5 comments about The Dragonfly Door - a Mom's Choice Awards Recipient.

1. Warning - you may cry every time you read this book to your little ones! This is a very real story which covers several topics in one book, including friendship, regret, loneliness and grief.
   
   Two little water nymph friends, Nym and Lea, live and play together in the marsh. One day Nym shouts at Lea and leaves in a huff. Later, when Nym comes home, Lea isn't there. Nym is sorry and searches for her friend everywhere. That night, Nym cries herself to sleep. The next night she hears Lea's voice saying "Follow me, Nym. I'm going to show you where I am." Nym follows to the water's surface where she sees a beautiful world. Lea explains that she left because her water nymph body died and not because Nym shouted. She tells Nym that she will see her again one day and shows her what she will look like. Nym opens her eyes and sees a dragonfly above the water, whose glass-like wings shimmer in the sun. Nym is still sad, but whenever she thinks about her friend in that beautiful place beyond the marsh, she smiles.
   
   The book includes a diagram and explanation of the life cycle of dragonflies at the back. This story is a wonderful way to explain the circle of life to children, and will appeal to readers of all spiritual beliefs. The full page artworks on every page are colourful and extremely expressive.



2. Captivating book! The soft illustrations and subtle reference to passing makes Dragonfly Door and excellent tool to help children ponder the topic of death. However, the message put forth through the text could relate to any grand life changing event...needing to leave a certain chapter behind, and begin a new one. After reading this book, I bought several extra copies to have on hand for friends or family that may find themselves in a challenging time.



3. this book has a very special meaning for our family. thank you so much for making this a very easy experience.



4. When I heard about this series of books on a morning show I knew I had to get them for my daughter(who is 17yrs old). Our son who was 22 yrs old died of an aneurysm 2 years ago. They weren't the best of friends all the time but he got to be a special person in her life their later years. There was one time when they were outside together, there was dragonflies all around hunting for their food and my daughter wasn't too keen on them. My son told her there was something special about them. One year ago we had a music festival at his best friends place near a river. They started playing some of the music that he and his friend had produced. My daughter walked up to my husband and you can guess what she had on her shoulder. A dragonfly. This book only confirmed to her you can talk and they can hear you even after their gone... from us anyway. By the way it's not only told well it is beautifully illustrated for any age.



5. REVIEWED BY: Wayne Walker
   
   Lea and Nym are two water nymph friends who enjoy playing together in the marsh where they live. After a slight falling out, Lea, a year older, decides to swim to the edge of the marsh to find Nym's favorite flowers which grow in the tall reeds with the hope that she and Nym can make up. However, when Nym, also wanting to reconcile, returns to the home that they share after playing tag with tadpoles, Lea is not there and does not return that night. The next day, Nym goes in search of Lea but finally discovers that her friend has passed from the life that they knew together and become a dragonfly. Exactly where has Lea gone, and what does Nym see?
   John Adams and his wife Clea co-founded Feather Rock Books with the goal of publishing thoughtful and inspiring stories for children. This book was written specifically to help parents express their views about life and death. The publishers say, "Because young minds are impressionable, we recommend that a parent or other responsible adult read this book first to determine its suitability for individual children." I appreciate that. However, I believe that the book deals with the subject in a very sensitive way that should be quite helpful in providing support for a child who has experienced a loss similar to that of Nym. It is a somewhat sad but truly hopeful story that I rate as excellent.

5 comments about Clutter Control: Tips and Crafts to Organize Your Bedroom, Backpack, Locker, Life (American Girl).

1. My daughter received this as a birthday present for her 10th birthday. She loved the book and her room has never looked better! She is even giving me great ideas for organizing the rest of the house.



2. My 9 year-old really studied this book, and put its ideas to great use.
   Would recommend this one.



3. My 10 year old daughter was so excited to organize and beautify her room but ended up getting very frustrated because she could not "decorate" a box as shown in one section of the book. The actual steps in creating the cute crafts are not included. Your child has to figure it out by looking at the pictures of the finished product. The book has neat ideas but no instructions on how to create the crafts. My daughter likes the other American Girl books I bought her but this one is not a keeper.



4. I bought this for my 12 year old daughter. She read it, but it didn't seem to help her habit of keeping a messy room. Now it just adds to the clutter that was already there.



5. What a great book! My daughter took it from the mailbox straight to her room and read it cover to cover! Within a day her room was right on track to experience complete clutter removal! I was so impressed!

5 comments about Let's Talk About S-E-X: A Guide for Kids 9 to 12 and Their Parents.

1. This book addresses a very wide variety of subjects that are important to share with your changing child. Not too much information for them to take in and it is written in a positive way that encourages children to share their concerns and thoughts with their parents.



2. I found this book second-hand and was glad to find the information written in a way that kids could understand. Part of the awkwardness for me as a parent is not the facts, but the delivery. How would I know when certain details are too much? If a kid asks more about the actual act of intercourse, this book has already laid the groundwork so that a frank discussion of the realities of that can be had. Reality is different from TV and Movies. I like that there is just enough information in here. I also REALLY LIKE that it points out the emotional and mental problems that can come from having sex before you're ready. I don't think enough people address that. I think overall it's a great launching pad for the actual talk, NOT a substitute.



3. 
   The perfect book for talking to my girl about sex, it helps me to have a guide, and very friendly for the kids.



4. I bought this after my 9-year-old and I had to begun discussing sex, body changes, self-esteem issues, etc. I would never hand a kid a book as a total strategy for sex education, but this book has been wonderful to augment the discussions we've had and allows my daughter to have some control over the whole process. She grabs it and reads it when she wants to learn more but doesn't feel like asking me, or just wants some private time. I also like that it's written for her age group - quite a few of the books I researched were at too sophisticated a learning/content level for her. Overall, I'm really pleased with this choice.



5. Even if this is a good book I would never buy a book published by Planned Parenthood...an organization that supports abortion.

5 comments about Mind Benders A1.

1. Mind Benders is wonderful! Your students will love to try to solve the logic problems. Sometimes kids want to give up on problem solving, but not with Mindbenders!



2. These problem solving activities are a great way for your kids to exercise their brains. My 2nd grader loves them! But even my kindergartener can do them with a little help. We always make a copy of the answer chart so that we can use them again and again. I remember doing these puzzles when I was in school. A great way to spend some time without having to plug-in!



3. My daughter and I found the Mind Bender Series to be so much fun! So far we have completed A1-A3. We are addicted. The series is a wonderful beginning in logic.



4. Mind Benders A! is really popular with my children (9 and 13 and their friends). Take Note that this 2000 edition has the complete solutions are in the back of the book. Thanks to The Well Trained Mind for suggesting this book.



5. It's no secret that I greatly admire Jessie Wise's The Well Trained Mind. It was Wise's recommendation that led me to the Mind Benders books, and my son and I learned a great deal working through the four A books. They were ample preparation for the more rigorous course of logic study we've undertaken this year. A word to others who have landed here because of Wise's book: Unless you are a professor of logic, you really must invest in the companion books, Mind Benders Instructions and Detailed Solutions and Warm Up Mind Benders.

3 comments about Five Lectures on Psycho-Analysis.

1. Yes, this little book, that you could read in a half a day, is a fantastic introduction to Freud's oeuvre. Here, he simply and, at times, humorously lays out his general theories to a lay audience at Clark University. Freud has a bad wrap with most people here in the States, and surely this is do to Psych 101 classes. But I suggest to anyone, give this man the benefit of the doubt. In this book you quickly learn that his anecdotes are fun, excellent and one could only imagine that he was an engaging lecturer.



2. In this study Freud delves into the studies of psycho-analysis and prepares a prognosis that stipulate his observations. He confesses that this series of lecture are not the entire studies of psycho-analysis but provide just a glimpse into the subject.

   In the Study of Hysteria: hysterical patients have been noted to suffer from prior reminiscences. Their symptoms are residues and mnemonic symbols of particular traumatic experiences. Not only do the patient remember the painful experiences of the remote past; but they still cling to them emotionally; they cannot free themselves of the past and for its sake they neglect what is real and immediate. The fixation of this mental life to pathogenic traumas is one of the most significant and practically important characteristics of neurosis. Typically in the pathogenic situations; the patient is emotionally overwhelmed and is obliged to suppress a powerful instead of allowing its discharge in the appropriate signs of emotions, words or actions. One is driven to assume that the illness occurred; because the affects generated in the pathogenic situations had their normal outlet blocked and the essence of the illness lay in the fact that these `strangulated' affects were then put to an abnormal use. In short they remained a permanent burden upon the patient's mental life and a source of constant excitation for it.

   Freud disagrees with Pierre Janet's thesis that hysterical patients; are inherently incapable of holding together the municipality of mental process into a unity; arises the tendency of mental dissociation. Janet in his experiments showed that in hypnosis the lapses of the supposed lost memories could be brought back. On the contrary Freud suggests that forgotten memories were not lost. They were in the patient's possession and were ready to emerge in association to what was still known by him; but there was some force that prevented them from becoming conscious and compelled them to remain unconscious. The force that was maintaining this the pathological condition became apparent in the form of resistance on the part of the patient.

   What Freud has found out about pathogenic complexes and repressed wishful impulses of neurotic traces back the symptoms of the patients' illness with really surprising regularity to impression from their erotic life. Even before puberty extremely energetic repression's of certain instincts have been effected under the influence of education, and mental forces such as shame, disgust and morality have been setup, which like watchmen, maintain these repressions. So that when at puberty the high tide of sexual demands is reached, it is met by these mental reactive or resistant structures like dam, and make it impossible for it to reactivate the instincts that have undergone repression.




3. These lectures to a lay audience are a good starting point for understanding Freud's thought--very readable, informative, and at times humorous.

5 comments about ttyl (Talk to You Later-Internet Girls).

1. First things first, it is a piece of literature designed to entertain 13-18 year olds. And if it was completely realistic we'd all be bored by the second page. I mean seriously, has anyone on this site looked at reality TV these days? Even the regular ABC family shows are loaded with drama, heartache, backstabbing, and hormonal teenagers. It's part of our culture, it's what sells these days. I myself am in highschool and although my life is no where near as complicated as the characters in this book, I was still able to pull out certain situations in the book and relate them into my life.
   The problem with people calling this book realistic is that in reality (at least in my experiences) i have never shared that much on an IMing situation. It usually takes place over phone via text or call, or in person. However, the dialect is designed to give the reader as much insight into the characters life as possible.
   It's a good book to get people into reading, because its entertaining as well as semi-relateable. But as literary significance goes it holds no significance.
   Ultimately, i would not recommend this for ANYONE under 13, or even 15. As there is a lot of context that is meant for older teens, not preteens. Keep in mind that the characters in this book are in HIGHSCHOOL, not middleschool. And the plot line runs much like a gossip girl show, or a gilmore girls.



2. Nothing very special. The book is fine. I think writing an entire book in IMs is a cool idea, and I think it's alright for a summer read. I don't hate the it, I don't love it. Ttyl is about three girls, Zoe, Angela, and Maddie, Maddie's slightly tomoyish, Angela's girly and upbeat, and Zoe's the good girl. They are only seen in the book through IMs, but I perceived that these were their main traits. However, in this day and age, we are extremely familiar with the fact that the internet can lie. What if all these seemingly nice girls were your friends, but only on the internet? Perhaps their lives, or what you know about them, are all a charade.
   
   Angela is struggling to find her true love, and she's flip-flopping around with quite a few suitors. Zoe's having trouble with a flirtatious teacher, and Maddie's regretting ever trusting the queen bee- and the night she went to that party. And that's pretty much the entire story. Not very special, right?
   
   All in all, this book was really nothing out of the ordinary.



3. Oh my, what a book. I will start out by saying that this book is definitely not for children. There is alot of inappropriate content on almost every page. It was like it was teaching kids to talk junk and saying it was okay. No, it's not. I have to say, though, it was actually a pretty decent book other than the profanity and disturbing content. Some of the conversations were hysterical, which really brought out the light in the book. But, I do suggest that you should at least be in junior high to read this series. Sixth or seventh grade at the least. (: -Bookworm12



4. I am 35 years old with a degree in Literature. I am vaguely amused at the outpouring of parental outrage in some of these other reviews, although I do commend these folks for actually taking an active role in parenting and caring about the moral upbringing of their children. Honestly, maybe some of them have forgotten what it was really like to be that age...or maybe my peers and I were horrible delinquents. Either way, the book is mildly interesting, and to all those who are horrified at the use of chatspeak, let me be the first to break the news to you...English is not a permanently fixed language. From the Restoration to the Romantics to the Modernists to the Beats to the Black Mountain poets, etc., etc, the older generation consistently bemoans the degradation of the language. Let's go back to Middle English, that's what I say...or better yet Latin. This book is no worse than what most other popular novelists churn out by the boatload (James Patterson, I'm looking at you). At least it tries to do something innovative, which is more than I can say for all that ridiculous chicklit I see middle-aged housewives reading by the pool all summer.



5. Let me be honest: I picked this book up solely because it's one of the top 10 most challenge books. The style is unique. The novel is written solely in instant message format between three girls who are best friends. There's nothing particularly remarkable about the girls. One is boy crazy, sweet, and upbeat. One is shy and religious. And the other has poor self esteem and a bad attitude. Nothing these girls say is out of the ordinary or all that uncommon. So why all the controversy? I'm going to tell you, but let me first give an alert:
   
   SPOILERS: Within the first dozen pages, the girls talk about how one of them overheard two other girls in the bathroom. One of the girls was telling the other one about how one of their supposed friends ejaculates when she orgasms. That's mostly it. That's what the main problem people have with this book. Some tiny piece of gossip that one of the main characters overheard in a high school bathroom stall. Now, there are also mentions of sausages, shlongs, etc in referring to a penis. And one (or possibly two) girls joke about how they want to get their hands on particular boy's penises using those euphemisms. But when it comes closer to being an actual reality, they all shy off of the topic. Just like your average teenage girl, they want to have sex but they're scared to death of actually doing it. The other thing that some might have a problem with is that one of the girls has a crush on a teacher. The teacher seems to have a crush on her. As this becomes more and more apparent to the girl, her crush turns into unease. The teacher invites her to go "hottubbing" at a house he's housesitting at and she goes. She's afraid of what might happen, but (for some reason) still goes. She's also afraid to tell the teacher she changed her mind. So her friends band together and crash it, making her feel safe and embarrassing the teacher. The other thing that happens in this book is that one girl goes to a frat party with a new friend. The new friend is a bitch and eggs her into drinking too much and dancing on a table. She dances topless while she's drunk. The bitch friend sends pictures of her through email. Yes, these girls make mistakes, but I don't see what the major deal is with this book.
   
   Since this is a review of the book, I do want to say that this book wasn't great. It was interesting to see it in a chat message format, but the dialoge fell flat. None of the girls were witty enough to carry a full story based solely on dialoge. I won't be reading any more of these books, but there ya go.

5 comments about Gossip Girl #3: All I Want is Everything: A Gossip Girl Novel.

1. Before I begin, you need to know that I love the Gossip Girl series. I love how bitchy but undeniably cool Blair is and how lovable and crazy Serena is. I love Gossip Girl's way of talking and everyone's nose-in-the-air attitude. This book had all that good stuff but it felt like Cecily herself was making fun of her writing, as in this whole thing was kind of a bad joke. There were definitely good parts but they did not make up for the pointless parts that can only be described as fillers for their WTH?-ness. I really hated how trashy the characters - especially Blair - are in the book and how pathetic some of them were made out to be, i.e. Nate, Kati, and Isabel. It just didn't go well with the 'we're rich, fabulous, & gorgeous New Yorkers" theme this series is written off of. I mean, come on, everyone has more pride than to be crying in the middle of the street because you were ditched by a friend who just takes advantage of you. I wasn't satisfied with this book and I really hope the sequels are as good as the first and second were.



2. It's Christmas time in Manhattan and the creme de la creme of the New York prep school set are eagerly waiting for Christmas break and the oh so important New Years Eve parties. Blair and Serena have made up, bonding again during the debacle that was Blair's mother's wedding to the totally EWWW Cyrus - seriously though did the ditzy bride ever remember that her oh so special day was also her only daughter's 17th birthday? Oh well soon the now once again pair will escape to St Barts to party away at an exclusive resort, accompanied by Blair's new stepbrother Aaron, his friend Miles and her younger brother Tyler to join the newlyweds on their Caribbean honeymoon. And the big question is whether or not a certain rock star will be Serena's Christmas surprise. Back in New York Nate is still smitten with Jenny - when he isn't so stoned that he can't remember her name. Vanessa is still smitten with Dan when he isn't so busy writing poetry that he forgets her. All will be revealed by the Gossip Girl.
   
   This is the third in the popular Gossip Girl series (Sex and the City for the young adult crowd) that follows the oh so privileged lives of wealthy New York prep students as they use Daddy's credit cards to make up for his neglect. The series is shallow, superficial and quite trashy. It is also totally addictive each book leaving the reader eager to grab the next to find out what will happen next.



3. I didnt want my daughter's brain to turn to mush over summer. She loved the series and is enjoying the book



4. I started buying these series of books for my 18 yr old daughter. She never really liked to read but I was hopeful she might take an interest in what Gossip Girl was about. Thank goodness she did! Believe it or not for the 1st time she thoroughly enjoys each book in the series and can't wait to tell me what is happening. Im guessing she relates to alot of what is going on, and Im thrilled she has taken such a huge interest.



5. So... I got this book after reading the prequel, gossip girl, and then reading You Know You Love Me. I think the Gossip Girl series is so addicting, you can't help but fall in love. Basically, in this book.... everyone is just getting finished with their essays and SATs and exams and getting worried about college. If that isn't bad enough, Blair has a whole new "extended" family and is being wisked off to some island with them. I personally like this book because Blair and Serena are done being catty and have actually grown to love each other again! Serena met a rock-star named Flow and hung out for one night. Now she has a professional STALKER! Serena, Blair, Aaron, Tyler, Mr and Mrs. Rose, Miles, Flow and many others are going to St. Barts and we soon discover Aarons secret longing for Blair. Jenny and Nate are caught fooling around in Central Park and a video of them is posted on the internet! (Now, I wonder who we know has a video camera strapped to their hip?) Nate flys off with his parents to Maine hoping to be able to light a few joints and get away from stalker Jenny ( who i have now grown to hate for being such a nate-obsessed, annoying.. JERK!) who is stuck at home and being watched closely by Rufus and Dan. This book altogether is starting to form bonds between characters you NEVER expected to be bonded and altogher it has been one of my favorites. I mainly just gave it four stars because of some minor typos and how much Jenny has grown to annoy me. =] Im not always this compulsive... dont worry! ;) I would recomend this book to anyone and this is a lot more appropriate for people under 15 than the last books have been! I hope you enjoyed my review! Go ahead and read it! The worst that will happen is that you wont like the book and will put it down early... right?
   
   Hope I didn't give TOO much away,
   <3 tAyLoR =]

5 comments about For Young Men Only: A Guy's Guide to the Alien Gender.

1. The book does a passable job at explaining the basics of female psychology in a language suited to interest boys in their teens. It successfully illustrates how a girl will go for the big picture and be interested in a guy's personality instead of being dominated by visual and sexual elements.
   
   Some chapters are a bit superficial, but that can be excused in a book intended for a young audience. For example, I believe the attraction toward the "bad boy" is more a reflection of a woman's need to feel unique (redeeming him will make her a unique factor in his life), rather than being due to the sense of gratification brought about by his advances.
   
   Now, the big point: the book is spoiled by the shameless distortion of reality the authors carry out in the chapter dedicated to sexual relations, in an effort to promote their chastity-oriented religious beliefs. From the true premise that the move to sex is a powerful, deeply involving emotional experience for a young woman, affecting her perception of herself, they draw the ridiculous conclusion that any woman shall experience sex "outside of marriage"as a permanent source of vulnerability, fear and insecurity, since she won't be sure that the guy she had sex with will be her companion for life!!
   
   "Now she's become possessive, clingy, controlling, and generally messed up. Raise your hand if that sounds fun [...] What she wants more than sex with you is for you to be man enough to protect her from it". Such a spurious fabrication would be laughable in a serious book of psychology, and it is unforgivable in a pamphlet intended for young people. A girl will tend to cling to her boyfriend after having sex her first time, but in most cases that won't be an unpleasant experience at all ("first love"...) and her behaviour will return to normal with time. That will be especially the case for girls who havn't been conditioned by her parents into perceiving extramarital sex as something negative.
   
   This comes to the fore when the authors attempt to support their claims with stories of girls in their early teens who, having being plagiarized by their parents in dismissing sex, underwent harmful experiences when they experienced sex before marriage, to the point of declining medical treatment for sexually-transmitted deseases. Not their sexual drives, but the ideological tuition impressed on them since childhood were responsible for their sufferings.
   
   This crap is all the more pathetic in a world where many if not most girls experience sex in their early teen years, grow up with it and so never come to question the issue at all. But the authors' ideology pervades the whole book - for example, they correctly point up that a young woman shall regard potential suitors under a number of aspects, but they never mention money among the key factors potentially influencing her choice. Matters of interest don't make for a healthy Christian education.
   
   I have nothing against Christianism in itself, which I regard as a bundle of prejudices and superstions not different from any other religion or ideology. But such a deliberate attempt to warp young minds in order to support their clumsy credences is especially distasteful.
   
   This booklet has some merits, but unfortunately the axiom "Christian Book" printed on it doesn't limit its presence to the front cover.



2. Good book but with some flawed conclusions and advice. Author depends on survey of young women's answers to reach conclusions. Unfortunatly, females tend say one thing and act completely different. For example, author indicates females would much prefer a good guy with character over a very handsome jock. True, that is the what a good women is supposed to do. But, they don't. Women will always go for the good looking guy first if they can. If you are not good looking, getting dates can be very difficult. You will have to settle unless your money. Sure, personality is important, but it isn't as much of a factor as the author concludes. Another conclusion I thought was flawed was that women like guys who may not be confident when approaching them. Author claims women see this as attractive because it indicates guys like them. This maybe the kind of guy women say they like, but is not the guy they are actually attracted to. They want the guy who is confident and doesn't care. Good guys usually finish last with the gals. It's a fact of life. Jerks get a lot more dates than the 'good guys'. This is true for Christian and non Christian women.
   
   To repeat, not a bad book. But, always take what females say with a big grain of salt. Instead you need to observe what they do. On the other hand Shanti's book made conclusions based on male surveys, which I think is an ok way to go. But, this not always the case with women.



3. We sent this book to our nephews for Christmas this year and it turned out to be a great hit. It describes how young men can understand young women from a Christ honoring perspective. Young men, who normally do not like to read will probably enjoy this book, due to the subject matter. My niece even read it to verify that the information was correct. It is now being passed around to other friends.



4. We've read all of Shanti and Jeff's books, and we were delighted with this new addition! Both of our teenaged boys were shocked to discover that girls think so differently than boys. Our boys are blessed to enter the dating world with a wealth of knowledge about young ladies. :-)



5. Good book with good material. Bad part is that most of it (not all of it) I'd already learn another way, but I'm 21. If I was 13 or 15, this would have help me infinitely. Good book, and a very good way to explain things.

5 comments about Aim High! 101 Tips For Teens.

1. "Aim High! 101 Tips for Teens" is a text-reduced collections of valuable tips for teens that cut to the heart of encouraging maturity and learning to make well-considered choices. Every tip is succinct (under 140 characters), encouraging teen tweeters, texters, and IM-ers to compete reading each page and continue progressing on through the book. Quite a lot of solid ethics and considerations for others as well as respect for oneself and taking responsibility for self health care is packed into these 101 pages. The last 15 pages are blank, labeled "My Thoughts..." and "Think!" "Aim High! 101 Tips for Teens" is a practical guidebook for teens that can claim to be accessible to both teens and adults. It is a valuable resource to parents and teachers and teens everywhere.



2. This book helps kids maintain a positive view of their potential. A major problem in education is that of low expectations, even among the students themselves. Many truly do not believe in their own potential. "Aim High" is one way to help teenagers understand that they can truly succeed in our society, and that they should never underestimate what they can do.



3. I found this book to be a must read for teenagers,as well as their parents.The author`s insight in setting goals for teens is remarkable.



4. This is the perfect book to help parents navigate those challenging teen years. Buy it as soon as possible.



5. This book teaches tweens and teens lessons they don't learn in school. It teaches how to behave and act as they grow up. Without this book I wonder how they will ever learn all this information that we expect them to know. Aim High! is terrific!

5 comments about Keeping You a Secret.

1. I bought this book for my 14 year old girl and she just loved it. She is a pretty big reader but on this book she literally couldn't put it down. She locked herself in her room and read it in just 2 nights. She is in high school now and is given books that she has to read as opposed to what she wants to read. For this book she put off reading her assigned books and read this one.



2. I think this book is really amazing. Julie Anne Peters wrote this book really well. I think I could relate to alot of events that took place in this book. It took me a really short amount of time to read this because of how good it was. I was always wanting more of this book. It was one of those books that I couldn't set down.



3. I have read this book back in middle school and thought it was an excellent book. I liked it so much that I brought a copy of it and re-read it several times throughout my high school career. I thought the story development was really good and I could some what relate to a lot of the events that took place with Holland. I would recommend this book anyone who enjoys to read and just want to escape reality for a few hours.



4. I love this book, I read it back in high school. I think it's a great book for teens to read. I recommend it.



5. I was extremely excited to read this book, but I must admit, it was a bit of a let down. I finished the book in about 3 or 4 days, and that was during the work week. It was too easy of a read, meaning that the story itself was simple, predictable, and had no depth. Cece was a big Mary-Sue and a lot of the time turned out to be rather annoying. I'm a lesbian myself, but she took pride way too far reminding me of the "fema-nazi" feminists. All for it, but please, tone it down. I was expecting much more of this book and it let me down.