Circus Galacticus by Deva Fagan

Reviewed by Josie K.
Grade 7

Has anyone ever told you that you’re special? Have you ever wanted to join the circus? In Circus Galacticus the main character, Trix has been told she is special ever since she was little by her parents, but going to Bleeker Academy has made her feel about as special as a piece of dirt. Then having the circus come to town opened her eyes. It gives her hope that maybe she is special and important.

One main thing you should really know is that the Circus Galacticus is an alien circus. At many points through the story Trix feels out of place until the end. Another thing is that the aliens look like humans but have special powers. She finally has real friends unlike at Bleeker and she isn’t sure if it’s real. Circus Galacticus is split up into 4 main groups The Techs, The Principles, The Freaks, and The clowns.

There are many characters that are mentioned and play different roles in the book Circus Galacticus, but I feel the main ones are Trix, Ringmaster, Nola, and Nyl. There’s one more but she kind of just provokes Trix and Nola and that’s Sierra. Nyl is the bad guy in the book. He just seems to always be there lurking around Trix in the shadows. He mainly tries to get this stone from Trix the entire time and will do anything to get it. Plus he always tells Trix that she needs to be cleansed. My outlook on Nyl would have to be annoying, creepy, and persistent. Trix on the other hand is quite confused and sort of lost and very curious. She feels needed then will do something stupid and ruin either her life or someone else’s repeatedly through the book. Nola is smart, brave, and a great friend. She is always there to help Trix out no matter what the consequences may be. Ringmaster is confusing. He never takes a complete character in the story he different all through the book. One chapter he is brave and bold the next he running or hiding, etc. As I mentioned the 4 main groups: Nola is a Tech, Trix is not officially anything at the beginning and it’s not until later in the book when she finally gets classified but until then she is a Clown, Nyl being the bad guy isn’t a part of the circus, and Ringmaster is well the Ringmaster.

I would definitely recommend Circus Galacticus. The book was definitely a page turner for me and I loved it. The theme I believe the author was trying to get through is to always believe in yourself and to take the chances life presents. Another theme could be true friends may turn their backs for a while but will always be there for you when you need them. This is a very good choice for you if you enjoy mystery/drama/adventure/crazy just intriguing book. This is 5 stars and I have recommended it to all my friends.

Spoiler Alert Mini-Review: Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics

Daughters Unto Devils
Coming soon to WPPL

When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner's family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries.

When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn't right on the prairie. She's heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul.





Spoiler Alert reviewer: Victoria
1=No. Just, no. 2=It's OK. 3=I liked it. 4=I really liked it. 5=It was EPIC!

The Book Itself
How well designed was the plot? 5
How vivid was the setting? 2
How believable were the characters and the dialog? 4
How well did the book hold your interest? 5
How well did the author's language add to the book? 3
How well did the writing match the books intended audience? 5

Worldwide
Rank this book's mass appeal. 5
How readable was this book? 5
How pleasurable will reading this book be to most teens? 5

Personal
How highly would you recommend this book? 5
How likely are you to read something else by this author? 5
How memorable was this book? 5
How did you feel about the ending? 3
How creative was this book? 5

Marketing
How well does the cover match the story? (ARC did not include final cover)
Rank the jacket blurb. 5
Rank the title. 5
How well does the title match the story? 5
Stopping point in the book? Finished

Tell us what you thought of the book overall:

In one word: Horrific

Tell us what you really did not like about this book: More knowledge of the demons and how Amanda fought them

Pick 5 words to describe this book: Intense, scary, sisterly, demonic

Spoiler Alert Mini-Review: Damage Done by Amanda Panitch

Damage Done
Coming soon to WPPL

Before: Julia had a twin brother, a boyfriend, and a best friend.

After: She has a new identity, a new hometown, and memories of those twenty-two minutes that refuse to come into focus. At least, that’s what she tells the police.

Now that she’s Lucy Black, she's able to begin again. She's even getting used to the empty bedroom where her brother should be. And her fresh start has attracted the attention of one of the hottest guys in school, a boy who will do anything to protect her. But when someone much more dangerous also takes notice, Lucy's forced to confront the dark secrets she thought were safely left behind.

One thing is clear: The damage done can never be erased. It’s only just beginning. . . .



Spoiler Alert reviewer: Alexa
1=No. Just, no. 2=It's OK. 3=I liked it. 4=I really liked it. 5=It was EPIC!

The Book Itself
How well designed was the plot? 5!
How vivid was the setting? 4
How believable were the characters and the dialog? 5
How well did the book hold your interest? 4
How well did the author's language add to the book? 4
How well did the writing match the books intended audience? 5

Worldwide
Rank this book's mass appeal. 5
How readable was this book? 4
How pleasurable will reading this book be to most teens? 5! 5!

Personal
How highly would you recommend this book? 5! 5! 5! 5!
How likely are you to read something else by this author? 4
How memorable was this book? 5
How did you feel about the ending? 5
How creative was this book? 5! 5! 5! 5! 5! 5!

Marketing
How well does the cover match the story? 5
Rank the jacket blurb. 4
Rank the title. 4
How well does the title match the story? 4
Stopping point in the book? Finished

Tell us what you thought of the book overall:

In one word: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Tell us what you really did not like about this book: I love this book too much to hate anything about it!

Pick 5 words to describe this book: suspenseful, saddening, mysterious, drama, AWESOME!!

Spoiler Alert Mini Review: A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston

A Thousand Nights
Coming October 2015

Synopsis:

Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to her village, looking for a wife. When she sees the dust cloud on the horizon, she knows he has arrived. She knows he will want the loveliest girl: her sister. She vows she will not let her be next.

And so she is taken in her sister's place, and she believes death will soon follow. Lo-Melkhiin's court is a dangerous palace filled with pretty things: intricate statues with wretched eyes, exquisite threads to weave the most beautiful garments. She sees everything as if for the last time.But the first sun rises and sets, and she is not dead. Night after night, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, and day after day she is awoken by the sunrise. Exploring the palace, she begins to unlock years of fear that have tormented and silenced a kingdom. Lo-Melkhiin was not always a cruel ruler. Something went wrong.

Far away, in their village, her sister is mourning. Through her pain, she calls upon the desert winds, conjuring a subtle unseen magic, and something besides death stirs the air.

Back at the palace, the words she speaks to Lo-Melkhiin every night are given a strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. With each tale she spins, her power grows. Soon she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to the rule of a monster.


Spoiler Alert reviewer: Heather

1=No. Just, no. 2=It's OK. 3=I liked it. 4=I really liked it. 5=It was EPIC!

The Book Itself
How well designed was the plot? 4
How vivid was the setting? 5
How believable were the characters and the dialog? 5
How well did the book hold your interest? 5
How well did the author's language add to the book? 5
How well did the writing match the books intended audience? 4

Worldwide
Rank this book's mass appeal. 5
How readable was this book? 5
How pleasurable will reading this book be to most teens? 5

Personal
How highly would you recommend this book? 5
How likely are you to read something else by this author? 5
How memorable was this book? 5
How did you feel about the ending? 5
How creative was this book? 4

Marketing
How well does the cover match the story? 5
Rank the jacket blurb. 4
Rank the title. 4
How well does the title match the story? 4
Stopping point in the book? Finished

Tell us what you thought of the book overall:

In one word: Magical

Tell us what you really did not like about this book: Really wasn't feeling the "thousand" part, more like 2 months

Pick 5 words to describe this book: Fairy tale for young adults

Spoiler Alert Mini Review: The Murdstone Trilogy by Mal Peet

Murdstone Trilogy
Coming September 2015

Synopsis:

Award-winning author Philip Murdstone is in trouble. His star has waned. The world is leaving him behind. His agent, the beautiful and ruthless Minerva Cinch, convinces him that his only hope is to write a sword-and-sorcery blockbuster. Unfortunately, Philip - allergic to the faintest trace of Tolkien - is utterly unsuited to the task. In a dark hour, a dwarfish stranger comes to his rescue. But the deal he makes with Pocket Wellfair turns out to have Faustian consequences. The Murdstone Trilogy is a richly black comedy from an author described by one American critic as 'the best writer you've probably never heard of'.

Spoiler Alert reviewer: Victoria

1=No. Just, no. 2=It's OK. 3=I liked it. 4=I really liked it. 5=It was EPIC!

The Book Itself
How well designed was the plot? 1
How vivid was the setting? 5
How believable were the characters and the dialog? 2
How well did the book hold your interest? 2
How well did the author's language add to the book? 5
How well did the writing match the books intended audience? 3

Worldwide
Rank this book's mass appeal. 3
How readable was this book? 1
How pleasurable will reading this book be to most teens? 1

Personal
How highly would you recommend this book? 1
How likely are you to read something else by this author? 1
How memorable was this book? 1
How did you feel about the ending? 1
How creative was this book? 1

Marketing
Rank the jacket blurb. 1
Rank the title. 5
How well does the title match the story? 5
Stopping point in the book? Finished

Tell us what you thought of the book overall:

In one word: Melodramatic

Tell us what you really did not like about this book: Style of writing

Pick 5 words to describe this book: Lost opportunity; droning; rambling; dull

Spoiler Alert Mini Review: We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean

We Will Never Be Apart
Coming October 2015

Synopsis:

Murder.

Fire.

Revenge.

That’s all seventeen-year-old Alice Monroe thinks about. Committed to a mental ward at Savage Isle, Alice is haunted by memories of the fire that killed her boyfriend, Jason. A blaze her twin sister Cellie set. But when Chase, a mysterious, charismatic patient, agrees to help her seek vengeance, Alice begins to rethink everything. Writing out the story of her troubled past in a journal, she must confront hidden truths.

Is the one person she trusts only telling her half the story?


Spoiler Alert reviewer: Madison

1=No. Just, no. 2=It's OK. 3=I liked it. 4=I really liked it. 5=It was EPIC!

The Book Itself
How well designed was the plot? 4
How vivid was the setting? 4
How believable were the characters and the dialog? 5
How well did the book hold your interest? 4
How well did the author's language add to the book? 3
How well did the writing match the books intended audience? 4

Worldwide
Rank this book's mass appeal. 4
How readable was this book? 5
How pleasurable will reading this book be to most teens? 4

Personal
How highly would you recommend this book? 4
How likely are you to read something else by this author? 3
How memorable was this book? 4
How did you feel about the ending? 4
How creative was this book? 4

Marketing
How well does the cover match the story? 3
Rank the jacket blurb. 3
Rank the title. 3
How well does the title match the story? 3
Stopping point in the book? Finished

Tell us what you thought of the book overall:

In one word: Unique

Tell us what you really did not like about this book: Lack of character description (it NEVER described the main character)

Pick 5 words to describe this book: unique, interesting, strange, different, mysterious

Spoiler Alert Mini Review: Illuminae by Amy Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Illuminae
Coming August 2015

Synopsis:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.


Spoiler Alert reviewer: Kyra

1=No. Just, no. 2=It's OK. 3=I liked it. 4=I really liked it. 5=It was EPIC!

The Book Itself
How well designed was the plot? 5
How vivid was the setting? 3
How believable were the characters and the dialog? 3
How well did the book hold your interest? 2
How well did the author's language add to the book? 5
How well did the writing match the books intended audience? 3

Worldwide
Rank this book's mass appeal. 2
How readable was this book? 3
How pleasurable will reading this book be to most teens? 2

Personal
How highly would you recommend this book? 4
How likely are you to read something else by this author? 5
How memorable was this book? 5
How did you feel about the ending? 5
How creative was this book? 5

Marketing
Rank the jacket blurb. 4
Rank the title. 5
How well does the title match the story? 4
Stopping point in the book? Finished

Tell us what you thought of the book overall:

In one word: Intellectual

Tell us what you really did not like about this book: that it took awhile to get into

Pick 5 words to describe this book: interesting, thought provoking, sad, unique

Spoiler Alert Mini Review: A History of Glitter and Blood by Hannah Moskowitz

A History of Glitter and Blood
Sixteen-year-old Beckan and her friends are the only fairies brave enough to stay in Ferrum when war breaks out. Now there is tension between the immortal fairies, the subterranean gnomes, and the mysterious tightropers who arrived to liberate the fairies.

But when Beckan's clan is forced to venture into the gnome underworld to survive, they find themselves tentatively forming unlikely friendships and making sacrifices they couldn't have imagined. As danger mounts, Beckan finds herself caught between her loyalty to her friends, her desire for peace, and a love she never expected.

Spoiler Alert reviewer: Savannah

1=No. Just, no. 2=It's OK. 3=I liked it. 4=I really liked it. 5=It was EPIC!

The Book Itself
How well designed was the plot? 5
How vivid was the setting? 4
How believable were the characters and the dialog? 5
How well did the book hold your interest? 5
How well did the author's language add to the book? 5
How well did the writing match the books intended audience? 4

Worldwide
Rank this book's mass appeal. 4
How readable was this book? 5
How pleasurable will reading this book be to most teens? 4

Personal
How highly would you recommend this book? 5
How likely are you to read something else by this author? 3
How memorable was this book? 4
How did you feel about the ending? 3
If you did not finish, how did you feel about the beginning? finished it
How creative was this book? 5

Marketing
Rank the cover (only if the final cover version has been released).
How well does the cover match the story? 4
Rank the jacket blurb. 3
Rank the title. 3
How well does the title match the story? 4
Stopping point in the book? Finished

Tell us what you thought of the book overall:

In one word: Unique

Tell us what you really did not like about this book: First few chapters confusing; no character development until later

Pick 5 words to describe this book: Fast paced, original, different, fantasy, adventure

Zeroboxer by Fonda Lee

Reviewed by Will M.
Grade 12

Who needs gravity? Zeroboxers don't. In this futuristic landscape, Earth is no longer the only habitable planet, Martians are real and outer space is no longer so far away. Valtego Station is nothing more than a tourist attraction in spaces's vast landscape but to Carr Luka it is his second home.

Carr Luka was born on planet Earth whose inhabitants are called Terrans, used more as an insult then a common practice. Carr is one of the few zeroboxers that hail from Earth, but he is also one of the best. But Carr has a sercret that he doesn't even know about. Carr doesn't realize what has happened until is too late. Now he's in big trouble. Can Carr find a way to clear his name, or is everything he worked so hard for meaningless?


The author portrays Carr as a compassionate, yet tough individual. He has vowed to protect Enzo, an underpriviledged pal from Earth. He is both trusting and skeptical. He believes those close to him, but he is wary of those who are not. Carr is also extremely ill tempered and prone to explode in a hurricane of violence, especially at the proposal of bad news. Overall Carr is an intriguing character that keeps you entranced in the book, only putting it down once you have finished.


This book is a must read for anybody who likes a good piece of fiction. It has something for just about everybody: romance, action, suspense, and adventure. This book is beautifully woven together and you almost feel as if you're there, in a trance even. Zeroboxer is a must read indeed.

Spoiler Alert Mini Review: Thirteen by Tom Hoyle

Thirteen
Born at midnight in London, on the stroke of the new millennium, Adam is the target of a cult that believes boys born on this date must die before the end of their thirteenth year. Twelve boys have been killed so far. Coron, the crazy cult leader, will stop at nothing to bring in his new kingdom. And now he is planning a bombing spectacular across London to celebrate the sacrifice of his final victim: Adam.
Spoiler Alert reviewer: Victoria

1=No. Just, no. 2=It's OK. 3=I liked it. 4=I really liked it. 5=It was EPIC!

The Book Itself
How well designed was the plot? 4
How vivid was the setting? 3
How believable were the characters and the dialog? 3
How well did the book hold your interest? 3
How well did the author's language add to the book? 3
How well did the writing match the books intended audience? 4

Worldwide
Rank this book's mass appeal. 4
How readable was this book? 4
How pleasurable will reading this book be to most teens? 2

Personal
How highly would you recommend this book? 2
How likely are you to read something else by this author? 1
How memorable was this book? 1
How did you feel about the ending? 3
If you did not finish, how did you feel about the beginning?
How creative was this book? 2

Marketing
Rank the cover (only if the final cover version has been released).
How well does the cover match the story? 5
Rank the jacket blurb. 5
Rank the title. 5
How well does the title match the story? 5
Stopping point in the book? Finished

Tell us what you thought of the book overall:

In one word: Okay

Tell us what you really did not like about this book: More character development

Pick 5 words to describe this book: Fast paced, scary bland thriller