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Content by TeensReadToo
Reviewer Rank: 78
Helpful Votes:
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Reviews Written by
TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada)
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Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 13 Nov 2009
Mostly aimed at distraught parents, DIVINE PRAYERS FOR DESPAIRING PARENTS is a helpful guide to parents who have reached their last straw.
Broken up into chapters that combine similar topics, this book shares with discouraged parents guidance, hope, and encouraging words. Each section shares stores from coping parents on issues that concern them regarding their children. After each story, the author shares a relevant Scripture passage (some obscure, others easily recognizable) as well as generic prayers that parents can recite to God for guidance and reassurance.
The book covers various topics and parents will be able to relate to most of them. Parents show concern over their child's wild ways, depressed ways, lack or loss of faith, and many other issues. It's by acknowledging that they are not alone in their concerns that they will be able to find comfort in the prayers and Scripture presented in this book.
As I stated, it is mostly aimed at parents, but insightful teens will also find the information relevant and helpful. They will learn that their behaviors are not unique and that there is hope where they may feel that there is nothing but blackness. If shared between parents and teenagers, the prayers may bring them closer together with each other, as well as with God.
Reviewed by: Jaglvr
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Evil?
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by Timothy Carter
Edition: Paperback |
| Price: £8.55 |
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| Availability: In stock |
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Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 13 Nov 2009
EVIL? caught my interest right away because of how original the summary sounded.
A teen boy who is caught masturbating in the shower by his little brother is suddenly thrust into a horrific situation where the people of his town are out for his very life. This confuses Stuart, of course, as he doesn't feel he's done anything wrong. And after all, the town pretty much accepted his being gay, so what's the deal now?
However, the priest believes that Stuart is innocent of wrongdoing and agrees to help him figure out what's going on. It isn't until Stuart confronts the demon, Fon Pyre - who he'd been summoning for awhile in order to get some of his questions about good and evil and heaven and hell answered - that Stuart learns the truth.
Fon Pyre reveals to them that it's a fallen angel who has caused the town's madness. His quest to stop people from "spilling" has made the hatred overflow, but if it gets any worse, the demons are going to be able to crack through the thin barrier separating the two worlds and attack the people of the town.
So why is an angel of all people so set on punishing Stuart and others like him? Is Fon Pyre a truly evil being, or can there be a fine line between good and evil?
EVIL? is definitely a fun and amusing novel. It's a fast read that keeps you flipping the pages. I loved that Stuart seemed like a real person who had his own thoughts about things. However, that does't mean that he won't learn something in the overall scheme of things...after all, how could you not?
I also liked that the paranormal aspect involved angels and demons but was very unique in its own right. It's nice to find something a bit different, a bit odd - it just works!
I'd definitely recommend giving it a read. It might not be your thing, but then again, you just might like it. What's the harm in giving it a try?
Reviewed by: Lauren Ashley
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Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 13 Nov 2009
WE ARE THE WEATHER MAKERS is a great book for pre-teens and teens to learn about our climate and how it is changing.
Starting out with how the carbon cycle works and how to learn to offset your carbon footprint, to sustainable energy sources such as the sun and wind power - this book covers it all.
If you want to teach your children to be responsible and help fix our ailing planet, then this book is for you.
Filled with a lot of information and examples of ways that other kids have helped make a change, it is a great tool for either the classroom or at home.
Reviewed by: Angela S.
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Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 13 Nov 2009
Andrew is fifteen and obese. He figures that's just the way life goes. He's got a great best friend named Eytan, and together they are in honors classes. He expects this school year to be full of homework, Model UN meetings, and hanging out with Eytan.
Then he meets April. She shows up a wedding that Andrew's mom is catering and he's hooked. His mind is set: She's going to be his girlfriend.
April joins the "in" crowd and it only makes sense that Andrew will work his way into it, as well. He becomes the center on the varsity football team. Better yet, April notices him and he's got friends who never used to give him the time of day.
Andrew has all eyes on him now. Somehow, though, it's just not as satisfying as he had expected. Will he give it up and go back to being in the background?
FOOD, GIRLS, AND OTHER THINGS I CAN'T HAVE was a terrific book. Andrew has a great sense of humor throughout, and the ending was a surprise that fit the story perfectly.
Reviewed by: hoopsielv
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Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 13 Nov 2009
As a youth in war-torn Germany, Paul Jaeger and fellow boy soldier Jonas Krueger accidentally find a mine filled with treasure. Jonas grabs an unusual piece of blue stone just before the mine explodes, and the two boys are thrown into a nearby creek. Sure that Jonas is dead, Paul takes the stone and flees.
Years later, Paul and his grandchildren, twins Josh and Erica, fall into adventure when Jonas finds them again. Jonas tells the story of his rescue by a group called the Crystalline Order after the explosion. He also warns Paul that the Order is plotting to gain world power by rebuilding the Mask of Kulkaan, a relic from Atlantis. The piece of blue stone that Paul and Jonas found in Germany is part of that mask.
A chase across two countries ensues as Paul takes the children to find the pieces of the mask that Jonas has hidden. Carl von Wallenstein, the leader of the Order, and his henchman, Ballantyne, kill Jonas and one of his helpers, seriously injure Paul, and capture the children.
As the children fight for their lives, they learn that they are part of a prophecy involving the reincarnation of the mask. Will they be able to fight the temptation to use the mask's power and destroy it for all time?
Rose takes the reader on a fast-paced adventure through time and legend. Among other issues, the story confronts the battle of good versus evil and exposes the danger of a hunger for power that threatens to consume everything in its path.
Reviewed by: Theresa L. Stowell
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After
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by Amy Efaw
Edition: Hardcover |
| Price: £9.72 |
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| Availability: In stock |
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Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 13 Nov 2009
Devon is a young, athletic girl with a bright future as a soccer player. The Olympics have even been linked to her name. How could a girl like this end up doing something as horrible as throwing a newborn baby in the trash along with other refuse from around the house?
While canvasing the apartment building looking for information about the abandoned baby, a police officer finds his way to Devon's door. Her mother, recently home from a night shift at Safeway, answers the door and starts her usual flirting. She informs the officer that her daughter, Devon, stayed home from school that day because she was sick. It doesn't take long for him to put two and two together.
Very quickly, Devon is thrust into a world she never imagined for herself. A world filled with kids with problems more complicated than she has ever experienced. A world in a juvenile detention facility under observation 24-hours a day. A world without anyone she can call a friend.
The reader witnesses Devon's story unfold piece by piece, almost as if we are understanding what transpired at the same time Devon does. What readers will find most amazing about the entire story is the level of denial Devon immerses herself in so as to function every day. Devon isn't always a likable character, mostly because of the strict discipline she holds herself to in terms of school work and soccer. She rarely lets herself loose, which means people don't know who she really is - including the reader.
I didn't want to stop reading. I needed to find out what pushed Devon to do something so horrible. Through conversations with her lawyer in preparation for a trial to determine whether or not she'll be judged in the juvenile system or be sent to the adult courts, we get a good picture of what was going through Devon's head. AFTER is definitely an engaging read.
Reviewed by: Karin Librarian
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The Comeback
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by Marlene Perez
Edition: Mass Market Paperback |
| Price: £5.49 |
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| Availability: In stock |
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Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 13 Nov 2009
Sophie Donnelly has been at the top of the social ladder for the past few years. She's half of the school's IT couple. The other half is her boyfriend, Connor. Things are going well the first day of the new school year. At least until the new girl, Angie Vogel, shows up.
In just a few short days, Angie manages to snag the lead in The Taming of the Shrew, gain instant popularity, and the icing on the cake...steal Sophie's boyfriend! Sophie trusted Connor, so when he announces quite publicly that they're over, it's all the humiliation Sophie can handle.
She is determined not to let Angie keep her down, though. She's planeed to stage her own comeback. With the assistance of her best friend, Imogene (I mean Monet...), Sophie hatches one scheme after another. But every attempt to make Angie look bad rebounds on Sophie.
Through all her turmoil, Sophie has to deal with Monet's irritating older brother, Dev. Little does Sophie realize that what she was looking for was right in front of her all along.
A quick, quirky read, THE COMEBACK calls to mind such darkly comedic movies as Mean Girls, Election, and Heathers. No matter what Sophie attempts, it always backfires and leaves her worse off than before. For all those teens who are only B-listers or In-crowd hopefuls, THE COMEBACK will make you feel like you're finally getting even.
Reviewed by: Jaglvr
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Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 13 Nov 2009
First off, I have to say that I really did enjoy this book. I'd never read a whole story that was told through chat or IM (though many of you will know the TTYL series by Lauren Myracle). This type of writing makes the book go by fast, which is a good thing sometimes...especially if you are looking for an amusing, quick read to fill your time. It would also be great for semi-readers (the ones that only crack a book every now and then) as it would hopefully keep their interest.
As for the actual story, Bliss and Tamra are two friends who are completely in love with their respective boyfriends, Mitch and Beau. However, their dear friend, Annie, is a cynic when it comes to love and she decides that they should test the boys. The girls all come together (with a friend of the boys', Johnson) to hatch a scheme.
They say that Bliss is out of town helping her grandma and Tamra went with her. While they are "missing," Johnson reveals his summer homework to the boys...a chat room for the exchange students going to their school in the fall. Guess what's going to happen? That's right! Bliss and Tamra disguise themselves as Bridget and Tatiana.
The big twist, of course, is that the girls are going to flirt with their friend's boyfriend and not their own to see what they do while their real-life girlfriends are away. Mixed in with this, you start getting some insight into Annie and Johnson's love lives as well. Are they really going to be cynics for the rest of their lives? Maybe...at least in high school, perhaps.
This is definitely a fun concept for a book and it's something I could see some girls actually trying (though please don't; I really felt bad for these boys!). ENTR@PMENT was definitely a funny book that I enjoyed and would recommend.
Reviewed by: Lauren Ashley
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The Espressologist
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by Kristina Springer
Edition: Hardcover |
| Price: £9.18 |
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| Availability: Usually dispatched within 4 to 6 weeks |
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Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 13 Nov 2009
Jane had a crazy idea - she started writing down the types of coffee people ordered and created personality characteristics based on their drink of choice.
At first, it was just something she did in her spare time at the coffee shop where she works. But when a regular customer comes in with news that he's now single, Jane looks through her book of coffee matches to find him the perfect date. When she does the same for her co-worker, Jane realizes that she's found something unique.
Unfortunately, when her boss overhears her and her BFF talking about the results, he forces the truth out of them. Then he realizes Jane's talent will be perfect for their holiday promotion idea. She will set up couples who walk in and order coffee based on their drink choice and one tidbit of information.
Jane's freaked out when she's put on the spot. Will this be the best promotion ever - or will Jane die of humiliation?
THE ESPRESSOLOGIST is a cute romantic tale perfect for the winter season. I love the cover; it grabbed my attention right away. Throw in friendship drama, work issues, and a dash of school with the romance and you've got yourself a fun read with a side of coffee craving.
Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel
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Stealing Death
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by Janet Lee Carey
Edition: Hardcover |
| Price: £9.33 |
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| Availability: In stock but may require up to 2 additional days to deliver |
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Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 13 Nov 2009
Seventeen-year-old Kipp is struck by tragedy when he leaves the house in the middle of the night with the goal of catching a wild white horse he has been watching. He has left Royan, his nine-year-old brother, with his tinder box to light the morning fire.
Somehow, the house, barn, fields, and everything else around his home are engulfed in flame and Gwali, the Death Catcher, has taken the souls of Royan and their parents. Only younger sister Jilly has survived. Kipp vows to steal Gwali's Kwaja, or bag of souls, to release his family's spirits.
Within a day of his family's deaths, Kipp and Jilly are forced into the service of Sor Tunassi, the wealthy landowner from who Kipp's family had purchased their home. Kipp struggles to keep Jilly safe and healthy as they slave in the fields. He also struggles with his growing feelings for Zalika, Sor Tunassi's rebellious daughter.
As Kipp's journey progresses, he is continually tested in his quest to steal the power of death from Gwali. Kipp's life changes yet again one night on the way home after going riding with Zalika when Zalika takes a fall, and Gwali comes for her.
Carey's fantasy questions religion, immigration, social systems, and life over death. The lessons Kipp learns include issues of acceptance, belonging, love, and personal strength. He learns that he must sacrifice himself to keep those he loves safe. This engaging fantasy captures the reader's heart from the very first with strong characters and a fascinating setting.
Though the story is winning, the vocabulary is not for the weak at heart. Carey's fantasy dialect can be intimidating from the start. Strong readers, however, will enjoy tackling the language puzzle of Kipp's world.
Reviewed by: Theresa L. Stowell
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