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Confessions: The Private School Murders Book Review K.T. I think I can add the book Confessions: The Private School Murders to a favorite book list. The second book in a series by James Patterson, Confessions centers around an exceptional teen girl Tandy Angel, and her dysfunctional family. When Tandy's brother is the prime suspect for the murder of his girlfriend, and teen girls are dying around New York, Tandy must use her above-average skill set to figure out what's going on. Patterson expertly creates a blend of mystery and high school drama in this book. It's very refreshing to have such a strong heroine, and she has the right amount of relatable flaws and the powerful attitude that a protagonist should. Suspense builds in every chapter as the mystery of the story grows, and this makes Confessions an interesting read until the very end. Since the story is in first person, we can see her thought process and how she perceives the other characters. The reader and Tandy experience the same shock as traumatic experience after experience keeps happening, like when Tandy comes face-to-face with the killer of multiple teenage girls. Looking through Tandy's eyes, the author really manipulates our opinions of what's right and wrong, and who the bad and untrustworthy characters are. Tandy has a notorious hate for the media, and this influences the readers thoughts through her thoughts and actions, "My poor brother. The media beast was hungry, and Matthew Angel was the appetizer, the main dish, and the dessert." (Patterson 273). Patterson makes the complexity of the book really come together, and I didn't find myself getting lost as all the parts and clues of the mystery came together. I would defiantly give a good recommendation for anyone to read this entire series, especially anyone interested in mystery and crime novels. 

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Confessions: The Private School Murders Book Review K.T. I think I can add the book Confessions: The Private School Murders to a favorite book list. The second book in a series by James Patterson, Confessions centers around an exceptional teen girl Tandy Angel, and her dysfunctional family. When Tandy's brother is the prime suspect for the murder of his girlfriend, and teen girls are dying around New York, Tandy must use her above-average skill set to figure out what's going on. Patterson expertly creates a blend of mystery and high school drama in this book. It's very refreshing to have such a strong heroine, and she has the right amount of relatable flaws and the powerful attitude that a protagonist should. Suspense builds in every chapter as the mystery of the story grows, and this makes Confessions an interesting read until the very end. Since the story is in first person, we can see her thought process and how she perceives the other characters. The reader and Tandy experience the same shock as traumatic experience after experience keeps happening, like when Tandy comes face-to-face with the killer of multiple teenage girls. Looking through Tandy's eyes, the author really manipulates our opinions of what's right and wrong, and who the bad and untrustworthy characters are. Tandy has a notorious hate for the media, and this influences the readers thoughts through her thoughts and actions, "My poor brother. The media beast was hungry, and Matthew Angel was the appetizer, the main dish, and the dessert." (Patterson 273). Patterson makes the complexity of the book really come together, and I didn't find myself getting lost as all the parts and clues of the mystery came together. I would defiantly give a good recommendation for anyone to read this entire series, especially anyone interested in mystery and crime novels. 

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The Cursed Child pt 1 and 2 by J.K Rowling

By:LT

The Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling. This book is a continuation of the Harry Potter series and is told from the perspective of Harry’s son Albus Severus Potter and written in the style of a play.

In the book, J.K. Rowling switches points of view from Albus’ to Harry’s and then to Scorpius’, the son of Draco Malfoy. The book is mainly set in Albus’ point of view and skips around from when he first goes to Hogwarts till he decides to run off.  J.K. Rowling skips certain years of school and unimportant events leading up to the main action, but she still has the play written in time order.

Throughout the book we are shown the struggles and thoughts that Albus has and how he tries to find himself after he has lost himself. The story starts off with Albus as a young child during his first year and Rowling shows his progression throughout by his thoughts and by his actions. Rowling uses stage directions to set the scene and to convey the feelings of the characters.

Albus and Scorpius both face issues at school and at learn to be brave even when there is little hope. J.K Rowling creates a relatable conflict but adds in the effect of magic through the tales of Albus, and she provides more sides to the story by switching points of view.  Rowling provides an inspiring story to those who may feel as Albus had, and she creates a sympathetic feeling towards all characters.

The book The Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling is action-packed and is an inspiring story of hope and determination when things seem wrong. The book shows the importance and treasure of having good friends by your side. Even when all hope is lost, a friend can change the way you look at the situation and having a good friend is a gift to keep. I would highly recommend, but knowing the Harry Potter series is a must. This book will surely enchant you.

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Book Review project

Isaac Kolosik

For my independent book project I read the book “Super.” This book was written by Matthew Cody.

This book is one of the best books I have ever read. As a teenager this book gives me characters I can relate too and the real life situations they go through. This book brings suspense along with action seemingly all the time. Although it has children characters this book would please readers of all ages.

This book takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania called Noble Green. This town is an ordinary town except it has something you would never expect.  Children with super natural powers or “The Supers.” All is seemingly well after their battle with the shroud. An evil power stealing man. As life is seemingly going well a new boy moves into town. His name is Theo Plunkett the grandnephew to Herman Plunkett or otherwise “The shroud.” Daniel the leader of the Supers (who ironically doesn’t have powers) is threatened and concerned by this wondering if the evil runs in the family. One night Daniel and Eric (the most powerful super) Tangle tree bridge when expensive sports car started to swerve of the bridge. As Eric went to save the driver and the car something very strange seemed to happen. He didn’t have his flight or strength. Then all of a sudden Daniel gets a sudden feeling and he saves the mystery man using Eric’s flight and strength. Who borrowed his powers somehow? The person that was saved though was Theo causing Theo to start his own investigation on this little town. The very next day things went back to normal for Eric and Daniel. “Had yesterday been a fluke? By some weird quark of Nobles Green super physics.” (Cody, 69). The supers then decided they wanted to do more investigations on this wealthy Plunkett boy and they all meet up at Theo’s house for pizza. This wasn’t some hangout session though for the supers they were looking for anything left behind by Herman Plunkett that may have caused these strange power stealing’s from Daniel. As Daniel and Louisa Search for anything left from The Shroud they find a letter from Herman to Daniel. It says how this means Daniel must have won but Herman also says “Have You tried on the ring.” (Cody 110). The ring was a powerful ring because it had the ability to steal the powers from the Supers. As Daniel left the study who heard a noise back from the study and came to see it was Louisa on the ground being watched by a shadow like figure. The supers didn’t know what to do. They didn’t know if it was another shroud or just an evil creature protecting Herman’s layer. The Supers decided they needed to stay together after what happened in the study. As the Supers were enjoying a normal Halloween night when a hoard of the shadow creatures attacked all the supers. Unknowingly Daniel stole the powers of Eric and Rose (sister of Louisa who can become invisible). He fought off all the shades but the attacks became scarier and Daniel was more scared of his new powers. Daniel realized finally through all the snooping of Theo that he wasn’t the villain and they needed to go back to the quarry and find out the leader of the shades.  When they reached the lair they found Herman locked up trapped by the shades. They also discovered the shades were the powers of the people Herman stole from whose spirited just wanted to be free. The Supers then take out Herman who tells them about why he was locked up but at the same time the shades go and take over the town. Daniel realizes that the only way to free them is to take the pendant which stole powers from the supers. Once Daniel does this he realizes he saves the town and all the supers who ever lost their powers regain them and get their powers back.

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Lebron Cena

Book review of Dark Life by Kat Falls

In the book Dark Life by Kat Falls, the main character Ty goes down into Coldsleep Canyon with nothing but a diveskin and a manta board. While hiding from sea creatures in a derelict sub, he finds a girl from the topside named Gemma, who has never seen a dark life.

“People don’t eat fish that glow in the dark.” She said.

“Down here we do.” He said.

“Really? That’s so — “ Bounding forward, she jabbed me in the ribs with her flashlight. I gasped in pain while she gasped even louder. “Hot tar! You are real.” (Kat Falls 7). This made me laugh because it shows that she had never seen a person with a shine.

We meet Ty’s sister Zoe, when she comes home from “fishing”.

“Even other settlers, who were used to kids with shimmering skin, got tricked into thinking that Zoe was angelic because of her wide eyes and blond curls. Then they got to know her.” (Kat Falls 61).

Kat Falls writing style in this book shows she has humor and at the same time has romance, the theme of Dark Life is that love is made not given. You should read this book!

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In The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan, the author maintains many separate plot lines while still keeping focus on a single series of events. The book takes place in a world that is never specifically named, but consists of many large kingdoms and peoples. It takes place during “one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past” (Jordan 15). The book starts where the last book in the series left off. The main, character, Rand al’Thor, had just taken over a palace called the Stone of Tear, which is located in the seaside city of Tear. He soon declared himself the Dragon Reborn, which means that he is the man chosen by prophecy to bring the people of the world together to fight against a strong force of the dark, led by a very powerful being named Ba’alzamon, also known as the Dark One. Rand is able to use a type of magic called the One Power, which is usually only wieldable by a select group of women called the Aes Sedai. Rand resides in the palace with his companions, who are also major characters in the plot. Perrin Aybara, who is one of Rand’s friends from the village he grew up in, The Two Rivers, is able to speak to wolves and command them. Mat Cauthon, also from the Two Rivers, traveled with Rand as well. Egwene al’Vere, Nyneave al’Meara, and Elayne Trakand, are Aes Sedai in-training and also traveled with Rand and his group. Rand leads an army of desert-dwelling warriors called the Aiel, who follow him through a majority of the book.

Robert Jordan manages to maintain these three plot lines perfectly, while clearly connecting them at different points in the story. An example of this is that all of the characters are fighting against one common enemy. Even though all of the plots take place in different parts of the world, they all relate to retaliating against the Dark One. The author also makes excellent use of imagery throughout the book. Every scene is perfectly described to allow the reader to visualize what is happening. When Rand arrived at Alcair Dal, Jordan describes it as “Almost perfectly round, its gray wall sloped all the way around except for at the far end, where it curled inward like a breaking wave” (Jordan 891). The author expresses expert usage of descriptive language and a simile to show the reader exactly how the canyon looked. Moreover, Jordan builds upon his characters very well, too. Even his minor characters are described in such a way that they seem real. These two things, imagery and characters, very effectively support the author’s intent, which is to entertain the reader with a vast world full of interesting places and people. The recurring theme of the book is that where there is power, there will always be people who seek to destroy it. Overall, in The Shadow Rising, Robert Jordan succeeds at using literary elements and descriptive language to make the book a great pleasure to read.

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The Second Guard by J.D Vaughn was a fantastic and wonderful
book to read. The more and more I got into the book I saw how amazingly J.D
Vaughn had made things to play out in the book. The book had an interesting
plot one that I had never seen before and seeing this new thought and also in
order times made it more interesting.

 

      In the book we
meet these characters Talimendra, Zarif and Chey and their struggles as pledges
training to become warriors of the second guard. The book is well written and
goes into to great detail and visual perceptions of the book. At first we see
their struggles as they train and goes through new things. Then we realize that
they have a greater problem at hand. The book Is amazing for anyone who wants
mystery, action and adventure all in the same book. The more you read the book
the better it gets and makes you want to read the farther you go on. Although
being well written the plot is untouchable its amzing even though its set back
in ilder times. This book is highly advised.

 

      As I  progressed further through the book I found
that most of the predictions that I was making turned out to be false and the
book had different twists and turns. In the end of the book we really are made
a fool as well as Talimendra Zarif and Chet when we find out who was behind all
the evil and who was really backstabbing the realm. I would suggest anyone to
read this book as I found it amazing and such a great book. The way the author
slides in foreshadowing and leads us in this wrong direction making us expect
the worst is amazing. If you are looking for a good book this is definitely an
option for anyone who likes adventure and mystery.

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The Second Guard by J.D Vaughn was a fantastic and wonderful
book to read. The more and more I got into the book I saw how amazingly J.D
Vaughn had made things to play out in the book. The book had an interesting
plot one that I had never seen before and seeing this new thought and also in
order times made it more interesting.

 

      In the book we
meet these characters Talimendra, Zarif and Chey and their struggles as pledges
training to become warriors of the second guard. The book is well written and
goes into to great detail and visual perceptions of the book. At first we see
their struggles as they train and goes through new things. Then we realize that
they have a greater problem at hand. The book Is amazing for anyone who wants
mystery, action and adventure all in the same book. The more you read the book
the better it gets and makes you want to read the farther you go on. Although
being well written the plot is untouchable its amzing even though its set back
in ilder times. This book is highly advised.

 

      As I  progressed further through the book I found
that most of the predictions that I was making turned out to be false and the
book had different twists and turns. In the end of the book we really are made
a fool as well as Talimendra Zarif and Chet when we find out who was behind all
the evil and who was really backstabbing the realm. I would suggest anyone to
read this book as I found it amazing and such a great book. The way the author
slides in foreshadowing and leads us in this wrong direction making us expect
the worst is amazing. If you are looking for a good book this is definitely an
option for anyone who likes adventure and mystery.

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Book Review of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

By: A.L.

The story of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling begins with Harry running away from the home he shared with the Dursleys and finding himself back a Hogwarts. He learns that a prisoner named Sirius Black, who is accused of killing many innocent people and being a faithful servant to Lord Voldemort, has escaped Azkaban and is out to get Harry. With the help of his friends Ron and Hermione, Harry must learn to defeat the dementors-joy sucking entities who now guard the school- save who needs to be saved, and find out the truth.

Everyone should read this book because it is a very quick and exciting read. The author is able to take the reader right through it with suspense and a flowing organization of writing. The characters are all very complex and interesting so the reader becomes very close to them. The complexity of characters allows the reader to become so much more immersed in the story because they feel like they are living through Harry. Rowling’s use of third person omniscient is very effective because it makes it so the reader can understand Harry Potter’s emotions, but also the emotions of certain other characters. The author also uses foreshadowing very well within the plot and demonstrates the theme that people should not always believe what they are told about someone, and that they should always fight for what is right. t��=�ix

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Between Shades of Gray

Between shades of gray by Ruta Sepetys is a diary of a fifteen year old girl named Lina who got arrested by Soviet Secret Police and thrown into a prison camp.  Lina, her mom, and her younger brother were all separated from their father who got sent to a different camp in a completely different state.

It all started in the summer of June 1941.  It was late at night and Lina's father still hadn't returned from work.  Settling into bed, she heard a pounding at the front door.  It was the NKVD.  They only had twenty minutes to get their belongings together and get into the truck waiting outside.  After traveling for hours cramped with other families, they got dumped into a train yard at an unknown location.  If anyone tried to run, they got shot.  If anyone disobeyed the secret police, they were beaten to death.  While the Secret Police were separating people into different train cars, Jonas, Lina’s younger brother, got pulled away from his sister and mother.  Trying to save his life, their mom gave the officer a pocket watch in exchange for Jonas.  “Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's was worth a pocket watch” (Sepetys 27).  Lina and her family got thrown into a train car that was so cramped, they all had to stand.  They were in that train car with no food for six weeks.  At the camp, everyone had to do grueling work from dawn to dusk.  Their food rations depended on their progress.  The Secret Police treated the prisoners horribly.  They thought it was hilarious to see them suffer while they got to sit back and enjoy the show.

He told us to lay down.  He shot into the hole.  Dirt crumbled down from above our heads.  Mrs. Rimas screamed.  Komorov told us to shut up.  He circled around and around, muttering that we were disgusting pigs. Suddenly, he began kicking dirt from the large pile into the hole.  He laughed and kicked faster and faster.  The soil landed on my feet, then on my dress, then on my chest.  He kicked furiously, covering us up in dirt, still pointing the gun at our faces.  If I sat up, I'd be shot.  If I didn't sit up, I'd be buried alive.  BANG!  Then it was quiet. We lay there, buried in our own efforts (Sepetys 150).

All Lina could think about was how she needed to survive to get to her father.  She had left little clues at each train stop in hope that her father would see and find them.  “I thought about papa.  Did he know how much I missed him?  I clutched his handkerchief in my pocket, thinking of his smiling face” (Sepetys 73).  Once the winter months came, their mother died of scurvy and Jonas almost died of it as well but help came at the last minute.  Lina's love for her dad was the only thing left keeping her alive.  Everyone in this time period only thought that Hitler was treating the Jews bad but not a lot of people knew about how the Soviets also had prisoners.  They kept it a secret.

I loved how this novel illustrates how Lina grows from an unsure, nervous girl to a confident, brave young woman.  This book made me appreciate the things I have and now I understand the kinds of things people went through in Soviet prison camps.  I also loved how it also had some romance in it between Lina and a boy she meets named Andrius.  I liked how this novel was written as a diary because I could see everything through Lina's eyes and it was phenomenal.  The novel was so beautifully written it was as if I was experiencing the same things Lina was.  It was a very emotional page turner.  It demands to be read in one sitting.  I would absolutely recommend this book to others.

5.googl4���>FL

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Sunrise over Fallujah Book Review

A.T

Private Robin Perry AKA “birdy” is deployed overseas to Fallujah, Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom to free the Iraqis and take down Haddam Hussein.  Birdy is in the Civil Affairs unit, “the Civil Affair team, will be on board to see what the Iraqi noncombatants need so that [the army] can begin the rebuilding process as soon as possible” (Myers, 6).  Through the book, Birdy goes on various little missions to help out citizens in Iraq, so that the United States can make good with the citizens of Iraq, and his squad job is to convince Iraqis to cooperate with the army. Robin mentions why he joins the army, he says, “Uncle Richie, I felt like crap after 9/11 and wanted to do something, to stand up for my country. I think if Dad had been my age, he would have done the same thing” (Myers, 2).  Birdy has an inner conflict with himself as he asks himself, why are we here, what are we really doing to help?  I personally enjoyed the book, I liked how Myers told a story of how a soldier’s day to day life was like overseas in Iraq and how he talked about their daily problems like dealing with a bunch of people in their unit and being scared of the possibility of being blown up at any moment in time.  Myers would add letters Birdy would write home to his mom and Uncle in between chapters telling how Birdy was feeling.  Walters gives an excellent example of what being a soldier really is like.

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Wintergirls, by: Laurie Anderson

Lia had an unfortunate disease, Anorexia. She was constantly worried about how much she was eating and how much she weighed that it was hard for her to live her life. She felt as if she needed to release herself, so this is when she started cutting. To her no one in her family understand. Cassie, her best friend and next door neighbor, was the only one who knew what she was feeling. Unlike Lia, Cassie did eat. She ate a lot! But she couldn’t except that, so she made herself vomit. It was so serious to the point that she ruptured her esophagus and suffered through a horrible death. This just made things even more stressful for Lia. She couldn’t take it any longer...

I absolutely love this book. I have read some of Laurie Anderson's books before but this has to be my favorite. It’s the believable depressing scenarios like this that just pull me in. I love the fact that Anderson writes in first person, which lets me as a reader know how Lia is feeling and I can relate easier. This disease is a real problem that some people are facing everyday so it lets the reader know what they are going through.

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R M                            
                           
Mrs. Kleman
                                   
Honors English 9
                        
10/22/16
                                                    
      Famous Last Words: A Review     

 

 

           

In Famous Last Words by
Katie Alender, Willa is a teenage girl who’s been seeing dead people for quite some
time.  Just when she thinks she’s getting
over it, her mom drags her across the country to live with her new boyfriend,
Jonathan in the Hollywood Hills.  The
mansion they move in to is discovered to have once housed a great actress who
was murdered.  This does not bode well
for Willa as she starts seeing spirits once again.  What’s worse is that a killer is on the loose
in Hollywood, who preys on young, rich, teenage girls with a pretty face (like
Willa).  The killer seems to have a habit
of leaving the murder scenes looking like famous movie scenes.  To make matters worse, Willa starts seeing the scenes through their victim’s
eyes.  The story is a fast-pace adventure
filled with romance, ghosts, and mysterious murders.  When Willa comes face-to-face with the
killer, she realizes it’s up to her to stop him before she ends up as the next victim.                                                   

This novel is a perfect read for those looking for a modern
twist on a classic plot.  Jam-packed with
everything from high-school drama to chilling murder, this book is guaranteed
to keep you on the edge of your seat. 
Katie Alender constructs the story in such a beautiful way, providing
twists and turns that will leave you questioning “Who??” until the very end.  All of her characters a written in a gorgeous
and detailed manner, making them seem to be real.  A strong warning is included when reading
this book, for you WILL get your heart ripped out if you get too attached to
certain characters.  Will Willa’s friends
have her back, or will she be left standing alone?  Riveting from start to finish, I would
strongly suggest this book for lovers of mystery, the supernatural, or
romance.  Famous Last Words is a world of its own and is not to be passed
over.

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R M                            
                           
Mrs. Kleman
                                   
Honors English 9
                        
10/22/16
                                                    
      Famous Last Words: A Review     

 

 

           

In Famous Last Words by
Katie Alender, Willa is a teenage girl who’s been seeing dead people for quite some
time.  Just when she thinks she’s getting
over it, her mom drags her across the country to live with her new boyfriend,
Jonathan in the Hollywood Hills.  The
mansion they move in to is discovered to have once housed a great actress who
was murdered.  This does not bode well
for Willa as she starts seeing spirits once again.  What’s worse is that a killer is on the loose
in Hollywood, who preys on young, rich, teenage girls with a pretty face (like
Willa).  The killer seems to have a habit
of leaving the murder scenes looking like famous movie scenes.  To make matters worse, Willa starts seeing the scenes through their victim’s
eyes.  The story is a fast-pace adventure
filled with romance, ghosts, and mysterious murders.  When Willa comes face-to-face with the
killer, she realizes it’s up to her to stop him before she ends up as the next victim.                                                   

This novel is a perfect read for those looking for a modern
twist on a classic plot.  Jam-packed with
everything from high-school drama to chilling murder, this book is guaranteed
to keep you on the edge of your seat. 
Katie Alender constructs the story in such a beautiful way, providing
twists and turns that will leave you questioning “Who??” until the very end.  All of her characters a written in a gorgeous
and detailed manner, making them seem to be real.  A strong warning is included when reading
this book, for you WILL get your heart ripped out if you get too attached to
certain characters.  Will Willa’s friends
have her back, or will she be left standing alone?  Riveting from start to finish, I would
strongly suggest this book for lovers of mystery, the supernatural, or
romance.  Famous Last Words is a world of its own and is not to be passed
over.

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It's a perfectly normal day for sixteen-year-old Cassie Sullivan, she is hopelessly crushing on star quarterback Ben Parish, and everything is business as usual. That is until her phone blinks off in the middle of the third school period, exactly like everyone else's. Minutes later, a jet comes screeching out of the sky, igniting the ground into roaring flames on impact. The school's power goes out. Lights, phones, cars, planes, trains, and all other electronics are rendered useless. This is the first of five Waves. Now, Cassie must quite literally fight for her life in this life-shattering apocalypse.

Yancey utilizes many different methods of lasting effect within the reader in The Fifth Wave. Notably: intentional line breaks and symbolism. Line breaks are used to create powerful moments, and really help create such an invigorating read. The author also utilizes thematic development to create a truly interesting plot that easily keeps the reader’s attention. These elements were successfully implemented and were not out of place. The author's purpose of creating a dynamic, intricately woven storyline with complex characters and events that inspire inferences was clear throughout the novel and brilliantly executed as well. It is a fantastic read that almost any sci-fi fan will be sure to enjoy. If you see this book in your local book store, as well as its two sequels, give it a try and see how you like it.

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D. K.

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These
Broken Stars

By:
M H

                        These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and
Meagan Spooner is a mind-blowing story that will keep the reader intrigued
until the end.  The setting of this fantasy
thriller begins in a spaceship called Icarus.  The Icarus
crashes and only two individuals are able to locate an escape pod, enabling
their survival.  The two survivors are Lilac
LaRoux, daughter of the richest man in the universe, and Tarver Merendsen, a
war hero.  Crashing on a mysterious
planet, Lilac and Tarver struggle to reach the crash site of the Icarus. 
However, they soon begin to notice that the planet isn't like the other
terraformed planets.  They first start to
realize something is eerie about the planet when Tarver discovers plants and
animals that he has never encountered before, "What kind of a terraformed
planet is this, with a thing that like running around? There's no reason to
introduce a higher-order predator into a place like this; the felines should be
a quarter this size or less" (Kaufman and Spooner 94).  Their priorities change later on in the book,
causing them to dig deeper to try and uncover the truth of the planet.  

             The authors do a fantastic job of building an
interesting setting and plot by using specific details.  The reader receives a clear image of what the
planet should look like.  During the
whole book, the reader is on a journey with them, trying to survive the harsh
new elements of the planet.  However,
along the way, the author hints at a bigger issue that they will face, creating
a huge plot twist at the end of the book that will shock the reader.  These Broken Stars has wonderful
characters that anyone can relate to and funny sarcastic remarks that will
cause the reader to laugh out loud.  I
recommend this book to anyone who comes across it because it may be my favorite
book, and that is saying a lot.

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These
Broken Stars

By:
M H

                        These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and
Meagan Spooner is a mind-blowing story that will keep the reader intrigued
until the end.  The setting of this fantasy
thriller begins in a spaceship called Icarus.  The Icarus
crashes and only two individuals are able to locate an escape pod, enabling
their survival.  The two survivors are Lilac
LaRoux, daughter of the richest man in the universe, and Tarver Merendsen, a
war hero.  Crashing on a mysterious
planet, Lilac and Tarver struggle to reach the crash site of the Icarus. 
However, they soon begin to notice that the planet isn't like the other
terraformed planets.  They first start to
realize something is eerie about the planet when Tarver discovers plants and
animals that he has never encountered before, "What kind of a terraformed
planet is this, with a thing that like running around? There's no reason to
introduce a higher-order predator into a place like this; the felines should be
a quarter this size or less" (Kaufman and Spooner 94).  Their priorities change later on in the book,
causing them to dig deeper to try and uncover the truth of the planet.  

             The authors do a fantastic job of building an
interesting setting and plot by using specific details.  The reader receives a clear image of what the
planet should look like.  During the
whole book, the reader is on a journey with them, trying to survive the harsh
new elements of the planet.  However,
along the way, the author hints at a bigger issue that they will face, creating
a huge plot twist at the end of the book that will shock the reader.  These Broken Stars has wonderful
characters that anyone can relate to and funny sarcastic remarks that will
cause the reader to laugh out loud.  I
recommend this book to anyone who comes across it because it may be my favorite
book, and that is saying a lot.

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The Beckoners Book Review

Carrie Mac's "The Beckoners" accounts the adventures of Zoe, a new girl in a frigid town. This may sound familiar, because "The Beckoners" is an excessively cliché book. I felt Mac spent too much time molding Zoe into a grungy and edgy character to develop the plot. By the end of the book, I knew and understood Zoe, but the book felt almost pointless, as if nothing important happened. Mac focused on character development, rather than literary elements. This resulted in a sloppy story, filled with overwhelming problems, and unrealistic storylines. Another reason I abhorred the book was because Mac loaded the story with issues such as alcoholism, family issues, rape, bullying, poverty, and abuse. I think the story would have been better if she chose a few of these complications, instead of wedging them all into one story. In conclusion, while reading, I felt like either nothing was happening, or too much was going on...I believe the perfect book is right in between. I would not recommend this book to someone who loves adventure, and mystery. "The Beckoners" is very bland, dry and bewildering.

One theme of  "The Beckoners" is that being in the in-crowd does not make your life perfect, or make you cool. This book would help someone who is struggling with that concept...but I feel at my age and maturity, most of us (my peers) understand that concept very well. I am not sure who I would recommend this book to, due to the fact that the theme is very juvenile, while the topics are very mature. Overall, the book was highly strange and I would not recommend it.

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The Madwoman Upstairs is the first novel published by Catherine Lowell, which is an amazing entrance to the world of authors. Although it's set in the modern world, it's got a historical tint and it beckons readers all over the world. Not only is it a tribute to the Brontë s, it's also a nod to female authors and their struggle to get recognition.

Samantha Whipple is the last remaining relative of the Brontë s, who haunt her. Her father, famous author Tristan Whipple (who has various aliases) was an alcoholic that obsessed over his ancestors' books, their legacy. After a fire suddenly killed him, Sam discovers that her father's will, like many of aspects of him, is cryptic. While attempting to understand her father's last message to her and handling her grief, she enters the college life. Sam's new professor, James Orville the III, is as impressive as his name: one of the youngest professor as well as strikingly handsome- if only he wasn't hellbent on playing the devil's advocate. Through her professor, the main characters tries to understand the past of her ancestors. Inconsistencies appear in their masterpieces and Sam suspects foul play. Were these inconsistencies due to the inexperience of the authors or was there some theft involved? To solve this mystery, a series of adventures occur; these include midnight trysts and breaking into rooms. Sam attempts follow the literary map that her enigmatic father left her in order to do this. While trying to find the last remaining piece of him, a staggering truth is revealed and a ghost comes back from the past. Faced with a scandal, Sam admits that she doesn't know her father at all. During this, Sam realizes that she may have uncovered a very disturbing past as well as a dysfunctional family (to say the least). Was Mad-Woman Bertha, real? Was there someone that her family tried desperately to hide away?
All in all, the only disappointing thing about this book was the ending, or rather the existence of one. Throughout the novel, the main character learns to interpret literature and its elements. She questions whether the story is 'true' since narrators are rather unreliable; this little fact left me with a sense of unease as the book drew to an end as she says that authors will often invent happy endings they want. Throughout the book, I was provided with a sense of dramatic irony and ‘breaking the fourth wall'. Humorous and painfully awkward in a real-as-life way, this book reaches out to any lover-of-literature. Although conspiracy theories aren't something one would consider to exist in the society of literature, Ms. Lowell artfully (as well as subtly) creates one of the mysterious Brontë family.  -MA

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Ashes, by Ilsa J. Bick, is about 16 year-old Alex, who has a brain tumor, as she hikes to Lake Superior to spread her parents’ ashes. As Alex begins hiking, an electromagnetic pulse spreads across the earth, which has birds dropping from the sky, deer plunging off cliffs, and people dying left and right and has young people everywhere turning into cannibalistic beasts.

For the most part, the beginning of the book is very action-packed and is easy to follow. Part II, on the other hand, is very slow and difficult to follow.

In the first half, the main conflict is survival, but in the second half, the conflict turns into a love triangle. Alex meets Chris, and he falls in love with her, but she still loves Tom. The book itself is more of a combination of The 5th Wave (apocalyptic dystopia) and Mockingjay (inside corruption) than it is an original idea. I do not recommend this book because it just seems like a book you’ve read 1,000 times before in every other young adult no

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Traitor:

By Andy McNab and Robert Rigby

Danny Watts is your average seventeen-year-old. Thinking
about college, girls, and who he truly is and becoming. He also had a family
that had been in the army for the past three generations, shaping him into a
solider. When he goes to be recruited, they denied him because of his
grandfather that he had never heard of. They said he had committed treason, had
broken out of jail, and come for him so they wanted nothing to do with him.
Danny was on his own and scared of this "ghost" coming for him.

That all happened within the first three chapters. Andy McNab
and Robert Rigby have created a suspenseful, action packed master piece. The
piece is filled every possible kind of visualization, taking you into the
story, keeping you up at night because the suspense is inevitable.

Together, Andy McNab and Robert Rigby have seemed to become
one writer. They have something to their writing that is the perfect blend of
each other. Together, they seemed to have 95 percent action verbs, just as they
made the book 95 percent action.

 

I would highly suggest this book to someone looking for a
book to read. The last thing I would say to them about the book is "good
luck getting some sleep".

 

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Traitor:

By Andy McNab and Robert Rigby

Danny Watts is your average seventeen-year-old. Thinking
about college, girls, and who he truly is and becoming. He also had a family
that had been in the army for the past three generations, shaping him into a
solider. When he goes to be recruited, they denied him because of his
grandfather that he had never heard of. They said he had committed treason, had
broken out of jail, and come for him so they wanted nothing to do with him.
Danny was on his own and scared of this "ghost" coming for him.

That all happened within the first three chapters. Andy McNab
and Robert Rigby have created a suspenseful, action packed master piece. The
piece is filled every possible kind of visualization, taking you into the
story, keeping you up at night because the suspense is inevitable.

Together, Andy McNab and Robert Rigby have seemed to become
one writer. They have something to their writing that is the perfect blend of
each other. Together, they seemed to have 95 percent action verbs, just as they
made the book 95 percent action.

 

I would highly suggest this book to someone looking for a
book to read. The last thing I would say to them about the book is "good
luck getting some sleep".

 

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Library of Souls is the third book of the Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children exceptionally written fantasy series by Ransom Riggs. The novel, written in first person, depicts the extraordinary lives of Jacob Portman and his friends. The main characters are spectacular children who have peculiar powers, and their ymbryne (caretaker) Miss Peregrine. Jacob’s peculiarity is to control and see invisible monsters called hollowgasts. Jacob and his girlfriend, Emma Bloom, are trying to save their friends and ymbryne from impending doom throughout most of the novel. They face creatures and obstacles nearly impossible to overcome. Their lives are depictions of the unknown and insane that no other author has thought of or come close to writing. Even the main character knows his life is completely backwards and unusual. “Just a story. It had become one of the defining truths of my life that, no matter how I tried to keep them flattened, two-dimensional, jailed in paper and ink, there would always be stories that refused to stay bound inside books. It was never just a story. I would know: a story had swallowed my whole life” (Riggs 371). Jacob had been a normal kid with a normal, boring life, until he found Miss Peregrine and his new family of peculiars. With them, he discovered his hidden talents, many new challenges, and adventures that lied ahead. Finding the Library of Souls, and sealing it shut, was one of these challenges that Jacob overcame to save Peculiardom from an evil ruler, named Caul, and from destruction.

Ransom Riggs wrote this book and series to amaze and entertain readers. His vivid word choice and overall format of the book leads the reader on an unforgettable suspense-filled journey. Riggs also added real photos to each to chapter to make the story exquisitely unique. The characters he created add to the insanity of the novel: peculiar children with individualized powers such as making flames with their hands, bringing clay figures to life, and floating mid-air; a talking, human-like dog, a gigantic, hooded boatman, and white-eyed villainous men called wights. “The boatman was upon us, looming overhead and laughing, his cavernous guffaws booming around us. It might have been a trick of the darkness, but I could’ve sworn I saw a rat tumble from the hood of his cloak, and another slip from his sleeve as he slowly raised an arm towards us” (Riggs 51). The boatman turns out to be named Sharon and he is actually a very nice fellow, but from his bold introduction, many would think otherwise. Riggs uses word choice, dialogue, characters and suspense to fool his readers and develop intense plot-twists. I recommend this book/series to anyone who enjoys peering into their imaginations, and don’t mind trekking knee-deep into great writing. This was a really amazing story and I think everyone should have the pleasure of reading it.

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by Ivy RedwoodThe Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken is a compelling dystopian novel that will keep you dangling by a thread the moment you start the prologue. Struck by an epidemic, America’s government, economy and society completely collapse. Millions of children dwindle in population, but the death count isn’t what’s concerning the government; it’s the survivors. At the age of ten, survivors of IAAN begin developing special ‘abilities’. The government divides them into five groups: the greens; kids that are able to solve any complex puzzle, yellows; the ones who can control electricity with the flick of a hand, blues; teenagers with the ability to move things with their mind, oranges; kids who can manipulate your thoughts with a single touch and reds, who are known for their mass destruction. Ruby, only ten years old when IAAN strikes, watches as her classmates and friends slowly begin vanishing, victims of the disease that has shut America’s borders and left millions unemployed. When the clock strikes midnight on her birthday, the protagonist is thrust into her new ability, harming everyone she’s touched. Consequently, she’s transported to Thurmond, a ‘rehabilitation camp’ laden with hundreds of kids affected by IAAN. When she’s finally broken out, Ruby is challenged to accept the world and life she lost, leading her to a group of kids that will take her heart by storm and drastically alleviate the burden she carries. Yet, one secret could reveal Ruby’s past, danger the ones she’s come to love and remind her that:  “’The darkest minds tend to hide behind the most unlikely faces’” (Bracken 456).

From the similes to the specific imagery, Alexandra Bracken’s writing is simply intoxicating. “If it were possible, the car looked worse than before- like a toy that someone had wedged down the sink and run down the garbage disposal” (Bracken 124). Although the novel takes place in a dystopian America, Bracken makes the setting of the East Coast feel tangible. The silence that fills the highways, the dull abandoned towns and the homeless milled around motels are just fragments of the picture Bracken paints. Her writing encourages you to follow Ruby and join this dysfunctional group to fight for a place in this world. The emotions Ruby expresses and the thought shots Bracken conveys have you laughing, crying and cringing with every word. Likewise, her characters grasp your attention, ensnaring you with their dialogue and backstories. Even when the storyline feels like it’s about to drag, a plot twist will have you tossing The Darkest Minds down the stairs, immediately regretting it and then plunging though the book for several hours. Without hesitation, I would recommend The Darkest Minds to everyone interested in dystopian, sci-fi or fantasy young adult novels, especially readers new to the genre.

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In this riveting novel, authors Laura Komie and Sephanie Dray, tell a story of a pioneer girl learning how to live with the hardships of being a president’s daughter. By using extensive research and primary sources, they tell a tale of Maratha Patsy Jefferson Randolph and her life as Thomas Jefferson’s daughter.

As a young girl, Patsy had been exposed to the troubled life of a patriot. As Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, she has learned first-hand about fear, loss, pride, and love. Her love for her father was ever-lasting and after her mother’s devastating death, she became her father’s rock.

Patsy Jefferson is put through many trials throughout her life. While helping her father’s grief over his lost wife, she was stripped of her childhood. From a young age, Patsy Jefferson had learned the evils of the world. After losing her mother, Patsy is torn from her sister and taken to France where the revolution was blooming. All while helping her father, she is engaged in a secret love affair with her father’s apprentice. Patsy must make a decision between family and love that will determine her life.

From dazzling court rooms in France, to the muggy wooden Monticello, Patsy must make choices far more difficult than anything she has ever done. Patsy’s choice will define her existence, as a loving wife or her father’s foundation.

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Marissa Meyer’s novel Winter, the fourth and final addition to The Lunar Chronicles, is a futuristic adaptation of the classic fairytale Snow White. Seventeen-year-old Princess Winter is undeniably the most beautiful young woman on the moon, as well as the step-daughter of the evil Queen Levana. She is trying to undermine the queen by helping the rightful heir to the Lunar throne, Princess Selene, start a revolution.

This novel is set far in the future, after Earth has accomplished world peace, and established a colony on the moon. The Lunar colony broke away from Earth, and over the years, its inhabitants have gained the peculiar ability to manipulate bioelectricity. This means they can take control of another person’s body, and change their own appearance at will. If the Lunars do not use their ability, they slowly go mad. Winter has not used her gift in several years, and is suffering the detrimental side effects of doing so.

This series is about the lost princess, Princess Selene, trying to take back the Lunar monarchy from Levana. The fourth book starts when she finally makes it to the moon, and starts to gather support from the oppressed working class. Winter is stuck at the castle for most of the book, but is doing everything she can to assist the revolution. She even takes in one of Selene’s companions, after the girl is accidentally left behind in the capital.

I love Meyer’s writing style, and how she stays very true to the original version of Snow White. In one part, Queen Levana disguises herself as an old woman, and gives Winter a poisoned candy apple. Winter then goes into a coma, and has to be put in a suspension chamber so she has a chance of survival, while Selene goes to the capital to get the antidote. This is very similar to the part of Snow White when the queen disguises herself and gives Snow White a poisoned apple, which puts her into a deep sleep.

Everything about this book, even the font, has a futuristic feel to it. Meyer describes the technology with such detail, is could almost be real. The new world she describes is drastically different than ours, and she explains why, in a way that could be possible. After World War IV, the earth is in ruins, and is rebuilt with new alliances and relationships between political leaders.

Overall, I would recommend this book to teenage readers, because of the complicated topics the series covers: from politics to war tactics, and even a little adultery. However, this is a very good read, and a very good example of how even the smallest of details matter to creating a very real-feeling world for the reader.

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We
Are the Ants Book Review

LG

            “We Are the Ants” by Shaun David Hutchinson follows the
traumatic life of Henry Denton. At the age of 13 Henry started being abducted
by the Sluggers, a group of aliens. Henry’s life is a tangled mess. His family
is unstable with a grandma who has memory loss, a brother with a pregnant
girlfriend, and a mom with an unstable job. Henry’s boyfriend committed suicide
and didn’t leave a trace as to why. One of the times the sluggers abducted him
the gave Henry a choice: press the red button and the world is saved, or don’t
press the red button and the world ends. Henry was in a rough place after Jesse
died. “Think about the absurdity of brushing your teeth, of arguing with your
mother over the appropriateness of what you’re wearing to school, of homework,
of grade-point averages and boyfriends and hot school lunches. And life. Think
about the absurdity of life.,” (Hutchinson 6). Eventually he met Diego. Diego
was a new student who had Henry wrapped around his finger instantly. Henry
realized he really like Diego and that he was the one worth living for. Is
Henry going to press the button, or let the world end?

            There are a couple of things I absolutely adored about
the book, and a few I didn’t. I loved how the author told you things before
they were very relevant to help you understand the rest of the book. He told
the reader about Jesse and how his death scarred Henry when getting into
relationships, before he met Diego. I liked how Hutchinson added a lot of
suspense. In between chapters he would flash forward to the future. One thing I
didn’t like was how he ended the book. I feel like he should’ve added some of
the characters later feelings about the world ending, because Henry’s feelings
definitely changed. Overall I absolutely loved this book. I never get tired of
reading it over and over again.

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We
Are the Ants Book Review

LG

            “We Are the Ants” by Shaun David Hutchinson follows the
traumatic life of Henry Denton. At the age of 13 Henry started being abducted
by the Sluggers, a group of aliens. Henry’s life is a tangled mess. His family
is unstable with a grandma who has memory loss, a brother with a pregnant
girlfriend, and a mom with an unstable job. Henry’s boyfriend committed suicide
and didn’t leave a trace as to why. One of the times the sluggers abducted him
the gave Henry a choice: press the red button and the world is saved, or don’t
press the red button and the world ends. Henry was in a rough place after Jesse
died. “Think about the absurdity of brushing your teeth, of arguing with your
mother over the appropriateness of what you’re wearing to school, of homework,
of grade-point averages and boyfriends and hot school lunches. And life. Think
about the absurdity of life.,” (Hutchinson 6). Eventually he met Diego. Diego
was a new student who had Henry wrapped around his finger instantly. Henry
realized he really like Diego and that he was the one worth living for. Is
Henry going to press the button, or let the world end?

            There are a couple of things I absolutely adored about
the book, and a few I didn’t. I loved how the author told you things before
they were very relevant to help you understand the rest of the book. He told
the reader about Jesse and how his death scarred Henry when getting into
relationships, before he met Diego. I liked how Hutchinson added a lot of
suspense. In between chapters he would flash forward to the future. One thing I
didn’t like was how he ended the book. I feel like he should’ve added some of
the characters later feelings about the world ending, because Henry’s feelings
definitely changed. Overall I absolutely loved this book. I never get tired of
reading it over and over again.

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Clary Fray, a normal highschool girl, gets her world flipped upside down when she witnesses a murder. Weird thing is, no one else can see it. Why could only she see it and what was so odd about this murder? Find out in City of Bones

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The Naturals by Jennifer Lynne Barnes is a very fast-paced and intriguing murder mystery riddled with romance and many unknowns. 17 year old Cassandra Hobbes is sliding by her everyday work routine when out of the blue one of her customers will change her life forever. Less then 24 hours later Cassie finds herself in the office of Special Agent Tanner Briggs being offered to secretly work for the FBI as a natural person reader with other teenage geniuses and solve serial murders and cold cases. Soon after she agrees to take part in the program she is in Quantico, Virginia where she is welcomed by Agent Locke, Cassie's profiling coach; Michael, who can read emotions; Sloane, who is a natural with numbers and statistics; Lia, who is a human lie detector; and Dean who shares Cassie's gift of profiling. As time passes by and Cassie becomes more in tune with her skill she wishes to work more than just cold cases, and that wish soon comes true. Her biggest setback is the gruesome murder of her mother seven years before in her dressing room. This often comes up when Cassie is having a tough time profiling somebody. "My mom stumbled backward. She fell. Blood turned blue silk red. It splattered against the walls. There was so much of it—to much" (Barnes 92). As the FBI agents in charge of the naturals become stuck on a certain serial killer, Cassie tries to find out more on the current case and tries to help as she believes it is somehow related to her moms murder as well. Her suspicions are soon confirmed when she receives two slick black boxes containing evidence that Cassie is the killers next victim. With some pressuring she is finally allowed onto the case and it’s a race against time to find the killer.

I very much enjoyed reading this book and would definitely recommend reading it. Although it was a great book parts of it were slightly repetitive like Cassie finding her mother missing and the blood all over the dressing room. Also, I don’t think the FBI would allow teenagers to work on murders when they should be in high school learning. It was also suspicious that the entire book revolved around Cassie and the murder of her mother that occurred seven years before. There are a few slight problems with the validity of the book but overall it was a great read.

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E.C.D.

In Veronica Roth's novel Divergent she creates an enveloping story about Beatrice Prior, commonly known by the nickname Tris. Tris lives in a dystopian future where the city is divided into five factions, Erudite, Candor, Amite, Dauntless, and Abnegation. Beatrice originally  belongs to the faction of Abnegation. She chooses to become a member of the Dauntless at the choosing ceremony when someone is in their sixteenth year of life they choose their faction that they are to stay in until they die. Before the ceremony those who will be choosing will be tested to help make their choice. During the test Tris is told she is Divergent and that she cant tell anyone. This secret will become a main part to the story later on.

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I enjoyed this book a lot. I thought that the author took the reader on a great adventure through time. They described each event in a specific and exiting way. The descriptive language zoomed into the piece in every way possible. The clues that were given throughout the story, foreshadowed to events in the end. Paying attention to every detail that was provided, gave the reader a way to focus on the important parts. I recommend reading this book for an exciting experience.

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Book Review by J.E.

The book "Black Hole Sun" by David Macinnis Gill is a science-fiction novel about a chief and his Davos (group of mercenaries) defending the miners and their home from a cannibalistic tribe called the Draeu whose queen is after some chigoes, deadly creatures capable of horrendous things.

The novel was very action-packed and left me on the edge of my seat all the time. It was fast-paced and a thrilling story for the readers to enjoy.  I thought the book was well-made and I think people who are into intense action and suspense should definitely read this book. I found it interesting how the author would change the perspective from Jacob to the Draeu queen every now and then because it helped put together the idea of what the queen was trying to accomplish, and showing her role and personality at the same time. The author does a good job of letting the reader know what the protagonists and antagonists are like, which added greatly to the book and everyone's role in it. The book did have a few typos, but besides that small detail, I think this was an amazing novel that a lot of people would love to read.

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Year of Impossible Goodbyes Book Review

A.T.

            In the book, Year of Impossible Goodbyes, Sook
Nyul Choi conveys a heartfelt, true story of when she was a young girl trying
to escape North Korea while it was being taken over by the Japanese and
Communist Russia.  Choi shares many traumatic experiences from the
things she saw and lived through during this time in her life.  In
the beginning of the book, Sookan’s father leaves her family to fight the
Japanese who were attempting to take over North Korea.  Soon after, her older brothers were forcefully
sent off to a labor camp controlled by the Japanese.  Sookan is left with just her mother and
younger brother, Inchun.  Their mother
was told she had to run a sock factory for Japan.  Sookan and Inchun were required to go to a
Japanese school.  At this school, she was
forced to learn the Japanese language and abandon her Korean heritage.  After many years of struggle, the war was
finally over and Sookan’s life had almost gotten back to the way it was before
the war.  Unexpectedly, Communist Russia
invaded North Korea and Sookan’s life was torn apart again.  Her family knew the only way for them to
escape the horrible life in North Korea is to flee to South Korea, which was
controlled by America. They set off for a long journey to South Korea.  At only ten years old, Sookan is left alone
to take care of her younger brother on the grueling journey while they hope to
reach South Korea.  Read the book to find
out whether they make it to south Korea or not! 


            I definitely recommend reading this book.  Year of Impossible Goodbyes takes a
reader through a wide range of emotions: laughter, anger, sadness, and
thankfulness.  It is a very heartwarming true
story that makes a reader want to hug their loved ones a little tighter.  This book opened my eyes and made me realize
what life can be like for children in other countries.  It also showed me how important our freedom
is.  Being born in America, I automatically
have the right to choose which ever religion I want to follow, any culture I
want to be a part of, and any language I want to speak.  It helped me understand that I am very fortunate
to live in a country that provides me that kind of freedom.  

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Year of Impossible Goodbyes Book Review

A.T.

            In the book, Year of Impossible Goodbyes, Sook
Nyul Choi conveys a heartfelt, true story of when she was a young girl trying
to escape North Korea while it was being taken over by the Japanese and
Communist Russia.  Choi shares many traumatic experiences from the
things she saw and lived through during this time in her life.  In
the beginning of the book, Sookan’s father leaves her family to fight the
Japanese who were attempting to take over North Korea.  Soon after, her older brothers were forcefully
sent off to a labor camp controlled by the Japanese.  Sookan is left with just her mother and
younger brother, Inchun.  Their mother
was told she had to run a sock factory for Japan.  Sookan and Inchun were required to go to a
Japanese school.  At this school, she was
forced to learn the Japanese language and abandon her Korean heritage.  After many years of struggle, the war was
finally over and Sookan’s life had almost gotten back to the way it was before
the war.  Unexpectedly, Communist Russia
invaded North Korea and Sookan’s life was torn apart again.  Her family knew the only way for them to
escape the horrible life in North Korea is to flee to South Korea, which was
controlled by America. They set off for a long journey to South Korea.  At only ten years old, Sookan is left alone
to take care of her younger brother on the grueling journey while they hope to
reach South Korea.  Read the book to find
out whether they make it to south Korea or not! 


            I definitely recommend reading this book.  Year of Impossible Goodbyes takes a
reader through a wide range of emotions: laughter, anger, sadness, and
thankfulness.  It is a very heartwarming true
story that makes a reader want to hug their loved ones a little tighter.  This book opened my eyes and made me realize
what life can be like for children in other countries.  It also showed me how important our freedom
is.  Being born in America, I automatically
have the right to choose which ever religion I want to follow, any culture I
want to be a part of, and any language I want to speak.  It helped me understand that I am very fortunate
to live in a country that provides me that kind of freedom.  

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Book Review on The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is a modern-day Bible for teenagers. It’s practically the definition of high school. Chbosky talks about what it’s like to feel empty, abused, and alive all at the same time during your teenage years. This is simply a story that gives you the chance to relate and connect. Although you have to have a certain level of maturity to understand the story and some parts could be thought to be too adult, it truly is a fantastic book. Charlie, the main character and protagonist, struggles with PTSD, depression, and anxiety. These disorders are absolutely represented in today’s teenage society. Charlie is someone to relate to. Many teenagers believe that no one is going through the same thing, but reading this book can show anyone that that is a false statement. With thematic elements such as character development, theme, and mood, you will be at your knees for a sequel. This story isn’t just 213 pages of ink, its 213 pages talking about what others are afraid to talk about. Afraid to explore the mind of a teenager, talk about mental illness, and most of all, afraid to embrace the basic fact that life isn’t easy.

Chbosky makes us feel emotions that are relatable or foreign. He writes a story that is eye opening or understandable. He gives the reader what they want, stories filled with happy times and low points. He gives the reader something that is true to life, not all books can be about when the guy gets the girl or when everything turns out right. The Perks of Being a Wallflower shows the downsides of what it’s like to be an introvert and the perks of being one. Although there is really no resolution at the end, it still gave the reader a feeling of complete. It explains what some people don’t understand and it creates awareness for teens in real life. It’s not just a story of a quiet kid. It takes you through the journey of high school from the view point of a socially awkward boy who struggles with common disorders. Chbosky just lays everything out. He makes a story and someone reads it. They interpret it how they want and spread it around the world. Who knows, it may just show someone that they aren’t as alone as they thought they were.

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If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Book Review

M.P. 

 

Mia slips into a coma after being
involved in a deadly car accident killing her mom, dad and brother.  She’s rushed to the hospital immediately.  Throughout her stay, she looks back at the
past memories.  Then, finds out that it’s
her decision whether to stay or go.  “If I stay. 
If I live.  It’s up to me” (Forman
88).  Throughout her life, she has
discovered her extraordinary talent: playing the cello.  Hearing the way she plays will leave you speechless.  She has built priceless relationships and has
a promising future at the college she has decided to go to in New York.  In the end, Mia has to make the decision to
either end or live the rest of your life.

While I read this book, I was
amazed by how realistic it seemed.  It
felt as if I was watching everything unfold right in front of me.  There was so much suspense building up to the
end, where Mia was deciding to stay or go, it seemed as if it could’ve gone
either way.  It made me think, what would
I choose?

If
I Stay is a heart-felt disaster, filled with chaos, suspense, and
romance.  There’s always constant drama with
tension with every turn of the page.  A
memorable book that will leave you teary-eyed. 

 

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If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Book Review

M.P. 

 

Mia slips into a coma after being
involved in a deadly car accident killing her mom, dad and brother.  She’s rushed to the hospital immediately.  Throughout her stay, she looks back at the
past memories.  Then, finds out that it’s
her decision whether to stay or go.  “If I stay. 
If I live.  It’s up to me” (Forman
88).  Throughout her life, she has
discovered her extraordinary talent: playing the cello.  Hearing the way she plays will leave you speechless.  She has built priceless relationships and has
a promising future at the college she has decided to go to in New York.  In the end, Mia has to make the decision to
either end or live the rest of your life.

While I read this book, I was
amazed by how realistic it seemed.  It
felt as if I was watching everything unfold right in front of me.  There was so much suspense building up to the
end, where Mia was deciding to stay or go, it seemed as if it could’ve gone
either way.  It made me think, what would
I choose?

If
I Stay is a heart-felt disaster, filled with chaos, suspense, and
romance.  There’s always constant drama with
tension with every turn of the page.  A
memorable book that will leave you teary-eyed. 

 

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The Fever Code by
James Dashner: Review 

 

            In James
Dashner’s The Fever Code, the world
has been ravaged by solar flares that lead to the rise of a new disease dubbed
the Flare. The disease grabs hold of a person’s brain and decays it, leaving
the person psychotic and unstable. An organization entitled WICKED has stepped
up to attempt to stop the Flare from spreading. However, to achieve their
goals, they use unwilling subjects. One of the subjects, Thomas, is considered
special by WICKED due to the patterns of his brain being much more complex and
he becomes a high-ranking WICKED participant. Throughout his time with WICKED,
he talks to other subjects, gathering any information that he can about his
situation. This book looks at an interesting take on a world ravaged by disease
and anarchy and the views are quite interesting.

            In the
book, Dashner uses Thomas’s situation as a bridge to the reader. Thomas is cut
off from the world and similarly, the reader is consistently left without a
crucial piece of information that would let the reader understand more. Dashner
uses communication between Thomas and the other WICKED subjects as the reader’s
only glimpse into what is beyond Thomas’s life. The reader is reliant on his
friends to get them information through most of the book until Thomas is
granted more powers at WICKED. Dashner will also use flashbacks that Thomas has
from his past life as a reminder of why Thomas is where he is. Every one of
these flashbacks is of something different and it builds the emotions of Thomas
and even helps the reader connect with him because these flashbacks take place
in a world much more similar to the one we live in. It seems nearly impossible
to make a character like Thomas as personable as he is but through Dashner’s
execution of keeping the reader on the same page as Thomas as well as using
Thomas’s personal life as a bridge to connect on, he makes it work and it
completes the novel nicely. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has read
the other Maze Runner books. It is an
excellent ending to a great franchise and does so many things well.

-CJK

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The Fever Code by
James Dashner: Review 

 

            In James
Dashner’s The Fever Code, the world
has been ravaged by solar flares that lead to the rise of a new disease dubbed
the Flare. The disease grabs hold of a person’s brain and decays it, leaving
the person psychotic and unstable. An organization entitled WICKED has stepped
up to attempt to stop the Flare from spreading. However, to achieve their
goals, they use unwilling subjects. One of the subjects, Thomas, is considered
special by WICKED due to the patterns of his brain being much more complex and
he becomes a high-ranking WICKED participant. Throughout his time with WICKED,
he talks to other subjects, gathering any information that he can about his
situation. This book looks at an interesting take on a world ravaged by disease
and anarchy and the views are quite interesting.

            In the
book, Dashner uses Thomas’s situation as a bridge to the reader. Thomas is cut
off from the world and similarly, the reader is consistently left without a
crucial piece of information that would let the reader understand more. Dashner
uses communication between Thomas and the other WICKED subjects as the reader’s
only glimpse into what is beyond Thomas’s life. The reader is reliant on his
friends to get them information through most of the book until Thomas is
granted more powers at WICKED. Dashner will also use flashbacks that Thomas has
from his past life as a reminder of why Thomas is where he is. Every one of
these flashbacks is of something different and it builds the emotions of Thomas
and even helps the reader connect with him because these flashbacks take place
in a world much more similar to the one we live in. It seems nearly impossible
to make a character like Thomas as personable as he is but through Dashner’s
execution of keeping the reader on the same page as Thomas as well as using
Thomas’s personal life as a bridge to connect on, he makes it work and it
completes the novel nicely. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has read
the other Maze Runner books. It is an
excellent ending to a great franchise and does so many things well.

-CJK

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Just Listen by Sarah Dessen focuses on Annabel Greene, a teenage model who appears to have everything crashing down in her life. As the story line goes it reveals Annabel’s dislike of modeling, family problems, her separation from her friends, and (what I thought was the most surprising) her rape. After a while, she finally begins to rebuild her life, whilst befriending a school outlier, Owen, who is utterly obsessed with music.

Dessen's best seller is a witty emotional read that combines romance, comedy, and a depiction of realistic tragedy. This amazing story of Annabel's journey to courage and confidence is a great read that not only entertains you, but teaches you a life lesson. This novel illustrates the arrant importance to have confidence and stick up for yourself. You should defend yourself no matter how scared you are, which doesn’t only apply to situations like being raped. I think another message of the book is that, blocking out your problems will not rid them from your life. “I remember Owen telling me how music had saved him in Phoenix, that it drowned everything out and it was the same for me now. As long as I had something to listen to, I could blur the things I didn't want to think about, if not block them out completely” (Dessen 310). Annabel uses music as a buffer from the problems of her life as she tunes out the rest of the world. Instead of facing her problems, she's trying to pretend they never happened, which never really works as shown in the story. The conflict of what happened in the past comes right back on her and very soon she will realize the only way to truly exterminate your problems is to face them. Sarah Dessen will keep you at the edge of your seat as you explore the tragic life of Annabel Greene, in Just Listen.

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Red Queen Book
Review

By C.C.

            The
novel “Red Queen” by Victoria Aveyard is a thrilling adventure book that
captures a wide variety of readers. The plot centers
on a girl named Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old who lives in a world where
people are discriminated against based on their blood color. In this fantasy
novel, people have either red or silver blood. Red-blooded people are the lowly
commoners while the silvers include the higher ranking royals and the nobles.
Silver-blooded people have unique abilities (such as invisibility or
telekinesis). Mare believes, “The gods rule us still. They have come down from
the stars. And they are no longer kind” (Aveyard 11). Segregation rules the
country and is the main conflict. All silvers are automatically better and
treat commoners harshly. All the reds, including Mare, believe they are
destined to live their lives being treated as less than the high and noble
silvers. One day, Mare stumbles into a situation that reveals that she has an
ability to create and control lightning, even though she is red of blood. This
throws her into a series of events where she is forced to play a long-lost
silver princess, joins a rebel force called the Red Hand that works to
overthrow the silver rulers, and becomes betrothed to a silver prince named
Maven. 

            There
are good areas and confusing areas to this story. There is a well-planned, big
connection to be made throughout the book about the separation of red and
silver blood and the segregation of people based on race in America during the
1900’s. Fair skinned people were seen as better than African-Americans for no
other reason than their skin color. Likewise, in “Red Queen” where, “This is
the true division between Silvers and Reds: the color of our blood. This simple
difference makes them stronger, smarter and better than us” (Aveyard 9).
Red-blooded commoners have basically accepted the fact that they are lower than
silvers for no other reason than that they have no power to do anything about it.
There were some confusing areas of the book. Some characters had major
personality changes during different events. This made it seem like they were
completely different people. Also, the castle seemed well-protected at some
points but at others it felt like there were no soldiers anywhere. The last
thing that was confusing was the fact that sometimes silvers were impossible to
trick but at others, reds could easily escape them. Overall though, I liked the
book very much. It was very interesting with the conflict and the plot twists
and ends in a way that makes readers want to start the next book right away.

# data[].attributes.subject
Red Queen Book
Review

By C.C.

            The
novel “Red Queen” by Victoria Aveyard is a thrilling adventure book that
captures a wide variety of readers. The plot centers
on a girl named Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old who lives in a world where
people are discriminated against based on their blood color. In this fantasy
novel, people have either red or silver blood. Red-blooded people are the lowly
commoners while the silvers include the higher ranking royals and the nobles.
Silver-blooded people have unique abilities (such as invisibility or
telekinesis). Mare believes, “The gods rule us still. They have come down from
the stars. And they are no longer kind” (Aveyard 11). Segregation rules the
country and is the main conflict. All silvers are automatically better and
treat commoners harshly. All the reds, including Mare, believe they are
destined to live their lives being treated as less than the high and noble
silvers. One day, Mare stumbles into a situation that reveals that she has an
ability to create and control lightning, even though she is red of blood. This
throws her into a series of events where she is forced to play a long-lost
silver princess, joins a rebel force called the Red Hand that works to
overthrow the silver rulers, and becomes betrothed to a silver prince named
Maven. 

            There
are good areas and confusing areas to this story. There is a well-planned, big
connection to be made throughout the book about the separation of red and
silver blood and the segregation of people based on race in America during the
1900’s. Fair skinned people were seen as better than African-Americans for no
other reason than their skin color. Likewise, in “Red Queen” where, “This is
the true division between Silvers and Reds: the color of our blood. This simple
difference makes them stronger, smarter and better than us” (Aveyard 9).
Red-blooded commoners have basically accepted the fact that they are lower than
silvers for no other reason than that they have no power to do anything about it.
There were some confusing areas of the book. Some characters had major
personality changes during different events. This made it seem like they were
completely different people. Also, the castle seemed well-protected at some
points but at others it felt like there were no soldiers anywhere. The last
thing that was confusing was the fact that sometimes silvers were impossible to
trick but at others, reds could easily escape them. Overall though, I liked the
book very much. It was very interesting with the conflict and the plot twists
and ends in a way that makes readers want to start the next book right away.

# data[].attributes.headline
Divergent Book Review               Divergent by Veronica Roth was a novel that came out in 2011, and is still a very popular book. The book is about a 16 year old girl named Beatrice who was born in a city that is divided into five factions, Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. Beatrice is born into Abnegation, but on her 16th birthday when she gets a chance to choose to stay in Abnegation or go to another faction, she chooses to defy instructions and her parents by joining Dauntless. Tris does this to start a new life, as well as get a new name. "A new place, a new name. I can be remade here. 'Tris' I say firmly" (Roth 60). She thought of her old live as boring and thoughtless, but she believed dauntless would be thrilling and entertaining. She was wrong. In order to get into the faction, she had to beat people up, and face her biggest fears. The newly named Tris did not do so good with the fighting, but made it in to the faction due to her divergent brain, which a leads her to manipulate her fears, despite losing several friends along the way. However, being a divergent wasn't a good thing, because the Erudite faction wanted all divergent a dead.               The book offers several different entertainment values, but also has a very strong theme. The theme of the book is that it's okay to be born different than everyone else, because everyone else may not be capable of achieving great things that you can with your mind. A quote that supports this theme is on page 442, when Roth, who gives Tris' point of view, says,  "I feel like some one breathed new air into my lungs. I am not Abnegation. I am not Dauntless. I am Divergent" This quote not only supports the theme, but it also tells you to always be proud of who you are, even if you aren't like everyone else. Being like everyone else is exactly what Tris doesn't do throughout the novel. She consistently defies odds, breaks rules, and saves lives in her own way, without anybody ruling over her. Each faction stood for a different trait. The traits were selflessness, peace, curiosity, braveness, and intelligence. While most people believed that only one of these were important, Tris and other divergents believe that they are all equally important. This is important because the book was written for kids my age, and kids my age are just now trying to figure out who they truly are. The book tells those kids who don't know who they are to dare to be different, as well as sick out as an individual. However, this trait should not only be true for kids and teens, but it should also carry on to adulthood. Many books tell you that being different is a good thing, but only this book tells you the struggles on how to be different, as well as the reward.

# data[].attributes.subject
Divergent Book Review               Divergent by Veronica Roth was a novel that came out in 2011, and is still a very popular book. The book is about a 16 year old girl named Beatrice who was born in a city that is divided into five factions, Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. Beatrice is born into Abnegation, but on her 16th birthday when she gets a chance to choose to stay in Abnegation or go to another faction, she chooses to defy instructions and her parents by joining Dauntless. Tris does this to start a new life, as well as get a new name. "A new place, a new name. I can be remade here. 'Tris' I say firmly" (Roth 60). She thought of her old live as boring and thoughtless, but she believed dauntless would be thrilling and entertaining. She was wrong. In order to get into the faction, she had to beat people up, and face her biggest fears. The newly named Tris did not do so good with the fighting, but made it in to the faction due to her divergent brain, which a leads her to manipulate her fears, despite losing several friends along the way. However, being a divergent wasn't a good thing, because the Erudite faction wanted all divergent a dead.               The book offers several different entertainment values, but also has a very strong theme. The theme of the book is that it's okay to be born different than everyone else, because everyone else may not be capable of achieving great things that you can with your mind. A quote that supports this theme is on page 442, when Roth, who gives Tris' point of view, says,  "I feel like some one breathed new air into my lungs. I am not Abnegation. I am not Dauntless. I am Divergent" This quote not only supports the theme, but it also tells you to always be proud of who you are, even if you aren't like everyone else. Being like everyone else is exactly what Tris doesn't do throughout the novel. She consistently defies odds, breaks rules, and saves lives in her own way, without anybody ruling over her. Each faction stood for a different trait. The traits were selflessness, peace, curiosity, braveness, and intelligence. While most people believed that only one of these were important, Tris and other divergents believe that they are all equally important. This is important because the book was written for kids my age, and kids my age are just now trying to figure out who they truly are. The book tells those kids who don't know who they are to dare to be different, as well as sick out as an individual. However, this trait should not only be true for kids and teens, but it should also carry on to adulthood. Many books tell you that being different is a good thing, but only this book tells you the struggles on how to be different, as well as the reward.

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The Wednesday Wars is a novel written by Gary Schmidt detailing the 1967 seventh grade year of Holling Hoodhood, who is faced with a teacher, who he is almost certain he is hated by, Mrs. Baker. Since Holling is Presbyterian, he is stuck alone with Mrs. Baker on Wednesdays, which isn't pleasant to begin with. Schmidt writes, "'Since the mutilation of 'guess' into an intransitive verb is a crime against the language, perhaps you might wish a full sentence to avoid prosecution – something such as, 'I guess that Wednesday afternoons will be busy after all.'' That's when I knew she hated me," (Schmidt 4). It is known from the start that Mrs. Baker isn't the most fond of Holling, but with happenings such as reading of various Shakespeare stories, escapee rats named after Shakespeare made monsters, death threats motivated by cream puffs, a most ridiculous outfit for a play, and many other crazy events; Mrs. Baker grows slightly more fond of Holling. In the midst of all this, Holling develops as a person, and is being guided into the decision of being Holling Hoodhood himself, or the son who is going to take Hoodhood and Associates when his father is retired.

This book was a masterfully made adventure, with it's memorable characters like Dough Sweiteck with his 410 ways to get a teacher to despise you. Or, Meryl Lee Kowalski, the love-with-hate interest of Holling. On top of that, Schmidt used many allusions to Shakespeare, which encouraged me to peek at The Tempest and more works just to piece together the beautifully woven insults based upon the curses used in the stories. With this in mind, the setting was very accurately placed, describing soldiers in Vietnam during WWII and the rise of flower girls. To get back to the point, Schmidt also used the allusions towards Shakespeare develop characters and describe events, which further encouraged me to explore The Tempest. While it is fun to read plus an effective way to keep a reader interested, I found this book generally splits into a lot of mini plots at most possible moments in the story, which could lead to reading lots of pages over again just to keep track of what was going on in the story. In the end, this book was fun to start my year off with, putting me in hopes of having my own adventure in my ninth grade year of 2016. res

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Ellie

Blind Spot Book Review

Roz is just your average teenager except for one thing. She has an eye disease which causes her to be legally blind in her central vision. When her classmate, Tricia Farnis, body floats to the surface of a local pond, Roz is put to questioning because she was the last known person to see Trish that night. But there is only one problem, she can’t remember what happened to her the night Tricia went missing. “I had nothing. No, not nothing. There were glimpses, fragments of memories.” (Ellen page 123). Roz tries to piece together what little she remembers and what others know about that night but its just not coming back. Roz is determined to find out who killed Tricia but she doesn't know who to t Even her own boyfriend could be lying to her!Follow Roz in her determined journey to find out who really killed Tricia Farnis.

I truly couldn't stop reading Blind Spot by Laura Ellen. Every well written word leads flawlessly to the next and keeps the reader hanging on. By adding the eye disease to the main character, Ellen adds another sense of mystery and another problem that the characters will have to work their way around. Ellen also adds a romantic element to the book that ties in to the problem of Roz not remembering. Having the reader only know as much as Roz and her friends do keeps the reader on edge and forces you to keep reading. When Ellen had Roz start to think that she was the one who killed Trish, she forces the reader to constantly change their guess on who killed Tricia. If you are looking for an amazing mystery with a slight romantic twist, I would highly suggest reading Blind Spot by Laura Ellen

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A.M.S.

Over all this entire book is very compelling. Condie really captures what it would be like to try and break free from everything you know and love. She fills the book with symbols of freedom which really makes you think about what it is like to be caught between your best friend and the one you love, when you love them both but in a different way. The theme changes throughout as it starts off with order, showing how well everything can strive under the strict rules of The Society. Then goes to follow your heart, we follow a good girl slowly becoming rebellious for her true love. Another theme switch is limitations; she is limited on what she can do for no one knows what could happen to her, Ky or her Family. Condie’s writing exposes this dystopian life that has become welcoming to everyone by lying about what the world was like before the Society. Ally adds metaphors to little things; such as the three pills relating to Cassia’s strengths. The green pill which is used as a anxiety depressant refers to how Cassia is strong by herself she is tempted by offers The Society makes much  like how she is tempted to take the pill when she panics but she preservers and stays strong. This masterpiece ties together love triangles that are suffocating under Official’s control while trying to assure a safe future.