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Rubens, Michael
3 Reviews
(3)
4-6
On Emily's twelfth birthday, she does not receive the cellphone she asked for but instead begins an "absurdly dangerous" adventure when she finds a magical smartphone-mimicking stone. Already suffering under bullies at her new school, Emily sees an opportunity to regain some control though the Spellstone's powerful genie-like demon, Gorgo. This humorous underdog fantasy features a snarky third-person narrator and strong supporting characters.
Reviewer: Jessica Bushore
(4)
YA
Self-described lazy, pot-smoking Austin has dreams of being a musician like his presumed-dead father, who is actually a famous rock star. In reality, Austin seems more interested in getting into trouble. The story is written with a good ear for dialogue and the way teens interact; nevertheless, readers might find it difficult to be charmed by Austin's antics.
Reviewer: David Elzey
(3)
YA
Much to his dismay, Isaac's parents decide to leave his older brother, Josh, in charge while they're out of town. Determined to turn Isaac into a man before his upcoming bar mitzvah, Josh pushes the introverted and nerdy Isaac to complete a series of increasingly perilous and misguided "masculine" tasks. Isaac's witty voice crafts a humorous and surprisingly poignant tale of imperfect brotherhood.
Reviewer: Randy Ribay
3 reviews
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