Abby H. woke me up at 9:50 Wednesday morning. Slightly unhappy I asked her what she wanted. She had an extra ticket to Ben Folds with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. I accepted with undying gratitude (to this day). We met at Boscov’s Parking lot and were on our way to Columbia, Maryland. After fighting traffic and arriving at Meriwether Post Pavilion we took our seats on the Lawn. Walking to get drinks we noticed everyone running to get seats. So we grabbed seats for the rest of our group. Then the concert started. It was amazing. The orchestra played Ben Folds songs along side him amazing piano talent.
So why haven’t you heard of this amazing man? He hasn’t exactly hit the Britney Spears type fame, and we don’t expect him too. He has tracks on the over the hedge sound track as well and his own CDs, and is working on an Orchestral CD much like what we saw.
Ben Folds mixes rock, acoustic, and jazz together to make a new and amazing sound. It’s unlike anything out there right now. He is most diffidently worth checking out. You can see him at www.myspace.com/benfolds, www.benfolds.com, or his bands website www.benfoldsfive.com, and www.myspace.com/benfoldsfive. And pick up the CD!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Lois Duncan's Don't Look Behind You Review by Kelsie
April Corrigan is a seventeen year old girl who is very happy living the way she was. She was an excellent tennis player, had a steady boyfriend, and great friends. She was leading a wonderful life until she found out that her father was secretly working for the FBI.
While Mr. Corrigan was attending a trial, someone tried to kill him. That is when her perfect life rapidly fell on its face. She was forced not to play tennis and change her name and location and without letting anyone know who she was or where she was going (even Lorelei her mother’s mother) through the Federal Witness Security Program.
They successfully changed their location, but April lets something slip that totally gives away the family’s secret life. Once the person tracking them down finds out where they are staying, he starts to talk to some of the people who know the Corrigans/Webbers.
I think all of Lois Duncan’s mysteries are great. I also think this book would be loved by almost anyone who reads it.
While Mr. Corrigan was attending a trial, someone tried to kill him. That is when her perfect life rapidly fell on its face. She was forced not to play tennis and change her name and location and without letting anyone know who she was or where she was going (even Lorelei her mother’s mother) through the Federal Witness Security Program.
They successfully changed their location, but April lets something slip that totally gives away the family’s secret life. Once the person tracking them down finds out where they are staying, he starts to talk to some of the people who know the Corrigans/Webbers.
I think all of Lois Duncan’s mysteries are great. I also think this book would be loved by almost anyone who reads it.
Coert Voorhees' The Brothers Torres Review by Alexis
Frankie Towers is always looking up to his brother Steve. They’re complete opposites. Steve is a popular senior who always gets exactly what he wants. Girls, soccer scholarships, etc… While Frankie spends his time making things explode with his best friend, Zach, working at his parents restaurant, and being crazy and obsessed about his crush, Rebecca Sanchez, that he thinks he’ll never have a chance with. After Frankie gets into a fight with Steve’s longtime nemesis, John Dalton, Steve takes Frankie and begins to help him get a higher social status. Things with Dalton continues to simmer and after another incident, Steve is bent on retaliating. Frankie must choose to respect his brother… or respect himself.
‘The Brothers Torres’ was okay. This wasn’t one of my favorite books but it wasn’t horrible either. I found it confusing because it uses a lot of Spanish words randomly in the dialogue, and not knowing a word of Spanish, I had no clue what they were saying. I’d recommend this coming of age novel to anyone who speaks Spanish or is going to read it with a translator near by.
‘The Brothers Torres’ was okay. This wasn’t one of my favorite books but it wasn’t horrible either. I found it confusing because it uses a lot of Spanish words randomly in the dialogue, and not knowing a word of Spanish, I had no clue what they were saying. I’d recommend this coming of age novel to anyone who speaks Spanish or is going to read it with a translator near by.
Shanna Norris' Something to Blog About Review by Alexis
Libby Fawcett. Classic teenager. School, boys, and those mean popular girls that you wish would just go *POOF!*. Now here’s the dramatic twist… She set her hair on fire in front of the whole class, including her crush Seth Jacobs who she’s tutoring in chemistry, the subject she is also failing, and now she finds out her mom is dating the father of her archenemy, Angel Rodriguez. To vent her feelings and anger, Libby starts a secret blog. And let’s just say… it doesn’t stay a secret for long.
I seriously couldn’t put this book down. While things did get predictable at times, it was still very funny. Things kinda were resolved quicker and less complicated than they would have been in real life, making things seem a little too perfect. ‘Something to Blog About’ could have been longer and definitely should have a sequel. This would make a great beach book. Over all, it was fabulous and I can’t wait to see what Shana Norris writes next.
I seriously couldn’t put this book down. While things did get predictable at times, it was still very funny. Things kinda were resolved quicker and less complicated than they would have been in real life, making things seem a little too perfect. ‘Something to Blog About’ could have been longer and definitely should have a sequel. This would make a great beach book. Over all, it was fabulous and I can’t wait to see what Shana Norris writes next.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout's Girl V. Boy Review by Alexis
Luisa Perez isn’t really into school spirit. Actually, Luisa and her friends, Rachel and Izzy, take pride in avoiding activities that are labeled “extracurricular”. But, when her school is competing for an extra month of winter vacation and the boys of Dunfield, or as the students call it, ‘Dumpfield’, start competing against the girls, it turns the fundraiser into a ’battle of the sexes’ and Luisa and her friends start to change their minds. When asked to write an anonymous column for her school paper about the girls half, she just has to say yes. One week she’ll write and the next week’s the article will be written by an anonymous reporter for the boys. As time goes on, “Newshound” (Luisa) and “Scoop” (Mystery Man) begin to debate the actions of boys and girls as well as discuss the fundraiser. Who could this new enemy be? Luisa is determined to find out… and the results will shock her.
‘Girl V. Boy’ was an interesting novel. I can say, “Scoop” did start to get on my nerves, while “Newshound” was full of useful advice. I realize I like the girls point of view because well, I’m a girl and that’s sorta was what I was thinking but it was interesting to see a guys take on things. Umm… the only other advice I can give you about this book is don’t read the back because it totally reveals the surprise ending.
‘Girl V. Boy’ was an interesting novel. I can say, “Scoop” did start to get on my nerves, while “Newshound” was full of useful advice. I realize I like the girls point of view because well, I’m a girl and that’s sorta was what I was thinking but it was interesting to see a guys take on things. Umm… the only other advice I can give you about this book is don’t read the back because it totally reveals the surprise ending.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Review by Nathan
As midnight neared on Friday July 20th, the tension mounted at bookstores all over the world. Why? Because at 12:01am on Saturday July 21st, the seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter saga, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was to be released. I picked up my deluxe edition with trepidation and excitement; the saga that has been a piece of my life would be over, yet we would know the climax in a few minutes.
I was torn between savoring the book and racing through it, but I finished it. Overall, I liked the book; however, there were several scenes that disappointed me.
I was happy with the pacing of the book, and the description of people, places, and things. The battle at Hogwarts was amazing! All of the characters that we’ve come to love took place, and it was similar to the battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi, where the ewoks used guerrilla warfare to defeat the enemy. My favorite line was near the end when Mrs. Weasley screams “NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!” at Bellatrix Lestrange, and when Neville told Voldemort that he would join him “when hell freezes over.”
What I disliked, however, was Harry and Ron’s argument which led to Ron falling out from his two best friends. I was also pissed at the lack of continuity from the previous books, especially the wandless, wordless magic that was expressed frequently in Half-Blood Prince, yet never mentioned in Deathly Hallows. I also got upset at Harry’s lack of action. He continued to use simple spells and Hermione to get him out of sticky situations. I wanted Harry to step-it-up; I wanted him to take charge, learn more advanced magic, and set traps for his nemesis, yet he didn’t. The epilogue also irritated me. It’s the part of the book that was written first- about 10 years ago- but it didn’t seem like Rowling’s writing. It was a crammed 4 page story about what happened to the survivors of the war with Voldemort ( although not all survivors were mentioned).
Since this book was a war, many of the characters that we’ve come to know and love have died before our eyes. I won’t mention any in case you haven’t read it yet; some characters’ deaths made me cry, while others were fine with me. Overall, I liked the book. I can’t wait to see it as a move- it’s very Indiana Jones-ish – which will make a great action movie. Though parts of the book disappointed me, the series is over and there’s no changing that. Harry Potter, however, will continue to live on in our hearts.
Read More
I was torn between savoring the book and racing through it, but I finished it. Overall, I liked the book; however, there were several scenes that disappointed me.
I was happy with the pacing of the book, and the description of people, places, and things. The battle at Hogwarts was amazing! All of the characters that we’ve come to love took place, and it was similar to the battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi, where the ewoks used guerrilla warfare to defeat the enemy. My favorite line was near the end when Mrs. Weasley screams “NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!” at Bellatrix Lestrange, and when Neville told Voldemort that he would join him “when hell freezes over.”
What I disliked, however, was Harry and Ron’s argument which led to Ron falling out from his two best friends. I was also pissed at the lack of continuity from the previous books, especially the wandless, wordless magic that was expressed frequently in Half-Blood Prince, yet never mentioned in Deathly Hallows. I also got upset at Harry’s lack of action. He continued to use simple spells and Hermione to get him out of sticky situations. I wanted Harry to step-it-up; I wanted him to take charge, learn more advanced magic, and set traps for his nemesis, yet he didn’t. The epilogue also irritated me. It’s the part of the book that was written first- about 10 years ago- but it didn’t seem like Rowling’s writing. It was a crammed 4 page story about what happened to the survivors of the war with Voldemort ( although not all survivors were mentioned).
Since this book was a war, many of the characters that we’ve come to know and love have died before our eyes. I won’t mention any in case you haven’t read it yet; some characters’ deaths made me cry, while others were fine with me. Overall, I liked the book. I can’t wait to see it as a move- it’s very Indiana Jones-ish – which will make a great action movie. Though parts of the book disappointed me, the series is over and there’s no changing that. Harry Potter, however, will continue to live on in our hearts.
Read More
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)