Mary's Review: The Phantom of Manhattan by Frederick Forsyth

Blind fan worship can be a very bad thing. In the case of this book, its on the level of eye-searingly bad. Phantom fans beware. Of course one can suspect something's amiss when Mr. Forsyth dedicates an entire introduction to decrying the author of the original Phanton novel, Gaston Leroux, in favor of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical adaptation. If one does not take this as warning sign enough and continues into the body of the novel, prepare to be met with a barrage of bad writing, poor characterization, very loosely tied narratives, and our beloved Erik dressing up as a clown. No, we are not making this up. Apparently Mr. Forsyth was unsatisfied leaving the musical as it was (choosing to completely ignore Erik's death in the original novel) and so decided to publish this little narrative, wherein Erik (the Phantom to you sole Webber-ities) moves to America, works on the pier (hence the clown costume), makes many thousands of dollars, and meets Christine again, whom he somehow mysteriously impregnated during the timeline of the play. When? The author doesn't seem to know either. It's one of many things the reader must simply swallow in order to finish the book. Did we mention that, like most glorified fanfiction, this story entertains the delightful misconception that Christine was passionately in love with Erik, as opposed to say, fearing and pitying him? It is far from true that glorified, published fanfiction can't be done well (read: Susan Kay's Phantom), its just that this piece of loathesome garbage was unable to accomplish it. Try again Mr. Forsyth. Or, don't. Please.
Final Verdict: 1Q, 1P

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

Normal black, plastic yo-yo equipped with a special nylon string that will lift up to 200 pounds and clips securely to your belt. Small tube of zip cream that is harmless to the touch but can burn through metal. Nintendo Game Boy, with 4 game cartridges, each performing an extraordinary function: fax/photocopy, x-ray, bug finder, and smoke bomb.
What do these gadgets have in common and who would possibly need them? Alex Rider, 14-year-old Special Operations Officer for the British Intelligence Agency MI6. Alex Rider, reluctant teenage spy.
His mission? Complete the assignment his uncle Ian (the banker?) had been on before he was killed in car accident. A car accident that mysteriously left his car riddled with bullet holes. An assignment that merely requires Alex to pose as the winner of a contest and test the new super computer, Stormbreaker, which is being given to every school aged child in the country, a gift the government believes is too good to be true.
Will he choose to accept it?
Join us next time… for another Alex Rider adventure.

Kevin K's review: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang [Graphic Novel]

American Born Chinese is a book about identity and assimilation. Jin Wang is an ABC (American Born Chinese). His parents came from a foreign land and were married after going to graduate school. Jin Wang has to balance the old and new worlds and find an identity as a teenager on his way to high school. Being an American is everything. He is cold towards a boy from Taiwan who does not speak English. Jin Wang tells him, “You’re in America. Speak English.”

There is a parallel story about a monkey king and how he is rejected by a pantheon of human gods. No matter what the king does he can’t fit in. He has power amongst his own kind, even getting his monkey subjects to wear shoes. The monkey king represents Jin Wang and his quest to fit in. Both fail miserably and endure taunts and stereotypes about their cultures.

Jin Wang’s friend, Wei-Chen Sun, and Amelia, the love interest, are dynamic characters that add to the flow of the story. The tale of the monkey king and Jin Wang’s story of angst eventually collide and brings some cohesiveness to the tale. At points, who is who can be confusing.

The art stands out far more then the storyline. The contrast in colors between the characters and the drab backgrounds adds to the appeal of the tale. American Born Chinese is the first graphic novel to win a major publishing award (Printz). For this fact alone, American Born Chinese should be recognized as a literary achievement. However, it can be argued that previous graphic novels are far more deserving of the award.

Dane's Review: Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind

The setting is clear from the first page of the book. A fantastic world: everything, no matter how small isn't overlooked and everything hides magic. Richard, a humble woods guide is immediately confronted with magic when he meets Khalan. In dire need of help they both seek Richard's grandfather, the wizard Zedd. The east of Richard's beloved home, Heartland Woods, is under great peril. The eastern cities are falling and being over-run, by a tryant who seeks control through great magical means. Swept up in a current of wonderous places and abysmal creatures, Richard is nigh forced to the eastern palaces to topple the dictator, Darkened Raul, from seizing control of all the lands.

This book contains heavy adult themes: death, blood, gore, sex. Although I found this book and series "The Sword of Truth" novels to be hands down the best book I've read, I don't recommend it to the weak of heart or mind, as it is VERY graphic.

Rating: 5Q, 4P

Emily's Review: Runaways by Brian K Vaughan [Graphic Novel]

Typical comic-book situation-- a bunch of kids find out their parents have superpowers, and hey! so do they. Only these kids are the Runaways--a strategist, a jock, a goth, a geek, a prep and a girl of only eleven--and their parents are the Pride, a group of dangerous supervillians.
When they witness a murder and realize the truth of their parents' identities, they decide to break away and form a vigilate group to right the wrongs of the Pride. But all's not well: they're framed for murder, the police, their parents, and other superheros are after them, and one of them is feeding information to the Pride.
Runaways features sharp, contemporary dialogue from Vaughan, perfect pacing and character interaction as well as TOTALLY gorgeous art by Adrian Alphona (although the artist who does the inking fails to supplement the awesome art and color--their likes are stiff and rob the art of motion.) Plus, there's an Alphona sketchbook and the original comic pitch from Vaughan at the back of the collected edition.
Runaways, however, appeals more to the geek crowd (characters namedrop Harry Potter and Leeroy Jenkins alongside Josh Whedon), though I recommend it to everyone.
Rating: 5Q, 4P

Jessica's Review: If the Shoe Fits by Stephanie Rowe

If the Shoe Fits, by Stephanie Rowe, is told by Paris Jackson, an aspiring entrepreneur who spends her nights creating the perfect running shoe with her best friends, and her days working a typical 9-5 job where she fantasizes about her new boss. Paris doesn't believe in marriage anymore after her ex-husband left her, but soon finds herself caught between her almost boyfriend, her almost perfect boss, and an ex-husband who wants her back. Her mom, who has always been the backbone to her life suddenly is changing everything the two of them ever believed in and Paris finds herself torn between not only the three men, but her job and her dream as well. Soon though, she will discover that the answer to all of her problems are simply a pair of designer heels. I really enjoyed this book as the words painted pictures of places I wanted to be. I wanted to meet each character and see if they really were as Paris described them. The twists in the plot were believable, but they still caught you by surprise and kept you guessing at what crazy catastrophe was going to happen next. The reader easily comes to love the characters and all their little quirks. It really isn't much of a teen reader selection, but is easily enjoyable.
Rating: 4Q, 3P

Mr. Rogers' Review: Leonardo's Shadow by Christopher Grey

Based upon a servant mentioned in the historical Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks, Giacomo is this book's narrator. Filled with the flavor of an Italian Renaissance household, Leonardo's Shadow has the historical accuracy to make it believable. Revolving around the painting of "The Last Supper," this story offers up action, suspense, and the everyday activities of Giacomo's Milan. Yet, it points out the problems of living within the patron system, compounded by the everchanging interests of a man of genius. I can highly recommend this chronicle of Giacomo's journey to find himself and his path through life.

Mr. Rogers' Review: The Queen's Soprano by Carol Dines

In a world of "haves" and "have-nots", Angelica Voglia's voice offers a way out of her humble beginnings and modest existence. To do so, she must thread a path between the rules of a strict society; her scheming mother, and manipulative men of wealth and power (all factions that attempt to use Angelica for their own purposes.) In this swirl of intrigue, plot and counterplot, another central figure is Christina, the ex-Queen of Sweden. As Angelica's patroness, this strong woman does all she can to protect her. Yet, even the Queen has her own agenda. Concerning two historical women, and filled with factual tidbits, this book makes a great read.

Educating Esmé by Esmé Raji Codell

As students, you know what teachers are like, right!? Well, after reading this diary of an amazing, innovative, creative, enthusiastic, first-year teacher you might change your mind. Did any of your teachers ever build you a time machine, buy classroom books with their own money, or let a trouble student be teacher for a day? Did you ever have classroom subjects such as “Puzzling”, “Mad Scientist Time”, “Time Traveling and World Exploration”, “Art of Language”, and “Free Reading Time”? Ever had a teacher roller skate down the hall or create a fairy tale festival? No? Well, then it’s time you met Madame Esmé, who chronicles her first year of teaching in an inner city Chicago school, where one classroom window is riddled with bullet holes, obscenities often fly from students’ mouths, and parents are known to abuse their children in the halls. If you’ve ever considered teaching, had a great teacher, or just think it’s about time that you met one, then it’s time for you to experience Esmé.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Let me introduce myself. I am Coraline and I’d like to tell you a story but first we have to get something straight. This is not a fairy tale or a ghost story. It all started when we (Mom, Dad, and myself) moved into a new apartment building. My parents work from home and are always busy so I get bored a lot. I had taken to exploring the neighborhood and hanging out with my neighbors, who wouldn’t normally have been my first choice of companions. The old guy upstairs says he is training a mouse circus and the mice have a message for me, “Don’t go through the door”. The two old ladies next door used to be actresses and they want to read my tea leaves, which say I’m in danger. Well, I’m not too inclined to believe anything from these three elderly residents who can’t even get my name right (it’s CORALINE not Caroline!).
So anyway there is one other apartment in the complex and it is empty. Strangely enough there is a door in our dining room that appears to have once led to that apartment. Now it opens only to a brick wall but we still keep it locked. Well, I guess I should say that it usually opens to a brick wall. Once I opened it and it led to a dark hallway. Being bored and inquisitive, I walked down the hallway and emerged into my own apartment. At least it looked like my apartment complete with my mother and father. Except they weren’t really my mother and father. My other mother had paper white skin, long fingers with even longer blood red fingernails and flowing black hair. The most striking difference of all was their eyes, because in place of eyes they had big, black, shiny buttons. My other parents were very nice, feeding me a wonderful dinner and paying extra special attention to me. And they even invited me to stay forever, with one condition. Just one little thing and they promised it wouldn’t hurt a bit. And that’s when I caught a glimpse of the black cotton spool of thread, long silver needle, and two large black buttons my other mother was holding.

Nicholle G's review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Liesel Meminger is sent to live with foster parents Rosa and Hans Hubermann in Molching, Germany during the Nazi reign of World War II. When she first arrives, she is leery to trust her new parents or anyone else in the neighborhood and has frequent nightmares that only Hans can soothe. After each nightmare, Hans stays up to teach Liesel how to read and they soon form a strong bond, both to each other and to the words they read.

In addition to their typical childhood activities of playing street soccer, being part of Hitler’s Youth, and getting in scuffles, she and friend Rudy also steal from the wealthier inhabitants of their poor town. They plunder food, trinkets, and, most important to Liesel, books. The books become Liesel’s salvation and connection to both her past and future throughout the difficult times of war.

Uniquely, the narrator of the book is Death. He foreshadows repeatedly, never hiding from the readers the horrors of war or the fact that several of the main characters do not live to see its end. Death describes the colors of the sky whenever he takes a soul, and unfortunately, there is not a scarcity of either Jewish or German souls throughout the telling of the story.

This touching book not only leaves the reader with an understanding for the power of words, but also of love, respect, and courage, most notably in times of war and destruction.

P.S. Don’t be fooled by its length – many of the pages have drawings and inserts that make the book seem much shorter than its heft may make it appear to be.

Mary's Review: Hana-Kimi: for you in full bloom by Hisaya Nakajo [manga]

Sometimes, when one has found something that works, it's just a good idea to stick to it. Hiding one's gender to get hold of something is certainly no exception; all the way back from the Twelfth Night to present. Ladies and gentleman, Hana-Kimi. Mizuki is just your average Japanese-heritage American school girl...except for passing herself off as a boy at an all-boy Japanese high school so that she can meet her idol--high jumper Izumi Sano. Of course it isn't long before someone discovers her secret. Luckily for Mizuki, one Dr. Umeda is lax enough in morals (and rather amusingly unsympathetic for a school doctor) to keep his mouth shut and act as a sort of sarcastic sage for the poor girl. Of course this is a romantic comic, and that means everything that goes with the territory; jealousy, awkward situations (Sano as a roommate-yikes), and that agonizing feeling of "Dear-God-when-are-they-going-to-get-together". For it's own sake Hana Kimi has a cast of likeable supporting characters to keep the reader interested when romantic tension seems rather ho-hum, and that's the genius of it, though one always ends up wistfully imagining a little more screen time for the worthy secondaries.

A worthwhile read for the romantic at heart, the fan of the amusing, and the manga reader, and most certainly worth the numerous volumes it spans.

Final Verdict: 4Q, 4P

Princess on the Brink by Meg Cabot

It’s the start of junior year and Mia is back from Genovia and busy preparing for the PSAT (why does it include math. Doesn’t Genovia have accountants for that??), trying to avoid Lilly’s attempts to make her run for student council president, and princess lessons (of course). She’s looking forward to finally seeing her boyfriend Michael (dinner at Number One Noodle Son!), but his plans for the year throw her for a loop. During the summer Michael created a prototype of a robotic arm that can be used to perform open heart surgery. His professor was so impressed that now a company in Japan wants Michael to come and assist them with building the actual thing. And it could take at least a year or more. WHAT!!!!!!!!!!! Mia is torn between the good (saving people’s lives) that could come from Michael’s invention and being without him for a year. She’s desperate to find a way to make him stay in New York. In typical Mia fashion, things don’t go according to plan and now everything has changed.

Mr. Rogers' Review: Incantation by Alice Hoffman

Set in Inquisition Spain (1500 AD) a tale of budding love, hidden lives and secrets, and betrayal. Estrella is best friends with Catalina; falls in love with Andres (Catalina's cousin), an event that sets off an avalanche of disaster, and suffers great losses because of blind hate and prejudice. An excellent fast read that's quite historically accurate.

Burned by Ellen Hopkins

Burned

By circumstances
Out of her control.
Betrayed by a God, a life
she is taught not to question.

Born the first of seven
girls, to a man who wants
boys. A man in love with Johnnie
Walker Black and the power
wielded by a drunken hand.

Pattyn can’t accept
the role she is destined
for: as a wife, homemaker
and baby making machine.

One misstep and unforeseen
stroke of luck
show Pattyn real love and
a world of acceptance and freedom.

But can it be
too good to be true.
In rhyme can she find
her happy ending.

Written in poetic verse, Burned is the tale of a young woman trapped in a life, family, and religion she didn’t choose, doesn’t want to accept, can’t get away from, and is inevitably tied to.

Emily's Review: Flight, Volume One [Graphic Novel]

This is the first installment of the popular "Flight" series of comic collections, featuring work by young artists. The quality of work is dazzling -- digital and traditional pieces are displayed side-by-side and while they look different, they are just as beautiful as each other. The writing is admirable as well; my personal favorites are a "confessional" comic by Erika Moen (who illustrates her own diaries online), a delicate coming-of-age tale in watercolor by Jen Wang, and a wordless (!!!) comic written by Dylan Meconis and drawn by Bill Mudron.
Rating: 5Q, 4P

Dane's Review: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

A book that was so profound and interesting, well written and well defined was The Lovely Bones. The book is about a young girl named Susy Salmon, like the fish. She sadly dies in the beginning of the book and finds herself inside her Heaven, where she can do most anything she pleases; watching her family back on Earth being how she spends the majority of her time.

This book shows realistic family ties, bonds, and characters so interesting and astounding that you think you actually know them. And follow their stories of growing and coping with their problems and Susy which are so vivid that it literally pulls at your heart.

This is a wonderful book, albeit more mature than that of the normal teen scene. WARNING: Contains adult themes.

Rating: 5Q, 3P

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

The author says it is a story to make you believe in God. It is the tale of a boy trapped on a lifeboat in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean. The boy, sixteen-year-old Pi, is the son of a zookeeper, and a teen who practices the Hindu, Muslim, and Christian religions. His family is traveling from India to their new home in Canada when the cargo ship they are aboard sinks. Pi finds himself the sole human survivor in the company of a Bengal tiger, a hyena, an orangutan, and a wounded zebra. Soon it is only Pi and the tiger.

Would you be able to spend 227 days alone in the Pacific with a huge carnivorous tiger and live to tell the tale? This is a journey of survival and spiritual meaning. This is the Life of Pi.

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Every generation has experienced at least one life changing event. One of those days or events that you think about for the rest of your life and say “I know exactly where I was the minute I heard or I saw (fill in the blank)…” For instance, for you it might be September 11th or Hurricane Katrina. For other generations it would be events like the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion, or President Kennedy’s assassination. The day John Lennon was shot or the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Maybe even the day the astronauts first walked on the moon.

The moon. That grayish sphere in the night sky that waxes and wanes: new, quarter, half, full, and back again. Peacefully orbiting the Earth. You might admire it or completely disregard it but Miranda and her family will never forget it or the day the moon changed their life, their world forever.

It was like a scene straight from the movies, one like Armageddon, Deep Impact, or The Day After Tomorrow. Scientists say an asteroid will hit the moon and it becomes one of those can’t miss, once in a lifetime events to see—like Halley’s Comet. Even the teachers are so captivated by the news that the homework in every subject is about the moon, even French! So on the night of May 18, Miranda, Mom, and her younger brother Jonny head out to the road, set up their lawn chairs and turn their eyes to the sky. But what they see is not a miracle or anything spectacular. It is quite possibly the most horrifying image they will ever see. Because just like in those movies, something goes horribly wrong. And when the asteroid hits the moon, it knocks the moon off its axis, out of its orbit, and pushes it closer to Earth. Its like when you play marbles and one marble hits another and pushes it diagonally.

The problem wasn’t just that the moon looks terrifying, too close and too bright. But it has caused horrendous chaos. Gas prices have soared to $12 a gallon (and rising), electricity blacked out for hours and then days at a time, and grocery store shelves quickly and completely emptied. Earthquakes and tsumanis devastate the coast, wiping out cities and millions of people. Volcanos begin erupting, even those that had been dormant for centuries. Winds blow smoke and ash thousands of miles away ultimately blocking out the sun’s light and heat. As summer quickly turns to winter, Miranda begins to wonder whether it will ever again be Life As We Knew It, where they have enough food in storage and whether they will ultimately survive. This is Miranda’s story.

Mary's Review: Wide Awake by David Levithan

One could never say that Daivd Levithan is not an idealist. He's created a world of peace and general prosperity, where people go to the mall not to buy things but to donate to charities (non-shopping malls) and gay Jewish men can be president. In fact, the novel is mostly focused on imparting this could be utopia and Levithan often digresses from the plot to do so. That's not to say there is no plot: hero Duncan and Co. are supporters of said Gay Jewish President and head off to a Kansas rally when the election win is contested. Romance, intrigue, characters and bigots all come, go, and weave a narrative. The read is certainly destined to feel some kind of bond with the narrator and his cause, though the reviewer does not question the likelihood of many a Wyoming reader being warded off by the sexual orientation of many of the cast members. For those still around once the dust settles--come. Sit, relax, and daydream about what the world could be.
Final Verdict- 4Q, 3P