Category Archives: Book Reviews

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

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Amazon.com: Into the Wild (Picador Classic Book 78) eBook : Krakauer, Jon: Kindle Store

On April 28, 1992, twenty-four-year-old Christopher McCandless walked into the untamed wilderness of northern Alaska. Having donated all his savings to charity, abandoned his car, and burned all the cash in his wallet, he was fully prepared to forge a new life for himself. However, only four months later, he was found dead by the Sushana River.

In Into the Wild, acclaimed journalist and outdoorsman Jon Krakauer attempts to crack the case of what killed Chris McCandless. He retraces McCandless’ steps from his former life as a member of a well-off family in Virginia to his increasingly meandering, wanderlust-filled travels across the continent to, eventually, the fatal trip to Alaska. Krakauer intersperses his findings with personal information and claims, including facts about McCandless’ home life and how it led to his Alaska trip, as well as events from Krakauer’s own life, such as his ascension of the Devil’s Thumb.

Into the Wild balances the themes of the call of the wilderness with the pull of familial ties, the desire to explore the world with the need to settle down, the need for belonging with the desire to discover one’s true identity, and more. Though it is a nonfiction book, it certainly reads like an adventure novel, admittedly tinged with sadness because of the inevitable conclusion.

While I am personally not one for the outdoors, I appreciated and was intrigued by Krakauer’s writing style. He manages to create an investigative survival story out of McCandless’ story in a way that keeps the reader hooked on both McCandless’ adventures and his family’s concern back East. In the end, although McCandless’ story has a tragic ending, it not only serves as a lesson for aspiring naturalists who wish to “live off the land” as he tried to do, but also to regular people living their lives, encouraging them to follow their dreams, whatever they may be, or wherever they may lead them.

– Mahak M.

Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

Keeper of the Lost Cities: Everblaze by Shannon Messenger

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Everblaze, the third book Shannon Messenger wrote for this series (and the first one with a heart-wrenching cliffhanger, might I add), was the book Sophie found out her enemies were closer than they seemed. It begins with Sophie getting a request from the Council to heal Fintan, the leader of the now-named Neverseen. Fintan used to be on the Council, but after the Pyrokisis “incident”( involving 5 Pyrokinetics and some Everblaze), he was banned. Sophie and Keefe then go to check on Silveny, the sparkly alicorn.

They happen upon a tracker in her tail and immediately rush back home. A few days after, Sophie’s Linguistics Mentor Lady Cadence figures out that the tracker had Arrowmark on it. Arrowmark is an ogre technology/bacteria that is a homing device for their weapons. All of the school had to then be tested, and Sophie’s hand skin needed to be melted off (very gross, sadly it happens more than once).

With the 9th/10th book (Stellarlune) coming out in November, I re-read this series a lot. Each time, a find more details and funny moments I never knew were there. I recommend everyone to start reading this series, it is great fun and a good way to spend your spare time.

-Izzy W.

Keeper of the Lost Cities: Everblaze by Shannon Messenger is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Libby.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer

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Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan, is the first book in the Magnus Chase series. The book is connected to and placed in the same world Rick Riordan’s other popular mythological series Percy Jackson, Kane Chronicles, Trials of Apollo, Heroes of Olympus, and a few other books.

You might see some similar names in this book if you’re familiar with the Percy Jackson series. The Sword of Summer as you might expect is another mythological fantasy book this time about the Nine realms and the Norse Gods.

The book starts off with the main character Magnus Chase as a homeless guy, who dies. No, that is not a spoiler and is actually part of the title of the first chapter. By the way, The chapter titles can be very hilarious in my opinion at times. Anyways back to how the book goes. You have Magnus Chase who is a homeless orphan and ends up meeting his uncle. His uncle tells him of his godly heritage as Magnus is about to reach the age where monsters will start going after him. To not spoil the book that is as far as will go. I would recommend this book to any fantasy and mythology book lovers. It’s filled with action and world-building, however, be warned that it might take a while as it’s a 498 paged book.

-Luke G.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive/Libby.

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

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As I Lay Dying - V745: Faulkner, William: 9780394747453: Amazon.com: Books

Set during the Great Depression, William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying explores the nature of existence while also denouncing the nature of humanity. Acclaimed for its stream of consciousness writing and use of multiple narrators, the novel challenges conventional grammatical and thematic ideas by showing the instability and unreliability of reality. 

The Bundren family consists of Anse (the father), Addie (the dying mother), and their children: Cash, Jewel, Darl, Dewey Dell, and Vardaman. The novel follows the Bundren family on their ill-fated journey from the (fictional) Yoknapatawpha County to Addie’s native Jefferson, Mississippi, ostensibly to bury her there as her last wish. In reality, each family member has a different, private reason for wanting to travel to Jefferson, and these desires come to light over the course of the novel.

In contrast to typical works of the time period, the Bundren family is shockingly dysfunctional. Each family member absolutely detests every other member, and, when faced with any problem, they will not hesitate to betray or place the blame on someone else. The lack of definitive parental influence only highlights this disparity between the ideal and the actual.

On a broader scale, As I Lay Dying investigates themes of mortality and inevitability. From Vardaman’s infamous statement when faced with his mother’s death (“my mother is a fish”) to Darl’s monologues on is and was to Addie’s narration of her story from beyond the grave, the novel considers the truth of life and death, and what it means to be alive, making it an interesting read.

– Mahak M.

As I Lay Dying by WIlliam Faulkner is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

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Best friends to enemies, learning to adapt to new environments, and creating characters with unique personalities are concepts Soman Chainani effectively intertwined throughout his series, The School for Good and Evil. Sophie, a perfect young girl, and her best friend Agatha, the gloomy lone wolf, are brought into a world much different than their own. They find their fortunes reversed as they land in schools opposite of their personalities.

This series brings much thrill and excitement. Chainani takes you on an adventure full of twists and turns while creating a plot that is both complex and exhilarating. Personally, I enjoyed the different characters and how they were based off of popular fairytales. The description of each individual develops a unique image of them, and their actions throughout the story make them even more enjoyable to read. I also enjoyed the many details that Chainani included in his writing; it always made his work fun to read and easy to picture in your mind.

I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys plot twists, meaningful themes, and a hint of drama and romance. It’s perfect for those who love fairytales and using their imagination. It’s always been one of my favorite series to read, so I would most definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a new book to read.

-Kaiya T.

The School for Good and Evil is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download from Libby.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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The Scarlet Letter: Hawthorne, Nathaniel: 9781512090567: Amazon.com: Books

The story is set in the early 1700s and centers around the intrepid Hester Prynne, who has had a baby, named Pearl, by a man other than her husband. She faces public humiliation and ostracization from her strict Puritan town, and is forced into exile into the forest at the edge of town. Her husband, Roger Chillingworth, is determined to seek revenge against the father of the child- who Hester stubbornly keeps a secret. As the entire town grows rife with rumors, it becomes clear that everyone in this story has something to hide.

I liked the book- Nathaniel Hawthorne described a very tantalizing story of love, guilt, and betrayal. Even though it was fairly easy to deduce just from the first few chapters who the father was, it was still an okay read. I would definitely recommend a simplified version to anyone younger than high school- the archaic English becomes very thick and complicated in many places throughout the story. Still, as a cornerstone of classic American literature, I would recommend that everyone read it at least once.

-Vaidehi B.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthrone is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie

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Ruth and her husband Derek Kettering have some problems. Van Aldin, Ruth’s father, suggests to her to divorce Derek. She agrees, but once she is on the Blue Train, she gets nervous that she may not have told her father everything she should have. Katherine Grey compassionately listens to Ruth and gives her sensible advice. However, the next day, as the Blue Train finishes its journey, Ruth is found strangled in her compartment, and also disfigured by being hit by something very hard after her death. Since Katherine was one of the only people to have interacted at all with Ruth, she is naturally now a part of solving the case.

Everything gets even more complicated when Van Aldin states that Derek would benefit from Ruth’s death by millions of pounds. Soon, they also find a letter from Ruth’s former lover, the Comte de la Roche, asking for her to allow him to see her rubies for his book on jewels. With two suspects already at the beginning of the investigation, who were both spotted on the train, and with Ruth’s largest rubies missing, the case is more confusing than ever.

Then, Hercule Poirot helps to investigate the case. With his keen observations, he is able to piece together an accurate summary of the scene and murder. 

I really liked this book because it was so mysterious and the ending was unexpected. There were a variety of characters included in the story, and all of them had different strengths and weaknesses, which also made the story more enjoyable.

-Peri A.

The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

The Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen

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Mark of the Thief (Mark of the Thief, Book 1) (1): Nielsen, Jennifer A.: 9780545561556: Amazon.com: Books

Knocking other people backward, disappearing and appearing out of nowhere, and protecting yourself and your friends with an invisible shield are all things that magic can do! So, when Radulf, the Roman general, comes around to the mines where slaves work, one naughty slave is told to fetch Caesar’s Bulla from a cave. Who is that slave? Nicolas Calva, who will not back down from anyone. Not even his masters! 

After Nicolas is let down into the cave where he needs to grab Caesar’s Bulla, he meets a griffin. This griffin is not an ordinary griffin, though. It is the griffin who guards the Bulla! As Nic tries to grab the bulla, he has to fend off the half-lion, half-eagle magical creature. 

Following his successful attempt of obtaining the bulla, Nic endures many struggles. Radulf, the general, is after him and he wants the bulla for himself. Roman soldiers are ready to capture him at every cost! 

This book is a thrilling ride that does not disappoint. Nic learns about friendship and trust throughout this novel, and a lot of the lessons that he learns can be used in our lives, too. 

Throughout his encounters with Caela the griffin, Nic learns how to care for someone else other than himself or his sister. After living in the mines for 5 years and not knowing life other than difficult days and starving stomachs, Nic was able to understand that there are things in life that are enjoyable, too. The bulla helped Nic get out of the mines, and as a result, Nic learned about the lives of the Romans. 

This novel is the first of a 3 book trilogy, so Nic’s journey is longer than just one book!

The author, Jennifer A. Nielsen did a great job making these stories really intriguing and exhilarating. This book is definitely one of my favorite books that I have read this year and I recommend it to anyone interested in stories about magic.

I would give this novel a 10/10 rating because of how the author added important lessons using events and characters. She did a great job of including plot twists to create excitement for the reader just as the story started to slow down. 

-Mert A.

The Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen is available from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

A Phở Love Story by Loan Le

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Linh Mai and Bảo Nguyễn haven’t spoken since they were kids, when they met in a Buddhist temple and were shortly yanked apart by their silently enraged families. Their families own neighboring phở restaurants, but that’s not the whole story. They’re not just neighbors, they are rivals, and not friendly ones. The Mais and Nguyễns are in constant competition with each other; consistently gossiping, trash-talking, and spreading atrocious rumors about each other—aside from frequently calling each other’s phở “dở ẹc” (very, very bad).

But everything changes for Linh and Bảo on the Mais’ Phở Day, when Linh’s family will offer a two-for-one deal for their phở. Linh, a passionate artist, plans to attend an art exhibition, but she has no choice but to help her parents deal with the rush of customers. At one point, she becomes extremely overwhelmed and runs outside to an alley, where she encounters Bảo, who offers to secretly help. Linh and Bảo help make Phở Day a success—all without Linh’s mother knowing, of course! As the night ends and they escape triumphantly to the alley, both realize that everything has changed for them.

Coincidentally or not, Linh and Bảo are soon assigned a project to partner on. As they spend more time together and get to know each other, sparks begin to fly, and they embark on a secret relationship, which they are forced to hide from their families, who would no doubt break them apart once more.

In only a matter of time, Linh and Bảo come to realize that their families’ feud runs deeper than a silly restaurant rivalry, and that their situation is much more complicated than either of them could have imagined.

Throughout it all, Linh struggles to communicate to her parents her dreams of pursuing a career as an artist, as they wish her to become an engineer. Bảo, meanwhile, can’t seem to find something he is passionate about and is hesitant about who he wants to be in life.

This story uses a lot of Vietnamese cultural references, which is one of my favorite aspects of the novel. The author occasionally drops some Vietnamese terms into the dialogue and narration, and the story shows a lot of typical Vietnamese-family customs, tendencies, and conversations. As a Vietnamese person who grew up in the same environment, I found A Phở Love Story hilariously relatable, so I’d definitely recommend it especially to anyone acquainted with Asian culture. This book is also great if you are interested in or curious about Asian culture.

A Phở Love Story by Loan Le is a playful, serious, beautiful, and poignant read all at the same time, and I’m not kidding when I tell you that I started crying when I got to a certain part of the book. (I laughed out loud lots of times too!) I found this story to be very realistic and reflective on parents’ expectations of their kids’ career choices and other general plans for their futures. Definitely give this novel a try! I loved it so much and would no doubt recommend it!

-Lam T.

A Phở Love Story by Loan Le is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

Celebrating Black History Month

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In honor of Black History Month, I would like to share one of my favorite books written by a black author.

The Hate U Give

Author: Angie Thomas

Genre: young adult/fiction

Length: 444 pages

Published: February 28, 2017

 

Brief Synopsis:

This story follows Starr, a 16-year-old black girl that grew up in the hood neighborhood of Garden Heights. After gunshots ring out at a party she was attending, she flees in her childhood friend’s car when they then get pulled over by a policeman for a broken taillight. Assumptions, fear, and prejudice result in the dealt of her friend by the cop. This tale follows Starr as she struggles with self-identity, fear, and justice.

Impact:

This is such a powerful book, one that illuminates the realities of life as an African American. Though it may be a fictional book, its word holds truth. The truth of an African American who faces prejudice and whose voice fights to be heard.

Starr struggles to determine what defines her; is it her race? her neighborhood? her mannerisms or habits? Before she found her voice, she thought she was defined by her skin color. Attending a prestigious private school with a predominantly wealthy, white population, she believed she had to speak proper English, act docile, behave like a watered-down version of herself in order to fit in, to avoid judgement from her peers. She was consumed by other’s opinions, insecurities, and the fear that being herself was not enough that “There are just some places where it’snot enough to be me.” This aspect of her character is relatable, realistic. She is not the perfect, brave heroine readers grow envious of. Starr has aspects of herself that she is hesitant to display, as do many. We become hesitant, afraid that others will think less of ourselves should they witness the things we keep hidden. Starr Carter learns that oneself is not defined by physical or outward characteristics like race, or financial stability but in the experiences one faces and how they are overcome. That in terms of yourself, your body, your actions, the only opinion that matters is your own. For as her mother said, as long as you feel you’re doing right, that’s all that matters.

This book granted me the opportunity to experience life from another’s shoes, made me realize the things I take for granted, and on a less-serious note, turned me onto Tupac’s music. I encourage you all to read this book. It was powerful, moving, and definitely memorable.

-Gia S.

Favorite Quotes:

“‘Brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared, Starr,” she [Starr’s mom] says. “It means you go on even though you’re scared.'”

“‘Just like y’all think all of us are bad because of some people, we think the same about y’all.'”

 

“Fairy tale? No. But I’m not giving up on a better ending.”