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Books, Books, Books! |
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Books, Books, Books! |
Book Reviews by Haverhill Teens
Read a good book or a
not-so-good book lately? Tell others what you think!
Submit your book reviews for the Haverhill Teens
Book Review page.
Reviews can be emailed to Alissa at
alauzon@mvlc.org, or typed and handed to
her at the Reference/Information Desk.
Title: The Kite Runner
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Rating: Good- would recommend to others
The story of the growing up of an Afghan boy during the time of
Russian invasion and afterwards. Amir makes a terrible mistake in his youth,
attempting for the rest of his life to make amends. His story sheds a new light
on the way people will think of Afghanistan. The Kite Runner is an amazing book,
takes some time to get into, but I couldn't put it down after I got into it! If
you want to know the truth about people in Afghanistan, read this book!
Reviewed by: Ashley
August 2007
Title: You Don't Know Me
Author: David Klass
Rating: Good- would recommend to others
John's stepfather beats him, but he doesn't want to tell his
mother because he assumes that she will choose her husband over her son. It
talks about the events that happen leading up to his final beating where he
almost died. Then his mom found out and divorced her husband. I thought it was
an okay book, but just a bit monotonous.
Reviewed by: Taylor
August 2007
Title: The Catcher In The Rye
Author: J. D. Sallinger
Rating: Excellent- a must read
Awesome! My favorite book by far. It's more about Holden's
internal thoughta than what's actually happening, so some people may find it
boring. but I LOVED it.
Reviewed by: Gaju
August 2007
Title: Be More Chill
Author: Ned Vizzini
Rating: Good- would recommend to others
My only complaint is that some of the dialogue was really corny,
but this book is still hilarious and easy to read.
Reviewed by: Gaju
August 2007
Title: On The Road
Author: Jack Kerouac
Rating: Good- would recommend to others
A very intelligent and thought-provoking book. I reminded me a
lot of The Catcher In The Rye, but it was a lot tougher to read. It was still a
good book though.
Reviewed by: Gaju
August 2007
Title: The Astonishing Adventures Of Fanboy And
Gothgirl
Author: Barry Lyga
Rating: Good- would recommend to others
It was good, although it's hard to believe that in such a large
school, "fanboy" has still yet to make more than one friend. However, this is a
funny, an sadly accurate portrayal of adolescent life.
Reviewed by: Gaju
August 2007
Title: Trust Me (First Kisses)
Author: Rachel Hawthorne
Rating: Good- would recommend to others
I liked this book because its about two people that used to hate
each other get along. They over come obstacles to work together.
Reviewed by: Emily
July 2007
Title: Confessions Of An Ugly Stepsister
Author: Gregory Maguire
Rating: Good- would recommend to others
Pretty good. Some parts were kinda slow, but I liked the message
the novel was trying to portray. (beauty is more than just a pretty face, et
cetera.)
Reviewed by: Gaju
July 2007
Title: The First Part Last
Author: Angela Johnson
Rating: Good- would recommend to others
Bobby and his girlfriend, Nia, have to decide whether to keep
their child while, at age sixteen, they are still children themselves. It tells
the story of how Bobby deals with his girlfriend's pregnancy. Nia ends up brain
damaged from an accident or something of the sort, but it stinks because it
happens close to her baby's due date. Bobby ends up keeping the baby girl,
Feather, rather than adopting her away. He takes care of her all by himself
because his mother isn't helpful at all, his father doesn't live anywhere near
him, and Nia is in a constant vegetative state in the hospital. But things end
up working out for the best. It doesn't take very long to read, for its length
is a mere 132 pages.
Reviewed by: Taylor
July 2007
Title: Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope
Author: Jenna Bush
Rating: Excellent- A Must Read
It's an awesome story about this girl (obviously named Ana) who
is born with AIDS, for her mother and father both lived with and died from it.
She lives in two different abusive homes after the deaths of her parents and
baby sister. Then she is sent to live in a reform center because there isn't
anywhere else for her to go. She falls in love with a boy at the center, then
they're both sent to an AIDS home. She has the boy's child, then goes to live
with her loving aunt. The worst part is that it's a true story. I give a ten out
of ten.
Reviewed by: Taylor
July 2007
Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Rating: Excellent- a Must Read
Hannah killed herself, but only after sending out thirteen tapes
to be listened to and passed along to the next person on them, along with a map
of places where events important to her story happened. Each tape belongs to one
person who contributed to her suicidal thoughts and feelings. Some betrayed her,
some lied to her, and some just acted like jerks. But in the end, she just
wanted them to hear what she had to say. It's an amazing story that everyone
should read.
Reviewed by: Taylor
July 2007
Title: Daemon Hall
Author: Andrew Nance
Rating: Excellent- a Must Read
Five children spent a night telling stories with author Ian
Tremblin in an evil house-Daemon Hall. Whichever one survives and tells the best
stories will end up published. A disturbing series of events happens throughout
the night. It's definitely not a children's book, but should be flying off the
young adult racks when it comes out in stores!
Reviewed by: Taylor
July 2007
Title: Stake That!
Author: Mari Mancusi
Rating: Excellent- a Must Read
Rayne McDonald went through vampire training but then her twin
sister was mistaken for her. She's pretty upset about not getting the life of
power and riches she dreamt of and that she got pushed to the bottom of the
waiting list again. But as if that isn't bad enough, she is told that she is
Slayer Inc.'s chosen one, the newest vampire slayer! What's a girl to do?
Reviewed by: Ashley
July 2007
Title: Ironside: A Modern Tale of Faerie
Author: Holly Black
Rating: Good- Would Recommend to Others
Kaye has lived in ironside, the land of the human's, ever since
she could remember, switched at a young age with a human child. She has now come
to terms with the fact that she is a faery living in human lands and is even in
love with the new King of the Unseelie Court, Roiben. A love which she believes
is requited but then when she declares herself to Roiben in front of the court
he gives her a quest, as is custom, but it is impossible - to find a faery that
can lie. Silarial, the Queen of the Seelie Court, wants Roiben's thrown
desperately, enough even to use Kaye as a means to get it. She just seems to be
a pawn in everyone's games. I think that this was Holly Black's best book yet.
Kaye is my favorite main character of them all but some from Valient reappeared
as well.
Reviewed by: Ashley
July 2007
Title: The Truth About Forever
Author: Sarah Dessen
Rating: Excellent- a must read
A great coming of age book about learning to fight back and do
what you want. Macy learns that its not always what her mother and her boyfriend
wants but what she wants. A great book.
Reviewed by: Haley
July 2007
Title: Angel's Choice
Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Rating: Excellent- a must read
This is such a sad book cause it describes the effects of teen
pregnancy and what happens when you are left with being a single teen mom.
Reviewed by: Cristal
July 2007
Title: That Was Then
Author: Melody Carlson
Rating: Good- would recommend to others
This is a good book cause it helps teens understand the real deal
with life and it brings god into it to.
Reviewed by: Cristal
July 2007
Title: The Thief Lord
Author: Cornelia Funke
Rating: Good- would recommend to others
Prosper and Bo run away from their aunt Esther when their mother
dies. They go to Venice Italy and live in an abandoned theatre with some other
children-all runaways. A young man of about twelve or thirteen takes care of
them by selling stolen items. I would give it a 9 out of 10. It's a pretty good
story, but it takes a while to get into it.
Reviewed by: Taylor
July 2007
Title: Stick Figure:A Diary of My Former Self
Author: Lori Gottlieb
Rating: Excellent- a must read
These are Lori's diaries from her experience as an
eleven-year-old anorexic. You can almost feel as if you are there all through
the book, especially when she tries to kill herself in the mental hospital.
There isn't a lot of difficult vocabulary because of her age when the diaries
were written. Most people ten years old or more would probably have an easy time
understanding the book.
Reviewed by: Taylor
July 2007
Title: My Sister's Bones
Author: Cathi Hanauer
Rating: Average- might recommend it
Billie has a difficult time dealing with her sister, Cassie,
leaving for college, especially when she finds out that Cassie has been
diagnosed with anorexia. Cassandra's unstable condition brings her to a mental
hospital, but their father doesn't believe that it's helping her, or that she's
even sick, for that matter. It's an okay novel, but the story ends up being more
about Billie than Cassie, which you wouldn't guess from its misleading title.
Reviewed by: Taylor
July 2007
Title: Gift of the Unmage (World Weavers #1)
Author: Alma Alexander
Rating: Excellent- a must read
The seventh child of two seventh children is the most magical
being of all....right? Well, for Thea, her magic lays dormant inside of her,
afraid of being let out. But why is that? And what is this Nothing that is
prowling around?
Reviewed by: Mariah
July 2007
Title: Esperanza Rising
Author: Pam Munoz Ryan
Rating: Excellent- a must read
Esperanza Rising is a wonderful riches to rags story. Esperanza
loves her life on her family's ranch in Mexico. She loves having fancy dresses
and a gorgeous home, filled with servants who adore her. When a sudden tragedy
strikes, she and Mama must flee to California. Esperanza isn't ready for the
hard farm work and financial struggles brought on by the Great Depression and
lack of acceptance toward Mexicans. When Mama becomes ill, Esperanza must learn
to rise above their difficult circumstances. This story teaches you to never be
afraid to start over.
Reviewed by: Abby
July 2007
Title: Circus of the Darned
Author: Katie Maxwell
Rating: Average- might recommend it
The sequel of Got Fangs?, Circus of the Darned was about
Francesca's travels with the GothFaire through Europe. She is excited about
having an actual date with her boyfriend Ben, a Moravian Dark One (vampire), but
end up with a troubling scenario when she unleashes a horde of Viking Ghosts.
They believe she is the one who is supposed to lead them to Valhala and they
depend on her for their eternal peace. COTD was a good chick-lit book which
managed to incorporate pretty accurate Norse mythology. It wasn't the best but
if you want a quick read and are into vampires and chick-lit, give it a shot.
Reviewed by: Ashley
July 2007
Title: Just Listen
Author: Sarah Dessen
Rating: Excellent- a must read
Annabel is mirserable in school. Her best friend, Sophie, ditched
her over a misunderstanding and is spreading vengeful rumors, her older sister's
eating disorder is taking over family life, and she has no one to talk to about
everything that's going on. Then she and Owen Armstrong, the only other kid who
seems to be alone at lunch every day, start talking. He may just be that person
that she can tell what's on her mind but when it comes down to it will she be
able to tell him what really happened to shatter her and Sophie's friendship?
Just Listen was a great book; Sarah Dessen is an exceptional author as well.
Annabel's feelings were so real to me. I felt the pain and hurt that she felt
but her suppression of her feelings from Owen whom she wanted to trust but was
not sure if she could.
Reviewed by: Ashley
July 2007
Title: Dark Blue: Color Me Lonely
Author: Melody Carlson
Rating: Excellent- a must read
After Kara is abandoned by her best friend, Jordan, she pushes
everything away but her feeling of lonliness which she's not sure how to deal
with but, nevertheless, wallows in. Then, she is invited by some of the kids in
her art class to stay with them at lunch to work on their projects together. She
finds herself beginning to let loose a little, enabling herself to have fun
without Jordan for once. But then one of them introduces her to someone who can
be an even better friend than Jordan, God. An amazing spiritual journey, Dark
Blue was superbly written. The feelings of teenagers in this situation conveyed
very realisticly and the help God can offer in such that seems lost to all hope.
Reviewed by: Ashley
July 2007
Title: Fool's Gold: Color Me Consumed
Author: Melody Carlson
Rating: Excellent- a must read
When Hannah visits her relatives in California, she's not used to
all the glitz and glamour that everyone there seems to stress so much. As a
missionary kid whose parents are stationed in Papua New Guinea, she has never
focused on material things so much as spiritual but gets caught up in the
shopping and money of this new world. Will she allow God to help her out before
she gets in too deep? Yet again, Melody Carlson writes a novel worthy of
its times. I found myself questioning everything this country, as a whole, holds
so dear: fame and glory. I questioned myself as a person. It revealed the glory
of God and His dedication to us, His aid in every bad circumstance we get
ourselves into.
Reviewed by: Ashley
July 2007
Kare First Love by Kaho Miyasaka
Kare First Love is a manga about
two unlikely people falling in love it's a great romance book that might help
young adults keep there belief in love
Reviewed by: Vicki
August 3, 2006
Hot Gimmick volume 1 by Miki Aihara
Hatsumi Narita life get turned around
when her former crush comes back and the man of her nightmlares makes her become
her slave can anything get worse she ask yes it can and it does
Reviewed by: Vicki
August 3, 2006
Dancing Queen by Erin Downing
Olivia Phillips just got an intership
at a hot music station in London and once there she meets this hot pop star but
is he really the one for her. You'll have to read to find out.
Reviewed by: Vicki
August 3, 2006
30 Guys in 30 Days by Micol Ostow
Claudia Clarkson has just broken up
with her highschool boyfriend and is now going to college where a her crazy
roomate suggest she start dating again. So for a whole month she has to date a
diffrent guy what's the worse that could happen right?
Reviewed by: Vicki
August 3, 2006
Wolfcry by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Oliza Shardae Cobriana, heir to
Wyvern's Court, should be choosing her mate and claiming the throne soon but the
avians and serpiente who occupy it do not seem to want to give up their hatred
towards one another. She knows that if she chooses a mate of one race, the other
will try to defy her rule. Before she has a chance to make up her mind about
what she should do, she is kidnapped by mercenaries. If she is even able to
escape, what will she do? I thought Wolfcry was generally good but it didn't
live up to my expectations. The first book in the series was so good that I've
expected more out of the others.
Reviewed by: Ashley
August 3, 2006
Lord Loss by Darren Shan
Grubbs Grady's parents and sister were
killed by demons... and he witnessed their murders. No one believes him when he
tells them the truth so he must lie to get out of the mental institution to go
live with his uncle. His uncle Dervish knows about the demons already and helps
Grubbs cope with his fears. Then, Grubbs discovers that he has a brother whose
transformation into a werewolf will be complete if he doesn't face Lord Loss,
the same demon master who killed the rest of his family. I thought that this
book was a good horror story. It had a good ending as well. I didn't like that
it dragged at some parts and I didn't think that it should take so long to find
out why his family was killed by demons.
Reviewed by: Ashley
August 3, 2006
Full Service by Will Weaver
Full Service was about a teenage farm
boy getting a job downtown and meeting the public. Watch as the people Paul
meets change his life forever and he is reconciled with God. I loved everything
about this book. It is a terrific coming of age story.
Reviewed by: Ashley
August 3, 2006
Endgame by Nancy Garden
In Endgame, Gray Wilton moves to a
new town with his family, hoping that everything will be different here from
Parker Middle, where he was suspended twice for getting caught with a knife. But
everything ends up being the same when Zorro, the school football-hero, starts
teasing him. Things escalate, Zorro slashes Gray's drums, though he cannot prove
it, and runs over his dog. Finally, when Gray cannot take it anymore, he goes
crazy and this time he brings not a knife but a gun... I thought this novel
portrayed a realistic view of the thoughts of a struggling teenager. It shows
from Gray's point of view that there was really nothing else that he could do
but he had to face the consequences anyways.
Reviewed by: Ashley
August 3, 2006
Crunch Time by Mariah Fredericks
Crunch Time was about four completly
different teenagers taking the SATs. When they decide to bag the prep course
their parents signed them up for and make their own study group they form
friendships or hatreds that will affect them for the rest of their lives. When
someone cheats on the SATs, the search for the culprit will cause them to
question their friends and blame their enemies... but will they find out who it
really was? I thought Crunch Time was excellent. The charactors really came
alive for me as typical teenagers trying to cope with pressure put on them by
teachers, parents, or just themselves.
Reviewed by: Ashley
August 3, 2006
Cruise Control by Terry Truman
This campanion novel to Stuck in
Neutral has the same story line but from the point of view of Shawn's brother,
Paul. Paul has so much to deal with his senior year in high school. Maintaining
his grades, competing well in sports, and worrying about acceptance letters from
colleges - normal worries. But he also has something that other seniors don't
have to deal with, a handicapped brother. Paul must learn to deal with his
brothers handicap which he has tried to ignore for so long, learn to treat him
like any other person. I thought this was an excellent story and I liked seeing
Shawn's life from Paul's view. He showed the very realistic feelings of anyone
in that sort of situation.
Reviewed by: Ashley
August 3, 2006
Bloodline by Kate Cary
John Shaw is placed in a sanitarium upon his return from
World War I. Nightmlares of his commander haunt him. At first these
nightmlares seem to be caused by trench fever but he soon discovers that his
commander, Quincey Harcher, is not as he appears to be. Harcher starts
courting John's sister and he knows he must do everything he can to protect her.
When Quincey and Lily elope, John and the love of his life, Mary Seward, go
after them with the newfound knowledge that Quincey is a vampire. As soon
as they reach the castle of Count Dracula, where Quincey and Lily are to be wed,
they come upon even more startling truths. John and Quincey are
half-brothers, so when John's bloodlust is awakened, Mary must escape or succumb
to the parasitic world of vampires. This is an excellent book if you're
into vampires. Not so much if you want a "true love prevails over all"
happy ending.
Reviewed by: Ashley
August 3, 2006
Grail Quest: The Camelot Spell by Laura Anne
Gilman
This book is wonderful! I would recommend it to
anyone and everyone. I would rate it 9 out of 10. Grail Quest:
The Camelot Spell is about a spell that King Arthur's vengeful sister has
cast upon Camelot. It caused all of the adults in the castle to sleep.
Three teenagers, Gerard, Ailis, and Newt have to reawaken the adults before
exactly seven days from that minute. Merlin cannot do anything about it,
seeing as he is trapped in a house of ice. Merlin informs them that they
must acquire 3 talismans within seven days from the night the spell was cast.
Gerard, Ailis, and Newt steal one talisman from a shady innkeeper. The
wrestle the second from a huge bridge troll. They haggle the third from a
monstrous, fire-breathing dragon. Then they must translate and figure out
a poem and a few more obstacles. They defeat Morgan and all are awakened
in the castle of Camelot.
Reviewed by: Taylor
August 3, 2006
Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud
This book was a very funny and entertaining about a young
magician, a spirit, and a "commoner" who has great will power and persistence.
What happened basically was the magician was very cocky then found out that his
former "self" was better and that he shouldn't have changed himself to become
the "regular" magician. I liked this book a lot because I love to read fantasy
sci-fi and the characters especially the spirit and the way he had a sense of
humor was very intriguing. Another thing that was intriguing was the covers.
they were very unusual. Also i loved how they described the setting and the way
people were feeling was so in depth that you could really picture it in your
mind. I also taught about morals which was also very nice. I have nothing bad to
say about this book.
Reviewed by: Nicole
July 2, 2006
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
It was mainly about a teenage boy named Steve who was
accused of taking part in a crime consisting of a murder of a drug store owner.
The book was alright for the most part. The one thing I did not enjoy about it
was the fact that it was mostly fights and arguments that would go on in a trial
setting. That is one thing I was not interested in reading.
Reviewed by: Caitlin
July 2, 2006
Sweet Sixteen Princess by Meg Cabot
I love reading books by Meg Cabot and really enjoy them. I
have read all the Princess Diaries Series but this was the absolute worst! It
was very short 82 pages and was really pointless. It should of been longer with
a better plot. What happens is Mia is turning 16 and her Grandmother fixes her
up with MTVs My Super Sweet Sixteen Birthday show to get people to see Genovia.
Mia refuses it and fights her grandmother who finally has someone else do it. In
the end my favorite part Michael surprises her with a romantic party with her
closest friends at Rockefeller center ice rink. This was really nice of him but
that is all that happens it was short and had no substance. I wish it had been
longer and had a better plot.
Reviewed by: Jessica
July 13, 2006
Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
This was a really good mystery story about a ex pop star who
now works at a residence hall as the assistant director. The problem girls have
begun dying and everyone claims it as accidental death due to elevator surfing.
But Heather knows that girls dont elevator surf and think that these are
murders. It was a good mystery love story but seemed to drag on at parts.
Reviewed by: Jessica
July 13, 2006
Promise Me by Harlan Coben
This book is about this guy named Myron who makes 2 girls
promise him that if they are ever in a bind that they will call him and he will
come no questions asked, no matter what time, and he won't tell there parents. A
call comes from one of the girls later who is in a bind and needs a ride home to
her friends house because she has been drinking and so have the people she has
come with. myron goes and gets her and drops her off at her friend Stacy's house
because that is where she told her parents she would be spending the night.
Myron finds this all strange but doesn't say anything. The next day Aimee is
missing-she never showed up at Stacy's house- and Myron was the last one to see
her. Myron finds himself in the middle of it all because he was the last one to
see her -and could this disappearance be possibly tied to a recent disapperence?
Reviewed by: Jessica
July 21, 2006
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is not a very great
book, in my opinion. It is not very specific or at all interesting. This book is
definitely not on my top 10 list of favorite books. I don't really like much
about the outline, characters, or other things like that. Esther Greenwood has a
great life-it almost seems picture perfect. But a few things seem to go wrong
for her throughout the story. She is in New York with a few other girls from the
college she attends. Esther just begins to go insane. It is almost like she
becomes crazy for no reason at all whatsoever. Esther attempts to commit suicide
a numerous amount of times. She speaks to a psychiatrist. She cannot eat or
sleep. She is always trying to do things to hurt herself. Her mother sends her
to a mental institution for awhile. She is finally released. This story is just
the inner workings of the mind of someone in an insane asylum.
Reviewed by: Taylor
July 13, 2006
Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
Inkspell by Cornelia Funke is now my favorite book of
all time. It is an insanely exceptional book that anyone of any age should read.
Everything about it is enjoyable. I, in fact, have read a numerous amount of
other books by Cornelia, including the prequel to Inkspell, Inkheart. The book
is composed of a fascinating plot and lovable, interesting characters. A girl
named Meggie and her one true love, Farid, decide to read themselves into the
book, Inkheart. Meggie and her father, Mo, can read people and anything else
into or out of books-it's a special and wonderful gift they each hold. Mo's
friend, Dustfinger, whom he accidentally read from Inkheart nearly 12 years
before, desires to be brought back into his own story. Mo has tried but cannot
acheive the goal, so Dustfinger finds a crooked storyteller with the same powers
as Meggie and Mo and has him read Dustfinger back into his own story. Dustfinger
is like Farid's father, so that is why Farid had Meggie read him into the story.
Meggie was in love with Farid, so she went, too. Meggie's father and mother are
read into the book by the crooked man with the powers, along with Basta and
Mortola. They are angry at Mo for killing an evil man very near and dear to
them. They shot Mo and told another evil man, the Adderhead, that he was a
robber. Meggie, Farid, Dustfinger, and the book's author, Fenoglio, have to save
Meggie's mother from prison and her father from execution. They do, and are then
hidden by a good man, the Black Prince.
Reviewed by: Taylor
July 13, 2006
Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt
Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt is a great summer read.
It is a perfect book for anyone in junior high or older. The book has an
intriguing plot, and contains many analogies and metaphors. It is a fantastic
read for any person whom enjoys thick books and imagines themselves in a certain
character's shoes, sometimes. This story is about a woman with four children,
whom she abandons. The Tillerman children have to find their way from Peewauket,
MA, all the way to Bridgeport, CT on their own with only about 11.50 and the
eldest child, Dicey, in charge. They make it to Bridgeport, only to find that
their great aunt Cilla, the only family they know of besides their mother, has
passed away. Cilla's daughter, Eunice takes care of them for awhile. But she
feels the need to become a nun, and the children then must find their way to
their said-to-be insane grandmother. Their grandmother takes them in. She told
the children that she would only let them stay for one night, but they begin to
do chores for her. The chores were their excuse to stay. Then the kids became
attached to their grandmother, and she ended up liking them and deciding to let
them stay with her.
Reviewed by: Taylor
July 13, 2006
Stuck in Neutral by Terry Truman
Stuck In Neutral explores the life of Shawn, who cannot
willingly move any muscle in his body. He is considered a "retard" because he
cannot talk and is believed to not be able to learn either. He also believes
that his father is going to kill him "out of love." But what his father doesn't
know that Shawn enjoys life and is quite smart. What will his fathers decision
be? This showed me a different perspective on people like Shawn. They could be
extremely smart underneath that exterior and no one would ever know. I just hope
that someday, something can be done to help people like him. What I didn't like
about the book was the ending. It was a cliffhanger you never even find out if
Shawn's father is going to kill him or not, which is the basis of the entire
book.
Reviewed by: Ashley
July 18, 2006
New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
New Moon, the sequel to Twilight, was excellent! Edward is a
vampire who falls in love with average Bella. Edward leaves because he is afraid
that he is endangering Bella's life by staying with her. She is a mess for
months and months until his sister Alice returns. Alice can see the future,
which led to Edward being informed that Bella jumped off a cliff she was cliff
diving in reality and he believes she is dead. He goes to the Volturi, the
closest thing vampires have to a royal family and the only ones that can kill a
vampire, because he doesn't want to live without Bella. Bella and Alice go to
save him and he realizes that he didn't do Bella any good by leaving her. He
tells her that he will turn her into a vampire if she marries him first! This
book was extraordinary! Stephanie Meyer is a great author and if you like
vampire novels you'll love this! Everything about her books are wonderful.
Reviewd by: Ashley
July 13, 2006
Heaven by Angela Johnson
This book was about a young girl living in Heaven, OH who
one day discovers that the man she believed to be her uncle is really her
father. You enter her world, her feelings of betrayal and hatred. I liked the
this book a lot. You really understand the feelings portrayed.
Reviewed by: Ashley
July 2, 2006
Feed by MT Anderson
Titus, a teenager living in a futuristic society only knows
to do what his feed tells him. The feed is a computer chip implanted into a
person's brain. When he meets a girl that tries to resist the feed his whole
world is thrown upside-down. This is a realistic portrayal of the future of
America in my opinion. Media has started to become everything and it will
continue to be so even more as the years pass. The feed could quite possibly
become reality, wiping out individualism completely.
Reviewed by: Ashley
July 2, 2006
Choices by Diane Wolfer
This novel showed the life of a teenager named Elizabeth
after she gets pregnant in two versions. In one version she keeps her baby. In
the other, she has it aborted. I thought this was an excellent book. I thought
the characters were very real and the theme is something that affects many
people's daily lives so it interested me.
Reviewed by: Ashley
July 13, 2006
Animal Farm by George Orwell
In Animal Farm by George Orwell, mistreated animals take
over the farm meaning to create a society of equality. A pig named Snowball
takes the role of leadership upon himself, creating the Seven Commandments and
protecting the farm from its former owner, Mr. Jones. Then Snowball is run off
the farm by Napoleon. Napoleon rules the farm with an iron fist, changing the
Seven Commandments without the other animals knowing so that he may do whatever
he likes, making them work just as hard with even less food while the pigs and
dogs do nothing. It has not become the ideal society they wished for but a
tyranny. I thought that this book was terrible. It was supposed to symbolize the
rise of Stalinist Russia but was a poor excuse for it. It's all good and well
that Orwell was trying to get a point across, and this book is highly acclaimed,
but I thought the book was ridiculous.
Reviewed by: Ashley
July 20, 2006
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
It's about a boy named Harry Potter who is a wizard. He
lives with his aunt and uncle. At his school he can hear snakes in the pipes
coming from the chamber. With help from his friends Ron and Hermione he finds
the Chamber. the snake kills people if they look at it but no one dies. Harry
finds the Chamber when he has to rescue Ron's sister Ginny. Ginny said she
opended the chamber because a person named Tom Riddle possesed her. I like the
way this book is written and how Rowling interdouces people by describing them.
I don't like the parts in the book when Harry is at his aunts and uncles because
it is not as excting.
Reviewed by: Taylor
July 11, 2006
The Liberation of Gabriel King by K.L. Going
It all starts when Duke Evans and Frankie Carmen tie up
Gabe so he misses the fourth-grade graduation. His best friend, Frita
Wilson, then beats them up and Duke's father calls Frita a nasty name, just
because she is African-American. It is 1976 in the prejudice South and all
Gabe and Frita were going to do this summer was try and conquer their fears (of
which Gabe has a lot) but Mr. Evans arouses fears in brave Frita that Gave never
suspected, the Ku Klux Klan. The Wilsons and Kings band together to plan a
rally that will hopefully prove that equality prevails, even if it does have a
nemesis. This story was told from the point of view of a child which can
be a good or bad thing depending on who you are. On one hand, it is
somewhat juvenile. On the other, you get to see prejudice from the
innocent eyes of a child who only knows that his relationship with his best
friend is not accepted but not why.
Reviewed by: Ashley
July 22, 2006
Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz
Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz is a vampire
novel... but not in the classic Dracula kind you're thinking of. It's set
in modern New York City and now vampires wear Prada and spend their vacations at
multimillion dollar beach houses.When Schuyler Van Alen turns 15, she starts to notice that
the veins on her arms are becoming very bright blue, showing up in complex
patterns. She is then invited to join The Committee, a prestigious
organization which serves to teach about the history of its families, all can be
traced back to the Mayflower. Schuyler is an outcast and it is unusual for
one such as her to be invited into The Committee. She learns at the first
meeting what the blue veins are a sign of... she is a vampire, a Blue Blood, and
they are what The Committee is composed of. These vampires came to be3 when they were banished from
heaven. Their goal now is to return to the ranks they once held there.
God banished them to earth for an eternity, or until they can prove themselves
worthy again. They are immortal, but not in the normal sense. Their
physical "shell" is dead after 100 years but their blood lives on. In this
way they have lived many lives all of which they can remember. When a
vampire, at 15, first starts to gain their powers they have flashbacks which
they cannot begin to imaginer were real. Schuyler has not had any of these memories, though she is
being hunted by the only thing able to kill a vampire. With the help of
her best friend Oliver, and a newfound friend, Bliss, she discovers first that
she is not supposed to be a vampire She is the formation of a cross
between a vampire and a human, which is never supposed to happen. The
second thing she ascertains is that wheat is hunting her is a Silver Blood, her
friend Dylan. Silver Bloods are in league with Satan. They were
banned from heaven along with the Blue Bloods but did not want to return to the
positions they once held. They wanted not rules at all and so discovered
that by draining a Blue Blood they would gain more power. They would also
gain the past memories of them so the more Blue Bloods they drains, the more
power they would obtain, the more insane they would become. Schulyer's
mission is to prove to the non believing Blue Bloods that Silver Bloods do
exist. This was a good book if you're into the A-List books but
not if you like the classics: The Vampire Chronicles and Dracula. It had a
lot of history wound into it, references to the Bible and to the Mayflower
mostly. There were a few problems I had with the book though. The
main one being the cliffhanger ending. When you finish the book, you have
no idea whether Schuyler will be able to save the Blue Bloods or whether they
will all be finished off by the Silver Bloods.
Reviewed by: Ashley
June 29, 2006
Golden by Cameron Dokey
Golden by Cameron Dokey is the retelling of the
classic fairy tale Rapunzel. When Rapunzel's mother was carrying her, she
craved a type of parsley called Rapunzel. Next door lived the sorceress
Melisande whose garden had the best Rapunzel in all the land. SO,
Rapunzel's father snuck into Melisande's garden and stole some of it. But
he was caught and they had to make a deal with Melisande; if Rapunzel's mother
could not love her immediately when she was born, then Rapunzel would go to
Melisande. Rapunzel's mother was a very beautiful woman and her most
prized possession was her hair, so when Rapunzel was born as "bald as an egg"
her mother was disgusted. Melisande took Rapunzel in and raised her as her own
child. Of course, they did not live next door to her parents, but moved
into the countryside, leaving her father who loved her behind So Rapunzel
grew up with Melisande as her mother, and a good done at that. She had
friends as well. When a tinker came by one year he gave her a cat and she
made friends with the boy he took care of, the tinker started stopping by at
least every year. She and Melisande became very close tot he tinker, Mr.
Jones, and his boy, Harry. She even named the cat Mr. Jones after the man
who gave him to her. Everything was going perfectly fine until Rapunzel
discovers that Melisande has a daughter, Rue. Rue has been trapped in a
tower by a wizard for years and her hair must be climbed to reach her. The
only way for her to escape is for her heart to open up which Rapunzel finds very
hard. A new door is opened though when Prince Alexander comes to free her.
The only problem is that he is talking to Rapunzel, not Rue. When Ruse
finds out she is furious by gives it a try anyway. When Alex asks Rue,
whom he thinks is Rapunzel, to marry him, she has a newfound hope and the spell
is broken. Before Rue leaves, Rapunzel asks her one favor, that now,
instead of going by Rue, she would go by Rapunzel. Rapunzel has always
wanted the long, beautiful blonde hair that Rue has and would rather be
remembered for that than for being bald, which she has been her whole life.
In this way, the tale of Rapunzel that we know is actually Rue's story. So we know Rue, taking the name Rapunzel, lives happily
ever after with her Prince Alex but what about the real Rapunzel? She
takes the name Susan, after her favorite flower, Black-Eyed Susans, finds her
father who loves her, Mr. Jones, and marries the boy who loves her, hair or not,
Harry. If you're a fan of fantasy, this is definitely a book for
you. It had the fairy tale ending, everyone lived happily ever after.
Also, the people were very sarcastic so a lot of comic relief was provided.
Reviewed by: Ashley
June 29, 2006
The Queen of Cool by Cecil Castellucci
In the story Libby a popular girl in school has everything
she ever wanted a cute boyfriend, the coolest friend and the easy-going parents
but when Libby suddenly realized that her life is boring she ends up interning
for a volunteer in a local zoo with two geeky kids Tina "Tiny" and Sheldon.
Libby's other friends start making fun of Libby because she is hanging out with
"total losers" but Libby gives up her popularity and ends up friends with Tiny
and Sheldon. I really liked the book. I can really relate to Libby
because she's sort of like me in many ways. I would rate this book a 10
because it sucks me in in the first few pages.
Reviewed by: Diamond
May 25, 2006
Love Sick by Jack Coburn
This story is about a boy named Ted, who's a great
basketball star on his way to a full scholarship to a great college. His plans
are foiled, however, when he gets in a car accident after he has been drinking.
He thinks he is done and is no longer going to amount to anything. Then he gets
the second chance of a lifetime, a mysterious man appears at his front door
offering him the scholarship he wanted and more, all for a price. He must watch
a multi-millionaire's daughter who has a problem keeping food in her stomach.
Ted must watch a bulimic girl named Erica whose world has been more topsy-turvy
than Ted's has. As the story develops, they fall in love, and all seems like it
will end well. However, Ted reveals his drinking problem and everything soon
falls apart. They eventually meet up again in the future, but the book leaves
you with a little suspense and a need to use your imagination. Jake Coburn does
an excellent job developing these characters into something almost everyone can
relate with. The book is full of excitement and kept me reading start to finish.
I fully recommend this book to anyone who can relate to having any kind of
troubles.
Reviewed by: Steven
March 17, 2006
Teach Me by R.A. Nelson
The book is about a high school senior named Carolina or
"nine" as all her friends like to call her. She strongly dislikes her
life, her classes are boring, her friends are boring, her life is boring.
She can't seem to escape the constant boredom around her. That is until
Mr. Mann steps in; he becomes her new English teacher and introduces her to a
whole new world. What begins as a simple favorite teacher kind of feeling
turns into a passionate relationship. However, things soon fall apart as
Mr. Mann tells her suddenly that they can no longer see each other and that
everything is over. Eventually, Carolina finds out that a woman Mr. Mann
ha d been dating before Caroline, had become pregnant and were about about to be
married. From there on out Carolina makes Mr. Mann's life a living hell.
Eventually, the two move' on and go their separate ways. I really
liked this book. Besides the fact that it was about a student sleeping
with her teacher, the author uses vivid details, and attention grabbing words to
lure the reader in and want to continue reading. There is never a dull
moment in this book, it is chock full of steamy action and anyone who likes a
love story, or however much of a love story this can be, would like this book.
Reviewed by: Steven
January 14, 2006
Inexcusable by Chris Lynch
I didn't like this book too much. It didn't get
interesting. The story behind it wasn't too interesting either. I
read the panel and it sounded good, but after reading for a bit, I still didn't
get into it. Oh well, that's life. It had a bit of a gross ending as
well. I don't know, maybe it's just me, but this was not my type of book.
The boy in it was crazy.
Reviewed by: Amanda
December 1, 2005
The Truth Cookie by Fiona Dunbar
I loved this book. It took me barely any time to
read it. It had a good cliffhanger thing to it. The cruelty, and the
things this girl went through was good and interesting. The ending was
perfect. The way she found the book was excellent. This book was
good. I'm not usually one for magic books and I liked it. It goes to
tell you that people should see how their children feel before they get married
or into a serious relationship.
Reviewed by: Amanda
December 1, 2005
Totally Joe by James Howe
For an English report, it was an interesting book.
This young boy is different and doesn't care. Joe Bunch goes through
normal issues with bullies and other people not agreeing with his orientation.
He sees that people do end up caring what other people think. Like Collin,
He's the type of jock guy, but he's gay. He doesn't let people know
because he won't be accepted as he was. Joe just doesn't care.
The writer made it easy to read and understand and I enjoyed this book.
I'm doing my English book report on it. This boy is creative and if my
English teacher gave me an alpha-biography I would so do it! As he used so
(which is usually used by feminine people) in his words and wasn't afraid to
express himself. On a scale of 1 - 10, I'd rate this book as good 90.
I also loved! loved! loved! the colors of those awesome high-tops and I'm
definitely going to look for some.
Reviewed by: Amanda
November 21, 2005
Killing Britney by Sean Olin
Wow! This book was excellent! I loved the
suspense. It shows so much thought about this girl. The way the book
ended was AMAZING! The story behind Brittany's life was different and not
so perfect. She wasn't a normal girl, but it really was interesting.
Since reading some of these books that I have for reviews this is on of the top.
You can't really find that many interesting mystery/horror books. This was
a cliff hanger as well. I would read any chance I got in my classes.
At home I would read it, and my mother would have to take it from me. If
anyone wants to read an AWESOME book that is suspenseful, this is the book to
read. It is very modern times as well.
Reviewed by: Amanda
November 21, 200
Fake ID by Walter Sorrells
Fake ID by Walter Sorrells, is a book about a girl
who doesn't know her name or anything about her past, all she knows is that her
and her mom are always moving from town to town whenever her mom gets paranoid,
making new fake names and fake identities. One day, her mom disappears and
she doesn't know what to do, so her long time friend, Ben, decides to help her
figure out where her mom went. As they find new clues, they begin to find
out who her mom was and that she was a great musician, but the guy she worked
with, Jimmy Laws, had murdered a couple girls while he was drunk and the
confession was luckily recorded. As the story goes on, they are being
chased by people who are trying to recover the tape sot hat it may be destroyed.
Overall this is an extremely great book, it was a fast read, it kept my
interest, and the plot was spectacular. If you are someone who is into a
little mystery, and a little danger this book is definitely for you. I
would rate this book a 9 out of 10, only because it was pretty short.
Reviewed by: Steven
November 14, 2005
06.19.08
