Tag Archives: book review

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

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**this review will contain spoilers**

OH MY GOSH. I can’t believe I kept pushing back reading this book and mainly doing so because of the popularity that has surrounded the new movie that released. I have always been a fan of the Hunger Games and I have previously read the trilogy on various accounts, so I have a good understanding on the concept of what it is but also the people involved.

This book revolved around younger President Snow and following his journey of Capitol success which started with him being a mentor in the 10th Hunger Games for Lucy Gray Baird. It was interesting to follow such a distinguished character and how he got to the point he is in the trilogies.

It begins with his family life, living with Tigris and Grandma’am with both his parents killed early on in life. Snow has dealt with financial struggles despite being a Capitol boy which is interesting since most people within the Capitol are financially stable. However, he begins his success being a mentor for the worst district but ends up obtaining Lucy Gray who is a performer. They begin to grow a strong mentor-candidate relationship with love and trust involved.

As the games begin, Snow does his best to help out Lucy Gray and even snuck in items for her to use, or to give her a significant advantage over her fellow competitors. With all this help, they end up actually winning the Hunger Games, but Snow is caught helping Lucy Gray cheat the games. Because of his actions he was sent to become a Peacekeeper where he was stationed in District 12 and got to rekindle his relationship with Lucy Gray who a singer that frequently entertained within District 12.

Snow and Lucy Gray continually get close but at this point in the book, Snow experiences a mental change in his attitude of how he proceeds with life. He begins to understand the doings on the Capitol and not sympathizing with Rebels even though he essentially was one during the Games. He ends up getting one of his good pals, Sejanus Plinth, killed and after this point Lucy Gray notices the distinct change and closes herself off. The book ends with readers not knowing whether Lucy Gray was killed or if she escaped and Snow returning back to the Capitol living life with the Plinths.

I find is interesting how the book ends because readers are left not knowing what happened to Lucy Gray after she disappeared from her hanging out with Snow and realizing he was the one who got Sejanus killed. Another thing that interests me is how the Plinths took him in knowing his financial struggles not knowing that he was the reason their son got killed. Also, the ending with Snow talking with Dr. Gaul and how she sent him to become a Peacekeeper for like an experience??? The Capitol is corrupt and has always been.

Honestly, if you read this book before reading the trilogy it makes sense but I would totally read the trilogy to get a full idea of how the characters interconnect. There are so many hidden things that make sense when reading all the books. Although I hate Snow for all the heinous activities he has done, nothing will beat….SNOW LANDS ON TOP.

-Madison C.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

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A Long Way from Chicago, by Richard Peck, is a Newbery Honor award-winning book. Joey and his sister, Mary Alice, are growing up in Chicago during the Great Depression. Every summer, their parents send them to the country to visit their grandmother for a week. This book is a “novel in stories,” because each chapter is about one of the annual trips to visit their grandmother. Over the course of these visits, the children gradually realize that their grandmother is a very unusual person. For example, at one point she uses her shotgun to shoot at a corpse inside a coffin. She also throws cherry bombs at kids, and she uses an illegal fish trap while fishing on a boat that she just stole, just to mention some of her zany behavior. As the years go by, the children develop an increasing level of respect and admiration for their grandmother. They come to recognize that the summers spent with their grandmother will become some of the most unforgettable experiences of their lives.

The structure of this book was new to me, because every chapter is like an entirely different story. However, the book still flowed well. It is very easy to pick up and read, and the action is fast-paced. Also, many of the stories are quite funny. Still, I was not sure what to make of the grandmother. She seems to cause quite a bit of chaos in her small community, and sometimes she lies to get out of trouble. At first, I was not sure about what the main message of this book was supposed to be. However, as I thought about it more, I realized that the charm of this book is based on the love that the grandmother has for Joey and Mary Alice. Their grandmother is very eccentric and mischievous, but she takes good care of her grandchildren and she gives them memories that they will never forget. This book is a short read, but I would recommend it to anyone.

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Code Of Honor by Alan Gratz

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In the beginning of the 8th grade, everybody In my English class needed to choose a book to read. And I thought that I would always hate reading, but luckily the book I chose to read was none other than Code Of Honor.

Code Of Honor is a thrilling, spy action book by Alan Gratz, a Best-selling New York Times author. This book is essentially about a young high school Senior named Kamran Smith. And Kamran had it all. He is the star of the schools football team, is dating the most popular girl, named Julia Gary, and is excited to join the United States Army, like his brother, Darius.

The story begins with Kamran Smith and his family, and They are all doing great. That was, until, Kamran’s brother Darius, is accused of being a terrorist for a character named Haydar Ansari. As soon as the public news channels said that Darius was a terrorist, Kamran’s life turned upside down. Nobody at his school liked him, his friends didn’t like him, and his girlfriend left him. And even worse, their neighbors rallied up near the Smith’s house in protest. Soon enough, government agents come to their house for questioning and house searches, and eventually take Kamran and his family into a secret underground government facility for even more interrogation. Weeks and months later, Kamran is able to sneak out of the facility. Once Kamran escaped, the guards realize and start searching for him. Right when he was about to get caught, 4 strangers who worked with the government took him into a van and saved him. 

If you want to know the details and the rest of the story, I would recommend buying this book at the Mission Viejo library. Code of Honor is a book filled to the brim with lots of suspense and action, and it made me want to never put the book down. I would honestly give it a 10 out of 10 rating.

Code of Honor by Alan Gratz is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

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The novel All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque portrays the events of World War I from the perspective of a German soldier named Paul Bäumer. This shows a new point of view of the war that is often neglected in media.

While the narrative is mostly fiction, the author’s personal experiences in the war heavily influenced the story. So, the book was very accurate in portraying the development of the soldiers and their thoughts as time progressed.

For example, at the story’s beginning, Paul and his comrades, motivated by their school teacher to join the army, are extremely elated at the idea of joining the military. However, by the end, they begin to question what they were fighting for in the first place. A powerful quote reads, “I think it is more of a kind of fever. No one in particular wants it, and then all at once there it is. We didn’t want the war, the others say the same thing and yet half the world is in it all the same”, (Remarque 152).

In addition to the well-developed characters, the figurative language effectively describes the scenery. The claustrophobia and violence in the trenches are displayed through the author’s use of imagery. With the release of the 2022 Netflix film adaptation of the book, it will be interesting to compare Remarque’s descriptions with what has been portrayed on screen.

The scale and perception of time in the book were sometimes difficult to process. Paul and his regiment often traveled to different areas and missions in between chapters, without a clear transition.

Additionally, from Chapter 11 to the end, the story’s pacing begins to increase dramatically, jumping from event to event. However, the main character Paul states that time passes differently on the front lines. So, this critique may have been an artistic choice by the author. 

Overall, the imagery and a well-written ensemble of characters make All Quiet on the Western Front a very enjoyable read.

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Book Review: The Brothers Hawthorne

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Last weekend, I finished reading The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. This book is an extension of her popular series, The Inheritance Games, a trilogy. Instead of focusing on Avery Grambs, the trilogy’s main character, The Brothers Hawthorne, hones in on the middle brothers Grayson and Jameson. The book describes the journey of Grayson protecting his (half) twin sisters from harm and the truth of his father’s death. Barnes writes about Jameson’s adventure of completing a series of games in England that his father challenges.

The Brothers Hawthorne is written from two points of view–Grayson’s and Jameson’s. I enjoyed this because it was interesting to see how the attitudes and behaviors of the two characters differed. This book was intriguing because there were many plot twists (and hints of suspense). Since the book switches to different points of view every couple of chapters, the author leaves important moments at cliffhangers. While at some points this was frustrating, it kept me invested in the book.

Though this book was exciting, it was slightly hard to follow since the point of view switches occasionally. Despite this, I recommend reading this book if you have already read the Inheritance Games. With some series, you can read the books out of order. However, this series isn’t like this–so if you haven’t read the books before The Brothers Hawthorne, you won’t understand half of the book. That being said, you should take the opportunity to read this book, as it is excellent.

The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

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**this review may contain spoilers**

I haven’t read a strictly romance novel in a while and let’s just say it was refreshing returning to my roots. I have previously read a book from Christina Lauren, The Unhoneymooners, but Love and Other Words is highly liked compared to the book previously mentioned.

Love and Other Words follows daughter, Macy Sorensen and fluctuates between the present and the past every other chapter. Macy lost her mother early on in life so she mainly had a relationship with her father which seemingly upheld. Her mother had left things for her father to know and do when certain moments arise such as when she got her period, had her first kiss, etc. Macy’s mother also wrote to get out during the weekend and with this suggestion they bought a weekend house 90 minutes from their Berkeley house to escape when needed. This is where Macy met Elliot.

Elliot Petropoulos is the boy next door to her weekend house and has a life filled with constant energy and activity having 3 older siblings and a dog. Macy and Elliot’s family lives differ but their interest remain similar. They both enjoy spending an absurd amount reading and find common ground through this interest.

Macy runs into Elliot, 11 years after not seeing him and they begin to catch up despite both of them being in relationships. Familiarity becomes a comfort and they end things with their partners to try at another love with one another. The author fluctuates heavily between past and present to provide context to conversation happening in real-time but also providing a sense of character between both Macy and Elliot.

This book wasn’t my favorite romance but it is a very quick read if you want to feel accomplished. I finished this in less than a day! Cute childhood friends to lovers, rekindling trope.

-Madison C.

Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates

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The main character, Adrienne has such an intriguing backstory as it doesn’t start out as a typical horror novel. Adrienne lived a relatively safe and boring life before inheriting a “haunted” mansion from her great aunt, Edith. This leads her to go and live there to try to perform the duties that were left behind for her. Adrienne brings her loyal cat along with her to try to ward off the apparent evil spirits that reside there.

The strange tasks left by her great aunt, Edith puzzle her. As she delves deeper into the house, she discovers decades and decades of family history buried between the walls. From creepy, bloody portraits to etched words embedded everywhere, Adrienne tries to find light in the situation.

On the first day, it doesn’t seem that bad, however, as time goes on, small noises begin to set her off. Her guard is up as well as Wolfgang’s fur. Doors open and close. Creaking floorboards startle her every second. The woods howl with hidden beasts within. She isn’t ready for what is about to happen. Every step she takes leads her on a different journey to discover over the horrible family history.

This is your typical horror story with humor laced in it. This remains one of my favorite books and is always on my go to bookshelf.

The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates draws you into the pages, and you can’t put it down.

Zodiac Academy: The Awakening (Some Spoilers!)

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*Be advised this book is for older readers*

Last week, I finished the first book in the series Zodiac Academy: The Awakening! This was an extremely good read! The minute I started reading, I couldn’t set this book down! It was so ADDICTING!

The book starts off with 2 twins, Tory and Darcy Vega, who live together in a crappy studio apartment, and are struggling to get by. They are thieves and will steal from others if it means that is how they must survive. One day, a mysterious stranger approach one of the twins, which happens to be Tory, at a bar, claiming that they are actually Fae, and must claim their birthright in a magical land known as Solaria. Obviously, Tory laughed at the sheer idea of ruling a place she has never heard of. The stranger, however, wouldn’t stop until his task was finished, so he broke into the twin’s home, and tried his luck one more time.

After several attempts, the twins finally agreed only because he told them about how they can claim their inheritance as long as they graduate. Suddenly transported into the world of Fae, the twins suddenly realize how harsh and ruthless the Fae can truly be, and graduating from this place will be much harder than they expected. Well, you might be thinking, “At least you can enjoy your throne, right?”. Wrong.

After their parents died, the Celestial Family took over, and each had a son. Obviously, their kids didn’t want the newly-found-heirs to inherit the throne, so along comes a series of pranks gone WAY too far, and tensions rise dramatically.

Throughout the book, I find many references to other books and plots. For me, this book is a mix of Harry Potter-Horoscopes/Zodiac Signs-and a little bit of Avatar: The Last Airbender. To be honest, this is only the first book in the series, and I am already HOOKED! Out of 5 stars, I would give it a 5.1!!

The Rent Collector by Cameron Wright

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I started The Rent Collector over the summer and it was super sweet with a great message. I put off reading this book for a while because it was summer homework, but I ended up enjoying it. Going into it, I didn’t really have any expectations and honestly had no clue what the book was about. However, by the end, I was glad I read it.

The Rent Collector is set in Cambodia in a trash dump that Sang Ly and her family call home. Their family, like many others, barely scrape by, having to risk their lives to earn any ounce of money along with all of the awful living conditions that come from living in a dump. For the cherry on top, there is the rent collector, Sopeap, who comes by and gathers money from everyone in the dump. One day, when Sopeap comes to collect their rent, Sang Ly discovers that Sopeap knows how to read. Sang Ly, determined to get a better life, gathers the courage one day to get Sopeap to teach her how to read. Throughout the story, Sang Ly finds out secrets of the past and begins to understand others through the power of literature. Together, Sang Ly and Sopeap learn to heal and grow as people. 

This was such a sweet book that was honestly kind of impactful for me. The themes woven into the story were beautifully done with the inclusion of other pieces of literature and short stories the Wright placed in it. While the literature was part of the theme itself, the literature helped to create themes that the characters acted on. I found it was super fun to connect the stories to the characters in the book. Of course this was done on purpose, but to see it play out in a different interpretation in their life was cool to read. 

I think what helped make this book seem so real were the characters Wright had. Much of the story was inspired by real places and real people and to think that people who have such a hard life can be so fulfilled and so strong is very motivating. This book helps to provide insight to how some people really live, showing the lows and highs of reality, and how different people’s lives can be. This book ended with a happy ending, but to know that this was just one story out of so many that don’t get to end so nicely is so powerful. Some of the scenes in this book were so sad and dark, making them eye opening and actually had me put the book down for a bit because it happened so suddenly or because I didn’t expect something like that to happen. My heart ached for some of the characters because of what they had gone through, especially because these characters were inspired by real people. 

Overall, The Rent Collector was a great read that can hit a lot of emotions if you really read it. To be honest, I was just going to go through the motions when I began, but I got sucked in and found that I really enjoyed what this book was saying. I would definitely recommend this book to those looking for something to read.

-Nicole R.

The Rent Collector by Camron Wright is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Book Review: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

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Recently, I read Outliers, a book explaining success and the reasons behind it, as well as delving deeper into the factors that cause success, such as background, family, and other factors. This book was definitely an interesting read, as it unpacked the causes of success, which is the central ambition of many people.

Gladwell introduces the book with the phenomenon of the Roseto effect, named after a study on the town done in the 1950s. During this study, the doctors performing it were shocked to realize that the people living in the town had the lowest rate of heart disease, and the lack of any heart conditions in general, leading to the discovery of the phenomenon that living together in a tightly-knit community indirectly contributes to less heart disease. The author then explains how Roseto was an outlier and the factors that contributed to it, looking beyond the general assumptions.

After the introduction, Gladwell proceeds to go on to explain several different phenomenons, such as the common belief and stereotype of Asians being good at math, by looking at cultural and linguistic factors, as well as the rise of Joe Flom, a takeover lawyer during a period of time when companies did not do many cases such as those. These are the two most interesting “outlier” cases he went over in my opinion, but he went over a handful of other ones that are just as interesting.

Overall, I think this was a great read, as it went over several interesting topics, analyzing them beyond the surface details, and teaching us to look at the other side of things. I would recommend this book for anybody who is interested in sociology, or success stories in general.

The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.