Yearly Archives: 2022

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

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Woah.

This book was not even remotely close to what I thought it was going to be about. I made sure nobody spoiled anything for me cause I wanted it to be a surprise, and boy was it a surprise. This book deals with parental death, abuse, trauma, and kind of the thoughts that one goes through. Lily wasn’t exactly a character I could relate to on a personality level but the emotional turmoil is one that I believe many people go through so that was nice.

When I first finished the book, I wasn’t satisfied with the ending (yay because I actually think she’s writing the sequel and it’s set to come out soon!) but after thinking about it some more I realized it was the proper “ending” I wouldn’t have been happy with an ending where she ended up staying. The writing style and proficiency wasn’t up there but it was definitely a good plot. Ryle was never a character I could get into, he sounded dreamy sure, but he never got a chance in the book to truly be good until the end.

So if you’re in the mood for a semi-heavy page turner, I definitely recommend this book. It will keep you on your toes wanting to know what will happen next (I finished it in about 2 days and it’s almost 400 pages haha).

-Coralie D.

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Libby.

You’re Enough

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“I’m sorry I’m not good enough. I’m sorry I can’t help you with your homework. I’m sorry I have an accent. I’m sorry I’m such an embarrassment.” Growing up, I heard my father utter these painful words as he looked tearfully into my eyes. But, even then, I wished I could make him see his true value in shaping me into the person I am today. 

I want my father to see himself as I see him: as a hero. I want my father to know that his scarred and callused hands are not merely the hands of a working-class man, but the hands of a selfless father who has given up everything for his children. The countless scars, cicatrixes, and wounds that decorate his hands are like shining medals in my eyes. Yes, my father came from an impoverished town in Mexico, never earned a college degree, and arrived in America with nothing but the clothes on his back; but in my eyes, he is a hero and his scars are his superpowers. His scars tell the story of a young boy who crossed the border illegally into an unknown land in which people spoke a foreign language. They tell the story of a boy who was forced to work in the fields at the age of seven, later abandoned by his parents at the age of eight. Most importantly, they remind me of my story and of my background. They remind me that just as my father wears his scars proudly, so must I. His scars are a physical representation of his dedication to our family. They remind me that just as he works tirelessly from morning to night to provide for our family, I must work to fulfill my dreams.

I wish I could make my father see that his white beat-up work truck is worth more than any Mercedez and that his tattered work clothes are more valuable than any luxury business suit. Because, in my eyes, his run-down truck and stained clothing tell a story, not of wealth and privilege, but of perseverance and incomparable strength. His scars, beaten truck, and tattered clothing are the reasons I have the opportunity to achieve my dream. They have given me insight into the value of hard work and inspire me to challenge myself daily. One day, I will make my father realize how valuable he truly is. For now, all I can do is hold his hand, look into his eyes, and say, “I promise, you’re enough.” 

-Yvette C.

You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly

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In a city near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, lives a twelve-year-old girl named Charlotte. Over a thousand miles away, in the small town of Lanester, Louisiana, lives an eleven-year-old boy named Ben.

Charlotte’s and Ben’s lives intersect through only an online Scrabble game. At first glance, they seem drastically different—Charlotte possesses a rock collection and aspires to be a geologist, while Ben loves anything related to presidential history, recycling, and Harry Potter.

Yet somehow, as the story escalates, Charlotte’s and Ben’s lives begin to tie together in completely unexpected ways. Throughout their journeys, similarities between the two rise to visibility. Charlotte and Ben learn more about each other, and even more consequentially, themselves, as they figure out the obstacles and challenges thrown into their lives.

You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly is a truly touching, inspiring, and reflective novel. The parallels drawn between the two main characters’ lives are skillfully crafted, and it is even more so when it is considered how different they really are. You Go First truly impressed me, and I’m sure I’ll be rereading this story countless more times, as readers may if they decide to give this one a try.

I would definitely recommend You Go First, especially for younger teenage readers. I absolutely fell in love with this book, and I’m sure you will too! Hopefully, you will enjoy this tale spun of friendship and family, humor and grief, growing up and breaking down, and finding one’s true identity. Happy reading!

-Lam T.

You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

Biology? What?

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Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science…. the list continues for a while. As a current high schooler, one of my new interests is learning about biology. When I first signed up for AP biology for the 2021-2022 school year I was not the most excited, to say the least. But, now being 5 months into the course, I am happy to say I made the right decision in choosing which course of the many sciences offered to take. 

Just like most people, when I go through my daily schedule, the interactions inside and outside of my body were not a thought that ever crossed my mind. But now, my perspective has shifted. One of the most interesting aspects of biology is learning how all of those little organelles inside of your body all work together to create specific outcomes that keep you alive. Unlike most other offered courses, normal or AP biology highlights the extreme complexity of organisms and how our bodies have evolved into completing intricate processes such as cellular respiration. If you are a person like me, someone that is always curious about how things we expect in life work, biology is an interest that may be worth picking up. 

For those of you reading this and still not found a spark of interest, you may be more interested in the other parts of biology. Currently, I am learning about genetics, or how organisms inherit distinct traits. If you have ever stared at your family and wondered why you look like none of your siblings even though you come from the same set of parents, it is not just a fluke. Siblings could show traits that even their parents do not have and it is still completely normal! Coming from a big family of 6, I had always wondered why I did not look like a single one of my brothers and sisters. Learning about recessive traits, dominant traits, etc… explains why there is such a low likelihood of you looking like anyone else in the entire world.

Personally, these types of topics are thoughts that have lingered in the back of my mind and now that I am actively learning about the interactions of life, are all answered. So, to any of you still reading this, I encourage you to find an interest that you find curious and interesting so that you want to find out more. Biology is a topic that applies to everyday life and is complex and always offers something new to learn.

-Lilly G.

Social Parallels in Holly Black’s The Cruel Prince

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In The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, protagonist Jude Duarte is one of the few humans living in the world of Faerie after being taken from her home in the mortal world. The book (and the whole trilogy, which I highly recommend), follows Jude as she navigates the complicated politics of the Faerie realm and tries to prove that she can be extremely powerful despite her being a human.

The challenges that Jude faces due to her being human clearly reflects social issues in the real world regarding discrimination, even if it sometimes gets lost in the magical world of the book. Many fantasy novels and worlds have discriminatory elements between different magical beings (i.e. “mudbloods” versus “purebloods” in Harry Potter, and humans versus elves in The Witcher).

While these instances may not be direct commentaries on social issues, we can use them as a new lens in which to view these problems and how they compare to the real-world thing.

Amazon.com: The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, 1): 9781478923732: Black, Holly, Kelly, Caitlin: Books

In The Cruel Prince, Jude is considered lucky to be living the life she lives. Because her father is of high ranking, she and her sister are able to attend one of the best schools and live in an extravagant house. While this would be a blessing for anyone, a fortunate life for a human in Elfhame has even slimmer chances. Because of their short lifespans and susceptibility to “Glamour” – the Faerie ability to basically control minds – humans are most often used as brain-numb servants.

Even in the best case, such as Jude’s life, humans face harsh criticism and mockery from the other inhabitants of Elfhame. Throughout the series, Jude is very often treated as a waste of space.

Obviously, nobody in the real world is facing discrimination based on the fact that they’re human. However, the relationship between humans and Faeries in The Cruel Prince parallels many struggles that religious, racial, and sexual minorities face today. It can be harder to gain powerful positions and to be seen as equal for both Jude and these minorities.

It’s important for authors to make these parallels, even if not completely intentionally, so we as readers can learn and empathize with these issues.

-Luxy B.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Libby.

The Knight’s Ransom by Jeff Wheele

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The Knight’s Ransom by Jeff Wheeler is the first book in the First Argentines series. The book is 433 pages long. The First Argentines series is currently made up of three books with a fourth to come. The whole series is a prequel to the six-book series the Kingfountain series. The book Knight’s Ransom is relatively new as it was only published on January 26, 2021.

The book follows Marshall Barton nicknamed Ransom, by his childhood friend and main female character Claire de Murrow. The book starts in a civil war over succession for the throne. It starts with young Ransom being abducted by the original king, and to make his noble father stay loyal an attempted hanging of Ransom takes place. However, ultimately the king doesn’t hang him. The story is then mainly about Ransom’s journey through knighthood as he looks to find who he is and what he wants. We see him growing up as it has multiple time skips allowing us to see Ransom get into his teens and twenties. One of the more enjoyable parts is the diary entries by Claire de Murrow as it talks about what’s happening to her and what her point of view is of the events that are happening.

This is a book I would highly recommend to people who like a fantasy about swords and magic as while as books set in the medieval era. The Knight’s Ransom has character development and has some mystery such as when Ransom hears rushing water in his ears. This book doesn’t always show a plain black and white picture allowing the reader to decide what is right. The book has fights and war, where blood is spilled and there is the point where characters drink alcohol. However, I did quite enjoy this book as it gets you intrigued into what’s going to happen.

-Luke G.

What is Happening in Ukraine?

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All over the news for the past week, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been a devastating scene to watch. Currently, Russian troops are flooding through the Ukrainian border. Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin claims that Russia can not feel “safe” as a result of the Ukrainian push to join NATO and become more westernized. For those who are unaware of the term NATO that is being thrown around lately, NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Created post-WWII to try and prevent future hostilities, NATO is a military defense alliance that includes 28 European countries and 2 North American countries, including the United States. One of the main points of NATO is that an attack on one is an attack on all. Putin has been very adamant about keeping Ukraine out of NATO. For a geographical reference, Ukraine and Russia share a border. As a result, there are many Russian-Ukrainian ties between the people in both countries. Putin does not want any western influence to disrupt his current dictatorship.

Bomb shelters in Subway Stations

Rockets have been shot in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv with over 2 million civilians living in the city. Unlike past global conflicts that the newest generation read in textbooks, visuals are not provided. The difference currently is the influence of modernized technology and social media. Through cell phones, people across the globe have seen real time videos or rockets filling the skies and destroying the cities. Over social media Ukrainians have posted video of their bomb shelters inside of the subway stations. Citizens have been recording their current conditions with covered windows and packed bags, waiting for the bomb siren. 

In order to protect the country, all men ages 18-60 have been ordered to remain in Ukraine to protect their land. Families are being separated as the men stay and the woman and children attempt to flee. President of Ukraine Volodymr Zelenskyy has stayed present. He has not been hiding but rather leading his people and fighting alongside them. 

As for external involvement, the U.S has announced sanctions against the Russian Central Bank. Meaning business with Russia has been closed and assets have frozen. Additionally, the U.S and other Allies have taken some of the Russian banks off of the SWIFT financial messaging system. The hope is to put economic pressure onto Russia. The elite wealthy class of Russia will definitely feel the pressure from bank removals which is one of the hopes from these sanctions. The Biden Administration has made it very clear that the United States will not intervene militarily in Ukraine. The main reasoning being it could ignite another World War, the current conflict being regional. The current troops throughout Europe are not present to fight Russians, but to defend NATO allies, which is part of the defense alliance.

-Lilly G.

Film Review: Marvel Studios’ Eternals

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This review may contain spoilers.

Eternals reveals more about the structure of the MCU itself. This movie spans many years, and constantly has flashbacks to reveal more about the immortal Eternals. These beings have lived on Earth for thousands of years and have been present in so many different points in history. They have even seen ancient Rome! After an earthquake, Deviants start emerging again and attacking the Eternals. Ikaris joins Sersi and Sprite as they go to find their leader, Ajak. However, they arrive at her isolated home to find her killed by a Deviant. Sersi is made the leader by Ajak’s final wish. They soon begin to gather the rest of the Eternals so as to be able to fight the Deviants (only to find they have evolved over thousands of years). 

I felt that this movie offers a new perspective on some of the larger events of the MCU. Some viewpoints I hadn’t considered before and facts I hadn’t known were presented in this movie. In addition, I liked the diversity of characters, all of which had very different personalities and powers. There were numerous unexpected plot twists which I felt helped reveal or imply things before the truth came out. Although I generally enjoyed the movie, I felt like it was a little inconsistent with the way it randomly changed time periods. 

I do think that this movie is very important to our understanding of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as it reveals a lot of insight about the origins of the MCU and other details of the MCU which had earlier remained mostly unseen. 

-Peri A.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

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The Tale of Despereaux is a novel by Kate DiCamillo, and winner of the Newberry Award.  The setting is in a medieval era, and most of the events take place in a large castle.  The main plot revolves around an undersized mouse with large ears named Despereaux.  Despereaux is considered strange and eccentric compared to the other mice in the castle.  For one thing, he enjoys reading books rather than nibbling on its pages.  One of his favorite books is about a knight rescuing a princess.  Another important character is a spiteful rat named Chiaroscuro, who is called Roscuro for short.  Roscuro is unlike other rats, because he desires to leave the darkness in which rats are accustomed to living.  Roscuro decides to visit a royal banquet, but he falls from a chandelier into the soup.  This angers the princess of the castle, named Princess Pea, and she gives Roscuro a scornful look.  Roscuro’s feelings are hurt by the incident, and he plots to get revenge against the princess.  He convinces an unfortunate peasant girl name Miggery Sow to help him kidnap Princess Pea, promising the girl that she could become the princess instead.  Despereaux learns of the plan, and sets out on a quest to rescue the princess.

This book is actually divided into four books.  The first book focuses on Despereaux.  The second book focuses on Roscuro.  The third book focuses on Miggery Sow.  The fourth book ties all of the main characters together.  I think the organization of this book is very clever.  I enjoyed the way the story shifted focus from one character to another, and finally brought them all together.  I especially enjoyed the intertwining of events as the book drew toward its conclusion.

Overall, I think this book is very charming and entertaining.  The story is filled with adventure and excitement.  The characters are simple, but memorable.  The narrator presents the story in a way that seems almost interactive with the reader.  I felt like the narrator was speaking directly to me, which made this book very engaging.  I was drawn in by the binding of the book itself, which describes it as “being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread.”  It was very satisfying to read about how these elements all came together to make a unique and enjoyable story.  This book is one of my favorites and I think just about anyone would enjoy reading it.

-Oliver H.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

Nightfall and Other Short Stories by Isaac Asimov

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Nightfall and Other Stories is a collection of works written and compiled by Isaac Asimov, who was considered a major science fiction writer in the 1900s. Though each narrative is a classic in its own right, I’ve picked out a few that stood out so that I may write a short explanation and/or analysis. Here goes! 

 Nightfall

“Nightfall,” regardless of its age, has certain themes that are quite relatable. For one, its premise  speaks to readers with caution, as it demonstrates our stubbornness and our outright rejection to believe what we cannot see, and so when an outcome occurs the consequences are far more severe. Therefore, despite its shortness in length, Asimov is able to structure his points skillfully. To explain, as his main purpose is to establish the ease at which people lose themselves once shown a foreign situation, he creates a civilization that has never been covered in darkness. In turn, once citizens are able to see their first eclipse, none can take the experience (and go mad as a result). In this manner, Asimov illustrates the importance of balance: we cannot learn to appreciate light (yang) if we’ve never felt our way out of the dark (yin). 

Fun Fact: “Nightfall,” which was published in 1941, was soon voted by the Science Fiction Writers of America as the best science-fiction short story ever written. 

Green Patches

“Green Patches” was an unexpected surprise, as it questions our private values. It asks us whether we could survive as a single “organism” (or consciousness), or if our human instincts for independent growth and movement would smash that chance. In this case, Asimov demonstrates that despite our cries for unity, society thrives on anarchy and thus prefers chaos over peace. 

Fun Fact: “Green Patches,” which was published in 1950, had its title changed to “Misbegotten Missionary” (which was later on changed back to “Green Patches”). 

Eyes Do More than See

In “Eyes Do More than See,” Asimov paints out a distant future in which humans have given up their physical forms (and become energy beams). However, these entities soon realize the repercussions of such a choice, for they can remember memories that spoke of earlier passions, love, and far off adventures. In turn, readers are met with a lesson that hints at appreciation – in other words, we should learn to value our concrete, more tangible lives that we abide to, in which we experience sorrow, passion, and loss. 

Fun Fact: “Eyes Do More than See” was nominated in 1966 for a Nebula Award under ‘Best Short Story.’ 

-Emilia D.