Reviews

Jennifer Jabaley's Lipstick Apology: A Review by Sisi P.

2009-05-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

I liked the book, but it was a bit unrealistic.

Lipstick Apology is about a girl, Emily Carson, that finds out that her parents have died in the plane crash. But before they died, her mother leaves her a strange message on a plane tray. The message says EMILY PLEASE FORGIVE ME. It was written in her mother's lipstick. Emily doesn't know what it means and neither does anyone else, or do they?

So Emily moves in with her aunt in New York, goes to a new school, makes new popular friends, has the most popular boy and her lab partner chasing after her yet she doesn't feel right. The message her mother left her is bothering her and she has to uncover what it means, but does she really want to know?

Call of Duty: World at War Review By Austin C.

2009-04-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

This game is a first-person shooter and deals a lot the Pacific and Europe. I think that the game is pretty good. I wish they would move forward instead of going back to WWII but overall it’s alright. They also have an online setup so players of their system can play with or against other living players. I have to say that the game is very short though.

After you beat the campaign they have an extra campaign called Nazi zombie mode, where you can play online and offline with players or by yourself. In this campaign you go through unless rounds of killing zombies and you can pick up special weapons and you have to repair windows as zombies will try to enter. You can also unlock more areas so you can have more room to defend yourself in.

I would recommend this game to anyone who loves shooter-up games, especially if it's first person. It’s a good game. It doesn’t top Call of Duty: Modern Warfare but it’s new and has a lot of unlockables and great online play.

Comparison of The Book Thief and All Quiet on the Western Front by Yatzi G.

2009-04-05T11:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I decided on writing about two of my two favorite books. To start off, my favorite genre of books are war novels. They show you reality, and show you that you should appreciate what you have, which is a good life. The first book is called, The Book Thief By Markus Zusak, and the second book is called, All Quiet on the Western Front By Erich Maria Remarque. These two books have a lot in common and yet a lot in difference. For example, one writer is American while the other is by a German. This will show that we can all speak different languages, or have a different culture, but we all have feeling believe it or not.

The Book Thief vs. All Quiet on the Western Front

“One morning two butterflies play in front of our trench. They are brimstone-butterflies, with red spots on their yellow wings. What can they be looking for here? There is not a plant nor a flower for miles. They settle on the teeth of a skull. The birds too are just as carefree, they have long since accustomed themselves to the war” (Remarque 127).
This quotation from All Quiet on the Western Front reminds us that war has always been around, whether it was the Civil war, the Vietnam War, or in this case World War I and World War II.

In All Quiet on the Western Front a perspective coming from a young man of the age of nineteen is provided. He has volunteered to fight for his country, thinking war was going to be different, he finds out that war is a lie and meaningless. In The Book Thief a young girl from the age of nine through almost fourteen, named Liesel is forced to stay with some foster parents, because her sick mother can’t afford to keep her, and her little brother has died. During this time Hitler was in control of Germany. Liesel, thinking that she has enough agony in her life, learns that a Jew must be hidden in her house, and this was a big offense to German Nazi. In each of these books, they show that war has always two or more sides to the story. In this case the stories come from a young male adult in the war, and a common female child during war times. Comparing these books, shows that many people do not live to tell about their side and beliefs and truths about war; this is why there is still a lot to uncover. There are many different perspectives, such as in All Quiet on the Western Front, and Book Thief to look at war through. The ones that usually provide the best descriptions are those from the person themselves that were in the war, or through the eyes of an innocent young child who has not lived long enough to know all the evil of the world.

In All Quiet on the Western Front, Paul Baumer is a young man with a dream, a dream of becoming a hero. When his teacher Kantorek tricks his students into thinking that War is the perfect opportunity of becoming a hero they take it, proud, excited, and a bit frightened (but it doesn’t matter because their dream will come true), they go off and sign up. Finally in the War, there are nine friends, all nine of them are playing in the game of war, trying to be surviors, and regretting that they ever listened to Kantorek.
Most importantly the characters know how it feels to be alone and have nobody there.

Remarque says, "What has Kantorek written to you? muller asks him...
Iron Youth! Youth! We are none of us more than twenty years old. But young? Youth? That is long ago. We are old folk" (Remarque 18).

This quotation illustrates that the soldiers have just recieved letters from their relatives, friends, teachers, etc. When they get a letter from their teacher Kantorek, they just laugh, for they are not the Iron Youth! They may be young, but they have seen too much and their mentality is not the same. They think more wisely, they know how much life is worth, and they know there is a big chance that they will not be going home as heros.
Eventually, each friend dies one by one. One does become a deserter and the only one surviving is Paul, who eventually dies a couple months before the war is actually over.

As Remarque writes, "While they continue to write and talk, we saw the wounded and dying. While they taught that duty to one’s country is the greatest thing, we already knew that death-throes are stronger. But for all that we were no mutineers, and no deserters, no cowards..."(Remarque 13). In this passage Paul talks about how people talk and say, but have really no idea what it is like to see your own friend die in your arms, to know that you can not sleep as you wish with the fright that someone may kill you, or maybe the nightmares of the things back home that they miss, such as their families. To illustrate this Remarque shows the feelings of Paul, "They were very free with all these expressions. We loved our country as much as they; we went courageously into every action; but also we distinguished the false from true, we had sudenly learned to see. And we saw that there was nothing of their world left. We were all at once terribly alone; and alone we must see it through" (Remarque 13).

This passage talks about how the soldiers including Paul Baummer show love to their country and want to help, but they also give to know that "why them?" Why do people talk and say how much they love their country and yet aren not out there in the war helping out. "He had fallen forward and lay on the earth as though sleeping. Turning him over one saw that he could not have suffered long; his face had an expression of calm, as though almost glad the end had come" (Remarque 296). This suffering shows that war is an experience, a difficult thing and that one cannot talk about, unless they themselves have experienced it. Paul Baummer lost many people, all of his friends, and his mother is sick with cancer and maybe dying soon. His life was good to begin with, but war destroyed it all. He may not be a real person, but we all know that this is the realism of war, and there is nothing we can do. We may think that this pain we speak of is a lot, but there is much more that has not been uncovered with the reason that it’s just too painful.

In The Book Thief, Liesel Meminger is young girl who loses her mother, her brother, and her self confidence. She soon finds out that the reason she never got to know her father is because he was a communist and nobody had heard from him ever since. Liesel, already in the begining of the book has had many tradgedies, and she is only nine. She is sent to a foster parents whose names are Hans Humbermann and Rosa Humbermann. Both of them loved her very much, and she loves them both very much also. Liesel sooner or later gives up on finding her mama, who apparently everyone had lost track of, but she never forgets her just as she will never forget her brother.

Soon, she becomes accustomed to her new home finds a new friend who’s name is Rudy Steiner, who with a little help from their friend Tommy Muller, they go on adventures stealing, and doing other mischievous things. In school she is not the best reader, but thanks to papa she learns and improves, and that’s how her love of books developed. Things were going well for Lisel; her mama and her tough love, but she knew that she loved her; her papa was the most amazing person in the world she had ever known; and her new friends were always loyal and there for her. But little did she know that more was awaiting her, and that her toubles were not over.

Soon the war beings, and it is World War II. Things are getting harder for people, her mama loses her clients (she worked ironing and washing people clothing), her papa (who to begin with didn’t have much of a job), soon loses his painting job. She soon knows that her friend Rudy Steiner has been invited to a school, where they prepare young German boys to be part of the military. Also, she finds out that there is a Jewish person to be hidden in her house whose name is Max and he too has gone through a lot of hard things just like she has in the past, and she know she must keep it a secret. But through all of this, Liesel finds comfort in reading books, and getting lost in the magical world of words.

Things get worse and worse, soon there are raids occuring in Molching (which is were Liesel home is), the Jewish man, Max, whom she had devolped a strong friendship with, leaves unexpectedly without an explaination. The only thing he had left was a note written that he appreciated their help, but did want to put the Humbermann family in more danger. "Jew parades", which is when Jewish people were taken out on walks in a nearby city, were occuring in Molching, and at this point it is hard for Liesel to watch, for she has made friendship with Max, and misses him a lot, so during this parade she looks and watches out to see if Max is in there. One side of her wants to see him, but there are only three possibilites that may happen. Max is free and is happy-- or Max has been captured and is suffering, or the third option that Liesel does not want to think about... death. It is also hard for Hans Humbermann to watch, for he feels guilty that Max has left his safe house, and is out in the cruel world of German Nazi where he is hated.

Zusak explains in detail how the Jew parades were hard for the Humbermann family. For Hans Humbermann does an amazing thing that not anyone would ever ever do, at least if you were a German. The tension and sadness of a Jewish person who is close to death is describe by Zusak . "The Jew stood before him, expecting another handful of derision, but he watched with everyone else as Hans Hubermann held his hand out and presented a piece of bread, like magic." (Zusak 304) In this scene Hans has helped out a Jew who was starving and had fallen on the ground, and the poor man has been calling out for someone to help him, but no one does, not even the rest of the Jews, they just stomp and trample over him. But then Hans could not handle or resist and goes out to help the Jew.

At this point Liesel is crying and then notices a soilder coming to the scene; now she feels Rudy holding her hand and giving a sympathy look. While Rudy is dong this Leisel is just waiting to see Hans suffer likes Zusak decribes. "The Jew was whipped six times. On his back, his head, and his legs. 'You filth! You swine!' Blood dripped now from his ear. Then it was Papa’s turn... The sound sickened her and she expected cracks to appear on her papa’s body. He was struck four times before he,too hit the ground." (Zusak 304) This scene shows that the Geman Nazi was serious about helping Jewish people, and it shows that none of it would be taken. That’s when Liesel, realized the dangerous it was for them in the past to keep Max.

Soon everything keeps falling down, her papa has been drafted to war, as well as Rudy’s father. She still hasn’t found Max, Rudy is not the same anymore, he dosen’t talk or smile much. Her mama is not he same tough loving mama, she’s quiet and every night grabs her husband’s accordian and cries. Everything is going awful and not according to the life plan Liesel intended to have in the begining.

Soon Rudy and Liesel start to hate the Fuhrer, which at this point is Hitler, and they turn and rebel against their German society:
"Where are you going?"
"Isn’t obvious?"
She stuggled to keep up. "Well, to tell you the truth -- not really."
"I’m going to find him."
"Your papa?"
"Yes." He thought about it. "Actually no. I think I’m going to find the Fuhrer instead."
Faster footsteps. "Why?"
Rudy stopped. "Because I want to kill him" (Zusak 425).

In this quotation, Rudy is upset because his father has been drafted and wants to kill the Fuhuer. He believes that it’s unfair that his father has to pay the price for not letting Rudy go to a school to be trained to be in the army. This shows the stong feeling a child has had in the war, and how they soon realized that life is not always just fun or rainbows.
Soon, Max is found, Liesel was watching a Jew parade, and as always she was looking for Max, in this scene Max and her break out in tears not knowing what to do, and Liesel does get punish the same way her father did and so does Max. And that is the last she saw of him for a long while.

Things apparently do get better for Liesel. Hans has broken his leg and is allowed to go back home. Rosa and Liesel are happy, but the Steiner family try as hard as they can, but they can’t help thinking why Hans, why not Alex (husband and father of the Steiner family). Soon, after all this happens, Liesel is upset about the whole Max incident and can not stand the guilt and suffering any longer, and decides to tell Rudy about it.

Soon, months have passed and things get from good to bad to worse, there are more raids occuring, and life is just sad. One good thing does happen, the mayor’s wife, one that Liesel considers a friend gives her a book, an empty one. She had told her that since Liesel had so much passion for reading, then maybe she should try writing herself. Liesel cherishes the book, and begins to write. She actually decides to write in the basement, where Max use to write himself. She was dedicated to it, and would sometimes fall asleep in the basement itself. Then, one day, it was late in the night, and Liesel decided to write. She was almost finished with the book, she called it the Book Thief, and she was extremely proud of herself. ``*Book Thief—last line* I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.’’ So, she difted off to sleep.

The sirens were loud, but it was too late by then, the raid had begun, bombs falling on Himmel street, people not screaming, because they were asleep. It was too late by then, carefully death picked them up and took them to another place, this inclueded the Steiner family, which was Rudy, also Tommy Muller, and sadly Rosa and Hans Hubermann. The only hope was Liesel, for when the bombs drop, she was in the basement writing, and had saved herself.

The men tried picking her up and taking her to saftey after they found her in the ruins of Himmel St. All of a sudden she stumbles and tries to get out of their arms, they let her go. She starts screaming and yelling for her papa, then she notices, a boy with hair the color of Lemons. She runs to him and realizes that it’s Rudy, her best friend, her crush she had for many years. He is dead, and she is distraught, she tries kissing him knowing that he is not feeling it. Next, she discovers the bodies of her Papa and Mama.

First she goes up to her Mama and holds her hand, ``Remember when I came here, Mama? I clung to the gate and cried. Do you remember what you said to everyone in the street that day?... Did you know I saw you with Papa’s accordian? She tighten her grip on the hardening hand. ``I came and watched and you were beautiful, you were so beautiful Mama.’’ Next her Papa, she would not, she just could not look at Papa, not at that moment.

Papa was everything to Liesel he was the one that sat in the washroom with her, the one who taught her how to roll a cigarette. He was the one who gave bread to that poor dying Jewish man. He was the one who encouraged Liesel to keep reading and to follow her dream, and to read in the bomb shelter. If it weren’t for him, she might not have not been writing in the basement, and would have died herself. Papa was the person who Liesel loved the most, he was her home. "that as she knelt next to Hans Hubermann, she watched him stand and play the accordion. He stood and strapped it on in the alps of broken houses and played the accordion with kindness silver eyes and even a cigarette slouched on his lips. He even made a mistake and laughed in lovely hindsight. The bellows breathed and the tall man played for Liesel Meminger one last time as the sky was slowly taken from the stove. Keep playing, Papa. Papa stopped. He dropped the accordion and his silver eyes continued to rust. There was only a body now, on the ground’’ (Zusak 538).

In this quote Zusak describes that Liesel is having flashbacks of the past. Flashbacks, that remind her of good times she had with her family. This is a sad moment, for she is imagining her Papa playing for her, and all of a sudden he stops, for he is dead.

War is a hard thing, and it is not a person’s choice to have it. The leaders of our world sometimes don’t think about others, such as the individual soldiers and individual families. For example, in this case the family of a small girl named Liesel who not only suffered her own problems, but others. Paul Baummer was just as brave as Liesel still both of them young people trying to survive the war.

Liesel was a girl whose self confidence was terrible, and later on it grew thanks to her amazing faster family and even though they had left her; she knew what they would have wanted her to do, and it was to keep going for her dreams and keep her self confidence. In the case of Paul Baummer, he was the opposite, his confidence was high, a little too high, and he trusted himself with many things, including the war. He had everything he could ever want, but he wanted more, he wanted to be famous and become a hero. And when this happens the war affects him. His confidence decreases until he can’t handle it any longer.

Another similarity is that Paul Baummer had everything he wanted; he went to school, had a great education, and had a family. And he longed for more and more. Liesel on the other hand, did not. She did not go to school and in fact she was an awful reader, her birth family had left her, and she longed for more, but she longed for love. That’s when Liesel starts to steal books and learns how to read. And above all of that her foster family is amazing. Liesel does become greedy. And wants more and more. Until, they both realize that they will both lose one of their most valuable possessions, their family.

Mentally, I think that Liesel and Paul were quite equal, they were not young, and physically they were. They both had seen someone die in front of them. They both knew what it felt like to lose more than just one beloved one. They knew what as reality and what was make believe. They cannot be tricked, not even by death. Sooner or later death does meet them, Paul dies in the war, while Liesel survives and dies of old age. Their souls were ready, and sitting up for death to come. And they both finally found relief and calmness.

Remarque, Erich Maria . All Quiet on the Western Front . Berlin: A. G. Ullstein in Germany; Little, Brown in the United States, 1928.

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Halo Wars: A Review By Conan S.

2009-03-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

Halo Wars is a real time strategy game (RTS) and a prequel to the bestselling Xbox 360 Trilogy, Halo. It takes place on Harvest, after the Covenant has recently taken control of the planet. You and your crew have arrived at Harvest on the Spirit of Fire with the intention of liberating the conquered planet.

When you start the game you are given control of Sergeant Forge, and must liberate a base to start your campaign. From there, you will need to create UNSC forces. There are many new military units, along with classic ones from the trilogy. There are many ways to play it. You can make a heavily armed army, with tanks and other heavy vehicles, but smaller; or you can produce a lighter armed army, with smaller units, but an extremely large and robust one. By the end of the game you could have hundreds of small units or 50 or so heavily armed tanks rolling across the plains of Harvest. You can also do a mixed army with several tanks and a hundred or so smaller units.

I personally do not like RTS’s that much. However, I thought this was an excellent game. The thing I dislike about the everyday RTS is the need to constantly find resources which takes up most of your play time. With Halo Wars, however, all you have to do is build a couple of supply pads on your base and you don’t have to worry. Halo Wars focuses mostly on the military strategy of the game and the action part, very little of your time will be spent trying to get supplies. Most of it will be spent constructing your army and moving them across the land to confront the enemy. I was also worried about the controls. The Xbox 360 controller does not give much room for RTS’s, but just like the old saying goes, a little goes a long way. They were able to make the controls very simple and efficient, but effective at the same time. There aren’t any tricky controls or complicated combinations you need; most of it is done through pressing a single button.

The Multiplayer is especially fun. If you have Xbox Live, you will spend hours trying to outwit your friends and conquer their bases. You can also do co-operative play with your friends. So you can challenge the Covenant together.

To conclude, this is a great game. No matter who you are you will love it, whether you like first person shooters or regular RTS’s. You should at least try it once. This game definitely lives up to its expectations and the greatness of the Halo Trilogy, along with giving you some background on the trilogy.

Microsoft's Left 4 Dead review by Jose D.

2009-02-28T07:22:00.000-08:00

Left 4 Dead…

Where to begin?

Left 4 Dead is an action packed survival horror game created by ValveE designer Mike Booth co-designer of both the Counter Strike series for ValveE.

This game takes place in an zombie apocalyptic setting based around 4 different scenarios all created with their certain bonuses and perks; and while the source of the zombie outbreak is never revealed, the intro scene does state that it is “2 weeks” after the infection began.

You chose from one of the four survivors
Bill -A Vietnam War veteran
Zoey-A horror movie fanatic
Francis-Your typical hardcore biker
Louis-A computer salesman

And on team infected are
Hunter-Agile, quick dangerously vicious infected, these attack with a vicious pounce and slash secondary attack
Boomer-A morbid obese infected who can draw the horde on specific individuals via vomit…Yes vomit, secondary attack being that of a punch
Smoker-Tall, slim smog induced infected with the ability to pull survivors from a distance using his tongue (which is very long) either strangling them, or bringing them in for a beat down, secondary attack being slash
Tank- A large, very muscular infected resembling the incredible hulk, minus the green. This large monster has the ability to punch with the grace of a thousand rhino’s and the power to life chunks of concrete off the ground before…launching it at you

All of these characters are playable.
NON PLAYABLE CHARACTER
The Witch-This beautiful infected does absolutely nothing. She usually is found in random spots on her knees crying…yes crying. She is completely harmless unless you bother her. Things that bother her are loud sounds, gunshots, screams and the almighty flashlight. If you mess and annoy her, she WILL kill you. No doubt about it.

Now, you begin the game by first selecting one of the four scenario/campaigns. Where the main point of each is to make it from safe room A to safe room B and so forth, safety with as many survivors as possible, all leading to the final scenario where you must hold up a base and await for extraction.

These are the four scenarios currently available.

-No Mercy: An urban setting taken place in a city, subway, sewers and hospital.

-Blood Harvest: A country/farm like setting where you must make your way to extraction via Military Evacuation.

-Dead Air: A scenario taking place in an airport setting where you must navigate your way through a traverse airport whilst defending yourself against the zombie horde.

-Death Toll: The survivors are once again brought out of there big safe room and thrown into highways, forests and a small town where evacuation is that of boat extraction.

These are the current available scenario/campaigns available at launch, more scenarios and infected, perhaps even more survivors will be released with the expansion of DLC (Downloadable Content) being released whenever ValveE feels necessary. (Hopefully in the near future)

Overall this action packed game is well worth the $50 offering very high replay. You will be playing this game, over, and over again. I personally, cannot stop playing it. I highly recommend this game to any avid first person shooter, horror, survival zombie fanatic.
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Tamora Pierce's Bloodhound Review by Becca L.

2009-02-28T06:36:00.000-08:00

How dare she!?! She is supposed to be with Rosto! ROS. TO. Not this "Dale" person. I don't care if I'm giving things away, I am angry. Serves her right. Serves. Her. Right. What serves her right, you ask? Sorry, my judgement-clouding anger has abated. I will give no more away!

Beka is back, and and, to be horribly cliche, better than ever. Though she is taken from her dear Corus (and Rosto. ROSTO.), she continues to fight for truth, justice, and the Tortallan way. And now she has a doggie! As anybody who is anybody knows, Tamora Pierce was at our dear Martin Library this summer and read an excerpt from her latest book, Bloodhound. Beka is undercover chasing down colemongers with the help of Goodwin and a rather silly hound named Atchoo in Port Caynn. Cool people will recognize Port Caynn as being close to Pirate's Swoop, Allanna's home with Beka's decendent, George.

Everyone, and by everyone i really do mean everyone, must read this book. But wait, I hear you say. I thought you were angry. Thank you for paying attention, dear reader. Yes. I am angry. I am infuriated. I want Tamora Pierce to die, and then come immediately back to life because I love her and I'm sorry for saying such horrible things. It is my anger that should clue you in to the sheer awesome contained within this book. I want to slap Beka. She isn't real, but I still want to slap her. Only a truly amazing read causes such emotion toward a character and an author.

Run, do not walk, to your nearest time machine, go to April, buy this book, read it, shred it in fury, buy another one, shred it in despair, buy one more, and don't you dare hurt this one! Do you have any idea how many trees you people have killed? But you told me to, I hear that same observant voice say. I want to throttle a fictional character. I am clearly not to be trusted. Now shoo. You have some sad and lonely waiting to do until April.
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Allan Moore's V for Vendetta review by Jesse B.

2009-02-21T06:34:00.000-08:00

A young girl is pressed against a wall by a group of policemen who ready themselves for raping and subsequently murdering her. Suddenly, a cloaked figure wearing a smiling mask approaches, quoting Macbeth. The man releases a stream of tear gas and drops off a bomb as a souvenir. He grabs the girl and carries her to safety on the city rooftops. Together they watch as the Houses of Parliament are bombed to the ground. Fireworks follow.

So begins the stunning graphic novel V for Vendetta, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. In a post-nuclear war England, a Neonazi group comes into power and establishes a totalitarian empire. All minority groups are sent to "relocation camps" and are systematically exterminated.

Enter "V", a revolutionary bearing a Guy Fawkes mask who devotes himself to the principles of anarchy and aims to destroy the current government and its institutions. V saves the life of Evey Hammond, a sixteen-year-old orphan, and shelters her in his "Shadow Gallery". He grants the girl access to all of the cultural knowledge forbidden by national law. Evey wonders at all of this, but most of all wonders at the mystery of the man behind the mask.

A brilliant analysis of modern society and a disheartening picture of a potential future, V for Vendetta is of a surety one of the greatest graphic novels one will ever read. But if the above material did not impress this upon the reader, let it now be made plain: This novel is not for the faint of heart. Murder, rape and genocide are but a sampling of the heavy topics touched upon by Lloyd and Moore. V for Vendetta is not your standard comic book fare, as the majority of the novel focuses on philosophy, sociology and politics. If one undertakes the reading of this novel, that person should be prepared to experience both disgust and elation. One must remember, "England prevails."
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J.K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard: Review by Nathan W.

2009-02-14T06:23:00.000-08:00

The newest J.K. Rowling book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, is what Harry Potter fans have been waiting for. For the past year and a half, Potter fans have been trying to cope with the ending of the series and trying to find other books to satisfy themselves.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard is mentioned in the final Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and is a great read for both hardcore Potter fans and those who simply want to read a new book. There are five short stories in The Tales of Beedle the Bard : “ The Wizard’s Hairy Heart,” “The Tale of the Three Brothers,” Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump,” “The Fountain of Fair Fortune,” and “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot.”
My favorite story was “The Wizard’s Hairy Heart” due to its darkness and its ending, which is Romeo and Juliet- esque. This is a story of a young man who refuses to fall in love and removes his heart, which becomes hairy and moldy after its removal. When he finally falls in love, the wizard realizes his mistake and kills himself (his lover also commits suicide). “Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump” was a bit of a disappointment for me. I was expecting a happy, cherry rabbit-based story; instead, reader read about an old woman who makes a fool out of a charlatan. “The Tale of the Three Brothers,” as Harry Potter fans know, was mentioned in and was instrumental in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This story tells of the deathly hallows: the elder wand, the resurrection stone, and the invisibility cloak.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard comes with commentary from Albus Dumbledore, our favorite Hogwarts headmaster. The commentary is funny. Another ode to Harry Potter fans is that the book “was translated from the original ancient runes by Hermione Granger.” The proceeds from the book go to the Children’s High Level Group, a charity that helps orphaned children. While Harry Potter fans have to wait for J.K. Rowling to finish her Harry Potter encyclopedia, The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a great way to pass the time, and reader will donate to charity in the process
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L.A. Meyer's My Bonnie Light Horseman - Review by Becca L.

2009-01-19T06:52:00.000-08:00

In this latest installment of the Bloody Jack series, Jackie has gotten herself into the most far-fetched bit of trouble yet. We've stuck with her through cross-dressing, finishing school, piracy, slavery, and grand theft nautical. Even I, Jackie's biggest fan, cannot swallow our heroine as a spy/ballerina/burlesque/French soldier. Yes, she tackles all these roles in a single book. One day she's gaining information on French troop movements via pillow-talk, the next she's delivering the orders that save Napoleon's bacon. And the author tells us this is not the end of it!

I have never been a supporter of neat, tidy, gift-wrapped endings. In fact, I am highly offended by them. But would it kill L.A. Meyer to give it a ending? Every book ends in the middle of something very important. Just send her back to England with Jaimy already! She can get in plenty of book-worthy trouble when she's married.

I am all for suspense, but I have been waiting with baited breath for far too long. I have another bone to pick with you, Mr. Meyer. When did Jackie become gentrified? A large part of her charm stems from her cockney upbringing. I cannot have a properly educated Cheapside scammer! It simply will not do! I demand that you return her to her humbler speech patterns that must be read aloud to be understood!

Still, I can never stay mad at Jackie for long. She holds a special place in my heart as the one heroine I actually like who can be snuck into the "realistic fiction" box of required reading. I shudder to think what the seventh book will bring. I doubt there is anything left to subject her to.

Olivia Birdsall's Notes on a near life experience

2009-01-10T06:36:00.000-08:00

Divorce is all over. In movies, TV shows, with her friends, etc. Mia never expected to have it happen to her though. Suddenly, after having an almost perfect family with tons of routine and tradition, she’s 15 and her father decides to move out with no notice. As her family life crumbles, her love life picks up. Her longtime crush, Julian, has finally noticed her. However, Julian happens to be her older brother, Allen’s best friend. Allen… isn’t exactly thrilled to have Julian want to spend more one on one time with Mia. As this is happening, Mia’s mother is disappearing more and more into her work, Allen is starting to skip school and is becoming very mysterious, and her father just brought home a woman from Peru.

“Notes On A Near-Life Experience” was an interesting book. The family drama added to the new dramatic love life was totally addicting. I really enjoyed all the topics that Birdsall included. Although, might have been a little too much. It easily could have been broken up a little more and been made into a series. Despite that fact, it was an awesome book.
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Review of Jason Reitmans' Juno By Jocelyn H.

2008-12-20T06:30:00.000-08:00

After one time, Juno MacGuff becomes pregnant with the child of her best friend, Paulie Bleeker. However, Juno and Bleeker aren’t dating and they definitely don’t plan on raising a kid. So Juno decides to get an abortion without even telling her parents. Juno couldn’t go through with the abortion and told her parents and she decides to resort to adoption. The adoptive family is Vanessa and Mark Loring, but there then become issues with that too. And of course what happens to Paulie Bleeker and Juno’s friendship. Juno is an amazing movie! It really is, Juno (the character) is very unique and awesome and I think that’s why people took to her so quickly! It’s very unique and now the whole amazingness of the movie will probably be lost because more people will want to steal this idea! I give Juno 9.3 out of 10!!!!

Review of Jim Hensons' Labyrinth by Joselyn H.

2008-12-20T06:19:00.000-08:00

Sarah is a fifteen year old still trying to live her live in a fairytale. She’s very misunderstood by her wicked stepmother and her father. It gets even worse she’s always stuck home babysitting her baby half brother Toby! Toby continuously cried and would not stop, driving Sarah insane! Sarah calls on the goblins, characters from her favorite book, to take Toby away…but it actually worked. When Sarah realizes what she’d done she meets with the Goblin King. The Goblin King took Toby to his Castle in The UnderGround. Sarah is more determined than The Goblin King would think to get her baby brother back. But she only has thirteen hours to try to find the castle and rescue her brother before he’s turned into a Goblin himself and the only way to get to the castle is by solving the labyrinth that surrounds it! Plus, there are many traps and enemies along the way!

I love this movie so much! It’s very long but it’s very worth it. Sarah’s a bit of a spoiled brat, but it’s ok! This is an amazing movie and its by Jim Henson! Some parts are very weird but that only adds to awesome! In conclusion, I wish the Goblins would come and take me away right now!!!!
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"Sweeny Todd" Review by Jocelyn

2008-12-18T14:40:00.000-08:00

Benjamin Barker Returned to London as Sweeny Todd for one mane reason, to get revenge on Judge Turpin. Judge Turpin transported Barker for life and stole his wife.

Barker moves back to London as Todd into his apartment above Mrs. Lovett’s meat pie shop where she sells the worst pies in London due to her inability to pay for meat! After learning about his wife’s death Todd is more determined than ever to get revenge on the Judge.

After killing someone who recognized him as Benjamin Barker, Sweeny Todd and Mrs. Lovett contemplated what to do with the body. Then they came up with the brilliant idea that Todd will slit the throats of every man who comes for a shave and Mrs. Lovett will use the meat from the corpses for meat pies!

Sweeny Todd is a very strange & twisted movie. Tim Burton did wonders to that=2 0musical! Johnny Depp is a pretty good singer too! I admit, towards the end I was disappointed. But Tim Burton redeemed himself 30 seconds later! If you are touchy about the subject of cannibalism then this is not the movie for you. The gore and blood isn’t that bad but it is something to take note of! This movie was made for the sick and strange! I give it 8 out of 10.
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Sarah Dessen's "This Lullaby" Review by Alexis M.

2008-12-18T13:16:00.000-08:00

Remy doesn’t believe in love, at all. Every relationship she has, she knows to end right after that initial romantic rush, before things get too serious. Plus, she has a very useful resource… her own mother. She’s been married 4 times and is in the process of wedding number five. However, when she meets Dexter, things change.

Suddenly Remy finds it hard to follow her own relationship rules. He’s everything she hates; messy, disorganized, impulsive, and worst of all, a musician like her father. Remy never knew her dad. The only connection they have is his one and only famous song, “This Lullaby”, that he wrote the day she was born. Dealing with her relationship with Dexter, she finally starts to realize what all those love songs are about.

“This Lullaby” was incredible. I totally loved it and didn’t want to stop reading. The connection between Remy and her friends alone is over powering. Let alone her and Dexter. Truth Squad was an interesting group as well. I definitely would like to see I sequel to see what happens after Remy goes to college and Dexter goes to pursue his music.
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"Penelope" Review by Jocelyn H.

2008-12-06T12:34:00.000-08:00

Penelope (Christina Ricci) is cursed with the face of a pig!!!! Her family, The Wilherns, was a family of bluebloods. They were once used to attention from the press. They were ok with it until this attention was drawn to Penelope, Where her mother had to fake Penelope’s death to hide her! The only way she can break the curse is if one of her own kind can lover as she is… or so they think.

Determined to find someone for Penelope, her parents hire a matchmaker! They also offer an enormous dowry to any man who marries her. Unfortunately, every man who sees her face runs! One man, Edward ends up teaming up with Lemon, A newspaper photographer to get a picture of her. Where they Hire Max (James McAvoy) to get a picture of her. Max likes Penelope for who he is but he knows he can’t break the curse!
I loved Penelope! It was a very unique idea for a fairy tale and it was wonderfully done! Christina Ricci looked gorgeous even with a pig no se! 9.9 Out of 10!

"Final Destination 3" review by Jocelyn H.

2008-12-04T14:06:00.000-08:00

A high school senior named Wendy goes to an amusement park with all of her friends one night. They’re about to get on a rollercoaster when Wendy has a vision of a terrible accident and They all ended up dead. So she begs them to let her off and they do. Several others follow her. However, Wendy’s boyfriend and the boy she was sitting with, Kevin, had a girlfriend remaining on the train and they did not survive. A few days after the accident, Wendy uploaded the pictures she took that night to her computer and finds clues to those who have di ed. What will happen to everyone who got off? They all are destined to die in the order they would’ve if they were on the rollercoaster. Wendy and Kevin use clues from the pictures to prevent this from happening.

I thought this movie was ok! I love roller coasters and no horror movie will ever contradict that. It ended very suddenly which made me sad. I’d give it a 5 out of 10. It was just ok. There was just something about it that made It seem very “b” rated to me. The filming quality and actors were good but something with the storyline just didn’t wow me.
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"Marie Antoinette" Review by Jocelyn H.

2008-12-02T16:53:00.000-08:00

The movie “Marie Antoinette” is modernized in a good way.It’s about the Queen of France. Marie marries Louis XVI when she’s fifteen. The king dies when she’s 19 and that’s when he and her husband come into power. Marie doesn’t hesitate to spend France’s budget on herself. Marie Antoinette spent all the money she could on clothes, shoes, trees for her garden, and most of all gambling. The movie didn’t really emphasize how much of this was really effecting France . The only time it really showed it was when there were riots outside Versailles. The movie seemed a bit slow in the begininning but as the time went on it got more and more interesting. The movie definitely emphasized the glamorous life Marie Antoinette had and I think it deserves a 8.9 out of 10 for the movie and a 10 out of 10 for the wardrobe!

"Sisterhood Of the Traveling Pants 2" review by Jocelyn H.

2008-11-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2!

Directed by: Sanaa Hamri

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 is so much easier to understand if you’ve read the books or seen the first movie. The movie has 4 main characters who each of us can relate to in some way.
First there’s Lena, the shy but beautiful artist who’s spending her summer at art school after her ex-boyfriend gets married. She ends up drawing a male model in the nude and falling in love with him!

Next, there’s Carmen, who ends up going to Yale, she’s a writer and she likes to work behind the scenes. She spends her summer attending a theater camp and ends up getting the lead role in the show!!!! On top of that she has a pregnant mom.
The 3rd girl of the foursome is Bridget, Bridget seemed sportier in the first movie but the second one shows a whole other side of her. Bridget starts her summer in Turkey on an Archeological dig. She ends up finding some old letters from her grandma and goes to visit her to find out about her past.

The last character is my favorite, Tibby! Tibby is a film student. She failed because she was supposed to write a romantic comedy and her two characters broke up. She’s miserable at her job working in a video store. Tibby’s main story in the movie is her relationship issues.

The main thing that keeps them all together over the summer is a pair of jeans. Which fit all four of them perfectly and then get stolen by Lena’s little sister. I thought the movie was ok! Some of it I thought was a bit unrealistic. Teenage girls don’t always act that way. The ending wasn’t too fabulous. Although, I wouldn’t regret watching it! The movie was probably a 7 out of 10!
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Donna Jo Napoli's The Smile Review by Alexis M.

2008-11-01T06:59:00.000-07:00

Elisebetta is supposed to have a party for her thirteenth birthday to hopefully find a suitable husband. A few months before, the death of Lorenzo de’ Medici puts all plans on hold. Her mother decides a while later that people will be in a better mood and will be ready to celebrate. Shortly after though, a horse crash takes her mothers life. In 11 months her father remarries to Caterina, who thinks it is time Elisebetta gets her turn to shine. Through out these events, Elisebetta catches the eye of the great Leonardo Di Vinci. He introduces her to Giuliano de’ Medici who swears his love to her. However, things are changing in Florence and the relationship quickly is distressed.

I absolutely adored this book. To get a point of view of who might have been “Monna Lisa” was very interesting. I didn’t enjoy the end part with Giuliano but it proved her story wasn’t another fairy tale. I highly recommend The Smile and any other of Napoli’s novels.
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Barry Lyga's "Hero Type" Review by Jose D.

2008-10-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

When I first opened the book Hero Type, I knew what I was to expect. Teenagers, drama, and a good storyline and a lot of comedy and a juicy conflict and that my dear reader is what I got.
From chapter one the story was good.

In this amazing adventure, we take on the story of Kevin Ross, nicknamed Kross by his friends “The fools”. Kevin Ross was recently praised for the rescue of the daughter of important man. Leah Muldoon. Kevin is then treated like a god, a prince, a king. With money rewards, free food, News publicity, new car you’d think he’s had it made for a typical teenager. But it is not all as it seems for Kevin has dark secrets of his own.

I loved the story, from beginning to end. It was a great experience and a wonderful book. It shows the meaning of the American flag and its true colors. It shows the ignorance of people and exploits them, shining light upon the typical questions of the teen such as…

“Why do we have to pledge every day?”

“What does out flag mean?”

“What happens if we don’t pledge?”

Well in this story you can find this out in an exciting way.

That’s another reason why I loved the story so much, it really opened my eyes on the American flag, the significance that a bumper sticker can hold to a patriot and how a good hero can go “bad” by a simple mistake or a misunderstanding.

Simple things such as bumper stickers are important to some especially those in the Army Marine Corps and the Air Force. I have a friend named Bart, a married man with three very wonderful children who when he comes upon a vehicle with something as simple as a bumper sticker, something so little like that, he would approach or drive up next to them and salute because to him, it means something. American Pride.

To be American proud doesn’t mean you have to necessarily have bumper stickers to love your country but some, they feel proud and I am sure he isn’t the only one whom feels that way. I’m sure of it.

I could go on speaking forever about the topic but for now. I believe that is all I can say.
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Katie Alender's Bad Girls Don't Die Review by Alexis M.

2008-10-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

Alexis is very antisocial, anti-cheerleader, and absolutely loves photography. Her parent’s marriage isn’t doing the best and her 13 year old sister, Kasey, has gone totally doll crazy. After a family argument, Kasey and Alexis have some one-on-one sisterly bonding. During this time, Alexis realizes that her life is going from dysfunctional to dangerous. Kasey is changing. Her normal green eyes are suddenly bright blue. Her vocabulary takes a weird twist when she begins using more old-fashioned words. And, she loses track of large periods of time, claiming to know nothing about the sudden change in behavior. Alexis’s house is changing too. Doors open and close by themselves, water boils on an unlit stove, and an unplugged air conditioner makes the house cold enough for the girls to see their own breath. Alexis wants to believe that all this is just her mind playing tricks on her but… when things begin to be life threatening to her, her family, and her new relationship with the vice president of her class… she realizes she’s the only person that can stop it.

I loved this book. It was pretty confusing from making you think one thing for so long and then suddenly changing everything you thought you knew. “Bad Girls Don’t Die” not only had a strong mystery/action theme but also a twist of comedy and romance. It was constantly thrilling and I highly recommend it.

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Daniel Waters Generation Dead - A Review By Becca L.

2008-10-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

Let us take a look at the premise of Daniel Water’s first book, Generation Dead. American teenagers are refusing to stay dead. Let me finish. Zombies, or the differently biotic, roaches are the new minority group. They are attending public high schools and facing discrimination, as do all new people. But are they people? That is the question this book seeks to answer. I think. Never mind that it is completely irrelevant. This may be the biggest problem I have with this book. It focuses on social issues that will never, ever appear. The book takes itself way, way too seriously, especially when you consider the oh-so-cliché plot and characters. Our heroine, Phoebe, is a misunderstood goth girl with only two true friends. Margi, the barely described best friend, is more concerned with the status quo than her friend’s problems. Adam is the boy next door, star of the football team, and secretly in love with Phoebe.

I have just described nearly every teen book in print. Now let’s add a handful of dead kids. Phoebe will, of course, fall inexplicably in love with the most functional one, Tommy. Naturally, everyone at school hates him, targeting both of them for mockery and violence. I won’t give away the ending, but let’s just say Tommy’s “big revelation” will remind you of a Lifetime Movie. I will Daniel Waters credit for creating an almost plausible explanation for the zombies and a believable range of motion. Sadly, the most well-developed and believable characters are dead. I don’t mean to say this is a complete failure. Some parts are extremely entertaining, and though the story is predictable, it was still an enjoyable enough read. I think adequate would be the best word to describe this book. It wasn’t amazing, or even what I would call good, but it will do in a pinch. This would make a great book for SRC with 400 pages of teen fluff. An easy way to rack up minutes without having to think too hard.

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Next by Michael Chrichton Review by Jesse B.

2008-09-27T06:41:00.000-07:00

In a world where cloning and gene splicing are common practices, the possible extension of such tasks into the human realm becomes an issue. This is not the world of tomorrow – it is the world of today. In Next, Michael Chrichton takes a detour from the realm of science fiction to the realm of science fact. While the stories that take place in his novel are extreme cases, they are still theoretically possible with today's technology.

The corruption of the business realm is extending more and more into the realm of science. Studies that would once have gone unquestioned are now traced in order to determine whether their results were manipulated by corporations. This corruption takes a darker tone when experimentation with gene therapy and hybridization become a distinct moneymaking opportunity. The questions of ethics and safety go largely unconsidered as companies secretly bypass FDA protocol.

A gene is synthesized which has the distinct capability to remove addictions to various substances. Nicotine, heroin and even the spending of money are possible for treatment. The market for such a gene is a rich one indeed. Besides, is it not one's duty to serve the good of the public with such a life-saving drug, even if it means bending government policy? Testing on animal subjects has seen amazing results; moving on to humans is only logical.

This is only one of many cases Chrichton analyzes in his novel. In another drift from his usual style, Next is told as a group of short stories with chapters from each one interspersed throughout. The startling conclusion brings all of these stories together. This is one psychological thriller not a soul should miss.

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Fuyumi Ono's The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow A Review by Jesse B.

2008-09-22T09:24:00.000-07:00

Yoko Nakajima struggles with her social life in high school. Born with abnormally red hair in a Japanese society where all hair is a shade of black, her peers and tutors believe that she has dyed her hair against school policy and is associating with people she shouldn't be. To Yoko's great surprise, a young man named Keiki walks into her school one day looking for her, telling her that she is his master and that she must come with him for her own safety. Soon Yoko finds herself swept into a fantastical parallel universe. So begins the novel Sea of Shadow by Fuyumi Ono

Separated from Keiki, Yoko finds herself hunted by the government as one of the dreaded kaikyaku, beings from another world who are thought to bring bad luck. Hiding by day and traveling by night, Yoko is forced to fight her way through hordes of demons with only the sword given her by Keiki and a gem which possesses magical healing properties. Eventually though, Yoko's luck runs out and she is only saved from death by a half-beast in the form of a giant rat named Rakushun. Something of an outcast himself, Rakushun joins Yoko and the two set out for the Kingdom of En, where people such as themselves are accepted in society.

A fast-paced novel full of magic, swordplay and demons, Sea of Shadow is the soon-to-be released first volume in the seven volume cycle The Twelve Kingdoms. Originally published in Japan, this wildly popular fantasy series is being translated into English for the first time. Fuyumi Ono spins an enchanting tale that is difficult to put down once picked up. Any fantasy-lover would be truly missing out if he refused to read this book.
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Amy Kathleen Ryan's Vibes: A Review by Alexis M.

2008-09-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

Kristi is basically just an average sophomore… except for the fact that she can read minds. Dealing with this power results in her hearing everyone’s thoughts whether they’re positive or negative. Most aren’t exactly pleasant. Two years ago, her dad left and went to Africa to fight disease. Since then, Kristi and her mom have grown farther apart, her best friend Hildie has stopped talking to her, she’s hid a cat in her bedroom, and she’s gotten some very… unique… fashion tastes. When her dad decides to come back… maybe for good or just temporarily, she learns secrets that she had no clue about. It also doesn’t help that she’s been paired with Hildie’s gorgeous older brother (that she’s had a crush on for years) to do a character project, the new guy Mallory is constantly thinking romantic thoughts about her, and Jason… who’s been the closest thing to a friend since Mallory… is picturing her “ginormous gazungas” in ways that totally disturb her.

This book, while it had very cliché characters, was full of twists and turns in an extraordinary story line. If I were given a super power, I normally would have wanted to be psychic. After reading this though, I saw all the downfalls of this ability and would hate to have to deal with it. An extremely big part of this novel is, things aren’t always as they appear... or sound. There were some things that had terrible conclusions to it, but they were probably more realistic. Overall, Vibes was a pretty good read.

Antonia Michaelis's Tiger Moon a review by Liesl P.

2008-09-13T06:55:00.000-07:00

The first thing that I have to say about this book is the fact that it draws you in and makes you feel like you are living in that time period. This is a story within a story. It can get confusing if you are not a type of reader who concentrates fully on the story.

This book is about a girl who is taken by an evil man to be his bride. While waiting for her wedding night she begins to spin a story about a man coming to rescue her. This book is filled with adventure, courage, and a little bit of romance. If you like other stories based in India, such as Shiva’s Fire, you will love the book. I know I did.

Stephenie Meyer's The Host a review by Emily I.

2008-09-13T06:40:00.001-07:00

The Host starts with, in my opinion, a very confusing and surreal account of when the main character is being transmitted into her host. In the next few pages you start to get the gist of what is happening. The "parasite" named Wanderer is a soul that goes to various planets and by an incision is placed in different creatures. She is put into a human body, and something strange happens that is very uncommon. She can hear and see memories of her host, whose name she discovers is Melanie. Sometimes the Host can even control her actions and words. Most of the memories that Wanderer can see are the ones about Jared, Melanie's boyfriend whom she loved dearly, and Jaime, the Melanie's brother. As the story progresses Wanderer meets her Seeker who suggests that Wanderer goes to Melanie's homeland in the desert. Wanderer does and as she travels she sees more of Melanie's memories and frequently talks to Melanie. The Seeker is always behind them on their journey and Melanie convinces Wanderer to go another way to a place she knows. The two travel through the desert where they eventually loose consciousness and a human named Jeb finds them.

A group of humans live in the caves with him where they hide from the "aliens" that are the parasitic humans. In an odd twist of fate Jared and Jaime are living the the caves. Jared is the person appointed to make the decision of where they should kill Wanderer. Wanderer becomes very accustomed to living with the humans and they welcome her with time. Love also springs between Wanderer and Ian, even though Wanderer doesn't believe it. While living in the caves Wanderer teaches everyone about the 8 other planets she has lived on. She also is almost killed, learns how to cope when people close to you die, and love. I really enjoyed this book. It was different from other things that I have read before and was original. I was already a big fan of Meyer before this book from the popular series Twilight and this book showed me she can write other things, too. It was sometimes slow-paced but a very easy book to read. I got very involved with all of Wanderer's fears and her trials. By the end of the book I found myself on her side, and you have to read The Host to find out why.
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Holly Lisle’s The Ruby Key a Review By Rebecca L.

2008-09-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

I’ll admit, as soon as I saw that Holly Lisle’s The Ruby Key was recommended for ages 9-14, I wanted to put it right back. I anticipated some predictable variation on the secretly-magical-children-save-the-world plot. Anyone who has ever read a fantasy book should be very familiar with it. I did not anticipate this darkly delightful take on the faerie/human dynamic. The story twisted with every page, weaving a masterful tale that has left me begging for the next installment. I particularly like the use of the sun and the moon as symbols for humans and nightlings.

The idea that neither element is purely good or evil is not often used in children’s books. A truly stunning cast of characters raises a good read to perfection. A girl who would do anything to save her mother, a young boy literally followed by the ghost of his past, a faerie who is just as human as you and I, and another who is as far from us as is possible. All these characters have been used again and again, but Lisle breathes new life into their molds. I cannot remember the last time any book gripped me so tightly that I could barely pull myself free to sleep. I would urge any person of any age to purchase The Ruby Key posthaste. I say purchase because there is no doubt in my mind that you will read it again and again. Here is proof that a traditional faery tale is just as captivating as the modern ones.

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Ann Dee Ellis's Everything is fine a Review by Alexis M.

2008-09-06T06:33:00.000-07:00

Mazzy is stuck at home all summer taking care of her highly depressed mother. Her father, who works for ESPN, is off at a business trip that was only supposed to last about a week… as of now, he’s basically abandoned them. Mazzy has no one to turn to except her neighbors and her mother’s old art studio.

This book was really different. The way it’s written, made things jump around a lot and majority of it didn’t make sense. It wasn’t till the end of the book that everything started to click together and explain why things were the way they were. Everything Is Fine did have very serious topics like depression, diabetes, and death but it also put humor into Mazzy and the way she thought as she was going through this. The book overall was okay.

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Julie Schumacher's Black box a review by Alexis M.

2008-08-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

Elena and Dora are sisters, best friends, and complete opposites. Dora is loud, fun, and unpredictable while Elena is more quiet and calm. After Dora is diagnosed with depression and has to stay in the hospital, Elena isn’t sure who her sister, or herself, is anymore. Elena doesn’t really have any friends since she went to a private school until high school so the only people that really acknowledge her are friends of Dora and Jimmy Zenk. Jimmy supposedly has failed at least one grade and wears black every single day. He has his own secrets and advice for Elena. Dora and Elena’s parents have started to fight in the kitchen every night after the think Elena is in bed. Once Dora is discharged, Elena has even more responsibility and has to figure out what secrets she needs to keep and which she needs to tell.

Black Box was addicting. It was full of surprises I wasn’t expecting and was impossible to put down. Not only did it deal with depression, but it also had a lot of moments about trust. How far should you keep secrets and that not everything is it seems. It also shows that sometimes knowing the truth is better but sometimes it’s worse. Elena’s thoughts about everything added humor and drama to the novel. Overall, it was an amazing book.
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Jacqueline Carey's Banewreaker a review by Jesse B.

2008-08-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

In a world torn asunder by the very gods who shaped it, the line between good and evil is difficult to discern; such is the world, Urulat, in Jacqueline Carey's novel Banewreaker. Haomane, the first-born Shaper, has deceived the majority of the populous into believing that only one of Haomane's younger brothers, Satoris, is to blame for the Sundering. The truth of the matter is that Haomane is jealous of the gift Satoris possesses – desire.

In an attempt to obtain the gift of desire for his Children, the Ellylon, Haomane sparks a war among the Shapers' Children that spans millennia. The irony is that at the Ellylon's creation, Satoris offered his gift to Haomane's Children freely only to have it rejected by Haomane out of pride. Still it would be offered, had Haomane not in his wrath wounded Satoris in such a way that his gift could no longer be given.

Banewreaker, book one of two of The Sundering duology, chronicles a key portion of the war waged by the races of Urulat due to Haomane's deception. The key question asked by Carey in her novel is whether desire is as valuable as intelligence. A deeply philosophical text, Banewreaker forces the reader to reconsider what it means to be human.
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Ben Folds and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Review by Mandi I.

2008-07-24T06:20:00.000-07:00

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!

Lois Duncan's Don't Look Behind You Review by Kelsie

2008-07-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

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.

Coert Voorhees' The Brothers Torres Review by Alexis

2008-07-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

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.

Shanna Norris' Something to Blog About Review by Alexis

2008-07-22T06:23:00.000-07:00

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.

Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout's Girl V. Boy Review by Alexis

2008-07-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

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.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Review by Nathan

2008-07-21T06:38:00.000-07:00

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.
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Alison Goodman's Eon a review by Nathan W

2008-06-08T06:39:00.000-07:00

Eon is an Eragon-esque book, though a little better to follow. Ms. Goodman took from the Chinese culture as back-story for her novel. She took some symbols from the Chinese New Year (i.e. dragon, rat, pig, etc.) to create different martial arts styles to fuel Eon. Eon, a young boy, comes into his own in this book: He has to become a Dragoneye, a prince-like character, and help end the reign of an evil emperor.

Overall, Eon had an average plot with average characters. There were a few minor grammatical errors- but that to be expected because this is an advanced uncorrected edition. I give Eon: Dragoneye Reborn three out of five stars.