YA Book Reviews

d d d d d = Highest Rating for Books
Reviews of some YA Books I have read for October. Not all of them are new books, but hopefully this will be useful to you anyway:

The Hunter's Moon by O.R. Melling d d d d
Gwen's cousin Findobhair is fairy-napped and it is up to Gwen to track down the traveling Fey Court and rescue her cousin before she is made the Sacrifice. In the course of her journey, Gwen learns about herself, her inner strength, the importance of friends and the power of confidence. The book starts off a bit slow, but by the end of the second chapter, the reader is caught up in the story. With a few surprising twists thrown in and interesting bits of Celtic lore sprinkled about, this novel is a refreshing "fairytale".

Gross News by the Sander Family d d d
Gross News is a collection of short articles about gross "but clean" stories, news articles and science facts from around the world. For example, an Australian doctor believes that children should be allowed, even encouraged, to pick their noses. And eat what they pick. All in the name of the healthier immune system. The theme of this book will definitely appeal mostly to boys, but some girls may also enjoy Gross News. This is a good book for reluctant readers. The entries are short, usually no more than one page and the subject matter is entertaining. Would definite recommend.

Vampire Knight Vol. 1 by Matsuri Hino d d d d
Cross Academy has two classes: the Day class and the Night class. It also has a big secret guarded by a select few. The Night class is full of vampires. It is the job of the Disciplinary Committee (two students) to keep the Day class away from the Night class. Yuki, on half of the Disciplinary Committee, was rescued from a vampire attack when she was a child, so she knows they are evil. However, her rescuer was also a vampire, so she is torn. Are vampires all monsters? Can a vampire be good? The first volume in this manga series is both beautifully drawn and contains interesting characters. With plenty of action, drama and angst, this series should have an interesting arc.

Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks d d
Cadel Piggott has a genius I.Q. and a fascination with any type of system. At the age of seven he was hacking into government systems. Now 14 he is studying for his degree in World Domination, but a new acquaintance makes him question what he’s learned. While interesting, this book had a lot of potential that it did not live up to. Perhaps its biggest flaw is that Cadel, although a genius, is a fairly normal kid. He is self-centered, unaware of the consequences of his actions and seemingly unconcerned with the state of the world around him. Because of his unique perception of the world, I expected a bit better of him. However, it is still a readable novel, the second half of the book really picks up and draws the reader in. Readers will enjoy the strange education Cadel gets at the Axis Institute for World Domination.

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber d d d d
Sixteen-year-old goth Raven is the odd-girl-out in her small hometown. No one else dresses in black, plays in cemeteries or is obsessed with vampires. When asked by her fourth grade teacher what she wanted to be when she grew up, Raven promptly replied, “I want to be a vampire.” Still, nothing remotely interesting happens in Dullsville, until a new family moves into the abandoned mansion of a Romanian baroness. Town rumor has it that the new residents are vampires. Raven is ecstatic, when she finally meets the boy of her dreams. But Alexander has a secret. Is he truly the dream-boy, or a nightmare? This is a really fun book. Raven is funny, interesting and candid. Schreiber challenges some stereotypes, while using others to her advantage and the product is a novel worth reading.