Review Roundup: 7/23/10

Check out what other teens are reading with these fab reviews!

Title of Book: The Devil in the White City
Author: Erik Larson
Name of Reviewer: Stephanie
Description: This novel tells the story of the construction and execution of the infamous 1893 World Fair held in Chicago. The novel is centered on two individuals: Daniel Hudson Burnham, the chief architect of the Fair and H. H. Holmes, a serial killer who amazingly remains under the radar throughout the 6 month Fair. Burnham constructs the White City for the Fair despite seemingly impossible conditions and for extremely important reasons. Holmes harvests a fortune through deceit and charm, while luring unsuspecting women into his castle. While the novel is entirely nonfiction, it reads as an entertaining narrative due to Larson’s style of narration and the incredible nature of the events unfolding in the novel. The novel transports the reader to Chicago in the late 19th century and teaches the reader while entertaining him or her. While the tale of the World Fair is not usually known, the events of the Fair are shocking and absorbing.
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Title of Book: A Boy No More
Author: Harry Mazer
Name of Reviewer: Purnaesh
Description: Fifteen year old Adam Pelko, his mother and little sister move from Hawaii to California after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The USS Arizona had sunk, with his father aboard. Facing a new school and new surroundings is hard enough without his father, but then he gets a letter from his friend from Hawaii, Davi Mori. His father had been arrested for being Japanese American, which their whole family is. And Davi wants him to deliver a message to his father, who had now been moved to the States for extra protection, how could Adam say no? After doing a lot of investigating and traveling, will Adam find Mr. Mori, or will Adam ignore the call for help of a friend?
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Title of Book: Turnabout
Author: Margret Peterson Haddix
Name of Reviewer: Riya
Description: Melly Hazelwood and Anny Beth Flix are part of a secret scientific project. It's the year 2085. Melly is 16 and Anny Beth is 18. But, in the year 2000, they were both in their hundreds. Thanks to Project Turnabout, they were given a chance to grow younger, along with fifty other men and women in her nursing home. But, when they signed up, they had no idea of the problems that would face them. How do you save yourself when you are literally running out of time?
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Title of Book: Geek Magnet
Author: Kieran Scott
Name of Reviewer: Kylie Dickinson
Description: This book, by far is one of my most favorites. KJ is the main character and she absolutely hates how all of the dorks are attracted to her. But, as she goes through the school year, she becomes friends with a different group of people, and gets more and more popular until she is rude to the dorks and people who she used to be friends with. Her adventures are so easy to relate to that anybody would love the book. Many teenage girls have the same experiences as her and that makes the book so much more entertaining. Lastly, the book is rather long, but because of the way it is set up by scenes and short chunks, it is very easy to read.
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Title of Book: Beanball
Author: Gene Fehler
Name of Reviewer: Vlad
Description: According to Nielson TV ratings, baseball is the #2 mostpopular sport in the USA. In this book, Luke “Wizard” Wallace, apopular jock, is up to bat, which the bases loaded at the bottom ofthe 9th inning. The coach runs up to his ace pitcher, Kyle Dawkins,and tells him to throw inside to back him off of the plate. Recently,MLB scouts came to check him out, but they said he needed more controlover the ball. Dawkins was wild sometimes, but he has an arm of aprofessional pitcher. So Dawkins does exactly what his coach says, heattempts to throw inside, but this time he was wild and the ball samesouring, headed towards “Wizards” head. “Wizard” could not dodge it.He was hit straight in the head. “It’s the worst sound I’ve everheard, in all my years of umping. Oh, I’ve heard plenty of pitches hita helmet. But this… this fastball, up and in. This one hit bone, rightin the face. Not even a scream or grunt from the kid. He went downlike he was shot” (Fehler 20). This is what the umpire that saw it allsaid. Wizard had blood all over his face. Would he survive? If he did,would he continue to play baseball? Well, those questions I’m going toleave to you. Just go to the library and get a copy of Beanball today!
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Title of Book: Twilight
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Name of Reviewer: Archana Chinnappan
Description: Twilight is one of my favorite books of all time. You can read it more than five times and you still would not get sick of it. It’s such a thrilling book filled with action, romance, humor, you name it. And I think that all girls will fall in love with the fictional character, Edward Cullen. This book will have you turning page after page and it is so hard to put the book down. I would recommend this book and the movie to anyone. This story keeps you entertained form the first page to the last, no doubt.
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Title of Book: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Name of Reviewer: Alyssa
Description: This book has brought me into another world and led me to experience something that no other book could have done. The story is narrated in first person by a 16 year old young woman named Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a poor neighborhood in District 12 with her mother and 12 year old sister Prim. Every year two tributes, ages 12-18, from Districts 1-12 come together to fight and kill in the hunger games until one person becomes victorious. When Katniss hears at the Reaping that Prim is chosen as the girl tribute for District 12 Katniss is shocked, overwhelmed with feelings, and volunteers to take Prim’s place in the games. The boy tribute for the district is Peeta Mellark who is the baker’s son and has had a crush Katniss since they were five. Throughout the games the people refer to them as star–crossed lovers because of their strong and romantic connection towards each other. Katniss is faced with death at every moment when she enters the arena whether it is from the other tributes strong tactics or the Gamemakers challenging obstacles. This story is entertaining and thrilling while making it seem like you’re actually in The Hunger Games. Throughout the book you’ll be rooting for Katniss’s strong-willed and determined character while she makes her way through the battle of death. This book will keep your eyes glued to every page and you’ll never want to put it down because of the fact of knowing if Katniss will survive and make it to the end.
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Title of Book: Just Ella
Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Name of Reviewer: Bisma Baloch
Description: This interesting twist of the classic fairytale Cinderella is sure to keep anyone reading. In the story, Haddix introduces fifteen-year-old Ella Brown who wins Prince Charming’s heart at the ball without magic or her rumored “Fairy Godmother”. Pretty soon, she’s chosen to marry the Prince. She becomes a princess in training and fails to understand her duties; she has to learn rules in the castle so she feels bored and out of place. Then one day, she meets her new tutor, and soon-to-be best friend, Jed. They begin to talk to each other and Ella learns that Prince Charming isn’t what everyone thinks him to be and the ball was really just a beauty contest. Now Ella is stuck between deciding what is right and wrong; Prince Charming, or Jed? Read on to find out what happens to Ella and what decision she makes.