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Thriller

Killer’s Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

by on Jun.04, 2015, under Mystery, Student Reviews, Thriller

killerReview by Kim K.

Who would like this book? People that I think will like this book are people that like a good story and people that like a little plot twist and a lot of blood.

The goods on this book: The set up in this book is a murder book and it follows a girl named Cassia and her friends Dean, Lia, Michal and Sloane. They are a group of kids that can do stuff that other kids can’t do. Cassia can “read” people and Dean can do the same. Lia is a human lie detector and Michael and read people’s emotions. What theses kids are facing is a murder that is a copycat of how Dean’s father used to murder, but now he is in jail. They are trying to find out who would do it and who is the person doing these murders. It was a good book except there’s a long wait for them to figure out the evidence that is right in front of them.

The details: 357 pages; 2014    Review by Kim K.

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Michael Vey Book 4: The Hunt For Jade Dragon by Richard Paul Evans

by on Apr.07, 2015, under Science Fiction, Student Reviews, Thriller

jadeReview by Trevor N.

Who would like this book? Anyone who has read and liked a Michael Vey book would really enjoy this book.

The goods on this book: Not even one year ago Michael was just a normal kid going to a normal school. Now he and the rest of the electroclan are going to Taiwan to save a nine year old autistic saint who has figured out the code to the MEI system from the Elgen. Has his and the rest of the electroclan’s luck finally run out? Will Hatch be able to take over the world with his elaborate plan? You’ll have to read to find out. In my opinion, I really like this series and cannot wait till this fall to read the next one.

The details: 319 pages; 2014    Review by Trevor N.

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The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

by on Mar.02, 2015, under Mystery, Student Reviews, Supernatural, Teen Top 10, Thriller

starReview by Selah D.

Who would like this book?

The goods on this book: The Name of The Star is a great book. It is a well-spun plot with mystery, action and humor all in one. It follows Rory, an American student from Lousianna attending Wexford, a Britsh school in London. One more thing about Rory: She can see ghosts. When a Jack the Ripper fake strikes, she gets thrown into a crazy adventure of buried secrets under the Tube with a secret department of ghost-seeing police officers. The Name of The Star is book one in the Shades of London Book series. After reading it you’ll be craving more, so luckily there’s book 2 in the book series, named The Madness Underneath. So get ready for a wild ride through modern London in a hunt for Jack the Ripper.

The details: 372 pages; 2011     Review by Selah D.

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The Cellar by Natasha Preston

by on Feb.26, 2015, under Mystery, Student Reviews, Thriller

cellarReview by Mazzy N.

Who would like this book? I think girls, 13+, who are into kidnapping and thrillers would like this book.

The goods on this book: Summer was walking to a club to meet friends when someone had grabbed her. A man who called her Lily took her away and Summer was locked away in a cellar. There she met three other girls, all named after flowers, and together they try to get through this tragic experience. In the cellar they all witness friends and strangers being killed.Everyone is looking for Summer but are they giving it their best?

The details: 368 pages; 2014

 

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Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin

by on Jan.18, 2015, under Historical Fiction, Mystery, Real life, Sam's Reviews, Sports, Thriller

shotWho would like this book? Anyone, grades 7 and up, who likes murder mysteries, basketball action, social issues, relationship issues, and/or meaningful history.

The goods on this book: In this ambitious book, Brian struggles to come to terms with the violent deaths of his girlfriend Amanda, her brother, and her mom. Their father has been charged with shooting them to death, but Brian saw another person close to the scene of the crime. He assumes that those in charge are following up on his lead, and he continues his senior year as leader of a basketball team that are tight as brothers but must work to keep their grades up. A unique assignment from their history teacher connects Brian with Todd, an outsider who has been the target of their bullying. They must research the 1913 Leo Frank murder case, which turns out to have disturbing parallels to the current murder trial of Amanda’s father. Another significant layer of this book’s engaging plot involves Julian, the star of the basketball team who encounters trouble only because he is African-American. The author does a great job of pulling all the different parts of the plot together, and Brian is an engaging, empathetic narrator. As the book drives toward its thrilling climax, I couldn’t put it down!

The details: 360 pages, 2006    Review by Samrarian

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Trapped by Michael Northrop

by on Jan.08, 2015, under Real life, Student Reviews, Thriller

trappedReview by Mazzy N.

Who would like this book? People who are looking for a short read, girls or boys.

The goods on this book: Scotty and his two other friends are staying after school to work on a go-kart and they are excited to have the school to themselves. The snow has already started but by the time they are ready to leave they have no service and no ride home. They wonder the school and find four other students, a total of seven. Trapped inside the school with little resources and no source of heat it’s not going to be a happy ending. They have to make sacrifices for the sake of everyone else and it just might work. I honestly didn’t like this book that much because it was boring. It didn’t really have anything that kept my interest.

The details: 232 pages, 2011        Review by Mazzy N.

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Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

by on Oct.22, 2014, under Grief, Student Reviews, Supernatural, Thriller

paperReview by Anne H.

Who would like this book?  This a book for the dark at heart.

The goods on this book: This book is about a girl named Hanna. She likes the not so bad “bad boy” of her school. She watches her little sister Arial. She’s also haunted by the ghost of her deceased best friend who knows how to connect a bunch of brutal murders. Now these deceased victims are reaching out to Hanna from behind the grave. Once they give Hanna enough clues, she knows who it is. Hanna receives her own paper valentine. Is she strong enough to save her sister and take on the Valentine’s Day killer? You tell me. Do yourself a service and read this tale of beauty, love, and heart-shattering sadness.

The details: 304 pages; 2013       Review by Anne H.

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Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross

by on Oct.20, 2014, under Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Romance, Sam's Reviews, Teen Top 10, Thriller

killWho would like this book? This book would appeal mainly to girls, grades 8 and up, who like fantasy-reality mash-ups and especially those who like Grimm’s Fairy Tales.

The goods on this book: Mira, 16, has been raised by her loving godmothers but is now exasperated that they will not tell her about her parents  (who died when she was young) nor will they let her visit the town of her birth, Beau Rivage. With few provisions and even less of a plan, Mira runs away to the town to seek some answers. Destiny seems to take over in Beay Rivage, and Mira falls in with a group of mysterious characters. The strange dynamics of their lives leads Mira to gradually realize that the powers of Grimm’s Fairy tales are very much alive, and she begins to see why her godmothers were so overprotective. Now alone with her eagerness for romance, Mira is in constant danger. I kept wanting to scream at her, “No! Stop!” Though some of the situations were too convoluted and disjointed, readers who like suspense, romance, and the dark side of fairy tales will love this book. Be prepared for some mature content.

The details: 2012; 331 pages      Review by Samrarian

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Unhinged (Splintered Book 2) by A.G Howard

by on Oct.05, 2014, under Fantasy, Romance, Student Reviews, Supernatural, Thriller

unhingedReview by Annalea H.

Who would like this book? Everyone! I would suggest this book to anyone and everyone if I could; it’s just that good! This is the second book to Splintered (Read that one first, please!) and it is a wonderland parody, so it’s kinda creepy. Okay, so maybe it’s not everyone, but it is for people who like action, romance, and an absolutely crazy ending that will have you begging for more! This book may be for older people, but I would still suggest it to everyone.

The goods on this book: Unhinged is the second book to Splintered and is a wonderland parody, a creepy wonderland parody (But what wonderland parody isn’t?). It circles around a girl named Alyssa, who is the grandest of granddaughters to Alice Liddell, the first wonderland girl. After winding through wonderland, saving her boyfriend Jeb, and rescuing her mother from the asylum, she is now in high school. Everything is going as it should except Jeb is meeting with beautiful women, and Alyssa is scared that he might not be in his business for the art (Jeb lives in London and sells his art). It seems Morpheus is back and is in wonderland trouble, and wonderland is decaying! And is Alyssa’s mother hiding something? Find out in this second book of the Splintered books!

The details: 387 pages; 2014       Review by Annalea H.

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Prodigy (Legend Book 2) by Marie Lu

by on Jun.12, 2014, under Science Fiction, Student Reviews, Thriller, War

prodigyReview by Felix H.

Who would like this book? Ladies and gents ages 11+ who don’t mind some mature content.

The goods on this book: Just narrowly escaping the Republic in Legend, Day and June are thrown once again into another chaotic sequel! This time Day’s leg injury has come back to haunt him; the Patriots (a rebel organization against the republic) agree to help them both, for a price. Riots are breaking loose and a new Elector is handling the wheel of the country. The senators are not happy with his decisions, and so the Patriots decide to take the opportunity to plan an assassination on the new elector, Anden. However, not everything is what it seems with the Patriots, and June is caught in between the long standing loyalty to her country and the newfound respect of her fellow Patriots. Will June follow through?

The details: 374 pages; 2013 Review by Felix

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