Review 5 books and get a $10.00 gift certificate to Bookman’s to be used at any location. See your English teacher or a Ms. Malapanes for details. Click the comments tag below and type your review in Comments.
The review should be 50-100 words, or whatever your English teacher requires. Please only use your first name and the first 2 letters of your last name, and tell us your English teacher’s name. We would also like the book’s title and author. Also include how you would rate the book on a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the highest.
Be sure to see Ms. Malapanes in the CDO Library for your Bookman’s certificates.
October 7, 2006 at 1:48 pm
I am not in an English class right now. I really liked the book Always Running by Luis Rodriquez. This is a true story about Luis growing up in Los Angeles and being in a gang. The book is so exciting that I read it in two days. Luis writes this book as kind of a warning to his son. Eventually Luis becomes a very successful author and poet. I have a hard time getting into books, so I give this book a 10 because it made me want to keep reading.
October 16, 2006 at 9:33 am
I’m a huge Nora Roberts fan; she has a new trilogy out – The Circle Trilogy – that deals w/ vampires, time travel and, of course! romance. I zoomed through Books I and II over the Break and now must wait, very impatiently, for November when Book III arrives. She tends to write in trilogies, each book is written from one of the main characters’ point of view. This is different in that it involves time travel and combining different people from different worlds and different times to work together as a team to defeat the evil vampire queen, Lillith.
October 30, 2006 at 11:08 am
1. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD:
I absolutely love reading, especally fiction. one of my favorite books is To Kill a Mockingbird. I love how close to reality the town Scout lives in seems. Ms. Lee’s warts-and-all description of the citizens of Maycomb makes one feel as if they were actually witnessing the events that took place. I believe this is classic literature, and that everyone should read it. I score it a definite ten.
October 31, 2006 at 7:27 pm
This year’s #1 book is Gregg Olsen’s true story, THE DEEP DARK. I lived in the community when/where the tragedy happened. The whole valley was overwhelmed by the incredible rescue efforts. Gregg’s book looks beyond the mine company’s “official” reports, and into the wounds of the families and the entire Silver Valley. This book should be considered a memorial to all miners of silver, copper, or coal who have lost their lives just to feed their families. THE DEEP DARK tells of the dark truth of America’s richest silver mine. It’s a 10, & winner of ILA’s Book of 2006!
November 2, 2006 at 4:30 pm
My #2 book this year was co-written by a Tucson-an over a decade ago, and is a great read I recently discovered at Bookman’s Used Book Store on Ina Road. At less than 175 pages – including several pages of photos – it’s a quick, easy weekend adventure into 1950’s Tucson and Northern Mexico. This amazing and true story is called DESERT QUEST: The Hunt for True Gold, by Randolf Jenks & Beverly Powell.
DESERT QUEST is an “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” adventure of extraordinary action and danger in the rugged northern Mexico desert mountains of the Sierra Madre. Best of all, it’s all true! Of course it’s a 10.
November 4, 2006 at 4:09 pm
I’m a CDO high senior taking my English 12 for dual credit through PCC. Ms. Lewindowski has record of my current enrollment, if needed.
Here is an amazing book. AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH DARKNESS by Ann Rinaldi, is a historical thriller set in the time of the US Civil War. The main character is a teenage girl. She discovers people close to her were involved in the plot to murder President Lincoln. She also has come to grips with her mother’s untimely death and the dark secrets kept by her uncle. This book is written as if the reader is there with her, and is a twisted story that keeps you interested. I rate this book a 10. If you’re looking for a fast-paced book, then AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH DARKNESS is for you, at just 291 pages.
November 4, 2006 at 4:20 pm
I recently discovered KNEE DEEP IN THUNDER, by Sheila Moon, at a local used book store. This is an awesome fantasy and adventure, using Navajo mythology and spirituality to pull-in the reader. At times, I felt as if I was in an “Alice In Wonderland” meets “James and the Giant Peach” meets “Lord of the Rings” fantasy. This is a one-of-a-kind novel, with very detailed ink maps and drawings scattered throughout. Yes, KNEE DEEP IN THUNDER is easily another 10!
November 4, 2006 at 4:29 pm
THE GIVER, by Lois Lowry, should be on everyone’s reading list! It has won many awards, and for good reason! This book opens your eyes to the price of a “perfect” world. No one gets a choice of their own path in this perfect world. When a twelve year old boy is assigned his path, that of The Giver, he has to figure out how he will deal with the terrible secret burdens of this life. THE GIVER addresses issues that we hear about in today’s world, and offers some food for thought. Of course, this is yet another 10 rated book.
November 4, 2006 at 4:45 pm
THE HIDING PLACE, by Corrie ten Boom with J. & E. Sherrill, is a favorite of three generations of women in my family, including me. THE HIDING PLACE is a true story, written in an easy to read, fast pace. Set in Holland during World War II, it is the story of two teenage sisters who become prisoners in Nazi concentration camps together. The tortures they endured are very relevant to so much of the crimes and war and civil unrest in the world today. At the same time, it is a story of hope and faith and honor. The rating for this book is another ten.
November 4, 2006 at 5:02 pm
There are at least five volumes of the HARRY POTTER series, by JK Rowling, but I have only read the first one, HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE. This sort of fantasy makes a fun movie, but I am not really into this series to read. I liked the twisted humor of the story. I liked the characters’ styles. The family secret how it was revealed was fun. But overall, I found the book boring. It sort of moved slowly for me. You won’t find me at a midnight opening sales party of the next Harry Potter book. I’ll wait for the movie. I rate HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE at a generous 6.5 because it does translate well into the movies. Not every book can do that.
November 6, 2006 at 5:13 pm
Teacher: Mr. Bourque
The Secret Diary of Marie Antoinette By Carolly Erickson
Rating: 7/10
This book is about the life of the renowned Queen of France, Marie Antoinette, from her young life in Austria to her final days in prison before her trial and her fateful visit with the guillotine. What was most interesting for me while I read this story, was how the author stuck so truly to Marie Antoinette’s history, while still making it an interesting historical fiction book. I learned a lot about Marie Antoinette from reading this novel, from personal details of her married life and children, to her political dominance when her pudgy, shy husband, the King of France, ran away from his advisors to go hunting, rather than make important decisions. Due to his lack of political interest, France tumbled into it’s most turbulent time, the French Revolution. The Secret Diary of Marie Antoinette helped me realize that although Marie Antoinette may have been a rich, snobby Queen from the 1700s, she still was a person with feelings, worries and a life.
November 6, 2006 at 5:14 pm
This Lullaby By Sarah Dessen Rating: 9/10
This Lullaby is one of my favorite books, whose main character, Remy Starr, is someone who you can relate to. Like in all of Sarah Dessen’s books, you can easily get completely wrapped into her words and fall into another world. In this book, Remy is in her summer between her senior year of high school and freshman year of college. Remy has been a serial-dater her whole life, but has been numb to it. After watching her mother marry and remarry five times, and being rapped at 15, she thinks that love is something from a fairy tale. But somehow when she meets a dork named Dexter, a band kid for whose type she had never been attracted to before, something clicked. She was able to be less bitter and open her life up to her family and friends for the first time. This is a wonderful book to get you through a hard time.
November 6, 2006 at 5:17 pm
Pirates By Celia Rees Rating: 9/10
Pirates is a fantastic book for adventure, romance and history lovers. This historical fiction is set in the early-mid 1700s, and travels from England to the young Americas, to the Tropics. The main characters are a young English woman named Nancy Kington, who escapes her violent fiancé by running away from her home on a sugar plantation with her newly freed slave friend Minerva Sharpe. After running away they take the only option besides being captured by Nancy’s fiancé; they took to the sea as women pirates. They make friends with the crew and travel the eastern seaboard and beyond before defeating Nancy’s fiancé. Minerva ends up happily married while still keeping a pirating life while Nancy sets sail to England to try and find her love William.
November 6, 2006 at 5:19 pm
Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot Rating: 8/10
Queen of Babble is great chick-flick. This story follows Lizzie Nicols from her home in WI to London, chasing after Mr. Wrong while trying to complete her final BA thesis about the ‘History of Fashion’. After running away from her cheap London boyfriend, she grabbed the Eurostar to Paris, and then into Province where her best friend Shari and friend Chaz are staying for the summer with Chaz’s friend Luc. Lizzie ends up falling for Luc, and after some twist and turns in a beautiful old French chateau, everyone ends up happily, and Lizzie even completes her thesis.
November 6, 2006 at 5:22 pm
Eleven on Top By Janet Evanovich Rating: 6/10
This book is about Stephanie Plum, a NJ bounty hunter. I have read almost all the books in this murder mystery series, and while I do not think this is the best book out of all of them, it is still great. In this novel, Stephanie decides that she is tired of catching bad guys and having people attempting to blow her up, so she quits her job as a bounty hunter and tries some other professions; to no avail. Bad guys are still trying to blow her up, and so she starts working in the law enforcement business again. Meanwhile, Spero Steva is trying to hunt her down, her boyfriend has a broken leg, and Stephanie’s sister is in the middle of getting married. This is a light series, and fun to read. I highly recommend the series as a whole.
November 7, 2006 at 9:55 am
Here’s another “10″ in my booklist of 2006. Mary Roach’s non-fiction work titled, STIFF: THE CURIOUS LIVES OF CADAVERS won many awards, and landed onto the shelves of CDO Library this year.
Yes, the dead sitll have stories to tell, and STIFF tells them with humor and dignity at the same time. Mary Roach digs deep into the history and scientific strides made through the quiet contributions of cadavers. Surprisingly, she keeps the gross factor from completely taking over, while spilling the facts on everything we never thought we wanted to know about our bodies’ “after” life . Everything, from testing the first guillotine in France centeries ago, to the University of Tennessee’s “body farm” research facility today, is discussed with compelling details and hilarious observations.
November 17, 2006 at 11:08 am
The Burn Journals, By Brent Runyon is a true story about a fourteen year old boy who tries to commit suicide several times. He sets himself on fire and the story is about his feelings and thoughts through his recovery. This is a very moving story that takes us inside the head of a teenager who is depressed and later confused as to what caused this depression. His thoughts and feelings are presented honestly. He explores his own fears and hopes any tries to understand what it means to try and kill himself and then struggle back towards a normal life. I highly recommend this book.
November 17, 2006 at 11:31 am
Jesus Land A Memoir By, Julia Scheeres
A true story, set in the 1970’s about a girl whose white family adopts an African American boy when they are both three years old. The children grow up in a very religious family where Mom and Dad devote their time and love to God instead of giving much love to the children. Therefore, Julia and David become very close. Because it is the 1970’s, their Indiana community does not understand or support a family with both white and black members. The children suffer emotional abuse at school and must deal with their own personal struggles on their own. I give this book a 9 out of 10.
November 29, 2006 at 10:42 am
I read Cricus of the Danred by Katie Maxwell. Fran, the main character, is travelling through Europe with her mother in the GothFaire. a gothic faire with wacky attractions. Her boyfriend is a vampire named Ben and she has a lipazzan,Tesla. Tesla is stolen by Loki and Fran as accidently resiructed 12 Viking ghost. She was to get tesla back, send the vikings to Valhalla and go out on her first date with ben.
November 29, 2006 at 10:46 am
I ove Robion Mckinley’s Beauty; a retelling of Beauty and The Beast. It is told beautifully. Beauty is written with such slpendor and realism that i felt like I was really their. I recomend it to everyone who has every seen the disney classic. Beauty and The Beast.
November 30, 2006 at 1:25 pm
Recently i finished a book called Summer in the City by Elizabeth Chandler. Jamie has just graduated from high school and is spending the summer with her mom in Baltimore. Jamie loves sports so she takes a lacrosse camp. Josh, the camp coach, is a serious competetor and really hot. Jamie has to struggle with her feelings for josh and her mothers relationship with a much younger man. In the end she and Josh are a couple and her moms boyfriend leaves her for a chick his age.
November 30, 2006 at 1:36 pm
The Silver wolf is about a girl who is distantly related to the great charlemne. Regane is also a werewolf. her mother is dead and she lives with her drunk uncle and cousin, both are extremely poor. The story is set in the dark ages and after the down fall of the roman empire. The pope arranges a marriage for regane with a mountain lord. The mountain lord is also a werewolf and regane and he feel an immediate attraction. A fter they get married they have to kill her uncle because he tried to kill them.
November 30, 2006 at 3:26 pm
I’m in Mrs. Reynold’s English 9
For freedom : the story of a French spy, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.
A true story, set in World War II France in a town named Cherbourgh. The story is written from the view of Suzanne David, a thirteen year old girl who is trying to make it to the big time in Opera. As a top notch singer, Suzanne must travel throughout the city numerous times a day for costume fittings, haircuts, rehearsals, etc. As she goes about her career, the leader of the Cherbourgh resistance, after noticing her frequent traveling, offers her a job as a spy. Suzanne then goes through hardships as her spy work interferes with her family and social life. I’ll give this book a 10/10.
November 30, 2006 at 4:54 pm
Finders Keepers by Fern Michaels
This is a story of a girl who is kidnapped at age two. She is raised in North Carolina by wealthy parents. As she grows up she wants nothing more than to break all ties with her “parents”. She never understands her lack of feelings for her parents. When she turns 18 she moves to D.C., finds a job, goes to college, gets married but never really feels a sense of belonging. I could not put this book down. It is a easy and fun read and I rate it a 10.
December 1, 2006 at 2:59 pm
Green Angel by Alcie Hoffman is about a girl who lived in a cottage with her parents and little outside of New York City. Her family goes to the city on Sept. 11 to sell their corps. When the planes hit the twin towers her family is killed. She goes into a sort of depression as she realizes her family will never retrun. She tattoos her self with roses, vines and bats. Finally she comes out of her depression with some a help adn she remebers everything good about life. I loved this book so much i’ve reread it about 20 times.
December 1, 2006 at 3:04 pm
Blow me away by Katie Macalister is about a woman who starts to play virtual game and gets sstuck in the virtual world as she struggles to find a way out of the game she also falls in love with its creator. This book is full of laughs and adventure. Do not read unless you have a scense of humor.
December 5, 2006 at 10:51 am
Ms. Minor’s Pre-AP Eng. 10
Thieves of Heaven, by Richard Doestch
Thieves of Heaven was a really good book. It had an amazing plot, with just the right amount of sadness that it doesn’t leave you feeling depressed, but it does make you feel good with your life. In the story, a man is a reformed thief. He stopped theiving to marry his wife, and then became best friends with his parole officer. But then something happened to his wife, and he had to determine whether or not to go back to his life of thieving in order to save his wife or not. Doestch uses irony, the classic struggle of right and wrong, and great characters to weave his tale. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read. I give it an 8 out of 10.
December 5, 2006 at 3:26 pm
Ms. Minor’s Pre-AP Eng. 10
Bless me Ultima
Rudulfo Anaya is an amazing author of Hispanic tales of the Ilano, or as we now know it, New Mexico. Anaya has a talent for writing that left me wanting to read another of his books. This story tells of a boy who has to very differentparents and must choose which to follow; it tells of his struggle growing up in that one summer, when he is so young; it tells of the friendship of a young boy with a “witch.” It is the bittersweet story of Antonio. It is also amazing. I recommend it not only to hispanic-Americans, but also to anyone looking for a good book. I rate it a 9 out of 10.
December 5, 2006 at 4:23 pm
Ms. Minor’s Pre-AP Eng. 10
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden 6/10
I thought that this book was really well written. It was written by a man about a geisha’s life, and I thought that it was true story, so In that sense it was a really good book. I did not like the plot, though, because I could not relate to Sayuri and I thought that most of the characters were just silly. I thought the movie was better, but if you see the movie, you should definitley read teh book because the movie left a lot out. I don’t really recommend the book, though.
December 5, 2006 at 4:27 pm
Ms. Minor Eng. 10
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen 9/10
I think that this was an amazing novel. It was easy to relate to the main character and it had a good plot. It’s about a teenage girl who was raped at a party by her best friends boyfriend. She loses her best friend, and all the rest of her friends too. She doesn’t tell anyone what she went through, because she doesn’t want to add stress to her parents and sisters and doesn’t want to seem like a liar. When she meets a boy who has anger issues, he helps her overcome her past. It was just a great book.
December 5, 2006 at 4:31 pm
Ms. Minor Pre-AP 10
The Truth about Forever Sarah Dessen 8/10
I think that this book wonderful! Sarah Dessen knows how to write about people and events that you can relate to. This is the story about a girl who watched her father die, and she can’t talk to anyone about it because her mom doesn’t deal with emotions and her sister is married and lives in another state. She deals with it by trying to become perfect, until she meets a group of friends that show her the fun in life is making mistakes, and learning from them. There are some common themes in all of her novels, so if you read any of her other stuff, I recommend this one too.
December 6, 2006 at 11:21 am
Breath, Eyes, Memory A Novel by, Edwidge Danticat
This book is about a 12 year old Haitian girl who is growing up with her aunt in Haiti. She is uprooted and must move to New York to be with her estranged mother. Both mother and daughter have their “demons” to deal with. They struggle to help and understand each other throughout their lives. Their journey together is very emotional and eventually brings them closer together. The story explores Haitian tradition, culture and suffering. It involves four generations and is interesting and insightful. I rate this book a 7 out of 10.
December 6, 2006 at 11:38 am
Our Haunted Lives True Life Ghost Encounters by Jeff Belanger is an interesting book that features many stories about the supernatural. There are stories about haunted houses, work places and hauntings. I enjoy reading about the supernatural and this book has a wide variety of encounters. From the famous Amityville haunting to a police officers experiences to visitations as work you will get spooked, so don’t read this book too late a night. I recommend this book to any lovers of supernatural and hauntings. Rating 8 out of 10.
December 6, 2006 at 6:24 pm
Mrs. Minor’s Pre-AP English 10
The Devil Wears Prada 10/10
In Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada, a recent college graduate, Andrea, gets a job at a Runway, a famous fashion magazine industry. She is Miranda, the editor in chief’s assistant. Andrea’s dream was to be a writer. She was told that if she worked for Miranda for a year, then Miranda will help her get any job she wanted. After about two weeks of working for Miranda, Andrea gets tired of her ordering her around like a slave, calling her the wrong name or calling her “Ahn-dre-ah”. About a month later, Miranda completely takes over Andrea’s life by calling her every second to have Andrea run errands for her. How long will Andrea have to put up with her boss? Well, you have to read the book in order to find out! I have not watched the movie so I don’t know whether the book is better than the movie, or vice versa. I would definitely recommend this book for all who like “chick-flicks”…which would be mostly girls.
January 18, 2007 at 10:48 am
Rating: 10 of 10
Title: Mayflower, A Story of Courage, Community and War
By: Nathaniel Philbrick
Philbrick’s non-fiction book, MAYFLOWER, tell the truth we never knew. It spans the first fifty years of the Plymouth Colony area of Massachusetts, with brutal honesty and insight to the collision courses of religions, races, and societies that resulted in the promises broken, wars, and history we already should know. Philbrick’s research included original community/religious records, diaries, letters and journals kept by those who lived it. Get the real scoop and read MAYFLOWER – honest history at its best and its worst.
January 31, 2007 at 10:16 am
Rating 10 of 10
Title: Starvation Heights
By: Gregg Olsen
This terrible chapter of history for the small community of Olalla, Washington, is as truthful a warning for people today as it was as it occurred in 1911. The book tells of self-proclaimed ‘doctor’ Linda Hazzard and her husband, Sam, whose persuasive tactics and flowery vocabulary fooled, scammed, and killed many trusting souls. As it was then, people are constantly on the hunt for improving and bettering their overall health. This book is a reminder to us all to beware – Even people who supposedly have your best interests at heart, can be dangerous to our very lives.
Linda Hazzard prided herself in ‘natural healing’ and vegetarianism. However, she also impressed upon her clients that they must endure prolonged fasting for the ‘cleansing’ of the body. She maintained that food was poison, and as bizzare as that thought is, she was overwhelmingly manipulative & comvinced many people to succumb to her fasting health methods – even to their deaths.
January 31, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Rating: 10/10
Title: Ringworld
Author: Larry Niven
Ringworld, by Larry Niven, is one of the great Sci-Fi novels of all time. Louis Gridly Wu, the main charracter, along with 3 other expedition members, sets out on an alien led expedition to explore a structure known as “Ringworld”
The ringworld is a band of material placed around a sun, with a human friendly enviroment, 3,000,000 times the surface area of earth. As the story progresses, the origins of the Ringworld, and the fate of its creators, begins to become clear.
Niven’s imagination is a rare gift, alowing him to create entire universes, without letting detail get in the way of the plot. By the end of the book, you could nearly step right into the world and start a life. Anyone with an interest in Science Fiction themes will enjoy this book. Its one of the best reads in years.
February 1, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Rating: 10/10
Title: The Ringworld Engineers
Author: Larry Niven
In this stunning sequel to the classic “Ringworld”, Niven brings back the wonderful and monumental universe that captivated worldwide readers.His ability to make characters lifelike and vibrant adds another level to the story.
20 years after the original voyage, Louis Wu is ambushed in his appartment by 2 strange men. He awakens to find himself in a strange ship, also present is “Speaker-to-Animals”. The Kzin that accompanied him years ago. Before long, they are off once again to the Ringworld,this time in search of a fantastic technology, which neither of them is sure exists.
Throughout the story, the marvels of the ringworld are explained, and the truth behind the builders of Ringworld becomes known. If you enjoyed the first book, have a technical mind, or are simply trying to expand your horizons, this is an excellent choice.
February 1, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Title: Space Odyssey (Series)
Rating: 9/10
Author: Arthur C. Clarke
The Space Oddysey series, consisting of 5 books, is one of the best known Sci-FI series of all time. Arthur C. Clarke, author of other books such as Childhoods End, brings together an incredible situation, leaving you with books that are impossible to set down.
The books cover a series of events over several decades that relate to an object known as a “Monolith”. An alien device that is discovered to have influenced the evolution of mankind. Several of these are found throughout the solar system at locations including the Moon, Europa, and Africa.
As the story progresses, they become active when discovered by man, and set off a chain of cataclysmic events that inevitably will lead to mankinds destruction. The discovery of their origin, purpose, and goal becomes essential as the human race fights to shut them down.
February 1, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Title: The Foundation Trilogy
Rating: 9/10
Author: Isaac Asimov
Foundation, a 3 book trilogy by Isaac Asimov, is the story of the establishment of a new space empire. Very thought out and detailed, the series brings an alternate universe to life.
Starting out as a scientific community, a planet and its government expand through complicated series of events and numerous twists to become the most powerful single entity in the known universe.
The wrting is very deep, and makes for a very long read. If you set out to read these books, expect to be at it for much longer than other books you have read, as you will often find yourself going back to read parts over and over again until you are sure you fully comprehend the deeper meaning of each event. Overall however, a very mind opening and original books, that will stimulate your thoughts long after you put the last book down.
February 1, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Title: Evolution
Rating: 8/10
Author: Stephen Baxter
Evolution, a semi-fiction novel by Stephen Baxter, takes a route few if any books have ever gone down. It follows the evolution of life on earth, starting with the earliest primates, and lays it out in a realistic, believeable context.
Throughout the pages, millions of years of evolution are covered, outlining the basic life of each stage in evolution. Put into the story are many concepts that are not pruely scientific but could very well be, such as the idea of the air whale.
Overall an enthralling read. You will definately finish the book, but may need some patience as several parts are over explained and dull, but leaves you with a whole new mindset on your past and heritage.
March 8, 2007 at 4:30 pm
i like all the books in howard fast’s series, THe Immigrants. It is well written, very engrossing and i am drawn to fast’s personal history, as well.
March 8, 2007 at 4:31 pm
I just finished comparing several of the Three Little Pig books with my students. Our favorite was the True Story of the Three Little Pigs. The students had heard this story before, but when we started comparing all the different versions, it was amazing how many details they really noticed.
March 8, 2007 at 4:33 pm
I have been reading Freedom Writers. It is a very inspiring true story about a high school teacher changing the lives of numerous troubled students. I saw the movie and wanted to read the book. The book is better than the movie because I’m not caught up in the movie setting. I am able to concentrate on student writings and focusing on the details of their lives. Sad but true, students have many trials and tribulations as they figure themselves out as individuals and make their mark in the world.
March 10, 2007 at 5:55 pm
I am currently enrolled in Mrs. Nuckolls AP- Lang and Comp class. In that class, I discovered the book In the Time of the Butterflies. It is about 4 sisters who are living in the Dominican Republic when a new dictator comes to power and their struggle against him and his oppression. It uniquely written, in that it not only switches between the 4 points of view, but also switches the way it is presented. For example, in the youngest sister’s chapter, she talks to the audience through her diary. A definite win for those of you who really enjoy drama and historical fiction.
March 12, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Perhaps my favorite book of all time is Lyrael, by Garth Nix. Not only is this book so good that I have read it 3 or 4 times, but the book is part of a trilogy, so there’s more to enjoy. The story is placed in a fictional England torn between the early 1930’s and a magical place where the dead can walk again. The dead had been rising in droves and something was amiss. But only the members of the ancient family Abhorsen can wield the “weapons” that can banish the dead into eternity. Luckily, Lyrael finds out that she is one of them, and soon she is battling an even greater evil than any Abhorsen has ever seen.
March 12, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Sure, I know that classics can be dry and tend to be “talked about, but not read”. But I must say, Frankenstein by Mary Shelly is a classic that should be read. It really makes one think about what makes us human, and who the monster really is in the story. Even if you don’t want to read it for its thought provoking qualities, read it to know the real story, not the Hollywood version, which isn’t very accurate.
March 12, 2007 at 8:29 pm
If you haven’t already heard of the DaVinci Code, then you really need to. It is an astonishing book, which held #1 on the NY Times bestsellers list for 14 consecutive weeks. The mystery and intrigue that mixes in the Da Vinci Code makes a for a delicious treat, with a dash of “CSI” here, some “Indiana Jones” and a good helping of historical fiction and fact throughout. The anagrams are particularly interesting and the suspense keeps you saying “just one more chapter, then I’ll go to bed” even at one a.m. Absolutely recommended to all!
March 14, 2007 at 4:15 pm
grade = 12
title = Timeline
author = Michael Crichton
report = I loved this book. It is a long book but once you get into it you can’t put it down. You get so involved in the characters problems you just want to continue reading about it all. The first part of the book is a little hard to get into mainly because it talks so much about science. However, that is a very important aspect of the book. Like in many books, without that first part of the book the rest of it wont make any sense. It starts out introducing the characters in our time period. Then after a series of events they find themselves in 14th century France during a war, and they are trying to fight their way back home. There are tons of plot twists that throw you completely off the expected track and a lot of action there to keep you interested and reading. Timeline is a very quick read once you get into it. I highly recommend it.
rated = 10
March 15, 2007 at 10:53 pm
If a good laugh is what keeps you reading, then read Lamb by Christopher Moore. It is a story about the lost years of Christ, as told by his best friend Biff. It helps to be Christian, but this book is funny even if you are not one. The zany adventures of Jesus (called Joshua in the book) take us to a ‘ninja’ palace, a desert caravan, a Buddhist temple, and an ancient yogi’s cave, among other places. This lighthearted satire is great, and has earned a permanent space on my shelf at home.
June 15, 2007 at 3:05 pm
I recently read a book titled, “Who Moved my Cheese.” It was a curious book and a quick read. It has two mice and two humans who have to deal with the everchanging world. It suggests that people need to be more like mice when reacting to their environment. Mice move on to look for food soon after it’s gone, the humans in the book persisted to try and do the same things they always did, even when it did not bring the desired results. The book is very simple with its word usage, but has much deeper meanings. Well worth a read; it offers interesting philosophies that can be applied to many parts of life.