|
|
| Book title: |
"Rules of Survival" |
| Book author: |
Nancy Werlin |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The book, Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin would best be described as suspenseful, intriguing and a page-turner. It is the remarkable story about a teenage boy named Matthew who must protect his two siblings, Callie and Emmy, from their crazy mother, Nikki. She endangers her three children throughout the story and acts in a manipulative and mean manor. This shows greatly when she dates a man named Murdoch. He begins to see the frightening things Nikki does when he attends a picnic with her and her children. Nikki decided to run around with her children on the slippery rocks and play highly dangerous games with Matthews younger siblings. Although Matthew has hope that Murdoch will help him, he soon finds out that not everyone he trusts will come through for him.
The author uses some very interesting techniques in the story. She sets the mood when she reveals that Matthew and his sisters have a complicated situation. They belong to Nikki and are her children by law but their mother is truly abusive to them in both physical and mental ways. Werlin also creates the theme of the story when things take an unexpected turn. Matthew puts his faith in the people he loves including a member of his own family. Sadly, he learns to depend on himself when his situation becomes the worst.
This book is easy to read and understand. This book would be recommended to people who like action and suspense. It would also be recommended for people who dont like to read much or have a difficult time staying focused on a story. The author tells the story in a way that keeps readers turning another page. She incorporates elements of surprise in many ways throughout the story. Werlin keeps readers curious to know what Matthews next move will be and what will happen.
This novel is about Matthew and his long fight to stop his mother Nikki from hurting the people he loves. This story has a lot of suspense and surprise. It will keep slow readers turning another page and it will intrigue those who love action and excitement. The author makes the story interesting and created unexpected twists and turns. Readers will long to find out the fate of Matthew and his siblings once they start reading. Overall, Rules of Survival is a fast-paced thriller about Matthews suspenseful journey and it is sure to keep those who read it, highly interested until the end. |
| Name: |
Amy Russo
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
9 |
| Date added: |
10/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
A Child Called It |
| Book author: |
David Peltzer |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I read A Child Called It by David Peltzer. This book was about a little boy, and his family. The little boy had few brothers and no sisters, a mom and a dad. His family used to be so good to each other and always celebrate holidays and go on family trips. One day out of nowhere though mother just starts being horrible and beating the little boy. She would do such horrible things to him. His father would always try to help at first and his brothers would try to include him at first but after quite a while he was just known as boy and no one appreciated him.
I think this book was very good. It was so sad to think that that kind of stuff actually happens to people. Its not fair at all. I would hate having a life like that. The things that happen to the little boy are so sad. His mother used to be so fun, and loving in the beginning and is now just absolutely horrible to her one son, and only him not her other sons. She would make him sleep in the basement and make him sleep and wear the same dirty clothes every day. He would get leftovers only on special occasions and was no longer considered part of the family. As weeks went on things only got worse and the boy only suffered more. I never knew such bad things could happen to such a good kid. He rarely ever did anything wrong well at least I didnt think there was anything bad about what he was doing. Yeah stealing food was pretty bad but when its your only way to get food it would make sense. The abusing and punishments and beatings were so bad. Mother would do things to him like lock him in the bathroom with fumes so bad he couldnt breathe. There was a time when mother told him all the bad was over and she was sorry and she was going to be a good mother only for him to find out days later that It was because a lady from social services was coming to check up on them. After she left the beatings began again. Things in the house got so bad that father barely ever came home anymore.
The author of this book David Peltzer uses many different styles. One type of style used is mood. The mood of the book in the beginning is happy. This is because mother is at her best in this part of the book. It was from when the little boy was younger and he never got beat and his mother would never think of hurting him. As the story goes on though and mother doesnt get the nursing job she wants the mood changes to sad and dreadful. Its sad and dreadful because of how badly the boy gets beat by his mother and how badly treated he is by the rest of him family. At the end of the book the mood changes drastically to something very happy.
I would recommend this book to teenage boys and girls if you like a sad story, but also very true. Its very good and it really gets to you. I didnt expect it to be as harsh as it was but I was glad after I read it because now I know what types of things can really happen to young boys and girls whether they deserve it or not. If youre the type of person that likes fantasies or fairy tails then this isnt the book for you. This isnt the type of book to make you smile it will most likely make you cry. |
| Name: |
Abbey Townley
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
9 |
| Date added: |
10/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
A Child Called It |
| Book author: |
Dave Pelzer |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The book I am doing a report on is A Child Called It, by David Pelzer. This non-fiction story was a spectacular piece of literature in which moved me greatly. The book was a tremendous story, which left me feeling some of the pain David had to go through with his moms sick ways of abuse and torture. Also, the author did a magnificent job portraying the events in great detail. David Pelzer had an irregular childhood that left him mentally and physically damaged. Dave lasted through almost eight years of ruthless beatings from his mother, Catherine Roerva Pelzer, who referred to the beatings as Games. However, Dave survived his starvation and beatings to become the successful activist and speaker in which he is today.
I found A Child Called It to be a great book, which kept me reading to see what happens next. When David was going through the abuse of his mother, I felt like I was there with David watching him be Punished. I could see in my head a young boy, (David), just being tortured, beaten, and abused by his own family; his own flesh and blood; his own mother. When Catherine Pelzer stabbed Dave with a knife in the stomach, I was shocked, and pained that a young boy had to go through such agony and pain. Its ridiculous for Catherine to abuse David like that. She even put Davids hand on the burning stove. The details of what David felt when he was abused by his mother were astounding. The author did a spectacular job explaining how David felt in general physically and mentally when all of this torment was going on.
I also noticed that in A Child Called It, the author, David Pelzer, showed a lot of different techniques that made this novel easier to understand. I thought Pelzer used mood perfectly in explaining a scene from a child called it. When David was stuck in his
freezing basement after taking a cold bath his mother made him take, the author showed this scene by using mood. He described how little David was freezing and how he didnt have anything to eat or warm him up, which seemed to create a gloomy scene as Dave was laying on his cold cot trying to sleep. Dave Pelzer also showed moods that included depression when little David finally knew his dad wasnt going to help protect him against his mom, leaving him with almost no more hope. The mood of the story tied in with the setting of the story as well. It was interesting how David Pelzer would describe the setting of where little David was, and in doing so, used great detail to show the reader the mood of that setting. The style Pelzer used to show little Daves thoughts also gave me more understanding because I learned how little Dave felt from his own point of view when he was punished and excluded from family activities, including dinner! The only thing I wish the author said was that A Child Called It, was a fictional novel.
The reason I thought this book was so fantastic was because I understood it well. As great a book as it is, it is not for ages 10 and under. The story includes a lot of bad language, and violent scenes. Towards the end of the story, Dave Pelzer starts referring to his mother as the B**ch. However, to people ages 11 and up, I strongly recommend this book to any kind of person. This novel contains action, drama, and suspense which makes you turn the pages. For an extravagant story, A Child Called It is a book to fit that standard. |
| Name: |
Kevin Karleski
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
9 |
| Date added: |
10/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
A Cild Called It |
| Book author: |
Dave Pelzer |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Maddie Gosson Oct. 20, 2009
Book Review English
Over the summer of 2009 I read an intriguing autobiography by Dave Pelzer, called A Child Called It. In the autobiography Dave shares his personal experience of child abuse as a young boy. He wasnt always abuse though; when he was about five years old everything was happy; until one Day Mommy went crazy and turned into The Mother. The Mother was what Dave would call his mom when she turned into a lazy, angry, abusive, alcoholic woman. She would play these sick games with poor young Dave. At first they were games like if he finished the dishes by a certain time then he could have his brothers left over cereal, but then they got worse like locking him in the bathroom with bucket ammonia.
Dave was the only child in his family that was abused. He had three brothers and they were treated as kings. They would get toys on Christmas, food to eat, a comfy bed, and were able to play outside. Dave envied being able to play outside the most, just to have the freedom to run and play and be normal. Dave always knew he was different and he hated it, he wanted to be like all the other kids, laughing and playing with friends. The love from his mom was the thing he always wanted most of all , but never got. He would try his best and get good grades but that never was enough to please him retched mother.
The schools back then were not cautious of abuse. Everyday Daves school nurse would check over his body and mark down the new bruises and ask him how he got them. He would always make up an excuse because he was afraid hed get beat even more if he told the truth. Finally his teachers let the police know about his case after he used the same excuse several time. Will Dave be finally be normal and loved? Will he get away from his abusive mother? Read A Child Called It and find out for yourself.
The autobiography A Child Called It was a interesting story. I could not put the book down at all, I would be up till 2 a.m. reading it. The story has some disturbing parts and its hard to believe a young boy went through that abuse. I would never been able to survive what this boy did and thats what I think makes this story amazing and so hard not to put down. I was constantly wondering if he would live or die. Everyone would love this book; it has something that everyone would find interesting. I would most defiantly give this book five stars and recommend to everyone. |
| Name: |
Maddie Gosson
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
9 |
| Date added: |
10/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
A Northern Light |
| Book author: |
Jennifer Donelly |
| Book genre: |
Historical Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Over the summer I read A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly. This was based on a true story. It was set in 1906 in North Woods, New York. Its about a girl named Mattie Gokey. Her mother passed away and Matties family counted on her to care for them. Her father was always working on the farm and her older brother left after he got into a fight with his father. Mattie was left to take care of her little sisters. She said that when her mother died, she took a part of Mattie with her. When her mother was dying, she asked Mattie to promise her that she would take care of her sisters and father. Mattie promised her mother and she felt like she would be doing something horrible if she broke a promise that she made to someone who is dead. So she wasnt really able to live a normal life. When Mattie asked her father to let her work at the Glenmore Hotel, so she could earn money to go to Barnard College in New York City, her father said no. He needed her to stay home and take care of the family. Finally, when her father did let her go work at the Glenmore Hotel, Mattie met a guest named Grace Brown. One day Mattie found Grace Brown crying. Grace Brown gave her a stack of letters to burn. When Mattie found out that her body was found in a lake, She thought she should read the letters to see if there were any clues to how she died. The point of working at the Glenmore was to raise enough money to go to college and become a writer. Her father said no because her family needed her. Mattie has a big decision to make.
I thought the book was very interesting. Its one of my favorite books. It is a
mixture of romance, mystery, history and its also based on a true story. The book is also
sad. One of Matties friends Weaver was treated badly by some guests because he is an
African American. His house had burned down by those same people who treated him
badly and he lost all the money he saved for college. Its also sad when Matties cows got
infections from not being milked in a while because her whole family was really sick. The
book was mysterious when Mattie started reading the letters that Grace Brown gave her to
burn. The letters didnt really make sense at first but later on it gets easier to understand
what was going on in Grace Browns life. The book made me ask a lot of questions too.
When Royal, a very handsome boy with a lot of money, started to like Mattie, I didnt
think he truly liked her. When her asked her to marry him shortly after he started talking
to her I wondered what did he really want from her. I also wondered how Grace died. Her
letters were all love letters to a man she called Chester. The only thing was he rarely
would write back and when her did, he didnt respond the way I think a love one would
respond. Then I wondered if Chester had anything to do with Grace Browns death.
I would recommend this book for teenage girls, maybe 14 years old
and older. Its definitely a book for girls. There is some romance in the story, for
example; when Mattie and Royal went out on a boat. Boys could also read the book.
Theres murder and death and situations. Its also in the perspective of a , so I think that
girls could probably connect more with Mattie and understand how she feels, better than a
guy could.
The book A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly is set in 1906 and its
based on a true story. Mattie Gokey has some tough decisions to make. She wants to go to
college, but has to stay and take care of her family. Some of her decisions are pretty
unexpected. Overall the book was very good and well written. I believe that anyone who
reads it will agree. |
| Name: |
Melissa Benjamin
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
9 |
| Date added: |
10/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Last Shot |
| Book author: |
John Feinstein |
| Book genre: |
Mystery |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
One of the books I read this summer was The Last Shot by, John Feinstein. I had read this book before we had to complete the summer reading but I still loved it. This book is very well written and was a great jump start to the other books in this series which were later written. Even reading this more than once I believe this is one of my favorite books Ive ever read.
This book puts my dreams of writing into perspective. Two kids about fourteen win a sports writing contest and win a trip to the College Basketball Final Four. Within the story we see the excitement and the privileges of being a famous writer and being so talented at what you do you get very high up and in your profession. But, privileges can sometimes come with consequences and we see knowing a star player in the Final Four who is being blackmailed isnt a good thing. We see the struggles that they have to get him out of the mess he is in without there being danger or laws being broken. We also learn we have to take chances to accomplish what we set out to win. This book is written in such great detail that it feels like your actually in the book.
John Feinstein uses such great imagery within the book and shows it through all the ways he describes the atmosphere within the Superdome where the games are played and wherever the story was set at that particular time. I also liked the way he portrayed the two teenagers, they were smart, knowledgeable sports wise, and were nice, good kids. There was a certain way that he portrayed the story that I like because you never see who did the blackmailing coming. Also it was nice to see that the ending was a good way to end the story.
All in all I really liked this story. Two groups of people I would recommend this story to is people who love basketball and people who love a good mystery. This story is a great basketball book and also it is a great mystery that keeps you guessing what will happen in the end. My most favorite part of the book was that the two teenagers did the right thing and didnt just let this go on. I consider Last Shot to be one of my favorite books of all time. |
| Name: |
Chad Pichoske
Student |
| School: |
|
| Grade: |
9 |
| Date added: |
10/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
My Sister's Keeper |
| Book author: |
Jodi Picoult |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Shai Haynes 10/20/09
English Book Review Per.3
Over the summer of 2009 I read My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult. This book was amazing it could make you laugh, cry and awe. In the book there is Kate, Anna, and Sara, Campbell, Brian, Julia and Jesse.
At first I didnt understand what the others had to do with each other but they all connected in some way. Julia and Campbell had a history. When they were in high school they dated until the last day of high school when something broke them apart. Kate and Anna are sisters their mom is Sara and Dad is Brian. Their older brother is Jesse.
Anna is Kates donor. Kate has leukemia and has been fighting for her life since she was a two. In this book the author Jodi Picoult uses the method of fiction. The story takes place in Long Island, New York. This story deals with sixteen-year-old Kate and her family struggling to fight for Kates life.
I recommend this book for girls between the age of 12 and up. This book is great to read its a life lesson. It made me realize how short life could be and anything could happen when you least expect it. |
| Name: |
Shai Haynes
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
9 |
| Date added: |
10/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
My Sister's Keeper |
| Book author: |
Jodi Picoult |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
My Sisters Keeper, by Jodi Picoult, is a very moving story that deals with one girls fight for freedom and her sisters fight for health. The Fitzgerald family consists of Sara, Brian and their three children, Jesse, Kate and Anna. At age two, Kate is diagnosed with leukemia and her health takes over her parents lives. When Jesse isnt a match for Kate, Sara and Brian have scientists create another child who will be a perfect match for everything Kate will need, they name her Anna. Although there is much controversy about their decision, the Fitzgeralds can only think about Kates health.
As Anna grows up, receiving all the scars, cuts, and bruises that Kate receives from donating, her older brother Jesse, feels worthless for not being able to help, and gets involved with all the wrong things. He does drugs, steels cars, starts fires, and gives his parents unwanted, extra stress. On the other hand, Anna is now thirteen years old, and is quite fed up with doctors and surgeries. When she is told she must donate one of her kidneys to Kate, she can no longer take it and seeks medical emancipation. Anna and Kate are very close, and although Sara cannot understand why Anna is doing this, Kate encourages her to fight for what she believes in.
Personally, I found this book to be a wonderful read. The relationship between Anna and Kate is a great example of what sisters should be like, they laugh, have fun, argue, encourage each other, and care for one another. Some of my favorite parts in this book are the stories Anna and Kate share about funny things theyve done together, one of the stories being the time that Kate needed some cheering up and Anna took her to a hair salon and made jokes about giving Kate a haircut. This is a great book, and so far, one of my favorites. It can be extremely sad in some parts, and serious in others, but it also is funny and amusing.
With the theme of this book, Jodi Picoult sends a message to all people, to not be afraid to fight for what they believe in. This is an important lesson for all people and applies to many situations, (such as bullying, or protesting against animal testing). Although this story teaches a valuable life lesson, it is also very sad and somewhat hard to get through. Reading about a child who has cancer can be very difficult, and many people might not be able to read this book because of how sad it gets, but I definitely recommend this book, especially to those interested in a sad, touching, well-written book. |
| Name: |
Anna Pullano
Student |
| School: |
OHMS |
| Grade: |
9 |
| Date added: |
10/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
My Sister's Keeper |
| Book author: |
Jodi Picoult |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The novel My Sisters Keeper , by Jodi Picoult, is a book for 12-17 year old teenage girls. This book is for 12-17 year old girls because it has some romance in it. But, mostly because it is a very depressing book. I would recommend this novel to this age group because if boys read it they would be bored with it. There is a calm mood to the story. This novel is about love and making the right decisions. Both the main characters Anna and Kate (sisters) had to struggle between a huge life and death situation. The two sisters who loved each other more than anything had a hard life. Kate had leukemia and Anna was a girl who didnt have friends because she was always in the hospital with Kate. Kate was a teenager who wanted to live a normal life when Anna just didnt want to have to deal with Kates illness anymore.
Kate was a very young girl when her parents and her brother Jesse found out that she had a bad case of leukemia. This was going to change their life forever, they had to be careful how they treated her and she was in and out of the hospital starting at a young age. The doctors said that Kate needed a donor; they said that a blood related donor is the safest way to go. The doctors did tests, and Jesse was not a match. Kates parents were scared and didnt know what they were going to do; they were thinking that if they didnt find a donor, Kates system would become too weak. When Kate was five her parents brought a new baby into the world. The day the baby, Anna, was born, she had surgery done. They took her umbilical cord and used it to help Kate. As Anna grew up she had gone through many procedures to donate bone marrow after bone marrow to help Kate. After Anna had figured out that she was only born to be a donor for Kate, she was devastated. Her parents had chosen different chemicals during the pregnancy so that when Anna was born she would be a perfect donor for Kate. All throughout Annas life, she was in the hospital with Kate having surgery at the same time as Kate. She thought it wasnt fair that all the surgery Kate went through, she had to go through too even though she wasnt even sick. After longer than Anna could take being a donor, Kate needed a kidney; one of them was going to die without a kidney. So then Anna said that that was enough. She put her foot down and said that it wasnt fair that she was going through all this surgery for Kate without being asked from her parents. She was never asked if she wanted to help Kate or anything. She set up a whole court case and hired a lawyer without her parents or Kate knowing about it. In my opinion I think that what Anna did was completely fine. Even though she did love her sister, if she did this huge procedure she was probably going to die. She was saying how her first procedure was done within hours when she was born. She never had a say in what she did and it was not fair. Anna was only defending herself and she did the right thing for the most part. The one thing that was wrong about what she did was that she kept it from her parents. Annas parents never asked her about any of the surgery she had dont for Kate, but Anna should have confronted her parents about how it was not fair to her. The court case between Anna and her parents was a huge process. When Annas lawyer told Sara (Anna and Kates mother) about the court case that Anna is setting up, she flipped out and got extremely disappointed with Anna. Anna got very angry with her mom and stayed at the firehouse where her dad stays when he is working, because he is a fireman. I think it was the right thing for Anna to do so that she wouldnt get too stressed out being in the same house with her mother. If Annas mother did say anything about the court case to Anna before the trial, the trial would be off.
Jodi Picoult used different techniques in her writing to tell the story. Each chapter had a different narrator. Every chapter was using first person as the narrator, but for each chapter a different character in the novel was telling it. The character would tell what he or she thought about the different situations in the book. The mood changed throughout the novel. But, for the most part, the mood was mellow and kind of sad. At some parts there was and upbeat mood and you could not wait until what came next. Jodi Picoult is a fantastic author because no one knows what is going to come next. She makes reading so interesting. When reading her books you cannot put the book down until you know what happens. What you are thinking what comes next, very few times that is what happens. The story is taken place in a hospital where Kate is because she is very ill with Leukemia. Most of her life she is in the hospital because something was not right.
My Sisters Keeper , is clearly a wonderful book. I would not recommend this book to boys but I would recommend it to 12-17 year old girls. This novel has many different techniques in it to make the reading unpredictable and interesting. I think in this novel Kate and Anna are two loving sisters who love each other but need to think about what is best for themselves. The way this book is written by the chapters, helps get through the reading a lot easier and much smoothly. This is a beautiful book with so many scenes that are really imaginable and is interesting to see if your predictions about the story are correct. |
| Name: |
Bridget Sherlock
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
9 |
| Date added: |
10/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Running Out of Time |
| Book author: |
Margaret Peterson Haddix |
| Book genre: |
Historical Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Running Out of Time is about a girl, Jessie, living in the 1800's...or so she thinks. Really, she is living on a historical preserve called Clifton, where the children don't even know the situation. When the person who runs Clifton cuts off modern medicine and a diphtheria epidemic breaks ot, Jessie is sent for help. But Jessie is confused outside Clifton, where there are speeding cars, electric lights,gas stations, and other things Jessie is not used to. But Jessie is determined to save the sick children in Clifton. This book is a very imaginative story, good for anyone who likes adventure stories. If you like historical stories and current stories, Running Out of Time is both! |
| Name: |
Juliana
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
9 |
| Date added: |
09/25/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
between a rock and a hard place |
| Book author: |
aron ralston |
| Book genre: |
Biography |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Posted September 11, 2009, 10:42 AM EST: absolutly the most inspiring book i've ever read. The detail he uses and the pictures really make u feel like you are there going through this struggle with him.You will not be able to put it down. 5/5 without a doubt |
| Name: |
rj chester
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/14/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Double Cross |
| Book author: |
James Patterson |
| Book genre: |
Mystery |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
While trying to balance out family, work, and a new profession while dodging multiple killers, Alex Cross once again proves that after years of being away from the force, he can still exceptionally succeed in his former profession. One of the things I loved the most about this book was how increasingly suspenseful it became with the turn of each page. Patterson makes it so easy for one to imagine the setting of the story throughout, it's as if you're right there watching it all happen. Unfortunately, there were a slight few parts of the book that I did not find as surprising as I thought I would, but overall, I was very pleased. Although the book was not short, it held my attention very well and I found it very difficult to put the book down, and therefore I finished it in no time at all. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who asked me about it. |
| Name: |
Cathy Butler
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/13/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Smashed |
| Book author: |
Koren Zailckas |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The sad but very true story of Koren Zailckas all starts at the age of fourteen,when her friend Natalie comes upon a tempting and seductive bottle of Southern Comfort. After that, Koren's life soon takes off into a series of highs and major lows once she enters the world of drinking. From getting her stomach pumped to graduating college, Zailckas learns her fair share of lessons that are both compelling and horrifying to read about. The novel takes you through her teen years to post-college years, opening up about her several benders gone wrong and drunken mishaps that seem to become "the usual" after some time. What is so unique about Smashed is Koren Zailckas' honest and blunt deliveries of the occurences in her life, and her thoughts and feelings toward them. Even by reading just the smallest excerpt in the book, it becomes very obvious that Zailckas has every bit of the intelligence and wit that she often fails to see in herself through her younger years. Though she abused alcohol mainly to bludgeon her shyness and self-doubt throughout the book, the author spared no detail, whether fond or frightening, in the tale of her life. Her vivid recounting of events makes it more than easy for the reader to put themselves in her shoes and understand the several struggles that Koren would often encounter time and time again. Reading of the author's experiences throughout her adolescence and young adulthood gave a fresh perspective on how overindulgence, thoughtless actions and addiction can greatly impact a young person's life for the worse. Overall, Smashed was a stimulating and thought-provoking read. |
| Name: |
Eric Austin
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/13/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
"Uglies" |
| Book author: |
Scott Westerfeld |
| Book genre: |
Fairy Tale |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The fictional story "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld is a book that i really enjoyed and found very hard to put down. The story starts out with the protagonist, Tally who is awaiting her "operation" to become pretty when she turns 16. There are two main "cliques" called the "uglies" and the "pretties" Both of them live in different parts of town and the pretties party all the time and the uglies have a way harder life. Tally would really like to become pretty on her 16th birthday but her good friend Shay who she met in uglyville portrays individuality and is strongly against having this surgery to become pretty. Teenagers can absolutely relate to this story because as you get older you must face many choices on your appearance and attitude. As i said most teens would find this book to be thrilling but adults may find this to be a great book to read as well. After reading this unique and thrilling story the reader should learn a lesson of individuality and most of all being yourself. |
| Name: |
Maura Fleming
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
At First Sight |
| Book author: |
Nicholas Sparks |
| Book genre: |
Romance |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Nicholas Sparks puts together romance, humor, and strong emotion to create "At First Sight". Throughout the entire story, the reader is left wondering what could happen in the next chapter. The ending left me in shock, and recover from this but reading into the Epilogue. |
| Name: |
Sarah Daily
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Between a Rock and a Hard Place |
| Book author: |
Aron Ralston |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston was awesome. Jam-packed with outdoorsy action and drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Truly inspiring and a example of great determination, Aron, the young man gets stuck in a life or death situation rock climbing in the canyons of Utah , will come to a gruesome decision for a chance at freedom. I can honestly say one of the best books I have ever read! |
| Name: |
Andrew Torak
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Bleachers |
| Book author: |
John Grisham |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Bleachers is an easy read of about 163 pages. Grisham writes about the sadness of athletes who have lost love, a death of a superior, and middle age crisis. Although he also has the retired players reminisce of old games at "Rake Field" which keeps excitement through the book. |
| Name: |
Devin Jurkiewicz
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Bleachers |
| Book author: |
John Grisham |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Bleachers was an excellent book with a fantastic storyline that is particularly sensitive to football players. Neely Crenshaw, the protagonist, returns to his hometown after fifteen years, where he was the college-bound quarterback for the famous Messina Spartans. He has returned to Messina to bury his old coach, Eddie Rake. Many in Messina thought of Coach Rake as a hero, but Neely Crenshaw holds many dark secrets that make him hate Coach Rake. In Bleachers, Neely Crenshaw must forgive his Coach and face his old teammates after fifteen years. |
| Name: |
Joe Snyder
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Bleachers |
| Book author: |
John Grisham |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Posted 9/11/2009: Bleachers by John Grisham was surprising to me in the sense that there was no action whatsoever. The book is based on the recollections of a former all-american quarterback, Neely Crenshaw. Although there was no actin it was a very deep story, which made it a fantastic read. |
| Name: |
Cory Patchett
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Breaking Dawn |
| Book author: |
Stephenie Meyer |
| Book genre: |
Fantasy |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This highly anticipated final book of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga is packed full of adventure, conflict, love and sacrifice. The unexpected twists will keep fans on edge. This novel is made up of three books and in book two, we switch from the classic character Bella's point of view, to the ware wolf Jacob's sarcastic perspective. Though the overall story is a great ending to the saga the ending to the book Breaking Dawn itself may seem weak to fans. |
| Name: |
Krissy Rotella
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Breaking Dawn |
| Book author: |
Stephanie Meyers |
| Book genre: |
Fantasy |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Throughout the Twilight Saga there was a decent amount of romance, confusion and action.So when Breaking Dawn was released in August of 2008 it was certainly not a let down for all of the insane fans of Stephanie Meyers works. There was a nice twist in the beginning of the book that no one was expecting, with that surprise many fans were also taught a good lesson. Breaking Dawn followed the first three books as how there wasn't much gore at all that a reader would likely put with Vampires or even Werewolves. The series ended with a bang and surely many fans await Stephanie to start writing something just as intriguing. |
| Name: |
Mackenzie O'Brien
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Cross Country |
| Book author: |
James Patterson |
| Book genre: |
Mystery |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This book is an exciting read with many twists on each page. Though it is gruesome and disturbing at times it kept me wanting to read more. This page turning novel will keep you on the edge of your seat waiting for something to happen next. Once I started reading this novel, I did not want to put it down. I was always curious to see who was going to die next or if a certain character was going to make it out alive. Find out if Alex Cross makes it out alive of Africa and if he gets a hold of the great killer, the Tiger. |
| Name: |
Alexis Ludovico
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Deadline |
| Book author: |
Chris Crutcher |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This book contains many amazing challenges the protagonist, Ben, has to face. Every time a chapter finishes I couldn't stop reading it because of all the suspenseful cliff hangars at the end of each chapter. I would recommend this book to teens or anyone who likes to read a ton because one you pick this one up, you won't set it down! |
| Name: |
Brendon Lamphear
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Dreamland |
| Book author: |
Sarah Dessen |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The novel Dreamland, by Sarah Dessen is a serious and emotional story that teenage girls should read. It revolves around the life of a young and innocent teenage girl named Caitlin who struggles to find herself after her older and perfect sister runs away from their home life. On the way to a party Caitlin meets Rogerson Biscoe whom becomes her boyfriend. But Caitlin being desperate didn't pick the best boyfriend. I loved reading this book because I could relate to it in some ways. Once you get past the slow beginning the book is very interesting and big events are in every other chapter. |
| Name: |
Emily Russo
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Dreamland |
| Book author: |
Sarah Dessin |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Dreamland is a book that describes the life of a 16 year old girl named Caitlin, who is trying to fill the space of her sister Cass, who ran away with her boyfriend on Caitlin;s birthday. As time progresses Caitlin meets Rogerson and involves her self in a life of drugs and violence, and finds it hard to get out of it.
I found this book very interesting because there were many twists I did not see coming. Also the suspense of if Caitlin would make it to Rogerson's car on time or if she would be hit for it. Or if she would ever tell anyone about the abusive relationship she was in. I was very excited to see how the ending would come together. I would recommenced this book for girls ages 14 and up. I really enjoyed this book and will most likely read a few more times. |
| Name: |
Whitney Walker
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Eclipse |
| Book author: |
Stephenie Meyer |
| Book genre: |
Romance |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Stephenie Meyer does a great job in this book to provide so much detail that you can picture everything in your head. The two rivals Edward and Jacob are forced to work together to save the one thing they have in common, their love for Bella. The story line is so suspenseful and leaves you excited to turn the next page because you don't know what will happen next. If you like Twilight and New Moon it is definitely a good idea to read this book. This book brings in new characters and conflicts that are fun to read and easy to understand because of how well the author explains whats going on. I thought this book was the best of the series. |
| Name: |
bridget oconnor
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Eclipse |
| Book author: |
Stephenie Meyer |
| Book genre: |
Fantasy |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer is the third book in the popular Twilight series. Picking right up where New Moon left of, Bella finds herself eager to become a vampire and be with her love, Edward Cullen for forever. Problems begin when Bella's best friend and werewolf, Jacob tells Bella that he loves her. Bella is faced with choosing between the two of them. Jacob and Edward have many confrontations throughout the book but end up joining together to fight off an army of vampires here to get revenge on Bella. Eclipse is and excellent book in the series of lovestories about Bella and Edward. This book is a well-written romance that gets readers hooked. I recommend this book to people who enjoy lovestories and some action. |
| Name: |
Kandice Shaffer
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Eclipse |
| Book author: |
Stephanie Meyer |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Eclipse is the third book in the Twilight Saga. Bella knows she loves both Edward and Jacob but she is afraid of hurting them. She has a hard time balancing both. Ware wolves and vampires are forced to fight together against the new born vampires that came to kill Bella. Although this makes the vampires and the ware wolves get along together, Jacob and Bella get in a fight because Bella obviously picks Edward in the end. |
| Name: |
Abeer Tadrus
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Extras |
| Book author: |
Scott Westerfeld |
| Book genre: |
Science Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I thought that this novel was great because pf its non-stop adventure and excitement. The main character, Aya, is very easy to relate to for teenage girls. this book has romance, adventure, and a little comedy, which is why it's a good novel for anyone to read. Even though it is in the future, it shows how there is a need to protect our planet. It also shows the importance of telling the truth, which is an important lesson for everyone to learn. |
| Name: |
Elizabeth
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows |
| Book author: |
J K Rowling |
| Book genre: |
Fantasy |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Harry Potter has proved to be a good read throughout the first six books and the seventh keeps up that tradition. The final tale involves a race to acquire three highly magical items that will make the owner invincible. This will help Harry, or Voldemort in their final battle for the magical world! Truly an ensnaring book! |
| Name: |
Anonymous
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
harry potter and the half blood prince |
| Book author: |
jk rowiling |
| Book genre: |
Fairy Tale |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is an interesting and exciting book that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages It is full of adventure, suspense, and thrill. This book is darker than previous Harry Potter books but personally i belive it makes for a better story. Overall i believe the Half Blood Prince is a great book that i will continue to enjoy for years to come. |
| Name: |
david peck
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Holidays on Ice |
| Book author: |
David Sedaris |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The book was very entertaining within all the various short stories written in the chapters. I enjoyed reading Sedaris's sense of humor and strong use of sarcasm, made me wish there were more pages to read. I like having different settings and situations to read in one book, it keeps it interesting and enjoyable. David Sedaris is added to my list of favorite authors after reading this book. It's a great book to relate to and read during the holiday season and the hectic scheduling especially if you need a good laugh. |
| Name: |
Toni Secreti
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Judge & Jury |
| Book author: |
James Patterson |
| Book genre: |
Mystery |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Judge & Jury is a fast-pace thriller that had me wanting to read more. This book is filled with twists and turns and has a great plot. The author describes all the characters in great detail. I would strongly recommend this exciting novel by James Patterson. |
| Name: |
Ben Fennell
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Life of Pi |
| Book author: |
Yann Martel |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
After reading the book Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, I think that the time spent reading this novel was well spent. The reason I liked this book, was because of the genuineness of the characters. Piscine Molotor Patel was the son of a Zoo owner, studied 3 different religions as a child and ended up saving himself on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal Tiger less than 15 feet away. In my opinion Pi showed great courage and understanding of the will to survive. I felt that the author Yann Martel did a great job of integrating Pi's child life into the first part of a book, but with a flashback in the opening chapters also. The descriptive details of this book made me read it until I finished, reading at least 50 pages at each sitting. Overall, I feel that the author did a good job of creating this novel and displaying a sense of understanding about life. |
| Name: |
Zach Bornstein
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Max |
| Book author: |
James Patterson |
| Book genre: |
Science Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I felt as if the first three books were better than the fourth and fifth because it seems as though James Patterson is trying to advertise an awareness for global issues. The first three books, however, had other genetically enhanced beings constantly chasing after Max and her flock. That was much more action-packed and exciting, creating an instant page-turner. In my opinion, reading about the flock fighting off a new enemy every couple of chapters was much more interesting than having them sit in chairs learning about things like Global Warming and pollution. All-in-all, the fifth book was so-so, but I recommend reading it just to see how the flock has grown, especially Max and Fang. |
| Name: |
Kelsey Feher
Student |
| School: |
|
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Maximum ride Max |
| Book author: |
James Patterson |
| Book genre: |
Science Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Max by James patterson, was an okay read not as good as the first 3 where but a lot better then the 4th book in the series. I thought the the writing was better and more like the originals and more how i was used to from Patterson. But this book did get me excited to read the 6th book when it comes out. |
| Name: |
kevin oleynik
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Maximum Ride School's Out Forever |
| Book author: |
James Patterson |
| Book genre: |
Science Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This book is amazing. I read this book without knowing there was a series and I absolutely loved it. Even though I didn't read the first one I still understood what was going on. This book pulls readers in right from the beginning with all the action and humor. If you like books with action then this book is for you. |
| Name: |
Danish Bukhari
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
My Sister's Keeper |
| Book author: |
Jodi Picoult |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult was a very interesting read. Full of surprises and twists in the story, i enjoyed this book. I had to read it to the end and was very surprised by the end. I liked how Picoult used almost every character's perspective to describe their feelings. Although it was sad in parts, the book overall was awesome. |
| Name: |
oksana ososkalo
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
New Moon |
| Book author: |
Stephanie Meyer |
| Book genre: |
Romance |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I thought in New Moon that the main character Bella was very depressing. Once Edward left she felt alone and empty but quickly becomes closer with her childhood friend, Jacob Black. I thought that the story became more intriguing when Jacob stopped talking to Bella and acknowledging her and she later on learns that he is a wolf. The book also picked up speed when Bella's first love Edward comes back into the story. The ending of this book is phenomenal with an action packed finale including a trip to Italy. |
| Name: |
Hannah O'Connor
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
New Moon |
| Book author: |
Stephanie Meyer |
| Book genre: |
Science Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I loved this book! I just recently started reading the Twilight series this summer after I heard all my friends talk about how great it was. Bella and Edward's timeless romance can grab the attention of any reader, and make you feel like you're actually involved in their relationship. Throughout the book there is great suspense and mystery. I wanted to know what was going to happen every time I flipped the page. This book is a good read at the beach or next to the fire in the winter. Its enjoyable at anytime! |
| Name: |
Addie Kelley
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Odd Hours |
| Book author: |
Dean Koontz |
| Book genre: |
Mystery |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Odd Hours by Dean Koontz was the first book I have ever read by Dean Koontz and I must say that it has me hooked. This novel is jam-packed with excitement and the descriptions are very vivid and bold throughout the whole read. This is also a lot of interesting vocabulary and situations scattered within the novel. This is a book that i highly recommend to someone who enjoys a good action and suspense novel. |
| Name: |
Mindy Farrell
Student |
| School: |
|
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Patriot Reign |
| Book author: |
Michael Holley |
| Book genre: |
Biography |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I thought that Michael Holley did a very good job covering the inside scenes of Belicheck and the Patriots. He not only told about Belicheck and the Patriots, he covered Belichecks ups and downs on the road to success in his whole career. Holley shows how it takes a lot of effort to succeed but you can do anything you put your mind to no matter whose against you. This book covers all the inside looks of the Patriots and Belicheck himself. |
| Name: |
Nick Vitagliano
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Peeps |
| Book author: |
Scott Westerfeld |
| Book genre: |
Science Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Posted 09/11/09: Peeps was a very interesting book. It takes place in New York City which is the perfect setting due to the fact that rats are a major part of this book. The rats are infected with a parasite which can infect people, and New York City is full of people. Cal, the protagonist goes through a series of problems that he must solve in order to save the human race from being 100% infected. Scott Westerfeld did a great job connecting the problems of the characters to real life dilemmas. |
| Name: |
Will Shampine
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Peeps |
| Book author: |
Scott Westerfeld |
| Book genre: |
Science Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Posted 9/11/2009: Peeps is a very exciting book. You are always waiting for the next exciting thing to happen. The characters definitely fit there role very well. If the reader likes vampire action type books, then this is definitely the right book. This book is very easy to read.
I recommend the reader should be 12 years of age or older. |
| Name: |
Tomas Missert
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Raven's Gate |
| Book author: |
Anthony Horowitz |
| Book genre: |
Fantasy |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The Series of The Gatekeepers by Anthony Horowitz starts out with Raven's Gate. This action packed story of Matt was just the beginning of the series. All of the characters made the story more compelling and interesting. With all of the wonderful plot ideas of the 21st century the one thing i didn't like very well was the way the author wrote it. For I wished it captured me from the start. But despite that the 1st installation of the series was great. |
| Name: |
Corinne Sartori
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Raven's Gate |
| Book author: |
Anthony Horowitz |
| Book genre: |
Fantasy |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The Series of The Gatekeepers by Anthony Horowitz starts out with Raven's Gate. This action packed story of Matt was just the beginning of the series. All of the characters made the story more compelling and interesting. With all of the wonderful plot ideas of the 21st century the one thing i didn't like very well was the way the author wrote it. For I wished it captured me from the start. But despite that the 1st installation of the series was great. |
| Name: |
Corinne Sartori
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Scorpia |
| Book author: |
Anthony Horowitz |
| Book genre: |
Science Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Scorpia is a thrilling addition to the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz. Alex Rider, teenage spy working for MI6 has saved the world many times and all before he turned 15! Rider again finds himself on another mission as he gets himself mixed up in the criminal organization SCORPIA (Sabotage, corruption, Intelligence, Assassination) Scorpia currently is in the middle of a sinister plot to murder tens of thousands of children in London. He begins working for Scorpia, as his father was supposedly as operative, they welcome him with open arms. However Alex still remains cautious as they give him whatever he desires, expensive suits, watches, etc. Alex is then trained and sent on a mission to kill one of his former bosses at MI6. How has this teenage spy been able to betray his country, and those he loves? Will his hatred toward MI6 really let him become an assassin? A fun read and that keeps readers on the edge of their seat. |
| Name: |
Sage
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Scorpia |
| Book author: |
Anthony Horowitz |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This was a very well written novel that always keeps you interested. It has a very intense ending and many cliff-hangers throughout the book. I would recommend this book to teenagers who like mystery and spy type of books. |
| Name: |
Kyle Fedrizzi
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Seize the Night |
| Book author: |
Dean Koontz |
| Book genre: |
Mystery |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Seize the Night is a great discriptive novel. Its about christopher snow searching for moonlight bay's deepest secrets. along the way he brings two of his best friends and they try to find out why strange things have been happening in their town. its a great book and i highly reccommend. |
| Name: |
Cory nardello
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Sense and Sensibililaty |
| Book author: |
Jane Austin |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I think this a was a interesting book. I recommend this book for people who like the drama/chick flick books. A lot of the words I had to look up because I did not know the meaning of them. It was an overall great book. |
| Name: |
Jordan Frary
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Sick Puppy |
| Book author: |
Carl Hiaasen |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This was my first time reading Hiaasen but his ridiculous characters and comically negative portrayal of the Florida government draws you in from he beginning. He makes you continue to turn the pages as odd action packed events happen throughout the book. |
| Name: |
Billy
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Smashed |
| Book author: |
Koren Zilacks |
| Book genre: |
Biography |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
It is a story of a girl name Koren Zilacks who lives in New York City and she gets into the wrong habit of drinking alcohol. She was accpeted in her college very nicely and she became confident about things. She was raped as a 16 yr old at a party. She is not able to forget her past and drinks more . But she decides to change reform herself |
| Name: |
Ritika Kaushal
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan |
| Book author: |
Lisa See |
| Book genre: |
Historical Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, is a beautifully written novel about foot binding in nineteenth- century China. The story depicts the every day life of girls and women in society. The vivid details make for a great story line that is cheerful and haunting at the same time. Once started, this book is impossible to put down. |
| Name: |
Lindsay
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Someone Like You |
| Book author: |
Sarah Dessen |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I really enjoyed reading this book. The audience most likely to relate to Someone Like You would be teens, especially girls. The storyline is two best girlfriends going through high school together. The ups and downs of friendships and relationships, drama in school, boys, death, and many other important issues. Sarah Dessen is a wonderful writer. The book grabs your attention right away. You get to know the character's and by the end you wish it didn't have to end at all. I definitely reccomend this book! :) |
| Name: |
Meaghan DeMatties
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Someone Like You |
| Book author: |
Sarah Dessen |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Best friends Halley and Scarlett are forced to spend their last 2 weeks of summer apart when Halley's therapist mom makes her go to sisterhood camp. During those two weeks, Halley recieves a call from Scarlett. Scarlett's boyfriend, Michel Sherwood, was just killed in a motorcycle accident. After arguing with her mother, Halley is picked up early from camp to go home to console Scarlett. To make matters even worse, 2 months into their junior year of high school scarlett finds out that she's carrying Michel's baby. Unlike previous years when halley stood hiding in scarlett's shadow, scarlett needs Halley more then ever. This book was one of the best portryals of what some teenaged girls have to face during their adolescent years of life. Scarlett must handle school, a job and an unsupportive mother while carrying not only michel's baby but the emotional burden of michel being dead and the reality that she's on her on except for Halley. |
| Name: |
chelsey king
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Specials |
| Book author: |
Scott Westerfeld |
| Book genre: |
Science Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This book was a major disappointment to someone who, like me, loved Uglies and Pretties. As the final book in the trilogy I was expecting some glorious ending but instead I was left with a mundane closing to Tally's adventure from ugly to rebel special. The whole time I was reading Specials I felt like I was being set up for something that never came. |
| Name: |
Jessica Brown
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Step on a Crack |
| Book author: |
James Patterson with Michael Ledwidge |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
"Step on a Crack" is a gripping page-turner about an NYPD detective who is handling a major hostage situation in a New York cathedral. It is up to the detective, Michael Bennett, to negotiate with the the lead hostage-taker, Jack, and free the large group of celebrities being held inside. Author James Patterson does a fantastic job of giving readers insight into Michael's personal and work life, and how he has to handle life with 10 children while maintaining his job at the NYPD. From start to finish, the story is action-packed and sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. I would highly suggest this book to anyone who enjoys a solid action-thriller, or just a good book in general. |
| Name: |
Matt Stallknecht
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Sundays at Tiffany's |
| Book author: |
James Patterson |
| Book genre: |
Romance |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Sunday at Tiffany's by James Patterson is a romance with a twist. The characters are very unique each in their own way. It's interesting that the author chose to write a romance due to his usual genre of crime and mystery novels. Therefore, I would recommend the book to anyone who is a fan of romance novels. |
| Name: |
Bethany Hemmes
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Swimsuit |
| Book author: |
James Patterson |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
In this thrilling and exciting book by James Patterson, Swimsuit catches the attention of the true story behind the murder of a miss Kim Mc Danials. A swimsuit model who misteriously went missing before a photo shoot. The former dectective, Ben Hawkens is the man to find her. The killer who calls himself Henri Benoit comes to him nd tells him he has a propasition. If he writes his story he wont kill him. Readers will love this misterious and riviting ending |
| Name: |
Chelsea Trichilo
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
That Summer |
| Book author: |
Sarah Dessen |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
From the beginning of this novel, I was hooked. It was one of those books I couldn't put down once I started reading it. Although the events that took place in the main character's life were drastic, I could still relate to her issues. The ending was not much of a shock, but more like a relief. All in all, I believe this book is well worth five stars. |
| Name: |
Lauren Walters
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Big Bad Wolf |
| Book author: |
James Patterson |
| Book genre: |
Mystery |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
James Patterson has written yet another fantastic mystery novel to add to his collection. The story is based around the investigation of several arbitrary kidnappings across the us. Alex Rider, a new agent to the bureau is out of the blue put on this assinment. Patterson has made it confusing enough to keep all guessing to the very end. The real worth of this novel is that instead of a kidnap, rand some note, hunt, story line, it plays out more like a "who done it" mystery. While there is a prime suspect there are no ransoms notes, and no motivation leading to nay of the kidnappings. |
| Name: |
Scott Peck
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Boys of Winter |
| Book author: |
Coffey and Craig |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The novel The Boys of Winter by Coffey is an amazing story of the 1980 Olympic miracle on ice. This story shows how so many players from diverse areas of the country were able to come together and unite in order to win a gold medal. The book gives a great play by play of the game against the Russians that brought the U.S.A. together. At times this book may sound like it is promoting the violence of the game due to the detail Coffey goes into on the hits but he is just trying to tell an accurate account of the game, nothing more. This is the story of a group of men coming together against all odds, this is not just a book about hockey. So even if the reader does not enjoy hockey they should still enjoy this book. The portrayal of Coach Herb Brooks by Coffey is amazing, the reader gets to see exactly what he had to go through in order to unify that team. Overall The Boys of Winter is highly recommended and all sports fans should take the time to read this. |
| Name: |
Bryan Burgmeier
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Choice |
| Book author: |
Nicholas Sparks |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I had never read a book by Nicholas Sparks until this one. I was curious because I watched The Notebook and that was also really good. This book was a great romance novel about two people who are meant to be together, but one of them doesn't want to believe it. It is also a very fun and interesting book, especially in the first part. The second part is kind of sad, but very touching. I thought it was cute how he used a bird as a symbol in this book as well as the notebook. So overall anyone who likes Nicholas Sparks or authors like him should read this book! |
| Name: |
Katie Ducett
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Choice |
| Book author: |
Nicholas Sparks |
| Book genre: |
Romance |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I thought The Choice was an excellent novel. You could really understand the characters because of the slow development of Gabby and Travis' relationship. This made it feel like they were real people you could be friends with. It was really easy to follow due to the great amount of detail. This is an easy, fast read that is good for girls who would like an escape into a realistic story about true love. |
| Name: |
Briana Beeman
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Choice |
| Book author: |
Nicholas Sparks |
| Book genre: |
Romance |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The Choice is a very entertaining about the growth and strength of love between two people. It's like two great books put together, with a strong story line connecting them. The way Sparks builds the characters and the story make it feel as though they are real people and real events that took place. I highly recommend it for high school aged girls who enjoy other romantic novels. It is a great book to read while relaxing or on vacation. It builds the story fast and is easy to follow. |
| Name: |
Irene Hartnett
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Dangerous Days of DanielX |
| Book author: |
James Patterson |
| Book genre: |
Science Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge was an exciting book that was hard to stop reading. The thrills and action never stopped, whether it was with the police or with an alien. Daniel X, the main character is and Alien Hunter. That means he has a List of Alien Outlaws, where he must try to destroy each alien. As he goes after his next alien, Ergent Seth, he finds himself fooled by the alien's intellect and eventually captured. Throughout the book he is able to create people, animals, or objects such as a house or his parents. This power that he has helps him not to feel lonely, scared, or helpless. In the long run he uses his powers creatively to beat Seth and save his home planet. |
| Name: |
Kyle Coholan
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
the gospel according to larry |
| Book author: |
Janet Tashjian |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The Gospel According to Larry Book Review
Over the summer I read The Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian. This is a fictional book that has a bit of comedy, romance and popular stars such as Larry King. This book is told from the main character, Joshs point of view. I feel this book can be read by teenagers and by adults, it tells a story of a young boy Josh Swenson, whose dream is to change the world, so he makes a website preaching to listeners of all ages about the wrong turns the world has made, such has how materialistic people have become. Unfortunately for the fans of Josh, he posts his sermons under a pixilated image and false name, Larry. As time goes on Joshs webpage grows from 2 fans to a million, and to his surprise most of them agree with what he says and check out his sermons daily, he becomes one of the worlds most influential men under a false name. But all good things must come to an end, when one of Larrys obsessive followers discovers his true identity the press tears him apart, and he is forced to take don the website, his friends are forced away, his stepfather (a successful businessman in advertising) is outraged by Joshs actions and they too soon drift apart, and Josh loses all motivation to continue living with himself, and it appears as if there is only way to cope with all the pressure. I learned a few valuable life lessons in this book and I really did enjoy reading it, even though it is not very long. I urge you to give this book a chance and maybe take a look at the sequel Vote for Larry. |
| Name: |
pat
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Gospel According to Larry |
| Book author: |
Janet Tashjian |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
In my opinion, this was a great book. It's written in a teenager's point of view so it is easy to relate to. The main character, Josh Swensen, creates his own website "The Gospel According to Larry", him being the alter-ego Larry. On the site he shares his values and opinions about different world issues and thousands of teens and even adults check the site everyday. It soon becomes international, and yet nobody knows Larry's identity, that is until his cover is blown and Josh Swensen, a boy from a small town, must take great risks and hard decisions in order to stay out of the publics eye. Overall I loved this book and its many twists and turns. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a great quick read. |
| Name: |
Alex Deming
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Punch |
| Book author: |
John Feinstein |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I recommend this book to all sports fans. This is a true story about a fight that changed not only basketball, but sports in general. This is all about adversity and overcoming it. Rudy T. overcame numerous surgeries and came back to play and coach in the NBA. The only thing I didn't like in the novel was the amount of times the author told the events of the fight. Overall it was a great read. |
| Name: |
Nathan Nigolian
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Quickie |
| Book author: |
James Patterson |
| Book genre: |
Mystery |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
i thought the Quickie by James Patterson was an interesting book to read. there was a lot of action and crimes going on. it was never boring to read because there was a lot of suspense in the book. i enjoyed the book. i thought Lauren is brave for taking on all that action at once. it was a suspenseful book and i did not want to put it down. |
| Name: |
Kelley Noonan
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Uglies |
| Book author: |
Scott Westerfeld |
| Book genre: |
Science Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The fictional novel Uglies by Scott Wsterfeld is a great read in my opinion. It takes place in the future and has a lot of action throughout it. I really liked that it was in the future. Although the situations are not ones that I would really want to happen to me, it was interesting to think about how this might happen. All the excitement in the book had me not wanting to put it down. I would definitely recommend this book to teenagers because they would easily relate to it. This was a great book. |
| Name: |
Clare Murphy
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Uglies |
| Book author: |
Scott Westerfeld |
| Book genre: |
Science Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This is a very interesting book. I believe that all students should read this book because it teaches the moral, that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and i think that is a very important lesson in life. I gave this book a 4 out of 5 because it kept me interested and thats surprising to me because I'm not a big reader. |
| Name: |
Ryan Manzano
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Water For Elephants |
| Book author: |
Sara Gruen |
| Book genre: |
Historical Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I really enjoyed reading through this book. It shows great characteristics of honesty, compassion, and courtesy. The book also tells a great story about love and it teaches that everyone should care for their animals as if they were people. Although I believe this book was phenomenal many of the nursing home scenes, however necessary, were somewhat boring to me. Gruen shows that the elderly, although senile, are still humans and deserve to be treated how they like. I enjoyed reading this book and strongly recommend it. In conclusion, this book teaches great life lessons and is a great American love story. |
| Name: |
Jack Ganley
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Wintergirls |
| Book author: |
Laurie Halse Anderson |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
We all have heard about girls with eating disorders but this book truly shows what a brain of an anorexic looks like. Lia the anorexic/cutting protagonist has an eating disorder, which takes over everything she does. She also has a dead best friend who won't seem to stop following her. As you watch Lia sink more and more into depression you become more intrigued. This book is not one you can put down once you start. Anderson does a great job to make this novel interesting and unconventional (such as leaving a blank page during the climax. After reading this book you not only feel that you know the characters but that you have truly gotten inside Lias head. |
| Name: |
Kate Wawro
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/11/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U. S. Olympic Hockey Team |
| Book author: |
Wayne Coffee |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Do you believe in miracles? well after reading the novel, The Boys of Winter, you certainly would. During the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, the United States took outstanding obstacles to defeat the Soviet Union, who were known as the best hockey team in the world. The story told by Wayne Coffee tells about a bunch of amateur hockey players led by Herb Brooks who took on members of the Red Army to take home the gold medal. The Soviets have won every but one gold medal since 1956 for Hockey. During the time America was at war with the Soviets known The Cold War, and defeating the Soviets at their best game, hockey, was a major victory for America. It gave every belief that a miracle is possible, even if you're a huge underdog playing the Juggernaut. This book was the most inspiring book I have ever read. |
| Name: |
Marty Beaudette
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
09/10/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Go Ask Alice |
| Book author: |
Anonymous |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I give this diary a rating of 4 because it was deinitely attention grabbing but yet extremely depressing. The author of GO ASK ALICE prefers to remain anonymous due to all the harsh happenings she went through. The main character is a teenager who is tricked into getting high her first time but seems to love it. Just like most teens, she's convinced she can try it again without becoming addicted. Going back and forth between addicting and quitting puts stress on everyone, especially her family. She runs away a couple of times and these experiences are where I would truly say the reader becomes involved. The novel sucks the reader in by describing all her trips and struggles when she tries to regain strength but nobody really seems to understand. This diary of a girl is honestly worth reading to find out if she every fully learns how to start over. |
| Name: |
Brianna Sherlock
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/05/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Express |
| Book author: |
Robert C. Gallagher |
| Book genre: |
Biography |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The Express, by Robert C. Gallagher, chronicles the life and career of Syracuse University star running back Ernie Davis. The biography begins with a detailed background of Ernie's early life, spent in the small town of Elmira, NY, along with his travels to Syracuse, unceasing success there, and his further exploration into a career of professional football. Throughout the story, Gallagher incorporates touching thoughts and memories recalled by Ernie's family and friends during interviews with them. Davis' unimaginable humility and kindhearted spirit are evident in each one, whether a small gesture like lending a hand to someone in need or showing a sign of classic chivalry, or even something bigger such as the everpresent mark he left on the hearts of his teammates and coaches throughout his years with them. The reader absolutely falls in love with this young man as they turn the pages, and anyone - young or old - especially the avid college football fan, will thoroughly enjoy this heartwarming tale of a seemingly perfect, innocent young man. Being the first African-American to win the coveted Heisman Trophy, Davis showed exemplary leadership and determination in his experiences by facing unbelievably hostile adversity because of his race, yet he remained gracious and respectful throughout the hard times. Instead of acting out in harsh ways or with bitter words in response to the hatred he endured en route to his team's 1959 National Championship and throughout his life, Ernie proved himself worthy of respect both on and off the field, with his seemingly superhuman, record-breaking athletic abilities and his untarnished gentlemanly attitude. After being chosen as the #1 NFL draft pick in 1962, the stories of Ernie's relations with the Cleveland Browns' players and coaching staff begin, and not one person had something negative or even remotely critical to say of Ernie's ways. Even in the wake of a heartbreaking illness that would change everything, Ernie remained calm and collected, keeping any anger or rage to himself, plastering on a genuine smile, and doing his best to keep other people's minds off of him - he never wanted to make trouble for anyone. By the conclusion of the novel, the quotes and tales told about the experiences shared with this extraordinary man by everyone who knew Ernie, from JFK to Tommy Hilfiger to Jim Brown and Floyd Little, will captivate the reader and may even lead to tears. Anyone who experiences these stories will wish they could have had the honor of knowing Mr. Davis. As a plaque in the Elmira Free Academy lobby, and the back of the novel, states about Ernie's successful yet tragic life, "He could do it all, beat every opponent...except one." Sports fans, along with anyone looking for an absolutely heartwarming read, should without a doubt look into reading The Express. It deserves a 6 out of 5! |
| Name: |
Meg Lane
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/05/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Match |
| Book author: |
Mark Frost |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Mark Frost's The Match is an exciting story about "The day the game of golf changed forever." The Match is set in California in 1956. Millionaires Eddie Lowery and George Coleman make a bet on what then seems to be just another casual golf match. Lowery challenges Coleman to find any two golfer team that can be his undefeated team of the greatest amateurs in the game, Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi. Lowery thinks he has this match already won, until Coleman informs him that Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson will be playing against his hot-shot amateurs. Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson were two of the greatest players ever, and what seemed to be a casual game of golf turned into one of the most memorable matches ever played. Can the talented amateuers Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward beat Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, two of the greatest players to ever play the game? Read The Match, by Mark Frost to find out. |
| Name: |
Brad Sniper
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/05/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
A Child Called It |
| Book author: |
Dave Pelzer |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This book is a sad true story of a young kids survival. It all started back in the 70s. Dave thought his family was perfect. Well his dad is a fireman in Californa were this book takes place and is barely home. His mom truned into a couch potato and began to drink a lot. Her punishments for her kids changed to harsher ones but only to dave. His dad stopped coming home . Dave was deprived of food for as long as 3 days at a time was forced to steal out of kids lunches at school and had to memorize excuses for all the bruises he had on him. Eventually his mom snapped more then ever and stabbed dave because he did not get the dishes done on time. Dave lost hope and hated everyone. Until............ |
| Name: |
Colin Pedrotti
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
A Long Way Gone |
| Book author: |
Ishmael Beah |
| Book genre: |
Biography |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
A Long Way Gone, by Ishmael Beah is a harrowing retelling of the author's struggle through the civil war in Sierre Leone, a small country in Western Africa. Starting out as only a young civilian, the story quickly progresses, as Beah begins to describe in depth about the horrors he experiences as a boy soldier, when he is recruited by the government to fight the rebels. War poisons his mind as Beha begins to hate the world and everyone it, and feels that every rebel he kills is responsible for the destruction of his village. When he is forced back into civilian life, he has to make a choice between forgiving, or rejoining the army. From start to finish, Beah perfectly captures the tangibility of war and violence, and how it affected him. If a reader wants a story of violence, hatred, intrigue, redemption and salvation, they need to look no further as this story is the perfect fit. A great read all around, the story will have a person hooked in minutes and they will find it hard to put the book down. |
| Name: |
Matt Trendowski
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Black Hawk Down |
| Book author: |
Mark Bowden |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
"Black Hawk Down" is one of the most captivating books of current war I have ever read. It gives t he reader a perspective of the evolution of warfare from the major world wars and wars such as Vietnam and Korea. It also chronicles the story of one of the most brutal Somalian mission of the United Nations peace keeping missions. The soldiers were all under the age of 30 minus a very few, and they were all seeing combat for the first time. This book kept me captivated and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a military read and who wants to learn more about the differences in military action from the famous novels of World Wars I and II. Five stars isnt a high enough rating for this book, because it gives the action, and the emotion and turmoil of battle for every soldier that fought in Mogadishu Somalia. |
| Name: |
Harrison Dole
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Boy |
| Book author: |
Roald Dahl |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Boy is an interesting autobiography about Roald Dahl (the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the BFG and Matilda) told in funny and interesting anecdotes.
Boy starts with how his parents started off to how he attended a preparatory school in Whales. The fun begins when he is caught for putting a mouse in a candy jar, caned by his headmaster and is sent to an English boarding school by his concerned mother. There he experiences everything from scary headmasters (big in comparison to his small size), to being forced to warm toilet seats in winter (by Boazers, the prefects of the school) to even nearly getting his nose cleanly cut off in an accident with his ancient half sister (whose 21 years old).
Cleverly written, Boy keeps you wondering what Roald Dahl did next to get himself into trouble. Though it would be a good read for all, I recommend it for people interested in the lives of authors. |
| Name: |
J.J. Davis
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Breaking Dawn |
| Book author: |
Stephenie Meyer |
| Book genre: |
Fantasy |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Breaking Dawn, part of the Twilight series, is an amazing book. It continues from the other three going through the stages of Bella and Edwards new life. There are several twists that will keep you from putting the book down. Once you get started reading it, you will do anything just to keep reading. With two of the members of the Cullen family leaving, a baby being born, and the Volturi coming to Forks, chaos is everywhere. There is even a reunion of over fifteen vampires at the Cullen household, but what for? Find out and read Breaking Dawn! |
| Name: |
Alexis Ludovico
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything |
| Book author: |
Christopher Hitchens |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
WARNING: This book is not meant for those who are devout in their faith!
Christopher Hitchens new novel, God is Not Great, is a compelling read. Basically a long essay, Hitchens, a devout atheist, describes how religion only leads to downfall. One example which stays in mind includes when Hitchens was asked whether he would feel comfortable seeing a mob of men, if knowing they had just come from a prayer meeting. With the current situation in the Middle East (a religious war,) Hitchens says no. Other points which back up his thesis includes why Christian leaders will not allow scientific medical procedures to occur, as well as why Heaven hates the pig (in direct contrast with a common Islamic belief.) The book does drag at some times, but the examples backing up his thesis make complete sense. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a challenging and controversial read. However, if you are a devout Christian, this book may not be for you! |
| Name: |
Nicholas Godzak
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
I Am America (And So Can You!) |
| Book author: |
Stephen Colbert |
| Book genre: |
Biography |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Both Conservatives and Liberals alike would find this book a hilarious and unforgettable read. Stephen Colbert explains his thoughts and opinions on just about every aspect that you can think of. He talks about his childhood and his life and discusses what makes America so great. Though his book is for laughs, many of the ideas expressed in it have deeper and more important messages. Though Stephen Colbert is not a big fan of books and reading, I reccommend that you read his great book for yourself and learn a thing or two. |
| Name: |
Erich Grome
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Into the Wild |
| Book author: |
Jon Krakauer |
| Book genre: |
Biography |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer chronicles the life of Chris Mccandless, with the main focus on the last years of his life, for which he is known. Chris Mccandless was a young man in his twenties, newly graduated from college, with a bright future when he unexpectedly shocked his family and friends when he left his car in the desert to embark on a journey as a vagabond, disgusted by most of society. The book discusses his travels along the west coast of the U.S. and Alaska, his final resting place. In addition to traveling, Mccandless changed the lives of those he met and spent a short time with, as he was on the move constantly. These people give great insight into who he was and his motives for leaving his home. His journey ends in Alaska, the land he had dreamed about living off of since he was a child, and the book documents the effect his death and the way he lived had on everyone who heard about it. If you're thinking that i gave away the ending, i didn't, it is revealed in the first chapter. That is one of the problems i had with this book, it was very anti-climatic because most of the consequences are known before the actions that caused them. Although overall this was a very good book about a man with ideas similar to many adolescents, but the difference is that he made his dreams a reality, something that most people don't have the courage to do. I would recommend this book do anyone who likes the outdoors and to whoever has had feelings of despite towards modern responsibilities. The author did a great job of making a biography of a man with the use of his journals the effects he had on people he met. |
| Name: |
Lee Detota
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Into The Wild |
| Book author: |
Jon Krakauer |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This book was about a young man who was very opinionated and wanted to live his life being at one with nature. He was brought up well, went to high school and college, but after he turned into a hitchhiker. He burned almost all the money he had and gave away all his belongings. He traveled around the country for a few years but ultimately ended up in Alaska. He was told that it wasn't safe and that she should bring more supplies for himself, but he wouldn't listen to anyone.
This book would be a very good read for someone who likes to be in nature and likes to hike or mountain climb. It introduces you to a character that seems to have no fear at all of nature and is willing to do anything. |
| Name: |
Clare Murphy
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Mary Mary |
| Book author: |
James Patterson |
| Book genre: |
Mystery |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Mary Mary, by James Patterson is a confusing but enjoyable book. Alex Cross is an FBI agent that works on homocide murder cases. As he is on vacation to Disneyland with his family, he gets a call from his boss because they need his help. A lady murder, that uses the name Mary Smith, starts to target Hollywood actresses. Once she kills someone, she sends a story about that person and the way she killed them, to the L.A. Times. As the story goes on, Mary Smith gets smarter and her clues get more confusing. Once you think the story is over, a whole new twist is thrown into the book. If you like murder mysteries, this is the book for you. There are some very graphic and descriptive parts to the book. I would recommend this book for more adult-like readers rather than someone looking for an easy read. |
| Name: |
Kyle Coholan
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Smashed |
| Book author: |
Koren Zailckas |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This was an incredibly book! Koren Zailckas starts drinking when she is 14 and it turns into a deadly cycle of hating herself when she doesn't drink, and despising her life after she does. The true account of her life leads to so much insight on drinking, college and so much more. This book doesn't hold back at all, and Koren doesn't sweeten up her stories or bore the reader with health-class like facts. It is a startlingly real book, told from a wise woman whose life was affected by alcohol. I loved reading this book and I would highly recommend it. Mainly it would appeal to teenage girls, but women of any age who struggle with alcohol or know someone who does would appreciate it. Boys probably wouldn't appreciate all the girly aspects of the book. |
| Name: |
Nancy Neely
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Tantalize |
| Book author: |
Cynthia Leitich Smith |
| Book genre: |
Fantasy |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Tantalized, by Cynthia Leitich Smith was a very interesting book. It kind of followed in the footsteps of Twilight by, Stephenie Meyer. It was about a young girl named Quincie Morris. Her werewolf boyfriend and vampire family do not exactly classify normal. The plot of the story is a little blan but all in all it was ok. If you liked Twilight then there is a possibility you could like Tantalize as well. |
| Name: |
Chelsea Trichilo
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Bielski Brothers |
| Book author: |
Peter Duffy |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The Bielski brothers is a deeply inspiring story of three eastern European brothers in WWII. The oldest brother was a strong, intimidating figure named Tuvia, the second brother was also a broad man named Zus, and the third oldest was named Asael. Throughout there lives, they were always put in difficult situations in society because of their Jewish faith. It was also difficult for them being under the rule of different anti-semitic governments. However there lives would change forever at the start of Germany's attack on the Soviet Union. The Nazi's brutal occupation and horrific treatment of the jews became the biggest conflict the brothers would ever face. After the Germans killed their parents and their other siblings, the three strong brothers decided to fight back against their German enemies and more importantly, save as many Jews as possible. The brothers made their way into the forest they knew best and began a resistance force consisting of fellow Russian partisans and Jewish escapees from Nazi-formed ghettos. Each day, thousands of Jews were killed in violent, inhumane ways. This only drove the brothers to act with more brutality against the Nazis. The partisans frequently had to gather weapons, food for their growing resistance, which was usually dangerous business. They would also disrupt German communication lines and ambush German patrols. By the end of the war, the Bielski resistance was successful in saving the lives of about 1,600 Jews through perseverance and the dedication to their faith. I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in WWII or inspiring stories. |
| Name: |
Cole Kelly
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas |
| Book author: |
John Boyne |
| Book genre: |
Historical Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I thought that the book was very suspensful but sad. I recomend this book for anyone who enjoys learning of haulocaust prisoners or people who enjoy a short read of 200 pages. The main character Bruno and his family move outside of Germany next to the Out-With Concentration camp. His father is a commandant in the German army who frequently visits with Hitler. Young Bruno goes exploring one day and finds a boy named Shmuelin the camp. Unknowing of what the camp is for Bruno still talks to Shmuel. Although it is getting more tough keeping the secret from his parents that are against Jews. |
| Name: |
Devin Jurkiewicz
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Glass Castle |
| Book author: |
Jeannette Walls |
| Book genre: |
Biography |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is a memoir of her life with parents who have a different perspective on life. When her dad, Rex, is sober, he is extremely brilliant and loving, but when he is drunk he is destructive adn abusive. Her mother believes that neglect is the best way for kids to learn, and cares more about her artwork than earning money for necessities, like food and clothes. The kids spend their childhood moving from town to town in the west every time a government official would come looking for Rex. However, when the family has absolutely no money left, they pack up and move back to Welch, West Virginia, the place that Rex spent the majority of his life trying to leave. Life in Welch is a struggle for everyone in the family, and even though times are harder than they have ever been, Jeannette never gives up hope for her alcoholic father and always believes the family will pull through. This amazing story about loyalty and ultimately following your dreams is a classic, and I strongly recommend it. I think it may appeal to girls more than guys because it is written from the perspective of a young girl. This book teaches the importance of determination and trying to be the best you can be. It's humorous, sad and heart-warming all at the same time. For me, what makes it an exceptional story is the hopeful tone Walls maintains throughout the obstacles which proves how strong a family's loyalty is. |
| Name: |
Lauren Perry
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Killer Angels |
| Book author: |
Micheal Shaara |
| Book genre: |
Historical Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This book is a very well written novel on the civil war. I enjoyed it because it depicts the point of view of both confederate and union generals and officers. The war is put into greater detail and analyzes the soldier's mindset about warfare and each side's "cause" in this war. The themes involve the moral fibers of the civil war which really grasped my interest. I would recommend history lovers or war lovers for this novel, however people who arent in highschool will probably not be able to handle the speed and level of this reading. This book is a classic for a good reason and I personally am more fond of historical fiction because of my reading it. |
| Name: |
Samuel Dole
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Perks of Being a Wallflower |
| Book author: |
Stephen Chbosky |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This book tells the story of what its like to be a teenage boy just entering high school. The main character is a boy named Charlie who throughout the story writes letters to a person that the reader does not know. I think as a teenager in high school its really easy to relate to this character because some of the situations that Charlie goes through are typical high school problems. Charlie is smart yet quiet but he struggles with the social aspects of high school. He doesnt have a lot of friends and the majority of the book is about him trying to find his place in a friend group. Charlie has gone through some hard times in his life, like losing his favorite family member, his Aunt Helen, and slightly disfunctional home life. However, this doesnt effect Charlie's schoolwork. He develops a strong relationship with his English teacher who gives him books to read and reports to do on them. His teacher remains a constant friend to Charlie throughout the story, giving him advice and friendship. I would highly recommend this book to any high school student. Its takes you throuh many teenage phases like first dates, family drama and making new friends. Its an easy read in diary format and a very interesting storyline. |
| Name: |
Alex Deming
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Real Toy Story |
| Book author: |
Eric Clark |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Eric Clark explores the dark side of the toy industry in The Real Toy Story. He tries to do so in the style of Super-size Me and the follow-up novel, Don't Eat This Book. While Clark packs a lot of information into his novel, it is only an imitation of the kind of work Morgan Spurlock did with his "expose." The book talks about issues such as sweatshops, department stores, deceiving advertisements, and vicious law-suit wars. All of these, he says, contribute to the decline of the toy industry. One main problem with Clark's book is that it lacks his personal "voice," which would provide a better feeling that he is taking the reader along with his research efforts and that they are uncovering things and discovering others about the industry. Though certain parts of the book, such as his attacks at the toy industy monopolies, Hasbro and Mattel, are interesting, other parts can appeal only to businessmen. A good book in its own right, Clark's novel is overshadowed by other books of its kind like Don't Eat This Book or Fame Junkies.
Bottom Line: Read this book, but if you get a chance, others of the kind can be a better choice. |
| Name: |
Kevin Fagan
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/04/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Three Cups of Tea |
| Book author: |
Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin |
| Book genre: |
Biography |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
In 1993, Greg Mortenson attempted to climb K2, in Pakistan, in honor of his sister. His attempt failed, and on the way down, he ended up in in the small village of Korphe in the Karakoram mountains of Pakistan. There, he was accepted with the utmost hospitality, and in return for their kindness, he promised to build them a school. In order to keep his promise, Mortenson had to write over 580 letters, trying to get the necessary money, before finally finding a sponsor. During the following decade, he meets his future wife, who is very supportive of his mission and endures the months he spends in Pakistan at a time taking care of their two children. Hia promise led Mortenson on a journey of building fifty-five schools, mostly for girls, in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. He ventured into the fighting between India and Pakistan, and into the heartland of the Taliban. Through his humanitarian mission, he learned the key to fighting terrorism is not guns, but education.
I found this book to be very inspiring, and it really warmed my heart. The fact that Mortenson was able to walk into the birthplace of the Taliban shows me his firm belief in his work and his trust in his Pakistani friends and allies. The lessons he learns about patience from the Korphe chief, Haji Ali, are valuable in any circumstance. "Here, we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything - even die." By educating children, and primarily girls, Mortenson gave these kids the tools they need to take their lives into their hands and change the future of their villages. It really opened my eyes to the true fundamentals of Islam, and expressed that all Muslims are not terrorists and they do not all hate Americans. The writing itself is excellent, and David Oliver Relin does a very nice job telling Mortenson's tale in a captivating way. The courage, outreach, and lessons expressed in Mortenson's tale are truly extraordinary.
I would recommend this book for any teen who is interested in the Middle East, adventure, or humanitarian acts. It is very exciting, and not a difficult read. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but a few are the primary characters and are involved with much of the action. Anyone who wants a glimpse into a pure, giving heart should definitely give this book a try, and it will be worthwhile. |
| Name: |
Erin Celeste
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
10 |
| Date added: |
06/03/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Breaking Point |
| Book author: |
Alex Flinn |
| Book genre: |
Biography |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Paul the protagonist in the story is a young teenager that moves to Miami with his mom, to attend Gate a rich private school. Paul quite the misfit tall, lanky, and uncoordinated does not fit in at Gate until he finds Charlie. Charlie the antagonist in the story is a good friend in the beginning, but Paul realizes that Charlie is using him for his smarts. Before Paul can get out he is sucked into Charlies plan that could ruin the rest of his life. |
| Name: |
Joe Stapleton
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
11 |
| Date added: |
05/31/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Friday Night Lights |
| Book author: |
H.G. Bissinger |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The book Friday Night Lights, written by H.G. Bissinger, is a classic story. It is a true story of a high school football from Odessa, Texas where football is not only a sport but is life to all of the players and coaches involved. Anyone who is interested in football or sports would love this novel, and probably wouldnt be able to put it down. I also think that even the readers who arent big sports buffs or football fans would enjoy this because it is action packed with football games and other events the players attend that no matter what the readers hobby, he or she will enjoy this book and possibly begin to like football more. Kids of our age level, teenagers or students in high school, would enjoy this book especially because the story revolves all around kids of our age in high school. They are in the same situations we as high school students find ourselves in all the time. In the story the kids are in school all the time and hanging out with friends, going out to eat, and playing in football games, they are being students and having fun just like all high school students do. Furthermore, obviously if you are a football player or supporter of the sport then you would enjoy this book even more. Similar media of the book is fairly simple for this novel, there has been a movie made about the book and it was an instant classic. The book, like always when books are made into movies, has way more detail and gives you more information on certain subjects but the movie is still a good representation of it and I would recommend seeing it. This story has also been made into a hit television series. The television show doesnt really follow the story line of the book; it switches up many different things and is actually almost like a completely different story. Overall, this is a great piece of work and people of all ages would enjoy this book, but especially kids who are in high school because it applies to them in so many ways. |
| Name: |
Mike DeCarr
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
12 |
| Date added: |
05/26/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Cry Wolf |
| Book author: |
Patricia Briggs |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs is an excellent book that everyone should read. Anna, one of the main characters, is a Chicago girl that doesnt like to follow other peoples orders, but knows when to listen to them. This Chicago girl is the heroine in the story, who later falls in love with a young, handsome werewolf named Charles Cornick. These two team up with one another and try to defeat this ancient evil that is seeking revenge on Charless wolf pack. I recommend this book to high school students that love to read about mythical creatures such as werewolves and witches, who enjoys a heroine in a story and who likes to read fictional novels. Since the Twilight series and movie came out everyone has been crazy about vampires and werewolves. Cry Wolf reminds me of Twilight because instead of vampires, these werewolves in Patricia Briggs book, both have something in common. Both the werewolves and vampires are trying to hide their secret of being mythical creatures from the humans. Girls that love a heroine in a story, I strongly recommend you read this book. In most or all of Patricia Briggs novels, the heroines go on rigorous adventures, heart-filled romance and discovering their inner power. Students that enjoy reading fictional novels, should check out this book because once you start reading it, you cant put it down, If you are a fan of werewolves, fictional books and the paranormal then you must check out this book. It is definitely worth your time. |
| Name: |
Taylor Ferrara
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
12 |
| Date added: |
05/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Genghis: Bones Of The Hills |
| Book author: |
Conn Iggulden |
| Book genre: |
Historical Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The book Bones of the Hills by Conn Igulden is an interesting take on the life of the infamous Ghenghis Khan. It is the third and final book in Conn's conquerer series of books. It narrates through the time of Ghenghis's invasion of the middle east right up till his death. I would highly recommend this book as well as this series to anyone with even a passing interest in history.
This book is far from just a bloody tale of death and conquest, It shows Ghenighis as more than just a leader , it shows him as a man. He is seen as a father, brother, husband. He is not exempt from any of the same issues as any other husband and father. Between choosing one of his four sons as his rightful heir, and getting his younger brother out of the influence of a corrupt shaman he has a full plate.
Being a novel about Ghenghis Khan there are many battles fought all over the continent of Asia against various foes. It details his time spent in the middle east and his conflict with the Shah and his armies. The author went to Mongolia and painstakingly researched all he could about Ghengis and his fighting tactics, he wanted the descriptions of battle as accurate as possible. The battles in the book are depicted from the points of view of both Khan and his opponents. They go into detail on the training methods of the Khan's troops as well as the Mongol tactic of taking the best of an opponents gear and molding it for themselves. It shows the genius and ingenuity that made the Mongols quite possibly the most feared army of all time.
However the book does not simply focus on the Khan, it shows the machinations that go on behind the scenes. You see what his family and friends really think of him as well as his general battles with many different enemies. The book opens up with his sons away on a journey with some of Ghenghis's generals in order to make them effective leaders. You get to see the whole of the Mongol people and culture and what drives them. An interesting character is that of a Buddhist monk, he ads a much different tone to the book than the other characters. He attempts to show them the path of Buddha but doesn't seem to be making any progress. Also he begins to wonder if he himself is not being corrupted by the Mongols warlike ways.
In short the book is a very interesting take on the life of one of the greatest leaders that the world has ever seen. It gives the reader more than just a war story, it gives them the tale of a great man and his people. History lovers are sure to delight in the accurate terms and even casual readers will enjoy. For the more visually inclined there is a film Mongol which bears strong similarities to the book. I would most definitely recommend this book and series to anyone. |
| Name: |
Tom Bland-Medicis
Student |
| School: |
|
| Grade: |
12 |
| Date added: |
05/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Love Me, Hate Me |
| Book author: |
Jeff Pearlman |
| Book genre: |
Biography |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
This novel is a fantastic demonstration of todays conflict in sports. Love Me, Hate Me is all about how Barry Bonds grew up in the league to become one of the biggest superstars and the Home Run King. This book also shows how he became hated my many fans when discovered he had been using performance-enhancing drugs. The story starts out in college where Bonds is leading his team to countless victories. Arizona State he was a great player but he was not a star. The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted him into the MLB with the sixth overall pick in the 1985 draft. He finished his rookie season with 16 home runs, 48 RBI, 36 stolen bases and 65 walks. Those impressive stats earned him the MVP award in 1990. Three years later, Bonds was a free agent. He signed with the San Francisco Giants. There he became a star. Here is where he also got into trouble. When he was on Pittsburgh he was a small player that stole a lot of bases. Now gaining over 80 pounds and becoming the biggest slugger in the league, people became suspicious. In the 90s the MLBPA or Major League Baseball Players Association banned the use of any performance-enhancing drugs and steroids. A few years later the league started doing random drug tests throughout the league. Bonds was involved in a few drug tests over the years and every time he was clean of all banned substances. The story continues through the seasons at Candlestick Park being loved by the fans at home and absolutely hated on the road, being booed every time he stepped to the plate. This story shows Barry Bonds courage to stick with baseball, ignore what others think because he knows the truth, and proves that anything is possible.
This book was fantastic and I recommend it to everyone, especially sports fans. This book is very inspiring and it shows how people can fight against everyone and succeed. Love Me, Hate Me would be ranked as a 9 out of 10 out of all the books Ive read. Other media that relates to this book include, Remember the Titans, Hoosiers, and Coach Carter. All of those movies relate to the novel because they all have one main character facing a huge problem in sports and show the life of growing up in sports. This book provided an in-depth detailed view of Barry Bond playing baseball throughout his career. The problems he faced were mentioned throughout the book as they occurred. Some parts of the book were just talking about peoples opinions about Barry Bonds, which helps the reader form his or her own opinion, but if your opinion is already formed then this is just a waste of time reading because it wont change you mind for the most part. Other than this, the book was great showing all of the successes Bonds had in his life and how he became such a great player. This book made me like Barry Bonds as a player and a person more than I use to. |
| Name: |
Zack DiGiulio
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
12 |
| Date added: |
05/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
True Notebooks |
| Book author: |
Mark Salzman |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
The novel True Notebooks by Mark Salzman is about the lives of troubled teens, who have committed high offense crimes and are now locked away. The author Mark Salzman is actually the main character and writes about his visits to juvenile hall. When Mark was stuck on his new book, he went to his friend Duane Noriyuki for advice, and he told him about a writing class that he teaches at the countys juvenile detention center. Mark eventually decided to stop in, and has gone back twice every week, but this time to teach his own writing class.Throughout the novel you get to know Mark and how his attitude changes towards juveniles. You also get to know the kids in his writing class, through there own writing. They write about whatever they want and it turns into some really amazing work. And as the story progresses you begin to connect with the kids as they write about their pasts, present, and their future in this world in which they are cast aside from society.Mark Salzman has done a great job in writing True Notebooks. And his writing really allows you to understand the kids and sympathize with them, making it a quick read at 326 pages. I found the novel extremely easy to relate to because the characters are around the same age , and struggle with problems that teens can somewhat relate to. Overall I found it to be a great book and I highly recommend it to anyone, especially to those familiar to his work. True Notebooks is a must read and is worth every second you spend reading it. |
| Name: |
Clint Badman
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
12 |
| Date added: |
05/20/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Devil in the Details |
| Book author: |
Jennifer Traig |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Devil in the Details by Jennifer Traig is a book that would appeal most to high school students. The book starts out with Jennifer being twelve years old and discovering that she has certain habits that make her feel like she is weird, and she hides them from her parents. Jennifer calls her obsessions scruples , short for scrupulosity, a hyper-religious form of obsessive compulsive disorders. Jennifer describes the scruples as being flare ups , where sometimes she would be overly obsessive and other times it went away. During these flare ups Jennifer describes herself following halachah, or Jewish law. Not only does she follow all of these laws, but she follows them to the extreme. Jennifer performs strict prayer guidelines, and eating habits so strict that she finds herself eating nearly nothing, for fear of it not being kosher, or donating all of her clothes for fear that they might have been bought on a Sunday. This book would be most appealing to high school students, mainly girls, because not only does Jennifer discuss her obsessive-compulsive behaviors in a witty and sometimes strange but funny way, but she also talks about her struggles with anorexia. Teen girls would be able to relate to Jennifer's clever way of describing her years in high school, with embarrassing parents who dont understand her condition, and the kids who make fun of her in school. Her sarcastic and bizarre attitude make the reader feel that Jennifer is relatable and that reminds us that everyone has their quirks. The book follows Traig from her younger years and develops into her college years. The only thing that readers might find difficult to relate to is all of the religious references. Jennifer frequently talks about different Jewish customs and rules that it is sometimes hard to follow, especially when some of the rules she has made up. This book was overall excellent and would recommend it to anyone. |
| Name: |
Leah Shenfeld
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
12 |
| Date added: |
05/19/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Heart of A Champion |
| Book author: |
Carl Deuker |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Alex Nami
English 12R
Outside Reading
Mrs.Button
Heart of A Champion by Carl Deuker was pretty good book. The book is about two friends Seth and jimmy, who would live or die for each other. You cant even describe the relationship between these two boys with any words. Baseball is these two boys lives. Without baseball Seth and Jimmy would be your everyday kid. Jimmy is an amazing baseball player who likes like he will be good enough to play into the major leagues with the help of Jimmys father who pushes him to be the best. But for instance Seth is not a really great baseball player and struggles to make the high school baseball team but he still loves to play the game no matter what. With the help of Jimmy and Jimmys father Seth starts to become better at the game. This book is not just about baseball but how Seth and Jimmy battle life problems and test their bond of friendship.
The people who should read this book are people who like reading books based on sports because this book is mainly about baseball but even if you dont like baseball I still recommend reading this. You should still read this book because if you cant relate to baseball you maybe able to relate to some of the things that happen to Seth and jimmy when their not on the baseball field For example you maybe able to relate to some of the high school issues or like something as dramatic as losing a loved one.
However I did not enjoy not this book that. The reasons why I didnt enjoy this book was because Im not really a fan of baseball or really enjoy baseball so it was hard for me to get into the book. However I could relate to some other parts of like losing some you love, some of the school issues and having a dad that pushes you hard to be the best in your sport. If I could change something about the book I would change it from baseball to like football or basketball a sport that most people could find it easier to relate to. Their many similar books about sports that are just like Heart of A Champion. The book in my head that sticks out the most is Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger. This book is very similar because its a football team in West Texas during the 80s who form a brotherly bond and battle adversity, and off field and on field problems very similar to what Jimmy and Seth go through.
My opinion on this book is I thought it pretty good but wasnt the best book I ever read. But I think for other people who like baseball and sports in general I think this is the book for you and even if you dont like it give it a chance because maybe the book will change your mind about the book and you will like it. |
| Name: |
Alex Nami
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
12 |
| Date added: |
05/19/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
Les Miserables |
| Book author: |
Victor Hugo |
| Book genre: |
Historical Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
If you enjoy reading , love learning about history and love a challenge then you should read Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. The beginning of the book may start out slow but its only laying down the foundation for the whole entire book. As your reading you come to find out that all the characters who come from different background all start converging and they meet each other through other people which is really cool. Besides this book offering the reader a challenge it also gives them a history lesson on what it was like to be a certain person back in the 1800s and how the world is smaller then what they think it is. It shows how just one person can effect the lives of many. Like if the Bishop never took in Jean Valjean then Jean would have kept wandering, stealing and thinking he could never be a good person or that he deserved anything. But the Bishop did and set events in motion and Jean Valjean actually came and influenced the lives of many. The book is sad but it is called Les Miserables for a reason. Even though bad things happen to the characters in the book something good always seems to come out of it too. Les Miserables will hold the readers interest and make the reader think about life issues. If you like The Call of the Wild and White Fang by Jack London, Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Dracula by Bram Stoker, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin and The Count of Monte Cristo then Les Miserables by Victor Hugo is a must. |
| Name: |
Aeriell Williams
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
12 |
| Date added: |
05/19/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
She Said Yes |
| Book author: |
Misty Bernall |
| Book genre: |
Non Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
After reading the non-fiction novel She Said Yes by Misty Bernall, it was evident that most high school students would enjoy reading this book. This book is about a shooting at a Colorado high school known as the Columbine shootings where a teenager, Cassie Bernall, was killed simply because she confessed her belief in God. It reveals the struggle the parents, family and community live with day in and day out knowing that someone they love was killed for no other reason than her faith in God.
One main reason why high school students would enjoy this novel is because it elaborates on a tragic event that almost everyone in the nation is familiar with, the Columbine High School shootings. This tragic event occurred on the morning of April 20, 1999 when two rampaging students shot and killed 13 fellow classmates for no apparent reason. The novel reveals many specific details about the horrific shootings that you may not have known before, from their motives to kill, to the last moments of many young teenagers lives.
Another reason why this novel appeals to high school students is because it is very easy to relate too. The novel is told through the memories of the victims mother, Misty Bernall, where she aims to help connect the readers to her daughter Cassie. It follows Cassies life all the way from her innocent childhood, to her rebellious adolescent years, to her last words as a 17-year-old. Right from the start you form a relationship with Cassie as if she was one of your own friends. This allows emotions to surface throughout reading the novel in which you become extremely sympathetic of the tragic event.
Last but not least this novel is also enjoyable for high school students because such an event is a part of our everyday lives. The fear of intruders and kids in school with weapons has especially increased ever since the Columbine shooting. The novel enables the reader to become more aware of such events and teaches them how to handle the situation whether it deals with grief or simply standing up for what you believe.
This novel is definitely a book that I encourage all high school students to read because the values and knowledge gained are very beneficial. I also encourage fans of this book to read similar media like the novel Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult and After by Francine Prose that tells the stories of high school shootings that change the lives of family, friends and the community forever. |
| Name: |
Alyssa Reale
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
12 |
| Date added: |
05/19/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Pact |
| Book author: |
Jodi Picoult |
| Book genre: |
Realistic Fiction |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Jodi Picoults novel, The Pact, is a powerful story about two teenagers, Emily Gold and Chris Harte, who are so much in love with each other that their love becomes too much to bear, at least that became the case for Emily. From the day they were born until the age of seventeen, Emily and Chris stood by each other in the best of times and in the worst of times. Until one day, when things began to change for Emily. She couldnt tell anyone, besides Chris, that her thoughts started to turn suicidal. Their once innocent, young, teenage love is turned into an emotionally tragic suicide pact, one that their families didnt even see coming.
There are many reasons why this novel would be interesting to high school students. However, three specific reasons are that the story line is easy to relate to, it is original, and it is suspenseful. Teenage girls would find the story line easy to relate to because girls, especially at age seventeen, have experienced a first time love that they believed was true and pure. A few times throughout the novel, the scene is set in Emily and Chris high school, which makes the book even more real to young readers. Lastly, there are a couple of different high school situations in the book, including underage drinking and sexual encounters. These two situations are dealt with almost everyday by high school students and with them come the difficult choice to participate or not.
Picoult did a fantastic job by creating an original story line that includes a deep connection between a boyfriend and a girlfriend who create a suicide pact. In the hospital on the same night that the tragic event occurred, Gus Harte, Chris mother, cannot believe the words she hears when her son says, We were going to do it together (27).
The last reason why The Pact would be a great book for high school students is that the book is suspenseful. At the end of each section Picoult leaves the reader thinking, What will happen next? For example, on page 36, when Melanie Gold, Emilys mother, says, All I know about Chris&is that hes still alive. Picoult made this novel easy to follow and interesting at the same time.
Some similar books by Jodi Picoult that high school students may be aware about include, My Sisters Keeper, a story about a young girl who is forced to donate her kidney in order to save her sister, who is stricken with a cancer known as leukemia. The other book by Picoult is called Nineteen Minutes, a story about a young boy in high school who commits an act of violence as a revenge tactic caused by years of verbal and physical abuse by his classmates. Each book by Picoult includes an original plot and lots of detail that make the stories intriguing. |
| Name: |
Caitlin Coleman
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
12 |
| Date added: |
05/19/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Vampire Lestat |
| Book author: |
Anne Rice |
| Book genre: |
Fantasy |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
Lestat grew up in a wealthy estate in France. He was constantly arguing with his brother and his father about his future goals. Lestat wanted to be an actor; they would hear none of it. Readers will be able to relate to Lestats emotional turmoil over the loss of his pet dogs, his mothers severe illness and the feud between himself and his father. An old vampire named Magnus turns Lestat into a vampire himself. Readers will be in awe of Rices vivid imagery of Lestats hunting. Lestat describes his hunger for blood as the hissing roar of thirst and blood as sweet and luscious . His beloved mother Gabrielle becomes a vampire herself and they are inseparable. However the vampire Armand and the vampire coven Les Innocents do not approve of Lestats lifestyle. They claim he is going against Satan and by walking amongst mortals he will drive himself into madness. They also tell him that he will never understand love and his mother will always be partially resentful of him for what she has become. Lestat argues that the people of Paris no longer fear old vampires hiding in the cemeteries of their ancestors. He claims that by him walking among mortals, they will be all the more terrified when he sucks their blood. As I read this book I wondered will Lestat survive or kill himself out of grief. What will become of Gabrielle and Lestats friend Nicolas? Will Lestats identity be discovered by humans now that he is in a human rock band? The suspense of this book will keep readers at the edge of their seats. This was a truly epic novel that showed that even though Lestat is a vampire he is still capable of love. He shows absolute love, affection and devotion towards his mother. Lestat is more than just a sadistic bloodsucking monster. I would recommend this book to all horror fans and those who love reading about the paranormal. Those who enjoy this book might also like the Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer and books by Kim Harrison. There are movies based on Anne Rices series as well. Anne Rice is an extremely talented writer who truly captures the complex character of vampires. |
| Name: |
Katrina Fuhrman
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
12 |
| Date added: |
05/19/2009 |
|
| Book title: |
The Vampire Lestat |
| Book author: |
Anne Rice |
| Book genre: |
Fantasy |
| Rating: |
(out of 5)
|
| Book review: |
I enjoyed reading this book with the up most enthusiasm.Anne Rice is an extremely talented writer who truly captures the complex character of vampires.The Vampire Lestat shows that vampires are more than sadistic bloodsuckers. People will be able to relate to the main character Lestat.Lestat grew up on a wealthy estate in France and was constantly bickering with his father and brothers. Lestat wants to become an actor and travel to Paris to pursue that dream ,but his father will not stand for it. Teenage readers can relate to this scenario.Young people argue with their parents about future goals and plans everyday.Lestat has to deal with being treated by an outcast by his father and brothers due to his outlandish ideas and goals.A high schooler will certainly be able to understand the pain of being isolated like that. Lestat's mother falls ill and says she will not survive another winter.His mother is the only family member that understands and accepts Lestat .The pain of losing the one person that knows who you are and what you believe in ,yet loves you anyway is very real in society. Lestat has to deal with having human emotions whilst hunting . A vampire cannot afford to feel any emotion for its' victim except insatiable hunger,yet Lestat claims he feels love for mortals and he walks freely amongst them.Imagine having to battle that sort of temptation,fighting back a primitive instinct that you know is wrong.Vampires are some of the most fascinating mythical creatures.The vampires in this book ,Lestat included are no exception. Anne Rice does a brilliant job of mixing gore and elegance when describing a vampire hunting. Lestat describes his thirst for human blood as "all my craving ,all the want,misery and hunger I have ever known".He claims that he knows his first victims body as he feels the contours of his victim as he drinks the "sweet, luscious blood ".While Anne Rice does not downplay Lestat's killer instincts ,she does add a sensual aspect to the drinking of the victims' blood. Anne Rice does more than making a horrific gore fest of humans getting their blood sucked it.The suspense of this book is adrenaline rushing. When Magnus turns Lestat into a vampire the reader is not sure if Lestat will survive the transformation.Will Lestat be able to live as an immortal bloodsucker? Will Lestat be able to drink human blood with no guilt or will he perish from hunger?These are questions the reader will ponder throughout the book.This was a truly epic vampire fantasy book.I highly recommend that anyone that has a passion for horror or mythical monsters read this book.I also recommend seeing the Anne Rice films and reading the Twilight saga. |
| Name: |
Katrina Fuhrman
Student |
| School: |
HS |
| Grade: |
12 |
| Date added: |
05/19/2009 |
|
|
|
|
Westhill Central School District
