Book Review: At the Mercy of the Queen, by Anne Clinard Barnhill

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Kelsey H.

This summer I was inspired to read a handful of books about English courts and palaces because my family went on a trip to England and Ireland. I toured the famous Hampton Court; the exact setting of this enthralling novel, and the Tower of London; the haunting location of Queen Anne of Boleyn’s execution. It was amazing to be able to visit the places described in this book! I felt like if I turned the corner into the great dining hall, I was going to walk in on a lively feast and celebration complete with dancing and music.

Now, I won’t spill too many details or secrets (as there are many in this mischievous novel), but I will give you a brief summary of the novel. This story follows Lady Margaret Shelton, who suddenly finds herself in the midst of King Henry’s lively court when her cousin Anne Boleyn becomes queen. Queen Anne immediately finds Lady Margaret Shelton (Pretty Madge) to be charming and very becoming, and invites her to become her lady in waiting. The men at court become enraptured by her beauty, but none more than Sir Henry Norris who begs the king to grant her to him for marriage. However, Margaret finds Sir Norris intimidating, forceful, and cruel. And then, there’s Sir Arthur Brandon, whose comedic, mocking manner seems to irritate Margaret. That is, until Sir Brandon rescues her from a very terrible situation. Is Margaret forced to marry her reproachful betrothed? Or will Queen Anne finally convince the king to break their ties? Lady Margaret Shelton helps the queen through her shaky marriage, births, miscarriages, and even her execution. And when Queen Anne begs Margaret to do something completely horrifying and completely against Margaret’s wishes, will Margaret consent? Or will she risk committing treason against the queen? Read my new favorite novel of all time to find out what happens!

My favorite part of the story is when Lady Margaret Shelton realizes that she’s madly in love with Sir Arthur Brandon. The two, while visiting a banquet house, step inside a room where Arthur declares his love for Margaret. When he asks Margaret if she returns his love and she hesitates, Arthur warns her that if she doesn’t say she loves him, he will leave and she will never see him again. Margaret runs to him and claims her love for him and the two share a passionate embrace. I love this scene because it is so romantic and dramatic. Can’t you see this scene in a movie? I definitely can 
I really did not have a least favorite part of the story, or a part I didn’t like. It was all amazing, thoroughly thought through, and connected!

I definitely recommend this book to teenage girls who are hopeless romantics and interested in English court life. This passionate love story is sure to make you want to visit Hampton Court!

-Kelsey H., 10th grade

Manga Review: Kitchen Princess, by Natsumi Ando

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Megan V.

Fans of food and want to cooks: here is the perfect book series for you! Kitchen Princess is a comical manga (Japanese comic book) that will warm peoples’ hearts for generations to come.Imagine that there’s a recipe for a realistic fiction book. The main ingredient in the recipe calls for a really famous private school in Japan that has a special class full of talented people. Some really important side ingredients are two cute brothers, one named Daichi who keeps trying to ignore his relationship with the school, and the other named Sora, who is loathed by his brother and loved by most of the girls in the school. The next ingredient is a model named Akane, who is jealous of the main girl because of all the attention she gets. Finally, there is a special ingredient that changes all of the other ingredients. Its description is of a middle school orphan from Hokkaido named Najika, who is the best cook ever, loves to eat, tries to make new friends and find the “flan prince who saved her life, gave her some flan and a spoon with a certain symbol on it.

At the end of each book of the ten book series, Najika gives a recipe of each dish that was mentioned in each current book. However, despite the title, boys might actually like this series because it can teach them for future references what girls like and hate.
Readers should note that in Kitchen Princess, there is bullying, one scene where the guy has his shirt off, a kiss on the lips twice, a time where two people die near the middle of the series, and depression. Because of all those reasons, I would recommend this series to people 13 and up.

Although the hardships are tough, Najika and her friends learn some lessons and also teach them to others, such as when Najika tells everyone in the school that they shouldn’t make fun of someone when they do something weird for an unreasonable reason.

-Megan V., 8th grade

Book Review: Thunder Dog, by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Danielle L.

“My head is spinning. So much has happened in such a short time, and my mind reels, going over the events and trying to make sense of the explosion…” – Michael Hingson, p. 123-124

Michael Hingson is an ordinary man. He’s flown a plane, had several jobs, drives sometimes, has friends, is a Christian, and is married. And he’s permanently and totally blind.

This true story is what happened on 9/11/2001 when a blind man and his guide dog were on the 78th floor in the World Trade Center’s North tower as the first hijacked plane hit. Michael and Roselle were paired as man and guide dog for twenty-one months previously, and everything in their lives together seemed to lead up to this. Since Michael can’t see anything, he depends on what he hears, feels, smells, and breathes. He also depends on Roselle, and has to trust her very much on this terrifying day. They helped each other. They were a team working as one.

I personally loved this autobiography. Through books, I can say I’ve experienced what it’s like to be homeless, be a winner, be a gorilla, live through segregation, be a spy, live in a “crazy” family, live in a giant peach, and many other things. Oh, and now be blind. It’s a very gracious experience, and Thunder Dog has given me a new appreciation for people with disabilities.

I really like all of the details in this book. This is one of those books where you can travel back in time to a certain day, yet be home in time for supper. We all have some huge tragedy or trauma in our lives. We can choose to learn from it and teach others, or spend all our lives feeling bad for ourselves. Michael chose to teach others.

Although this book is wonderful, I do not suggest it for teens/tweens under 12 years old because it is an adult book. But it really depends on individual maturity level. For those who do choose to read this, from me to you, good reading!

-Danielle L., 6th grade

Book Review: United We Spy, by Ally Carter

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Danielle K.

This long-anticipated conclusion of the Gallagher Girls Series by Ally Carter is both suspenseful and captivating, and I guarantee that it will undoubtedly live up to readers’ expectations.

Cammie Morgan returns to the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women with a newly fueled appreciation for life and a devastating fear of the future. Cammie, Bex, Liz, Macy, Zach and Preston– yes, he’s back– now know why the Circle of Cavan has been hunting them. Together, they must work to locate the Inner Circle before someone else does and succumb to their varying futures, for they cannot prolong them any further. Even Cammie the Chameleon, who is a prodigy in the art of deception and infamous for her talent of concealing herself in plain sight, cannot hide from the future.

I felt United We Spy was a stunning and heart-felt resolution to the saga. After Cammie’s crazily hectic and horridly torturous year, she is simply ecstatic to be breathing, conscious, and with her memory intact. I found myself favoring the new post-torture Cammie over the old carefree teenager she used to be; this was due to her newfound understanding of the enigmatical complexity of life and death. I believe that, even though Cammie had been in life-threatening situations previously, she had never thoroughly experienced just how dangerous the art of espionage had a potential to be before the whole memory-loss ordeal in Out of Sight, Out of Time. I felt that her acknowledgement of the risks of her aspiring vocation and her decided disregard of them is what considerably developed her character throughout the entire series.

After all,

“It is our choices…that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

-Albus Dumbledore

I was reminded of this quote when recounting my likeness for Cammie’s character development.

Although this book is not as exceptionally written as I think it could have been with such an incredible plot, readers must remind themselves that the story is supposedly written by Cammie, a teenage spy, not a prodigious author. Whether Ally Carter did this consciously or not I do not know, but I have learned to appreciate it all the same. I will additionally – and surprisingly – be able to earn Reading Counts points on United We Spy for English 8: Honors, as it has been given a higher Lexile and reading level than I would have assumed.

I recommend this series/book to girls who either 1) enjoy action packed tales of espionage, 2) like the Delirium Trilogy and/or Divergent Series, or 3) have read Ally Carter’s Heist Society books. Although this book did not make my list of favorites, I still considered it a quick, must-read (as I started and finished the book within an hour and a half). And for those of you who liked the first Gallagher Girls books, I promise you won’t be disappointed, for this book definitely did the series justice, and far exceeded my expectations.

-Danielle K., 8th grade

Book Review: Starling, by Lesley Livingston

Posted on November 11, 2013 by The Kungfu cook

I’ve never been to New York, but in the novel Starling, author Lesley Livingston made me feel as if I was there during the cold, wet winter of the 2000s. It was at this time and place that an academy was attacked by strange creatures called draugr that two unsuspecting teens meet and are found to be drawn by each other’s embrace. The conflict of man against self is played out in how one young girl battles between her lovers and her fate.

This fantasy is told in the third person by 16 year old fencer Mason Starling, The Fenrys Wolf, a stunningly good looking 19 year old, Mason’s mentor and companion fencer Calum Aristarchos who is also in love with Mason, and Mason’s older brother, Rory Starling, who all go through a maze of love and loyalty. The two main characters Mason Starling and The Fenrys Wolf exemplify the author’s theme of love and loyalty; their actions gave suspense and kept my eyes glued to the pages as I traveled with them through the novel.

Fenrys is one of the reasons I loved this book. Though, he is not just a regular 19 year old and he tells the reader all about it. Fenrys has completely lost his memory, but discovers that he may be the one to determine the beginning of Ragnarok. The perilous adventure of Fenrys and his true love is just one of the reasons I wanted to keep reading the book that kept my eyes fixed upon its pages.

Mason Starling is another character that I appreciate in the novel. Her words are contradictory, self-explanatory, compelling, but at the same time annoying as I tired over this character. Her brave, but egotistic, demeanor and actions demonstrate that she greatly yearns to be the best person she can be as she fights over her feelings and love for Fenrys. Mason made me want to fall down and cry as she rejects the one who had loved her most dearly.

If you want to know how Mason and Fenrys face their fate, love, past, or how Calum Aristarchos copes with his unrequited love in Starling, you’ll just have to read the book!

-Christina B., 7th grade

Book Review: Pretenders, by Lisi Harrison

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Rabani S.

Pretenders is an extremely interesting book, the first in a new series by Lisi Harrison. It’s about the lives of five high school students, but it’s not a typical drama. It’s a story with an unexpected twist…

The book focuses on five freshman students who attend Noble High School: Sheridan, an aspiring singer and actress; Duffy, an athletic boy who loves basketball; Vanessa, a motivated, brilliant, but uptight girl; Jagger, whose parents are in jail; and Lily, a clever, smart girl who is in love with Duffy. Their English teacher has them write in journals every day, then keep them in locked safes that only they know the codes for. The book starts off with a note from someone who has stolen the journals from the English teacher and has revealed them to everyone. The person says they are tired of the lies in high school. Pretenders is written as a collection of random diary entries from each person’s journal.

I found this book very intriguing, but there were definitely a few things I didn’t like about it. For instance, Lisi Harrison makes several references to books she has published previously, such as the Clique series and the Monster High series. This bugged me a bit because it made me think that she was advertising her other books in this one. Also, Lisi Harrison spends the majority of the book building on the characters. I found the ending to be quite a let down because every single character was left dangling with a full-stop cliffhanger. I was really disappointed that so much of the book was taken up with the characters’ lives. However, I loved how different each character was. I also liked how the book is humorous.

So if you enjoy stories about high school experiences with plot twists, I think this series is for you.

-Rabani S., 9th grade

Book Review: The Magic Thief, by Sarah Prineas

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Linna C.

The Magic Thief is one of my all-time favorite books. It really keeps me hooked. I recommended it to both my mom and my dad, and when they read it, they liked it too! As you can clearly see, this is a good book for all ages, though I think that it is geared more towards readers in their teens.

The story opens with the introduction of a young thief named Connwaer. He sees a man in the streets, and pickpockets him. What he gets is a wizard’s locus magicalicus, a special stone that lets a wizard use magic. The stone begins to glow brightly, and the man who we now know as a wizard comes back and invites Conn to dinner. While at the dinner table The wizard, whose name is Nevery, tells Conn that his locus magicalicus will probably kill him. Suddenly, the stone becomes cold and heavy and begins to pull Conn into a dark hole. Nevery asks Conn what his name is, and then shouts a spell that saves Conn from certain death. Nevery says he is interested in Conn because his locus magicalicus didn’t kill him right away, and takes him in as his apprentice.

This is only the first book in a trilogy. The second book is The Magic Thief: Lost and the third book is The Magic Thief: Found. Those books are just as good, maybe even better than this one. I love this series a lot and I believe that if you read it, you will love it too. There are currently three copies in the Mission Viejo Library; I recommend that you place a hold or pick up a copy and read.

-Linna C., 7th grade

Book Review: Looking for Alaska, by John Green

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Sara S.

Looking for Alaska is a realistic fiction novel by the recently famous author John Green about an awkward teenage boy who finds love for the first time. Although the plot may sound cliché, Green adds relatable elements to the book that most authors don’t.

The book begins with a 16 year old named Miles Halter spending his last day at his home in Florida before he leaves for a prestigious boarding school located in Alabama. Upon arriving to Culver Creek Boarding School, Miles is introduced to plenty of his soon-to-be friends. But on that day Miles falls in love with the outgoing and crazy Alaska Young. Throughout the school year, Alaska and Miles share countless adventures when suddenly one day changes his life forever.

I thought the story had everything it needed to be overall an amazing book. It lets the reader connect with the characters and allows us to feel and experience the troubles the characters are going through. This book proves to be funny, emotional, and captivating as the reader takes a journey to Miles’ version of a “Great Perhaps.”

I would recommend this book to any teen looking for an engrossing yet simple read and hope to see it someday made into a movie.

-Sara S., 10th grade

What Books Would Harry Potter Read?

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Kyle H.

If Harry Potter was real and he wanted to read a good book… what would I recommend to him? Though there are a lot of great books out there, I think I would have him read Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.

I picked Divergent because the action-packed book is so suspenseful, it makes the story all that more exciting. With everything Harry has been through, I think that the mix of suspense and action is just right for him. Also, in reading Divergent, Harry might relearn how it is one’s choices that make one who they really are.

In The Hunger Games and its sequels, rebellious thoughts are what drive the people forward to keep them sane. I thought that the battles of mind and body might make a fun read for Harry. He knows all about trying to keep a straight mind and a ready body. In doing so, one can focus on the task at hand and see it finished. Without this determination, all main characters would not succeed.

Finally, I chose Diary of a Wimpy Kid because with all this violence and hardships, one should be able to sit back and relax with a fun, entertaining book. It must be hard to live through all the tough times and not have a laugh, so I thought Harry would have a good time enjoying a book so different from his own life. These are all books that I liked and found entertaining, so I would believe that Harry Potter would like to relax and take a ride down imagination lane during these thrilling tales.

-Kyle H., 7th grade

Book Review: I Am Number Four, by Pittacus Lore

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Danielle T.

I recently finished reading the book I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. It was an amazing book that I believe is a perfect fit for everyone.

The book is about aliens and their guardians who are currently living on planet earth. When the Mogadorians, another alien race, finally find them, they try to kill them off but can only do so in number order unless two are together.

In this adventure, Number Four’s life gets completely changed– from finding a very strange pet to dating the girl of his dreams, he learns about friendship, hope and that love is stronger than all of the planets combined. I read this book over the summer and fell in love with it just after the first page! Definitely one of my five favorite books. I give this book five stars and believe that it is a book that you can dive right into.

The first book in a series, I Am Number Four, is a novel about trust, adventure, endurance, perseverance and young love. I love this book and suggest truly to everyone and I could not put this book down from the first sentence to final word, and I hope that you read this book– it will NOT be a waste of time. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore is truly a book worth reading that will encourage you to fight the daily battles and teaches you that things are not always as they seem.

-Danielle T., 7th grade

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Monthly Archives: November 2013