I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
Josh's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
Number Four, commonly known as John Smith, is one of the last survivors of an alien race called the Lorians. He has been hiding his entire life; running from place to place in a frantic attempt to escape discovery by the Mogadorians. As he grows up, he begins to develop special powers called Legacies. Will he receive his Legacies in time, or will the Mogadorians catch him and murder him like Three, Two, and One? I really enjoyed this book. The author did a very good job of showing the tension between Four's duty/survival and his desire to remain a normal kid. I can not wait to read the next book in the series, The Power of Six!

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Violet & Claire by Francesca Lia Block
Iva's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
Though this book has a very simple theme (the power of friendship), it is told in such an original way so as to make the story unforgettable. It is complete with a girl who truly believes she is a fairy, a fling with a rock star bad guy, Hollywood partier, and a cheery poetry class. More so, Block's voice resonates whether she is writing in the format of a movie script of journal entry (and she does both in the course of the novel), and her diction is heartbreaking beautiful simply put. This book is one of the best YA reads I have ever read, and I do not say this lightly.

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Panic by Lauren Oliver
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★✩

Plot Summary:
Welcome to Carp. A small, dull town in modern New York. It remains dull all year except in the summer. A game, a challenge, is played each summer in Carp to give citizens some entertainment. Played in secret, the tasks are often times life-threatening. The only reason graduates play is for the prize money.

Heather and Dodge both have the same goal; to win. Along the way they will form (and break) relationships, test friendships, uncover secrets, and discover what really matters in life. Do they have what it takes to not panic?

Review:
This book moved slowly for me at first, but quickly fastened the pace as the plot thickened. The book moved smoothly and the author was great at explaining the main characters' emotions. This book is for teens since it contains foul language. Over all, a good read for those who love suspense.

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Golden by Cameron Dokey
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★✩

Plot Summary:
Rapunzel is taken by birth by a sorceress, Melisande, when her vain mother makes a deal. Her mother can take the Rapunzel from Melisande's garden if she could love her newborn child. When Rapunzel is born, her head is bald and shows no chance of growing hair. Growing up with her mother, Rapunzel learns the power of love. Melisande tests Rapunzel to free an enchantment on her daughter, Rue, whom Rapunzel has never heard of. Soon jealousy invade both girls, but they will have to overcome it or Rue will be permanently cursed.

Review:
The start of the book was slow and had no action. I liked the twist about Rapunzel being bald.

Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Plot Summary:
Artemis is now a brother and should be having a normal life, but is anything ever normal for Artemis? Artemis Fowl's mother is sick with a magical disease and the only cure is the brain fluid from an extinct lemur. Now Artemis travels back in time with the fairy Holly Short to stop the lemur from being extinct facing their most intelligent foe, ten-year-old Artemis Fowl.

Review:
I loved this book to pieces. Seeing the back story of characters has always caught my interest because I can see what characters had to face before they became what they are.

Before Midnight : A Retelling of "Cinderella" by Cameron Dokey
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Plot Summary:
Cendrillon had a horrible start in life. Her mother died giving birth and now Cendrillon's father pretends Cendrillon is non-existent. One day, she wishes that she can have a loving mother and two sisters, and she finds out a year later that her father has been married. Now Cendrillon lives with her new step-mother and step-sisters who do nothing of her bloodline. Cendrillon has to make many choices, but will she make the right one?

Review:
I loved that the writer added a back story to the tale of "Cinderella." It made the character real.

Artemis Fowl:  The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
Teodora's rating:  5 out of 5 stars

In the fifth book of the best-selling series, Artemis Fowl is again outsmarting the fairies below ground by tracking hidden species, the demons.  However, he soon gets more than he bargained for when a young demon imp appears and a 12-year-old girl is first at the scene.  using help from the fairies of the Lower Elements and others, Artemis must save the demon race before they are only found in zoos.  I rate this book a five out of five because it lives up with the series.  Also, the book pleasantly surprised me at the end with an unexpected twist.