Author Archives: Sabrina C.

The Cemetery Boys by Heather Brewer

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cemeteryboys_heatherbrewerStephen’s life is already bad enough, with his mom in the hospital and his dad going broke from paying the bills. It gets worse when his dad tells Stephen that the two of them are moving to the small town his dad grew up in. No one wants to live in Spencer, let alone move there, so to Stephen is very bad news. They are forced to live with Stephen’s grandmother who despises the very idea of them both. As much as they hate to live there, his dad promises it is just temporary, saying that he just needs enough time to get a job and get back on his feet. Then, they can leave Spencer for good. But as weeks drag into months, it’s clear the two won’t be going anywhere for a while.

However, things begin to get better when Stephen meets punk girl, Cara, who he may or may not have a huge crush on and her interesting and protective twin brother, Devon. As nights hanging out in the harmless “Playground”, also known as the town’s cemetery, Stephen starts to realize there is much more going on here than just a few drinks with some friends and he begins to suspect Devon may not just be a regular friend but a leader, leading them all to a fatal end. Stephen wants more than anything to get his life back to normal, or as normal as it will ever be. But what he doesn’t know is that nothing normal can come out of his move to Spencer, Michigan and that he may never know normal again….

I could not put this book down no matter how hard I tried. This amazing thriller will have you on the edge of your seats with every word. And the ending was something I never expected! Everything in this book was just so fascinating, that I couldn’t wait to find out what happens. Because of some mature content, I would recommend this to readers 13 and up. Be sure to look out for this book at the library. The town legends and beliefs will make you wonder that if you were there, would you believe them too?

– Sabrina C., 9th Grade

The Cemetery Boys is available for check out from the Mission Viejo Public Library.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

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unwind_nealshustermanWhat if you lived in a world where illness or disabilities weren’t the problem? An old war veteran could get a new hand, a paralyzed person could replace their spine, a blind man could get new eyes. But all these parts have to come from somewhere, right? What if your parents didn’t know what to do with you, didn’t want you…could unwind you? Your body parts could be useful to another person, if it felt like you weren’t making adequate use of them. When kids prove to be too troublesome or just useless to their parents, their parents sign a form to have them unwound. This way they can be made useful. And if you don’t prove your worth, it’s off to the harvest camps.

Connor, Risa, and Lev are brought together by chance and kept together by desperation. Connor is too much of a troublemaker and Risa is an orphan. The costs are too high to keep housing all of them. Lev has been an unwind, or tithe, since birth as part of his family’s strict religion. These three unlikely companions make a life-threatening journey to save their fates. If they survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can’t be harmed. But when every piece of them is wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems very far away.

This book is a real page turner. It had me on the edge of my seat, anxious to see what was going to happen. The reader has to have a good memory of things that happen in the beginning of the book, because although they don’t seem important when they are mentioned at first, they tend to play a big part towards the end. I love the way Shusterman writes, making sure the reader is paying attention throughout the story and adding twists in the story that you never see coming. My friend recommended this book to me and was so happy when I told her I was reading it. Thanks to her, I have a new favorite series. The next book in the series is UnWholly, but you might also want to check out the short story between the first and the second book called UnStrung. This book is definitely in the top ten for best dystopian series.

-Sabrina C., 9th Grade

Unwind is available for check out from the Mission Viejo Public Library.

Paper Towns by John Green

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papertowns_johngreenMargo Roth Spiegelman is an independent young woman who makes her own rules in the game of life. She goes with her own ideas and does not take orders from anybody, including her parents. She always plays games with people, running away whenever she pleases and leaving clues for people to find her. It is all a part of this little game she plays with everyone she cares about, making them scared as she has fun. She is so determined to live by herself, the way she wants, so when she runs away again, it doesn’t scare her parents. It just annoys them to the point where they don’t care if she comes back. It’s when she goes missing for more than a few days that everyone starts to think she is not coming back. Her old friend from when they were kids, Quentin, tries to get into the life of Margo. He tries to think like she would in order to find her and get her back, before it is too late.

When I first found out about this book, I couldn’t wait to read it. The storyline seemed so interesting to me, that a girl who runs away leaves clues for people to find her. But when I actually started reading it, my high hopes for the book weren’t met. All of the clues Q had to follow to find Margo were very confusing. As the reader, I was very confused and couldn’t figure out how the clues added up to finding her. It was all very complex, and sometimes that’s good when you’re reading a book, to have it be a little confusing to make you think. But this book was so confusing and difficult to read. I wanted to put the book down because it was too hard to think about everything while still trying to enjoy the story. I have heard of other readers loving this book, hanging onto every detail. In the end, it’s just a matter of opinion. Mine may not be the popular opinion, but this is what I thought of it. If you like mystery and adventure, you should definitely try to read this book. While some parts were confusing, some were also pretty funny and meaningful. One of my favorite quotes I will always remember is “she loved mysteries so much she became one”. John Green is a mysterious writer himself, so I do still look forward to reading more of his books in the future.

-Sabrina C., 10th Grade

Paper Towns is available for check out from the Mission Viejo Public Library, Overdrive, and Axis360. 

My Top Three Reads of 2014

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People like to set goals for themselves during the new year: New Year’s Resolutions. Because of my love for reading, I am proud to say that I completed my reading goal of 50 books last year. With that amount, I finished some amazing series and books. This is my list of Top Three Reads read in 2014.

unmarked1) Unmarked by Kami Garcia

This book is the sequel to another I reviewed a while back, Unbreakable. That book is still my favorite out of all the ones I’ve read. I love the supernatural mystery of it. I was in love with it so much that I had to countdown the days to when this book came out.

**SPOILERS!! Must have read Unbreakable!**

The story begins with Kennedy at her new boarding school, where she was put after the police found and interrogated her that night in the rain. She’s on her own now. The Legion left to work. Their job has just begun, with Andras now free. But Andras has a mission too. He’s looking for Kennedy. She has to reunite with the Legion in order to capture Andras and finally get her mark.

In my opinion, Unbreakable had a better story. There was more action and different spirit encounters, as where in Unmarked it was just Andras. It wasn’t as exciting as I had hoped it would be. The ending wasn’t satisfying, either. I didn’t like it compared to the first one, but I still anticipate the third book in the series.

2) Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

**SPOILERS!! Must have read House of Hades!**

Many of you know, Blood of Olympus came out in the fall, so I got to finish this exciting series, but I was also sad that it finally ended. It starts off with the continuation of the seven demigods’ quest to deliver the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood as a peace offering to stop the war against the Romans and the Greeks. They already have enough to worry about with Gaea, the earth goddess, on her way to the wreak havoc on the world.

“Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire, the world must fall,
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death”

It’s time to end this intriguing series we all love.

**SPOILERS!! Must have read Blood of Olympus!**

For those who have finished this book, let’s reflect. I didn’t like the fact that Percy and Annabeth barely spoke throughout the whole book. They’re the main characters after all. Also, I wasn’t happy with the end of the book (and not just because of the fact that it ended). Gaea is supposed to be the all mighty, most powerful goddess, so I expected a full on fight with her that would maybe take up an entire chapter or two, not a fight that didn’t even last a chapter. The way she finally died was very simple and didn’t seem to take up much effort from the demigods. Another thing was how the demigods finally ended up. I’m happy for Percy and Annabeth, getting the ending they truly deserve, and Nico, meeting someone who loves him back, and Leo for keeping his promise and finding Calypso. It would’ve been nice to see exactly what happened like an Epilogue to show how they lived. I know the rest is for the readers to imagine, but that’s my opinion. Overall, the book was okay. I’m still upset, though, that one of my favorite series ended.

outsiders3) The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

A couple of my friends have been telling me to read this book forever, and I kept putting it off, but when I finally did get to it, I couldn’t put it down. The story is set in the ’60s about Greasers and Socs. Greasers are considered the “low lives” in the neighborhood. They are kids who are usually not the brightest, form gangs, are poor, and distinguish themselves by styling their hair with grease. The Socs are the white boys who are rich and educated and love to beat up Greasers just for fun. The narrator, Ponyboy, shares the story of his life as a Greaser with his two brothers, Darry and Sodapop. Ponyboy is the youngest of the brothers, only 14, but he has seen more danger and destruction than one should see at his age. And of course, Johnny, Ponyboy’s best friend, who wouldn’t hurt a fly, as people say. All is normal and well enough between the two groups, until one member of a group kills someone of the other side.

This book was very interesting, showing a time when kids jumped others just to get a kick out of it, not even to steal. The book even describes a gang fight including maybe twenty members from each side, just to see who’s the best. I couldn’t believe the ending. It shocked me because it was so surprising I never saw it coming. It’s a great book, and I can see why it was my friends’ favorite.

Have you ever made a New Year’s Resolution involving reading or writing? Have you accomplished them? Are you making one for 2015? I think they’re great ways to keep on track. And as for these three books,  have you read them? If not, are you now interested to?

-Sabrina C., 9th grade

Book Review: Amity by Micol Ostow

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amity“Here is a house of ruin and rage,
of death and deliverance.
Here is where I live.
Here is always mine. (3)”

Everyone has heard of haunted houses. Some people believe there are ghosts living in the very house they stay. Others think the whole thing is just a hoax, either to add an interesting aspect to the property, or to scare people away. Many people are even afraid of moving into a new house or staying in a hotel room in fear of there being ghosts present. But what if there are not just ghosts and spirits you have to deal with? What if the house itself is possessed, is a living force with its own evil intentions?

This story is about a boy, Connor, who moves into the house with his family ten years prior. He is overwhelmed with dreams of gore and demons and destruction and revenge. These dreams he doesn’t have a problem with. These dreams he sort of likes. And these dreams he can make a reality, with Amity’s help. Connor Webb, Amity’s next colleague and next victim.

Gwen’s family moves to Amity, ten years later. They are hoping for a fresh start, a clean slate, given Gwen’s troubled past. But when she is haunted by visions and voices in dreams and while she is awake, she questions her sanity yet again. She can try to reach out, to warn her family about the dangers surrounding them, but with her past, who would believe her? And what could they do to save themselves?

This is Amity. A normal, completely ordinary house, on the outside. When you step inside, normal is the farthest word from your mind. She will use Connor and Gwen to perform whatever task at hand she wants completed. To bring death and destruction as she has done before and continue to do again. And again. No one can stop her.

Personally, reading a horror story is not as scary as seeing a movie about it. However, it would be very interesting to see this made into a movie. With all of the supernatural elements, the story could really be brought to life. Another thing about this story, it was based off of a true-crime story. Not only was the plot intriguing but the set up of the story was as well. One chapter will be about Connor and his days spent in the house, and the next chapter will be Gwen’s point of view for the same day just ten years later. It goes back and forth, telling the story from different people living the same day. This way it shows how similar their days are and how they correspond with each other. 28 days, 3:14am, red rooms, how does it all come together? Well, you soon learn “that there’s no such thing as coincidence when it comes to Amity (352)”.

-Sabrina C. 9th grade

Book Review: The Third Twin by C.J. Omololu

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third_twinLexi and Ava are identical twins, but sometimes… they are triplets.

When they were little, they made up a third twin, Alicia. Alicia was blamed for everything like when things were broken or stolen. Now that they are seniors in high school, their little game has gotten more serious. They pretend to be Alicia when they go out with boys who are hot but not the dating type. The kind of guys they would never consider being with in real life. However, Lexi wants to put an end to Alicia for good when one guy Alicia dated turns up dead. Ava thinks that as long as they follow the rules for Alicia (always wear the diamond pendant; never sleep with any of the guys; and after five dates, they are gone), everything will go back to normal. Before that can happen, another boy is killed, and DNA tests and camera proof reveal that there is only one possible suspect: Alicia. The girl who doesn’t exist. Lexi is on the run, and she has to find the truth before another boy dies. Because either Ava is the real killer…or Alicia is real.

When I first heard about this book, I knew I just had to read it. I even thought the title was interesting. I mean who’s ever heard of a third twin? The story is very compelling and holds so many surprises. The biggest surprise, by far, is who the killer turns out to be. Right away, the story picks up. I just couldn’t stop reading it. This book is meant for ages 12 and up. There is some mature content and language present, but other than that, I suggest you go out and get this book when it comes out on February 24, 2015.

-Sabrina C., 9th grade

My Passion for Reading and Writing

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bookstack2Ever since I was little, I have loved to read and write. My desire to read a compelling book is very strong. Whenever I find one that I cannot put down, I find other books by the same author, knowing I could read it for hours. Everywhere I go I carry a book, whether it is on my phone, tablet, or the real thing. Reading is my getaway. When I read something that really captures my attention, it is as if I am sucked into the pages. I feel like I am in the story with the characters, seeing everything they see, being where they are. I forget everything around me and put all my focus on the story in front of me. This can go on like this forever before I realize I haven’t moved in hours. Does anyone else experience this? This feeling of being trapped in the pages of my books inspired my passion for writing.

photo by flickr user LMRitchie

photo by flickr user LMRitchie

I love creating settings and story lines for my own books and stories. It is fun to come up with characters’ personalities. I get to write exactly what I want them to do or say. Sometimes the characters end up creating themselves, and that is really exciting for me, when they do what they want. Does that make sense? To me, it does. It means my story is really coming together.

I also love to think up interesting plot twists and cannot wait for it all to fall into place in the end. I have considered being an author in the future and would always think how amazing it would be for people to read my own books. I would love to know if they are surprised by the twists or in love with the characters like I am in some books that I read. If I ever need to get inspired for another story, I always read something of the same genre I am writing. Many of my favorite books have inspired me to start a book or continue a story with fan fiction. I am currently writing a book, inspired by The Host, titled Cyber People. I have also written fan fiction for Divergent, Percy Jackson, and The Mortal Instruments.

When I found out about the Mission Viejo Library Teen Voice blog, when it started about two years ago, I thought it was the perfect opportunity for me to express my feelings about books and writing. I joined the blog right away, and I have come to love it.

-Sabrina C., 9th grade

Book Review: Made For You, by Melissa Marr

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made_for_youWhen Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she has no idea how she got there. She remembers everything that happened right before the accident but can’t put the pieces together, until her best friend, Grace, tells her that she was hit by a car. They soon figure out that it wasn’t just an accident.

Faced with the mystery of finding out who did it, Eva discovers a creepy new ability: she can see a person’s death when they touch her. She doesn’t know how or why she can do this, but she is determined to use it as a tool to find who the murderer is.

Meanwhile, her old friend, Nate, comes in and helps her and Grace. Nate hasn’t talked to Eva in years and is surprised when he suddenly shows an interest in her. However, she must put aside their troubled past in order for them to work together to find the maniac who tried to kill her.

Made For You was very interesting. I couldn’t put it down and ended up finishing it sooner than I thought. There are many surprises throughout the book, but the biggest surprise is definitely who the killer turns out to be! This book is meant for teens ages 13 and up. I would really stick to that suggestion, given the mature content in the book. This review is based on an advance reader copy– the book comes out next month. If you love suspense and mystery, I recommended you look for it.

-Sabrina C., 9th Grade

Strong Heroines in Fiction: Katniss and Tris

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I love both of these heroines because they play the perfect part for women. Usually, you see men as the heroes in books, while women are mostly played as the love interests. The Hunger Games and Divergent trilogies have great examples of women who are heroic and brave. They are shown as the person to look up to in their books.

katnissKatniss Everdeen, from Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, is a daring and wild girl in her series. She is the one girl who everyone either sees as an enemy or a hero because she is so powerful and takes charge. She is the inspiration for a revolution even though she came from humble beginnings. Although she is pretty, and many guys like her, that isn’t the reason for her existence in the books. She was written as a strong character who can fight her own battles and isn’t afraid to say or do what she wants.

trisTris Prior, from the Divergent books by Veronica Roth, is also a major rebel who doesn’t play by her society’s rules. She is a great role model for people, not because she is a rebel and rule breaker, but because she is strong and independent. She is the ultimate rule breaker and won’t have someone boss her around. She is also a leader of her own rebellion. She could’ve easily been portrayed as a love interest in the books, but luckily that wasn’t the case. Her strength and wisdom also make her the brave woman that she is.

These two amazing rebels are just some examples of the many great heroines in other books. Some other books with strong female heroes are: Unbreakable (Kennedy), Harry Potter (Hermione), Percy Jackson (Annabeth), and–my mom’s favorite–Pride and Prejudice (Elizabeth). Are you reading a book with a great feminine hero? If you are, I’d love to hear about it in the comments! Finally, I want to thank all of the authors who write about great heroines.

-Sabrina C., 9th grade

Book Review: Don’t Call Me Baby, by Gwendolyn Heasley

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dont_call_me_babyHer whole life, Imogene has been known as the girl on that blog. Her mother started the blog about her daughter before she was even born. She has been blogging about Imogene’s personal life for years. Since Imogene is fifteen now, she decides enough is enough! She doesn’t want to be part of her mother’s popular and embarrassing blog. She just wants a normal life where random strangers don’t know when she lost her first tooth, got in a fight with her best friend, or even had her first crush! She wants to be totally away from the blogging world.

However, it isn’t as easy as she thinks. When Imogene gets assigned to start her own blog for her English class, she refuses it right away. She soon realizes that this may be the perfect opportunity to end her mother’s blog forever.

In my opinion, I could’ve gone either way with this book, meaning that it’s fine if I read and it’s fine if I didn’t. This isn’t a must read book. It had some good parts and some bad parts. The only thing that I really didn’t like was the nicknames for Imogene and her mother. On the blog, they are known as Mommylicious and Babylicious. I just think that’s too silly, but other than that it was okay. I wouldn’t recommend this book to people who are 13 and up, but that’s who the author recommended. Overall, I thought this book was cute for a younger audience, but again that’s just my opinion. Some other eighth graders may enjoy this book– it just came out last month, so you’ll find it in bookstores everywhere.

By Sabrina C., 8th Grade