Book Reviews 2006-2007
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince    Eragon     Nineteen Eighty-Four

Uglies by Scott Westerfield is a science fiction novel ready to turn readers heads to what life is going to be like one-thousand years from now.  In a futuristic community, Tally can’t wait for her 16^th birthday operation and not be part of the uglies.  She can’t wait to be a pretty and go through a surgical operation that makes teens of the community look alike with beautiful features.  New pretties party twenty-four-seven and don’t get into trouble and aren't childish like the Uglies. 

Tally’s friend, Shay, decides to flee the community and live with people who don’t go through the surgery.  When the secret police hear about this incident they send the only person who knows about her plans, Tally, to go out of the community and live with the outsiders.  This bazaar young adults book makes teens visualize a possibility for the future and keeps readers guessing till the end. 

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer is the perfect science fiction book for young adults.  When Isabella Swan moves to Forks, a gloomy little town in Washington State, she doesn’t realize that is it more terrifying than it looks.  She meets a group of kids with perfect porcelain skin and golden eyes, and in the bunch she meets Edward Cullen.  With his supernatural gifts and his big secret, Edward has Isabella mesmerized, and she can’t imagine what she has gotten herself into.  This thrilling novel will have readers addicted to it 'till its last page.

From that night on Cal was a parasite positive or a “peep”.  This meant that he hated sunlight, had a special bond with rats, and had an urge for blood, human blood.  Luckily Calis only a carrier and he can control himself, but the only thing is that he can’t kiss or be with a girl because he might give her the disease.  Because he is sane and needs to keep himself occupied from his urges Cal joins a secret underground organization that tracks down peeps from the undergrounds of New York City.  But during an investigation he meets a girl, Lace.  Peeps is a funny science fiction story keeps readers on their toes till the very end.

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

In The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke, Bo and Prosper run away to Venice, Italy from their aunt.  While in Venice they meet up with a group of run away kids, living in an abandoned movie theater. Thief Lord, their leader, is a boy named Scipo who steals jewels from homes in Venice.  One day a mysterious man hires the Thief Lord to steal a broken wing that belongs to a merry-go-round.   At the same time their plan changes when their aunt hires a detective named Victor to track down Bo. You should read this really good book to find out the end.

Review by Matthew

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Into Thin Air is a tragic story about the dangers of high-altitude climbing. It is a story of bad luck and even worse judgment. Jon Krakauer takes the reader step-by-step through his experiences of the deadliest season in the history of Everest.

It all began when Krakauer was given the task of writing a magazine article about climbing Mount Everest. Krakauer openly accepted this assignment and made his way to Katmandu,  where he met his guide and partners. His group consisted of a few experienced climbers, like himself, and many inexperienced climbers who were dependent on the guide for assistance. Day-by-day Krakauer and his group gradually made their way up the mountain, stopping every few hours to allow their bodies to readapt to the ever-changing altitudes. Finally, after a few weeks of climbing, Krakauer and his group were given permission to push the summit. However, they were told that if they hadn’t reached the summit by 2:00 they were to turn back, no matter how close they were. Jon was one of the first people to reach the summit in the early afternoon of May 10, 1996. Krakauer hadn’t slept for fifty-seven hours and was exhausted from the lack of oxygen, but he decided that he should begin heading back to camp. Many other members of Krakauer’s group, not following the guides orders of turning back at 2:00, kept pushing for the summit. This was the biggest mistake of their lives.  That afternoon a massive storm hit the top of Mount Everest, marking the death of many members of the climbing group, including the guide.

Jon Krakauer, one of the only members to survive that trip, returned home and wrote Into Thin Air about his horrific experiences while scaling Mt. Everest.

Into Thin Air is an exciting story that captures the reader’s attention. Jon Krakauer’s amazing use of imagery made me feel as if I was actually climbing Mt. Everest. This book is a great selection for anyone who enjoys reading adventure stories.

Reviewed by Steven,  Grade 11, 2006

Into the Cold Fire by Lynne Ewing

This book is one of the many books in this series that have been published by Lynne Ewing. Vanessa, Catty, Serena, and Jimena seem like ordinary girls living in Los Angeles, but they each have a secret that separates them from everyday people. Vanessa can become invisible, Catty travels back in time, Serena reads minds, and Jimena has premonitions. As the girls become friends, they discover that what separates them from others will band them together as the daughters of the moon.

Serena is the main focus in this book. The dark forces of the Atrox (an ancient evil) are targeting Serena. Her power to read minds is the key they need in order to turn the Daughters of the Moon into Followers (practice the Atrox’s evil). Jimena has a premonition that Serena is going to betray the other girls. The weird thing about this is Jimena has never been wrong before.

Lynne Ewing is a screenplay writer who also counsels troubled teens. She is the author of two ALA Quick Picks, Drive-By and Party Girl. Ms. Ewing lives innt-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt"> Los Angeles. This is one of the many books in this series that is a killer to read (a really great book).

Reviewed by N.H.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

The latest book in the Harry Potter series is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. This book was anticipated by Harry Potter fans everywhere, myself included. My expectations for this book were very high and the book did a wonderful job of exceeding these expectations. This book includes everything the other books have included, but adds new elements as well. As with all Harry Potter books there is, of course, a battle between Harry and Voldemort, but new, more personal details are given about all the characters as well.

One of the most unexpected twists in the book, for me, was the relationship between Harry and Ron’s younger sister, Ginny. From the first book on, Ginny has always had a crush on Harry, but there were no signs that Harry felt the same way. Then suddenly in this book, Harry finds himself having jealous feelings towards Ginny’s boyfriend. Then eventually, Harry and Ginny find themselves in a relationship with each other. I could not believe this when I read it. Harry and Ron’s younger sister? Harry and Ron are like brothers, I just always assumed that Harry thought of Ginny as a sister. Now, don’t get me wrong, it was a welcomed surprise. I liked Harry having a girlfriend, and Ginny, already being a key character, made the book even more interesting. But it was a very unexpected move on J.K. Rowling’s part.

Another thing that was different from the five previous books was that Fred and George don’t attend Hogwarts. When they took off in the previous book I truly believed that they would somehow convince Dumbledore to let them return on account of how awful Umbridge was, but they did no such thing. Instead they start a joke shop, which is a very fitting career choice for the two, but I enjoyed them dragging Harry and Ron into all their antics. It was the comic relief in all the previous books. But if you’re big Fred and George fans, don’t worry; they still manage to prank Hogwarts students, even from miles away.

The ending of the book is by far the best ending so far. However I can’t decide which part is more interesting. Is it Harry and Dumbledore’s journey off campus? Or is it the trouble they face upon returning? Perhaps my favorite part was the solemn ending, or the suspense of what’s to come. All I know is that this particular book was the most emotional for all avid Harry Potter fans. When I first heard that there was a death in this book I thought it would reflect the death of Cedric Diggory in book number four. We never got to really know Cedric so his death was not so emotional for the reader. The death in this book however, is very emotional. The character that dies (who I refuse to give away for those who have not read the book) is a character that we’ve gotten to know throughout the past five books. We feel as if we know them, we know what they think, we know how they act, we know them.  I had to read the pages of their death over and over to believe it myself. I would recommend this book to any Harry Potter fan. I would suggest reading the other books in the series prior to this if you’ve never read them and if you’ve read all five, I’d suggest re-reading number five so you don’t get lost. So whether or not you’re an old-time Harry Potter fan or a new one, I would get my hands on a copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as soon as possible. You will not regret it.

Reviewed by Kelsey

Eragon is a fantastic book for those who enjoy mystical creatures such as dragons, and monsters. If you’re into games like Dungeons and Dragons or Runescape, then this is the book for you. Not only is the book full of surprises, it also has great twists. If you’re the type of person who likes a good adventure then Eragon is the perfect book to read. You won’t want to put it down until you’re finished.

The book itself is about a poor young farm-boy named Eragon, who lives an average life up until one day when he is hunting in the forest and discovers a magical stone. Soon he discovers the secret of the stone and all the dangers that come along with it. Even though he just wants to go on living his regular life, this magical secret will not allow that. It comes down to him having to make a heart wrenching decision in which either choice could be his last.

Everything that Eragon once thought was just a legend or fairy tale turns out to be true. When he goes to the only person he can trust, he learns more than he could possibly imagine. All of this is only the beginning of his adventure. Eragon travels to distant lands and more than once has a close encounter with death. With those who want the stone for themselves close on his trail, Eragon must make the hardest decisions he might ever face.

The book Eragon is great for young readers who enjoy fantasy tales and medieval times. There is also a sequel to it called Eldest. On top of that, Eragon received great reviews and is said to be a “must read”. New York Times can’t speak for everyone, so how about picking up the book and deciding for yourself.

Book Review by Danielle