Wuthering Heights

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York City: HarperCollins Publishers, 2009. 427 pages.

This classic tale of undying love begins to be retold to Mr. Lockwood through a series of stories told to him by a servant, Ellen Dean. His interest is sparked when, staying at Wuthering Heights overnight, he finds a diary of Catherine Linton. The story begins at Wuthering Heights, many years ago.

Cathy Earnshaw and Heathcliff grew up under the same roof, best friends, almost inseparable. When Mr. Earnshaw passed away and Cathy’s brother, Hinton, took over Wuthering Heights as master, Heathcliff was forced to give up his education and work. The chance meeting of Cathy and the Lintons, who lived at Thrushcross Grange, shifted her entire future. Although she still remembered Heathcliff, she preferred Edgar Linton’s polished background to Heathcliff’s primitive ways and tainted past. Her blossoming relationship with Edgar wounded Heathcliff and drove him further and further away from her. By the time the time of Catherine and Edgar’s engagement, Heathcliff knew Cathy was too wild for weak and timid Edgar Linton. But, the wedding was inevitable and soon Cathy had moved to Thrushcross Grange with Edgar. Their relationship took a turn for the worse and soon Cathy was dead leaving a child, Catherine Linton, in her place. With his only true friend and love gone, Heathcliff grew bitter and resentful. He knew he would only be at peace once again when he was with his one and only love once again.

Wuthering Heights is an amazing work of literature! The selfish, spiteful characters really made me worked up, and though I kept waiting for them to get what they deserved, they never did! Even a peaceful death didn’t seem like enough of a punishment when the characters almost waited for death. But the selfish, heartless characters in this book were so plentiful; I could almost sympathize with them regardless of their selfishness. I feel like the characters were very realistic and this book captured the hatred in people and the reality that many that many times, cruel people never get what they deserve. The language in this book was so rich and expressive it made modern books seem dead and lacking. Although at the beginning I found it very hard to understand and follow this book, towards the end I grew used to it and it seemed normal. If only all language were this alive and expressive! I recommend this to all, for it will change the way you look at books!

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret. New York City: Scholastic Press, 2007. 525 pages. (Historic Fiction/Graphic Novel)

Hugo Cabret is alone. His father died in a fire and his uncle left and was found at the bottom of a river. He lives at the train station in hiding. In a small apartment inside the walls of the station he lives alone and twice everyday he makes his rounds and checks on every clock in the train station. Every day, after his rounds he works on the automaton his father had started to rebuild and fix. Following the precise diagrams in a notebook that his father had drawn, he tries to finish the job his father had started. Hugo steals his parts from a toy booth run by an old man. He has always managed to take what he needed and get away, until today.

Caught.

The old man takes his notebook and shoos him off. Without his notebook, Hugo is nothing. A lost soul. He has no purpose, until he finds out a way to get it back. He works for the old man at the toy booth and everyday he feels himself closer and closer to his notebook. But as he works, he feels himself growing more and more attached to the old man and his granddaughter, Isabelle. But all is not as it seems. The puzzle pieces are matching up a little too perfectly considering his family had no relations with the old man’s family. Hugo and Isabelle set off on a mission to learn a shocking truth and dig up the past.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret is truly one of a kind! There are 158 pictures in this book which help to tell the story incredibly. The details are amazing! The storyline of this book is intriguing and satisfying. I have read this book several times and it is the kind of story you will never get tired of. I recommend this book to all, as I have never seen another book like it. A five star rating from me!


Reviewed by: DancingPenguin96

Prophecy of the Sisters

Zink, Michelle. Prophecy of the Sisters. New York City: Hachette Book Group, 2009. 343 pages. (Fantasy)

Lia Milthrope is in the strangling grasp of an ancient prophecy, too complicated for her to understand. Her twin sister, Alice, however, has known of this prophecy ever since she was a child. The voices of the lost souls whispered to let them through to this world before she could even understand her loved ones… they taught her to harness her powers even before she could talk… and they taught her to fly the Plains, the place in between our world and the place beyond, even before she could walk. A complicated pregnancy led to a mistake in the prophecy, and now it is not Alice’s choice to let the souls in to this world or not, it is Lia’s. The things that have protected Lia from the souls for so long has been destroyed by them, and the thin protection left by her mother has been destroyed by her own twin sister. Lia must leave behind the easiness of her old life and take on this responsibility, for if she makes the wrong choice, the souls will come… for her, for everyone.

Prophecy of the Sisters is an intricately woven tale of life, love, and death. I really loved this book… it was a mystery, but it didn’t lose the emotional factor to suspense and fear, though it was suspenseful. It is quite obvious the work and time put into creating this work of literature, for everything is well thought out and not rushed. I was unable to stop reading from start to finish. I was disappointed in the ending, it was sort of like a cliff hanger… the conflicts were not solved and there was no battle as they promised. But this book was published in 2009, so I’m sure there will be a sequel to conclude the story properly. I recommend this book to anyone who loves suspenseful, emotional stories.

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

The Comet’s Curse

Testa, Dom. The Comet’s Curse. New York City: Tom Doherty Associates, 2005. 224 pages. (Sci-Fi)

The human race is in trouble… a deadly particle from a comet’s tail is threatening everyone’s life who is over the age of 18. As one final act, they come together to build a space ship… This space ship is different than any other ever built. It will travel for five years to a distant planet called Eos holding 251 teenagers, none over the age of 16. Although some people are seriously against this project, the takeoff goes smoothly. Everything is perfect: the teens, the ship, the emotions… Everything except one. There is an adult aboard the ship, who is threatening their lives, their crops, their ship… And he is insane. Desperately the teens try to defeat the intruder, for they are the Human Race’s last hope.

This book is remarkable! It has an intricately weaved plot, it is suspenseful, and the truth is shocking! I really liked the characters and how different they each are. This is one of those books that I could almost see a movie in my head of what was happening in the book. There are so many things to find out, that it’s hard to put the book down. The next book in this series is called The Web of Titan. In my opinion this book is worth five stars!

Reviewed by: DancingPenguin96

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing Traitor to the Nation

Anderson, M.T. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing Traitor to the Nation. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2006. 353 pages. (Historic Fiction)

Octavian and his mother live in The College of Lucidity, dressed in finery, and given music and language lessons. This would be normal in 1775, except that they are African Americans. Octavian has been oblivious of his surroundings for his whole life, until now. He begins to wonder why he and his mother are treated like wealthy citizens and not slaves, like the other African Americans at the College. He questions why he is studied by the men attending the College of Lucidity, and why he is given the finest of treatment. When his curiosity cannot be suppressed, Octavian quickly learns of the secrets behind his treatment at the college. He begins to hate his life at the College, for what seemed to be a freedom before, turned out to be transparent.

If anyone is thinking about reading this book, I would not jump to recommend it. It is very well written and it is a great idea, but it is just SO boring! The back of the book made me think it would be exciting and captivating, but I had learned why he is treated as he is by the 50th page, and the other 303 pages were not intriguing at all. It took me a VERY long time to finish this book, simply because there was no interest to keep me reading. The author is very talented in wording the book, though, and he had some very moving passages in the book. For example:


“And they imprisoned me in darkness; and though there was no color there, I still was black, and they still were white; and for that, they bound and gagged me. “ -Page 316

This book is very highly rated, though I don’t know why, so I’m sure there are some people who would read and absolutely love it, I am just not one of them.

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

The Bar Code Tattoo

Weyn, Suzanne. The Bar Code Tattoo. New York City: Scholastics Inc., 2004. 250 pages. (Sci-Fi)

Kayla Reid is amidst a great national change. There is a new form of identification in the United States of America. The Bar Coe Tattoo. Just like on a cereal box, people all over the country are getting a series of lines tattooed onto their wrist. Few people find reason to resist at first, it’s will only make life easier, right? But as time progresses people learn there is much more than just your name and birth date in these codes. And for some families these things are enough to ruin their whole life. Faced with betrayal, and heartbroken at the loss of three of the closest people in her life, Kayla finds refuge with other resistors. As the bar code tattoo becomes a law in the US everyone who doesn’t have it is committing a crime. It’s time to fight.

I would say this book was pretty good! I love the idea, and it is very original, but the writing is lacking some detail. It kind of skips from one event to the next, not taking enough time to explain things in depth. The characters are good, but they’re not extremely original... they’re just people you’d expect to find in any other book. Other than those few things, I found this book extremely enthralling. An exciting plot made up for the weak points. Don’t miss the next book: The Bar Code Rebellion!

Reviewed by: DancingPenguin96

The Lovely Bones

Sebold, Alice. The Lovely Bones. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company, 2004. 328 pages. (Thriller)

This book is about a girl named Susie Salmon. She had a nice life, good friends. A cute guy. And a supportive family. But a man that lived in her neighborhood changed all that forever.

This man did whatever it takes to get what he wants. But this man didn't have it easy when he was little. His dad was a bad person, so he and his mom left him. They lived in a truck. So when he grew up, he did whatever he wanted. including taking young Susie's life. This book is about life and what happens afterward.

bball~luff

Fight For Life

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fight For Life. New York, NY: Schoolastic, 2007. 135 pages. (Non-Fiction)

Maggie Mackenzie helps her grandmother with her job as a vet for her own clinic. But when her rich, snobby, and rude cousin comes to stay with them, things get worse. Maggie isin't the best at school. She gets bad grades, but her excuse is, "But the animals need me!" So her grandmother kicks her out of the clinic until her grades are up.

Just after gran bans Maggie from the clinic, all these sick and injured puppies are rushed in. This cant be good, but she can't do anything about it. She's been banned and that's that! So gran hires all these kids from school and even her cousin, Zoe! Maggie has to find out where all these puppies are coming from before more puppies die.

Reviewed By: bball~luff

Turnabout

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Turnabout. Published in the USA: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2002223 pages. (Genre: Sci-Fi)

In the year 2000, Melly and Anny Beth are old and ready to die. But they were offered the chance to be young again by participating in a top-secret experiment called Project Turnabout. They agreed. They received injections that made them grow younger and to them it seemed a miracle. But when the injection kept making them get younger and younger, younger than the scientists planned it to be, it turned out to be deadly. Melly and Anny Beth ran for their lives. Now it’s 2085 and Melly and Anny Beth are back to being teenagers. They have no idea what will happen if they go all the way back to when they are infants. But they know they will soon be too young to take care of themselves and they need to find someone to help them before time runs out once and for all. Their families think they’re dead, the scientists are on a hunt to find the girls, and they have no one to go to. Now that their parents and grandchildren passed away or old, they can’t go to them or they’ll ask too many questions. The technology now-a-days is over the top and they have to buy everything with a credit card. But if Melly or Anny Beth does, the scientists will be able to track them down and take them back to the lab. Anny Beth buys food with money and she has to sign a paper telling why she should get her change back. She insists the person just keeps the money but they want to be fair. They want her to fill in her phone number and address so they could contact her about her money but she refuses and races out of there. In the end, they find a relative that takes them in and waits until they are infants so she can take care of them.

I selected this book by the reviews and reading the back. It sounded like an interesting book and I was drawn in by the future technology. I did enjoy this book and if I was to grade it, I would give it an A!

Reviewed by: walt22

Twilight

Meyer, Stephanie. Twilight. New York City: Little, Brown and Company, 2005. 498 pages. (Vampire/Romance/Thriller)

Bella Swan has given up her sunny Arizona life to live in rainy, dreary, and always cloudy Forks, Washington. The first day at her new school is miserable, as is everything else in Forks. While sitting with her newly made friends at lunch, she sees five people across the cafeteria. Sitting together, they are beautiful beyond compare. They neither eat, nor speak, but they seem to still be involved in some sort of communication. One of her new friends tells her they were all adopted by a doctor at the hospital. Their papery, chalky white skin is exactly the same, they have the same deep circles under their eyes, and their irises are the same jet black. But despite these similarities, they are strikingly different. One, a tall blonde, Rosalie, another, a big brawny muscular boy, Emmet, also a short pixie like girl, Alice, and a stiff boy with wild hair, Jasper. Although they are all gorgeous and statuesque, none of the first four are the one who catch her attention. It’s the last one, the one with bronze colored hair, tall and thin, yet still muscular, that holds her attention. Edward Cullen. As if he can sense her gaze, he turns in a swift motion to stare at her. In that moment, she knows he is anything other than human. And so begins the unconditional love of Edward and Bella. The lion and the lamb. The vampire and the human.

Although this was my fourth time reading this book, it still captivated my interest. I do adore this series, with its highly imaginative characters, unexpected events, and complicated romances, but after reading it through four times, I realize some of the dialogue is a little unrealistic, and the words aren’t as well put together as some other author’s. I believe the reason this book is one of the most popular with teens is because of the extraordinary plot and creative traits given to the pretend species Meyer created. I would still recommend this series to fantasy and romance lovers.

Also in this series are New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. If you fall in love with this series, you’ll love The Host, also by Stephanie Meyer.

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

New Moon

Meyer, Stephanie. New Moon. New York City: Little, Brown and company, 2006. 563 pages. (Vampire/Romance/Thriller)

Bella Swan is ready to give up her human life to be with Edward Cullen. She dreams of belonging to his family, of becoming a vampire. All of those dreams are crushed when Edward leaves her forever. It will be as if I never existed. Dazed, the months fly by as she floats through them, numb and broken, until Jacob Black comes into her life. Her personal sun. He helps to ease the pain of the wounds he left behind. Bella clutches onto him as the pain eases, but only in his presence. Without him near, she is empty. Slowly she begins to laugh again, following him on dangerous missions. She happily goes along with every dangerous idea of his, for every time she does something life threatening, she can hear Edward’s furious voice in her head. Only then can she think of him without the pain. Only when her personal sun begins to fade does she realize something is wrong. Jake doesn’t return her calls, won’t see her, abandons her. When she does see him, he is cold, so longer warming her with his presence. In his absence, Bella is restless, so she decides to do something he promised he would do with her. Cliff diving. Atop the cliff, she inches closer to the edge, warming herself with his furious voice. And she jumps. At the bottom of the cliff, she is submerged in icy water, and loses any wishes to ever again resurface. She sees his face, and that is enough for her. The decision to jump could cost Bella her life, though she won’t die from drowning. If the end comes for her, it will be in Edward’s arms.

My fourth time reading this book, it is the time I have most enjoyed it. It has always been my least favorite book in the series, for the simple reason that Edward is absent for most of the book. But now as I have read it again, I am beginning to see the ingeniousness of this plot. Also, I see what an important character Jacob proves himself to be in this book. I think Edward had to leave sometime in this series because Bella seemed too helpless when he had always been there. But after he left, she proved herself to be quite a strong character. I have always been more of an Edward fan than a Jacob fan, but Jacob is becoming more prominent in my mind each time I read this series. This book definitely took a while for me to get warmed up to, but I can now truly appreciate it.

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

Eclipse

Meyer, Stephenie. Eclipse. New York City: Little, Brown and Company, 2007. 629 pages. (Vampire/Romance/Thriller)

For Bella Swan, time is running out fast. She has to make a choice between her best friend, Jacob Black, and her love, Edward Cullen. A half-crazed vampire desires nothing more than Bella’s death and gets closer to her goal every day. The most important decision of her life lies ahead: vampire or human? Edward seems content to leave her human and let her get old, but Bella has other plans. She longs to be a Cullen, to be a vampire. It’s not much of a decision, considering the Volturi, ancient vampire guardians, are counting the weeks until her transformation to an immortal. There are dozens of newborn vampires running rampant in Seattle. Thirsty and crazed, they are killing more and more people every day. It seems to Bella as if it’s coming at her from all sides these days. Even with a vampire family and a werewolf pack intent on keeping her alive and mortal, how long will she last?

Way to go Stephenie Meyer! I always felt as if Meyer’s books were a straight and narrow lane with no intersecting conflicts, but this book defied that. She did a good job of intertwining a couple of different conflicts and made them come together in the end, and that’s what gives this book interest to incline me to read it five times! This book, I feel, is the most dynamic book in the saga because of this. A great read for romance and thriller lovers!

Also in this series: Twilight, New Moon, and Breaking Dawn. If you love this saga and are thirsty for mare of Meyer, read The Host.

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

Breaking Dawn

Meyer, Stephenie. Breaking Dawn. New York City: Little, Brown and Company, 2008. 754 pages. (Vampires/Romance/Thriller)

Bella Swan has given up her normal human life to join the world of the supernatural. Edward Cullen, the love of her life, has convinced her to marry him, much to her dismay. But she has not agreed without a compromise. As soon as they are married, he has to fill his side of the bargain. With the wedding days away, Bella can’t help but worry what this event will do to her forever best friend, Jacob Black. As she walks down the staircase, train trailing behind her, she is symbolically leaving behind her old life to join the Cullens. The night couldn’t get any more perfect, when Jacob shows up, painful as it is. Thanks to Bella’s big mouth, the moment of perfection is ruined and she sinks back into worry. Not that there’s much room to worry about him, when there are people to meet and dances to be danced. Finally Edward whisks her away and off to their honey moon. Bella’s side of the deal is filled and she can’t help but bask in the perfection of being Bella Cullen. There is only one problem, though, a problem that just might take her life away with it.

Well, this is certainly a drama filled way to end the Twilight saga with a bang! This book is very different from the others in the Twilight saga in that it is written from two different points of view in different sections in the story. Also, in the other books there was always one major conflict, but in this book there were at least four conflicts. I enjoyed all of the drama in this book, there was hardly any down time. I can’t help but marvel at the complex vampire covens, talents, and relationships. This gave me a new appreciation for the imaginary species Meyer created.

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

Wicked

Maguire, Gregory. Wicked. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1995. 406 pages. (Fantasy)

Everybody knows the Wicked Witch of the West. Her plot to get her dead sister’s shoes from Dorothy ended up killing her. And, of course, we were all glad when she died. We were rooting for Dorothy. But how did the Wicked Witch of the West become so evil? Did she have a real name? What about a mother and a father? The truth is she grew up fairly normally. Her name was Elphaba. She had a mother and a father, though the second was unknown for a time. And she grew up in Munchkinland and Quadling Country with her mother, until her death, her father, Frex, her sister, Nessarose, and her brother, Shell. She was born green, as her sister was born with no arms. She was accepted into Shiz University along with Nessarose and Galinda. There at Shiz, their futures unfolded.

Elphaba- The Wicked Witch of the West
Nessarose- The Wicked Witch of the East
Glinda- The Good Witch of the North

Three childhood friends, three witches working towards different causes. What went wrong?

This book was a masterpiece of literature! It was very difficult to follow at the beginning, but if you stick to it your patience will be rewarded. It is very interesting to have The Wizard of Oz told from a different point of view. I know I will never watch that movie again with the same mind set. Whereas as before I was rooting for Dorothy, now I will be rooting for Elphaba. Maguire does a great job of having her start out as a poor, helpless, innocent, little child and in the end, she is almost as heartless as she seems in the movie. Still, knowing her past and so much she lost it is impossible not to feel pity for her. One of the most famous villain’s story, retold!

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

Ttyl

Myracle, Lauren. Ttyl. New York City: Amulet Books, 2004. 209 pages. 9Realistic Fiction/Drama)

The first day of tenth grade for Zoe (zoegrl), Maddie (madmaddie), and Angela (SnowAngel)is a great start to the year. They vow they will never be torn apart. But they had no way of knowing how popularity games, jerky boys, and flirty teachers would be involved. They try to stick together, hard as it is, but when the last straw is pulled, their friendship is really put to the test. In the end, will they be able to pull together to save each other, when no one else can? Read ttyl to find out!

This book is so unique because it is told entirely in instant messages! The characters tell the whole story through IMs! I really like the storyline in this book, because the friendship that was vowed never to be broken is put to the test for each of the girls, but they each come through in the end. Lauren Myracle does a great job of making the characters unique and seem real. Zoe, Angela, and Maddie each have their own style of IMing and it adds life to the characters. It is fun to see, as the book goes on, how the characters change and mature, as if they really are getting older each time I read the series. This is a fun book to read, and I guarantee there is no other like it!
Also in the series: ttfn and l8r, g8r!

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

Ttfn

Miracle, Lauren. Ttfn. New York City: Amulet Books, 2007. 230 pages. (Realistic Fiction/Drama)

For Zoe, Maddie, and Angela, their friendship has taken a lot of effort to keep it alive. Friends since the seventh grade, they are determined never to part. But this is harder said than done, for eleventh grade will provide many hurtles for them to overcome. First, Angela finds out news that will change her life. Will she go with the flow, or do something about it? Then, Maddie gets caught up with a bad group of kids and gets in trouble with the law. Zoe, usually goody-goody-toe-shoes, takes a dare which lets loose her wild side. All three of the girls come across bumps in the road, some bigger than others. Will their friendship prevail?

What a cool series! It is told entirely by Zoe, Maddie, and Angela through their instant messages to each other. It is such an interesting format because, although the instant message conversations are very drama filled, you find out about recent events through the retellings to each other, so you really have to follow along. The characters really gained depth in this book. I like how each of the characters’ personalities are so different. Zoe is the good girl, Angela is the drama queen, and Maddie is the wild rebel. I definitely recommend this book; it’s one you won’t forget!This is the second book in the series, so don’t miss the first, ttyl, and the third, l8r, g8r!

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

L8r, g8r

Miracle, Lauren. L8r, g8r. New York City: Amulet Books, 2007. 274 pages. (Realistic Fiction/Drama)

Maddie, Zoe, and Angela are back, this time as seniors. As all of the dramas of past years melt away new dramas arise and old foes resurface. Zoe makes a stand to be less passive about what she wants, Angela has some major guy trouble that has her down in the dumps, and Maddie struggles with some very big decisions while also trying to support her friends. And all three of them have to deal with the school bully, Jana. As college looms before them, Zoe, Angela, and Maddie find that their futures will split them apart physically, but that maybe their friendship is worth the extra effort to stay together in spirit.

Out of this whole series, ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r, I think this is my favorite. The whole series is told entirely in IMs, but this book takes on new depth. The characters each age and mature while their personalities are defined, the adventures and hurtles they overcome take on new meaning, and their faith to each other is amplified. This book is a great way to end the series!

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

Pretties

Westerfeld, Scott. Pretties. New York City: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, 2005. 370 pages. (Sci-Fi)

Tally Youngblood is an authentic criminal. Even after all of her sneaking out and awesome pranks as an ugly, she is still here in New Pretty Town, a Pretty at last. In Tally’s world, once you turn 16, you get an operation that makes you perfect and pretty. But recently, Tally and her new friends have been suspicious of something else that changes when you get the operation. Something that makes you obey everyone in the city, something that makes you not be able to think for yourself, something that would lead to a need for a cure- a cure for pretty-mindedness. The more Tally hangs out with Zane, leader of the Crims, the more they think there was more to their past than they know. But why can’t they remember? What is wrong with their brains?

This is such a thrilling book! I have read it at least four times and I still love it! This book takes place in the future and the imagination the author has of how the world will be is breathtaking. I really like this series because all of the inventions that are key in the story are actually plausible and well thought out. Instead of surfboards flying through air magically, they have electromagnetic lifters that push against the city’s magnetic grid. It seems so real, as if in a hundred years this really will happen. The characters in this book are so independent and unique it seems as though this book gives me a glimpse of the future and the events that take place. An awesome read!

Reviewed By: dancingPenguin96

Specials

Westerfeld, Scott. Specials. New York City: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, 2006. 372 pages. (Sci-Fi)

Tally Youngblood has been through a lot since she was an ugly, staring across the river and dreaming of being a pretty. But when her dream came true, Tally still wasn’t satisfied. Along with the help from the New Smoke, her old boyfriend, and all of her crim friends, Tally Youngblood escaped the city- again. But when a tracker showed up in her boyfriends tooth, she forfeited her freedom in order to stay with him. Back in the city, she was transformed into a special and everything changed.

Being a special, everything was icy. The world took on a whole new perspective. Even Tally had changed. Her bones and muscles have been strengthened to turn her into an unbreakable fighting machine. But when her faith to Zane, her boyfriend, goes a little over the edge and she and her friend ruin all of the city’s defense weapons, the unthinkable happens. With the city at war, Tally has no choice but to enter the lion’s den and confess what she did. But will they listen?
*************************************************************************************
This book is phenomenal! The plot twists and turns unpredictably, and the characters are swift thinking and terrifying! The main character in this book is so three dimensional and changing. It is very interesting to see, as the series continues, how Tally changes. In Uglies, the first book in the series, Tally is a heartwarming, average character. In Pretties her brain is messed with and she turns into a shallow, self centered bubblehead. She slowly rewires her brain and cures herself, but again, in Specials, Tally’s brain is tampered with and she turns into a dangerous superior fighting machine, disgusted with everyone who is not in her clique. She manages to cure herself yet again. These transformations are what keep this series fresh and interesting no matter how many times it is read!

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

Extras

Westerfeld, Scott. Extras. New York City: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, 2007. 417 pages. (Sci-Fi)

Imagine a place where society is based around fame. Hovercams, personal and commercial, swarm the air capturing every moment. Those with good stories to put on the feeds grow popular. The more a person’s name is said in the city, the higher their face rank and the more power they hold. But not everyone lives like this. There are those who live in obscurity, face ranks in the six digits or more. Extras.

Aya Fuse is an extra, a nobody. The world doesn’t know she exists, but they will. For a couple of day, Aya tracked a secret clique. The Sly Girls. She followed them into a storm drain to an underground lake at a construction site. That’s where the deal was made. Take her hovercam and go home, never to see the Sly Girls again. Or let her hovercam be dropped into the lake and join the Sly Girls. Aya forfeits her hovercam, the only consistent thing in her life. Gone. As her time with the Sly Girls extends, Aya finds herself standing on top of moving magnetic- levitation trains and taking risks she wouldn’t have dreamt of before. But her enjoyment is clouded by the fact that she’s deceiving them. Hovercams and button cams capture every one of their tricks, without them even knowing it. But their little pranks turn into something completely different when they come across a weapon like no other. A weapon to destroy the world. And this city killer is just what Aya needs in order to have the fame she has always wanted.

What a fabulous futuristic book! The imagination that went into this book swept me into the future and into the middle of this fame-crazed city! One thing I really love about this series is that the people of our time are referred to as Rusties. In this series, we almost destroyed our world and wiped out our own species, but some survived and escaped into the wild. This futuristic world is very careful about their environment and not messing with the wild. The thoughts and opinions of Westerfeld are portrayed very obviously in these novels and it puts thought into the readers mind as to what will become of our polluted and damaged earth. It makes for a very interesting read. I recommend to any and all!

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

Wintergirls

Anderson, Laurie H. Wintergirls. New York City: Penguin Group, 2009. 278 pages. 9Realistic Fiction)

Lia is alive. Barely. Her best friend, Cassie, is dead. But she’s not gone. She haunts Lia whispering promises and cheering her on as Lia continues her journey to dangerland. 100. 95. 90. 85. 80. 75. 70. She is less and less. Her body weighs less than her spirit, imagination, and hope. Even those are withering away. Her body begins to panic as it becomes lighter and lighter. In the hospital, in the car, on the floor. Cold. Blood seeping from her fresh cuts. Cassie cheers her on every step of the way. Until the end. Just when Lia finally has something to live for, she may be out of chances.

This book actually made me feel despair as if it were my life that was spiraling out of control. I found myself rooting for this made up character at some times and not understanding her at others. Lia’s mind is so twisted and out of control I lose track of reality as I follow her down her dangerous path. The character seems so real that I had to remind myself that she’s only a figment of the author’s imagination. It is strange and terrifying to see into the mind of an insane person. This book is the first in a while that got an extremely strong reaction out of me because of how helpless and defenseless Lia is against herself. This book is powerful and educational and showed me how hopeless some peoples’ lives become in the face of mental illness. I highly recommend this; it is something you are sure to remember.

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

Chains

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Chains. New York City: Simon and Schuster Publishing Division, 2008. 300 pages. (Historic Fiction)

Isabel has been draped in chains, tied to chains, and fighting chains all of her life. A slave during the American Revolution, no one seems to have a spare ear to listen to her plead for freedom. But when her little sister is sold, Isabel learns that some things are worth fighting for, and some chains must be broken. As the war rages on, both sides are desperate for help, whether it be spies, nurses, or messengers. And when her future is seriously threatened by her masters, Isabel realizes that she is on no side of the war, but will help whoever can promise her freedom.

This novel is so heartbreaking and shocking is left me breathless and praying for this rebellious and brave girl who was marked a slave by the color of her skin. I love how, in this book, the characters are each so different in what they value. For example, Isabel values freedom and cherishes family; while her master, Madam, values money and enjoys seeing others suffer. The characters in Anderson’s novels always surprise me by the depth they seem to have. Laurie Halse Anderson is a magician when it comes to words and I have no doubt you, too, will be swept away with her enchanting characters and powerful words.

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

Song of the Sparrow

Sandell, Lisa Ann. Song of the Sparrow. New York City: Scholastics Inc., 2007. 383 pages. (Fantasy)

Sixteen year old Elaine is a woman, the only woman who lives in the army encampment led by young Arthur. Her father and brothers, friends and crushes, march off to each battle with their heads held high, leaving Elaine behind. Only she does not stay. She follows them and watches as the battle unfolds before her eyes, eyes that were not meant to see such horrid things. A woman’s eyes. And after each battle she heals her adopted brothers with herds and leaves. She mends their clothes and cooks their meals. Although she lives with many, she is alone. She is alone with these men whom she loves, but they could not truly understand her as a woman would.

Then Gwynivere comes along in her fancy dresses and tightly laced shoes and proves the opposite of the female friendship Elaine was wishing for. Only when the girls are faced with the future deaths of their loved ones can they work together to save them.

Although this book was interesting, it was a little too different. It was almost told in verse and this caused many necessary details to be left out leaving me with not enough to develop a good mental picture of the things in this book. Also, the events that turned out to be the very core of this book seemed rushed and not well planned out. The writing style seemed inexperienced and not thought out enough. This book turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment, and I do not recommend it.

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

Sold

McCormick, Patricia. Sold. New York City: Hyperion Books, 2006. 263 pages. (Realistic Fiction)

Lakshmi lives in Nepal. Her family has no money, not even enough for a tin roof. When the monsoons wash all of her family’s crops away, Lakshmi is told she must go to the city to find work. She is brought into the hands of rough child labor, eating away at her childhood. She keeps a diary and keeps track of when she will have paid off her debt and will be able to leave, although there is information she is missing. Mumtaz, the harsh woman who oversees the child labor, has a perfected plan on how to keep the girls in debt to her forever. And although the children think they are earning money for their families, Mumtaz makes sure not a single cent will ever reach their homes. Will Lakshmi ever escape? When the time comes, will Lakshmi be willing to give up this new life for something she has almost forgotten?

This chilling book intertwines one girl’s childhood with the harsh child labor trade. Her journey, which starts out as a noble cause to help her poor family, is heartbreaking as it turns out to be a trap with no easy way out. The cultures shown in this book have such differences from the cultures we are used to and it almost feels like a different world. Lakshmi was created as a strong, willful girl, yet also naïve and trusting. This character is very easy to relate to, and it is strange to hear of her young journeys in such an unforgiving world. This is a superb book, and I highly recommend it!

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96

The Secret Life of Bees

Monk, Sue Kidd. The Secret Life of Bees. London: Penguin Books, 2002. 302 pages. (Realistic Fiction)

Lily Owens is motherless, unloved, rebellious, and white. Growing up in South Carolina 1964, the Civil Rights Movement is going on and this leads to even more turmoil. Lily’s stand in mother, Rosaleen, is black herself, and when she is thrown in jail for insulting some white men, Lily decides to break away from her hateful, abusive father and spring them both free. On the run, Lily has no plan and no direction until she sees a label on a honey jar that matches a picture her mother left behind. She and Rosaleen run straight into the arms of a loving and generous trio of black beekeeping sisters. The only white person in a household of black women, Lily is, for the first time, self conscious of her own skin. As their stay with them continues, Lily can’t help but notice the connections these sisters seem to have with her mother, and she sets out to find the truth.

This novel is an inspiring and creative book that sucks you into the Carolina heat and into Lily’s life filled with sadness and regret, yet also determination and love. I loved the differences and uniqueness of each of the characters, and how Lily seems to age and mature throughout the duration of the book. The powerfulness of Sue Monk Kidd’s words brought tears to my eyes and I found myself heartbroken over this fictional character whose childhood was so overshadowed with guilt and regret.

Reviewed By: DancingPenguin96