This is what the inside looks like, and there actually is a decent amount of writing.

So it's a step up from anime.

Now onto the plot. This actually is a fantastic, heartwarming book. It is about  a girl who loses her front teeth to an accident, and has to undergo years of painful dental work to get back her ideal smile. On the way she grows up and realizes what makes a friendship real, and how you can tell whether someone is ACTUALLY a good friend. She also learns what it means to hurt someone that cares about you.

Not to mention that this book is extremely empowering. The nerdy protagonist finally musters up the courage to ditch the people who she considers "friends" though they treat her terribly. READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) (:



Burned by Sara Shepard

 

Yes, No, Maybe So: Maybe So

 Stars: 3

  Age Group: Grades 5 and up (a less dirty PLL novel)

 

This is Pretty little liars as normal. The only difference is in setting, as the girls are on a cruise/field trip.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

 

Yes, No, Maybe So: YES, YES, YES, YES, YES! READ NOW!

  Stars: 6 (out of 5)

   Age Group: I thought a lot about this and there is nothing scary or suggestive, but there is mass-murder, death and injury, so if you can handle that, go for it

READ IT! It was written in the 80s, as a cheap science fiction paperback that are a dime a dozen at your local used book shop, but it is so much more! It is the story of a boy genius, ripped from his home at 6 years old, forced to become a militaristic killing machine. The problem is, he's good at it. He is the best soldier at his special school, the best ever. He is hand selected as Earth's final hope to defeat the enemies that threaten the human race. It's an internal battle, as Ender Wiggins, a sweet child is transformed into a cruel killer that he never wanted to be, yet is forced to.  He could get himself kicked out of the school, but he's the only hope of saving the human race. Besides, does he really have a choice? Himself or everyone?

 

At times, this book could drag on, but that's totally excusable, due to its level of epicness.



Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

Yes, No, Maybe So: Maybe So

  Stars: 3.85

   Age Group: Grades 4 and up (some violence and death but not graphic)

Meh. It was ok. This book is about a boy who's guardian was a secret agent for the British M16. His uncle was killed, and he is trained to be  a spy and infiltrate the organization that killed him, who are making high-tech computer systems to be distributed to every school in England. But the millionaire CEO has a few screws loose and something is amiss. Alex Rider must find out before it is too late.

  I'm a fan of Anthony Horowitz, but this wasn't his best book. It gets boring at  times, but if you can stick through it it's ok.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Yes, No, Maybe So: Yes
 Stars: 4.75
  Age Group: I would say grades 5 and up but there is some mature content so my rating is grades 7 and up. If you are a VERY mature 5th grader you will be okay,
Don't be fooled by the typical girly-book cover. This book is a tad girly, but isn't swimming in cheesy corny love like other books with girls on the cover. It is actually about a girl who goes on an adventure around Europe, (yes finding love too) guided by clues in little blue envelopes that her starving-artist, recently deceased aunt left her. Before she died, Ginny's aunt left home in America and never turned back, abandoning Ginny without an address to mail her at. Now, Ginny is following her Aunt's challenges, mostly teaching Ginny about confidence, love, art and facing challenges. This is a good read for anyone, but the author really wrote it for girls. (Sorry to my guy readers(If I have guy readers(If I have ANY readers!)))

Red Scarf Girl a memoir of Ji-Li Jiang

 

 

Yes, No, Maybe So: Yes definitely

 Stars: 5

  Age group: grades 5 and up

It's funny how I found this book. I didn't look for it. I didn't notice it on a shelf. I didn't recognize the author. I found this book because I was talking to a librarian and she said that the book hadn't been taken out in over two years. It was a brand new copy. I agreed to try it, partly because I felt bad for the book. Partly because I can't resist a shiny new cover.

    I wasn't disappointed. This book was PHENOMANAL! I read it in one 4-hour sitting. It focuses on a girl from an unrespected family during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Maybe you have no idea what that is, but neither did I, and I still enjoyed the book. it turns out that this was the time of the Communist movement. The book describes the cruelties and unfairness of the system. She is punished and punished and punished all because her grandfather who died before she was born was a wealthy landlord. Because of her roots she must either endure this terrible treatment, or disown her family. Once a proud, intelligent, little girl with a passion to serve her country, she must decide whether she values family or her country.

 

Ali's Pretty Little Lies by Sara Shepard

Yes, No, Maybe So: Yes

 Stars: 4.8

  Age Group: Grades 6 and up (material less mature but more violent than other PLL books)

This book focuses on the years and weeks leading up to Courtney DiLaurentis's death. It doesn't really give away any information unknown, but does give us more incite on the motives of Courtney, and does reveal that Courtney was never really insane, and that Ali was. It also gives in more detail of the murder of Courtney by Ali, and her final seconds of life when she learned that Ali had an unknown accomplice. You actually could read this book without reading the rest of the series, but not before reading it because it has information about Courtney. One interesting thing about the book is the cover. Upon first glance the standard PLL doll looks normal. But with a closer examination you can tell that the doll is actually a mixture of Courtney and her twin. For more information about the cover check out the Trivia section of this page. http://pretty-little-liars.wikia.com/wiki/Ali's_Pretty_Little_Lies 

Here's a closer look:                       

Doll Combination

Separate Dolls

Stunning by Sara Shepard

Yes, No, Maybe So: Maybe So
 Stars: 3.75
  Age Group: Grades 8 and up
Ok guys this one definitely isn't for the boys. Basically A is back. Spencer is once again mixed up with drugs, but this time at Princeton. Emily has yet to tell the father of her baby that he IS a father. Hanna wants Mike back, and is stalking his girlfriend and Aria finds out a dirty little secret about Noel's family.   Meanwhile Emily's baby is in danger of a rich billionaire. What is WRONG with these Rosewood Girls. They just NEVER LEARN, Do they?

How They Croaked by Georgia Braggs

Yes, No, Maybe So: Yes
 Stars: 4.5
  Age Group: grades 5 and up
This is a nonfiction book about the lives of famous people such as Albert Einstein and Marie Antoinette, and how they died. Though the book claims to focus on how they died, it is really closer to a horrible histories book than a medical book. But it is an entertaining and hilarious read, and is really more lighthearted and humorous than morbid.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Yes, No, Maybe So: Yes
 Stars: 5
  Age Group: Grades 9 and up
This book is fantastic and classic, yet it has a lot of symbolism which younger readers wouldn't understand at all. It is about a farm on which the animals overthrow the cruel human farmer on the basis of four legs good two legs bad, and that all animals are equal. But the pigs become the leaders and break all the rules, and become just as cruel and powerful as the humans. The book ends with a new motto, claiming, "all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others."

A City Tossed and Broken by Judy Blundell

Yes, No, Maybe So: Maybe so

Stars: 3.5

Age group: Grades 5 and up

Was this the best historical fiction book ever? No. Was it the worst? No. It really doesn't stand out much. It was your everyday, typical, unrealistic, girly historical fiction book. I only recommend reading it if you're actually interested in the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, which it is loosely centered on. Our hero,  Minette/Minnie Bonner is a maid for a wealthy San Franciscan family when the earthquake strikes. All of the members are dead, and she is the only survivor. The family's lawyer mistakes her for the wealthy family's daughter, and she has to decide whether her morals or her future wealth is more important. Bla Bla Bla. Lots of empty, boring pages. Come on Judy Blumell! You can do better!

Maximum Ride: the Angel Experiment

 

 



Yes, No, Maybe So: Yes, definitely
    Stars: 5
        Age Group:   Grades 5 and up
  I would recommend this book to anyone, boy or girl, teen or preteen, paperback hardcover or ebook. It is filled with fantastic action and is well written by James Patterson. It focuses on a group of children who have  bird-like wings due to an experiment by cruel scientists at an institution known as "the school". These scientists experiment on them until they escaped 4 years ago. Now, another type of these scientists' creations, the deadly erasers have been sent after the escapees. In an epic fight, they capture the youngest member of the group, and the others must now go on a journey to find her before it is  too late. There is no telling what the evil scientists will do to her!

The Pretty Little Liars Series Books 1-6

Yes, No, Maybe So: Yes

           Stars: 4 3/4  
             Age Group: Grades 8 and up


Ok so the author, Sara Shepard wrote it very well. I was unable to put it down.  Though the plot was filled with unnecessary details on clothing and looks which could annoy the more easily-bored reader, it was essentially and interesting story that had me hooked. The plot focuses on 4 high school junior girls, Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily who deal with the mysterious disappearance of their best friend, Allison DiLaurentis, who hasn't been seen seventh grade. She was the queen of their clique, who ruled the school. Ali knew things about the girls that nobody else did, so when mysterious, threatening notes start being sent to them, blackmailing them with these secrets, and some more current, more juicy ones, the girls think Ali may be back. And if she is, why is she tryting to ruin their lives?

Welcome!

Mission

Welcome to middle readz! From now on I will be posting reviews of books I have read! Expect 2-3 a week, because I am a FAST reader! My goal is to provide middle grade readers (middle-school through high school) with reviews from someone who is actually in their age group.