Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, Helen Simonson's delightful debut, might, judging by the title, seem like a war book of some kind, and I suppose that's true, in a way. In this charming novel, its retired hero, Major Ernest Pettigrew, battles his own falling in love a second time, at the age of 68, with a woman of another religion and race, and deals with many other issues along the way. When my mother handed me this book and remarked that my great-grandma had recommended it, I sort of wrote it off, but Simonson's wit, warmth and surprisingly great skill for a first novel drew me in from page 1. (Sorry, Nana, you were completely right.) I couldn't agree more with the Washington Post's review: "When depicted by the right storyteller, the thrill of falling in love is funnier and sweeter at 60 than at 16...."

Major Pettigrew, which takes place in the present day English village of Edgecombe St. Mary, has several themes, but I think the one that is most applicable to me at this point in my life, as well as so many people today, was brought up by the subplot of the Major's son Roger and his problems, of which there are more than a few: being successful is not about having a lot of money, or living in a fancy house with designer furniture, or getting in good with people of high social status. Success is about having real happiness that comes from accomplishing great things and being with the people you love. In the book, Roger's priorities are all mixed up, and the pain he causes himself and his father through this is sad to read about. One can only wonder how things might have turned out had this not been the case, as the Major would have put it. Simonson perfectly portrays the consequences of a mindset such as Roger's, and I think sends a message that is in great need of being heard in this day and age.

I also thought it was nice to get some insight on what it is like to be "advanced in years," as the Major actually DID put it. I have to admit that I am intimidated by the struggles and tests of character that come with age. The Major endures the deaths of his closest loved ones, has to accept his need to rely on others while remaining dignified and capable in his son's and others' eyes and suffers from poor health in the novel, especially toward the beginning. I don't want any of that, not at all, but there is nothing I can do to prevent those future trials except die young, which I also would like very much to avoid. Hats off to the elderly- you're pretty tough.

Overall, I absolutely adored Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, and I would recommend it to any reader with mature taste (as in you don't need constant action and passionate kissing, and you enjoy sophisticated narration and dialogue). Keep in mind that there are a few more adult topics (mostly toward the end, if this book looks interesting to you but you'd like to steer clear of that type of thing) and some instances of unpleasant language. Three loud cheers and an A+ for the Major, his wonderful story and their creator!

Fablehaven

     Fablehaven by Brandon Mull. Fablehaven is a fantasy, mystery book. It starts out when two kids named Seth and Kendra go and visit their grandparents while their parents go on a vacation. While there they realize their grandma hasn't been seen in a while. However Kendra and Seth's grandpa gives them a lot of clues to reveal a mystery and also get to take care of a chicken. When they drink this special milk, they finally get to see the land of Fablehaven. Fablehaven is like a home for creatures that are magical or that you wouldn't ever see. Now something bad has happened in Fablehaven and it's only up to Kendra, Seth, and Grandpa to save the world.
     
      This book was clever and was exciting. I couldn't stop reading, because they always would leave you hanging. I think the author was trying to tell us the importance of looking at things differently and also to be careful with the environment. I enjoyed this book a lot. it was very suspenseful and fun to read. Next I am going to read the next book.
   
      Overall, I thought this book was well written and was exciting to read. The only problem is a couple of chapters are slow. However that is like most books. I would give this book an A- because of what I said earlier. I would recommend this book for people who like fantasy stories.

When the Bough Breaks (By: KayLynn Mangum)

When the Bough Breaks

By: Kay Lynn Mangum

               

“It was just a normal evening. February, and I was hanging out with my best friend Teresa. We were watching movies, eating ice cream, and playing Truth or Dare. Then everything was shattered… My family fell apart. Mom, she never wanted to get up, locked herself in her room and didn’t come out except for church. With my brother, she’s completely oblivious that Ryan has an alcohol addiction. Though now that’s changing with my new step dad and step brother Dallin. I still feel alone, like the weight of the world is on my shoulders, and it all happened after he died…”

                Rachel Fletcher she was the usual teenage girl. Worried about her weight, and had that usual crush on the high school quarter back. She hung out with her friends, had a happy family and a great life. That was changed though, when her dad died the year before she went into her first year of high school.

                For a long period of time she had to deal with her mom’s depression and her brother’s alcoholism. Then before Rachel realizes, she has a new stepdad Bill, who is completely different from her deceased father. Her dad was funny; he lightened a room just by walking into it, and was just amazing. But Joe, he’s serious, not exciting and to her he’s changing her mom completely. Rachel also has a new stepbrother, who is just few years older than her. It’s weird for her though, because she feels like she has a connection to him. With that Rachel starts to realize how it might not be her against the world after all.

                You can connect this book with a very important thing; the effect death brings on a teen when a close family member dies. Really you can see how a person turns to a specific thing to get their mind off of the pain, especially teens. For example, “When the Bough Breaks” Rachel, the main character turns to her poetry. She expresses her feelings through writing, and doesn’t share them. She keeps them personal. Also she uses her religion; she relies on it and studies it for something to lean on. So many teens do that, they use something that makes them feel better, and takes their mind off of the sadness. They take a great helpful activity and just jump into it. Sometimes though they’re not always the best ones to jump into, like Rachel’s older brother, Ryan with alcohol. He drinks it because he believes it’ll make him feel better, or better yet feel nothing. And lots of teens have done this. They turn to drugs, alcohol, smoking, and other harmful substances to make them feel nothing. Because they don’t want to deal with the pain you feel after a death, but in doing so it soon leads to addictions and more problems that follow. But with this book you can see the real toll the death of a family member at a young age really affected these teens.  

People will really like this book, especially ones who like poetry. The main character in this story writes different types of poems and also uses a couple of really famous poems to express her feelings. Also “When the Bough Breaks” it talks about inner beauty and that it doesn’t matter the shape or size it’s all based on the inside. It’s the fact that you’re kind and embrace a loving heart. Along with that I think most people will love how this book connects with “The Secret Journal of Brett Colton” Kay Lynn Magnums first book. It’s not exactly a sequel, it’s more they go to the school at the same time. Only this time you see the main character of the other book in a different perspective.

                Lastly Kay Lynn Magnum is such a phenomenal author. You can tell when they’re her books; because she has this style where the story is about someone whose family member died, very recently or a long, long time ago. She sort of writes like Nicholas Sparks, because in his books he would always have at least one character be diagnosed with a type of cancer or Alzheimer’s or just would have it  end in a tragic death. And that’s how she sort of writes. Except the deaths usually happen at the beginning and you don’t know the character that well yet. Furthermore I mainly like how she has no sequels. She just leaves the story off and makes you imagine what happens next. And I’ve just always loved books that do that. Magnum wrote this book in such a realistic way that I just love it so much and she has become one of my new favorite authors. And I think anybody who reads this book or one of her others will think so too. I give “When the Bough Breaks” an A+.

Matched By:Allie Condie

I really loved this book. If you enjoyed the hunger games I would really recommended reading this. It’s a dystopian romance book and it is very entertaining!!

The book is about a dystopian community. A community where the government decides who people love, where they work and when they die. The system is perfect it makes everything fair for everybody and keeps everyone in optimal health. 

When a boy or girl turns 17 they go to a match banquet were they are then put with their perfect match, the person they will spend the rest of their lives with. The story starts on the way to the match banquet for a 17 year old girl named Cassia. She is nervous knowing that the boy she could end up being matched with could be living in a whole other providence. Despite her nerves her banquet is perfect everything has fallen into perfect place. Until after the banquet when Cassia goes home and later watches the card they gave her about her match and comes to find that things aren't as perfect as they had come to seem. 

Read this book and go along with Cassia as she watches her "perfect world" gets turned upside down. And that her decisions that will not only change her life but the life of everybody living. A+

 

Of Dreams and Death

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, is a book about the life of two men trying to survive during the Great Depression. These two characters names are Lennie and George. George is the smartest of the group; and Lennie, though very big and strong, has a mental handicap, that makes him less bright than other people. His lower IQ makes him do bad things impulsively.

 The book begins with George and Lennie laying in the brush, and George telling Lennie that if he ever gets into trouble, he should hide in this place. In the original town Lennie and George lived in, Lennie accidentally touches a girls dress, and when she screams he gets scared and grabs on. The girl then told authorities she was raped and as a result George and Lennie have to leave town or be lynched. When they get to their new town and job, the boss is expecting them. Because they arrive late, the work day was over and they were allowed to meet the other farmhands. They meet Candy, a man who lost his hand on the farm; Slim, the main worker; and Curley and his wife, who are the farm owner’s son and daughter-in-law. Work was hard on the farm, but George and Lennie kept their hopes alive. They dream of someday buying a little piece of land they could farm together. One night when Lennie was playing with some puppies in the barn, Curley’s wife comes in and starts taunting him. Lenny gets scared and accidentally snaps her neck killing her. He goes to hide in the brush, where George tells him to go to should he get into trouble. Even though Lennie does not mean to kill her, he has to pay a price. If Lennie wasn’t killed on sight, he would have to go to jail and/or be executed. Although George talked about how his life would be better without Lennie, he still loves him like a brother and does not want to see him suffer. So George finds Lennie hiding in their special location and kills him painlessly. Thus Lennie does not have to go through jail and execution.

Two themes stood out in the book. One of which being the power of dreams. Dreams are what make all the characters in the book strive to get a better life. I think peoples’ dreams give them hope. Even if they don’t achieve all their dreams, they can still hope to find happiness. Another theme in the book is loneliness. Every character in the book, other than George and Lenny, were lonely. Even though George complained about Lennie, he cared about him. The other characters seemed to wish they had a relationship like George and Lennie’s. An example is Curley and his wife; they didn’t love each other, but they both longed for love. I thought this theme was relevant because in middle school, many people are lonely just like in the book. They feel like they don’t have anyone who cares about them, or friends to watch their back.

I thought this book was one of the best books I have ever read. The twist at the end completely baffled me. But I would like to warn people, this book is extremely sad, so think carefully about how the book will affect you. I still recommend this classic to anyone, no matter what genre they like. A+!

Return of the King: J.R.R Tolkien

        The Return of the King, by J.R.R Tolkien, is the final book in the series, The Lord of the Rings. It continues again Frodo and Sam's quest to reach Mount Doom and destroy the ring.
        War is kindling over all of Middle Earth. Sauron is gathering armies from all over Middle Earth and planning to plant the final blow on Minas Tirith. Now King Theoden and the riders of Rohan must go and aid Gondor in the battle that will decide the doom of their time. But, will Gondor and Rohan be enough to defeat the armies of Mordor? No of course not. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimili, along with other rangers go to the Paths of the Dead to awaken a dead army. Meanwhile, Frodo has been stung by Shelob (the giant spider) and has been taken by orks to the tower of Cirith Ungol. Now Samwise the brave must go through a tower of orks to rescue Frodo so they can continue their journey to destroy the ring.
        I thought that this was an amazing book, and I thought that it was well written except for some slow parts, but I guess that is the way they wrote book back then. I  also really liked the courage of Sam and Frodo, because they get in the most impossible situations and they still persevere through basically anything. They even come home to a destroyed place, but they still fix that too.
      All in all, since this was an amazing book, I would give it a grade of and A+, and I would recommend anyone to read the Return of the King, after they read the Fellowship and Two Towers.
       

     The Clockwork Angel by: Cassandra Clare is the first book in the Infernal Devices series which is a prequel series to The Mortal Instruments. *Note* This series is meant to be read after The Mortal Instruments.
     This book takes place in 1860 Victorian London. It starts off with a girl named Theresa Gray, A.K.A. Tessa, who moves to London after the death of her Aunt. While in search for her brother, Nathaniel, Tessa is captured by two demons named the Dark Sisters. The sisters open up the world of demons and shadowhunters and teach Tessa to use her newly discovered powers. Tessa later learns that a man called The Magister wants to marry Tessa and use her powers of change for his own purposes. In Tessa's escape from the Dark house she meets a young shadow hunter named Will Herondale who rescues her and takes her to the church to live with the shadow hunters. There she meets James, Charlotte, Henry, and Sophie who she will soon come to call her new family.
     Through out the book, Tessa must face treacherous dangers, life changing choices, and learn to mold herself to this new world. Along the way, she finds that she has feelings for both James and Will and that she will have to make a choice or risk breaking up their friendship.
     I really enjoyed this book. Not just for the action, romance, and angels, but also because this book provides a lot more background knowledge on shadowhunters, demons, and warlocks. Additionally, both Tessa and Will enjoy poetry and reading and they use quotes to describe their feelings which helped me connect to the characters as well as the book itself. They use quotes from The Bible, Tennyson, and most of all, Charles Dickens.
     Personally, I loved learning more about 1860's London. I loved the fashion, how she described the city, and most of all just the way they talked back then. It was definately a great learning experience.
     All in all, I loved this book and I am so excited to read the next one.

The Return of The King

      The Return of The King by: J.R.R. Tolkien is the third and last part in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The book begins with Gandalf and Pippin riding by horseback to Minas Tirith. As they are riding to Minas Tirith great forces of evil are gathering to try and defeat the race of man. These great forces start by capturing Osgiliath, then Sauron's forces gather on the Pellanor Fields to begin the siege of Minas Tirith. Then, of course, the good guys win, but that doesn't mean that the fighting is over. The part of the Fellowship that is in Gondor is going to distract Sauron by knoking on his front door, the Black Gates, and starting a war to distract him from Frodo and Sam. Now on to Frodo and Sam's journey to Mordor. When they left off, Frodo had been captured by orcs and taken to the tower of Cirith Ungol. Then, being the trusty sidekick that he is, Sam comes and saves Frodo from the tower so they can continue their quest to Mount Doom. Once they have traveled across Mordor to the foot of Mount Doom, they must scale the mountain to destroy the ring. Once they destroy the ring they can head back to the peaceful and quiet land of Hobbiton right? Wrong! When they arrive they find that the Shire had been overrun by Saruman. After things get taken care of in Hobbiton, Frodo feels the need to leave Middle Earth at the Grey Havens along with Bilbo and Gandalf, therefore, ending the trilogy.
     This book was amazing to read! First of all because it's Lord of the Rings...duh. It was also great to read because of the feeling of success you feel from Frodo and Sam destroying the ring once and for all. Although, I didn't really like the ending because I didn't really understand why Frodo wanted to leave, especially Gandalf and Bilbo. When I finished the book I was thinking, "I've read Lord of the Rings... now what do I do with my life?!?" Overall, I hope you end up reading this amazing trilogy.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

     Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the second most read book in the world, written by J.K. Rowling. It is a marvelous book telling the story of the wizarding wonder, Harry Potter. Harry Potter has lived a miserable life in Privet Drive for as long as he can remember. His aunt and uncle abuse him daily while spoiling their son Dudley. Harry has practically given up on hoping for a good life when he gets a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry. His uncle destroys the letters as they come and eventually moves away to avoid them. Then, Hagrid, a half giant and the gamekeeper of Hogwarts rescues him from the Dursleys and into the wizarding world.
      Unfortunately, the world of wizards is not a safe place. Hagrid tells Harry that his parents were killed by Voldemort, the darkest wizard there ever was. Voldemort tried to kill Harry too, but it backfired, leaving only a lightning shaped scar on Harry's forehead. Nobody knows if Voldemort is dead or just trying to regain his power. Because of this miraculous story, Harry goes to Hogwarts as a celebrity
     While at Hogwarts, he learns all about magic and plays Quiditch, a sport played on flying broomsticks. He also becomes friends with Ron Weasley, a poor but honest boy. Harry and Ron, as well as the know-it-all Hermione Granger are running from Filch, a sort of hall monitor, when they walk into a forbidden room with a three headed dog guarding a trap door. As the year goes on, Harry and Ron become suspicous of Snape, the Potions professor. On Halloween night, a troll gets into the castle, and they think that Snape let it in as a distraction. The troll ends up in the girl's bathroom while Hermione is inside. Harry and Ron end up saving her and becoming friends. Unfortunately, not all students at Hogwarts are Harry's friends. Draco Malfoy, a prideful jerk whose father was a supporter of Voldemort, becomes enemies with Harry.
     This book is definitely one of the best books I have ever read. I could not disagree with any of the themes and morals in this book. One of the biggest themes is that friendship is a key role to make it through trials. Harry relied on his friends as well as vice versa to defeat their enemies and make it out of life threatening situations. This book also taught of bravery, courage, and that hard work yields rewards. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a thrilling story that you just can't put down. A.

   

The Thief Lord By: Cornelia Funke

            This story starts out in Venice, Italy, with hidden canals, and crumbling rooftops, it makes an excellent place for children running away. This book is about Prosper, and Bo, who ran away from there cruel Aunt and Uncle, after their parents died. They live on the streets for awhile until they meet and 13 year old orphan who calls himself the Thief Lord, who leads a band of misfits running the streets, steaing things and causing mischief. Prosper and Bo enjoy their new family and a life of stealing but their Aunt and Uncle aren't going to give up that easy. They hire a detective to try to find them, when they hire him, he feels that they might have joined the Thief Lord's gang, so he tries to also bring them to justice. They try to steal from a Candy Store in a little alley when the detective first finds them. The whole gang is there and they book it, but The Thief Lord does not get away in time and is hiding in the store with Bo, who also didnt make it. But of course the Thief Lord is prepared and make home made flash grenades and flashed him. While the other kids came back with a moped they found on the street. they ride it down the alley and scare away the detective away. The Detective saw both of the kids and went back and told the Aunt that he saw them both. From there on he looks for the hideout. Prosper and Bo make a Mistake that will threaten the Gang and The Thief Lord has a Secret, that changes everything...but you will have to read the book!

          This is a very good book that I suggest everyone who wats to read a suspenceful thriller that has things you will not see coming. This is filled with Action that we keep you glued to the book. This book is almost never boring, so if you are not into reading very much then this is a good book for you! I give this a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. Also this is a great writer who wrote Inkheart and Dragon Rider, so you almost know that this is a good book! 

The Importance of Being Earnest

     The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde was a hilarious read. A play set in 1895, it is a comedy about two men who both pretend to be someone they're not. Jack Worthing lives in the country and has a over-imaginative, beautiful, young ward named Cecily. He also says that he has a poor sick brother named Earnest who lives in the city. He does this so that he can go to the city often, pretending to be Earnest, and court Miss Gwendolen Fairfax. He is about to propose to her when his best friend (in the city), Algernon Moncrieff (also Gwendolen's cousin), sees that his cigarrett case is labeled with the name "Jack". Algernon, being very protective over his cousin, refuses to give his permission of the proposal until Jack explains himself. When Jack reveals that his name is not actually Earnest and he has just invented his brother, Algernon gets an idea. After listening in on Gwendolen's and Jack's conversation (she does say yes), he gets Jack's country address and immediately leaves to help his "poor sick friend Bunbury".

     Confusion and comedy that follows as Algernon and Jack's ward, Cecily, fall in love (her thinking he's named Earnest), while Gwendolen comes to visit Jack (her thinking he's named Earnest), and Jack and Algernon really don't understand women at all. 

     This book/play was a really great read -- as Oscar Wilde himself put it: a trivial comedy for serious people. Since it was from the late 1800's, some of the language used is not lingo we use today, which made it a teeny bit difficult to understand. However, since it is all about love and comedy and mistakes, it really isn't that complicated of a book. There are some conversations between Jack and Algernon that would offend a really uptight feminist but it's really all just fun and games. 

     I really enjoyed this book because it was short, funny and clever. It was also pretty engaging and hard to put down. There was dramatic irony raining down over these peoples heads as they wandered around trying to find who they were proposed to. I would recommend this book to everyone and I give it an A.

Of Mice and Men

       I had only ever seen the movie of this story, and thought it was a pretty good movie. Or rather, a good story line all together. Then I thought that I would go ahead and give the book a try as well. Of Mice and Men, is  a story about two very close friends, jumping from job to job on the hard road, rucksacks full of supplies, and minds full of the hope that one day they might make enough money to move to the paradise, thought up on the free time of the harsh jobs at hand. These friends are extremely close, might as well be biological brothers. This seems like it is a soon to be happy ending. Girls, riches, paradises and all. However, this is a false statement indeed. For you see, of the two travel mates, George, and Lennie, Lennie happens to have a mental retardation. He Slurs words, never remembers anything besides the paradise he has built in his head, has the mind and spirit of a young child, and he also has an unbelievable strength that he has a rather hard time controlling. This, is why they must jump from job to job. Avoiding the cleaning up of the messes Lennie creates with his strength and stupidity. No matter what the challenges of these two best buddies, they seem to slip by every problem they face. Almost.

       Of Mice and Men is a very touching story, that definitely brought me in, and attached me to the characters within the first few pages. Sadly, I happened to like the movie much more. Obviously you still have to give credit to the guy that wrote the thing in the first place, but sometimes the second making can be just a little better than the first. The movie just contained so much more detail in the story. And boy, do those little things add up. Also, Lennie was a much more interesting character to think about when his voice, and his expressions were put in my mind. It helped me really see how much trouble these two guys had to go through. Or more accurately, what George had to go through. All in all, it is a great story, movie or not. However, I am not rating the story, I am rating the book. So, i give it a b+, and would recommend any form of this story to anyone. (the movie is on Netflix, just F.Y.I)

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James Dashner once again did a fantastic job on the book The Scorch Trials. I was so excited to read this book after reading The Maze Runner the first book in the series. As I said in my review from last time I loved the Maze Runner and it left me wanting so much more. When I got Scorch Trials I thought it would bring me that, but sadly it did not meet my expectations. The plot followed almost the same guidelines except it was a new place with a different quest but not a different goal… to survive. It was a story where global warming pollution and sun flares all worked together to create this new post apocalyptic world. It is very similar to the first book like I said before. That is why I gave the book The Scorch Trials a B+. Even though it was quite exciting it did not hook me like the previous book did.

             After the gladers escape the maze they meet a group of people from WICKED along with Gally who had disappeared from the Glade. Gally threw a knife at Thomas but Chuck jumped in and saved him by sacrificing himself. Soon a group of rescuers come and put the kids on a bus. This all happened after the group learned that there was a second group or group B.  This news came after Thomas had heard Teresa in his head yelling. When he went to her door to check on her it said “The Betrayer” on the door. As They walked in however Teresa is not there instead there is a boy whose name is Aris from Group B. Group B as Aris tells them was almost the exact same. The same Maze, same grievers , and even the same challenges. However the one major difference was unlike group A with all Teenage boys and one girl sent to trigger the ending group B had the exact opposite situation. They had all girls but had one boy sent to trigger the ending. So in a way Aris was the Teresa to group B. Also just like Thomas and Teresa, Aris can talk in his mind with a girl that was in group B.

            A new challenge is discovered though they are told by Rat-Man (a strange man that showed up telling them that they have been infected with the Scorch and that they must get to a certain location to be cured. While they learn about this they also discover Cranks (the new grievers in a way) which are people that have lost sanity to the scorch. They are as I imagined them zombielike creatures without the craving to eat brains. As we follow Thomas on this new and exciting journey he teams up with some cranks who agree that they will help Thomas and his friends get out of the city if they can get the cure as well as the gladers. On their way to the location (I’ll try not to give to much away) they encounter group B a few times. So with so many obstacles ahead of them, will Thomas and his friends make it and what is going to happen with group B? No one will know until you try this great book written By James Dashner.

The Candy Shop War, Arcade Catastrophe

     The Candy Shop War 2 is about a boy named Nate who is in a club called the Blue Falcons. In this club there is Pidgean, Trevor, Summer, Nate, and Lindy. These friends work with a magician named Mr. Scott, who can create magical candy. Supposedly, one of the most powerful magicians name Mozag was captured and imprisoned. Mozag is a police magician that keeps all the bad magicians in line. Therefore his imprisonment is very bad. The Blue falcons hear that there is a new arcade that has opened, and that the magician that captured Mozag might own the place. Together the Blue Falcons found out that at the arcade, there are special stamps one can earn by getting 50 thousand tickets.

     Once Nate earned enough tickets with the help of special candy, he got the jet stamp. Once he got the Jet stamp he found that he could fly! After Nate got his stamp Summer got a tank stamp. Then Trevor got a race car stamp, and last pidgeon got a submarine. Mr. White ( The magician who made the stamps, and who owns the Arcade,) then got the four groups together, and had them all do different quests that was according to their stamps. The Blue Falcons acted as spies, and told Mr. Scott every move that Mr. White made. Soon the Blue Falcons had helped Mr. White to find a map, and a key to help find a treasure that would allow him to dominate the world. Can the Blue Falcons stop Mr. White from getting the treasure? Or have they already helped him to much?

     Brandon Mull did a very good job on this book. It was very creative and fun, just like the first book in this series, except I thought that this book was even better. The Blue Falcons go on many new adventures with new magical powers that make this book very interesting. This book is very exhilarating and keeps you on your toes, just waiting to see what happens next. I would really recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure!

  I give this book an A+ because it is very suspenseful and exciting! Once I started reading this book I couldn't stop reading it! If i had to find one thing bad about this book, I don't think that i would be able to do it! I really enjoyed this book and hope that Brandon Mull comes out with another!

This is What I Did:

     This is What I Did: by Ann Dee Ellis is about a boy named Logan who had to move to a new neighborhood just a couple blocks down from his old neighborhood. He had to move because of what happened with his friend, Zyler. It doesn't tell you until the end of the book about what happened to his friend Zyler and why he had to move away. So, Logan didn't like his new school, neighborhood, or pretty much everyone around him. Logan's neighbors weren't very nice to him and always made fun of him. Logan also talked about Zyler; how they would do a lot of fun things together, and how much he missed him. Read this book to find out what happened to Zyler and how Logan manages to live with everyone that is rude to him.
  
     This book was very entertaining and instructive. It's entertaining because the book its about a boy around the same age as me so I could relate to some of things that happened to him, or things that he did or said. For example, the event that we both attend middle school. Additionally, it made allusions about LDS topics and that I could relate to as well. This book is also instructive.  It was instructive because it said how to treat others and how not to treat others. Along with that you should treat everyone kindly, and the way you would like to be treated. For example, Bryce was extremely rude to Logan by making up names for him and bullied him all the time. Not once in the book was Bryce nice to Logan. I think the author was trying to instruct us to treat everyone kindly.
    
     The author wrote to treat everyone kindly. Not only is it not nice, it's not fun for the person that is being treated unkindly. For example, during the car ride to scout camp, Bryce was asking all of the boys in the car to think of names to call Logan. The names were all very unkind and none of them seemed to care that they were making Logan feel bad. Another thing that the author mentioned is to talk to someone when you are having a hard time. In the book, Bryce never wanted to talk to his parents, or anyone about what was going wrong. Whether it was being bullied in scouts, or what happened to his best friend Zyler, he never talked to anyone about it. From this example
 I think the author was saying that you should talk to someone about what's going on and hopefully they can help you or give advice.

     I really enjoyed this book. It's a short book and easy to understand. I thought it was entertaining because it was relatable, along with being instructive. I would recommended this book to anyone that enjoys realistic-fiction and a good book! A+  

Ravens Gate, by Anthony Horowitz

From the author who wrote the Alex Rider series comes a new series, The Gatekeepers, which starts out with Ravens Gate. This book begins with a 14 year old boy named Matt going to rob a warehouse. The raid goes wrong and he runs into the security guard who ends up getting stabbed. The police arrive and arrest him. After a night in jail, he must go to live with an elderly lady named Mrs. Deverill in a remote town called Lesser Malling. After spending some time there, he notices strange events after he tries to escape. He tries to find info on something he heard called Ravens Gate but fails.
Matt's suspicions are confirmed later when he sees Mrs. Deverill and the villagers of Lesser Malling practicing a ritual of some sort by an abandoned nuclear plant. He thinks she is witch. Anyone who tries to help him dies mysteriously. After finally escaping, he finds more info on Ravens Gate and finds out that it's a type of portal that that will let ancient beings, called the Old Ones who inhabited the earth long ago (like the Forerunners in Halo) to come into the modern world. However, knowing this puts him at risk of being killed.
        The mystery and the suspense of this book keeps you on the edge of your seat. This book was an interesting and exciting read because of that, however, it was a little strange in parts. It had very good descriptive details and a good plot. I recommend it to fans of Anthony Horowitz as well as those who enjoy fantasy.  B+

Catching Fire

         Firstly, I would just like to say that this is by far my favorite book ever. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins is definitely a science fiction book. The main-theme of this awesome book is its controlling government. There are some things that you need to know before you read it, though. Number one is that in the first book of this series, The Hunger Games, Peeta Mellark, and Katniss Everdeen have won the games. Number two, they have made the government angry. And when I say angry, I mean creating uprisings left and right angry. Those are the two most important points that you will need to know.

       Panem is celebrating their 75th anniversary. And, every 25 years, there is The Quarter Quell. The Quarter Quell is when the winners of every year, for the past 25 years fight to the death- literally. So against all odds, Peeta and Katniss get to go back into the arena with their mentor, Haymitch. As they fight in the arena, they find things out about the arena, and the government that will change the game for everyone.
     
       Before you read this book, you should probably read the first book. I promise, it will make a lot more sense if you do. After you read this book, there is another one called, Mockingjay. But, that's a whole different story. Out of all of the books in the series, this one is by far my favorite.

       Suzanne Collins creates a world in which it is impossible to escape. You will never want to put it down. It's that good. I think that the biggest issue this book brings up is government. If the government is good, then the rest of the society will be good, and vise versa. I loved this book so much and I could read it over and over again without getting bored. Its words captivate you into its pages without you even realizing it. This book is amazing. I give this book and A+.

Skeleton Key by Anthony Horowitz

      Alex Rider returns in the third installment of the Alex Rider series. For those of you who don't know the story so far, let me get you up to speed.
      Alex Rider lives in Great Britain in the modern age. He lived with his uncle, Ian Rider, due to his parents' death, and their housekeeper, Jack Starbright. Well, he used to. He still lives in Great Britain, but things have changed. Ian Rider was shot and killed, and up until his death, Alex had no idea that Ian worked for MI6, Britain's Intelligence agency. That explained the long trips that Ian always took. Ian had raised Alex teaching him skills he needed for spy work. Now, Alex works with MI6, though he despises doing it. He has definitely proved himself useful after saving the world - twice - from madmen.
      Now he must do it again. General Alexei Sarov, a Russian general, purchased uranium for a nuclear weapon, though no one knows for sure what he will use it for - or if he even HAS a nuclear weapon. Working with two CIA agents, Alex must pose with the agents as a family to enter Skeleton Key, a Cuban island where Sarov resides. Time is running thin as Sarov's plans with the nuclear weapon draw nearer to a conclusion...
      Stormbreaker, book 1, and Point Blank, book 2, were both far from a disappointment. Book 3 was better than both of them. Horowitz was able to quickly draw me into the story with a gripping introduction to the book. All the way through the book, every chapter except for the first 3, maybe, tensed, forcing me to keep reading. With some action packed in every chapter, how can you not continue? Horowitz's skill to build rising action is phenomenal. It very gradually built higher and higher until the book ended with a huge bang. The penultimate chapter ends leaving the reader hanging on a cliff, but brings them back up, so to speak, in the conclusion.
      There was one major flaw in the book, though. For the third time in a row, Horowitz has focused the theme on one person basically wanting to rule the world. Stormbreaker - it was a man who wanted revenge, and to be able to rule the world. Point Blank - Dr. Grief, doing something quite strange, in order to take over all of the large corporations of the world. And now, Skeleton Key, with Sarov ALSO wanting revenge on an entire country and the ability to rule the world. I sure hope that Eagle Strike, book 4, isn't like that...
      Despite its one flaw in the theme, the benefit, like previous Alex Rider book, far outweighs the negative. I'd give this book an A-, due to the repetetive theme. Otherwise, this book was fantastic, and I highly reccommend it to eager readers and not-so-eager readers alike. A job well done yet again. Nice, Horowitz!

The Death Cure

The Death Cure is the final book of The Maze Runner trilogy.  Like the other books in the series, this book also follows Thomas and the gladers into their adventures.  When they are taken by WICKED in the second book they are told that their tests are finally over.  They go with WICKED  and Thomas hears a faint voice in his head that says, "WICKED is good."  But Thomas still isn't quite sure.

    In the beginning, the gladers are told that some of them are immune to the deadly disease called "the flare".  The gladers are also told that the tests they were in were to study brain patterns so WICKED could find a cure to the disease.  Since the tests are done WICKED tells them that their memories can be restored if they want.  But Thomas says he already knows too much and that he is scared to remember anymore about his past.  Thomas and some of the other gladers come up with a new plan, because they don't trust WICKED.  This plan is to escape from WICKED.  They go to Denver, but instead of dealing with WICKED they have to deal with the real world.

    This was a good book considering that it came after two amazing books before it.  The author has such an incredible imagination that can take me to different places.  When I read his writing it feels like I am living the book.  Although it was a good book, it wasn't the best in the series.  In trilogies it is harder to come up with more things to compare with the first book, but I think it was still great.  These books are wonderful because they just get you thinking about our world.  I mostly think about how we can do things better and how a good government will keep us moving forward.  Lastly, I think of just the motivation humans can have to keep the human race alive.

This book was a perfect ending to this trilogy.  I think everyone should read these book, and if they do they will never stop reading until they finish.
   

Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede

      Thirteenth Child is a book involving frontier magic. Eff and her twin brother Lan live in Helvan Shores, where Eff is mocked, treated like dirt. Why? Eff is a thirteenth child, as the title suggests. Being a thirteenth child is said to bring misfortune and overall doom to herself and others around her. Lan, on the other hand, is the sevneth son of a father who is also a seventh son, meaning that he is supposed to possess extreme abilities and talents. Helvan Shores is not an ideal place for Eff in any way, that's for certain. However, that problem is quickly resolved when they move to Mill City. However, Mill City is right next to the Great Barrier, a magical wall that protects the cities from wildlife - mammoths, dragons, and other common mythical creatures. As Eff and Lan grow up, they both are tested up until a showdown that decides the fate of a city.
      Maybe this sounds dramatic, maybe not. I sure didn't think so, and the book... Well, it definitely could have been better. First off, you probably don't understand the setting of the story; neither did I. Knowing at least WHEN the story took place and what state or country, area, wherever, would have been helpful. The book starts when Eff was five years old, and as the story progresses, so does her age. It's a clever idea, I'll give it that. However, it created some very boring spots. They were balanced with the occasional excitement, but not enough to keep me wanting to read. I really did have trouble reading this because of its dullness. This book definitely has potential, but that potential was executed very poorly.
      The theme, I thought, was that though it may start badly, something small and frowned upon can become something greater, something to be looked up upon. This is definitely true in real life, too. It may not happen often, but it certainly can. This book as a whole, I'd have to give a B- at the very BEST. If you're looking for a book, try Thirteenth Child, but you may not find it the best. Believe me - I thought it'd be a great book when I got it. Heh. I was wrong. Don't hold your hopes too high.

Best Foot Forward - Joan Bauer

   Best Foot Forward is a nonfiction book. The main idea of the book is shoe selling it may be a little unusual but, its rather a great book.
     The book follows around a girl named Jenna, she is in her teens and attending school while working her hardest at a shoe store. She's grown rather close to the owner of the shop and enjoys her job very well. Everything although took a dive, when one day, Jenna and Murry(the guy she works with) were tricked by a sneaky teen trying to steal some shoes. Don't think it's over yet, you would be surprised to find out what the boss does with the boy who tried to steal the shoes. (Yes he was caught) All will be revealed in outstanding and perfect timing in the book.
     I thought this book was absolutely amazing, I couldn't of asked to read a better book. I've  now read two books from this author and I think I am in love with all of her work, especially this one. I loved this book because it kind of shows how hard you have to work for things, showing that persistent pays off, that always give someone a second or even a third chance, also and not least to never give up on anyone, even if they have done you bad. The only thing I would have to say about this book is, the beginning may be a lil boring but I promise if you stick through it would will enjoy it thoroughly.
      All and all I'd have to say this is a pretty amazing book and I would recommend it to pretty much anybody who would be up to read it. I loved it.

I Am Number Four

    Pittacus Lore was very creative in writing I Am Number Four. It is a book unlike any other I have read. It's science fiction with quite a bit of adventure and just a dash of romance. It's about aliens. So, if you like that kind of stuff, I would recommend this book. It focuses on love and hope, without being mushy. John is one of nine Garde children sent to Earth with their guardians, Cepan. Garde are basically the soldiers on John's home planet, Lorien, and have "Legacies," which are kinds of superpowers. Lorien was attacked by the Mogadorians and the Garde kids and Cepan were sent to Earth as Lorien's only hope of keeping their race alive. The nine kids can only be killed in order because of a charm. The Mogadorian have killed three and John is Number Four.

    John Smith is a new student in Paradise, Ohio. Henri, John's Cepan, decided to move there after Three died because it's a small town and the Mogadorians can't go unnoticed by John and Henri that way. John goes to school and quickly becomes friends with Sam, a kid obsessed with aliens and conspiracy theories, and Sarah, a beautiful and kind girl. Sarah's ex-boyfriend, Mark, didn't become friends with John immediately however. He enjoys picking on John and Sam, and doesn't know about John's superhuman strength, speed, or legacies. One night however, Mark goes too far and John uses his legacies to beat him and his friends up. Sam saw John use superpowers and starts to avoid him at school. John confronts him about it and Sam says he thought John was an alien. They laugh it off and continue being friends.

    John, Sam and Sarah all go to a Halloween festival where Sam tells John and Henri about an article in Sam's alien conspiracy magazine, They Walk among Us, that said the Mogadorians were on a quest of universal domination and had wiped out one planet. Earth was next and they were looking for human weakness. John and Henri are interested in it because of the accuracy of the story. Henri decides to research the publishers more and go to visit them in Athens, Ohio. Sarah and John's relationship progresses and soon John goes to her house for Thanksgiving dinner. When Henri doesn't show up, John starts to panic and goes to find Sam for help. They need to find Henri and keep the Mogadorians away from John.

    This book made me think about our planet and how amazing it really is. The book isn't really a "Save the trees!" kind of book, but if we destroy our planet, we have no other options. It's the one and only Earth we've been able to find. If we, like the Mogadorians, use all our natural resources too fast and fill our planet with waste, we will end up like the Mogadorians, planet-less and searching for a new way to survive. It might not necessarily include universe domination, but you catch my drift.

    Another thing I thought was well put by this book is that there are many kinds of love. John experiences love for Sarah, Henri, Sam, Lorien and Earth. They aren't the same kind of love at all though. His love for Henri is like the love I have for my father. He is devoted to his planet, even though it isn't really there anymore. I'm just glad there is a young adult book that expresses many loves and not just a boyfriend, girlfriend kind of love. After awhile of those books, I feel like I need to wash my brain. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy them every now and then, I Am Number Four just had a nice combination and I enjoyed reading it. 

    Overall, this book was pretty good. I enjoy reading, and I have read many books that I can't function or think about other things without finishing it. Kind of sadly, this was not one of those books. I mean, it was a good book, for sure. Maybe I had just heard so many great things about it that I had higher expectations for it. I thought it was just kind of "Meh." I would recommend this book to people, it's just not a top book in my list of favorites. I think I would give this book a B. But again, if you enjoy science fiction and adventure, I would read this book.

The Boy Who Dared

I know, this is my second book review on a book that is all history. But, they are my favorite kind of books to read.  The book I read called The Boy Who Dared and is made up of all flashbacks. This true story is set during WWII in Nazi Germany. The main character Helmuth has to undergo some major challenges at a young age.
        In this book the main character Helmuth is a very young boy growing up in Germany with Nazi influences all around him. He grows up believing in what they say, until Hitler becomes in charge of the nation. Hitler starts a war and take away the simple freedoms of the people of Germany. He hates not having the things he used to before Hitler banned them. Thing as simple as books and the radio. He secretly starts listening to the radio at night and staying up late to do so. He gets his two friends involved promising not to say any names if they were caught. The printed fliers and listened to the radio often. Eventually Helmuth gets ratted out by someone who he thought he could trust.
        The gestapo come and take Helmuth to jail in Berlin. He waits there until he is eventually found guilty for his crimes.
        I loved this book! I found it amazing how much this young boy did to stand up for what he believed in. It just shows that when you believe in something to keep fighting for it. Eventually, what you're doing will make a difference in the live of others. The main character in this book teaches a wonderful lesson to everyone. Even though it meant him dying, he knew what was the right thing to do.
        I also enjoyed this book because it made many Mormon references. Being a Mormon myself, I obviously enjoyed this book more than I would if i wasn't. Keep that in mind if you are thinking about reading it.
         This book was truly amazing and worth the read. Plus, it was an easy read. I would recommend this book to everyone. I give this book an A for sure!!