Long Walk to Water

 

A review of a Long Walk to Water

 "A long Walk to Water" by Linda Sue Park  is a true story about  Salva and Nya who live in different countries in Africa.  It tells two separate stories.  One is about evacuating a village to another country.  That is the Salva’s  part of the story where a war happens and the boy and family have to leave the country.  He spends many years at the refugee camp after the country kicks him out.  He goes through many different challenges including crossing the Nile River which has crocodiles in it and over a thousand people shooting at the escaping refugees.  In the Nya’s  story, every day she has to go to get water in another village and it takes her all day to go there and come back with water.  When the water runs out, she and her family have to leave to go to a camp right next to a lake.  Salva gets evacuated to America by himself after getting lost from his family.  Then he returns to Africa to help other Africans.  At the end of the story Salva helps the girl’s village and they meet.  This is a really good book that I highly recommend.  It is set in a really interesting country.  I like that there are two stories because it makes it interesting.  The Salva works as hard as he can so that the Nya’s village wouldn’t fall apart.  People who like action adventure would like this book.  With this book, if you read the first word, you will read the last word.

Pretty Little Liars

                                  Pretty Little Liars

                                                         By Sara Shepard

"Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret." Junior high best friends, Aria, Hanna, Emily and Spencer's lives were turned upside down when one of their best friends, Alison, goes missing. Years later the girls are now in high school and have grown apart. But when Aria returns with her family from overseas, the question of what ever happened to Alison seems to grow stronger. They have also started to receive mysterious, threatening notes from 'A.' The very first one 'A' ever wrote was to Aria and it said, "Aria: Surprise! I wonder what your pig puppet will have to say about this...-A" The girls set out to find where Alison really went and who exactly is 'A'?

I really enjoyed this book it has a very gripping plot and is hard to put down. The characters all bring different qualities to the book. I would definitely recommend this book to young adults and people who like light reading!

The Perks of being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Perks of being a Wallflower
The book Perks of being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is about a young boy named Charlie. Fifteen-year-old Charlie is coping with the suicide of his friend, Michael. To lessen the fear and anxiety of starting high school alone, Charlie starts writing letters to a stranger, someone he heard was nice but has never met in person.”I just need to know that someone out there listens and understands and doesn’t try to sleep with people even if they could have. I need to know that these people exist.” (pg 4) At school, Charlie finds a friend and mentor in his English teacher, Bill. He also overcomes his chronic shyness and approaches a classmate, Patrick, who, along with his step-sister Sam, become two of Charlie's best friends During the course of the school year, Charlie has his first date and his first kiss, he deals with bullies, he experiments with drugs and drinking, and he makes friends, loses them, and gains them back. I personally love this book because of the twist and turns that come up. It tells its readers that its okay to not be noticed and to stay strong.

Check out this great interveiw with author and director Stephen Chbosky!  

The Secret Life of Bees By Sue Monk Kidd

 

Lily Owens is a fourteen year old girl whose life has been shaped around the few memories she has of the afternoon her mother was killed.  Now she lives with her harsh and neglectful father, T. Ray on his peach farm just outside of Sylvan, South Carolina.  Thank goodness she has her nanny, Rosaleen, a strong, big-hearted black woman she calls her "stand in mother."  The story takes place during the 1960's.  At this time in history, African-Americans were no longer slaves but they still weren't treated fairly by the white people of the south.  Things just aren't right for Lily or Rosaleen.  Rosaleen has been targeted by three of the worst racists in town, she is jailed, and her life is in danger.  Lily, after finding a bag in the attic that contained the last traces of her mother - a pair of white gloves and a small wooden picture of a black Madonna with the words "Tiburon, S.C." handwritten on the back, wants nothing more than to try to find out more about the mother she lost.  Lily is determined to save Rosaleen and herself.  They escape and take off  on a journey headed to Tiburon, S.C., the only clue to the past.  Once Lily and Rosaleen reach their destination, they are taken in by three black beekeeping sisters who teach them about the world of bees and honey, and the mystery of the Black Madonna. 

            August said, "Listen to me now, Lily.  I'm going to tell you something I want you always to remember, all right?"

            Her face had grown serious.  Intent.  Her eyes did not blink.

            "All right," I said, and I felt something electric slide down my spine.

            "Our Lady is not some magical being out there somewhere, like a fairy godmother.  She's not the statue in the parlor.  She's something inside of you.  Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

            "Our lady is inside me," I repeated, not sure I did.

            "You have to find a mother inside yourself.  We all do.  Even if we already have a mother, we still have to find this part of ourselves inside."

The friendships that develop between the women will make your heart feel good and at times will make you laugh and cry.  Lily ends up forming relationships she would never expect, ultimately leading to secrets about her mom and herself.           Victoria

 

 

    Pretty Little Liars

   By Sara Shepard

"Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret." Junior high best

friends, Aria, Hanna, Emily and Spencer's lives were turned upside

down when one of their best friends, Alison, goes missing. Years later

the girls are now in high school and have grown apart. But when Aria

returns with her family from overseas, the question of what ever

happened to Alison seems to grow stronger. They have also started to

receive mysterious, threatening notes from 'A.' The very first one 'A'

ever wrote was to Aria and it said, "Aria: Surprise! I wonder what

your pig puppet will have to say about this...-A" The girls set out to

find where Alison really went and who exactly is 'A'?

I really enjoyed this book it has a very gripping plot and is hard to

put down. The characters all bring different qualities to the book. I

would definitely recommend this book to young adults and people who

like light reading!

Here is the trailer

A dance with dragons

Kristian Mills

A Dance With Dragons

“Not all men were meant to dance with dragons.” Fantasy lovers beware A Dance With Dragons, book five of a Song of Ice and Fire, George R.R. Martin’s fantasy epic has recently been released. The story starts up directly after book three left off, and runs parallel to book 4, until about halfway through the book, when they merge. Finally after six books of complaining and waiting, it is finally here. Although it took 6 years to write, this is the longest of the books in the series by far, and contains seventeen different perspectives. In the conclusion of book three, many different events had come to pass. In the north, Jon Snow has been elected the 998^th lord commander of the wall, and while the wilding forces were crushed, he now must deal with king Stannis’ rebellion, and preparing for the fast approaching winter. Meanwhile in the south, the realm grieves the loss of Tywin Lannister, murdered in the conclusion of book three by his son Tyrion. In the east, Danearys Targaren struggles with the task of ruling the city of Mereen, while she is surrounded by danger on all sides. A rebellious group known as the Sons of Harpy commit nightly murders, while her other enemies march on her city. With all of the genius plotlines and character development we have grown to expect from George R.R. Martin, this thrilling addition to the bestselling Song of Ice and Fire saga lives up to the greatness of the previous books, and is sure to leave readers begging for more.

Matched

by Ally Condie

 

Many questions enter Cassia's mind as she ponders her future. "Is falling in love with someone's story the same as falling in love with the person himself?" In this perfect society, placed in the hundreds of years beyond the present, the government controls everything. The decide what your occupation will be, when you will die and who you will love. However one minor mistake made by the officials of the city creates a difficult decision for Cassia. Should she choose the safe life, which the government has picked for her? Or should she follow the path of the unknown? Xander, or Ky? In Matched by Ally Condie, Cassia will find out who she really is, without the influence of the officials. This book is an incredible mixture of dystopian and romance. The author does a great job in developing the characters and makes you feel as though you really know them. With this been said, Ally Condie could have done a better job describing the society and what it looked like. Many good writers are able to paint a picture in your mind of the scenery with their description. But you may find yourself making up detail and guessing what the city really looks like. You may hardly notice this! Condie does such an amazing job with everything else, it may not even matter! This book has suspense, romance, and many other characteristics that make it such an exciting read.   

 

To see the book trailer, click the link below!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=xaeNWL8rlBI

"I don't even know who I am." (26). The devoted and dedicated Percy Jackson fans none the less were disappointed when the five part series came to a close. However, now you can look no further, as the first installment of the Heroes of Olympus series has arrived. The first book The Lost Hero (2010), will satisfy any needs the fans of the old series may have. This is due to some of its old charm, humor, adventure, and of course, some of the old characters. The old characters while still in the story however, are not in the spot light as before. Instead, a new trio has arrived, one that is as dysfunctional and deadly as before. The three being Leo, Piper, and Jason. Their main mission is to travel west to the land of the enemy (The Titans) and find a giant who is responsible for much chaos and havoc. This same giant is currently holding Pipers dad captive as his prisoner and as a ransom. To make things worse as the three march their way west, Piper has a secret regarding the whole issue, one that might lead the other two to their deaths. This just shows that the book follows the same sort of plot for adventure as the other books, and has the same form of drama and fighting within the group. Overall this book was very fast paced and action packed, keeping me hooked the whole time. I would recommend this book to anyone who has read the Percy Jackson series and was simply dying for more. However, to those of you who have never read the old series, I would read that first before jumping right ahead to this book. Even though it is a completely different series, it still has much of the same characters and sometimes talks about scenes  in the old books as they look back upon those moments. You won’t completely understand these moments due to the fact that you’ve never read it. Despite the very minor problems such as this, it is a very good book.  It possess the same characteristic as the previous series, and therefore the book thrills and keeps you interested until the much dreaded end.

Smash Cut by Sandra Brown

Hannah Kresnak

“The woman with the gentleman gaped in soundless horror at the blood spatter on the elevator wall behind his crumpling form.” When millionaire Paul Wheeler is murdered, his family does their best to find the most experienced lawyer they could find to defend Paul’s accused nephew, Creighton. They end up choosing a man named Derek Mitchell . Wheeler’s mistress, Julie Rutledge, believes Creighton is the killer, due to his obnoxious, greedy personality, and it just so happens that he would inherit his uncle’s fortune, large estate, and anything else that comes with it. Julie is committed to do just about anything to prove Creighton’s guilt, even ruin Derek Mitchell’s career. Derek, as he learns more about Creighton’s darker side, such as his bizarre fascination for murder movies, starts to believe more and more that Julie is right. As the clock ticks down, Julie and Derek join forces to uncover the truth. Has Creighton been basing his murders off of his favorite movies? You’ll only find out if you read this spectacular novel Smash Cut by Sandra Brown. This book is definitely a must-read. The suspense makes this a definite page-turner.  I would definitely recommend this book to murder mystery lovers. The characters are extremely relatable, there is romance, and most of all, there are action scenes one after the other. It is also very well paced, the chapters are short so there are many places where you can leave off. There are definitely no slow parts in this book, and I would definitely recommend anyone to read this book.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qhPTQFo2oA

     He was called the best high school basketball player ever. He made the cover of Sports Illustrated as a junior; he was featured on national television, and signed more than $100 million in promotional contracts before the end of his senior year. He became the no-doubt number one draft choice, right after high school graduation.  LeBron James was born into poverty by a 16 year old mother, without a stable home. This story is about how LeBron didn’t become another kid who failed to do anything in life. “life had been hard, now it is harder.”(17). this was when Gloria, LeBron’s mom, got pregnant. It’s about how he became who he is today. Sports writer David Lee jr. captures all of LeBron’s life and the friends and family members how helped him. I would recommend this book to someone who likes the game of basketball, likes inspiring stories and likes LeBron James.

Megan's Island By Willo Davis Robert

 

This book is an adventure book. There is a mom, a daughter, and a son. They’re names are Megan, and Sandy. They’re brother and sister they moved to their Grandpa’s house for the summer. Megan and her brother Sandy they find a island at the other side of the lake where there grandpa lives Megan and Sandy found a cave and they made a little fort out of it. They made a friend he’s really mean, bossy, rude, he doesn’t care about other people he thinks about himself and the island at the of the river. His Father just got divorce with his wife. He wrote a book, he’s always at home. Their friend help’s Sandy and Megan. Their friend said “ We’ve got sleeping bags and food. Also we have a lantern.” Megan sometimes will get mad at him because he boss Megan and her brother around. Well this is my outside reading i did hope you enjoy.

 

Circles of Seven/Dragons in our Midst

 

Dragons in our Midst

Each circle will be difficult, but with the friendship and faith of dragons, the main character Billy will endor all. The series Dragon’s in our Midst will test the reader’s faith in the breathtaking story Circles of Seven by Bryan Davis (April 2005). Using their dragon trait’s Billy and his beloved friend Bonnie explore a multi-dimensional domain of evil. In this realm, they navigate seven perilous worlds, each one leading into the domain of a powerful enemy. Billy must free all of the prisoners of the enemies mistress Morgan, but how will he do this? Find out in Circles of Seven! Dragon lovers will eat this up. Each page with a hint of religinous fantasy.

Bryan Davis's other great books

Joey Christensen

The Blind Side

Michael Oher grows up spending many nights with shelter, and he has slept in so many different homes he can’t even remember. After deep consideration and debate, Michael reaches a changing point in his life. He enters Briar crest high school, expecting to play basketball, however, he ends up on the football team, and becomes something that far surpasses all expectations of him. In the NFL, the league has changed immensely. The left tackle is now standing out, as if his importance is greater than most players on the team. Even occasionally greater than the star running backs and quarterbacks. In the book The Blind Side by Michael Lewis,football and family have been put together in this amazing true story. Any readers who have a passion for sports, or are looking for a book about love in a family, this will surpass all expectations, and reach a whole new level. Michael is a very unique person, in a very unusual way. He has an amazing talent for survival instinct, and will do anything to protect his friends and family. “I was gonna put him on the bus…it was time for him to go home”(138) This is an amazing true story, about a once in a life time chance, that is put in front of Michael Oher. And while it might not seem like it, he made the best of it.

Pacific Vortex by Clive Cussler

Pacific Vortex

Pacific Vortex by Clive Cussler is full of action and mystery. Dirk Pitt, the main character, is a very handsome man who is also a respected member of the National Underwater and Marine Agency. One day while at the beach he sees something shining in the ocean, it turns out to be a capsule with a message from a ship that was sunk. Pitt brings the capsule and the message to Admiral Hunter who says he was never on the ship. Pitt and Hunter venture out on a journey to the area where they believe the Starbuck as well as many others have sunk, the Pacific Vortex! “The Navy Department has compiled thirty-eight documented cases of ships over the past thirty years that have sailed into a circular-shaped area north of the Hawaiian Islands and vanished. They want to know why!” (42) When Pitt dives down in to the sub he fines it in perfect condition and sees that the lights are still on. While searching the vessel for possible survivors Pitt is attacked by weird looking men who wielded pistol type guns but much more deadly. Pitt immediately evacuates and heads for the surface to lift the crew of the ship with a helicopter. While the chopper is taking off more of the weird men climb onto the boat! Luckily Pitt brought a gun on the trip and is able to lay fire while they are flying away. Later Dirk finds out that the Pentagon wants to shut down the operation but Pitt refuses to give up and goes out on a second mission. This time he is dropping a group of marines and himself directly over where they left the Starbuck to investigate. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens! Overall the book is awesome because it is full of suspense and action.  Once you start reading you won’t stop until you finish the book.

Cole