Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Inherit the Wind

Inherit the Wind


Directed By: Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
Reviewed by: Kayleigh , 16
Rating: It was alright...


“The tense drama of the most explosive trial of the century!”

Maybe, maybe not. In 1955, this book was published after the play opened in New York City. It was a dramatized reenactment of the Scopes trial, also known as the widely controversial “Monkey Trial.” In this trial the State of Tennessee prosecuted John Scopes, a schoolteacher, for teaching Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. This book/play sensationalizes this trial and poses ethical questions to the reader. Should there be true separation of state or should Christian values be still upheld in school?

This book is a quick and easy read, but is thought provoking and worthwhile. My AP Composition class finished this in two days, but we analyzed the meaning of religion and science and debated the meaning of separation of church and state. This provided me a little clarity about the actual trial, which we had just glossed over in U.S. History class. I recommend reading it just to give you some background knowledge and something fun to read.


Recommended to: everyone, especially history lovers

Friday, May 21, 2010

Skeleton Key

Skeleton Key


By: Anthony Horowitz
Reviewed by: Kenny C., 14
Rating: It was amazing!


Skeleton Key is the third installment in the Alex Rider Series. As usual, it starts where book two left off. He gets approached by MI6 to go be a ball boy at the Wimbledon tennis tournament. Alex learns the Triads are fixing the games and screws up their plan. He is now being targeted to be killed by the Triads.

Anthony Horowitz did it again. He wrote another brilliant book to follow up the first two books in the series. Similar to the other books, Skeleton Key is filled with suspense and you will not want to stop reading.


Recommended to: Anyone that read the first two books

Point Blank

Point Blank


By: Anthony Horowitz
Reviewed by: Kenny C., 14
Rating: Really liked it


Point Blank is the second book in the Alex Rider series. It continues where Stormbreaker left off and starts with Alex being sent to investigate the deaths of 2 billionaires. MI6 found out they both had sons that went to Point Blank academy. So they enrolled Alex into the academy to make sure nothing bad was going on.

I think that Point Blank did a great job as a follow up to Stormbreaker. It is another action-packed novel that does not disappoint. Once you finish the book, you want more. Luckily, Anthony Horowitz already came out with the next books in the series up until book 8.


Recommended to: Anyone that read the first book

Stormbreaker

Stormbreaker


By: Anthony Horowitz
Reviewed by: Kenny C., 14
Rating: It was amazing!


Stormbreaker is about a teenage boy named Alex Rider that lives in England and winds up turning into a spy in the MI6. Alex's uncle, Ian Rider, had just been killed in a car accident, but Alex didn't think that was true. Alex found out his uncle had been shot and killed, but he found out too much and was taken to the MI6 headquarters. He learned that his uncle was a spy in MI6 and he was hoping to follow in his footsteps.

Stormbreaker is one of my favorite books of all time. It maintains a serious and realistic plot that can actually happen in real life. This book is filled with action and suspense that will definitely keep you coming back for more.


Recommended to: Everyone

Call of the Wild

Call of the Wild


By: Jack London
Reviewed by: Kenny C., 14
Rating: Really liked it


Call of the Wild is about a domesticated dog named Buck. He is living the average life of a house dog, until he gets stolen and sold to become a sled dog. While in the wilderness in a sled dog team, Buck pulls out his primordial instincts and reverts back to the ways of his ancestors. The story then goes on about Buck's life as a sled dog.

I personally think that this book is really good. It was interesting to see how Buck transformed from being house trained, to becoming just like a wolf. This book was very fun and interesting because you don't know what to expect.


Recommended to: Everyone

Flush

Flush


By: Carl Hiaasen
Reviewed by: Kenny C., 14
Rating: It was alright...


Flush is basically about a boy named Noah Underwood who goes through this crazy adventure to get his dad out of jail. His dad is crazy about the environment and does whatever he can, legal or not, to help the environment. When he is sent to jail this time, things get a bit strange.

I thought this book was nothing special. It was interesting enough for me to finish the entire book, but it lacked a serious story line.


Recommended to: i wouldn't recommend this book to anyone

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The Last Song

The Last Song


By: Nicholas Sparks
Reviewed by: Yuuki, 14
Rating: It was amazing!


Ronnie is your average rebelious 17-year-old, about to be 18 years old, girl. When her parents had divorced years ago, she was angry at her father and hasn't spoke to him in about 3 years. Her mother decides to have Ronnie and her brother, Jonah, stary with their father for the summer in South Carolina. Upon arriving, Ronnie refuses to get along with him, even playing the piano for him, something that she'd love to do when she was younger, but that all changes when she falls in love with Will and her summer starts to seem more enjoyable.

Nicholas Sparks's works are truly life changers, an eye openers, and heartwarming stories. I truly felt that I can relate to both Ronnie and her ability to play piano, since I'm a musician, and her father and his love to music, since I love music as well. A heartwarming tale that anyone, even boys, would love to read.


Recommended to:

Monday, May 17, 2010

Clueless

Clueless


Directed By: Amy Heckerling
Reviewed by: awesomeVia, 15
Rating: Really liked it


As soon as I saw the movie, I realized how much my life is like Clueless. The movie is based on "Emma" by Jane Austen.
Cher (Alicia Silverstone) is a girl (basically spoiled) who only has her father that's a successful lawyer. She loves to shop and talk about boys. I like that she had this electronic clothes-picker gadget that helps her pick out clothes for the day. Her friend who's just as wealthy named Dionne (Stacey Dash) is one who already has a boyfriend. One day, Tai (Brittany Murphy) is a new student at Beverly Hills High and catches the attention of Cher and Dionne. The two give her a makeover, find a guy for her, and teach her how to be cool. Eventually, Cher feels guilty for making Tai more popular than she is. She has had some ups and downs with finding various guys for herself until she realizes that she's found the one but finds that Tai was falling for her ideal one as well and she fails her license test. At the end, alls well that ends well.

The movie is known for it breakthrough fashion of the 90s, it's interestig slang, and etc. This is a movie that teens will understand.


Recommended to: Teens, especially females

Vampire Knight, Vol. 8

Vampire Knight, Vol. 8


By: Matsuri Hino
Reviewed by: Yuuki, 14
Rating: It was amazing!


Yuki is having vivid hallucinations, as she tries to recall her memories, visions of blood covering everything in the room, the walls, the floors, everything. Yuki ended up trying to strangle Zero, the visions making her jumpy and torturing, as well as scaring, her. Finally, Kaname takes Yuki from her room, taking her to the top of a building overlooking the town.

All around Yuki, red snowflakes are falling. She believes that " . . . the world is tainted red and cannot return back to what it used to be" (it isn't the exact words, but it's close to it). Kaname tells her to try to remember her past or else she'll be destroyed. The last thing Yuki feels is a pair of fangs sinking into her neck . . .

OMG!!! This was, to me, like the most amazing thing that happened!! I was so surprised at what happened I was screaming at the book! I won't tell you what happens exactly, but let's say that the world is tainted red and cannot return back to what it was.


Recommended to:

Vampire Knight, Vol. 7

Vampire Knight, Vol. 7


By: Matsuri Hino
Reviewed by: Yuuki, 14
Rating: It was amazing!


Yuki is determined to find out about her past. Did her parents abandon her? Did they die? These are the questions that pulls at Yuki's mind. Also, why can she not remember anything past when she was 5, when she was saved by Kaname? As she looks for answers, she begins to suspect whether or not Kaname had anything to do with her erased memories, and why he was there that snowy night.

This is so climatic, yet it isn't the most climatic part of the series yet. Zero is truly a good companion, although he's cold he's actually very helpful and somewhat kind to Yuki.


Recommended to:

Vampire Knight, Vol. 6

Vampire Knight, Vol. 6


By: Matsuri Hino
Reviewed by: Yuuki, 14
Rating: It was amazing!


While helping a lost child find his mother, Yuki ends up sneaking into a vampire party. She sees many aristocrats, some of which are famous celebrities in the human world. They, like so many others, desire an alliance with the pureblood. Kaname is presently the most eligible bachelor. An unexpected guest interrupts the party and she seems to be the most eligible match for Kaname. Will he pick her or Yuki?

I LOVED this book! I sort of wish I was in Yuki's shoes in this book, but life isn't fair.


Recommended to:

Vampire Knight: Vol. 5

Vampire Knight, Vol. 5


By: Matsuri Hino
Reviewed by: Yuuki, 14
Rating: It was amazing!


Shizuka, a pureblood who killed Zero's family, has been murdered. The murderer, no one knows. Unfortunately, Zero is suspected of killing Shizuka, but Yuki doesn't believe so. As the Vampire Council send assassins to execute Zero, Kaname intervenes, proclaiming that the Vampire Council has no proof that Zero is guilty, but is he, or is he not?

I really have nothing much to say about this book other than I am falling more and more in love with this series. I LOVE the chemistry going on between Kaname and Yuki. LOVE it!


Recommended to:

Vampire Knight, Vol. 4

Vampire Knight, Vol. 4


By: Matsuri Hino
Reviewed by: Yuuki, 14
Rating: It was amazing!


A late arrival makes her appearance at Cross Academy. Her name: Maria Kurenai. As Zero struggles with the never-ending conflict of his vampire instinct and his blood lust, the new arrival seems to enrage him and intensify that struggle. Who is Maria Kurenai and is she somehow connected to Zero and what happened to him 4 years ago?

Truly a climatic part of the series, although it is nowhere near the actual climax, it part of the climax to Zero's struggle. I actually like Maria Kurenai, and if you read this I'll tell you one thing: Maria is not bipolar and she does not have an identity crisis. You'll understand more about Maria's behavior if you read the series.


Recommended to:

Vampire Knight, Vol. 3

Vampire Knight, Vol. 3


By: Matsuri Hino
Reviewed by: Yuuki, 14
Rating: It was amazing!


A mysterious visitor comes to the Cross Academy. He's the one of the oldest aristocrat and has a big influence in both the human and the vampire worlds, business-wise. What is his motives on visiting Cross Academy?

I loved this book! the only thing I hate about these books are that they seem too short for me. I'd like a bigger book.


Recommended to:

Vampire Knight, Vol. 2

Vampire Knight, Vol. 2


By: Matsuri Hino
Reviewed by: Yuuki, 14
Rating: It was amazing!

While in town, Yuki is attacked by a vampire and two of the Night Class students come to aid her, killing the vampire in the process. Yuki doesn't understand why they had to kill off one of their own, so they invite her to the Night Dorm for answers.
Meanwhile, a mysterious man comes to visit Headmaster Cross. He apparently knows Zero but is he friend or foe?

This book had a ton of information that was useful for understanding more about Vampire Knights. Also, it was very entertaining as well.


Recommended to:

Ender's Game

Ender's Game


By: Orson Scott Card
Reviewed by: Yuuki, 14
Rating: It was amazing!


The human species have almost faced total extinction, twice, due to alien invasions. Now in order to make sure that doesn't happen again, the government is now breeding military geniuses. Ender Wiggins, a Third, is a genius among the geniuses. It is up to him to save the human race, but will he succeed?

At first, I really didn't understand what this book is about, and I wanted to put it down. As I continued to read it, I noticed myself being drawn to the book. It is suspenseful and you never know what to expect. This is the kind of book that keeps you on your feet, or the edge of your seat. \

There is also a twist in the end that caught me off guard, something I didn't expect to happen. it is a very interesting book, and Ender made me feel like a fool, a very retarded one.


Recommended to:

Peter and the Starcatchers

Peter and the Starcatchers


By: Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Reviewed by: Yuuki, 14
Rating: It was amazing!


Peter, an orphan, is heading with a group of other orphans to England. They meet Molly, a Starcatcher whose job is to guard a chest of powerful star dust. Peter and the other orphan boys help Molly guard the trunk from a notorious pirate, Black Stache, and the natives of a remote island.

This is pretty much the prequel of Peter Pan. It is very accurate and it's very entertaining as well. I'm reading Peter and the Shadow Thief right now and so far, that's also good. I must say that Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, along with Greg Call, the one who drew the illustrations shown throughout the book, all did an excellent job on the book. It's original, yet precise.


Recommended to: Peter Pan fans

Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever

Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever


By: James Patterson
Reviewed by: Yuuki, 14
Rating: Really liked it


Max and the flock are on the run, and everyday is full of unknown threat. Erasers, injuries, mad scientists, yup! They can handle it. There's only one thing that might stop them: school.

I truly enjoyed this book. There wasn't as much action as I wanted there to be, but it was so good that I finished the book in less than a day! Also, not wanting to spoil it for anyone, there's going to be some chemistry between two of the characters, not going to say which ones, later in the series.


Recommended to:

Friday, May 14, 2010

The Last Olympian

The Last Olympian


By: Rick Riordan
Reviewed by: Kenny C., 14
Rating: It was amazing!


The Last Olympian is the fifth and final book in the Percy Jackson series. This book wraps up the series with a battle of epic proportions. Kronos builds up his army, and attacks mt olympus directly through New York. I don't want to give too much away though...

This book was the best in the series. The only thing i didn't like was the ending, because it implies that the series could go on. It I was sad to see the series end, but Rick Riordan did a great job of finishing up the series.


Recommended to: Anyone that has read the first four books

The Battle of the Labyrinth

The Battle of the Labyrinth


By: Rick Riordan
Reviewed by: Kenny C., 14
Rating: Really liked it


The Battle of the Labyrinth is the 4th installment in the Percy Jackson series. Percy is back at school like normal, and gets attacked by monsters again and returns to camp half-blood. He learns that the Titans found out how to navigate through an ancient labyrinth to attack camp half-blood. Percy has to destroy the labyrinth before the titans can lead their army into camp half-blood.

I thought that this book followed Greek myths very accurately. The book had everything that was in the myth of theseus and the minotaur. I really like how Rick Riordan puts his own twist on greek myths.


Recommended to: Anyone that has read the first three books

The Titan's Curse

The Titan's Curse


By: Rick Riordan
Reviewed by: Kenny C., 14
Rating: It was alright...


The Titans Curse is the third book in the Percy Jackson series. The story starts out with Artemis being kidnapped, and Percy has to find her before the winter solstice meeting of the gods. Artemis could be the deciding factor on whether of not to start war with the Titans.

I thought that this book could have been better compared to the first two books in the series. The book has a lot of plot twists that you really don't see coming. Despite the dark plot, the story still maintains a playful mood.


Recommended to: Anyone that read the first two books

The Sea of Monsters

The Sea of Monsters


By: Rick Riordan
Reviewed by: Kenny C., 14
Rating: It was amazing!


The Sea of Monsters is the second book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Everything is back to normal for Percy, until he goes to school and gets attacked by giants. He ends up going back to Camp Half-blood to find out that the golden fleece that protects the camp has been stolen. If he doesn't get the fleece back, camp half-blood would be taken over by monsters

This book was one of the best i have ever read. I finished this book in about 3 hours by reading non-stop. I couldn't think of anything that this book could improve on.


Recommended to:Anyone that read the first book

The Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief


By: Rick Riordan
Reviewed by: Kenny C., 14
Rating: It was amazing!


The Lightning Thief is the first of five books in the percy jackon and the Olympians series. I think that Rick Riordan did a great job at incorporating Greek mythology with modern life to make a fun and interesting story. The story starts out introducing a normal teenage boy, but he later finds out he is a demi-god (half god-half human).

The story goes on to describe Percy Jackson's adventure to recover Zeus's stolen lightning bolt. I really liked this book because i love Greek mythology, but it is still a great book to read even if you know nothing about it.


Recommended to: anyone that is looking for a good story

Monday, May 10, 2010

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Monty Python and the Holy Grail


Directed By: Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones
Reviewed by: awesomeVia, 15
Rating: It was amazing!


The movie was one of the most hillarious movies I have ever seen. It parodies the story of King Arthur and is hillariously, historically incorrect. The only bad thing about the movie is how the special effects look fake. The blood coming out when a person is stabbed with a sword looks like tomato juice squirting out. There's this little word "Ni" that I find very catchy. Many funny lines in there. There are hidden perverted meanings so this movie is not recommended for young children. If you want a lot of laughs, I would totally recommend that you watch it. Nerds wil surely love it.


Recommended to: Everyone, especially nerds

A Walk to Remember

A Walk to Remember


By: Nicholas Sparks
Reviewed by: Yuuki, 14
Rating: It was amazing!


Landon Charter has always been a class clown, or in other words "trouble". As he becomes a senior, his life takes an unexpected turn. Landon plans on going to college and ends up staring in a well know church drama, is elected school president and soon meets the girl that will change his life forever.

It is such a heartwarming tale. You can see that Mr.Sparks is a very good writer. His story made me cry numerous of times, without me even knowing why I was crying. It is a must-read for those who enjoyed some of his other books.


Recommended to: those who've read Dear John or Last Song

Monday, May 3, 2010

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment


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


Max is the leader of the flock, Fang, Iggy, Gasman (a.k.a Gazzy), Nudge, and Angel. They are 6 kids who are 98% human and 2% avian. They are running away the School, the institute/laboratory where they were created. Forced to flee from place to place, the flock ends up losing Angel, who is kidnapped by Erasers, half-human half-wolf creatures. Also, Max learns that she was created to save the world, and the flock discovers information concerning their parents and where they came from.

I love this book! It's the first book in the series. I must admit that the chapters are a bit sort, but the action is always there. It never stops. It's also an addictive book. After you read the first book, you'll need the second book, the third book, the fourth book and so on.


Recommended to:

Heist Society

Heist Society


By: Ally Carter
Reviewed by: Annabelle L., 15
Rating: Really liked it


Katarina Bishop wants a life. Away from her family and the business. But, once she goes away, did she really leave the family? They've stolen precious items for a living, but this time, Kat is confused. Hale- her best friend and partner-in-crime- brings her back- to steal to save her father's name. An amazing art collection has been taken from the fortress of a high-ranked mobster... and the only suspect is Kat's father. With Interpol and other more sinister figures on his tail, he needs help- and only Kat can do it.

Can Kat do it? Can Kat be a part of the world she never wanted to enter again? Will she be accepted?

Heist Society delves into a dangerous world and turns it something more... teenage appropriate. There's elements of her Gallagher Girls spy series in here, but it also keeps things fresh, using the foundation of a theivery family to explore a girl's insecurities. I have throughly enjoyed this book, and it's an exceptional read. It brings in a sense of what family really is, despite the chaos.


Recommended to: any girl, whoever is into heists, theivery, or priceless arts, schemes