Rooftop by Paul Volponi

Paul Volponi, author of Black and White, indulges the reader in this historical fiction novel entitled Rooftop. This story is about two cousins who live a life of crime and drugs in the projects of New York City. After many years of separation due to family conflict, the two are reunited in a rehabilitation program. They learn how to control their lives and how to stay away from the temptation of drugs. But that does not stop Clay's cousin Addison from getting killed by three police officers. This leaves Clay in a tight spot. He can tell the truth and let the murder be unavenged or he can fall under the pressure of those around him and tell the jury a lie that would put one man behind bars for a very long time. This story uses slang, but it is pretty easy to follow. It was intense and gave the reader a good sense of what happened that night on top of the Ravenswood Houses.

~Joseph, Teen Book Reviewer

Night Runner by Max Turner

Zach Thomson, the main character in Night Runner, lives in the Nicholls Ward. This mental institution was the only place where he is properly looked after. Yet he is the only child in this facility. After his parents died he developed some very strange habits, unusual and severe allergies. He was cared for from many nurses, but the one that mostly understood him was Nurse Ophelia. His strange allergies forced him to have this mix which Zach believes is strawberry smoothies. Yet even though he could watch television all he wants and just relax, he gets lonely sometimes being the only child at the ward. He actually likes the calm and stress less life without having to go to school. He never thought about leaving or running away until he has a dream about his father telling him to run. Amongst the cover of night and the shadows with his only friend, Charlie, and a girl he loves, he does just that: run. Yet in the process of escaping he finds himself tangled in a stressful event learning something that changed his perspectives of everything. Soon he not only begins to run from his doom, but to race for the truth. He also fights his destiny and temptations of his decision of choosing either good or evil.

Max Turner is an excellent writer who describes all the characters and setting very detailed. His novel is full of surprising twists and turns that may give the reader great excitement and suspense. The Night Runner is an excellent book that deals with sci-fi and horror. I recommend this book for all who loves a creative and descriptive novel in the vampire and drama genre.
~Robert, Teen Book Reviewer

Hacking Harvard by Robin Wasserman

Hacking Harvard is truly a great novel. It tells a story of three kids that try to get an unqualified, underachieved slacker into the most prestigious school of America, Harvard. This book is very exciting and very fast-paced. Although, it may be slow at some times, you will see that the speed picks up quickly. It may be difficult to understand at some times, because of its strong vocabulary. But if you are an active reader you should be able to get the gist of the story.

Overall, I rate this story highly because of its ability to create a unique story and combine everyday realities into a little over 300 pages. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in colleges and wants a “new” type of action.

~Cody, Teen Book Reviewer

Before I Die by Jenny Downham

In the book Before I Die sixteen year old Tessa, a girl fighting terminal cancer, writes a list of ten things she wants to do before she dies. A list that includes drugs, fame, love; things that will make Tessa feel alive. Things that challenge herself and the people around her. With only a few more months left to live, Tessa is determined to experience all of life's adventures. The novel accounts her mission to find absolute and ultimate happiness from her craziest moments to the most intimate ones. This is more than just a book about a dying girl with a list; it’s about what it’s like to have your life cut short, the effects it has on you and the people around you. The way that the world around you changes, the change in the way you perceive things, the memories you remember and what becomes important to you in your final days. As Tessa becomes too weak to worry about her list she writes letters to her loved ones with instructions to live their lives to the fullest. As the novel draws to a close, Tessa gets increasingly closer to death and eventually accepts the ways of life.

This is a beautifully written novel that tugs at your heartstrings and that makes you think about your life and the way you choose to live it. At times humorous, but mostly heart wrenching, this is a story of love and life. Before I Die is a beautifully written story that is not only unique, but entertaining and relatable. I really enjoyed reading this extraordinary, life affirming novel and i recommend it to teens of all ages.
~Kaitlyn, Teen Book Reviewer

Everafter by Amy Huntley

I recently finished reading the book The Everafter by Amy Huntley. This book is about a girl named Maddie who discovers she’s dead as she recovers moments and objects from her past. As she re-visits these moments she is able to change them and as she does, she notices the importance of life and how special and precious it is.

I think that this book was really exciting and it kept me on the edge of my seat. I personally picked this book up because of the cover. It was an attractive cover and it really caught my eye and the picture was really cool and spooky at the same time. I thought that this was a great read and it is a perfect book for any teen who likes a little bit of a spooky tale, and also enjoys and appreciates a universal message about life.

I think that Amy Huntley took a different perspective on life as she wrote this book. She really expressed her perspective through her character Maddie and she showed the meaning and the true importance of life. She used a vivid description in her writing.

In total this book was a great read as it suited me perfectly. Overall,this is a great book for all teenagers.

~Rhea, Teen Book Reviewer

The Dream Hunters: Sandman by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell

Sandman: The Dream Hunters by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell is a graphic novel that deals with a love affair between a Buddhist priest and a fox spirit. After making a bet with a raccoon dog, the fox spirit falls in love with the priest, to the point that she gets to stay in the temple with the priest. While this is happening, in another palace, a rich man begins to fear for his life, yet does not know why. After consulting a few people to help him understand his fear, he learns that the priest’s body will remain sleeping until it dies, while his mind will be stuck in dream world. The fox overhears of this by way of demons, and as she goes to fix it, but gets stuck in her own dream. In order to help the fox, the priest seeks information on how to visit the Dream Master. He explores the realm of dreams with help from a raven, until he finds the Dream Master. Once he finds him, the priest learns of the fox’s entrapment, he begs to converse with the fox, and once doing so, he switches places with the fox, allowing the fox to escape. The fox awakens, and the monk dies a few days later. The fox seeks revenge in the form of ruining the rich man’s life, which she succeeds in doing. The story has a nice ending as the narrator states that it is noted that people have seen the fox and priest walking through fields in their own dreams.

This book was really captivating. It kept me interested until the very end. Anybody looking for an interesting read is going to love this book. The illustrations also kept me asking for more, as they added to the beauty of the book. I hope that you will read it after reading this review, and enjoy it as much as I did!

~Jonathan, Teen Book Reviewer

Freestyle Soccer Tricks by Sean D’Arcy

Freestyle Soccer Tricks is a very unique book. Sean D’Arcy is a professional soccer freestyler who travels the world doing demonstrations of his various soccer tricks. In this book, D’Acry progresses from teaching how to simply juggle to demonstrating both simple tricks for the beginner and more intricate tricks for a more advanced juggler. He shows step-by-step how to complete some of the soccer freestyle tricks that are done by the experts. I even got into it myself and learned a few moves. Among my favorites were “The Brazilian,” and “The Scoop.” I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in learning some cool moves with a soccer ball. The reader does not have to be a soccer player, because these are just freestyle tricks that the author outlines step-by- step that anyone can do. This book is both interesting and fun, and at the end you can show off your new moves to your friends!

~Eric, Teen Book Reviewer