Category Archives: Book Reviews

D. Gray Man by Katsura Hoshino

Posted on by
Reply

Allen Walker had been tossed around for most of his life. At just fifteen years old, he has faced the twisted Millenium Earl, watched his beloved Mana turned into the accursed Akuma, and has played so many poker games just to pay off his master Cross Marian’s debt. But finally, he can now become an Exorcist, the one and only group of people that serves to get rid of the Akuma and the Millemium Earl once and for all. Of course, so long as he can contain fully use the Innocence that inhabits his left hand and eye.

This is a really great story! Despite the fact that it goes on hiatus a lot because of the author’s health, I really enjoy the plot and how it can go from comedy to seriousness in a matter of seconds. There are also some very great fight scenes, with giant hammers and huge battles against the Akuma and the Noahs. Although there is no romance, there are still the important bonds of family and friendship that show how strong these bonds can be.

Additionally, I really like how there are not only physical battles, but emotional ones too, with one guy living with the fact that he is a vampire and another trying to hold on to the responsibilities of being a “Librarian.” Most importantly, I love how the author makes you fall in love with the characters. From one character loving his sister way too much to another being playful even though he is evil, each of the characters somehow worm their way into the reader’s hearts.

This manga, although still going on, is a very good recommendation for fans of action and fantasy.

-Megan V., 11th grade

The Martian by Andy Weir

Posted on by
1

Image result for the martian book

If you’re one of the ten people who didn’t see the movie, The Martian is a book about an astronaut who gets accidentally abandoned on Mars and his efforts to make his way home. In this perfect blend of Cast Away and Interstellar, Mark Watney (portrayed in the movie by Matt Damon) must survive adversity after an explosion strands him on the red planet. The story of his survival on Mars is told to the audience through daily logs. It feels as if Watney is talking directly to the reader. The Martian truly illustrates how anything is possible, no matter how terrible the odds, and that humanity’s greatest virtues is its ability to overcome.

The Martian is the first interesting science textbook I’ve ever read. I know that it’s technically not a textbook, but it pretty much is, just written in the first person and with a story. Andy Weir literally explained every single piece of the science in the book in detail. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with that, it just probably goes over the head of anyone not extremely interested in Science. I think I learned more Science from reading this book than I have in school for the past three years.

The book The Martian doesn’t get as much credit as it deserves. In fact, it was almost cheated by the movie. Not that the movie was bad, actually it was really good and followed the book really well. The issue is that, because the movie was so popular and so good, a much larger group of people just watched the movie and forgot it was even based on a book. Even I saw the movie first, so the book felt more like a movie novelization. That said, it is still 100% worth reading, and I highly recommend.

-Evan G, 8th Grade

The Martian is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available for download from Overdrive.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

Posted on by
Reply

ravencycle_maggiestiefvaterThe Raven Cycle series, by Maggie Stiefvater, finally came to a close this spring with the release of her fourth installment, The Raven King. After finishing the first book, titled The Raven Boys, this series quickly jumped high onto the list of my favorite books. The more I read, the higher it climbed. Stiefvater’s characterization and descriptive language is enthralling, bringing me to actually set down the book and relish over a line or two of pure perfection multiple times.

This series deals with magic, mystery, romance, but above all- friendship. The main cast of characters are deeply developed and intricate, and the story gives us a thorough look into their pasts, presents, and heck, even their looming futures.

Blue Sargent, the main female lead, is the only non-psychic in a family of seers, but she has the ability to amplify their clairvoyant powers. For this reason, Blue accompanies her Aunt Neeve on St. Mark’s Eve to go to an abandoned churchyard; St. Mark’s Eve is the day of the year when psychics can see the ghosts of the people who are going to die in the following year walk along the Corpse Road. Blue has never been able to see these ghosts- until tonight.

She asks this sole visible ghost his name- Gansey- and her Aunt explains that the only reason that Blue, a nonseer, would see a ghost is if he’s her true love- or if she’s the one who kills him. Gansey, very much alive, has spent the past couple of years researching the legend of the dead Welsh King Glendower. Legend says he was buried on a magical ley line, and whoever wakes him gets a favor. He and his best friends Adam, Ronan, and Noah devote their time to finding this sleeping king and recruit Blue into their questing court.

The series offers many twists and turns, oftentimes surprising me with a suspenseful showdown or a magical revelation. The more I learned about the characters, the more I loved them and feared for them as their stories grew darker and darker. The characterization stands out as the highlight of the series. Stiefvater chips away at the inner beings of each character until we have a roadmap of each one, pointing out their fears and flaws and tracing their dreams and desires. Out of the main five characters, Blue is the only female, but her family- who we spend lots of time getting to know- is overflowing with a cast of unique, quirky, and psychic women, giving us a wide array of female side characters. Gansey, Adam, and Ronan are my personal favorites; their dynamics are very complicated and interesting, and I anticipated the chapters written from their points-of-view most of all. Stiefvater’s imagination is abundant, and it is evident as she builds her world in the small town of Henrietta.

I have and will continue to recommend this series to any avid readers I come across, for it was a wild ride that I will never forget. The four books- The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily Lily Blue, and The Raven King– have secured their positions as some of my favorite books, and I hope they will continue to be recognized in the future as the truly captivating novels they are.

-Abby F.

The Raven Boys and the rest of the Raven Cycle novels are available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. 

Beware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker

Posted on by
1

bewarethewild_natalieparkerBeware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker is a paranormal novel about the mysterious shrouding of a swamp in the city of Sticks, Louisiana. The whole town knows to avoid the swamp; including Sterling, the protagonist. That changes when her brother Phin runs to the swamp after an argument. He never returns and instead, a girl named Lenora May claiming to be Sterling’s sister appears from the foggy swamp. Sterling does not believe Lenora May, but the rest of the town does not know of anyone named Phin; they only know of Lenora May. Realizing she is on her own, Sterling becomes more and more determined to go back to the swamp to find her brother. Despite the fact that no one knew Phin, Sterling discovers that Heath Durham, a boy from her grade can help her. Together, they set out to uncover the dark secrets of the swamp.      

This book has it all. From action to mystery, Beware the Wild encompasses many genres. With a great plotline, there were no missing details. Also, it was unique because the author was able to take the concept of a haunted swamp, and turn it into a great story that will invite you in and won’t let go until the last page. Sterling, the main character, was a smart and independent protagonist, whose love for her brother was her sole motivation to bring him back. With a satisfying ending, Beware the Wild is great for a quick read.

-Anmol K.

Taken by Erin Bowman

Posted on by
2

taken_erinbowmanIn the small town of Claysoot, enclosed by a Wall, lives a 17-year-old boy named Gray. Today is the day of his older brother’s 18th birthday.  However, in Claysoot, when a boy turns 18, he disappears. They all do. And, everybody just accepts it.  So, tonight, as it turns midnight, Blaine, Gray’s brother, will be Heisted.  But, Gray is not ready.  He is not ready for his best friend and brother to leave him.  He is not ready to see Blaine’s little daughter’s face when she sees her father will never come back.  But, how can Gray stop fate from happening?

Well, there is one thing.  But, anyone who has ever tried it comes back blackened and burned as a result of climbing the Wall.  Gray considered climbing over it, but always thought it to be too dangerous.  Instead, Gray spends his last day having as much fun as he can with his brother.  But, it didn’t feel real.  Every moment, he would think that just at this very time tomorrow, Blaine would not be there.  He would be gone.

Forever.

But, Gray had to accept it.  So, as he walked up to the stage during Blaine’s Heisting ceremony, he said his final goodbye.  At this point in the story, I was reminded of the classic Italian song, Time to Say Goodbye made popular by U.S. singers Bocelli and Brightman.  It’s heart wrenching chorus brings alive the emotion that Gray is feeling. As Gray gave his brother a hug, Blaine did something strange. He winked. This made Gray very confused, but the time had come for Blaine to be Heisted.  The ground rumbled, there was a flash and his brother was gone.

Forever.

Or so he thought… If this were a movie, here I would insert in the suspenseful tri-tone bum bom bam! to intensify the mini cliff hanger.  Read the book to find out what happens next!  I really enjoyed it!  And, I give the first book in this Taken trilogy a 9/10 for its intriguing dystopian literature.

-Maya S., 9th Grade

Taken is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Posted on by
3

Image result for fangirl bookFangirl….not a title that sounds like  your cup of tea? Well think again, because Rainbow Rowell’s brilliant and relatable novel encompasses a young adult’s perspective as she tries to navigate her first year in college. Cather, or Cath, is an incoming Creative Writing Major who already has a following for her work in online fanfiction, done so under a pseudonym. Snippets of her writings are also included between chapters to provide a balanced parallel and subplot. The novel also gives the readers some great insight on the online community, and how very real and important fan created content is to people.

Cath is beyond nervous as she goes off to college with her twin sister, Wren. Unlike Cath however, Wren is outgoing, daring, and a social butterfly. After Wren decides not to share a dorm with her sister, Cath is left to her own devices in navigating the new roommate, campus life, and her newfound independence. She is also quite witty, along with a few other characters in the book that provide many hilarious lines and nods pop culture. I personally identified with this novel, because of Cath’s introverted qualities, escapism in books, and social anxiety. In addition, Cath’s number one stress release is writing, as she gets lost into her world of writing about her favorite fictional characters. Her intense love for the book series Simon Snow, and the friends she made through it reminded me of how I feel that Harry Potter  shaped me into who I am, and it made me nostalgic for the midnight premiere excitement. I believe everyone can relate to that on some level, whether it be with a book series or movie, like Star Wars.

I recommend this book to anyone going to college soon, because it gave me some great understanding and insight on what to expect and look out for. I really loved how the author very subtly showed things the characters did, to foreshadow their true character. In summary, Cath’s first year in college is full of family drama, friend drama, writing career hurdles, inner conflict, and a potential romantic interest. Don’t miss out on author Rainbow Rowell’s unique voice!

-Ava K.

Fangirl is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. 

Midwinter Blood by Marcus Sedgwick

Posted on by
Reply

Image result for midwinterblood

Eric Seven is just a normal reporter, reporting in the near future about an island that has no children, but everyone is healthy and never ages. How then is he involved in an obscure sacrifice despite never having set foot on the island? And why does he recognize Merle, a pretty young woman that he soon falls for?

Seven Erics. Seven Merles. All because of a promise to live seven times, yet sacrificed each and every time. A tale of love and tragedy that is thousands of years old.

At first, this book was confusing. However, Sedgwick only makes it confusing in the first story, writing six more short stories and an epilogue that ties everything together to properly explain the first story. Each short story also presents different kinds of love and how far one is willing to go for it. For example, one story talks about love when both people are the same gender, and the lengths one of the women goes just to see her love again. Another story shares how a man sacrificed his life to save another man, all for a stranger’s daughter that he never met.

This book is also one for fans of historical fiction. Each story takes place in some part of famous historical events twinged with fantasy, from vampires in the dark ages to a family that wants to be neutral in World War II. This book blew my mind with how incredible it was written, and I hope that you can have a chance to read it.

-Megan V., 11th Grade

Midwinter Blood is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

Manga Introduction: Bleach by Tite Kubo

Posted on by
Reply

bleach_titekuboIchigo Kurosaki is a high school student who can see ghosts. Because of this ability, he encounters Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper who guides souls from the World of the Living to Soul Society (the afterlife and Rukia’s home). Their meeting is not the most fortunate. Rukia is severely wounded saving Ichigo from a fallen soul called a Hollow. Left with no choice, Rukia gives her power to Ichigo to change into a Soul Reaper so he may fight in her stead. Now without power, Rukia is trapped in a human body and must train Ichigo to keep the balance of souls a Soul Reaper. Their partnership is far from easy as it reveals dark secrets that could tip the balance of the world just enough to destroy it all.

 

Here are a few facts about Bleach:

  • It was published in August of 2001 and ended 15 years later in August of 2016
  • There are 74 tankobon volumes (manga books) .
  • It was published weekly by Shueisha in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump
  • Bleach has sold a total of 84 million copies in Japan, ranking as the sixth best-selling series from Weekly Shōnen Jump as of 2013.
  • An anime series aired from October of  2004  to March of 2012 ending with a total of 366 episodes
  • Four animated films have been released, all featuring an original plot and character created by Tite Kubo: Memories of Nobody, The DiamondDust Rebellion, Fade to Black, and Hell Verse
  • Two collectible card games based on the Bleach series have been produced, one in Japan and one in North America.
  • There has been 9 musical productions since 2005. Five of which have been based on the original manga. The rest have been original stories or specials performances.
  • Recently, a live action film adaptations has been confirmed and it is to produced by Warner Brothers and directed by Shinsuke Sato, who has filmed other live action movies like Gantz and Library Wars

This is not one of my top favorites, but I still consider it a good manga. Compared to most manga, Bleach has one of the most structured settings I have seen. This could be seen as a necessity, due to the large cast of characters, but it helps with understanding how each society functions. This one of my favorite multi-dimensional worlds stories as it goes beyond just the two parallel worlds concept. Rather there are several worlds that balance the each other out. Characters, especially, are well developed with backstories that explain their choices and actions. I will have to say the beginning of the series I enjoyed more than the chapters currently, because the manga now is just trying to end and it has been dragged out far too long. As far as I understand, it has “officially” ended but there are still “extra” chapters to be released.

I do recommend this to an older audience as it contains a large quantity of violence and cursing. This manga I would give a 6/10. It could have been better if it had ended earlier but overall, I enjoyed it. Read it for yourself to find out!

-Sarah J., 11th Grade

Bleach is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

Webtoon Review: Dr. Frost by Lee Jong Beom

Posted on by
2

Psychology. What is it?

Psychology is the study of behavior and mind, according to the dictionary.

To Dr. Frost, it is a study which will hopefully help him understand the what, where and why of feelings like love and sorrow. With snow white hair and a icy personality, it is no wonder he was given that name. At the same time, those traits were not of his doing. In his childhood, Dr. Frost sustained a frontal lobe injury, which resulted in him receiving genius intellect and the lost of the ability of empathy. Yoon Sung-ah is a college student working in her school counseling center as an assistant. Cheerful, outgoing and rather emotional, compared to Dr. Frost, she is the complete opposite of Dr. Frost. These two met as counselor and assistant and begin their story. Sung-ah strives to help Dr. Frost understand emotions again as they assist clients who come to them for help.

This is one of the more unusual stories I have read. Firstly, this webtoon does include real facts and methods used by psychologist. Of course, there are several things that are not really true for dramatic purposes. Please keep this in mind while reading. The webtoon has a fantastic blend of comedy and serious moments. There are extra chapters between the main story arc that feature the character in short comedic strips. Art wise, Dr. Frost is not fancy and does not have mixed between styles but the simple style helps when there is complicated explanations concerning the physiological part of the webtoon.

I would recommend this for an older audience as it does deal with the darkness of the human mind and what can happen to it.

This webtoon is licensed by Line Webtoon and is free to read online.

-Sarah J.,11th Grade

Beowulf

Posted on by
1

beowulfMany have heard of Beowulf, though many know nothing of it. Many actually believe that Beowulf is the monster in the tale. That certainly is not the case – at least, not a literal monster-in this tale. It’s one of the oldest fantasy tales ever written, and quite possibly the most and important as it had a heavy influence on modern day powerhouses such as Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.

The story takes place in Europe, describing a great beast known as Grendel, who was said to be the descendant of Cain. He was in constant pain, while the Danish people were always happy and celebrating. One day, his anger and desires got the best him. Calling that which follows “gruesome” would be an understatement. Word gets out, and a famous warrior named Beowulf shows an interest in slaying the beast. I wouldn’t want to spoil the rest, but it is quite a tale.

Though I only read a shortened version of the epic in school, I was quite impressed with its deep symbolism and rich attention to detail. I’ll admit, I was underwhelmed at first, simply because the story can seem quite shallow and generic if merely looked through. But if looked through carefully, and with proper research, you can see the depth. For example, Grendel represents an outcast or an outsider, and since he is linked with the Bible, many also link him to the devil. It is symbols such as these that provide new layers of context to the tale, and sheds new light on the characters and their characteristics.

Also, being a fan of the medieval genre, I appreciated the world that the author created, with all of the traditional aspects that make a great fantasy story, from monsters to magic, kingdoms to knighthood. Beowulf is quite an impressive story, and a must read for any fantasy genre fan, since this is what truly kicked off the entire genre. There are different versions of Beowulf, so best to choose the one that suites your time and interest.

-Ahmed H., 12th grade

Beowulf is available, in various translations and critical thought, for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available for download on Overdrive and Hoopla.