Living Dead Girl

Living Dead Girl


By: Elizabeth Scott
Reviewed by: gothiclolitamaiden, 15
Rating: It was amazing!


“Meet Alice. She may be 15, but she doesn't look like it. Ray wants her to look like a little girl, so he won't let her eat and he dresses her in little-girl clothes. He beats her when he thinks she's done something wrong, then abuses her in a different way when...well, whenever he wants. He owns Alice. But it wasn't always this way. Ray abducted Alice when she was just ten years old, and has convinced her that if she ever tries to runaway or tell the police, he'll kill her family. But Alice is growing up, and Ray likes little girls. It may be time for a new, younger girl to terrorize. But here's the catch: Alice must find the new girl and help to kidnap her.”

This is probably the creepiest and most disturbing book I’ve ever read. I wanted to put it down and forget about it, but I couldn’t. I kept reading and finished it in a couple of hours. Needless to say, I loved it, even if it planted some unsettling images and thoughts in my mind. This book will make you cry or gasp in horror and disgust, or both. Living Dead Girl hooks you, and if you do happen to put it down, even for a couple of minutes, it continues to haunt you. As I read, I found myself rooting for Alice, hoping that she would have a happy ending, even though Alice was slowly becoming as evil as her tormentor.

Alice isn’t perfect, not at all. Her suffering hasn’t made her a saint, like similar characters in other novels. Adversity doesn’t make Alice a better, stronger person like in many stories, it has made her into something twisted and sick. Her suffering, her pain, has made her into a person similar to her own tormentor, who also took similar abuse in his childhood. It has made her into a shell of a human, and she is willing to sink to any depths to escape Ray, even if it means that another girl will have to bear her pain in her place. And that is why the novel is so riveting. You empathize with Alice, you put herself in her place and wonder if you would become that twisted shell that once was a soul, that living dead girl. You hope that she will prevail, yet you can’t help but loathe what she has become in her five years with Ray.

This book is one of those books that will disgust you, but make you pause and think next time you see an abuse victim on TV or in the newspaper. As Alice points out, people tend to blame the abuse on the victim. Why didn’t you leave? Why didn’t you escape? Why didn’t you get help? I won’t be forgetting this book anytime soon, and I’m not quite sure that’s a good thing.


Recommended to: Non-squeamish people. Older teens and adults.

Land of the Blindfolded

Land of the Blindfolded


By: Tsukuba Sakura
Reviewed by: gothiclolitamaiden, 15
Rating: It was amazing!


Kanade can see the future and tries to interfere in order to create a better outcome. Arou can see the past, and he doesn’t believe in interfering.

Land of the Blindfolded is a very well-written and thought provoking series, and it could have easily been a shoujo classic. However, CMX is a relatively small manga licensing company, and it failed to market the series to stand out among the many shoujo titles currently available. Even though it isn’t a mega-popular series, I still love it, for various reasons.

Land of the Blindfolded’s charm is mostly in its story and characters. The story makes you think, unlike a lot of shoujo. What if YOU could see the future, and what if YOU could choose to change the future or not. It made me think that maybe we as a society don’t try to help other people enough, though we know that hundreds of thousands of people are currently suffering and/or in need. The characters are lovable and believable, flaws and all.

Land of the Blindfolded’s art is relatively simple, but the manga doesn’t suffer from it. Tsukuba Sakura doesn’t bother with elaborate costumes and settings, which is perfectly suitable for a cheery shojo manga in a modern, non-fantasy setting. The character designs are unique to each other, and facial expressions are expressive.
The manga volumes come with bonus side stories that are completely unrelated to the main series, but are very entertaining.

Overall, Land of the Blindfolded is a sweet, thoughtful series that has a lot of potential to be a hit.


Recommended to: Manga fans of all ages. Especially shojo fans

The Lost Boy

The Lost Boy


By: Dave Pelzer
Reviewed by: Tracy L., 13
Rating: Really liked it


The Lost Boy was the sequel to the famous book, A Child Called It, the story of one of most severe abuse cases in California. David is now given custody to the court, and is going from foster home to foster home.

When I read this story, I was heartbroken. A boy as young as David should never have to go through something like this, and having a mom that doesn't even care if their child runs away is unacceptable.

I think the people that read this book will learn to appreciate what you have from David, because he has such a hard life for his entire childhood, and in the end, he is happy, and finds people worthy enough to be called "Mom" and "Dad"


Recommended to: Anyone

Thickfreakness

Thickfreakness

By: The Black Keys
Reviewed by: Danielle, 15
Rating: Really liked it


I love their music; it is very old school. They aren’t like some artists that can’t play musical instruments and just make a bunch of loud noises and scream something. When I listen to their songs I at times fade out the lyrics and just listen to the beat. My favorite song for the album has to be well I don’t even know I love every single song but if I had to choose it would be “No Trust” just because I adore the story behind it. The song is about a woman that just cannot trust her man not even his family because his lifestyle is to complicated for her. When I listen to this album I just feel content and at ease.


Recommended to: To anyone who enjoys rock and jazz.

Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights


By: Emily Bronte
Reviewed by: Danielle, 15
Rating: Hated it!


Before I even began to read the novel I looked at the genealogy and was intrigued. So many people die throughout the book and I thought wow the plot must be full of mystery and excitement. To my disappointment the novel is full of love triangles and foolish girls. Catherine just plays with poor Edgar and Heathcliff’s hearts as if they were her puppets. Oh and don’t get me started with Isabella the naive girl that left her life of comfort for a man that could care less about her. This book is so infuriating that by the end, it made me want to through it out into the street and burn it.


Recommended to: Nobody

Lines, Vines, and Trying Times

Lines, Vines and Trying Times

By: Jonas Brothers
Reviewed by: Lynna, 17
Rating: Didn't like it


This is definitely NOT their best CD, and some of the songs are honestly not worth listening to. I mean, there are the few nice ones like Before The Storm and Black Keys... but other than that, I suggest you don't go for the whole CD and instead buy individual songs from iTunes.

I'm not the biggest of Jonas Brothers either, so my opinion might be a little biased compared to someone who is a JoBro fanatic. However, I'm a huge musicholic, and I don't really favor artists over songs. I have selections of favorite songs/music, but I rarely favor artists as a whole. When I listen to songs, I usually like to listen to it before knowing who the artists are (but I usually guess easily anyways). JoBros' last album is most definitely better than this one, in my opinion.

There's also the fact that their band is a little overrated, as to most of other Disney stars... but then again, there's more than just handfuls of crazy fan girls too... just saying! :P

This album was disappointing for me.


Recommended to: Crazy JoBro Fanatics, but they wouldn't need a recommendation anyways...

Because I Am Furniture

Because I Am Furniture


By: Thalia Chaltas
Reviewed by: Lynna, 17
Rating: It was alright...


The writing style itself wasn't as impressive as the voice behind it, and the background of the novel was even much more engaging. I wasn't expecting the whole story to be in the form of a poetic-like prose, but that's what it exactly was. Reading the summary was what really drawn me into checking out the book, but that was pretty much the best thing of the whole book - the summary, the story behind it.

It's a sad story, realistic or not (but I'm guessing it is from how the writer wrote it), about an extremely abusive father who abuses pretty much her whole family except the narrator. The narrator was inclined to keep the secret, and she was a very private person until she joined Volleyball. Then that's when she realized to voice her inner self and thoughts; the voice she can use to fight back the father who used to be very loving and fatherly to her and her family...

The story itself was good, but not necessarily OMG-AWESOME!-GOTTA-KEEP-READING-THIS good... Haha, but it's good if you're bored. It was like fluff reading to me, though; to be honest, I actually skipped some lines that talked about stuff that wasn't even relatively important to the point of the story (maybe that's why it was such a fast read for me :P). I bet it was an intense experience for the girl, however, and you'd really have to feel bad for her...


Recommended to:Teens 16+

The Loser's Guide to Life and Love

The Loser's Guide to Life and Love


By: Lauren Myracle
Reviewed by: Lizzie, 17
Rating: It was amazing!


Ed is just a normal teenager, who works at a summer job. He is into movies, and he is stuck with a name tag that is not his, which is "Sergio". Oneday he meets a girl, and then suddenly becomes his alter ego "Sergio".

This book was so funny, and orginal. This is a funny and romance type of book, similar to 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by Shakespeare. It is told from four different point of views. Ed, Scout, Quark, and Ellie. When reading this, one can't help but to feel part of the characters.


Ed is just like any typical male teenager. He feels that he is short, and that his life is boring. The tone of the story was humorous, and it was balanced with each of the character's narration.

Scout is not just any girl - she plays soccer, and can gulp down a hamburger. You can tell that Scout is not a [or dosen't want to be]"Girly girl", but sometimes she catches herself looking at romance novels, and thinking of Ed. Which in any case, we can indentify with. Well for me, anyhow. Though however, there was a point where I found her some what annoying....I don't why.

Quark is funny too, he is considered the "smart" one, and is into Scout. Everything he sees, is taken into a scientific manner. Which is pretty amusing.

Ellie is a sweet girl, who did have bad luck in love. She likes "Sergio", and we seem to find her writing to herself a would be email message to the guy who broke her heart. I found that to be little annoying, but it was standable.

Maybe somethings were little corny or chessy, but it wasn't something I coudln't handle. It dosen't go to overboard. Overall, this book is fun.


Recommended to: Anyone who likes romance and comedy together

Bliss

Bliss


By: Lauren Myracle
Reviewed by: Lizzie, 17
Rating: Really liked it


Bliss is a new girl at school (who is different than the other girls), and discovers odd things about Sarah.

This book was amazing! Usually, horror/suspense stories have cheesy story lines and are pretty predictable, but this one proved me wrong.

In the begining, we are introduced to Bliss. She come's from hippie parents, who esccaped the Vietnam draft. She now lives with her 'proper' grandmother in Atlanta. Bliss has a special sense, that makes her hear troubling voices in her head.

I liked Bliss, because even though she tries to befriend everyone and be nice, she is not naiive on the things that are happening around her. When she starts hanging around Sandy, she senses that Sandy's obession with Sarah Lynn [the school's most loved student] is above abnormal.

In the book, I could sense that Sandy's obession with Sarah Lynn would be dangerous later on. At first I admit, that I didn't think much of 'Sandy'. But the author put little things in the story that gave hints, that there was more to the character.

The way "Sandy" is described to be looked and the way she acts, gave me the creeps! The author did a pretty interesting job making the story more suspensful, in the fact that she added the right time references into the the book [ex. racism, murderers]. All these ingredients provided the right recipe for a horror like narration, in which Bliss writes in her Journal about the mysterious ways of the School and Sandy herself.

I really wasn't satisfied with the ending, because I didn't understand it fully. However, it was freaky, and unexpected.


Recommended to: Horror fans

Twice Upon a Marigold

Twice Upon a Marigold


By: Jean Ferris
Reviewed by: Lizzie, 17
Rating: It was alright...


Queen Marigold and King Christian are now married, but they soon learn that "Happily Ever After" isn't around the corner just yet.

This book was funny, and enjoyable. But it wasn't what I expected. Let me explain.

In the begining Marigold and Christian have a argument, which turns out be really funny and amusing. That part was good, because I was hoping for some "couple" drama. It continues like this, for about half of the book. Why? Because since Quuen Olympia returned [she got back her memory], the Kingdom turns for the worse.

Sure, Marigold and Christian had some fights (in some parts, they didn't talk to each other), but it was left behind in the background, in the fact that they were too concentrated in restoring back the Kingdom from Olympia. It's like I knew they had problems, but it was not really focused on- well not enough. However, it was still amusing enough to keep me reading.

New characters are brought into the story, which is not really a bad thing. Lazy Susan and Mr. Lucasa were funny, but I didn't really care for them. The story had a humorous tone to it, which I indeed expected.

There wasn't cussing or sexual content, which again in my book, is a A+! In a way, it was a disappointment, because I wanted to see more of Christian and Marigold's relationship, in a deeper depth.

Still a good book, though.


Recommended to: Anyone who likes fairytales, etc.

The Tapestry: The Second sSege

The Tapestry: The Second Siege


By: Henery H. Neff
Reviewed by: Lizzie, 17
Rating: Really liked it


Max returns to Rowan, after an new and exciting start at Rowan Academy. He and his friend Daniel are ahead of the older students, and are determined to find out more about the evil demon Astaroth, and about themselves.


I thought that book one was action packed, well this one was even more breath taking! This book turned out to be more than what I expected. So let's start the review.

- Max

:: In this book, we see a more stronger and determined Max. I think in this book, he is starting to really grasp the fact of who he is, and what is his role in the fight against Asaroth.

- Daniel

:: In book one, I didn't think he was going to be a key role in the story, too. But just as Max is important, so is Daniel. Daniel in this book, studies alot, to understand more about the evil forces. In fact, Daniel does most of the work. If it wasn't for Daniel, things could have certainly gone wrong.

I really liked Max and Daniel's friends. They had a group of friends that had distinctive personalities that made the story more enjoyable, and realistic.

Just like the first book, things can get some what confusing. Basically, you don't expect what's coming next. However, this book provides more questions and answers about the situation of Rowan, and Max himself. Pretty interesing. I also liked the ending, because as I was reading, I had a feeling that Astaroth will take over, but then at the same time, I was hoping that would not be the case. In other words-It was definatly a emotion roller coaster!


Recommended to: Anyone

The Tapestry: The Hound of Rowan

The Tapestry: The Hound of Rowan


By: Henery H. Neff
Reviewed by: Lizzie, 17
Rating: Really liked it


Max McDaniels is a just a normal 12 year old boy, when he is discovered to be someone very special and important in the world of Rowan.

This book was something really different, from what I have read. At first, It reminded me of Harry Potter (though I never read it). What it made it seem similar was the fact that it had an Academy for special people, and their mystic powers. However, after reading this book, it can be said that Harry Potter and The Tapestry are both creative, and different in their own right.

I liked how the begining of the book started. It wasn't confusing, and I could already see that Max seemed like a 'normal' 12 year old kid. Okay. So far so good. He goes into a Art Insitute, where he stumbles upon a tapestry. The pictures seem to be moving.

**Honestly, I really didn't get that part.

After that, he finds a note in his pocket, telling him that vistor from Rowan Academy would be visiting him. That's where everything starts, apparently.

Now, when I got further into the story, it did confusing. Why? Because it seems that the story (ex. Rowan) are based on Irish folktales, etc. The names (as you can imagine) can get little confusing. But in saying that, it was interesting. I never really cared for or understood the Irish culture, but now I have come to appreciate it more.

What I really liked also, was how the author gave each charactor a key and distintive role in the story. What kind of bothered me though, was the fact that, why couldn't it be a girl who was special, and had those special powers? Daniel (Max's friend) and Max himself are important in this book, because they hold the key to defeating the evil forces, etc. It's usually the male (s) who have the key role in a story, which get's pretty annoying.


Anyways, it was a good book. It did make me smile, and laugh. However, I suggest you read the book slowly, because you can get confused. I am a pretty quick reader, I even had to stop and re-read. Also, this book is a series:

- THE SECOND SIEGE
- THE REIGN OF ASTAROTH.


Recommended to: Anyone who enjoys Magic, etc.

D. Gray-Man Volume 1

D. Gray-Man Volume 1


By: Katsura Hoshino
Reviewed by: gothiclolitamaiden, 15
Rating: Really liked it


“A born excorcist, Walker's primary anti-akuma weapon is the cross that's embossed on his red and disfigured left hand, which contains Innocence. But not only does Walker destroy akuma, he sees the akuma hiding inside a person's soul! Together with his fellow exorcists fighting under the command of the Black Order, Walker leads the battle against the Millennium Earl, the evil being out to destroy mankind.”

For me, D.Gray-Man is a little bit like a cross between Chrono Crusade and Fullmetal Alchemist, with a strange title that doesn’t really make sense. It’s not the most original story, but it is still entertaining, even if exorcists are becoming very common in manga these days.

The story is fairly fast-paced, but lacks the emotional impact of other series like Fullmetal Alchemist, which prevents the first volume of D. Gray-Man from being a truly memorable experience. The action scenes aren’t even that thrilling, since Allen’s a (this is a really old figure of speech, forgive me) one-trick pony.

The character designs are distinct, so that you won’t start mixing them up. The characters themselves have little quirks that distinguish their personalities and make the more character-driven parts of the story more interesting. The villain, the Millennium Earl, is especially fascinating, for me, because he is quite whimsical in appearance and demeanor, but he is extremely cold and cruel as well. He smiles toothily (his smile is now one of the top ten creepiest things I’ve ever seen in a manga) as he leads his victims to their own undoing.

The amount of detail in the art and character designs is remarkably high for a shonen series. However, the akuma designs are all virtually identical, which gets boring after a while. Some of the action scenes lack backgrounds, which almost makes it seem as if the characters are fighting in space.

Overall, D. Gray-Man is definitely worth picking up, and I expect that future volumes will be slightly more exciting, as long as the plot doesn’t get repetitive.


Recommended to: Manga fans 15+ Mainly for violence. Fans of exorcists, supernatural manga, and shonen manga

Kamikaze Girls

Kamikaze Girls


By: Novala Takemoto
Reviewed by: gothiclolitamaiden, 15
Rating: It was amazing!


“Life in the boondocks of rural Ibaraki prefecture is anything but glamorous, and to escape her humdrum existence, Momoko, a lolita, fanaticizes about French rococo, dreams of living in the palace of Versailles, and decks herself out in the finest (and frilliest) 18th century haute couture from an expensive Tokyo specialty store. Her dreams of an idyllic existence are rudely interrupted by the appearance of Ichigo, a tough-talking Yanki motorcycle-chick (on a tricked-out moped) who's part of a girls-only biker gang known as the Ponytails. Together, this unlikeliest of duos strikes out on a quest to find a legendary embroiderer, a journey that takes them to back-alley pachinko parlors, and chic boutiques.”

I love Japanese novels just as much as I like Japanese manga and anime. I love Kamikaze Girls, but not just because it’s a Japanese novel. It is a modern Japanese coming-of-age novel, and I find myself wishing that we could read Kamikaze Girls in English class instead of reading the decades-old English coming-of-age novels that we usually read. However, I don’t think Japanese novels are allowed in English class. My grumbling about high school English curriculum aside, Kamikaze Girls is a fun, thoughtful novel. However, some readers will undoubtedly be put off by its eccentric tone and content. The book would be somewhat confusing for people with limited knowledge of traditional Japanese culture and modern Japanese fashion and youth subculture. If you like eccentric books and Japanese culture, you will like Kamikaze Girls. Therefore, I really liked it.

There are hardly any problems with Viz’s translation of the book. I didn’t catch any typos or other errors, and there was a glossary of terms in the back, even though it is a bit incomplete. The translation isn’t choppy, and it maintains a good level or descriptive language. The only big problem is the title. When Viz translated the novel, they changed the title from the original Shimotsuma Monogatari (Shimotsuma Story) to Kamikaze Girls. This was especially irritating for me because I had a boy ask me if the book was about girls who committed suicide. I, of course, rolled my eyes, but replied as politely as possible, even if I was a bit too curt. I find it very annoying when companies that publish anime, manga, or Japanese novels in the US change the title names to make the products more marketable, and I wish that Viz had considered a better name for the book, but alas, I am powerless to change anything. I find myself thinking that “How to Survive in a Hick Town” might have been a good title.

Momoko and Ichigo are both endearing characters, and very unique. Both Momoko and Ichigo are very independent, therefore their friendship makes perfect sense, despite the fact that their fashion senses are completely different. Momoko’s narration and her funny anecdotes are hilarious.

The novel is very entertaining, but also has a lot of themes about friendship and being true to yourself. That may sound like the same sentimental crud you’ve been seeing in books and movies for as long as you can remember, but Kamikaze Girls presents these themes in a unique, quirky way.


Recommended to: Teens 13+ For language, mostly. Girls and boys can enjoy it, but girls will probably connect better with the story and characters.

Castaways and Cutouts

Castaways and Cutouts

By: The Decemberists
Reviewed by: Matt, 13
Rating: It was amazing!

It was simply excellent, the music was full of emotion and just really well done. even thought it was depressing for the most part, the songs were just brilliant. But enough praise...This is the first full length album by the Decemberists, and possibly their best, but its the only full length not owned by the library system.

Track listing:
1)Leslie Ann Levine
2)Here I Dreamt I was an Architect
3)July July
4)A Cautionary Song
5)Odalisque
6)Cocoon
7)Grace Cathedral Hill
8)The Legionnaire's Lament
9)Clementine
10)California One/Youth and Beauty Brigade

My advice...listen to it, and listen to it now.


Recommended to: everyone

Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men


By: John Steinbeck
Reviewed by: Lynna, 17
Rating: Really liked it


This was a nice classic to read, and I remembered the movie better than the novel in Freshman year when we had to read it - though I remember really being hooked into the book. The characters were very dumb, but they really had hearts and aren't stone-cold. I would like to really get into their heads though, but the narrative was decent enough. It was really sad in the end, but some of the parts were very cute.


Recommended to: 12 years+

Catcher in the Rye

Catcher in the Rye


By: J. D. Salinger
Reviewed by: Lynna, 17
Rating: Really liked it


I actually enjoyed Catcher in the Rye (didn't expect it before cracking open the small plain white hardcover book). It had a lot of hidden meanings behind it, and the writer has a magnificent way of expressing thoughts through the character. It's funny how this novel was complete shunned for it's profanity and rebellious language.

This book was basically about a troubled, depressed, and rebellious teenager named Holden Caulfied who wanted to just escape. He's rebellious at heart and despite his parents demand for him to just stay in school, he always manages to get in trouble. He finally packs and leave school for good and runs away into many little adventures. Inside, he's a chaotic mess of memories of his dead brother (Allie) and messy childhood. There is a lot of symbolism in this novel, including the title of Catcher in the Rye.

I would probably like to read this on my free time, so it was no trouble for me to read it for my class!


Recommended to: Teens who can handle a little rebellion here and there ;)

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby


By: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Reviewed by: Lynna, 17
Rating: Didn't like it


This book seemed absolutely pointless to me, especially the ending. Honestly, I don't understand how this is one of the greatest American literatures. The beginning drags on and on, and the ending - holy cow, how lame was that? The story was short-lived, and the connection between the characters could've at least been a bit more stronger, or genuine at least.

This wasn't exactly my type of literature, but when I heard it was good in my class, I was SO expecting much more. The only interesting this in this story was probably the death of Myrtle and relationship between Gatsby and Nick. Daisy doesn't deserve anyone, in my opinion, but the selfish Tom. I mean, I know the main conflicts in this story meant flawed characters, but the story was already faulty itself. I was bored out of my mind.


Recommended to: Not many people.

Death and Diamonds

Death and Diamonds


By: Franklin W. Dixon
Reviewed by: Tracy L., 13
Rating: Really liked it


This book is about two teens, Frank and Joe. They are amateur detectives in the agency, ATAC. They were just finishing up a case in Paris, France, climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower, when a "rock" smashed Frank's window. It was their next ATAC case.

The case was involving the jewelry showing event at the newly opened Bayport Convention Center. The jewelry would be worn by top supermodels Naomi and Shakira.

When they arrived, both Joe and Frank were chorlofoamed. After that, Naomi and Shakira had several disputes, and several people were killed or found dead.

In the beginning, Shaky Twist and Carlos was suspected of the crimes. But later, Shaky was one of the ones found dead. And Carlos was killed by accident. At the end, Naomi and Bobo were the ones that were organizing it.


Recommended to: mystery lovers

Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy

Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy


By: Jenny Nimmo
Reviewed by: Matt L., 15
Rating: Really liked it


It was good.


Recommended to: yes

Bizenghast Volumes 1 and 2

Bizenghast Volumes 1 and 2


By: M. Alice LeGrow
Reviewed by: gothiclolitamaiden, 15
Rating: It was alright...


“When a young girl moves to the forgotten town of Bizenghast, she uncovers a terrifying collection of lost souls that leads her to the brink of insanity. One thing becomes painfully clear: The residents of Bizenghast are just dying to come home.”

This is the sort of OEL (Original English Language) manga that tends to set manga purists against English manga. I don’t know if it should even be considered manga, since there is very little manga influence evident in the art, other than some gothic-lolita inspired outfits. One of the problems with the series is the art, but I’ll get to that later.

The plot is not the most original, I must say. I am a big fan of the gothic horror genre, but only if it’s pulled off correctly. Dinah, the main character, has to help spirits move on, which is a bit like Bleach, but with less shonen action. Things move quickly enough to keep you interested, even if the plot is episodic and slightly repetitive in nature. Some of the jokes are funny, but they don’t really fit in with the mood of the story. The author hints that the heroes won’t have such an easy time helping spirits in the future. On a positive note, the panels are laid out so that they are easy to read.

Most of the characters are rather flat, unfortunately. The most interesting character is Edaniel, the first tower guardian. Other than Edaniel, the other characters are boring or even slightly irritating. I thought that Dinah would stop screaming every time she sees a ghost and get used to it, but she gets spooked every single time.

Another big problem is the art. No, I am not an art snob, but in a genre that relies on art as the medium for the story, the art needs to be acceptably consistent. Some of the art in Bizenghast is very pretty (the covers, chapter titles, certain panels) but only in panels that the artist obviously put considerable effort into. Most of the other panels aren’t drawn very well and there are anatomy issues. At best, the regular panels (the ones that the artist doesn’t put much effort into) are mediocre, at worst, they are sloppy. The backgrounds aren’t half bad, I must admit, and they lend the story an appropriate creepy, gothic atmosphere.

Bizenghast is certainly not the best addition to the growing selection of OEL manga. The artist probably needs more experience with art and storytelling, but is still quite promising.


Recommended to: Fans of the gothic genre 13+ Anyone who doesn't mind angst and bad art that is supposedly manga-inspired

First They Killed My Father

First They Killed My Father


By: Loung Ung
Reviewed by: Lynna, 17
Rating: Really liked it


This was a haunting, heart-wrenching book but it was a wonderful read. Especially because of the fact that this was based on real-life experiences, the writer did a wonderful job writing through her childhood self... very sad story. This was about the Communist/Pol Pot takeover of Cambodia, and you would seriously cry, if not get sad, reading this. I wish I can say more... but it's the kind of book that you would have to read to really feel the speeclessness I'm feeling. If you think Hitler was horrible, you'll find this just twice as insanely horrible - and true too! I highly recommend this book as it opens eyes to the world we have and are living in.


Recommended to: Everyone!!!

Hazing Meri Sugarman

Hazing Meri Sugarman


By: M. Apostolina
Reviewed by: Lynna, 17
Rating: Really liked it


This was one crazy novel... insanely extreme plot, yet I know it's pretty true when it comes to reality.

Cindy was just a normal girl entering college, normal until she joins a sorority club. Her life transformed in major ways, and this can be a bad thing. Joining the sorority club was hard and crazy enough for Cindy, but forcefully staying in this private club was Hell. A sorority sister, AKA 'leader', Meri Sugarman is a blood-thirsty, envious, and extremely dangerous popular queen. Old habits die hard for her; she'll get everything her way, lip gloss and all. Things they do in the club are confidential, but Cindy had enough of it all. If she was to try and escape, horrible things would be done on her - so insane, you'd have to read yourself! Escaping was the horrible part, and she goes through emotional suffering and self-torture to wringle out of Meri's avenging manicured hands. Betrayal, secrets, and scandals are the pointers in this book.

This was a nice (not speaking literally, of course) book; if you can face the reality of it all that there are crazily jealous girls like Meri Sugarman. College sororities won't look the same again after finishing this novel.


Recommended to: Girls 16+

Paranoid

Paranoid

By: Black Sabbath
Reviewed by: Sandor S., 13
Rating: It was amazing!


THey are a very grat band featuring their lead singer,ozzie ossboune,the prince of darkness.


"War Pigs"
"Paranoid"
"Planet Caravan"
"Iron Man"
"Electric Funeral"
"Hand Of Doom"
"Rat Salad"
"Fairies Wear Boots"


Recommended to: anyone

My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper


By: Jodi Picoult
Reviewed by: Jenna, 15
Rating: It was amazing!


This book is well written and thought-provoking. It is long, but worth reading. The author chose to write the book from each of the characters' different perspectives which I enjoyed. It is different from any other book I have read because of it's topic that is intriging. I highly recommend this book to readers who like to ponder the books they read.


Recommended to: teenage girls and women.

Intensely Alice

Intensely Alice


By: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Reviewed by: Macye, 13
Rating: Really liked it


This book is great! It has real life experiences that real people have to go through every day. Alice is a girl who has grown up without a mom. Instead she has a college age brother and dad. She is trying to develop a better relationship with her new stepmom. All the while she is balancing friends, her boy friend, and everyday life choices.

In fact there is a whole series of Alice books starting from when she was only in third grade up to her senior year in college. You can start reading them in third grade and as you get older you can read the more grown up ones. These books are awesome and you will just fall in love with Alice like I did when you read them.


Recommended to: Middle School and older girls

Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean

Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean


By: Justin Somper
Reviewed by: Annabelle L., 15
Rating: Really liked it


Grace and Connor Tempest, regular twins to Dexter Tempest, lighthouse keeper, of Crescent Moon Bay. Dexter would always keep them entertained with the bedtime stories of mythical Vampirates that sail the ocean blue. All of a sudden, their daily lives have changed once their father died. Running away from the remanants of their lives to the sea, Grace and Connor are split apart from each other for their own adventures as they discovered themseleves.

Connor is washed up upon the great ship of Molucco Wrathe, an old legendary seadog, who takes him in with open arms. Seems like Connor is a natural prodigy pirate-in-the-making. But balancing that and convincing the ship to look for his seemingly gone twin sister?

Grace, on the other hand, stumbles upon 'The Nocturne' the prestigious, mysterious, fog-covered Vampirates ship. In an ethereal haze, she explores as much as she can of the ship, though a certain Vampirate by the name of Lorcan Furey is using his Irish charm to make sure she doesn't discover... what?

From sword fights to Feast Night, this first book takes you on journeys of wonder and discovery, bringing along the twins for the ride. Learn about the different swords from Cutlass Cate and how the term Vampirates really is applied, Somper brings in great imagery as well as the lightheartedness and seriousness of different events and conversations. When I read this last summer, I fell in love with this series. It was easy to read, something to enjoy, but it was also a book where you see how the main characters change and develop all the time with their settings.

I really enjoyed it, so I hope you do too! Happy reading!


Recommended to: people who might not like vampires, but enjoy a good pirate story with a twist; more for the younger teens and tweens

Generation Dead

Generation Dead


By: Daniel Waters
Reviewed by: Lynna, 17
Rating: It was alright...


The novel is just as it's titled: it's the story of the rift between teenagers that live as normal humans and teenagers that have arose from their grave and continuing to live their life, if you can call it that.

This book was a little slow, but the main point of the story was interesting and unique. I love how the author sort of switches point of views between the different character, even though I got bored on some of the character's thoughts. I wished there was more to the ending, and I was expecting a lot more than just "that". All in all, it wasn't a waste of my time, but I can't say that it was a book I would spend time reading if I knew the ending was going to be so blunt and sudden, and unexpected, though it wasn't much of a shocker to me - if you enjoy slow-moving, plots, here's the poison.

Heard there was a sequel, so hopefully that would be better. I'll give it another shot. :P


Recommended to: Teenagers 14+

Old Yeller

Old Yeller


By: Fred Gipson
Reviewed by: Holly Hobbie, 11
Rating: It was amazing!


There is a boy named Travis and he has a little brother named Arlis that drives him insane! They live on a prairie somewhere out west. Then one day a dog found them. It was yellow in color so they named it Old Yeller. Travis did not like this dog at first, until Arlis was saved by Yeller. Because a Mama bear wanted to kill him. After that Travis started to get used to him. Eventually they became friends and had lots of adventures together, and were very close.

But when Yeller gets sick it breaks Travis' heart. You have to read the book to find out what happens next. It's all about real love, courage and bravery, and what the love of a dog can do for a family. You will love this book. Get a tissue.


Recommended to: Readers of all ages who love dogs. Great A.R. book.

Poppy

Poppy


By: Avi
Reviewed by: Holly Hobbie, 11
Rating: Really liked it


Just reading the first page got me in nonstop reading!I could not put the book down.this little mouse and her BIG adventures! Poppy never gave up even when it seemed like everything was against her. She showed great bravery, and intelligence, even against what everyone else thinks of as the world's smartest animal: the owl. But this owl was no match for Poppy's smart little brain, and brave heart.


Recommended to: Kids who need a fun A.R. point book to read

Betrayed: A House of Night Novel

Betrayed: A House of Night Novel


By: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Reviewed by: gothiclolitamaiden, 15
Rating: Didn't like it


Spoilers Ahead
“After settling in at the House of Night and becoming more comfortable with her vast powers, fledgling vampire Zoey Redbird faces a horrible crisis as human teenagers are becoming victims of a wave of murders and the House of Night becomes the prime suspect.”

The second book in the House of Night series suffers from the same flaws that plagued the first book, Marked (refer to my slightly harsh review of Marked). To be more specific, the characters are still annoying and undeveloped. The characters are so irritating that I haven’t even become truly attached to any of them. Usually, I’ll have a “favorite” character by the time I’ve finished the first book of a series, but no, none of the characters in House of Night really stand out. I liked Neferet at first, but in Betrayed her actions are starting to look really shady. Zoey is of course the most annoying, since she has no self-control and she never confronts any of the problems in her life, just complains about them.

Also, the writing and editing seems very rushed, which is inexcusable in such a relatively short book. If this were a longer book, say five or six hundred pages, I would excuse some of the typos. This is the conversation that probably took place between the authors and the publishing company/editor.

A short drama by gothiclolitamaiden:
Editor: Hi! I have good news. The first book sold well, so we’re going to have you guys continue for say, about six more books, but we’ll have to get them published fast, before this Twilight-induced vampire craze dies off.
Authors: OK! Who cares if there are typos and grammatical errors!
Fin

This conversation probably didn’t take place, but it would explain a lot. As I mentioned earlier, it almost seems as if the writing and editing processes for the book were rushed. There are errors and typos, and even casual readers will notice that certain adjectives are constantly repeated, sometimes twice in the same paragraph. The one that bugged me the most was the adjective “hateful” which was (too) frequently used to describe Aphrodite, the spoiled, mean girl a la Disney Channel. I looked up “hateful” in the thesaurus and found about eight synonyms.

Another problem with this series is that it is way too teen-oriented, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. Most of the parents in the series are abusive, manipulative, bigoted, evil, or just plain hateful (hehe). The authors obviously know that many teens distrust adults or like to think that all adults don’t understand teens. Some of the ideas presented in the books are just a bit disturbing. For one, females dominate vampire society in House of Night. I’m all for women’s rights, but the goal should be gender equality, not matriarchal domination.

The only really emotional moment is Stevie Rae’s death scene. In my opinion, she was about the only lovable character, even if she was underdeveloped. About the only other positive aspect is that the plot moves along pretty quick. The only reason I plan to read the next book, Chosen, is to see if Zoey can keep up having three boyfriends at the same time without any of said boyfriends finding out. Sorry if this review is way too long, I’m frustrated with this book and wanted to rant about it…


Recommended to: Teens 14+ Vampire fans