Annexed

Annexed


By: Sharon Dogar
Reviewed by: Esther, 13
Rating: Really liked it


You may have read Anne Frank's diary and you know her side of the story, but how about Peter van Pels, the boy who lived for days on end with her in those cramped quarters?*Spoiler Alert* Okay, so to be truthful, I never read Anne Frank's diary, but this book makes me want to. The story starts of with Peter before he went to live in the Annex, lovesick for a girl named Lise. He's mad that he has to live in the Annex, mad that he's not fighting the Nazi,mad that he has to study, mad that he has to live with the Franks, especially mad that he has to live with Anne Frank, an annoying know it all who talks all the time and breaks about everything. But as the story goes on, Anne and Peter begins to spend a lot of time together, and even start to fall in love. But later in the story the get separated when the Nazis find them.

The prologue and the ending is a bit weird because you find out later that he's dead at this point. The epilogue was just facts about what happened and was not written from Peter's point of view. It was written from the author just stating facts. The book in a whole is really good and captures the story and all the facts really well.


Recommended to: anybody

Hush, Hush

Hush, Hush


By: Becca Fitzpatrick
Reviewed by: Esther, 13
Rating: It was amazing!


Hush Hush centers a sophmore girl named Nora Grey, who lives with her widowed mother (her father was killed earlier). When new arrangements in her science class puts her next to a boy name Patch, she finds herself irritated that he knows just about everything concerning her. When she meets him at some type of fair thing, she agrees to go on the arch angel ride, where half way through, her seat belt comes undone. Later at night,with her ride gone, she leaves home with Patch, and at her house, she starts to think he's going to kill her. Later in the story, she finds he's a fallen angel who is determined to become human, but in order to do so, he has to sacrifice her. She also begins to fall in love with him.

All i can say is just read it.


Recommended to: teens

Halfway to Forever

Halfway to Forever


By: Karen Kingsbury
Reviewed by: Esther, 13
Rating: It was amazing!


Halfway to Forever combines the stories from the first book and the second, but now each couple faces separate crises. *Spoiler Alert* Hannah, now married to Matt, are wanting to adopt a girl. The agent finds a girl who seems perfect for the family to adopt. The girl has a striking similarity to Hannah's first daughter that died in the car crash, which is troubling for Jenny as the two were not only sisters but best friends.But as the family begins to bond, things go wrong, and the girl is taken away from them. On the other hand, Jade and Matt, now married, are wanting to have more children, but when Jade finally gets pregnant, she also learns she has brain cancer. Tanner, who had fought so hard against abortion, wants to abort the baby, because being pregnant brings more trouble to the brain cancer, but Jade doesn't allow it. Tanner soon starts to draw apart from Jade and get involved in work, which makes things even harder on her. Through the struggle the family find hope and strength.

As I mentioned in the two other books of the series, it's great for teens even though it is meant for adults.


Recommended to: everyone

A Moment of Weakness

A Moment of Weakness


By: Karen Kingsbury
Reviewed by: Esther, 13
Rating: It was amazing!


From the Forever Faithful series, A Moment of Weakness was by far my favorite. *Spoiler Alert*It's a story about two kids who were best friends, Tanner Eastman and Jade Connor, until a family tragedy tears the two apart. But almost ten years later they meet again by chance. They fall in love again, as Tanner helping Jade through her struggles with her dad and past, but things go wrong and a mistake the two made which leads to more trouble due to Tanner's mom, who had a bad history with Jade's mom. With Tanner on a mission trip, Jade has no where to go, and marries a man who she didn't love, Jim Rudolph. Years later, with a son( who's biological dad is Tanner), Jade finds herself fighting Jim over custody of the child( Jim wanting full custody because he believes her faith is harmful to the child). But her attorney is a man who she never thought she'd trust again: Tanner, who now is charge of a firm which is the best at fighting for religious freedom.

Only thing that really bothered me was the fact that she made the son sound younger then he really was. Other than that I truly enjoyed it. And as I mentioned in the first book, Waiting for Morning, the book is a true pleasure for teens though written for adults


Recommended to: everyone

Waiting For Morning

Waiting For Morning


By: Karen Kingsbury
Reviewed by: Esther, 13
Rating: It was amazing!


It's a perfect life really, that Hannah Ryan has, with two beautiful teenage daughters ( Alicia and Jenny) and her husband, Tom, a successful doctor. But the perfect life Hannah once had, soon turns to just the opposite. On the way home from their annual father-daughter camping trip, life takes a twist when a drunkard hits the car taking both her husband's and older daughter, Alicia's, life. Hannah, torn by grief and rage, tries to get revenge by suing the man responsible for this, Brian Wesley, for first degree murder, the first ever in California. But in the process, Hannah's relationship grows askew with Jenny, who too is struggling. With help from friends like her lawyer Matt Bronzan, she must learn what Tom knew to be the hardest thing for her: forgive.

I found the beginning to be really sad as the author described the car crash. I really enjoyed how the author used more than one point of view to tell the story, so you get to see all the sides of the story including Brian Wesley(the drunkard), Jenny, Hannah, Matt Bronzan(lawyer), the policeman who talked to Tom in the last moments of his life, and even Tom at the beginning. One more point I would like to make is that even though this book is meant for adults, its perfectly enjoyable for teens too.


Recommended to: everyone

All Quiet on the Western Front

All Quiet on the Western Front

By: Erich Maria Remarque
Reviewed by: Ruth, 15
Rating: It was alright...


I didn't really like it. I'm not into war kind of stories, but it did have a pretty sad account. It made me think twice of life, and how easy it is to take things for granted. Remarque showed many themes, but the two strongest themes, that played out in front of me would be peace and brotherhood, it's something that we as humans can easily take for granted. It's a very sad, depressing story. If you like happy endings, I recommend not to read this book.


Recommended to: those who like to read historical fiction

Jellicoe Road

Jellicoe Road


By: Melina Marchetta
Reviewed by: Esther, 13
Rating: It was amazing!


"What do you want from me?" he asks. What I want from every person in my life, I want to tell him. More.... from the book Jellicoe Road

I want to start off first by saying that Jellicoe Road was an amazing well written book, though I found it a bit boring in the beginning. The book centers a 17-year old girl,Taylor Lily Markham (leader of the boarding school), and her adventures as she tries to discover and make sense of her past ( the hermit who whispered in her ear before he killed himself, why her mother abandoned her at a 7/11 store, the boy she always dreams about, the five kids who lived on Jellicoe Road eighteen years ago, etc)with a boy who knows her better than she does, Jonah Griggs (leader of the Cadets), and another guy named Chaz Santangelo(leader of the Townies),in hopes to change the future.And as the leader of the boarding school, she struggles with the Territory Wars agains the townies and the cadets. I don't want to give away too much of what happens, but I just want to say that this book is a must read .


Recommended to: teens

Revolution

Revolution


By: Jennifer Donnelly
Reviewed by: Esther, 13
Rating: Really liked it


The book was pretty good, though confusing at parts. The book is about a depressed teenager named Andi Alpers. When in Paris with her dad, a Nobel geneticist hired to match the DNA of a heart said to belong to the last dauphin of France, Andi discovers a diary hidden within a guitar case from the revolution. And from there on, the story takes off, with Andi in present day, and her adventures, and Alex, with her adventures.


Recommended to: teens

Legend of the Guardians

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole


By: Zack Snyder
Reviewed by: Teralyn E., 14
Rating: It was amazing!


I have never read one of Kathry Lasky's books. I did see the series being mentioned through different things, but I didn't really think the stories were something I would enjoy.

If the movie is anything like the book, I was very wrong.

This movie takes you to the world of Soren, a young farm owl. He is kidnapped, along with his brother, and taken to an evil place where The Pure Ones reside.

He must run away, and find the Guardians, so that the Pure Ones will be destroyed and their world will be safe once again.

This was a really amazing movie. It had a lot of encouraging aspects, and even morals. The animation was great, and the adventure was epic.

I hope that if and when they make a sequel, it is just as good as the first!


Recommended to: Families, Kids, Teens, Young Adults

The Photographer

The Photographer

By: Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, Frédéric Lemercier
Reviewed by: Teralyn E., 14
Rating: Really liked it


This graphic novel is really amazing. It gives the reader a look into the lives of those who live in Afghanistan and suffer from the wars that take place, and into those who attempt to minimize the damage brought onto the suffering.

The novel is made up of photos taken by Lefevre, the comic-styled art of Lemercier, and the storytelling skills of Guibert. Together these men open our eyes to a corner of the life in Afghanistan.


Recommended to: Kids 12+, Teens, Adults

Gettysburg: The Graphic Novel

Gettysburg: The Graphic Novel


By: C.M. Butzer
Reviewed by: Teralyn E., 14
Rating: Really liked it


There aren't many way to re-tell the same story. Especially one that plays such a large part in out history. However, C.M. Butzer does in fact tell this story in a very creative way.

Without distorting the purpose of the speech, Butzer illustrates the occurences during that period in a very easy-to-follow way. The book itself is short, as is the speech, which makes it all the more fitting.

The art used is very casual and easy-on-the-eyes. I enjoyed this book very much.


Recommended to: Anyone

How to Say Goodbye in Robot

How to Say Goodbye in Robot


By: Natalie Standiford
Reviewed by: Teralyn E., 14
Rating: It was amazing!


Bea is the new girl in town. Her father is a professor who's always on the move, and her mother seems to be sinking into a state of utter delusion. Her life at home is getting progressively worse, and being sent to a new school for her senior year isn't quite helping the matter.

That is, until she meets Jonah, a loner boy who hasn't had a friend for years. His peers refer to him as 'Ghost Boy', due to his general plae nature and his tendency to just blend in and observe.

Bea and Jonah hit it off, and go on all sorts of adventures. They share a hobby, listening to radio shows and calling in. They share pain, the want for more happiness out of life, the wanton want of love. And they find this in each other.

But things take a turn for the worse when Jonah becomes more and more reserved, pushing Bea out of a world that she worked so hard to get in.

This was a very good book, and it was very thought/emotion-prevoking.


Recommended to: Teens, Young Adults

Huge

Huge


By: Sasha Paley
Reviewed by: Teralyn E., 14
Rating: Really liked it


I got Huge because I read the synopsis and thought it might be interesting. I did know that it was a TV show, but I hadn't seen it so I wasn't to bothered by it. The back of the book reads 'Two roomates. Two goals. One big problem.' And that is indeed a bright summary.

April is a middle-class girl who funded her won trip to Wellness Cnayon (the fat camp) and is uber-excited to be there. She is really motivated to lose weight, for herself. She wants nothing more than to feel pretty.

Wil is only at the camp because her wealthy healthy parents are forcing her to go. And to spite them, she plans on gaining weight.

These two girls are paired (purposely) as roomates, and before the first day has gotten into full swing, they realize just how different they are. Of course, they dislike each other immensely. But it is made clear that if you do not do well with your rooommate, you do not fare well at the camp.

This book is funny and emotional, you move through the days at the camp through both the girls' eyes. Hating who they hate, and learning to love them and their quirks. This is a really good read.


Recommended to: Teens, Young Adults

Audrey, Wait!

Audrey, Wait!


By: Robin Benway
Reviewed by: awesomeVia, 16
Rating: It was amazing!


I liked this book really, really much. I liked all the characters and the plot was interesting.

The story is about a girl named Audrey who is a junior in high school who works at an ice cream shop and formerly dated Evan. After she broke up with Evan, he and his band the Do-Gooders release a song related to the breakup called "Audrey, Wait". The song eventually goes up to number one on the Billboard charts and Audrey's life is changed as she has less privacy and etcetera. Audrey's character is very funny because of what she has to say and her sarcasm.


Recommended to: All teenage girls

Speak Now

Speak Now

By: Taylor Swift
Reviewed by: awesomeVia, 13
Rating: It was amazing!


Even though I am a Taylor Swift fan, I like her recent album, "Speak Now" because of the way Taylor Swift puts her feelings into songs. I like how all the songs she wrote for this album (as usual) are written by her. Also, most of the songs written for the album was inspired by events that have happened to her whether that be the Kanye West meltdown, the relationship with Taylor Lautner, first love, a girl she hated, or etcetera.

"Mine" the first song on the album sings about a guy she dated and has been the first thing that has ever been hers. The song has a sweet tune and reflects many things about first love. My personal favorite in this album is "Back to December" because I can relate to that myself and how I also wish I could go back to the time that happened and fix that issue and "Haunted" because the tune is catchy and sings about betrayal.

"Innocent" reflects how she forgives Kanye West for that media meltdown a over a year ago at the MTV Music Video Awards and it's put in a good way, in a song. "Speak Now" has a good message to speak up for something you believe in and to speak up before it's too late. "Sparks Fly" is a sweet way to put one's feelings for another person, "when you smile, I see sparks fly..."

Overall, this album, in my opinion, seems to be more personal and emotional than the last two Taylor Swift albums which is why I like the album just as much as her last two.


Recommended to: All Taylor Swift fans and girls

Monster High

Monster High


By: Lisi Harrison
Reviewed by: Paige, 13
Rating: It was amazing!


A romance of monsters and normies living in one world un recignized. the normies don't even know that they go to school with a bunch of monsters so its pretty interesting though. like monsters? like romance? like plan "VOLTAGE" Frankie is a Stien monster and she meets other monsters at munster high. But she and them are surronded by a bunch of normies that want to kill them. there is a nother family of normies from beverly hills that moves to Saelam and goes to munster high but hey don't even no that they are going to a school full of monsters. If this sounds interesting read all about it in The Monster High Sierses injoy!


Recommended to: Everyone that likes Romance Novels and Monsters

Maximum Ride

Maximum Ride


By: James Patterson
Reviewed by: Tasmine, 13
Rating: It was amazing!


not giving anything away


Recommended to: teens

The Last of the Mohicans

The Last of the Mohicans


By: James Fenimore Cooper
Reviewed by: Yun, 16
Rating: It was amazing!


Even though this movie is pretty old film, it is very organized and has nice plot. This movie takes place during the French and Indian War and Seven Yeats' War.

The main guy named Hawkeye is a French men who were adopted by the Mohicans, Chingachgook and his son Uncas. This movie is showing how cruel and how ruthless the people were during the war.

Theme of this movie contains everything. Love, Friendship, Nationalism.....

The last scene of this movie is kind of shocking and heartbreaking. All of those people who are interested in history should watch this movie. It is quite intensed and entertaining!


Recommended to: those who are interested in our history

Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men


By: John Steinbeck
Reviewed by: Yun, 16
Rating: It was amazing!


John Steinback's Of Mice and Men is a touching tale of the friendship between two men, George and Lennie, who had small dreams. George is “small and quick and of dark face”; Lennie is a big, strong man, yet has the mind of a child. They get a job on a ranch in the Salinas Valley, California. Things seem to be going well for them and they seem close to reaching their goal when a fellow farmer joins their dream. However,friendship can never go too far, one day, while working in the ranch alone, Lennie got into serious trouble with the daughter in law of the boss, the trouble so serious that makes George rethinks about their friendship. The Trouble so bad that even Lennie’s best friend, George, may not be able to save him, which led to the tragic, shocking and extreme ending of the tale.

Of Mice and Men is definitely a book worth reading, it is suitable from teenagers to adults, and every time you re-read the novel, it gives you a different perspective, this is one of the reasons that the story is worth reading. This book is a classic! This is a story with so much depth, and you can just spend a whole lifetime discussing this book. I am giving this book a 10 out of 10, Of Mice and Men is truly the best novel!


Recommended to: everyone!

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird


By: Harper Lee
Reviewed by: Yun, 16
Rating: Really liked it


“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird (pg.90).” This is the most rememberable quote in the book To Kill a Mockingbird. A mockingbird is a harmless bird that makes the world more pleasant. To kill them is a sin. Since it does not have its own song, a mockingbird is seen through the other birds’ songs. Like a mokingbird judged through other birds' songs, the people of Maycomb only knew Boo Radley by what others said about him. In other words, since he does not really have his own "song" in a sense, Boo was characterized by other people's points of view.

Early in the book, Boo is described as a tall and scary looking person who runs around at night eating live possums and cats. Scout, Jem, and Dill are curious about the "mysterious" Boo Radley as he never came outside from his house or associated with anyone in the neighborhood. Also, the children fear him and consider him to be evil due to all the stories they hear about from the other people in Maycomb. However, as the story goes on, Harper Lee shows the children relizing the truth of Boo Radely.

Some part of this book is too profound to understand but this book gives us lots of inspirations. Everybody should read this!


Recommended to: everyone!

Sigh No More

Sigh No More

By: Mumford & Sons
Reviewed by: Kait, 16
Rating: It was amazing!


Before I commence with the review, I should preface this with a warning. If you like cheap, corny, popular music (e.g. anything that would be played at a school dance or on major adult-contemporary radio stations) you most likely will not like Mumford & Sons. Each and every friend of mine to whom I have recommended this music disliked it at least moderately. So you've been warned.

That being said, if you in any way enjoy folksy indie music you will fall in love. M&S is a fairly well-known indie band (which will hurt any hipster hearts out there - I cringed a bit when I realized that it wasn't as obscure as I had hoped)hailing from jolly old England that I would liken to a male A Fine Frenzy. The music is incredibly calm, predominantly accoustic sounds (with a banjo, don't shoot the messenger) yet they weave in the instruments so fluidly that you cannot help but calm down while listening to it.

My favorite tracks off of the album "Sigh No More" include "The Caves" (their most popular song), "White Blank Page," "Little Lion Man," and "Awake My Soul." A couple of the tracks like "Roll Away your Stone" kind of skate towards a twangy-country sound, so I avoid them as much as possible.

However, the album as a whole has a really peaceful quality to it that I really dig. If you're even remotely interested, check it out :)

Peace Kids


Recommended to: 16&Up for language

Speak Now

Speak Now

By: Taylor Swift
Reviewed by: Baby Roo, 13
Rating: Really liked it


Taylor Swift has done it again! She absolutely amazes me that she and her songwriters could make such wonderful songs over and over again. Back to December is a story a lot of girls can relate to; being with someone, breaking up, and then realizing he really was the only one for you. It is sooo sweet. And Speak Now is fierce. The real story is about speaking up and out for what you believe and believe in. So girls, be yourself!


Recommended to: Everyone in the whole world

Beastly

Beastly


By: Alex Flinn
Reviewed by: Baby Roo, 13
Rating: It was amazing!


Kyle thinks he's perfect, and in truth...he kind of is. But when a witch casts an ugly spell on him, he must learn to love with his heart, and not with his eyes. When Kyle does learn to love, he gives her up, but is it too late for him to get her back? This wonderful book is an awesome addition to his other modern-day tellings of different fairy tales. I cannot wait for the movie. COMES OUT MARCH 2011!!!!!!!! And Alex Pettyfer plays Kyle!!!!!


Recommended to: everyone 12 and up

Dark Mirrir

Dark Mirror


By: M.J. Putney
Reviewed by: Baby Roo, 13
Rating: It was amazing!


Lady Victoria(Tory) lives a dream life, but she has a secret. She has the "disgraceful" gift of magic. When she uses her powers to save a loved one, everyone shuns her instead of accepting her. Her dad sends her off to a reform school, and she enters a magic club behind everyone's back. She goes foward in time, and now has to use more magic than ever to save family, friends, and finally be able to go home.

My mom was able to get me an advanced edition of this book, and I absolutely loved it. So did her friend's daughter. It comes out in March 2011 and hopefully will sell fast. I want Putney to possibly write a second book. I LOVE this book!!!!!!


Recommended to: 6 grade and up