Rating: 
Summary: Mother Goose meets Chucky
Review: Well, it is horrifying. The body count approaches Columbine-like proportions shortly after the two protagonists enroll in a new magnet school. But, although the author tries, there is almost zero black humor in this book. And if it's a satire, it's largely unsuccessful due to a couple of unbelievable premises, cardboard villains (way too many - they become interchangeable), and just too little time spent fleshing out the two protagonists - although they do come off as likeable and sympathetic. Their families were established as zany/eccentric, and there were almost no "down time" moments in which the reader could take a breath of fresh air. It was high drama from beginning to end. Frankly, I was offended that this book seems not to be marketed under "horror", but is being reviewed as if it's some kind of quality young adult novel, not the schlock it actually is. The deaths were numerous, grisly and made the lack of serious scrutiny to the school until the end impossible to buy. You'd think parents would be going to the police and the press, yanking their kids out right and left if there was even one very public and grisly death in front of them in their school. But not here. No real parent would care enough about high test scores to jeopardize their child's life - their literal life, not the figurative one. Also, the author seemed to be mixing his decades with talk of "mixers" - one character was in college, only to have another demonstrate a very current knowledge of sexual harassment, calling it by its rightful name. Was this book supposed to be set in the present, past or future - or did the author just not care enough to make this clear to the reader? Oh, there were lots of questions raised - the sign of a good author, but also a bad one. Why did Kate's mom suddenly snap out of her madness? Why couldn't the author come up with a better way to force Kate to attend the magnet school? No one is going to buy that she (apparently an American citizen) is denied a free public education in the United States now or any time in the near future. What is going to happen to the second demon after it wreaks havoc on the last villain? Again, it would really have helped to make it clear where and when this book was set. And did they really - literally - have to go skipping off into the sunset on the last page?
Rating: 
Summary: Amusing but Disappointing
Review: Although Story Time fails to live up to Bloor's first two novels, it will amuse readers and pull them into its bizarre world. In a haunted library, the leading local family has created a joyless school where the students do nothing but cram for standardized tests. George and Kate Melvil are transferred into the school; he because of his high intelligence and she because she shares his address. Bloor satirizes No Child Left Behind and other educational trends, but he seems reluctant to go after his targets as viciously as he did in Tangerine and Crusader. Tangerine's grotesque parade of suburban cruelty and corruption enrages and energizes the reader. Crusader does the same by showing how much easier it is for young people to find hypocrisy, racism, and sham religion than the moral leadership they need. With this book, Bloor reminds me of Roald Dahl, who could be astonishing funny and painfully acute but was often content with merely creating an oddly diverting story. He weaves an entertaining yarn here, but the penetrating insight of his earlier books is replaced with a series of scattershot observations. Some of those are priceless, especially the portrait of Ashley-Nicole, a college student who would be completely commonplace were it not for her brilliance at creating weapons.
Rating:
Summary: fun and thought provoking
Review: George Melvil, certifiable genius, and his niece Kate Peters, certifiable shoo-in for the lead in Lincoln Junior High's production of "Peter Pan," are offered spots at the prestigious Whittaker Magnet School. Whittaker Magnet, known for having the highest standardized test scores in the country, is housed in the same building as the supposedly haunted county library. While Kate has zero desire to attend a basement school full of brainwashed test-takers, George is intrigued by the opportunity to attend a school where he won't be judged unfairly on his small stature and interest in academics. Their careers at Whittaker Magnet begin with an orientation from the domineering, treacherous Cornelia Whittaker Austin and sightings of a madwoman with a chainsaw in an upstairs window. Things only get stranger from there, involving secret passages, a librarian who only speaks in nursery rhymes, weapons of mass destruction and priceless books that house demons. Fans of Edward Bloor's quirky settings, self-sufficient characters and strange-but-nearly-possible conspiracies will find this story enjoyable and thought provoking. Without beating the reader over the head with messages about standardized testing, literacy, intelligence, wealth and ignorance, Bloor manages to make the reader consider all of these topics and how they pertain to schools today. So whether you're one of those people who can get a perfect score on the SAT with both eyes closed or if you chew number-two pencils to bits at the very thought of filling in all those circles, STORY TIME will make you think. And smile. And think some more. --- Reviewed by Carlie Webber
Rating: 
Summary: A Feast for all Ages
Review: I am a slow reader, and so it took me three lengthy sessions to finish this woderfully weird and weirdly wonderful tale. And
each time I stopped, I could hardly wait to hasten back to it. If this sounds hyperbolic, so be it. For, it isn't often one comes across a book that works at once as invective, satire and just plain old horror story.
Two enormously bright kids, Kate and George are lured into the Whittaker Magnet School run by a group of insanely ambitious avant-garde educators who might be refugees from a Stephen King opus. They worship "tests" administered to a hapless bunch of students with savage punishments, mind-altering brews, and threats reinforced by a few murders.
The educators are the more scary because a goodly number of their traits bear a more than passing resemblance to some real-life technology-obsessed "mentors" bent on sabotaging whatever is left of intelligent teaching..
How the brave young pair survives and ultimately defeats the evil machinations of Whittaker Magnet (including the sinister effluvium of a demon, no less) is told in fast, deadpan style that merits unflagging attention.
Edward Bloor (Tangerine, Crusader) has offered another winner. Story Time gives food for fun, food for thought, food for shivers. Quite a banquet.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointment
Review: I was looking forward to reading this after reading Tangerine and Crusader... But I couldn't like it when I tried. The beginning actually isn't so bad, though the writing is clearly not as well done as Bloor's previous books. Nearer and nearer to the end, I started getting the thought that maybe Bloor was slowly, during the course of writing, slipping more and more down that slippery chute known as insanity. The ending is ridiculous. The character reactions to the deaths they witness are unbelievable. If you see several people die right in front of you, you don't just jump up and say, "Okay! Time to move on!" even if you hated the person. Bloor has gotten a shoddy work published that does not even seem to try to reach the same heights as his previous works have. It doesn't even seem like he tried. The character's reactions to things in this novel, combined with the absolutely unbelievable, ridiculous events (and in no way written to be believed) do not make this anything worth reading. The writing quality isn't so bad, but clearly not anywhere near Bloor's best.
Rating: 
Summary: Not As Good As Previous Efforts
Review: My whole family enjoyed Bloor's previous novels (Tangerine and Crusader) and have become used to his disregard for standard plot "rules." Even though we fully expected the unexpected, we were still surprised by the outcome. Unfortunately, we were also disappointed by the "evil" adult characters who were often less than believable, performing impossible actions designed only to make them more dislikeable. We enjoyed the strong character of Kate and the relationship with her uncle was well-developed. Bloor does an admirable job of poking fun at the national trend toward testing as an end instead of a means. I believe that Bloor listened to reviewers and readers who liked the "weirdness" of his previous two novels and tried to make this one even weirder. Too far!
Rating:
Summary: Bloor Does It Again!
Review: Story Time, the brand new novel by the author of Tangerine and Crusader, is chock full of wonderfully crazy details in the lives of Kate Melvil and her Uncle George, who end up attending the very strange Whittaker Magnet School together. What makes this novel a gem, I think, is how fully realized all the characters are, even the minor ones. These realistic details only add to the surreal fun of the shenanigans at Whittaker. Yes, there are some satirical elements about schools and standardized testing, but you don't need a protein drink to enjoy the bizarre, very funny, world Bloor has concocted.
Rating:
Summary: Another Gem
Review: The talented author of Tangerine and Crusader, has given us another outstanding novel - Story Time. I found the whole subject matter fantastic, and the way it is presented is nothing short of masterful. The story is unusual, scary, and sprinkled with tongue-in-cheek humor. The compelling need to follow the adventures of Kate and George, makes this a spell-binding, page-turner.
I can only imagine how this book will simply be "gobbled up" by readers of all ages.
Rating:
Summary: Satirically dark
Review: This darkly sparkling satire on the foibles of the American education system is not at all what we'd typically expect from a YA novel. While brighter and somewhat less acidic than Lemony Snicket's unfortunate oeuvre, the characters herein soar not only in Peter Pan-esque bravado and elan, but also in smartly targeting right on its turgid mark. When combined, a haunted library, completed with way quirky librarians; a family where eccentricity and egomania are a long-standing and requisite condition, and lots of goofy fun weirdness make for an incredible reading experience. While this would be a great addition to the "while we're waiting for the next Potter/Snicket/Funke/Paolini, etc." list, there's a lot here for reluctant readers and generally fans of the kooky. This would also be great for classroom use in teaching the joys of satire.
Rating:
Summary: Zak's Review
Review: This is the first book by Edward Bloor that I have read, and after reading "Story Time" I have no desire to read his other books. I will start off by saying that this was the first time that I have ever encountered satire, and it is possible that I do not yet appreciate that particular writing style. However, with that said, I still do not recommend this book. The book is just plain weird and there were many parts of the book that I found to be entirely unbelievable. Even other reviewers, who have read his other books, agree that this book just goes off the deep end. After reading 20 to 50 pages, I would have to stop because this book was actually physically painful to read. I want the eight hours of my life back that were spent reading this book.
Unless you really, REALLY enjoy satire, or you get pleasure by inflicting pain on yourself, DO NOT read this book!
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