Book Review: Confessions of A Murder Suspect, by James Patterson

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Angela J.

James Patterson is one of my favorite authors, and since he’s also one of the world’s highest paid authors, clearly others share this opinion. When I saw his latest collaboration with Maxine Paetro, Confessions of A Murder Suspect, I knew I had to read it.

The basic premise of the story is the investigation of the apparent murders of Malcolm and Maud Angel. The Angels are a very powerful family, heading up a huge pharmaceutical company and hedge funds, and it would seem that the list of suspects would be huge. The cops however, narrow the list done to one of the couple’s children given that their deaths occurred in a locked, extremely secure and exclusive apparent complex. Tandy Angel, one of the couple’s children, is not going to sit around and wait for the cops to conduct their investigation so she starts one of her own. Throughout the book family secrets and conspiracies arise and nothing is as it first seems. “Confession” chapters break up the main story and give us more insight into the lives of the Angels.

I personally have mixed feelings about this book. When I was reading it, I was fully engrossed and it kept me turning pages… after I had finished, however, I wasn’t quite so sure anymore. A lot of what makes the story so interesting is the many mysteries that the plot centers on, and once the secrets are revealed, the story loses something. It’s not that the answers to the many questions are underwhelming or unbelievable exactly– they just weren’t what I thought, and a lot of it wasn’t really justified in my mind.

The thing that I had the biggest problem with in this book was the final “who done it” explanation. Without giving anything away, suffice it to say that knowing all of the information about Malcom and Maud that is revealed by that point in the book, it doesn’t seem well justified that their deaths occurred in the way that they did. It was mainly the way that Malcom’s death occurred that bothered me- Maud’s was fairly well explained- but I just can’t fathom why Malcom’s death occurred the way that it did, knowing all of the information about Maud.

On the flip side, I think that the book’s strongest point is the careful balancing of several plots lines. While the main focus is the murder investigation, there are several other mysterious that are expertly tied into the main plot. I loved the many family secrets that the Angel family contained and never felt bored.

Another of the book’s strong features are the “Confession” chapters. They’re a unique way to add more information to the story that wouldn’t have necessarily been easily tied into the story if it was written in the traditional chapter format. There are just enough of these to add something extra to the plot without drowning it out.

When the book ended I was mostly satisfied with the way that things were wrapped up and most of my questions had been put to rest. That being said, room was left open for a sequel, which will hopefully fill in any reaming gaps and extend the story of the Angel family.

-Angela J., 12th grade

Book Review: It’s Kind of a Funny Story, by Ned Vizzini

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Sara S.

Ned Vizzini’s It’s Kind of a Funny Story is a novel about a teenage boy, Craig, who suffers from depression, and about his experiences in the mental hospital. Unlike most books about psychological issues, this story has a light, humorous vibe all throughout and gives the reader a positive view of life and their own experiences in general. Not once did I want to put this book down, and I even ended up finishing all up it in one sitting.

The book was based on the author’s own experiences in the mental hospital and his own hospitalization a couple years before the book was published. What I personally loved most about the book was how each character had their own interesting backstory and how much it was evident that the author put a lot of time into making each character truly special and unique.

For those of you who are interested, there is also a movie made after the book starring actors like Emma Roberts and Zach Galifinakis (although I highly recommend reading the book first). I recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of books like Girl Interrupted, Go Ask Alice, or Eat, Pray, Love.

-Sara S., 10th grade

Book Review: The School for Good and Evil, by Soman Chainani

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Linna C.

“Sophie had waited her whole life to be kidnapped. But tonight, all the other children of Gavaldon writhed in their beds. If the School Master took them, they’d never return.”

Every year in Gavaldon, the School Master kidnaps two children and takes them to the School for Good and Evil to be trained to survive their own fairy tale – or so they say.

Best friends Agatha and Sophie are complete opposites. Sweet Sophie is like a princess with her kindness and fancy dresses, and gloomy Agatha seems fit for the School for Evil. But when they are whisked into the Endless Woods, Agatha gets sent to the School for Good to take classes like Beautification, Good Deeds and History of Heroism, while Sophie is sent to Evil to take Henchman Training, Special Talents and Curses & Death Traps! But maybe this mistake is just the first step to discovering their true selves.

In this book, nothing is as it seems. It is filled with creatures that only exist in fairy tales, like the golden goose, werewolves, and witches. Suitable for people of all ages, pick up this book at a bookstore or your local library for a great read. I am waiting eagerly for the release of the second book, A World Without Princes, which comes out in mid-April so that I will be able to find out what happens next.

-Linna C., 7th grade

Book Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Rachel L.

A Thousand Splendid Suns truly is, as suggested by its title, a splendid book.

It is a story, of hope and friendship despite hardship, that spins the intriguing and moving tale of two remarkable women in the midst of the tumultuous years of a war-ridden Afghanistan. It is mainly about the tribulations two very different women- Mariam and Laila- must endure and the deep friendship they forge out of their cruel mutual husband. At the same time they must deal with the death and destruction of the war and Taliban. This is a common theme of the novel- the oppression that they face both at home and in their country. That is all I can share about the story, for I don’t want to spoil anything; if you want to find out what happens to them and their fascinating stories, you’ll have to read the book.

The synopsis might not sound very interesting or appealing to some, especially teenagers (I, at first, was a bit wary of it), who may want a fun action packed or romantic story instead, but this book is definitely worth a read. It leaves a deep impact on you, changes the way you view things, your whole perspective. It is heart breaking, but moving; tragic, but real and hopeful; sad, but it is a bittersweet sort of emotion that will make you truly appreciate the book and its characters.

I can say that this is the only book that has ever made me cry. It is beautifully written, the words leaving great impact, as I grew attached to the characters and felt their emotion. The characters were all complex and interesting; the plot gripping at your attention. There was never a boring part of the book, I felt I could never put it down until I read every single word of it until the end. A Thousand Splendid Suns is a one of a kind type of novel that will make you smile and cry, maybe even at the same time, and thoroughly captivate.

-Rachel L., 10th grade

Book Review: Goodbye, Rebel Blue by Shelley Coriell

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Nicole G.

Rebecca Blue, more commonly referred to as Rebel, is a loner. She is always in search of sea glass, dyes her hair blue, prefers not to wear shoes, and has a necklace made of shark teeth. She’s the kind of girl who gets detention. Once there, Rebel writes a bucket list alongside Kennedy Green, a perky girl going out of her way to be kind to everyone.

Rebel doesn’t believe they have anything in common, despite what their colorful last names might suggest. She might have forgotten their conversation completely… if Kennedy hadn’t died shortly thereafter. After several failed attempts to get rid of a dead girl’s bucket list, Rebel takes it upon herself to complete the final goals and aspirations of a do-gooder. Things she would never consider doing before.

What Rebel doesn’t expect was that the bucket list would change her. She discovers that she isn’t as alone as she once thought. Her aunt and uncle, her track star cousin, her pie baking friend, and maybe even that boy from the volunteer group– her whole perspective on life is turned upside down when she has to ask for help from these people, seeing the world a little more fully. Eventually, she finds the courage to follow her own dreams as well as Kennedy’s.

Rebel is a cool character and very true to herself. Even though she will never be “normal,” Rebel is more than the screw-up everyone thinks she is. She isn’t afraid to tell anyone how she feels, which gets her into some pretty laugh-out-loud situations. The story gets deeper further into the story, but it’s mostly about how helping others helps Rebel find herself. If you want a light, comical read, go ahead and give this book a try.

-Nicole G., 10th grade

Book Review: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Kate B.

“Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same sunset.”
–The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.

This book is about a fourteen-year-old Ponyboy Curtis and his life since he “stepped out of the movie theater with two things on his minds, Paul Newman and a ride home.” He lives on the east side of the town Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the Greasers live, with his two brothers Darry (Darrel) and Sodapop Curtis. On the west side of town was where the Socs (pronounced so-shiz) lived.

Greasers are like street punks. They wear t-shirts, jeans, leather jackets, and boots or Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars. They listen to Rock n’ Roll singers like Elvis Presley. They love hot rod cars and put grease in their hair to look cool. Each Greaser is in a gang. Ponyboy is in a gang with his brothers, Dally (Dallas) Winston, Two-Bit (Keith) Matthews, Johnny Cade, and Steve Randle.

Socs, short for Socials, are the rich kids in town. They wear Madras shirts and have Mustangs for cars. They like to yell “GREASER!” when they drive by a Greaser and also jump (attack) Greasers. The main Socs in this book are Cherry (Sherri) Valence, Marcia, Bob (Robert) Sheldon, Randy Adderson, and David.

I feel like this book is more for 8th grade in my opinion because of the violence. This book is also a movie and a old TV show!

-Kate B., 7th grade

Book Review: Shadow Horse, by Alison Hart, and Its Sequel, Whirlwind

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Leila S.

Shadow Horse starts out with a teenage girl named Jasmine Schuler, who has to go to a court hearing for juvenile delinquents. She is accused of assaulting Hugh Robicheaux, the owner of High Meadows Farm, where Jas and her grandfather had lived. She attacked Hugh since she knew that he had killed his own horse, contrary to the story that Hugh recounted about how Jas’ grandfather had killed the house.

After proven guilty in the court room, she must now go live with her foster parent, Miss Hahn, for 45 days. And during that time, she must find evidence to prove that Hugh had killed his own horse. In the meantime, she learns to accept living on the run-down Second Chance Farm, and she even finds a horse at an auction. The discovery of this animal drastically influences the mystery.

I thought this first book in the two-book series was pretty good. However, in my opinion, the real action of the series doesn’t start until the second book.

In the second book, Whirlwind, Jas goes to her next hearing. Hugh strangely shows up there and threatens Jas to keep quiet about her suspicions. This second book becomes a lot darker than the first. An investigator is hired to help with the case. Jas’ relationship with a farm volunteer is growing. Also, Hugh has a spy somewhere on the farm, who is reporting everything about Jas to Hugh. But who is the spy? And how will they get to the bottom of the mystery and stay safe in the meantime?

What made this book unique was the unusual circumstance that brought Jas to Second Chance Farm. Who would have ever thought that a girl guilty of assault on a horse farm would spend her probation days at another horse farm? However, had that not happened, Jas would never have had an opportunity to try to solve the mystery. In the end, it was better for her to be on probation, despite the obvious drawbacks of the situation, like curfew hours.

If you love horses or murder mysteries, or a combination of both of these, then you would enjoy this book series. I would recommend these books for younger teens, since they are relatively basic reads. However, they have a good plot, and once the action starts, it is quite a captivating series. I felt it was pretty realistic, especially since the reason behind Hugh’s actions is unfortunately something that could happen in real life. Overall, I really enjoyed reading these books, and would rate them 4 out of 5 stars.

-Leila S., 8th grade

Book Review and Music Pairings: Chinese Cinderella, by Adeline Yen Mah

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Maya S.

This was the most devastating book I have ever read! This is the story about the torturous life of a little Chinese girl. When she was born, her mother had a serious fever and died. From then on, she was treated as the ‘bad luck child’. Things got worse when she was four years old. Her father remarried, and her step-mother was cruel, barely even noticing her.

Time passed until her first week of kindergarten where she was honored to be the ‘best student of the week.’ She got this award week after week, month after month. Nobody congratulated her except for her kind aunt. She and her aunt bonded and was the closest person to her. Her aunt comforted her when nobody cared about her. Then we learn the little girl’s name was Adeline. Her father was very rich, but little Adeline shared only a tiny room with her aunt. Unexpectedly, four of her siblings and her parents went on a trip. It lasted almost a year! When they were gone, it was paradise to be free of their strictness. However, when they returned, Adeline learned that she and her family were moving to Shanghai. Adeline was devastated.

In Shanghai, she attended a fantastic school and made a friend. This became her new home where she felt most comfortable. However, her step-mother prevented any friends from coming over. Adeline’s home life was horrible because she lived on the third floor of the house in one room with all of her siblings. The second floor was just for her new mom and father and their step children who received all of the attention. No one from the third floor was allowed to enter the second floor. During this part of the book, Adeline truly felt abandoned. This reminded me of the song “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash. It is as if Adeline had fallen into that ring of fire.

As depressing as Adeline’s life was, there is a bright spot in which she felt she could accomplish anything and escape her past. The author does a great job engaging the reader. If this book was turned into a film, during the credits the song “Cold as Ice” by Foreigner should be played. It really depicts Adeline’s interactions with her cruel step-mother, Niang. I really liked this book but was frightened to know that this is a true story. The author, Adeline Yen Mah, lived this life and survived.

-Maya S., 6th grade

Book Review: Gone and Divergent

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Kaelyn L.

I recently have discovered multiple new series that I have enjoyed, as well as great books that stand alone on the bookshelves. I have been trying to read all 100 books on NPR’s list of top teen books .

Some of my recently discovered favorite series are Gone by Michael Grant and Divergent by Veronica Roth. I have only read the first book in the Gone series, coincidentally also called Gone, because some other library-goer is taking forever to read the only copy of the next book and is, rudely interrupting my reading schedule. Ranting aside, this book is seriously ah-mazing. I have grown to love the end of the world, apocalyptic type books like The Hunger Games and this is at the top of my list.

In the blink of an eye, everyone disappears. Gone. Everyone except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not a single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Gone, too, are the phones, internet, and television. There is no way to get help. Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day. It’s a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen and war is imminent. The first in a breathtaking saga about teens battling each other and their darkest selves, Gone is a page-turning thriller that will make you look at the world in a whole new way.

I repeat; AH-MAZING. Makes me want to re-read it.

Another post-apocalyptic book, as mentioned above, is Divergent by Veronica Roth. In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives.

For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Both of these series are must-reads. And, if you have a lot of time on your hands, go through the 100 book list from NPR and pick out what sounds good. I promise, all of these are worth reading.

– Kaelyn L., 10th grade

Series Introduction: The Brotherband Chronicles, by John Flanagan

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Kyle H.

In The Brotherband Chronicles by John Flanagan, a young band of outcasts come together to compete in contests of strength, speed, and skill as groups and individuals. It is a great honor to win out of three teams that compete. Those who pass become warriors of the wolfships.

The Sharks, the Wolves, and the Herons will face off in the most exhilarating competition in all of Skandia. Boys will become men, and from men they will become warriors. The young boy Hal will use his brain to help the team as well Stig with his order issuing, Ingvar with his strength, Jesper with his speed, Ulf and Wulf with their ship skills, Edvin with his survival instincts, and Stephan with his impersonations. This team would be unstoppable. But the two other teams are stronger, faster, and mean. It will take their combined effort to ensure that the Herons come out on top. If they work together, they will not fail.

Later, the Heron’s task is to guard the Andomal, Skandia’s most prized treasure. They failed. But in earnest, they take after the pirates that stole it. With the help of an old sea warrior named Thorn, the team must get the Andomal back, and with it, their dignity in Skandia.

If you have read the Brotherband books, what did you think? Post a comment about how amazing the books are and also your favorite character in the stories to show other readers the characters’ personalities.

-Kyle H., 7th grade

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