Mr. Roger's Review: Witch Child by Celia Rees

Set in England and the New England colonies during the 1650s, Witch Child is a book that explores how superstition, prejudice and fear can overwhelm people and cause them to react with terrifying results. Mary, the narrator, struggles with several blows to her young life: the death of beloved relatives and friends; new friendships discouraged because "they" don't belong; personal rejection and mistreatment as an outsider who is begrudgingly allowed into the community and, in a tense ending, confronting the person who caused the whole chain of events as he tries to finish the job he attempted in England: Kill her as a suspected witch. Filled with facts as to the everyday life of the time (food, herbal lore, social customs, etc.) I was hooked on this book as soon as I read the first paragraph.

Luna by Julie Anne Peters

Secrets. We’ve all had them. Some are small and insignificant. Some are gigantic and life-changing. Some you share with others and some you hold close to you as your own.

Regan has a secret, a secret she is keeping her for her brother Liam. She has always accepted the secret and Liam, but now it feels like it is about to break her apart. You see, Liam is transgendered. He was born a boy but has always been a girl inside. Now Liam, or Luna as he would rather be called, wants to be a girl inside and out. He wants to go to the mall and school dressed as a girl and really wants to have a sexual reassignment surgery. But is Luna really ready to meet the real world? How will it affect Regan and Luna, both at home and at school? Is Regan ready to release Liam’s secret and allow the rest of the world to know the truth?

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Kristina
The perfect student
Happy life

A second chance
To reconnect with
Absent father.

Rather
Than the reunion
Hoped for

Dad on drugs
Dirty apartment
Empty fridge

Adam/Buddy
A new reality
Chance to experiment

New discoveries
The monster
And Bree.

Return home
New person
Bad habits

The monster’s
Hold
Won’t let go.

No longer Kristina
Bree will do
anything

For a taste of
The monster:
Crank.

Sequel: Glass

Crank is a 2008-2009 Soaring Eagle nominee

Serina's Review: Carrie by Stephen King

It is easy to say that the book Carrie covers a vast amount of genres. While it mostly focuses on supernatural touches, it also delves into the life of an average high school girl, minus her ability to move things with her mind. Carrie is one of the many people that are outcast out of the popular society as well as the brunt of the school jokes. When the final and most terrible joke is played, Carrie takes things into her own hands on a parade of horror and utter destruction that will make people remember the school prom for years to come, and not in a good way.

Rating: 4Q, 3P

Rachel's Review: Witch Child by Celia Rees

Go back in time to the Salem Witch Trials. Mary Newbury lives with her grandmother and her grandma gets hung for being a witch. Mary is forced to act as a Puritan and go acrose the sea to America. Mary meets Martha, an herbal healer who is also a strong Puritan. Mary has to be able to fool the Reverend, and stay alive on the ship to America. People are sick, and having a baby is very dangerous, so when one person is sick and ready to have a child, people turn to Mary and Martha to deliver it safely. Can Mary stay hidden with every prying eye staring at her to fall?

Rating: 4Q, 3P

Shelby's Review: Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott

For the month of October I chose to read a novel by Elizabeth Scott called Perfect You. Primarily in this novel Elizabeth Scott focuses on a character named Kate, who is miserable with her life. Scott works her way behind the scenes into the world of Kate including her troubles, hopes, and fears in life. To begin the story Kate's dad quits his job to sell vitamins at the mall. As a result her family is having money problems and the only solution is for her grandmother to come live with them. As if things couldn't get any worse Anna, Kate's best friend, leaves her for the popular crew at school, and acts like she has never known Kate. Just when things seem to get better again Kate's life is placed on a roller coaster and which causes Kate to have a hard time to tell which way is up. The only person who appears to be her friend is Will, and even at that Kate is afraid to let Will be her friend. As the story progresses Elizabeth works her way into your shoes, and makes you relate to Kate. After reading this book I felt really touched by Elizabeth Scott's writing, it's nice to know that in stories as well as in real life that we have ups and downs, but hope can keep us moving even with troubling situations present. I would recommend this book to girls out there with everyday troubles that want love, and friendship in life. The only thing that I disliked about the book was the beginning, it was so sad. I couldn't believe that Scott was able to write about a character that had so much going on with her life, and that things weren't getting better for her. As I continued reading things got better, and happier. In conclusion, if I were to rate this book I would probably give the quality a 3- readable. The popularity of this book I believe appeals to a broad general teen appeal, and I think any girl would enjoy reading this novel.

Carrie's Review: Ghost Ship by Dietlof Reiche

Twelve year old Vicki plans on spending the majority of her summer as a waitress at her dad's seaside restaurant Ye Olde Seashell Room, featuring seashell covered walls and the two-hundred-and-thirty year old figure head off of the infamous Storm Goddess which was lost at sea. At least, that's what everyone thought. When the ancient figurehead is taken down for restoration Vicki sees a vision of a man being hung on the mast of the Storm Goddess. At that moment the water in the local bay disappears leaving exposed the legendary ship itself. While the mayor seeks to make big bucks using the ship as a tourist attraction and a nosy reporter begins poking around, Vicki's dreams become haunted with ghostly memories still attached to the ship. Knowing there is only one thing left to do, Vicki realizes she must sneak aboard the ship and solve the mystery before the Storm Goddess disappears once and for all. A quick paced and spooky novel sure to delight anyone who enjoys a good ghost story. A perfect read for Halloween.
Rating: P:4 Q:5

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Once upon a time there was a little girl who had a perfect life, with two parents who would never dream of hurting her. That little girl didn’t know how lucky she was. During a field trip to an aquarium she met a man who would change her life, her name, her soul forever. She would become a hollow shell of a person, a Living Dead Girl. Once upon a time that little girl’s name wasn’t Alice and she wasn’t Ray’s little girl. Once upon a time that little girl’s life ended and her worst nightmare began.

Through the Storm: a real story of fame and family in a tabloid world by Lynne Spears

Lynne Spears, the mother of Britney and Jamie Lynn Spears, talks about the real life of one of the most notorious families of the last decade. Why did she allow her girls to venture into show business? Did her marriage to their alcoholic father severely affect the family? How much control does a mother have over her teenage and adult children? Can faith in God pull a family through the worst storms life throws their way? During a time where tabloids report anything and everything, truth and lies, this is a refreshing look at the real life of a celebrity family.

Sucks To Be Me: the all-true confessions of Mina Hamilton, teen vampire maybe by Kimberly Pauley

In this post-Twilight era, we all know that the “rules” of vampires aren’t necessarily what they once seemed to be. Vampires could be living among us and you’d never know it. They can walk in sunlight, with some amazing results, and are creative in their dining preferences.
Mina, yes she was named after the Mina in Dracula, has always known her parents were vampires. But the Northwest Regional Vampire Council never knew about her and there enters the problem. Humans are not to know of the true existence of vampires. So Mina must know make a life changing decision. Will she or won’t she become a vampire? Lucky for her, the Council provides twice weekly classes so she can learn all about the life and times of vampires in order to make an informed decision. The decision would be hard enough to make without the added dramas of life as a teenager. What about the prom, hot guys, and sharing everything your best friend? It sure does suck to be Mina.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

My name is Junior and this is my story. I’m a member of the Spokane Indian Tribe. I’m a traitor and an outsider. I live on the rez but leave everyday to attend a white school over 20 miles away. I’m the son of an alcoholic and the brother of a girl who’d rather live in the basement than follow her dreams. I’m poor but so is everyone on the rez. I was born with water on my brain, wear ugly, thick, black plastic glasses. I’ve been to 42 funerals in my 14 years of life. I play basketball and I draw cartoons, because word are too limited and pictures are something anyone can understand. This is my Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.