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Post by riza on Jul 19, 2013 21:46:53 GMT -5
"Anna Dressed in Blood" by Kendare Blake is about a young man who, like his father, destroys ghosts that have yet to move on. However, he takes a case that leaves him rethinking how he does his job. Anna, a vengeful spirit who is set on remaining in the living world will show him that a special knife isn't all he'll need. From enemy, to friend, and perhaps more, Anna makes a big case even bigger. I chose this book because I had never read horror fantasy before, and this really caught my attention. I really enjoyed this book because it was much better than I expected it to be, and books like that are my favorite kind. I think people who like getting a paranormal feel will like this, and people who like being made to see more than one point of view at a time
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Post by Victoria Luu-Hoang on Jul 22, 2013 19:17:24 GMT -5
Book Review #3 - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Katniss and Peeta are the victors of the 74th Annual Hunger Games. Word is out that they are getting married. Katniss is put into a wedding dress fitting, trying on wedding dresses. She is also going to be hosting the 75th Annual Hungers Games or also called Quarter Quell. That's what she thinks she is doing. The President decides to not pick new tributes and instead puts victors from earlier games back into the arena. They are to fight against each other. There is a plan held my Haymitch and the rest of the tributes know of this plan to escape except for Katniss and Peeta. Truth goes out to those tributes, District 13 was never destroyed, it was hidden underground because of the products they make. They figure a way out to rebel and destroy the Capitol and their evil scheming.
I chose this book because I have decided to read the whole triology series of The Hunger Games. It was my
choice. I chose this book because I want the adventures of Katniss and Peeta to continue on. Continuing on into the next book of the series has made me interested in what may be in stores next. The adventure just goes on and on
keeping me in insanity.
I did enjoy this book very much because it has more of scheming and plotting against the Capitol. This was a way to get back at the Capitol for what they had done.
I recommend this book to any fellow Hunger Game members out there who like this series and are wanting more of it to come out. And for those who like adventurous plots.
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Post by Markie Schirf on Jul 22, 2013 20:00:23 GMT -5
Book 2- Catching Fire
By: Suzanne Collins
It has been a full 6 months since Peeta and Katniss return from the 74th hunger games as victors. So they thought. They are about to start their victory tour in Panem. Go to their new homes with their families. But president snow is waiting on Kastniss so he can speak with her and he tells her and she needs to convince him and Panem her true love for Peeta but if she fails to do so the Capitol will go after gale and his family. And they will go after her family, but if she does convince them then both families will be spared.
Haymitch tells Katniss that the only way to convince Panem and snow is that they will have to get married. So once they pass through all the districts, and get to the Capitol Peeta proposes to Katniss in front of the whole country, but snow says it's not enough. On their last training day Peeta and Katniss have individual meetings with the game makers. They were interviewed by Caesar Flickerman, the night before the competition. When Katniss went into the session with Caesar she twirled and turned into a mockingjay. But when it was Peeta’s turn he lied and had said that he and Katniss were already married and that she was pregnant. The next morning Katniss is sent into the arena. As Peeta, Mags, Finnick, and Katniss settle for the night Katniss is on watch for the night and that's when a deadly fog approaches. Peeta is too weak so Finnick carries him, but Katniss cannot possibly carry Mags any longer so that's when Mags kisses Finnick goodbye and she runs into the fog to die. Finnick has saved Peeta’s life so many times but the next night Peeta begs Katniss to let him die because he has no on to go back to, while she has a family to go back to and he showed her a locket around his neck. The next morning Katniss plans on killing Finnick but then she remembers what hay much has said to her "remember who your real friends are" and the capitol are who her true enemy is, so Katniss remembers the hole that Beetee and Wiress showed her the first day of her training so she points her arrow, and the arena explodes. All of sudden she wakes up and is in a hovercraft that is taking her to the existing district 13. Once she's fully awake she finds out that Peeta is captured so she refuses to eat or speak, but gale can only get her to speak, and he tells her that district 12 has been obliterated, and is non-existing.
I chose this book because it connects to the first book I read, plus the books are a real page turner. I did enjoy this book, I've read the series once before but the second time around I became way more interested. I would recommend this book to anyone who is into sic-fiction.
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Post by Andy Kim on Jul 22, 2013 20:29:23 GMT -5
My third and last book review is "1984" by George Orwell. It starts off with Winston Smith, the main character. Winston is a member of "The Party".The Party is the official governmental order in futuristic Oceania which consists of Europe and North America. Society is very strict and lifeless. The Party controls every single thing, like our thoughts, actions, etc. The Party controls every single aspect of life , similar to communism. Winston feels frustrated about society and opposes the party's beliefs. Unfortunately, almost everyone has been brainwashed, literally, to follow the Party's guidelines. Winston slowly develops habits of rebellion. He encounters other rebels and they slowly work together. He meets a young girl, Julia who opposes the Party too, and they secretly fall in love. Soon, the "Thought Police" investigates Winston due to suspicion of illegal thought crime. One of Winston's acquaintances, O'Brien, betrays him and soon reveals himself as an officer of the Party. Winston is sent to the Ministry of Love, a prison-like facility infamously known for it's brutal torture. Winston witnesses the cruelty handed down on other rebels similar to himself. Soon, he receives the treatment the Party enforces to restore praise to the Party. Winston prevails and survives through the first act. However, the mental and physical torture becomes unbearable to the point that he ends up accepting "The Party" and praises them in the end.
I enjoyed this book because of the futuristic setting and the fact that these type of lifestyles are around today. Communism seems to play a role in this book. I highly recommend this book to someone that's interested in reading an intense and thrilling story.
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Post by Victoria Luu-Hoang on Jul 23, 2013 15:51:21 GMT -5
Sorry for another post, but my last was incorrectly titled. It is my Catching Fire Book Review. It says Review #3, but it is supposed to say Review #2. I hope it doesn't confuse you.
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Post by Jack Foster on Jul 24, 2013 16:50:42 GMT -5
The book that I read was The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore. This book is the third in the series. It is about a group of children from Lorien who came to Earth because their home was being attacked by the Mogadorians. Number Four is the main character and in this book he is searching to find the others because they are stronger when they are together. As the story goes on NUMBER Four and Number six meet up with Number 7, 8, 9, and 10. They are split up at one point of the story and Number four has to go into the Mogadorian base to find his chest. While he is in the cave with Sam, their device wears off so they are almost caught. Sams dad was taken a long time ago and he still has hope that he is alive so they both go too look for his dad when 4 stumbles across 9. They are finally out of the cave when they realize they left Sam inside. They are debating whether or not they should go get him when they see a Mogadorian Spaceship arrive carrying the leader...Setrakus Ra. 4 Number four sprints into an electric wall when he chases him and he blacks out. They flee the area. Eventually they meet up in New Mexico and they are all together but Number 5. While here they find 4s girlfriend and battle Setrakus Ra but he is able to escape. In the End we are not sure where Setrakus went but we know that 4-10 are stronger than ever.
I chose this book because I really enjoyed the first two books in the series. I honestly think that the only way it could be better was if it was longer, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys battles and superpowers.
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Post by Rachel Schwarz on Jul 25, 2013 12:04:40 GMT -5
The second book I read this summer was "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J. K. Rowling.
This book is about a boy named Harry Potter discovering he is a wizard and then going to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry not only finds out that he is a wizard, (which his Aunt and Uncle kept a secret from him for ten years) but that he defeated the most brutal wizard of all time the same night that his parents were killed by the same wizard. This book follows Harry through his first year at Hogwarts where he becomes the youngest Quidditch player in a century, fights a troll, faces a potions master that seems to loathe him for no reason, meets a three headed dog face to face to face to face, and still has to pass all of his classes. Harry has an exciting year as he is sorted into Gryffindor which is one of four houses in Hogwarts. Harry gets through the year with the help of his two closest friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. As Harry, Ron, and Hermione try to stop someone who they think is going to steal a very valuable possesion from Hogwarts itself, they loose points for their house, make a few enemies, make some friends, and find a mirror that will show you your greatest desire. Harry and his friends eventually put a stop to the person stealing the Sorcerer's Stone, but not without a few surprises along the way.
I chose this book because I read this series in fifth grade and loved it. I thought that it was a good time to read it again and fall in love with the series all over again. I love this book and would suggest it to anyone who likes magical stories. J. K. Rowling creates a whole new world for us to explore and imagine with this book. Although this book is purely fictional, anyone who enjoys magic and fiction will feel like they can jump into the book, and it could be their life.
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Post by sidnyprice on Aug 11, 2013 14:56:31 GMT -5
My second book i read this summer is Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins. Usually after the Hunger Games your okay, you don't have to worry about anything else. Not for Katniss,you think shed be relieved and happy but she had gotten herself and Peeta in trouble for something she did during the games. the berries stunt. She made the capitol look foolish. Not only that, since Peeta found out she was only "acting" the way she did in the games was to stay alive, he has turned his back on Katniss, hes hollow towards her. Then Gale has been creating distance between her to. In order to stay alive and put their accidental rebellion aside, they must convince that the reason they did that is because they couldn't bear livings without each other. Then something unexpected happens, its the 75th annual Hunger Games and they have something special each 25 years. That year they only choose from the victors of each district. of course this wasn't on random, the capitol did this on purpose. Katniss and Peeta have to fight another year in the Hunger Games.
I choose this book because it sounded just at good as the other and afte reading the first book i was like i have to keep going. I enjoyed this book because it has wonderful detail and it has that surprise twist.
I think anyone who like action and suspense should read this book.
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Post by Lydia Sorrels on Aug 12, 2013 13:14:38 GMT -5
The title of my book is Gone. It was written by Michael Grant. One day, during school, all the adults and children over the age of fifteen suddenly disappear in the blink of an eye, hence the name “Gone”. The children are the only ones left in an area shaped like a dome. They are forced to create their own kind of leadership system, and the main character, Sam Temple, is chosen for the leader of the kids from Perdido Beach, the town on one side of the dome. No one knows what happened, but there is no Internet, phone service, or television. Food begins to run out, and animals are mutating into aggressive creatures. The children themselves begin to develop powers like from superhero movies, levitation, super speed, extreme strength. It’s a terrifying new world for the kids, but it’s teaching them about themselves and giving them life lessons on handling authority and responsibility. I chose this book because I really enjoy sci-fi novels and books with several in the series. I believe there are six books currently out. My opinion of the book is that it is very entertaining in the way of non-stop action and unexpected twists, but there is no “moral to the story” or “lessons to be learned”. I would recommend this book to young people in search of a thrilling series to occupy their free time, but not if they are looking for a deeply moving or life-changing story.
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Post by Andrew S. Runyon on Aug 12, 2013 13:22:56 GMT -5
I read The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. It is about a boy named Percy Jackson. Percy is an odd child having powers he couldn't explain. When he is confronted by a Fury and a Minotaur, he learns he is a demigod (a child of a god). He is sent to Camp Half-Blood to train with the other demigods. After realizing all his powers come from water, he is revealed as the son of Poseidon, the water god. He then embarks on a cross country quest to return a stolen object to his uncle, Zeus, the god of lightning.
I chose this book because I had only seen the movie before and I really enjoyed the movie. If you enjoy books about Greek mythology and fantasy, then this book is for you. I really enjoyed it.
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Post by sidnyprice on Aug 12, 2013 16:44:45 GMT -5
The Third book I chose to read this summer is Mocking-jay, by Suzanne Collins. After the destruction of the Quarter Quail, Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire, has survived and by design she has been part of a revolution without knowing it. Katniss discovers district thirteen out of its destruction, to defeat the capitol. Katniss being put as the pon, willingly subsides to whatever they have planned to get Peeta back from the Capitols hands. AS she becomes the rebels Mocking-Jay, she must put aside her feeling of anger and distrust, as she is responsible for the future of Panem and many other lives. As the revolution unfolds Katniss, with Gale and her friends by her side, she accepts the responsibility, takes charge of the rebellion, with fear yet ,much hope, takes on President Snow and the Capitol.
I enjoyed this book because of the rebellion but I didn't like the way the book ended. I chose this book because it is part of a trilogy and since the first to books were great, i wanted to see what this one was like.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fighting yet also sad stories.
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Post by Erin Yen on Aug 12, 2013 20:42:16 GMT -5
The third book I read this summer was "I am Number Four", by Pittacus Lore (which, in case you couldn't tell, is a pseudonym). This was probably my favorite book of the three I read this summer. It was compelling from the start - you were hooked from page one. There was suspense in every paragraph, and the whole story was structured like quicksand; the farther in you got, the harder it was to stop. I literally couldn't put it down. If I had to name one fault, I would say that some of the characters were a little cliche. The football jock was the jerk who bullied the new kid because he was getting too close to said jock's ex-girlfriend. Football jock had a bunch of mindless friends who just followed him in whatever he did, no matter how disturbing, ect. However, these are only a few characters; conversely, some of the other character's were very volatile and fascinating.
The protagonist in this book is John Smith, though he has been known by many other names. He is part of a group of children who escaped to Earth from their home planet, Lorien, when they were only infants. These children and their guardians, or Cepans, are the only people who survived the attack of the Mogadorians, evil beings from yet another planet. A charm was placed upon them at the time of their departure, and they were each assigned numbers. This charm is some form of protection; the children can only be killed in the order of their numbers. However, there's a catch - the charm only holds as long as the children are separated. As soon as they come together, the charm is broken, and they can be killed in any order. As a result, as soon as the children and their guardians landed on Earth, they separated, scattering all across the continent. This introduces another catch - the children develop powers when they enter their mid-teens, called legacies. These legacies can be anything - the children can control storms, turn invisible, become fireproof, fly, breath under water, ect. - and there's no telling how many they will develop. Aside from this, all the children have superhuman strength and speed, which comes in pretty handy when fighting other superhuman, cruel, beings, but is very unfortunate when you are trying to stay unknown and inconspicuous. Anyways, the Mogadorians have killed numbers one through three. John Smith is Number Four - he is next. After an incident in Florida, John is forced to move with Henri, his Cepan, to Paradise, Ohio. Here he meets Sam, a man who's father helped John and Henri when they originally came to Earth and was later kidnapped by Mogadorians, and Sarah, a very nice, very pretty girl who loved photography and happens to be the ex-girlfriend of the school jock and jerk, Mark. He falls in love with her, and therefore makes an enemy of Mark. There are several dangerous confrontations - dangerous, not because of Mark, but because when he loses control John could reveal his powers. Eventually, however, it is not a fight that reveals him, but a fire in which Sarah get's caught. John, naturally, must help her, which reveals his powers to Sarah, and eventually Sam. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is reported in the newspaper, and the Mogadorians find John. John, Sarah, Sam, Mark, and Henri are all trapped in the school, hopelessly outnumbered by Mogadorians and about to be killed when a girl arrives; however, this girl is not a normal girl. She can turn invisible and control the weather, and she immediately turns the tide of the battle. In the end, Henri is sadly killed, and John inherits his chest, which contains many powerful yet unknown objects from his own planet. He, Sam (who has proved his usefulness through his extensive research of "aliens" and his father's connection to the Lorien), and the mysterious girl, who is revealed to be number six, are forced to leave Sarah, Mark, and Ohio for the time being, to go and find the others - for now they are strong enough, if they all join together, to get rid of the Mogadorians before they do to Earth what they did to Lorien.
This, as I said, was my favorite book. I would recommend this book, and the rest of the series, to anyone who likes a lot of action and suspense in a book. However, if you prefer a more quiet or classic book, this may not be the best choice for you.
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Post by James Whitmarsh on Aug 12, 2013 21:19:18 GMT -5
The book that I decided to read this summer is "Divergent" by Veronica Roth. It's about a girl named Beatrice Prior who is born into a divided and complicated world. The story is set in a futuristic Chicago which is divided into five factions; Abnegation (for the selfless), Amity (for the peaceful), Candor (for the honest), Dauntless (for the brave), and Erudite (for the intelligent). Beatrice is born to two parents belonging to Abnegation. She and her brother are at their coming of age where they have the chance to choose the faction they want to be in. After taking an aptitude test, Beatrice finds out that she is something called a "Divergent" which is concerning and possibly dangerous for her, so that fact is kept secret. She tries to figure out what it means and what the government has to do with it/her. Beatrice chooses to be a Dauntless and her brother an Erudite. Beatrice, now known as Tris, is famous for her extraordinary jump off a building by the Dauntless. Throughout her training she gains friends and foes, one particular friend she gets close to is her trainer, Four, who later becomes her boyfriend. Four was ranked first in his training and is constantly getting taunted by Eric, a dauntless leader who was ranked second in Four's training. Later on Tris finds out that the Erudite are planning to take control of all the factions and are teaming up with the Dauntless. Everyone is under a mind control device, but only Tris and Four are immune to it. In the end, Tris destroys the mind control device with the help of her mother and father who both die in the act of saving her life. After saving everyone, Tris finds out that Four is also Divergent. That is when Tris decided that she wasn't Dauntless or Abnegation, she decided that she was Divergent.
I really enjoyed this book and could not put it down. For some reason it got my attention and I wanted to now what was going to happen next or what surprise the story had in store for me. My cousin recommended this book to me. The great thing about "Divergent" is the amount of imagination you are given as you're reading every sentence in the book. It is a very descriptive book which makes it easy to create your own imagining of what places and experiences are like. I like that intense feeling you get when I would arrive to a suspenseful part of the book; also the author uses a broad vocabulary which makes reading more interesting. The only thing that I did not like about "Divergent" was how the author immediately interjected Beatrice's thought's in the middle of an action scene. This threw off my concentration of what was occurring in the scene. I recommend this book to my friends and "The Hunger Games" fans. Many of the themes in both books are reminiscent of one another, but they are not too repetitive wnich allows a reader to enjoy both books equally.
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Post by Nia Personette on Aug 13, 2013 16:38:05 GMT -5
I read City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare, this summer! It was my favorite out of all the books I read.
Clary, our protagonist, leads a seemingly normal life, with her best friend, Simon. Normal, until she follows a strange boy with blue hair into a back room, because she saw other people following him. In a turn of events, she finds out the blue-haired boy is a demon, and the people who followed her are shadow hunters. She could only see them if she was a shadow hunter too, and they figure out that she is a shadow hunter but wasn't raised as one, because her mother hated everything about that life and wanted to give her daughter a normal one. She fails as she's kidnapped, forcing Clary to join with the shadowhunters- Isabella, Alec, and Jace, and find her mother and the person who kidnapped her, who supposedly died years ago.
Clary finds out her mother's best friend, Luke, was a werewolf, and he help her find her mom and take her away. She's in a coma, but at least she's safe. Valentine, the kidnapper and all-around bad guy, reveals that Clary and Jace are sister and brother, and Clary's mom and Valentine had once been married. Valentine gets away, but everyone is safe- for now. There are four more books in the Mortal Instruments series, and the movie's coming out soon!
I chose this book because my friend Ragan loved it and let me borrow it. I definitely enjoyed it, and people who like fantasy books, or books like "Hush, Hush" (I saw Courtney reviewed it!) would love it.
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Post by Jordan Darrow on Aug 14, 2013 21:26:13 GMT -5
Book Review # 3
For my third selection, I read, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. First I have to say that this was the best book that I have ever read! It takes place after Peeta and Katniss return from the 74th hunger games. They come home and are now living in nice big houses with loads of money so that they can buy all of their luxuries. When Katniss returns home one day, she walks in to see her nervous mother and the very unexpected President Snow. He knows that Katniss is not in love with Peeta, so he threatens to hurt her friends and family. Katniss shares this news with Haymitch and Peeta. With this as the priority on the Victory Tour, they act very in love with each other and they eventually get engaged. With the capitol convinced of their love and so excited that they plan them a huge wedding, the districts start to revolt. This leads to many things in all districts. District 12 gets a new Head Peacemaker who is very much worse than the one they had before. He is very strict. Even one day, he whips Gale in public because he knew that he had been hunting that day. Eventually he recovers, but he has very little ways to care for his family now that he cannot hunt.
Every 25 years, the capitol holds a "Quarter Quell." This year, it was planned that there would be a victors game of the Hunger Games. The 75th annual Hunger Games would be 2 victors from each district fighting to the death.... again. Peeta and Katniss prepare with Haymitch for the games. When they arrive to their interviews, Katniss is wearing her wedding dress and when she twirls, her dress appers to look like a mockingjay. Then it was Peeta's turn. He lied in the interview (as he did before) and told them that Katniss and him were already married and that she was already pregnant. The games go on..... but I don't want to give away the ending. Absolutely adore the romance in this book. I am also a huge sucker for weddings! :) I recommend this book to anybody who wants an amazing book about love, fighting to stay alive, or anybody who loves the Hunger Games!
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