Review Crew Book Reviews by Genre: Romance

If I Stay
Forman, Gayle
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Having seen the movie before reading the book, I didn't have very high hopes. However once I finally managed to read the book while on vacation, I was pleasantly surprised. I haven't read any other books that were quite like this one. It was easy to get attached to Mia, whether she was talking about her boyfriend, her family, or even her thoughts while she was in the hospital searching for her family and trying to decide if she wanted to stay or not. The entire thing was amazing and it was really a unique read for me, and I truly did enjoy the book. My only issue with the book was the last line, it was such a massive cliffhanger. Although, it did make me immedietely want to go out and buy the sequel.

Reviewer's Name: Brenna C.
Breaking Dawn
Meyer, Stephanie
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

This was one of the best books this year. It is full of action and twists that you never saw coming. As Edward and Bella find their love for one another they prepare to be married, they are happy. But the Volttri have something deadly in store as they find the Cullen's, and Bella as her newborn self, guilty of a crime that they never committed. as new joy and new danger lurk just around the corner how will they escape the false Rath of the Voltti? How will they do it without loosing anyone that they love?

Reviewer's Name: Anneka S.
Cress
Meyer, Marissa
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

The book "Cress" by Marissa Meyer is a big twist of the fairy tale "Rapunzel," where the character Cress Moon Darnel is introduced in a remote satellite that she has lived in for many years of her life. Cress has not left for years, and kept herself sane by programming her own voice into an AI. When she is contacted by Cinder and her crew, she sees not just hope, but also a very attractive pilot named Carswell Thorne. This encounter with Linh Cinder begins Cress' journey to Earth, and her pursuit of saving the other Lunars of the world.

This book is a great read for those who enjoy fantasy, science fiction, action, and well balanced romance. The book, just like its predecessors, is excellently written. The amount of characters have increased significantly since the first book in "The Lunar Chronicles," yet each character from before has grown, and the new characters are just as in-depth. The conflicts are rising, and the stakes are growing higher and higher. As the book pushes the protagonists to the main antagonist, the plot and characters never weaken. Overall, the book was relatively unpredictable, and had many turns that just added to the story. Like in the other books, all of the characters had relatable traits and conflicts, which continued to make the story better.
"Cress" is truly one of the best books for characters and creativity, and continuing "The Lunar Chronicles."

Reviewer Grade: 11

Reviewer's Name: Paige P.
Paper Towns
Green, John
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

This book is a thrilling tale of a high school senior trying to locate and win over the elusive and mysterious Margo Roth Spiegelman. I enjoyed this book because, as a high schooler, many aspects of the characters are very relatable. When I first started reading Paper Towns, I didn’t particularly like the writing style and the way the characters were portrayed, but as I read on, the characters seemed to get more and more complex and real. My favorite part of this book is Margo Roth Spiegelman’s adventurous yet despondent characterization. Despite the slight predictability of this book, I would definitely recommend it.
Reviewer Grade: 12

Reviewer's Name: Sabrina J.
Eclipse
Meyer, Stephanie
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

This is one of the best books that I have read all year, it was awesome! As Bella, Alice, and Edward leave Italy on the promise the they will change Bella, Victoria grows ever more vigilant. Edward now knows better than to leave Bella anymore, so he stays. Something has begun in Seattle, mass murder that the police have no way of explaining. Bella and the Cullen's come up with idea after idea, and they finely find out who is behind it and why, newly changed vampires are raiding the city, stalking the citizens, and mass murdering. Only one person wants to kill Bella and the Cullen's that much, Victoria. As the fight begins what will it take to stay alive? how far will Victoria get?

Reviewer's Name: Anneka S.
New Moon
Meyer, Stephanie
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

New moon was one of the best books that I have read this year! As Edward and Bella fall in love with one another and his family becomes her friends they believe that they will never be separated. In an unexpected turn of events brings the Cullen family a need to leave the dreary small town Forks and move on, without Bella. Bella is at first shocked that they are leaving but as the shock fades she is ripped apart. finely after months, hard months Bella finds a friend, Jacob. Bella found a haven in Jacob that she could not find in anyone else. as time wheres on Alice (Edward's sister) sees Bella, lifeless in one of her visions. Alice ventures to Forks to find Bella alive and perfectly well. Edward, thinking Bella is dead, then ventures to Italy, to the Volterra group like the Cullen's, but thirsty for human blood. As Alice and Bella find him the Volterra let them walk away on the one condition that Bella is reborn. how will this madness end?
7th grade reviewer

Reviewer's Name: Anneka S.
Twilight
Meyer, Stephanie
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Twilight Was a great book! This book is about a girl named Bella who moves to the gloomy small town Forks, she just wants to go back to her mom and the sun. She has her first day of school ahead of her and dose not expect to find anything that she likes, but then she meets Edward Cullen. He and his siblings are strange. they seem different, even flawless. The moment Bella walks into her bio class and is forced to sit next tho Edward she knows that he dose not like her, or as she thinks. As Bella and Edward draw closer and she discovers his greatest secrete, a secrete that could kill her. Bella dose not know it but Edward begins to love her. how far will they go for love?
Grade 7 reviewer.

Reviewer's Name: Annek S.
Fangirl
Rowell, Rainbow
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Cath is moving away to college, but she doesn't feel anywhere near like an adult. In fact, she doesn't even entirely feel like she belongs in this world. Cath is obsessed with the Simon Snow series, i.e. the most famous series of novels ever written chronicling the adventures of a group of teenage wizards. She is one of the most well-known fan fiction writers in the entire Simon Snow fandom, earning tens of thousands of readers on each chapter. Her twin sister, Wren, used to help her write and fangirl over Simon with her, but lately they've grown apart. Despite going to the same college, Wren decided against sharing a dorm with Cath and is growing irritatingly close with her assigned roommate. By the contrary, Cath's roommate is unpleasant and distant and constantly has her handsome and annoyingly friendly boyfriend around their room. Every week, Cath escapes by writing in the library with a charming fellow English major. Even with her anxieties over the new experiences of college and writing stories using her own characters always in the back of her mind, Cath wrestles with her relationship with her sister, her dad's fragile mental state, romance, and trying to find herself.

Reviewer's Name: McKenna R.
Dracula
Raven, Nicky
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

This book is an adaptation to Bram Stoker’s novel, which was designed to make it an easier read for teens. The art is amazing, but the book did not hold my attention very well because the plot is slow to start. I recommend the age to be 13+ because of the word choice used. It is more of a teen/adult book. The book is in 3rd person which makes it easier to connect with the characters because you can get everyone’s perception of the story.
Beware Count Dracula!

Reviewer's Name: Kaitlyn S
The One
Cass, Kiera
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

This book was so good, I had such a good time reading it and would definitely read it again. The One is my favorite out of all the other books.
Getting to the end of America's romance was amazing, America is so relatable and is a great character to follow through the series. Although these books are more romantic there are still many parts where I was so excited that I couldn't stay in my seat. I'm so glad that I read this series and took part in America's journey through The Selection. I highly recommend reading this series because I loved it so much that I would easily read it again and have just as much fun as I did reading it the first time.

Reviewer's Name: Tierney B
The Elite
Cass, Kiera
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

I love this series! Each book gets better and better as it goes on.
Although this one might not be my favorite out of all the series, it still is an amazing book. I loved every bit of it. If you read the first book you already know that there are some scenes that are more for teens and not kids, but only a few. Overall this book was so much fun to read and go through everything with the characters.

Reviewer's Name: Tierney B
Simon vs.The Homo Sapiens Agenda
Albertalli, Becky
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Due to the fact that the new movie, "Love Simon", came out recently, I thought it'd be fitting to review the book it's based on! Simon is a mildly popular theatre kid who loves music - and is gay. One day he sees an anonymous message from another boy just like him on his school's Tumblr. His name is Blue, and over a series of emails, they form a kinship as they get to know each other better - without ever revealing their true identities. At the same time, a boy named Martin finds out about Simon and Blue's relationship and threatens to out Simon if he doesn't help Martin get to his crush, Abby. As the months pass, Simon realizes he's fallen in love with Blue and is determined to find out who he really is. The author drops clues throughout the whole novel as to who Blue might be, each one pointing to a different suspect. As each possible candidate was introduced, I felt everything from joy to confusion to dread. All in all, Albertalli creates an engaging and believable narrative of the experience of a gay teen I would recommend everyone to read.

Reviewer's Name: Mckenna R.
The Selection
Cass, Kiera
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

This book is amazing! It's kind of like a twist on the show The Bachelor. The Selection would be best for teens due to some mature parts. The main character is relatable and is an awesome person to follow through the story. Romance is the main part of the story so if your a fan of romance then this would be a great book to read. I loved this book and would recommend it to teens who love romantic novels and a great story.

Reviewer's Name: Tierney B
Lock and Key
Dessen, Sarah
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen tells the story of a high school girl named Ruby. The book starts after her alcoholic mother abandons her and Ruby moves in with her older sister who she hasn't seen for 10 years. Ruby has to go from living with an unstable mother and having to be the parent in family, to a rich, preppy life with people who actually want to be there for her. Ruby won't have it, she plans on staying till her 18th birthday then leaving. Her plans change when she meets Nate, a jock who has an interesting past but is now used to the rich life. Will Ruby and Nate let their walls divide them or break them down and become closer? I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 because it instantly grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept it. The author has a way of bringing her characters to life, like you could see it happening in real life. I would recommend this book to people who like realistic and romantic stories.

Reviewer's Name: Gabrielle F.
Crossing Ebenezer Creek
Bolden, Tonya
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review:

Living as a slave her whole life and with it many stories and scars, Mariah and some family and friends are finally saved when the Yankees come and take them along as they march towards the war. The slaves will be dropped off at a free state, but they must endure the troubles. Mariah meets Caleb, someone who assists the soldiers. He ends up falling in love with her, but is too afraid to become attached to someone due to experiences in the past. As Mariah tries to overcome troubles and thoughts, Caleb fights his internal struggle, both hoping for something more.
This book is based around a real event that happened during the civil war at Ebenezer Creek, and the author did a wonderful job illustrating and spreading a story not much have heard. I recommend this story to anyone who is into war history and romance.

Reviewer's Name: Mona H
The Fault in Our Stars
Green, John
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

: I just need to start off by saying that this book is more than Bohemian Rhapsody awesome, and that song is my jam! This book was so beautifully written and it made me bawl my eyes out at some points. John Green does such a good job at making the reader feel like they are a character in the book. It all starts when sixteen year old Hazel Grace reluctantly goes to her cancer support group. She feels the sensation that someone has their eyes on her, so she glances across the room only to see drop dead sexy Augustus Waters. Many days of talking and helplessly falling in love lead up to being Amsterdam as part of a "cancer perk". After a plethora of adventures in either Amsterdam or Indiana, including an encounter with a drunken author, tragedy strikes. With love and lost battles, the truth hits hard and must be accepted. I chose this book because it was gifted and recommended to me by a friend. I'm a rather picky reader, but this exceeded my standards by about a million. I think the part I enjoyed the most about this book is just the fact that every single tiny little detail was thought about. John Green puts so much effort into his books and cares about each and every one of his characters he writes about. With every page flip a new sort of surprise was waiting to be read, and that is also part of what I loved. Believe me, this is one of the best books I have ever read and only took me a couple days, if not a week to read.

Reviewer's Name: Ella S
Genres:
Book Review: Wolves and Roses
Bauer, Christina
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

The book Wolves And Roses by Christina Bauer is placed in a similar world to ours, but in this world there is a race known as the Magicorum. The Magicorum are the descendants of shifters, fairies, and witches from fairy tale stories. This book tells the story of Bryar Rose, who has the life template of Sleeping Beauty. Or, in other words, she's destined to live a life similar to Sleeping Beauty. The problem is that Bryar has no interest in living a fairy tale life, all she wants to do is go to a normal school with normal people. Her dream can happen, but she has to convince her guidance counselor, who wants her live the perfect Sleeping Beauty template, to let her go to her dream school. Bryar's plan is to get her counselor to sign the necessary papers for her dream school and live a normal life. But, all her plans are turned upside down when she meets a mysterious boy, who shows her that things aren't what they seem to be and the people she thought she knew are really strangers to her. I would rate this book an five out of five because it was an amazing romance and a great twist on a classic fairy tale.
Reviewer Grade: 9

Reviewer's Name: Gabrielle F
Flipped
Van Draanen, Wendelin
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review:

Flipped is an innocent novel with characters that the audience either sympathizes or connects with easily. The novel follows children Bryce Loski and Juli Baker in a period of coming of age starting when Juli moves into Bryce’s neighborhood in the second grade. She develops an annoying and persistent crush on him that Bryce just wants to go away but over the course of six years their feelings flip for each other. Bryce, once distant and cold, is now interested in Juli but he does not show this new feeling well after he upsets her on three separate occasions which causes Juli to begin to dislike him. There is also a movie based on the novel which I think does justice to the book portraying everyone accurately and evoking the appropriate emotions. The only major difference is the time period, the novel takes place from 1994-2000 and the movie takes place from 1957-1963. I personally enjoyed the the 1957-1963 setting better because that emphasizes the whole playing with the neighbors outside for hours and everyone knows everyone aesthetic which is necessary to the plot. Flipped is a quick read I read for the first time in the fifth grade in elementary school but continue to enjoy now as a high schooler.

Reviewer's Name: Isabella W
Genres:
The Hush
Melki-Wegner, Skye
4 stars = Really Good
Review:

Review: In a world full of music, Chester travels from town to town to find his father who was one of the people who had gone missing. He makes money from the music he plays on his fiddle, but there is one song that you must not tamper with, or it is an automatic death sentence. Unfortunately, he cannot control it and accidentally plays it while preforming. But right before the ax comes down, he is saved by someone who recruits him in the Nightfall Gang, a thieving group. With this, he is brought along for an adventure full of mysteries and music.

Reviewer's Name: Mona H
I'll Give You The Sun
Nelson, Jandy
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review:

"I'll Give You The Sun," is a touching story about relationships, heartbreak, and love. This story is told from the point of views from Noah and his twin sister, Jude Sweetwine. "I'll Give You The Sun," starts with a broken family that appears like it will never be mended and everything will remain shattered for life. However, as the plot progresses, the reader understands that nothing is permanent and mistakes can be fixed. Life can be renewed and more glorious as ever. This book really emphasizes the quote, "No rain, no flowers." My only critique for this book is that it gets inappropriate at some points; this book is more suited for an older audience.

Reviewer's Name: Siena G