Book Review: Stormbreaker, by Anthony Horowitz

Posted on September 27, 2013 by rwong2002

Imagine what it would be like to work for a top-secret spy agency, let alone only being a teenager! This is the life of one unfortunate schoolboy, who is left orphaned at an early age. Written by Anthony Horowitz, Stormbreaker is an action-packed novel filled with adventure. Set in present-day England, a fourteen year old boy named Alex Rider is suddenly thrown into a deadly situation.

When Alex’s uncle mysteriously dies in a car accident, he is forced to take his uncle’s place as a spy in MI6, Britain’s top-secret spy organization. Little does he know that he is being tossed into a dangerous mission to spy on Herod Sayle, the mastermind behind the newest computer, Stormbreaker. Using pure instinct and his intelligence, Alex must fight for his life, as well as save the people of the Britain.

Anthony Horowitz writes Stormbreaker in a very unique way. He builds suspense in every inch of the book, is very descriptive in detail, and is very creative. From Alex being recruited as a spy to dodging bullets, this book makes your heart constantly race with anxiety. I thought Alex is a very brave and likable boy and if he were actually real, I would have liked to have met him. However, I thought Horowitz made this book a little too unrealistic. It is quite impossible for me to imagine Alex being able to escape from circumstances that most fourteen-year-old boys (let alone adults) cannot survive from. For example, how can Alex get caught in a fifteen feet deep and 30 feet long tank with a giant jellyfish and still manage to survive?

I would rate this book nine out of ten because it was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I recommend this book for kids ages ten to sixteen who love action, suspense, and mystery all mixed together in one book. I absolutely enjoyed Stormbreaker and will certainly read the rest of the Alex Rider series!

-Riley W., 6th grade

Book Review: Etiquette and Espionage, by Gail Carriger

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Leila S.

Sophronia Angelina Temminnick does not act at all like a lady should. While her other sisters were acting grown up when they had company, Sophronia climbs into a dumb waiter to eavesdrop on her mother’s conversation. When she falls out and rips her skirt, she wreaks havoc on all occupants of the room. Immediately after this unfortunate event, her mother decides that it is time for Sophronia to go to finishing school and be presentable at her sister’s coming-out ball. This is not exactly Sophronia’s first choice… but she goes along with it.

When she gets into the carriage with Mademoiselle Geraldine, the headmistress of Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality, she learns this woman is not who she says she is. In fact, she is actually only a member of the finishing school herself, sent to get the three children currently in the carriage. And also to retrieve a mysterious prototype, which happened to be the cause of a flywaymen attack.

After safely reaching the roaming blimp, which served as the school, Sophronia and the other students are escorted to a platform hanging under the school by a handsome werewolf. That is not the only non-human inhabitant of the school: one of the teachers is a vampire.

Once on the school premises, she gains a better understanding of the school’s purpose, which is apparently not as innocent as it appears. That purpose is not only to teach young ladies proper etiquette, but also to secretly instruct them on the subject of espionage…

If you like mystery and spies, you will enjoy Gail Carriger’s book. I would rate it a 9.5 out of 10, because it was such a captivating novel. I can’t wait until its sequel, Curtsies and Conspiracies, comes out on November 5th.

-Leila S., 8th gade

Book Review: Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, by Julie Andrews Edwards

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Kelsey H.

Julie Andrews’ autobiography, Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, shares with the reader the hardships and rewards of becoming a famous Broadway and Hollywood star. This book is fascinating to me, because like Andrews, I love to sing, dance, and read. Although I do not dream of becoming a famous icon, I find those who follow the road to becoming one interesting and undeniably courageous.

Julie Andrews’ story begins in London, England during World War II. Julie Andrews spends her childhood constantly in voice lessons and traveling to perform with her parents, and she describes despising her voice lessons as a child. Little did she know that later- in her teen years- she would come to appreciate and use her voice as her ticket to stardom. Despite her parents’ painful divorce and her mother’s flighty behavior, Julie Andrews succeeds in becoming a well-respected performer in her home country.

Andrews writes that although she thoroughly enjoyed traveling with a company and performing, she always felt responsible for her family, and she hated to be away from them. Julie Andrews is admirable because when she is offered a two year contract to perform as Eliza Doolittle from “My Fair Lady,” she insists on making it one year so that she can come home to care for her siblings. Most girls looking to make it on Broadway would snatch up the offer and leave their family to fend for themselves.

Julie Andrews was a talented, compassionate, responsible, composed young lady; respected by many as one of America’s greatest icons. With the help of the much-loved Walt Disney, Julie Andrews became a star on-screen as well as on-stage. One might say Julie Andrews is best known for her perfect role as Mary Poppins, the beloved nanny; but I love her most for her role as Maria in The Sound of Music for her carefree attitude and loving heart.

I recommend this book to all who love Julie Andrews’ work, and find themselves, like me, in awe at those who take such risks to discover themselves.

-Kelsey H., 10th grade

Book Review: Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Kaelyn L.

In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the main character, Guy Montag, is a firefighter. However, he is not a firefighter in the traditional sense of the word. Instead of putting out fires, his job is to set them.

In the future that this novel is set in, millions of books are banned and the only way people are allowed to learn is through television and radio programs, comics, and other forms of entertainment that make people “happy.” In this society, making people happy and equal to one another intellectually is the main goal. It is believed that higher forms of learning, such as the knowledge gained from most books, would be detrimental to this objective. In order to keep this objective, books are banned and burned when found in people’s possessions. That is where Guy Montag’s job comes in. However, when he meets a curious girl named Clarisse, who, unlike the rest of society, likes asking questions, he begins to ask some questions of his own.

The tone of this novel is a dark one. It deals with the main character discovering a new, not necessarily good outlook on the world he accepted before. It also features many issues that could occur if society could not advance due to lack of knowledge. The idea of censorship that is addressed in this novel is a difficult one, and that is proven when the main character himself goes against his societal rules, his job, and his family values to experience what it is like to read books.

Ray Bradbury seems to want the reader to feel like a world without books would be unexceptional and monotonous. Without the knowledge and expertise that can be gained from reading, society could never advance and people would be stuck in the same rut that Guy Montag realizes he is in when he talks to Clarisse. At one point in the book, Clarisse says to Guy “It’s a lot of funnels and a lot of water poured down the spout and out the bottom, and them telling us it’s wine when it’s not” (33). This quote shows how their society is full of dreariness and lies in order for them to feel “happy” and “equal”. In reading this book, I have fully realized that I never want to experience a life without books. Overall, I think that Ray Bradbury was successful in making his readers feel a connection to Fahrenheit 451’s world that is lacking knowledge and advancement.

While this book was a bit tedious to read due to the author’s style of writing, which is so unlike current writing styles, I still am walking away from this novel with a new understanding of how important books are to society. Readers definitely need to read between the lines in order to fully understand both the underlying meaning and what is occurring. It reads more like rambling thoughts, which in a way tells the story better than any structured writing style would. Bradbury started and completed this novel in nine days on a rented typewriter that he payed for per half hour, which I personally find extremely impressive. While I was not the biggest fan of this book, I still feel like I have learned a lot from Fahrenheit 451 and I recommend it to both teens and adults alike.

-Kaelyn L., 10th grade

Book Review: Unbreakable, by Kami Garcia

Posted on September 25, 2013 by Sabrina C.

Do you believe in ghosts? Do they float around your room or take human form? Did you ever think they could hurt you? These are questions Kennedy Waters never thought she would ask herself, but that was before a spirit tried to kill her.

When Kennedy finds her mother dead in their own house, her future reveals itself. When her mother is pronounced dead of a heart attack, she is forced to go to a boarding school. She knows something is wrong. She thinks her mom was murdered, but she can’t prove it. Before she leaves, she wants to stay in her house for one last night. It holds all her memories, precious or not.

She soon finds it was a horrible mistake when identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into her room to kill an evil spirit sent to kill her. They tell her that her mom was part of an ancient secret society that protects our world from a vengeful demon. They also say the society’s five members were murdered on the same night.

Kennedy has to take her mom’s place in the society and join the Legion, if she wants to uncover the truth and survive. She meets new Legion members, Priest and Alara, on the way. The teens race to find the only weapon that can destroy the demon. With challenges along the way, they can only hope for the best.

Kami Garcia, co-author of the Beautiful Creatures series, has done it again. This book is an amazing thriller! I couldn’t put it down. I truly think it could be the next Hunger Games. It has everything: suspense, romance, and the paranormal! I would definitely want to see the movie. But because of some scary scenes, I would recommend this book for 12 and up. Look for Unbreakable in bookstores everywhere on October 1st.

-Sabrina C., 8th grade

Thank to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for providing an advance readers’ copy of Unbreakable for review.

Book Review: Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Sarah J.

Dragons, magic, elves, dwarfs, and war are all common elements of many stories. Eragon was one of the first I have read that has a dragon that is actually a main character not a main supporting character. Excellent read for anyone who likes the things I listed above.

Eragon is the first book of a currently four-book series called The Inheritance Cycle written by Christopher Paolini.

The book is about a boy named Eragon. Eragon has always believed he was just a normal farm boy with a normal birth. He knows nothing of his mother nor nothing of this father. He was raised by an uncle of his and lived with his uncle and his uncle’s son on their farm. Eragon lived a kind of shelter life from most of the outside world since the valley that he lived him was rarely visited from the outside. One day he finds a polished blue stone. This stone would bring him out of his simple life and the valley in which he lived. This stone would bring a dragon into his life that will lead him to magic, elves, and a whole host of other creatures and humans.

Eragon is a very well-written story. The story is very well planned out and detailed– not in the way that bores people but holds their interest. Each character seems to have some sort of mystery behind them that makes the reader want to discover more. The main character, Eragon, still makes mistakes like a normal person and admits that he does them. This makes him feel more like the reader. Another thing that is interesting in this series is the diverse amount of species in the story. There are not only plenty of different sort of humans but there are also things like Urgals (Read the story to find out more about these creatures).

In the end, this book is amazing. Well, at least for me. It has plenty of adventure and excitement for both male and female readers. This book and the complete series itself, I personally would recommend it to older or more advanced readers. The reason is that some of the more emotional side of the story can be hard to understand and take in some of the time. This series also deals with a lot of fighting, war, betrayal, and other slightly more mature things. This review is only my opinion. Really it is up to you. Have Fun!

Extra Note: If you would like to learn more about the author of the Inheritance Cycle series, check out Phillip X.’s post about Christopher Paolini.

-Sarah J., 8th grade

Book Review: Teardrop, by Lauren Kate

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Rabani S.

Whenever I pick up a book with a gripping plot, action-packed adventure, and a swirl of romance, I feel like I’m in book heaven. That’s why I thought Teardrop (which is set to be published on October 22) would be an excellent book. Unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations.

Teardrop centers around a seventeen-year-old girl named Eureka who hasn’t cried since she was nine years old. When her mother dies in a car accident, Eureka turns emotionally unstable and suicidal. She misses her mother terribly and her only comfort is her best friend, Brooks. All she has to remember her mother by is a locket that is rusted shut, a special waterproof rock called a thunderstone, and a book written in an indecipherable language.

Eureka is followed by a mysterious blond enigma named Ander. He tells her that she is in danger. She decides to get her book translated by a woman who identifies the book to be about the lost island of Atlantis. The story tells of a heartbroken girl who cried until Atlantis was underwater. Eureka finds that the story is strangely relatable to her own life. To add to the unfolding mystery, Brooks begins to act hostile towards Eureka.

The puzzle pieces only begin to fit together after Eureka and Brooks suffer a near death experience and Brooks vanishes. Ander finds and tells her that she has the power to raise Atlantis with her tears. He also tells her that a previous inhabitant of Atlantis has possessed Brooks. Eureka is faced with life-changing choices as she is confronted and attacked by the Seedbearers, who will stop at nothing to keep Atlantis from rising again.

Although the idea of this book was extremely intriguing, I don’t think it was carried out very well. The plot launched into several promising directions, but didn’t follow through with most of them. However, there are a few pleasant qualities of this book. The characters are all very realistic, and the romance is electric. But the author spends too much time with minute details, and the bulk of the action is shortened to a few pages at the end of the book.

After reading Lauren Kate’s fantastic Fallen series, I expected Teardrop to be stellar as well. Admittedly, I may have set the bar too high. While Teardrop was only an adequate read, the rest of the series has great potential.

-Rabani S., 9th grade

This review was based on an advance reader’s copy generously provided by the publisher.

Book Review: Wildwood Dancing, by Juliette Marillier

Posted on September 21, 2013 by SMES Student

This book review is part of series of reviews written by students at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School for their 7th grade English classes.

“The voice was deep and dark, like indigo velvet. A chill went down my spine” (114). But Night People aren’t Jena’s only concern this cold, medieval winter. Let me be the first to welcome you to the Wildwood, a wonderful, magical place that, every full moon, welcomes Jena and her four sisters to a splendid party. Juliet Marillier, an author from New Zealand who lives in Australia, weaves a fantastic and complex story of love, trust, family, and magic in her wonderful novel Wildwood Dancing.

Picture medieval Europe: a manor in Transylvania with an old castle surrounded by a feared forest and deadly lake called the Deadwash. Jena, the lead character, is the second eldest in a family with no mother and five daughters. She is brave, caring, strong, protecting, and clever. This winter, however, her father has to say good bye, leaving the girls to fend for themselves. All would have been well, save her dominating cousin Cezar. This evil and overpowering man poses the first of many conflicts to Jena. But Jena isn’t to fight them alone. Meet Gogu, a funny, smart, kind, loyal, loving, and talking frog. Well, not exactly talking. He talks into Jena’s, and only Jena’s, head. Many, especially Cezar, don’t approve of Jena’s choice of companion, but she won’t let him go for anything and their friendship grows to be key in the plot line.

Cezar and Jena have endured a tragedy that they still haven’t recovered from: the loss of Cezar’s big brother, Costi, nine years ago. Jena sees how Cezar has grown to be very vengeful, and his threat to cut down the forest and bring the Wildwood down with it had become scarily real on top of him taking over. Another growing threat is the Night People. There are many horrible stories and legends that surround these fearful creatures, and it becomes a deadly reality when a village woman dies- with bloody fang wounds in her neck. Tati, Jena’s gorgeous older sister, falls deeply in love with Sorrow, one of the Night People. This causes Jena more trouble, as her sister becomes distant, forgetful, and extremely devastated because she can’t see him. Jena realizes that if Tati goes with him, she will never see Tati again, but if she stays, she will continue to not eat and fade.

Throughout these many conflicts, many themes exist, but there are two main ones that I will share with you. The first theme is that standing up to others around may be hard, but it is rewarding. Jena and her sisters stand up to their cousin whenever they can, but is it enough to stop him? The second theme is to trust those you love and question when you are not in a trustworthy situation. Trust and instinct is an important part of the whole book, but you’ll have to read it to find out why.

This story is told from Jena’s point of view. Juliet Marillier uses this voice to be very descriptive and paint vivid pictures in the readers mind. Her expert word choice and careful structure make this book an amazing read. One of my favorite descriptive lines she uses is when she is describing the Wildwood when Jena visits, “Gowns and masks, robes and jewels filled the open space with a swirling mass of colors” (17).

If you want a deep, magical, amazing book to read, I recommend this book for you. Juliet Marillier will have you turning pages faster than ever. It is a great book for all young teenagers, with just the right amount of romance, action, and suspense for everyone. I really enjoyed this book, and finished it and the sequel in less than a week! It is truly a book everyone should be required to read. So if you want to find out to the gorgeous, love-stuck Tati, dominating, creepy Cezar, funny, loving Gogu the frog, and brave, kind Jena, read this fantastic book!

-Katherine S., 7th grade

Book Review: Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson

Posted on September 21, 2013 by jkfdlsjfkldjfkls

High school should be one of the greatest experiences in freshman Melinda’s life, but instead it is twisted into a horrible nightmare as one secret rips her life apart. One party was turned into a complete disaster when she called the cops. However, there may be more than is seen on the surface.

Melinda finds herself rejected by her classmates and former friends, closed off from her parents, and unable to reveal the truth behind a trauma that has left her private and social life in ruins. As she faces more and more pain and harassment from school, she becomes increasingly isolated and soon refuses to talk at all. Melinda slowly loses touch with those around her, building walls around her to protect from the shame of what happened on that one fateful night. The safest place for her to be is her own head. But where can you run to escape from yourself?

Through her art class she finds some solace, and it is from an art project that she finally finds the strength to face what really happened at that party– and this time Melinda fights back and refuses to be silent.

In this powerful Printz Honor novel, a realistic, believable heroine delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school with her ironic bitterness, and finally speaks up about her pain. She speaks for any teenager that feels like an outcast while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself

Warning: This book may not be appropriate for children 12 and under due to mature content.

-Julia D., 9th grade

Book Review: The Final Four, by Paul Volponi

Posted on September 20, 2013 by SMES Student

This book review is part of series of reviews written by students at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School for their 7th grade English classes.

Being pushed around is an everyday occurrence on the courts of life and, most definitely, on the basketball court. This is particularly true in college level basketball during March madness of the NCAA tournament where it becomes a matter of survival. This spirit of survival is portrayed in Paul Volponi’s The Final Four when the Troy University Trojans are up against their toughest battle in the semi-finals against the Michigan State Spartans. The stakes are huge because whoever wins this game will move on to the finals and play North Carolina for the NCAA tournament championship. This heart-wrenching story showcases the influence of pride and how it can interfere with your relationships, the importance of courage on the court, and the value of loyalty to your teammates and coach.

Often times star athletes display extreme pride on and off the court. Malcolm McBride, the best college point guard in the NCAA, is a perfect example of a player who displays excessive hubris. This can be seen with his remark, “That’s why I wear eleven on my uniform. There are two number ones in a row” (14). Malcolm’s comment clearly shows his focus being only on himself at the expense of everyone else on the team. He regards himself not only as number one but also as a double one. His goal of reaching the NBA is the only thing that matters to him. As the author reveals more instances of Malcolm on and off the court, the reader begins to see how his rage increases, adding more fuel to the fire, when he exerts his emotions toward his teammates to convey that he is the only valuable player on the team. This excessive pride culminates with outrageous behavior when he targets a teammate, MJ (Michael Jordan), after Malcolm experiences a great tragedy in his life with his sister’s death. Malcolm’s relationships with his teammates set him up against his co-players due to his prideful nature.

In comparison, Michael Jordan is a benchwarmer who has low self-esteem and considers himself inferior to the other players. However, he has the willpower to change and the determination to grow. This can be seen when “MJ blocks out everything around him-Malcolm, the defenders, the crowd and even how much that one shot means” (232). As MJ’s skill level increases, his confidence rises, and he finds the courage to step up to the plate and become an exemplary basketball player. MJ’s self-esteem increases on and off the court and he has the courage to take a stand for himself because he is tired of being pushed around. This courage and tenacity propel MJ to become a leader and longer fear Malcolm McBride’s power on the court.

Furthermore, loyalty is shown when Malcolm McBride preservers through hardship, and reevaluates his behavior towards his family, teammates, and most importantly Michael Jordan. He learns the true meaning of trusting in one another rather than just himself. Also he is taught the importance of friendship and how much they endure for him. He also realizes that loyalty is a strong feeling of support or allegiance for someone. When he enters into the NBA he has to learn the importance of teamwork and reliability. Loyalty is expressed all throughout this book

The story illustrates that friendship and teamwork is far more important than just thinking about you. No matter who you are or what your situation, friends can and do make the difference in will make it a whole lot easier.

I really recommended reading this thrilling novel because, “Volponi has the rare gift of ratcheting up the intensity of the action off the court as well as on it” (Tim Green). Also this is a story of rivals battling it out and putting everything on the line to see who wins. It is truly a fight to the end. This book takes you through many twists and turns that deal with loss, humility, and truly learning how to be part of a team. And now, without further ado, the winner between Troy University and Michigan State is… Well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out.

-Jay P., 7th grade

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