Crusader Library

2012-01-24T04:25:00.000-08:00

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Oskar is a highly intelligent 9-year old boy. Despite his intelligence that gives him a better understanding of the physical and historical aspects of the world, Oskar retains the emotions, confusion, and exasperation of a 9-year old. Oskar lost his father in the 9/11 attack. Oskar carries a secret he hasn't shared with anybody else. He was sent home from school soon after the attacks on 9/11 and was the first one home. There he found five messages from his father calling from one of the World Trade Towers on the answering machine, and he replaced the phone and kept the messages to himself. He finds a key in a vase when searching through his father's closet. This key sets Oskar off on a quest to find the story behind it, to find the secret that his father kept, in hopes that it would help him understand his dad better.
The story is one of loss and trying to understand loss. The story of Oskar's grandparents runs parallel showing that loss and heartache is ever-present and for many not understandable.
I found the novel a chore to read. I do not like the author's style of dialog where there is no line break between speakers. I think the story would have been stronger if kept to Oskar's actions. He is a likable, real character and the grandparent's story cluttered his narrative.

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2012-01-13T14:01:00.001-08:00

Pandora's Key: The Key Trilogy, Book One by Nancy Richardson Fischer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Don't let a cover turn you off a book. I did - and it was a mistake. This cover seemed amateur to me and so the book occupied my 'to-read' shelve for a good while. Then I saw a review which was very positive and took the plunge, telling myself that I would give it a chance for two or three chapters anyway.

Well I couldn't put it down. The characters are very endearing mainly because they appear so real - full of selfishness and worries.

I enjoyed the dual story lines that ran parallel building the story, until WHAM! they collide when you least expect them to.

This is a page turner, a suspense-fantasy-thriller rolled into one.

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2011-12-22T04:14:00.000-08:00

Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Plenty of action; a true page turner. I haven't read Finnikin of the Rock and while Froi stands alone as a book, I would have had more background information had I read the first of the Lumatere Chronicles. Still I was not disappointed.

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2011-12-01T08:18:00.001-08:00

The Future of Us by Jay Asher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you had the chance to see what your life would be like 15 years in the future, would you take it?

It’s 1996, and high school junior Emma and her neighbor Josh are best friends until an awkward, romantic moment creates tension. Then Emma gets a new computer and an AOL CD-ROM, which somehow allow her to access her future Facebook page when she goes online. She and Josh are able to read about what their lives will be like in 15 years, but what’s more, they discover that they can affect those future lives by their thoughts and actions in the present; everything they do in the present has an immediate impact on their lives in the future. Unfortunately, they don't always like what they see.

Can the two teenagers rewrite the future? Should they try?

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2011-11-28T04:05:00.001-08:00

A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was OK, but definitely over the bounds of belief. Nice descriptions.
On the brink of the Industrial Revolution, Charlotte and her sister Rosie are left to run the mill after their father dies unexpectedly. Almost everyone in the village of Stirwaters is dependent on the river-powered textile mill for their livelihood and the Miller sisters are determined to keep it running. Charlotte struggles to overcome one disaster after another and refuses to believe in the family curse that the villagers whisper about.
When Charlotte finds that her father had mortgaged the mill and payment is due, she despairs until a strange little man, calling himself Jack Spinner, arrives. He promises to spin straw into gold for them in exchange for her mother's ring.
Against her better judgment, Charlotte consents.
What price does she have to pay for enough gold to save her home, her mill and her village?

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2011-11-14T10:10:00.001-08:00

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Who would have thought that a book about cell culture could be so enjoyable. Believe me, I was skeptical.
The book tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a black woman who showed up at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1951 with an aggressive case of cervical cancer. Two samples were taken from her cervix, and the cells from these tissue samples became one of the greatest breakthroughs in cell culture history: the world’s first immortal human cell line.
The cells were unprecedented in their ability to grow and provided advances ranging from the polio vaccine, to gene mapping, to in vitro fertilization. Henrietta’s cells have been blown up by nuclear bombs to test the effects of radiation, and sent into outer space to monitor the effects of zero gravity. But, despite the huge importance of HeLa, not much was known about Henrietta Lacks the woman.
Her family knew even less about Henrietta’s contribution to the world. Although the cells were taken in 1951, the year she died, her husband and five children knew nothing about it. They didn’t find out until 20 years later.
The author manages to make this book a book with multiple interesting stories - a poor young woman from southern Virginia whose cervical cells would change the world; a girl who yearns to know who her mother was; researchers and their amazing scientific advancements; a family that sought to understand how someone could be dead and yet immortal.

Everyone can enjoy this book, whether you are scientifically minded or not, it is very readable and amazingly interesting.

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2011-11-10T07:59:00.001-08:00

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a child, Jacob Portman's grandfather told him fantastic stories of peculiar children with unbelievable talents. They were War refugees, like his grandfather, living on a remote island off the coast of Wales. His grandfather even had old weird photographs of the children that Jacob dismissed as photo manipulations. As he moves into his teenage years, Jacob stops believing the far-fetched stories and concentrates on leading a normal life.
All of that changes when Jacob is the sole witness to the frightening murder of his grandfather, a horrific tragedy that leaves him reeling in therapy. On his therapist’s suggestion, he finds himself headed to Wales to visit the old home where his grandfather grew up. Suddenly, his grandpa’s tales don’t seem so far-fetched after all— against all logic, the peculiar children from the photographs are alive and well, seemingly preserved in time.
It isn’t long before Jacob finds himself in over his head and in possession of some peculiar qualities of his own as time manipulation and monsters come to the surface.
There are authentic period photos throughout the book showing the children; also the writing is extremely atmospheric.

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2011-10-28T03:52:00.001-07:00

Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It all started with a lawn mower, and thus was born an economic empire.
When his birthday rolls around, our unsuspecting entrepreneur’s grandma shows up with his present. Instead of money for his birthday, which would've come in handy, she gives him this old lawn mower that used to belong to his grandfather.
So he starts mowing neighbors' lawns to solve his money problems.
This short and hilarious tale pitches an ordinary kid with an old riding lawn mower into a dizzying ascent up the financial ladder.

As his business becomes more complex, the reader is entertained with quick lessons in, to quote some of the chapter heads, Capital Growth Coupled with the Principles of Product Expansion and Force of Arms and Its Application to Business, the young tycoon ends up smarter than when he started out, and worth half a million dollars.

When it comes to telling funny stories, no one surpasses Paulsen, and here he is in top form; plus you get a primer on economic policies.

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2011-10-10T10:48:00.001-07:00

Divergent by Veronica Roth

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you liked Hunger Games, you will like this trilogy.

In this world there are 5 factions each of which believes the opposite of their lifestyle is the root of evil. Life within each faction is rules by its beliefs and loyalties. You have Abnegation, Candor, Dauntless, Amity and Erudite.

When Tris leaves her Abnegation family to become one of the wild, fearless Dauntless, she must learn a new lifestyle. But she begins to see truths in each factions’ beliefs. She also discovers that she is actually a Divergent, with the strengths of multiple factions, and is therefore a target of dangerously controlling leaders and see by these leaders as a threat.

This is a very fast-paced novel and not for the faint-hearted. There are so many twists and turns that you are kept on the edge of your seat waiting for the next jolt.

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2011-09-19T11:01:00.001-07:00

Flip by Martyn Bedford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever woken up in the morning and not known where you were – you have to take a couple of seconds to figure out where you are? Well what if you woke up and you didn’t recognize the body you were in?

Alex Gray opens his eyes to a bedroom he’s never seen before in his life. It’s not his room and he is wearing strange pajamas; Alex walks through a house he’s never seen, into a kitchen that’s filled with the smell of croissants (which Alex really dislikes), a girl dressed all in black with purple hair, named Teri, and a tall, lean Mom who looks like a ‘cross between a human and a giraffe.’

And thus begins Alex’s discovery of his new life, what has happened to his old life, and his battle to get home.

This novel offers as many thrills and chills as it does humor, love, and an in-depth look at the psychological toll change brings and the deep seated desire to survive.

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2011-09-04T09:13:00.001-07:00

D.Gray-Man: Opening, Vol. 1 by Katsura Hoshino
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A student recommended this series. I found it quite enjoyable. Easy enough to understand (sometimes manga story lines escape me - perhaps I'm getting too old. The concept leaves plenty of room and opportunity for plenty of episodes. I did not waste my time reading this :)

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2011-08-09T12:15:00.001-07:00

The Big Book of How to Say It by Rosalie Maggio

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Every house should have this, it is a huge resource. Even in this age of emails and twitters, you still have to be able to write a note, a letter, a complaint, advice and references. This book tells you how. Whether you are at school and as student council secretary have to write letters, or you are working and have to deal with customers or suppliers, if you are a teacher and have to write a reference - this book tells you how.

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2011-08-09T12:04:00.001-07:00

Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Samuel knew the forest, he loved it; he was at home in it. His skill at hunting meant that he was responsible for providing meat for nearly the whole Pennsylvania frontier settlement where he and his parents lived. That day he was hunting, deep in the forest, when it happened.

Smoke across the tops of the trees.

It couldn't be a forest fire. It hadn't been dry enough. Could it be coming from the settlement? No, he rejected the idea. For that would mean only one thing, an attack. Samuel turned and started running. He caught the smell of blood before he could see the settlement.

There had been an attack on his settlement, an attack on his home, and he hadn't been there to help. All the cabins had been burnt to the ground. Most of the settlers were dead, killed by tomahawks and arrows, and many had been scalped. It was clear from their tracks that the Indians had been lead by men on horses – soldiers, Red Coats.

But Samuel didn’t find his parents' bodies. For some reason, they had been taken captive.

Samuel swore he would get them back, but how much can a 13-year-old do?

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2011-08-09T12:02:00.001-07:00

The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Do you ever look at the missing children pictured on your milk cartons or in the newspapers? Janie did – and she saw herself.
Janie Johnson is a normal fifteen year old, red-headed girl. She is an only child and comes from an ideal family with a respected mom and dad. She is learning to drive, has a best friend, and she even has a crush. Janie and her friends always look at the missing people on the back of their milk cartons at lunch for entertainment, but one day it was Janie's picture. Was this a joke; was it really her? She knows her face and is shocked by the picture, only, the name is not hers. Jennie Spring, three years old, is what the milk carton said. Could it be true, did her parents really kidnap her? Was her family out there still wondering what happened to their little girl? Maybe she’s not an only child; were there other awkward looking red-heads like her? Is this why her parents don't have any baby pictures of her up on the walls? What’s real and what’s not?

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2011-07-21T10:09:00.000-07:00

Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

How do you make something of yourself when you are the 6th of 7 brothers and born into poverty? Cunxin spent his first 11 years as a dirt poor son of peasants in China. Then, quite by chance, he was chosen to be taken to Bejiing and the Madame Mao Dance Academy. With no experience of ballet let alone living in a city, Cunxin bravely endured the hardships of loneliness and the rigors of dance.

I was surprised at how involved I became in the life of Cunxin. The book is written very plainly in a declarative style. What catches your interest is this little boy's determination to become something and to make his family proud.

The book became a feature film and I was able to watch a Today Show interview, on the Internet, that Anne Curry had with Cunxin. This was interesting as I got to see the subject of the book and catch glimpses of his dancing.

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2011-07-16T10:11:00.001-07:00

Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Fast paced novel based on the popular theme of jealousy and hatred. Plenty of soap opera bitchy-ness.

Seniors Brooke and Kathryn used to be friends. They have one thing in common, they both have beautiful voices, well they actually have two things in common if you count their hatred. Now they are bitter rivals in a vocal-music competition.

These fren-enemies battle it out at school and at home through alternating chapters. Who will you side with, rich popular Brooke, or petite awkward Kathryn?

Plenty of material to get your teeth into in this novel.

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2011-07-12T10:14:00.001-07:00

Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

To be a judge or a trial lawyer? Umm? Theo Boone is obsessed with all things legal. While he hasn’t taken the bar, he does offer advice to his friends, hangs out at the courthouse, and watches Perry Mason reruns. Things turn serious, however, when a witness to a murder, a young illegal immigrant, comes to Theo with evidence. So what to do with this bomb-shell?
John Grisham the well known adults’ author with best selling novels and mega-successful movies based on these books begins his YA career with a fast moving legal thriller full of explanations of many lawyer-ly issues. I read an interview with John Grisham where the author said he had talked with a group of middle-schoolers about the book. This audience where very forthright about what they wanted changed and what they liked. Therefore I am even more interested in reading the 2nd in the series to see if I can recognize differences in treatment and style.

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2011-07-10T02:25:00.001-07:00

The Omnivore's Dilemma for Kids by Michael Pollan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where do burgers come from? They start in feedlots where tens of thousands of cows stand on a hill of manure and eat from concrete troughs; their feed can contain chicken and cattle manure, chocolate, stale pastry, cement dust, molasses, candy, urea, hooves, feathers, meat scraps, fish meal, pasta, peanut skins, brewery wastes, cardboard, corn silage, pesticides.

And fries? Most potatoes start in huge fields sprayed with chemicals so toxic that no one's allowed to enter that field for five days after it's sprayed. Those chemicals stop the bugs, but the potatoes have to be stored for six months in a giant shed before they're safe for humans to eat.

Have you lost your appetite yet?

So what's an omnivore supposed to eat? An omnivore, someone who eats meat and vegetables, has a lot of choices. That's what Michael Pollan, the author of this book, discovered as he became a food detective and set out on a mission to understand what really goes on behind the scenes in food production.

This book will shock you with startling facts, scare you with the secrets that food producers would rather keep quiet, and probably make you a little sick when you learn some of the hidden truths behind the foods you eat.

You may not look at food quite the same way after this book.

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2011-07-03T10:52:00.001-07:00

The Last Siege by Jonathan Stroud

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A boring Christmas vacation morphed into an adventure Emily never expected.

A group of children – loner Emily, local troublemaker Simon, and the decidedly off-beat Marcus – decide to break into the local ruined castle to look around, at Marcus’s urging. However, once they’re inside, they decide to come back to spend the night… and then once they’ve begun defending the keep, how long can they hold out against the siege of adults come to take them home? And why don’t they want to go home?

I really enjoyed this one. It was realistic with great believable dialog from the teens. It is well-written, humorous, and has plenty of action.

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2011-07-03T10:37:00.001-07:00

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was tedious. It went on and on, repeating itself (that is how it seemed to me). It could be likened to a soap opera, where you watch a few episodes then miss a few weeks only to find that the action hasn't really progressed during your absence. I also don't seem to enjoy romantic novels - too slow moving.

So here is the School Library Journal review:

In this gripping dystopian novel set in a future Portland, ME, everyone is safe, unhappiness can be cured, and the freedoms we take for granted have been relinquished in the name of "security" and "the common good." There is no risk and no pain, or at least there won't be for 17-year-old Lena Haloway and her outspoken friend, Hana, once they turn 18. They will then be eligible, in fact forced, to undergo the procedure that will render them impervious to delirium—the disease that was formerly known as love. You can see, of course, right where this is headed, but the ride is well worthwhile. Lena is an engaging and believable protagonist, at first compliant, then questioning, and finally desperate to save herself and the irrepressible emotions blooming within her. Her journey to understanding is both painful and exhilarating as she meets free-spirited Alex, succumbs to delirium, and wrestles with the social code she's been taught so well. Ultimately, Lena gets a shocking glimpse into the world outside the city's borders and witnesses the barbaric underpinnings of the "safe" world in which she has lived. Especially heartbreaking is her discovery of the fate of her mother, who was unable to stop loving her husband and daughters and paid a terrible price for her transgression. On the other hand, Lena's caring but numbed-out aunt and her scrupulously compliant older sister make clear the consequences of obedience to tyranny. Strong characters, a vivid portrait of the lives of teens in a repressive society, and nagging questions that can be applied to our world today make this book especially compelling and discussable

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2011-07-03T10:31:00.001-07:00

When the Black Girl Sings by Bil Wright

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this novel. It may be predictable but touches on many teen issues, especially the ever present need to fit in and appreciate ones self.

Adopted by loving, white parents and taunted by classmates as the only African American girl in her elite, private school, Lahni Schuler, 14, is conflicted about her identity and deeply hurt by her parents’ separation.

When her mother takes her to an interdenominational church, Lahni is captivated by the soulful gospel singing. She joins the choir and receives inspiration from the flamboyant, talented director and organist. With a school singing competition coming up you will find the tension mounting. Also there is a boy stalking Lahni, so how will this aspect of the plot evolve? This story never gets heavy-handed ; the characters are well developed, believable and the narrative is real. You will find yourself rooting for the underdog and hoping the smug characters get their due too.

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2011-07-03T10:17:00.001-07:00

Rikers High by Paul Volponi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really good look at life in jail for a teen, if you ever thought of doing something unlawful, this will cure you. Martin Stokes has landed in jail for steering, telling an undercover cop where to buy drugs. He is due to be released but due to various judicial mishaps he's being held at Riker's Island for a few weeks that turned into months while he waits for his trial to come up. He's learned how to navigate the system and avoid becoming the target of bullies, but an accidental knife slash to his face and a transfer to a new ward lands him in the jail school, and he is the new kid again. Volponi spent several years as a teacher at Rikers and everything that happens in this book he saw or heard about. There are some really good teachers who help and defend the juveniles against bad corrections officers, but also some worthless and dangerous teachers as well. This is a very realistic novel and a great look at the corrections system from one teenager's point of view.

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2011-06-20T07:29:00.001-07:00

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ansel and his sisters enter the forest; Ansel and only one sister return. And so begins this novel which is loosely based on the fairytale Hansel and Gretel.
Twelve years later Ansel and his sister Gretchen find themselves in a small town, Live Oak, where there is a history of girls disappearing. Is there a connection between these events? Will further disappearances occur and can they be stopped?
This story has romance, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural and will interest many readers.

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2011-06-13T12:12:00.001-07:00

Fire Will Fall by Carol Plum-Ucci

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I didn't know until lately that this is the sequel to Streams of Babel. This novel stands by itself, but for greater interest you probably should read the first.
The story is told in alternating chapters which is a downer for me. I lose track of what's happening or if I don't like a character I resent reading about them too much; if I like a character I want to skip over to they parts where he/she is featured. Anyway, this is not my kind of format.
The story: Trinity Falls' water supply was infected with a virus when bioterrorists attacked. The four teens who were the most affected by the virus are moved to a big mansion so that their health can be monitored. Symptoms and emotional issues form the backbone of the narrative. Two other teens are introduced. These two are searching for clues to the bio-terrorists, and what these crazies are up to next.
Will the teens recover from the virus and its effects? Will the terrorist succeed in launching another attack? Read the book to find out.

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2011-06-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

2011-06-02T07:55:00.001-07:00

Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

How would you feel if you had a chimpanzee as a little brother?
Ben Tomlin's father moved the family to British Columbia for that very reason. Nobody had asked Ben, his Dad had accepted the new job before he told Ben anything about the move.
It was 1973. Richard Tomlin was a behavioral scientist interested in whether humans were the only animals capable of learning language. He wanted to find out if chimpanzees could learn American Sign Language. So he accepted a position at a university half way across Canada.
Ben spent his thirteenth birthday unpacking boxes at his new house. Now he was in a new town, Victoria, living in a new house and going to a private school.
For the experiment a particular chimp had to be found. It had to be a baby, because the whole experiment relied on raising it just like a human.
They named their chimp, Zan.
At first Ben thought that having a chimpanzee as a member of the family was the weirdest thing in the world and he resented him because of the move and because it made him look weird at school. But as he begins to work with Zan, spending time with him and teaching the chimp his first sign, Ben's feelings about his feisty new half brother begins to change.
What does Zan learn?
What do Ben and his family learn?
Can this experiment succeed?

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2011-05-16T11:37:00.001-07:00

The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mystery, romance, drama mix together in this book of identity swapping/stealing. The story is set in the past and the author has managed to create a Victorian era feel to her prose. He choice of language and syntax adds to the dated setting very successfully. The story was good with a final twist.

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2011-05-05T05:42:00.001-07:00

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I could not read this book in one sitting - it was too heart wrenching. I needed time to compose myself. Conor experiences nightmares in the shape of a yew tree monster. The nightmares are connected to his mother's fight with breast cancer. The portrayal of Conor's anguish, anger, and desperation is so real that my heart was breaking most of the time I was reading. Have the Kleenex handy.

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2011-04-26T04:46:00.001-07:00

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have you heard of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire of 1911? You may have heard it mentioned on the radio or TV as it is the 100 year anniversary. It was the catalyst for many of the safety laws enacted that we all enjoy in the workplace.
Back in 1911 many young women were working at the factory when fire broke out. These girls were trapped in the fire by locked doors and insufficient fire escapes. In the end, 146 girls were killed in the fire. An investigation faulted the working conditions of the factory as well as the locked doors as leading to the fire. This tragedy led to new laws about working conditions in factories. But did you know that many of the girls who worked at the factory had walked out on strike 13 months before to protest the conditions at the factory? They were fighting for the right to unionize as well as for safer conditions. Uprising follows three girls who meet during the strike. They come from different backgrounds -- two immigrant factory workers and one rich girl who wanted to help. The three become good friends and fight for the good of all -- until the end. Of the three friends, two die. Who will survive and who will perish?

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2011-04-07T10:13:00.001-07:00

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After her aunt's death, Tessa Gray comes to England hoping to start a new life with her older brother, Nate. She is met by the Dark Sisters and imprisoned for many weeks and is trained to take her 'rightful' place by their master, the Magister. Tessa finds out that she is a Downworlder, a warlock with special shape-shifting abilities.
Tessa may not know much about magic, but she knows that the Dark Sisters are evil, and the menace they serve wants to marry her!
Tessa escapes with the help of two Shadowhunters. They take her to the Institute, a hidden, protected place. And that's just the beginning, for as the weeks go by she meets some very interesting people--only a few of which are fully human.
t is hard to know who to trust...and who to love – and for sure she finds herself falling in love with someone at the institute.
The Victorian setting is nice.

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2011-04-04T10:45:00.001-07:00

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have thought more about this book than most others I have read in my whole life.
It leaves you with more questions, and a huge desire to discuss the story with another who has read it.

Is lying by definition fiction. In that case Liar by Justine Larbalestier is the epitome of fiction. A mystery novel set in New York, where Micah Wilkins is a senior and an habitual liar: she lies about everything - her gender, her father's business, her family -- everything. Nobody believes a word she says.
She tells us she will tell us the truth as one of her classmates has been viciously murdered. Micah wants to come clean and tell us about it and how she is affected. And the mystery continues because do we believe her?
I've never read a book quite like this. I was compelled to read on and find answers to the mysteries, but are there any answers? Really, the only certainty is that Micah is a troubled girl (or is she even a girl?).

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2011-04-01T03:54:00.001-07:00

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Both horrific and witty, scary and funny, here is a great story.
Sam: college dropout, hamburger flipper considers himself normal and a little aimless. All it takes is a game of potato hockey and a knocked out light on a Mercedes to change Sam's world from normal to paranormal. The event throws him into the sights of an evil and powerful necromancer named Douglas Montgomery. Sam turns out to be a necromancer too, making him Douglas's target for either slavery or death.

With the help of a bunch of friends, including a talking head, and some unusual acquaintances, witches, werewolves, a seer and a Harbinger, Sam has to figure out how to escape Douglas, keep his loved ones alive, and use his power while avoiding the nastier side of his new-found attributes.

The story can be gory and violent at times but this is off-set by witty dialog and comebacks. I couldn’t put it down, wanting to find out how Sam bested Douglas.

Recommended.

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2011-04-01T03:07:00.001-07:00

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Piper, who is accustomed to not being heard, is practically daring people to take notice of her now. For this deaf girl is about to take on a big challenge: she's going to be a manager of a rock band. She's determined to make this band a real band--a band that earns money. She is initially hampered by lack of both experience with intra-band politics and knowledge about music (a rational person might have thought these traits a plus). But the band, for better or worse, seems to be clashing in all the wrong ways, in impossible-to-ignore ways. Egos are larger than talent at times. It certainly doesn't help matters that two new band members have joined Dumb since it won the Teen Battle of the Bands. Can Piper do the impossible? Can she be the brains of Dumb?

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2011-03-28T03:58:00.001-07:00

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nicely written and hard to put down.

A gifted harpist, Deirdre Monaghan has never been able to conquer her stage fright. So it's not unusual when, before performing at an important competition, Deirdre's nerves overwhelm her. What is strange is the appearance of Luke Dillon, a gorgeous flutist who helps clams her down and then performs a duet with her that wins the competition's grand prize.

Though Deirdre is instantly attracted to Luke, she knows there's something unworldly about him. Surely it's not coincidence that, since his arrival in her life, she's developed telekinetic powers and four-leaf clovers are popping up?

As Deirdre soon discovers, Luke has mysterious ties to the faerie world and other faerie beings appear. Soon she is the center of a faerie conflagration.

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2011-03-27T15:57:00.001-07:00

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One of those books you wish would go on and on....

A fast paced adventure.
This futuristic novel is set on what was once the Gulf Coast. Nailer and his friends from the light crew are ship scavengers looking for valuable metals and other resources.

Loyalty is everything. To join the crew you must take a blood oath to be there for one another. If you break your oath, then you're out; and being on your own in this community, at this time, is something you want to avoid at all costs.

Nailer's best friend is Pima. These two are together when they make an extraordinary find. They find a newly wrecked clipper ship--a private ship. Nailer thinks his fortune is made, but then he discovers a survivor trapped in the wreckage—the privileged and wealthy daughter of the shipping-company owner.
What's to be done now? Help the girl or not? Who to trust or not to trust? Can someone that rich understand the desperation of poverty? Or has she another form of desperation to conquer?

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2011-03-13T07:31:00.001-07:00

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This won't get prizes for great literature but it is an engrossing, fast paced story. Can't wait for the next one.

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2011-02-25T11:44:00.000-08:00

Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Adventure story, suspense story, love story, and throw in some travel, humor and photos too, all in one great book.
Little Princes is the true story of how an average twenty-something-year-old guy became caught up in saving the lost children of Nepal.
Conor Grennan took a break from his job to go on a year-long, globe-trotting adventure. But first to legitimize this self-indulgent trip, he decided to spend the first three months volunteering in Godawari, Nepal. Feeling inadequate at first, he was not sure he had the ability to survive in this war torn remote land. Grennan got to know the energetic and resilient children he worked with at the Little Princes Children’s Home, and realized that many of the children weren’t orphans at all, but rather the victims of unscrupulous con men.
Child traffickers tricked rural villagers into thinking they were paying to have their children taken to safety. But instead the children found themselves abandoned to live — or die — on the streets while the traffickers pocketed the money.
Grennan knew he had to find a way to reunite these children with their parents. And so he started his adventure.
A truly moving account of how one person can make a difference even in the face of seemingly impossible odds.

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2011-02-21T03:58:00.000-08:00

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Andi Alpers' little brother is dead, and it’s her fault. Her father left home, her mother's gone crazy and Andi's just trying to fight the urge to commit suicide.
When Andi’s father drags her to Paris where he's doing business, she doesn't care. When he tells her she'd better get busy researching Malherbeau's life, she doesn’t care. She doesn't even care about the music she once loved.
What's will make Andi care? Finding the journal of Alexandrine Paradis that's hidden in the secret panel of a guitar case made during the French Revolution. Andi engrosses herself reading about Alex's life. Alex wanted to be an actress but lands the job as playmate for the young son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. But there is a revolution brewing and heads will roll.
What do Alex and Andi have in common? What makes Andi care so much about someone who lived 200 years before her? Will Andi find answers to her life just as she finds answers to lives lived 200 years ago?

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2011-02-18T08:21:00.000-08:00

The Trouble With Half a Moon by Danette Vigilante

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A quick read but with deep emotion.

Dellie lives in the projects with her mom and dad. Last summer her little brother was killed in an accident. Dellie blames herself. Her mother is overcome with grief and has become hyper vigilant about Dellie.
New tenants move in on the ground floor and the once peaceful building starts to have problems. A gunshot goes off in one of the halls. A small boy wanders the halls knocking on doors asking for bread. Dellie secretly becomes close to the boy, taking him under her wing, feeding him and finding out that he is neglected and abused by his mother.
Dellie sees the boy as her salvation – if she can save him maybe she will be forgiven.
Is Dellie’s emotional agony realistic; is she responsible for her brother’s death?
And the little boy, what goes on behind the closed door of his apartment?
Can Dellie and the little boy survive?

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2011-01-25T11:50:00.001-08:00

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible by A.J. Jacobs

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a really fascinating book and fun to read. HONEST

A.J. Jacobs attempts to live by the Bible’s laws as literally as possible for one year.

Jacobs does not ram religion down your throat. He shows us some of the zany and not-so-crazy rules from the Bible. On many occasions he also gives us some historical perspective to the origins of these laws - which I found very interesting.

Some of the famous laws visited include the Ten Commandments; not stealing including: neighbors wireless networks or straws that his two year old wanted to play with at Starbucks; be fruitful and multiply, no lying (this proved a hard one as sometimes it is easier to tell a white lie to a 2 year-old and avoid a tantrum. But he also obeys dozens of less publicized instructions, including growing a beard, avoiding clothes of mixed fibers and, yes, stoning adulterers.

Interpreting the Bible leads Jacobs to visit some remarkable Biblical communities, from a Kentucky-based creationist museum to the Pennsylvania Amish, from Christian charity workers to Hasidic Jews.

You all should really read this.

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2011-01-25T11:02:00.000-08:00

Backtracked by Pedro De Alcantara

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A bit of suspense, time-travel and history.

While cutting school, Tommy stumbles into a time travel portal in Grand Central Terminal, and begins a series of time travel adventures through the Italian immigrant experience in New York City. As far as time travel goes this is a good book and Tommy develops as an interesting character. It's probably more interesting if you are very familiar with New York and like subway trivia, as it is fun to track all the action.

Read the book and see where he ends up, who he meets, how he gets back and how he grows throughout the novel.

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2011-01-14T10:09:00.001-08:00

Gatsby's Girl by Caroline Preston

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Preston reimagines the life of Ginevra King, F. Scott Fitzgerald's first love and the basis for many of his novel’s leading ladies - Daisy Buchanan (The Great Gatsby ), Isabelle Borge (This Side of Paradise ), and Josephine Perry (The Basil and Josephine Stories ). Fitzgerald meets Ginevra at a party in St. Paul, where she is visiting her boarding-school roommate. The two hit it off and correspond for eight months with only one meeting, until Ginevra looses interest. Ginevra is very self absorbed, vain and spoilt. She turns her attention to Bill Granger, a solid but boring man, whom she marries at only 18. Life with Bill and their two children is not the grand romance Ginevra envisioned, and as Fitzgerald's literary star rises, she wonders what life with him would have been like. When she finds herself depicted in his novels and stories, it is clear Scott has never stopped thinking about Ginevra either. This fictional Ginevra matures somewhat; the prose is enjoyable and richly imaginative. This would be a great companion to The Great Gatsby.

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2011-01-14T04:50:00.000-08:00

When the Whistle Blows by Fran Cannon Slayton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Succession of stories take place on seven consecutive All Hallows' Eves, from 1943 through 1949, and tell the story of Jimmy Cannon's teenage years in Rowlesburg, WV. Jimmy describes the high jinks, the championship football game, the risks and rewards of his part-time job, and other significant events that shape his love for his small hometown. It is a coming of age story as Jimmy learns to accept that the days of the steam engine are over and to better understand his emotionally distant father. Details and gentle humor help set the scene and reveal a great deal about these characters and their lives. You develop a great fondness for these ordinary people you could imagine meeting on the street.

A gentle, sweet read.

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2011-01-03T08:28:00.001-08:00

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a story about date rape and how a school’s secret society deals with the wrongs that befall individual students.

Alex has been date raped while under the influence of alcohol

All of her confused and ambivalent reactions to what's happened to her are explored. She moves from believing it's her fault and being ashamed of it, to being confused and shy, to being furious and wanting revenge and sometimes all the feelings occur at the same time. What happened that night is reveled slowly as the case against her attacker is gathered.

But should a group of students be the ultimate justice system? What about the police? It this system fair?

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2010-12-31T11:34:00.001-08:00

Sparrow Road by Sheila O'Connor

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I know a book is a good one when I have to keep reading to satisfy my curiosity about a character or plot. Sparrow Road offers mystery in abundance. O'Connor creates a very real world with characters you can relate to and see in your own life. The story combines dreams, sadness, happiness and imagination.
Raine and her mother abruptly move from Milwaukee, leaving behind friends, a job and a grandfather to take a summer job in Sparrow Road. Once owned by a rich family, Sparrow Road was donated to charity, became an orphanage and later shut down; now it is an artists' haven. And here is where the mysteries begin: why did Raine's mother suddenly decided to move? What is the connection between Lillian and Viktor? What happened to all those orphans, especially Lyman who left his name on a painting in the attic.
An enthralling read. Well worth the time.

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2010-12-31T05:00:00.001-08:00

The Truth About Truman School by Dori Hillestad Butler

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Zebby is SO DONE with censorship!!!
As the school administrators force another layer of censorship on the school newspaper, editor Zebby quits!
Though she is done with editing the school paper, she is not done writing about the truth! With the help of her friend Amr, Zebby starts an underground website dedicated to getting the truth about Truman Middle School out to the students.
But while Zebby envisions lively discussions about the math curriculum, the website morphs into something she and Amr never expected—a malicious gossip site.
So when the cyberbullying attacks a particular girl, Zebby tries to get to the bottom of the problem and set the records straight. But how??

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2010-12-20T09:01:00.000-08:00

Lockdown: Escape from Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Furnace is no ordinary prison - it's demonic. It is run by a sadistic warden with the help grotesque guards who bully, abuse and force inmates to do hours of manual labor. Alex has been framed for a murder and finds himself sentenced to life in Furnace. Can someone remain human in an inhuman hell?
The book is a page turner, has lots of violence, suspense and surprises. It ends abruptly leaving you frustrated that you don't have the next installment.

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2010-12-14T09:37:00.001-08:00

Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a lovely, enjoyable, uplifting story. I could imagine this story being a movie of the week on the Lifetime Channel.

Living in the school bus her mother drives as a part-time job, Amber Appleton is an upbeat Catholic who spreads joy and happiness while keeping her own difficulties at home very quiet. Amber is irrepressible, always adopting the underdog: a group of needy students; a group of shy Korean women; a Vietnam veteran and haiku specialist; and a nursing home full of old grumps.
Amber's unending optimism in the face of difficult circumstances is well depicted with snappy dialogue and inner musings. When real tragedy hits and Amber is unable to cope, the stark difference between the Amber of the past and the present is effectively delivered in white space and short paragraphs. Amber feels blank. So, can she reemerge as her old exuberant self; can her bunch of misfit friends help? How?
Hugely enjoyable

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2010-11-22T16:16:00.001-08:00

The Interrogation of Gabriel James by Charlie Price

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I started this book with the intention of skimming, but got hooked. From the get-go you know there has been a double murder ... but that's all you know. Bit by bit, like peeling the layers of an onion, pieces of the mystery are revealed through Gabe's questioning by the police. You know there has been a crime but you don't know the who, why, where, or how ... and that keeps you reading.

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2010-11-01T04:39:00.001-07:00

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fast, witty dialog and comic-book plotting distinguish this novel. A quick and easy mystery featuring the paranormal has cupcake baker Lizzy Tucker searching for special stones which can cause havoc to the world if found by the wrong people. She has special skills that help find the stones and help from a couple of questionably “normal” people. Diesel is sent to protect Lizzy as bad guy Gerwulf Grimoire is hunting for clues to find the stones. The ancient stones are tied to the Seven Deadly Sins; consequently, clues take the form of pride, greed, lust, envy, wrath, sloth and gluttony. This is book one on this Unmentionable series and focused on Greed, the subsequent books I guess will focus on the other sins.

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Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

2010-10-11T09:38:00.001-07:00

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This novel not only tells a story of a family concealing secrets, failing to communicate and not willing to forgive; it is a story for all families - as what family is perfect. We can all learn from Delilah's story. Delilah’s grandmother has died so she and her mother make the trip back to Vermont. This is the first time in 8 years that the pair have been in Vermont since Dlilah's grandfather’s funeral. The funeral that stopped Delilah’s yearly summertime visits, the funeral that changed everything. Delilah has no idea what happened that day. She begins to see that she is not the only one with secrets and actions that need to be explained. Her family is hiding a generation of Hannaford secrets, secrets that would fill in the missing links of her life. Secrets that are too painful to be retold.

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2010-09-08T04:03:00.001-07:00

The Cardturner :a novel about a King, a Queen, and a Joker by Louis Sachar.
The Cardturner : A Novel about a King, a Queen, and a Joker by Louis Sachar

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a book about bridge, and it is for teens. Bridge the card game – know it?

Alton Richard’s great-uncle Lester Trapp is rich and ailing, a combo that leads Alton’s parents to hatch a plan for the teen to cozy up to the old man and carve out a chunk of inheritance. Though blind, Trapp is a brilliant, world-class bridge player and needs someone to read him his cards and make his plays. Enter Alton, who gets roped into serving as a card turner. He withstands the constant barbs from his uncle and grows more intrigued by the game (in no small part due to the cute, girl who also plays). The pages are filled with detailed commentary on the basics and then nuances of the game, and a little whale image appears when the bridge talk is about to get deep so readers can skip right ahead to a wrap-up. But don’t be fooled: it is astonishing how Sachar can make blow-by-blow accounts of bridge not only interesting but exciting, treating each play like a clue to unravel the riddle of each hand. It is also a book full of understated humor and shows the many and varied funny foibles of humankind.

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2010-08-11T17:25:00.001-07:00

Dark Song by Gail Giles

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Creepy..... and all too possible.
The book describes the implosion of a family who has it all one day... and loses it all too quickly. Ames sees her life crumble before her as her dad loses his job, gambles away all their assets and leaves them destitute. The situation is made more intolerable as her mother turns into the mother-from-hell. The family has to relocate where Ames meets Marc. And then things really get creepy. What a mess. You have to read this to really get the full eerily-real feel to this tale.

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2010-08-05T10:50:00.001-07:00

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Looking for love in all the wrong places!
Fast paced with short chapters, this novel follows the lives of 4 narrators, Ellie, Josh, Corinne (Ellie's best friend) and Caleb (Josh's best friend) describing how each is affected by the Ellie's unplanned-unwanted pregnancy.
Promiscuous Ellie sleeps around under the erroneous assumption that this equates with love and the guys will stick around. She is constantly disappointed.
Josh gets her pregnant. So the stage is set for the drama which unfolds.

What will Ellie do? Which choice is best or least painful or less wrong? Will Corinne and Caleb's relationship with each other and with Ellie withstand the pressure?

Josh feels awful; he treated Ellie horribly; he is a screw-up; but can he change?

Get the tissues out. (AP)

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2010-08-05T10:37:00.001-07:00

Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jennifer Jones has been released on parole, and the whole country wants to know — where is JJ? Information about JJ’s whereabouts are under strict lockdown. There are only a few people who know.
Alice Tully has an ordinary life, she works at a coffee shop, lives in her apartment and has a loving boyfriend. Alice is also obsessed with reading about child murderer, JJ. Alice knows more than she lets on about JJ and the circumstances that surround the murder years ago.
A thought provoking story that delves deep into the life of the protagonist. What does Alice know?....(AP)

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2010-08-02T05:54:00.001-07:00

The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet by Reif Larsen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This one gets a 5. It is so unique - a novel and an encyclopedia of trivia all in one.
Twelve-year-old, genius, T. S. narrates the story of his journey from Montana to Washington, D.C. to collect his Smithsonian award. As he crosses the country he also searches for an understanding of his world. Like most 12 year-old, T.S's mind wanders and the pages are filled with his diagrams, maps, reasonings - including a map of 26 McDonalds in North Dakota; an analysis of types of boredom; the merits of the juice pouch versus the juice box, to name a few. As you read the entertaining story there are these side trips to very entertaining trivia. There is never a dull moment in this book.
The writing reveals a narrator with a quirky character full of knowledge but so innocent, a flawed but loving family, and a spirit and goodness that abounds. Thank you Tecumseh Sparrow, I wish you well.

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2010-07-26T16:43:00.001-07:00

The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Carbon Diaries 2015
by
Saci Lloyd

Could this really happen? Are we reading fiction or an account of the future?
On the first day of rationing Mum couldn't get on the bus because she had forgotten her carbon card.
The government has decided that we need to cut our carbon emissions by 60%. Now the UK has become a guinea pig for the rest of the world, and two months into carbon rationing the country seems to be falling apart. In between blizzards we've had blackouts, food lines, looting, and thousands have lost their jobs.
Under the new system, each person is allowed 200 carbon points to spend each month. That has to cover our expenses for travel, food and heat.
The only thing that seems normal now is my band, the Dirty Angels. The Angels were so hot at practice. I played this wild bass.
The government has installed smart meters on every house. If you go over your monthly limit the smart meter starts controlling your energy use. What used to be personal before rationing has now become political. Go too much over your monthly limit and you will get a red envelope from the Carbon Department. Then you are in real trouble.
Because of my sister, Kim, our whole family has been put on "CO death row." We have to get our carbon use down. It is 2015. The new world of carbon rationing is destroying my family. This is my carbon diary about the first year of carbon rationing in the UK.

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2010-07-24T02:44:00.001-07:00

Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finding a mummified body of a child is not the best way to start your day! Eighteen year old Fergus McCann finds the remains of a small girl while poaching turf with his uncle in 1980s Ireland. Thus begins a seamlessly interwoven novel of multiple story lines. Fergus is confronted with several life altering situations - discovering more about the little girl, his developing relationship with Cora, being blackmailed into running packages for the IRA, the trauma of having his older brother, a political prisoner, on hunger strike. There is never a slow moment in the book, the pace is fast. The characters are believable with catchy, involved dialogue.
The novel explores the vagaries of growing up, coupled with the political tension in Ireland during the '80s. Fergus has to grapple with becoming an adult as well as battling family, religious, and national problems. A beautiful book.

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2010-07-04T13:03:00.001-07:00

Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma.
Find out how he feel and she feels as our modern-day Romeo and Juliet's relationship develops. Told from both Caleb and Kate's point-of-view, the reader follows rich and pampered, Kate whose life changes from boring to intriguing when she meets rough Caleb. Set in the Pacific Northwest, this novel explores the doubts and frustrations of teen love.

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2010-06-30T14:30:00.001-07:00

Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An unexpected and totally enjoyable find.
Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell
A ghost story, a relationship story, a mystery, all rolled into one. Iris finds herself haunted by the spirit of a boy named Elijah who disappeared years ago. Why did he pick on her to haunt? What is the mystery behind his disappearance and why the secrecy when she begins to ask questions?
Pursuing this mystery, Iris uncovers years of secrets some involving her father. Mitchell packs a lot into this novel and keeps the suspense from page to page.
So, what exactly did happen?

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2010-06-23T06:39:00.000-07:00

The Juvie Three by Gordon Korman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Juvie Three by Gordon Korman
Juvie is not a good place to be. Arjay, Gecko and Terence are serving time for one type of offense or another. Douglas Healy needs boys to live in an experimental halfway house; the three agree. Rules are simple: live with Doug in an apartment, go to therapy, get good grades, do community service.
But, when Terence tries to sneak out, the other two boys get into a fight trying to stop him. Doug intervenes and ends up unconscious. The boys steal a car and get Doug to the hospital. Then Doug doesn’t come back to the apartment! Why? Turns out he has amnesia. What are the boys to do now? No one wants to admit to the authorities they are on their own. How can they help Doug and stay free?
You’ll develop a relationship with the boys and their struggle.

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2010-06-20T06:13:00.001-07:00

Something Rotten by Alan M. Gratz

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Something Rotten
by
Alan Gratz
________________________________________
Something’s rotten in the state of Denmark – namely the Copenhagen River which is so polluted that it smells. This is the first of many clever tie-ins to Shakespeare in this loose contemporary retelling of Hamlet. If you’re not a Shakespeare fan, don’t worry, the story carries itself.
This charming, witty novel opens with the death (perhaps murder) of Rex Prince head of the Elsinore Paper Plant. Hamilton Prince, the heir apparent to the Prince family fortune, has gone a little crazy since his father's death and his mother's remarriage to his uncle. Enter Horatio, Hamilton’s best friend who is tasked with finding out who murdered his father.
Horatio has a cocky way about him and a barbed tongue reminiscent of many teens. You will love him; he will soon become your favorite protagonist.
The many parallels to Hamlet are interesting, but Gratz wisely avoids producing a carbon copy of the tragedy. So enjoy and see if you can figure out the mystery.

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2010-06-19T07:40:00.002-07:00

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A Swedish suspense story. Stieg Larsson was a journalist and agitator. He lectured on right-wing extremism and racism. He lived with the love-of-his life, Eva Gabrielsson, for over 30 years. They never married because marriage required registering and they feared this would lead to them being found and attacked by his right-wing enemies.
As a form of relaxation Stieg took to writing. He finished three novels and was taking these manuscripts, packed in WalMart bags, to a publisher. He never made it; on the stairs outside the publisher he had a heart attack and died.
The publisher read the manuscripts anyway, liked them and published the Millennium trilogy, as the books were called. They were an instant and huge success of international proportions.
Now the plot thickens, Stieg left no written will, so according to Swedish law, Stieg's estate was inherited by his father and brother. His partner of 32 years got nothing! This sparked a dispute between Eva Gabrielsson and Stieg's relatives. She claims that they "were never a part of our lives" and that they are not the right persons handling Stieg's estate.
A fact complicating the matter is that Eva has the laptop with the partly finished script for the fourth book in the Millennium series. And she will not publish the script unless she is given the full rights to manage the other three novels in the series, the novels which she and Stieg worked with together. However, Stieg's father and brother have not been willing to agree, and this has resulted in a stalemate. So what will happen next?
But wait, you think this is a plot line for a novel…… think again. This is the truth surrounding Stieg Larsson and his world acclaimed books that will soon be made into movies.
You can read the whole true life story in Time Magazine, May 24, 2010
And you can read the 3 Millennium books at the library
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo

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2010-06-19T07:40:00.001-07:00

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Thirty-three times. That's how many times she called me as she was dying alone in a motel room. Thirty-three times that I didn't answer the phone.
Disturbing, harrowing, sad…. The story of two girls, each enabling the other’s own eating disorder. Cassie is now dead and haunting Lia; Lia feels guilt over her friend’s death which causes her self-destructive behaviors to accelerate. As Lia's weight plummets, her parents, step-mother, and therapist all seem powerless to help. Wintergirls is a gripping tale of one girl's struggle with body image.

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2010-06-17T08:49:00.001-07:00

Interred with Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell

My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I love Shakespeare and all his works. I was excited to find this book and see it touted as a best seller. But, it didn't live up to my expectations. References to 1600 characters left me addled, I couldn't enjoy the book with all the names and relationships I had to keep straight. Also, how does the protagonist just happen to buddy-up with someone who has the means ($) and expertise to get her back and forth over the Atlantic while eluding the police on both sides of the ocean! Come on!!

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2010-04-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

The Photographer: Into War-Torn Afghanistan with Doctors Without Borders by Emmanuel Guibert

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Photographer Didier Lefevre travelled on a 3-month mission to Afghanistan in 1986 when the Soviet-Afghan War was raging. This mixture of photographs and illustrations tells of his journey from Pakistan to the mission site in Afghanistan, his stay and his journey back to Pakistan that almost cost him his life.

A very unique combination of cartooning and photographs have been combined to portray so much on the journey: the beauty of the land, the terror of illegally crossing the border, traveling under cover of night, watching for Soviet planes. Then at the medical camp it chronicles horrific war wounds as well as sickness and accident victims. The photographs, the text, the illustrations capture the spirit, the agony, the willpower, the drive of the doctors who come to work here.

The political situation is explained at the beginning of the book to give the reader a reference point, but concentrates on human relations and interactions without getting too political. The reader is given a vision of the Afghani way of life, the ravages of war, the innocents and the opportunists.

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2010-03-15T04:06:00.001-07:00

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was reluctant to start this book. I prefer trillers, adventure stories where there is a lot of action and I thought this would be too slow for me. Well, I couldn't put it down. The suspense built right from the start - would Abilene be found out? would Minny lose her job? would Skeeter get her man?.......
Set in 60s Mississippi, the book chronicals the work and escapades of 3 women as they attempt to write a book about black maids and their experiences in Jackson Mississippi. It brings segregation to full light, how actions can be misconstrued and a host of other themes. Truely a great read.

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2010-03-08T05:38:00.000-08:00

Cowgirl at Heart by Christine Lynxwiler

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a solid mixture of romance and suspense. The romance is wholesome and fulfilling while the intrigue, mystery and twists in the plot line keep your riveted to the page. This is a book I can recommend to many and diverse ages as it encapsulates family values, ethics, and plain goodness. Elyse McCord, a dog whisperer, goes to the aid of an abused animal only to find herself in a situation. Along comes Andrew Stone to the rescue. Andrew carries emotional baggage of his own after the tragic death of his young wife. Together they end up in developing situations.

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2010-02-22T04:01:00.001-08:00

The twilight Gospel: The Spiritual Roots of Stephenie Meyer's Vampire Saga by Dave Roberts

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Following the popular, yet controversial, Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, The Twilight Gospel by Dave Roberts is an overview of the different ideas and values that Stephenie Meyers promotes. Roberts identifies different themes in the Twilight books and examines them from a Christian perspective.

A short book with clearly defined chapters, it takes no time to read.

Roberts points out that though the Twilight books promote sexual relationships, physical beauty, and the idea that these things lead to perfection, there are also other themes throughout, e.g. compassion, family…..

A good book for parents, interested teen and teachers as it contains some interesting discussion points.

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2010-02-17T09:39:00.001-08:00

The Orange Houses by Paul Griffin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I toted this book around for a couple of weeks as I felt it my duty to read it so I could make a report. Then we had a few snow days and I was at home. I found a bunch of books that I wanted to read and so "The Orange Houses" remained shelved, or should I say 'bagged'. Eventually I felt guilty and took the book out intending to skim. I read the first few short chapters and was hooked.
-The Orange Houses- by Paul Griffin is a disturbing story revolving around three marginalized teens: Mika, a 15-year-old hearing-impaired girl, 18-yr-old Jimmi, a mentally disabled veteran, and Fatima, a 16-yr-old African illegal. Their paths cross and recross in The Bronx as each struggles with life and what fate has dished out.

These teens are all living rough, avoiding police, fighting bullies, constantly dealing with fear and mental illness. But they share a longing for something better, through art, freedom, kindness.

The chapters alternate between the three teens' points of view, and tension mounts as each chapter counts down to a violent act predicted at the beginning of the book. The potential waste and injustice of this violence becomes more apparent as the reader becomes more invested in the characters: - why will someone be hanged?

Haunting and disturbing yet still hopeful.

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2010-02-15T10:48:00.001-08:00

Still Sucks to be Me: More All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton Smith, Teen Vampire by Kimberly Pauley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Despite being another vampire book this novel shines. Full of wit and one-liners from a sassy teen-vampire faced with all the turmoil of high school politics as well as being relocated to LA (small town Louisiana and not Los Angeles as she originally thought, what a disappointment)and starting in a new school for her senior year.
Mina's voice is fresh, appealing and hilarious. You will be sucked in from the first chapter on.

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2010-02-11T14:04:00.001-08:00

Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan gets into the mind of fifteen-year-old Blake who is struggling to balance his perfect girlfriend Shannon and his photo partner and friend Marissa who happens to be a girl. He constantly gets in hot-water by saying or not saying the right thing. After taking a photo of a worn-down, drug addict on the street for his photography class (Blake always sticks to gritty photos), he discovers more about Marissa – that woman was her missing mother. As Blake learns more about Marissa, their relationship changes, and Blake begins to realize that though love and romance are confusing, friendship isn’t necessarily any clearer. While he works to perfect his photography, he realizes it takes just as much work to balance the two most important females in his life that couldn’t be more different.

Flash Burnout blends comedy with more serious matters perfectly in Flash Burnout. Blake’s dilemmas feel real to the reader, and I must say I laughed at some point during nearly every chapter is this novel. L.K. Madigan does a superb job getting into the mind of a teenage boy – a task many young adult authors have tried without as much success – as Blake’s thoughts feel authentic. This book is fast-paced and, despite its length, easy to read in one sitting because it’s so hard to put down. The references to the craft of photography, especially the tips found at the beginning of each chapter and in the title itself, add to the parallels in Blake’s life and enrich the reader’s experience. The only time I was let down was the very ending of this novel which felt rather abrupt. I wish Flash Burnout had gone further in time and not ended so suddenly, so that the reader could feel more closure with the characters.

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2010-01-28T08:40:00.001-08:00

Letter to My Daughter by George Bishop

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I won an advanced copy on Firstsreads. It is a thin book but a pleasant read, ideal as a pick to fill in a few hours. Nothing earth shattering , but an enjoyable read exploring a mother’s recollection of her teen years written as a letter to her run-away daughter. The writing was good and the story was realistic.

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2010-01-22T08:34:00.001-08:00

Metamorphosis: Junior Year by Betsy Franco

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What a little gem of a book.

Ovid, named after and inspired by the Roman poet, journals all of his thoughts into a notebook. This teenagers voice is very believable and honest; he holds nothing back putting all his feelings on the line.

Ovid's journal tells of his high school experience, he gives the reader a snapshot of his life, as well as the lives of other high school students in a unique way. Ovid also gives each student a separate identity, connecting each one to a Roman mythological character based on each personality and struggle. Other juniors wrestling with their demons include musician Orpheus, obsessed with his girlfriend; incest victim Myrra, trying to find what's left of the girl in her; Alexis, a female Icarus flying too high on weed; and Sophie and Caleb, an internet Psyche and Cupid.

The only fault with this book is that it is too short. Despite its brevity, it's amazing how each character, including Ovid, grows and changes.
Who knows, after reading this you may find yourself looking up Ovid and the original Metamorphosis.

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2010-01-04T07:36:00.000-08:00

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Remember Ella Enchanted? Do you like fairytale-like stories? Here is one for you.
In a world where beauty, and singing ability are revered, Aza is awkward, and homely. Her only attribute is her glorious voice and has a gift of throwing her voice, that she calls "illusing." A duchess invites Aza to act as her companion and accompany her to the palace to attend the king's wedding. The new Queen Ivi she sees a way of protecting her reputation and disguising her own lack of singing talent by threatening Aza's family. Aza deceives the court into believing that Queen Ivi is a gifted singer. When the ruse is discovered, Aza is forced to flee the castle in order to save her life. Aza discovers her own strength of character, learns about herself, and decides that her physical appearance is not worthy of the stress and worry she has wasted on it. The plot is fast-paced, and you don’t even have to read it – the book comes on CD so you can enjoy the story and the singing. What’s not to like?

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2009-12-29T06:51:00.001-08:00

Jinx by Meg Cabot

My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Jean Honeychurch is plagued with misfortune, hence her nickname, Jinx. Small town Jinx moves to live with her aunt, uncle and spoilt cousin, Tory, in swanky New York City. Instead of finding a new start on life, Jean finds out Tory is a little too into boys, likes to mess around with drugs and alcohol and even fancies herself a witch.
Jinx instantly falls for the boy next door, Zack, who Troy fancies even though she is dating Shawn.
If life isn't complicated enough, there is the fact that Troy is practicing black magic, and believes Jinx is a witch too, whereas Jinx thinks she's cursed. That is when things really start to get good with plenty of skullduggery, bitchiness and romance.
While Cabot may be pretty formulaic she produces entertaining reading.

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2009-12-24T05:56:00.001-08:00

Bloggrls, Book One: Nugrl90 by Cheryl Dellasega

My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Sadie's world gets turned upside down when she finds out her parents are getting divorced and to make matters worse, she has to move. Now she has to start at a new school and be the New Girl! Sadie starts a blog to try and sort out her new life. The new school becomes bearable when she meets Jules, her new BF and BB(Buff Boy). However, BB seems to have a dark side. Even Jules demonstrates a dark side. Can she weather the storm? Written in blog-speak to hold your interest.

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2009-12-23T05:01:00.000-08:00

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Soap-in-a-book. All the "he said", "'she said", glamor, deceit, twists and turns of a soap opera handed to you in a book.
Elizabeth and Diana Holland have always ruled Manhattan's social scene, until their mother tells them something the don't wan to hear: their deceased father has left them poor. In order to remain a high status family, Elizabeth must marry for money. Unfortunately, Elizabeth is already in love with Will, a man with no money. Not only that, but Elizabeth's younger and more rebellious sister, Diana develops feelings for the man Elizabeth is supposed to marry. In a world of luxury and deception, the sisters must avoid backstabbing friends and spiteful maids to decide between family duty and true love.

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2009-12-02T06:14:00.001-08:00

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

This story is told from the viewpoint of an innocent child, Bruno, during WWII Germany. Apart from his innocence, Bruno has trouble pronouncing some words, but readers with even a rudimentary knowledge of 20th-century history will figure out, before Bruno does, where he lives and the significance of what he sees.

Bruno is nine when his family moves from their luxurious Berlin home to the country, where “The Fury” has appointed Bruno's father commandant of a house called “Out-With”. Lost and lonely, Bruno can see a camp in the distance, and sees potential playmates, oddly clad in striped pajamas. He has no idea what is going on, even when he eventually meets and makes friends with Shmuel, who lives on the other side of the camp fence. The boys meet every day. They even discover that they have the same birthday. It's all part of a poignant tale: Shmuel is Bruno's parallel self, and the innocent's experience brings home the unimaginable horror. The story raises the question: How could the world outside the fence not have known, or have known and failed to act on, what was happening inside it?

Bruno does finally act, and it is sure to take readers' breath away.

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2009-12-01T07:23:00.001-08:00

Fire by Kristin Cashore

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a fantasy with plenty of romance and suspense, set in the same world as Graceling, but on the far side of the mountain barrier in the kingdom of the Dells. Fire is a human monster, so beautiful that she has to hide her hair for fear of attack by both raptor monsters and human men. She is able to enter other people's minds and exert power over them. There is unrest in the land, as various lords are preparing to overthrow the king and Fire gets involved.
The book is full of action, characters and plot. Fire's struggles with her role in the war effort as well as her complex relationships with her oldest friend and lover, Archer; with Prince Brigan, whose mind is closed to her and who becomes central to her life; and with her monster father's dreadful legacy. A super read, hope there will be more.

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2009-11-30T07:57:00.001-08:00

Airhead by Meg Cabot

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Once you suspend belief in the plot line you can enjoy a good read. Em Watts is your average teenager until she goes to the Stark store opening and gets hit on the head in a freak accident. She wakes up in hospital to find her brain has been transplanted into super-model Nikki's body. Now she has to figure out how to live with a famous person's body while trying to reconnect with her old friends and crush.

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2009-11-24T07:09:00.001-08:00

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Their mismatched eyes identify Gracelings whose accentuated abilities range from mind reading, to predicting storms, to exceptional cooking, and everything in-between. The king takes them into his service so he can use whatever unusual talent to better his position. Katsa’s grace is killing; the king sends her when some ‘muscle’ is needed. Katsa hates what she has to do and forms an underground movement to look out for the populace.
On one particular case, Katsa encounters another Graceling. Po has one gold eye and one silver eye. They undertake a particularly dangerous mission in Monsea, the kingdom of Lech. The story takes many twists and turn while continuing to keep the reader attached to the likeable characters. Cashore creates a tangible environment complete with fantastic powers, romance and excitement.
The dénouement is a bit drawn out but will not put you off anticipating the sequel.

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2009-11-10T12:33:00.000-08:00

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

In American Born Chinese, Yang interweaves three seemingly unconnected stories: the main plot about a young Chinese-American boy, Jin Wang; a subplot about an all-American Anglo teenager, Danny, and his exaggeratedly-Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee; and the legend of the Monkey King. All three stories explore the very human need to fit-in and be accepted in society. This is not only true for minority groups but for us all especially teenagers. People who refuse to accept others and differences always make it harder for individuals.
The illustrations in this graphic novel are vibrant in color and jump off the page. There is plenty of humor and pathos to keep you interested and entertained. The message is clear and understandable, but sometimes we have to read and reread that it is OK to be ourselves.

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2009-11-09T06:42:00.001-08:00

Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This novel explores the impact the Iraqi War has on a young American soldier.

When Private Matt Duffy wakes up in an army hospital in Iraq, he's honored with a Purple Heart - the army's medal for those wounded in battle. But he doesn't feel like a hero. He can't quite remember what happened in the Baghdad alley where he was hurt. Matt has suffered a traumatic brain injury and must slowly work to recover his memory and full brain function. The first half of the book deals with Matt’s struggle with his injury, his feelings of isolation and later guilt. The second half follows Matt as he returns to his squad to patrol the streets of Baghdad and how he deals with those realities.

Matt tries to remember just exactly what happened. As events of the attack begin to come back to him, he realizes he may have been responsible for something terrible. Tension builds and he becomes confused about interpretations of the truth and what to tell superiors. Friendship, bravado and juvenile antics counteract the soldiers' guilt, paranoia and unease around Iraqis, whom they are told to befriend but who often prove to be their enemy. McCormick raises questions and will have readers examining not only this conflict but the nature of heroism and war.

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2009-10-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Dogs are Dead! That was Ellie's first thoughts are. They should be barking and racing to greet her, instead they lie covered with flies. She races into the house - there is no sign of life. No dirty dishes in the sink, no TV blaring or radio talking. Only silence. Where is everyone?
Ellie and six friends had been camping in the Australian outback for a few days. As they rush to each house they find the same desolation - families gone, pets and livestock dead. Panic rises in the teens. There is no power, no phones, what should they do?
Was the country invaded? What were all those planes that roared overhead while they camped? and why did they have no lights?
Now the teens have to decide whether to run back to the bush, give themselves in, or stay and fight/

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2009-10-19T06:24:00.001-07:00

Mathilda Savitch: A Novel by Victor Lodato

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Filled with grief, guilt, and confusion, young Mathilda Savitch is preoccupied with finding the cause of her 16-year-old sister's death. Having hacked into her sister Helena's email, Mathilda finds a secret world and begins to unravel the mystery. We see Mathilda change from child to young woman as she uses her feminine wiles to gather information. What could she have discovered that leaves a family so desolated. Lodato masterfully depicts an early teen's maschinations about boys, death, parents, love, sex, and humor. A deeply psychological book that leaves the reader with a clear knowledge of who Mathilda Savitch really is.

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2009-10-15T07:29:00.001-07:00

Inside Out: Portrait of an Eating Disorder by Nadia Shivack

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Nadia Shivack’s heartbreaking true story is about her lifelong battle with anorexia and bulimia. The book is unflinching honest; the raw, graphic drawings convey the depression, anxiety, despair, and self-loathing that characterized her life. It is hearth wrenching to read Nadia's words and see, through her drawings, the extent of her inner turmoil. Although we know the hard clinical facts about the aspects of eating disorders, this book make the emotional side hit.
Told with a mixture of text and pictures drawn by Nadia, her preoccupation with food began when in her troubled household when she was in her pre-teen years. She likens her daily routine as a teen to a perilous climb up a steep, jagged mountain. Her dizzying downward spiral is sobering indeed, as her bulimia takes over her life and she becomes suicidal. This is a very sobering account of a life out of control, desperate for control and help. It gives us a glimpse of the emotional and chaotic thinking endured by bulimics. Statistics about eating disorders are found throughout the book, which concludes with a list of resources.

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2009-10-14T08:01:00.001-07:00

Persepolis 1: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Marji tells of her life in Iran from the age of 10, when the Islamic revolution of 1979 reintroduced a religious state, through the age of 14 when the Iran-Iraq war forced her parents to send her to Europe for safety. It is told in graphic format with simple, but expressive, black-and-white illustrations. The story combines the normal rebelliousness of an intelligent adolescent with the horrors of war and totalitarianism. You get a glimpse fo how stressful it was to live in Iran at this time. Marji had a strong belief in freedom and equality, and her education gave her a strong faith in God. The girl's independence, which made her parents both proud and fearful, caused them to send her to Austria. From this autobiography readers will learn much of the history of this important area and will identify with young Marji and her friends.
Once you have become attached to Marji you can go on to reade Persepolis 2: the story of a return.

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2009-10-08T08:30:00.001-07:00

Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Nazi cats and Jewish mice combine to make a heartbreaking and gut wrenching recounting of one family’s experience and survival of the Holocaust
Art Spiegelman intersperses his father's gripping survivor story with their present day uneasy, bickering relationship and through the text and illustrations he shows both the short and long term affects of the atrocities of the Holocaust.
Each scene opens at the elder Spiegelman's home in, N.Y. Art, who was born after the war, is visiting his father, Vladek, to record his experiences in Nazi-occupied Poland. The Nazis, portrayed as cats, gradually introduce increasingly repressive measures, until the Jews, drawn as mice, are systematically hunted and herded toward the Final Solution.
Spiegelman recounts all this without becoming judgmental. The characters have their flaws; in fact you soon forget that they are depicted as animals. Their relationships are intricate – Vladek understands why his Polish protectors sometimes demanded payment and why older people were sometimes given up to the Nazis.
Spiegelman relates the effects of those events on the survivors' later years and upon the lives of the following generation. This book is not only a recounting of a wretched time in history, it is a character study of how people survive personal hardships.

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2009-10-05T08:32:00.001-07:00

Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Great title! A story of high school angst: fitting in, betrayal, romance, friendships. All the usual but told in a funny, light and believeable prose. Charlie moves to a new high school to start afresh after a horrible middle school experience. However, her past is not cooperating and finds ways of cropping up. She learned her lessons about friendships (not the best) and betrayal (not a good experience) but can she make the right decisions now?

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2009-09-27T11:56:00.001-07:00

Saint Iggy by K.L. Going

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Poor misunderstood Iggy Corso, life has dealt him a tough hand and now he is on the brink of expulsion from school. Iggy knows he is not a bad kid and he wants to make a contribution to the world. But how do you reverse a life that is spiraling out of control. He needs a plan.
Follow Iggy and his plan through public housing, a never-ending drug party, the lap of luxury and a chapel, on his quest to make something of his life.
This is a quick and satisfying read; Iggy is one of those memorable characters. Told in widely spaced paragraphs with authentic details, the book explores serious issues of poverty, dis-interested parents, drug abuse, and how people treat and mistreat people without being preachy. The image of Iggy will stay with you for a long time after you have finished reading the pages.

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2009-09-17T08:42:00.001-07:00

Paper Towns by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Totally a winner. Practical meets unpredictable as Quentin and Margo renew their friendship. Margo drags Q out of his comfort zone as they go on an overnight adventure. The next morning Margo is gone! Is she dead or alive? Quentin follow her clues to find her.
you will be kept on the edge of your seat and you join the mystery. Find Margo and find the reasons for her disappearance.

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2009-09-13T12:15:00.001-07:00

Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation by Tim Hamilton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This classic was made for the graphic novel format! The story is set in a future where firemen start fires; they start fires to burn books. The government looks on books as evil; books carry too much knowledge which is dangerous to the government. When books are found, they are burned; often the owners disappear too. Guy Montag is a fireman who begins to question his job and the government’s desire for conformity. The book follows Guy’s search for answers to his government’s censorship and fear of books, ideas, and differences. Although an abbreviated retelling, Bradbury authorized it and writes the introduction, it misses nothing. A wonderful eye-catching pictorial work which will encourage you to read the original novel.

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2009-09-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

After 9/11: America's War on Terror by Sid Jacobson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This graphic novel explains the post- 9/11 world. The novel shows all the critical events, major characters, the contexts and consequences of the “war on terror.” Reading and seeing the graphic depiction of this complex information makes for easier understanding than simple prose. The major characters are so well drawn and make recognition in print and visual media a snap. This book definitely eases the understanding of the chronology and interconnectedness of the events while keeping the reader interested with compelling art. For those interested in history and the history students who just want a recap on what happened when and by whom, this is a great resource.

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2009-09-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a very entertaining book. You don't have to be into vampires to enjoy the wit, suspense, romance and good fun. The narrative is quick to keep you interested with plenty of twists and turns in the plot. I truly had no idea who the culprit was until the very end.

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2009-08-04T05:58:00.001-07:00

2009-08-04T05:53:00.001-07:00

Den of Thieves by Julia Golding

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The 3rd book in the Cat Royal series. Cat, an orphan, lives at the Theater Royal in Drury Lane, England. When the owner decides to tear down the theater to build a new one, Cat has no where to go! The books takes the reader on various adventures which are engaging. The characters are interesting, and with a dollop of history and travel, it all adds up to a worthwhile read. Suitable for all, but especially middle school aged.

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2009-07-21T17:46:00.001-07:00

Falling For Romeo by Jennifer Laurens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Nice chic lit. John and Jennifer have been next door neighbors since they were young. Despite being inseperable when they were younger, they've grown apart during junior high. It has always been somewhat of a race to the top, or a "whose better" competition for them. Everybody thinks John's perfect and when he decides to go out for the school play, which has always been Jennifer's forte, and gets the lead which makes Jennifer furious. Not only that, but they have to play Romeo and Juliet and actually kiss in the play! Jennifer and John deal with pride, jealousy and the tension between each other. Not to give too much away, I will stop there. How do they survive the drama production? Read on... yourself.

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2009-07-17T17:28:00.001-07:00

Blue Ice and Other Stories from the Rink by Frank Ewert

My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This is a slim collection of 6 short stories based on ice hockey. Great for middle school readers or higher and for the English student interested in writing (you can see the structure of story writing). You don't have to know much about hockey to enjoy the stories.

I'm not a huge hockey fan hence the low rating.

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2009-07-17T06:17:00.001-07:00

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a must read! A cautionary tale of mis- and non- communications. Do we really know others completely, or can they surprise us? Partially for fun as well as out of anger, Val creates a hate list of things and people she hates at school. Her boyfriend, Nick, joins in and it becomes their working manuscript...... until Nick starts shooting those on the list.

How does Val react? How do the students and community deal with the trauma?

For those popular students and those on the periphery this novel indicates what can happen through bullying, ignorance, superiority etc. A thought provoking story. Val survives; the story is rooted in her inner strength and willingness to search for answers within herself - others are not so lucky. The one 'far-fetched' aspect is the introduction of Bea - just a little too fairy taleish in an otherwise realistic haunting novel.

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