Pink Slip Party
By Cara Lockwood
317 pages
...6.5/10

Okay so I said it was 7.5/10 in that post I did before, but I changed my mind. Hmm.. Okay, anyways, on with the review.
I can see how some people might love this book, but I didn't find it that good. To be honest, in some ways, it seemed like she was trying to be like Sophie Kinsella. Or maybe it was just her own style of writing. I don't know. Cuz before every chapter, there was an e-mail or a letter that seemed very Shopaholic-y, but somehow it didn't. OK, I AM NOT MAKING ANY SENSE HERE. Whew. If you have read Shopaholic books, then you might understand. The way that the letters seem to be like another part of the story, and they never talk directly about the letters themselves.

So this is what the book is about.
Jane McGregor. She got fired and dumped on the same day. Her job was designing 'pink slips'. For.. stuff. I have no idea. And it says that the slips aren't even pink. And they're not slips. So I was reading it and I was like
'umm.. yeah. OH IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY!! AHAHA...ha...h... egh.'
Anyways. Ahem. So she's looking for a job, and probably a guy. She sends out a bjillion resumes, and 99% of them don't say the truth. So before every chapter, there is a letter or an email from a company, or someone, that rejected her. In a supposedly funny way. So, she doesn't have a job, so she kinda can't pay her rent. Her dad always wants her to move into a smaller apartment, since he thinks Jane diesn't need such a big one for herself and would save her some money. Her brother is the guy who really wants to help her get a job. The one who keeps bugging her about sending out more resumes, thinking more about what she wants to do next, that sort of stuff.

Okay that's all I remember. I wonder if, by the way I talked about it, if the book sounded appealing. Well, it's not that bad. The actual plot itself was okay, but there were SO many things that seriously could've been much better. The title, for example. Pink Slip Party. Hmm. Well, to be honest, I forgot all about that little mention of her previous job (the pink slip thingy) by the end of the book. The title did not make sense. And there wasn't exactly a party. Okay maybe there was, one, but it did not go with the 'Pink Slip' thing. So.. there wasn't a Pink Slip Party. Not even metaphorically, I don't think.
Oh, and theres the ending. I mean, more like the last sentence. Okay fine, the last paragraph. Which only consisted of two sentences, so not much difference. But thats not my point (haha it would be so weird if I didn't like this book because of the # of sentences the last paragraph had!!). The very end referred to a pair of sunglasses from.. somewhere.. or someone... or... umm.. no okay seriously. By the end, the very end, I was so confused. the pair of sunglasses was mention once, if not like.. half times, in the beginning of the book. Not exactly the most convenient thing to remember, eh?
AND, there were like.. constant references to drugs and sex and stuff. So apparently one of his friends is a drug dealer, somehow, somewhere, oh I don't know. And people sometimes turn up at Janes appartment, when the whatshisname friend is there, and buy drugs. In like.. paper bags or something. But that stuff happens, right? So it wasn't as bad as the sex stuff.
I know authors expect that their readers would be really mature or whatnot, but this person needs to know that sometimes, it gets to the point where it's disgusting. Seriously. Enough's enough. Sheesh. Some things, or thoughts, should be.. uh.. just kept in our minds. Not 'our' as in mine and yours, but just.. or maybe I should have said the author's mind. Yeah. Hers. Cara Lockwood. Yeah, her. HHeerrrr. Okay I'll stop now. Really.

So.. this book wasn't amazing (as if you couldn't tell) but it wasn't horribly horrible bad bad bad. It was like.. okay-ish-bad. (Nice word there, eh?) It's a book that I think certain people would still really love. Maybe this just wasn't the style I like. Hmm. But seriously, I mean, the title, ending, and umm. [that stuff] could have been different. I think the title and end are like.. propbably the more important parts of a book. If the title doesn't describe what the book's about, ... well then it's uh.. screwed up. Heh. And actually, the ending - the idea was good. The very last paragraph was unnessecary (spelt wrong, I think). I would have liked the ending if the last paragraph was taken out - or in my case, if I just didn't read it. Once I read it, I mean read the last sentence, I was very confuzzled, I didn't get it. It was just like, "HUH?!"

Anyways..
would have been .. 57 hours. cuz I'm only counting reviews, not all the books I read. Darn. And remember, I'm only counting for fun.

--Jessica--

Oh and I don't think this review, that is full of like.. disses, would be really good for a newsletter.


** NEXT REVIEW: SECRETS OF MY HOLLYWOOD LIFE, BY JEN CALONITA**

Revenge of the Wannabes
By: Lisi Harrison
Pages: 296

(3rd book in the “Clique” series) Here is just a quick recap of the main characters in the story or else you wouldn’t know what I’m talking about later on…
Massie Block: the leader of Octavian Country Day School’s most exclusive/ fashionable clique. She and 3 of her very close friends form this group.
Alicia Rivera: the second-in-command from Massie in the clique. While Massie is the alpha, she is the beta.
Kristen Gregory: another friend of Massie’s who belongs in the clique.
Dylan Marvil: also another of Massie’s who belongs in the clique.
Claire Lyons: the new girl from Florida who moved into Massie’s guest house. She wants to be in the Clique ever since she arrived, but the group just kept rejecting her.

(The story continues from the second book.) Alicia finally had enough with Massie and decided to recruit a few new members who look like cheap Dylan and Kristen knockoffs and start her own clique. Massie becomes furious with this and ends their friendship; Alicia is officially out, and Claire is finally in. However, when some particular secrets of the girls’ leaked out, Dylan and Kristen becomes convinced that Massie is up to no good, and might possibly join Alicia. On the other hand, Claire is finally happy because she got accepted into the clique. In addition, she found out that Cam (a cute Briarwood Academy boy who she had a crush on) like her. However, this doesn’t sit well with Massie since she likes him too…

Yet another great book in the series – story content is just as luring to teen girls as before. But it’s quite surprising that these girls are only in 7th grade!?!...and already they’re that mean. I think it’s kinda far-fetched how in the story they get an interview with “Teen People” have a modeling shoot, and spend all their parent’s money just on clothes (literally, the author only mentions them buying brand name clothes in every single book I read so far)…I’m not saying that’s impossible, but that’s a bit unrealistic for their age at 12 – 13 years old, but then again, nothing is really realistic in fiction. Anyways, through it all, I still love the series + the plot. =)
Rating: 8.5/10

s.t.e.p.h.i.e.
volunteer hours: 3 (total 28 ½)

Title: Montmorency: Thief? Liar? Gentleman?
Author: Eleanor Updale
# of pages: 233

Plot Summary:

Montmorency has always lived a life of crime, particularly theft, in London, 1875. His riches are gained through stealing others' possessions and selling them for a profit. However, one day, he falls through a glass roof while attempting to escape from the police - and he is imprisoned.

While in prison, his wounds are healed by Doctor Farcett, and he is later used as a model for Farcett's medical seminars. Their acquaintance soon leads him to discover a fact that will be essential for the tasks he will undertake once he is out of prison: London has a new, underground sewage system. Montmorency fully uses the sewers to his advantage, committing thefts and quickly escaping to the place of murky waters where no one dares to go.

In the meantime, he decides to spend his wealth on a new lifestyle as a gentleman. But leading his double life and lying to everyone he meets, when will his secret be revealed?

Opinion:

I believe that Montmorency: Thief? Liar? Gentleman? was simply a fantastic work of fiction. Eleanor Updale's story is original - I found the plot creative, and there were almost no similarities to any other book I have ever read. It has elements that will captivate readers of many different tastes, whether you enjoy the thrilling action of a criminal at work, or imagining a luxurious lifestyle from more than a century ago.

She also bases her story on accurate historical facts from the time period and setting, and manages to incorporate those facts in a manner that makes the situation seem so real, as though Montmorency truly existed.

Overall, this remains one of my favourite novels, because of Updale's brilliant storytelling.

Main themes and subjects:

• Crime (specifically theft)
• 19th-century London
• Social classes
  
• Leading a double life only means lying to everyone you meet

Target audience: Teenagers

Genre: Historical fiction

Rating: 5/5

Book review by Fiona T.
* 21 hours so far
* Can be published in the Teen Newsletter

I have an inquiry and several reviews for you--

First, I remember Catherine (the teen librarian, not the reviewer) mentioning something about a site that allows people to trade favours, can anyone remind me what site that was or post me the link (i thought i'd use it in a project). It would be much appreciated.

I'll post the reviews tomorrow (I've got quite a few :S) but thank you so much.

Miss Anne.

Title: To Kill a Mockingbird
Author: Harper Lee
# of pages: 281

Plot Summary:

Scout and her older brother, Jem, are children of a fairly wealthy family living in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930's. Dill visits his aunt in Maycomb every summer, and he becomes close friend with Scout and Jem. They are frightened by Boo Radley, a reclusive and feared neighbour who has not exited his house for more than 30 years. They soon become friends with Boo, as he provides them with gifts, and they often curiously peek at the Radley house when they walk to and from school.

Their father, Atticus, is a lawyer, who is eventually assigned to defend a black man accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. In the racist Southern society, the black man, Tom Robinson, is widely believed to be a criminal, without a doubt. Despite all of Atticus' efforts to win the case, the all-white jury convicted Tom Robinson and he was eventually killed while imprisoned.

Even after the case, the father of Mayella Ewell is constantly looking for ways to attack Scout and Jem as revenge for Atticus shaming him. As they return from the Halloween pageant without adult supervision, Bob Ewell takes the opportunity...

Opinion:

It is easy to understand why To Kill a Mockingbird has been hailed as a modern classic, a masterpiece of contemporary literature. Harper Lee intertwines several morals within the novel, that there is tremendous symbolism behind every single event in the story. The language may be coarse at times, particularly in some dialogue by racist members of the Maycomb community, but it helps contribute to the overall truthfulness of the story.

I admire Harper Lee's ability to add in some mild humour while maintaining a serious attitude toward the situation that each of the characters face. Looking back on Southern society in the 1930's, compared to our multicultural society in modern Toronto, I can easily tell the remarkable differences from her accurate descriptions of what life was like back then - horrifying they may be.


Main themes:

• To understand one, we must stand in his or her shoes
• It is a sin to kill a mockingbird
• We should treat everyone equally as human beings
  

Subjects:

• Racial discrimination
• Crime
• Social classes

Target audience: People of all ages

Genre: Historical fiction (also somewhat autobiographical)

Rating: 4/5

Book review by Fiona T.
* 18 hours so far
* Can be published in the Teen Newsletter

White Pine Nominees

Some of you may be familiar with the Silver Birch awards. This is the next age category called White Pine. Ontario Library Association puts together a short list of possible titles and they are voted on by readers.

"After" was one I just read. Very good book.


The NOMINATED BOOKS are:

After by Francis Chalifour Tundra Books.
The Bonemender by Holly Bennett Orca Book Publishers.
Four Steps to Death by John Wilson Kids Can Press.
How to be a Hero on Earth 5 by Rob Payne Penguin Canada.
Me and the Blondes by Teresa Toten Penguin Canada.
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood Knopf Canada.
Shattered by Eric Walters Viking/Penguin.
The Sundog Season by John Geddes Turnstone Press.
Three Songs for Courage by Maxine Trottier Tundra Books.
Wild Orchid by Beverley Brenna Red Deer Press.

If you would like any of these books, you can put them on hold.

http://www.markham.ca/mpl/

We have them all.

Catherine

Alma and After

I read these two books, in the last few days.

After was a tough book to read over the holidays. The story was about a boy whose dad died by commiting suicide. "After" comes into play when the boy has to deal with his feelings, after. This is a white pine nominee. More about that later. I loved this book and would give the story 4/5. A few spots of trouble with the plot flow but I liked the story.

Alma by William Bell

Cute story about a young girl who befriends an older lady. This is one of those stories where if I tell too much about the plot, I will give the story away.
4/5

I like Bell's writing style.

Catherine

The Gospel According to Larry
By: Janet Tashjian
Pages: 227

Josh Swensen is a seventeen-year-old guy who’s life-time goal is to make a difference in the world and contribute to the human race. He is considered a genius for his age and a loner/ philosopher. Loner because he hangs out with his only friend – Beth, the gal he’s been crushing on for years. And philosopher because in an attempt to fulfill his life-time goal, he created a website called “The Gospel According to Larry”, where he posts sermons on anticonsumerism/ antimaterialism. It soon became a big hit with everyone from around the world and suddenly all of them want to know Larry’s true identity. If Josh is exposed to the media, he will become the very thing he was fighting against (the influence of the media on teens/ adults and whatever that leads to). Will this prodigy find a way out of this mess?...find out for yourself.

Normally, I wouldn’t read books like this (with issues about consumerism and self-belief). But since the topic for book club that month was “identity” and this one was on the list, I decided to try it out. At first, it seemed to me the story plot was fairly predictable (something along the lines of: the guy reveals himself, the world is shocked because it was him but they got over it, the guy becomes all famous, everybody loves him, and he lives happily ever after, yea!). But no, the ending was ssssoooo different, I don’t think anybody would’ve guessed it right. I loved the twists and turns in the final chapters; they were very dramatic for a story with such a calm/ quiet feeling going on. Although it was boring in the beginning, the ending made up for the loss.
Rating: 8/10

s.t.e.p.h.i.e.
volunteer hours: 3 (total – 25 ½ )

Title: Blue Bloods
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
# of pages: 320

Plot Summary:

Schuyler van Alen is just another teenaged girl living in modern New York City, yet she is mysteriously so different from other "normal" girls; she craves for raw food, and has sudden flashbacks of what seems to span centuries ago.

She soon discovers her true identity, after a meeting that completely changes her life: she is a Blue Blood, a vampire. Her heritage stretches back to the pilgrims that founded the Plymouth Colony, who were actually escaping persecution as Blue Bloods. This is the reason why many of the social elites in New York are, in fact, Blue Bloods.

Unfortunately, she also soon unearths the fact that although her kind is meant to suck the blood of Red Bloods (normal human beings), and do not die as humans do, a Blue Blood has been strangely been murdered, with all of her blood sucked out of her. Schuyler continues to search for answers to these mysteries, and discovers how Blue Bloods came to be, through her efforts.

Opinion:

The extraordinary creativity contained in the novel surprised me, as I had never thought Melissa de la Cruz, whom regularly wrote chick lit novels, would write such a wonderful, unique horror story. She incorporated some modern elements with the frequently-told story of vampires, and the way many of the characters were Red Bloods made the situation seem almost real-life. I would have almost thought there were Blue Bloods living in New York at this moment!

I also enjoyed how the plot was filled with suspense and adventure. The death of a Blue Blood proves that there is a danger lurking in the city, and may attack any Blue Blood at any time, anywhere.

The way Schuyler and another friend, Jack, were determined to discover the history of Blue Bloods, somewhat reminded me of Robert Langdon's thrilling quests in Angels and Demons, and The Da Vinci Code.

Blue Bloods is recommended for fans of science-fiction and fantasy. There is also an element of romance in the novel, including Schuyler's close relationship with Jack in the middle of the story.
I look forward to reading any sequels to Blue Bloods, especially as Schuyler is anticipating more adventures to seek answers to the mystery of the danger she and other Blue Bloods face.

Main themes and subjects:

• Vampires
• Romance (though very little)
• History; the ancestors of modern Blue Bloods were the pilgrims that landed at Plymouth Colony
• The true image of vampires is never portrayed to the Red Blooded public
• Hidden identity

Target audience: Teenage girls

Genre: Horror

Book review by Fiona T.
* 15 hours so far
* Can be published in the Teen Newsletter

Title: Gossamer
Author: Lois Lowry
# of pages: 140

Plot Summary:

Littlest One is a dream-giver, a creature that is not human, but an imaginary being that lives within all things. Their purpose is to collect memories from objects in the specific house they are assigned to, and, using those memories, formulate and bestow dreams to humans.

She is, as her name suggests, the youngest in her colony of dream-givers. She begins her first mission with the guidance of Fastidious, whom is annoyed by her constant chatter. After Littlest becomes the responsibility of an older member of the colony, Thin Elderly, his fondness with younger dream-givers allows a close relationship to form between the two. However, the fear of Sinisteeds, those who bestow nightmares, soon lingers over the troubled household they are assigned to, and they simply must work harder to allow recovery for the elderly woman and young boy (bestowing pleasant dreams). In the end, she learns that she has been gradually maturing into an independent dream-giver and will be named "Gossamer" in the future, for her talent for a gossamer touch.

Opinion:

This was a novel that was based on describing a situation and expanding on it, rather than weaving an exciting story with the situation as its foundation. There were plenty of possibilities for a breathtaking plot and a dramatic ending, but all that really occurred to me was how Littlest One was maturing while she aged as a dream-giver and how she would eventually teach younger pupils to bestow dreams.

Of course, I felt happy for Littlest, having achieved so much over the course of the novel, but the lack of action and adventure simply disappointed me.

Nevertheless, the Lois Lowry uses beautiful, descriptive language that was perhaps the only source of motivation for me to continue reading, coupled with her imagination. I would recommend this book for those who would like to read a book that is unique in its own right, but otherwise, I only found Gossamer to be satisfactory.

Main themes and subjects:

• Dreams (both the pleasant and unpleasant)
• Imaginary beings (dream-givers and Sinisteeds)
• A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step
  

Target audience: Pre-teens, Teenagers

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 2/5

Book review by Fiona T.
* 12 hours so far

Hi everybody! It's Christmas! Yay!

I haven't been posting for a long time. I've noticed (surprisingly). Not that I haven't been reading, though. I actually have.. seven books that I haven't posted on. Don't ask why. Cuz I don't know. =( Some days, I just don't feel like posting. Haha! But I'll try to post on all of them during the holidays, don't worry. I'll just give you the title and my rating for now, without the review though, I'll do the reviews later. All of them. Here I go,,

Twilight (Stephenie Meyer)-- 9.99/10. Soooooo good!!
The Undomestic Goddess (Sophie Kinsella) -- 7.9/10. Wasn't as good as the Shopaholic books..
The Second summer of the Sisterhood (Ann Brashares) -- 9/10. Awesome.
Pink Slip Party (Cara Lockwood)-- 7.5/10. Kinda dissapointing..
Scared to Death (Norah McClintock) -- 8.5/10. Yes, the one that David read.
What Child is This? (Caroline B. Cooney) -- 9/10. Catherine read this one. Kinda cute.
The Clique (Lisi Harrison) -- 8/10. EEEEEEEEE! Stephie read it too!

Hehe so this prooves I read all your reviews! I like reading books that other ppl have read because I know that they're going to be good (well, cuz I wouldn't pick up the ones that you didn't like..). And sometimes, it's interesting. Maybe someone will love a book, and I might hate it. Also the other way around sometimes.

Happy holidays everyone!

--Jessica

okay, so let me introduce myself:
i'm catherine. i'm fifteen, and yes, i'm a girl. =)

now on to the review:

Title: The Au Pairs: Sun-kissed
Author: Melissa De la Cruz
Pages: 320
Audience: Teenage girls
Genre: Chick lit

Plot Summary: So, just like the previous 2 The Au Pairs books (The Au Pairs and The Au Pairs: Skinny-Dipping), this story revolves around three girls- Jacqui, Mara and Eliza. This time around, Mara is interning at a magazine, living with Ryan on his family's boat and freaking out over getting accepted in to Dartmouth. Eliza was (key word, was) interning with a fashion desiner and is still with Jeremy, but we all know there has to be some sort of drama happening here, right? Lastly, Jacqui is still working for the Perry family, trying to keep the Perry couple together and dating three boys at the same time (drama, drama, drama I tell you). Basically, you read about the ups and downs of three rather priveledged ladies.

Opinion: This book is decent enough. If you're fans of the other two previous books or the Gossip Girls series, then yes, you should definetly read it (although, Gossip Girls is a bit more extreme than this book). I thought that it wasn't as good as the first one and cliched. I hated how the story was told from three points of view, with little interaction with all three characters. It's three little stories of each individual rather than one story with three characters.
On the up side, it's a great light read if you're super bored. It's easy to go through quickly and the characters are each lovable in their own way.
*SPOILER ALERT: Although I got to say, I was really happy to here that Mara and Ryan were going to be living together in this book, not too happy to find out that their relationship is going rocky..again.

Main Themes/Subjects: Love, Persistance, Morals, Life-Lessons

Rated: 7/10

Total Hours: 3

A great read, I just had the pleasure of borrowing this book yesterday from the library...

Title: Would I lie to you - a Gossip Girl novel
Author: Cecily von Ziegesar
# of pages: 192

Summary:

It is the summer after their graduation from secondary school, and every teenager in New York's Upper East Side is celebrating their accomplishments and their future entry into college. They live lives of luxury, from bikinis by Eres, Missoni, and Gucci... to their BMWs and Mercedes' as graduation presents.

Blair and Serena, two very best friends (and the main characters), stay at Bailey Winter's house in the Hamptons to act as muses for the anorexic models for Bailey Winter's newest collection. Realizing the sadistic intentions for Blair and Serena, of the models, the muses eventually leave Bailey's house to go on several road trips with Nate (another friend). As Nate declares his love for Blair, she and Serena begin to continue the bitterness and jealousy that looms over which one of them has his affection.

Meanwhile... Vanessa continues her nannying job with Ms Morgan, but becomes so irritated over her nearly inhumane work conditions that she abandons the position.

Dan is confused over his sexual orientation, after the unexpected results of a literary salon, and remains so by the end of the novel.

Opinion:

As with the other Gossip Girl novels, I found this one interesting to read, but I would not feel any urge to re-read it as I would for certain other novels. The story has little originality, mostly retelling the true stories of wealthy teenagers. There are few changes made over the course of the storyline; for example, the way Blair and Serena are, once again, secretly fighting over Nate. I would prefer reading the novel to gain awareness of other lifestyles in modern society as opposed to reading for the sake of the actual tale being told.

Cecily von Ziegesar frequently includes coarse language, mainly in the dialogue. The remainder of the vocabulary used, however, is basic and easily understood by any elementary school student. Combined with the sexual content involved in the story, I would advise only mature teenagers to consider reading this, or any other Gossip Girl novel. Being the tenth novel in the series, reading the previous novels in the Gossip Girl series is essential to fully understand the entire situation.

With a lack of originality on the part of the author, and no evidence of thoughtful language being used, I merely found Would I lie to you as a fair attempt by Cecily von Ziegesar to tell a story of social elites.

Main themes and subjects:

• Romance: Blair and Nate are together again; Serena reunites with Henry; Dan meets Greg (a fellow employee at the Strand and one he isn't sure whether he loves)
• Luxury life: almost all of the characters are wealthy social elites
• Everyone has a natural tendency to enjoy gossip, particularly that based on people from higher social classes

Target audience: Teenage girls

Genre: Chick lit

Rating: 3/5

Book review by Fiona T.
* 9 hours so far
* Can be published in the Teen Newsletter

so, is there a poetry contest happening???
can i plz have more detail?

thanks

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows

The final title was announced and it is on Rowling's website.
jkrowling.com

There is even a little game you can play to get the title.

You know the library will have plenty of copies, but still we never have enough.

Catherine

Enjoy your holidays!

We hope you take time for yourself and read (just joking). Relax and have a safe as well as happy holiday whatever you do.

Catherine and Andrea

Enjoy your holidays!

We hope you take time for yourself and read (just joking). Relax and have a safe as well as happy holiday whatever you do.

Catherine and Andrea

Time's person of the year

Congratulations, you are the winner!

Thanks to your involvement with blogging, IM, and social networking (Fancy way of saying chatting), time magazine has chosen you as the newsmaker of the year.

Youtube.com and similar websites are also contributing factors.

I always thought you were amazing but this seals the deal.

Catherine

2nd Annual poetry Contest

I will soon have something on the website about the 2nd Poetry Contest. the deadline for one page submissions is Saturday, March 31st. Entries must be emailed to the teen mailbox.
more information coming.

P.S. Yes, you are all eligible. I white out the names when the entries are judged.

Winners are posted on the website and in the library.

Catherine

TRAP Newsletter

Stephie and I are going to start working on the first edition of the newsletter. It is just going to be small at first, a couple of pages, published hopefully by the end of January.

I will try and publish it here, first for you to see, in case you have any concerns. Rachel is one of the first contributors, I have included. I will try and get something from all of you who allowed submissions, in the next few months. Be patient, this is a first try.

Will keep you updated. thanks for all your good work.

Catherine

LORD OF THE FLIES
William Golding
(sorry, i already gave the book back, so i dont have a # of pages)

In this classic novel, a bunch of kids are on a plane when it crashes, and they end up by themselves on a deserted island. Everything starts out quite innocently..they elect Ralph, one of the older boys, as leader, and they all work together to be rescued. But when a bad egg's strong sense of savage comes out, there is pandamonium on the island, and this leadership community quickly comes to an end. When all of the boys switch over to the other group, Ralph is left by himself to deal with the elements, and these crazy savages who are dying to get their hands on him. At this rate, will they ever be rescued?

I had to read this book for school, which you probably gathered, because nobody in their right mind would read this book if it wasn't by force. It was really hard to get past all the heavy wording and descriptions, and there was alot of boring parts. It was okay, but i would NOT recommend reading this as a leisurely activity...such as over the Christmas holidays. You would be much better off reading one of the other books reviewed in this blog, which may actually bring you a hint of happiness. But there is one positive note about this novel - it is much better than the film version! So read this book if you must, but otherwise, cast it into the wind!!
* * J e n n :-)

Community Service Hours: 27

Thursday's Child - Sonya Hartnett - pages: 261

Plot: hehe, this is an easier story to describe. okay, so the story starts with this girl named "Harper Flute", written in first person, so you really get get the feel of being in the story. anyways, the little girl watches, and soon you can clearly see things change, when her little brother (named "Tin") decides to move underground, even though he was only 5 at the time. at first, he was only digging under the yard, and went up at the call of Harper, but then, after awhile, he just stayed down, and his parents had to put out his food infront of the small entrance of the hole. harper really liked her brother Tin, but unlike Tin, Harper was not either of her parent's pets, and so she was never really "loved" by her parents. she had a sister and a brother, with another that dies at the end. as she watches her family struggle in a very bare land, she also watches her little brother go farther and deeper into his holes and caves, being able to see everything well in the dark. Tin was becoming wild. and so, when thier shack (this is what they called thier home) falls down from the emptiness of one of the tunnels that Tin built when he first went under the house. it's actually sorta queer that the child would decided to go UNDER THE HOUSE, don't you think? anyways, the parents kept thinking that Tin went under the ground because he was jelous, but Harper new that the only reason Tin went down there was because he really liked digging. at first, his parents help out by putting stuff out for him to use in his digging, but after that, the child stays underground. lots and lots of other things happens, and, when Tin tries to save his little brother who jumped into a hole when playing hide and seek. the little brother is giving back dead, with Tin still holding the dead child. the parents think that Tin killed the baby, but harper was pretty sure that the baby died before Tin reached him/her (i don't remember) and so, they turn Tin completly loose, and soon, Tin is found stealing from a nieghbour's bee hives for honey. when a huge disaster strikes and thier house tumbles, the nieghbour gives them thier barn and lumber that they had extra, and at the end, the whole nieghbour hood helps to build it. but although they had a roof over thier heads, they needed money to buy food, and thier father was becoming addicted to alcohol, and soon, the eldest daugther was sent to become a maid for their neighbour. of course, this neighbour just wanted a girl in the his house once again, but as soon as the girl did something even the littlest wrong, he would beat her. so one day, the girl ran away from the nieghbour's and went back to her house, telling the family about it. the father gets really angry, and decides to go (with a rifle/gun) and "talk" to the nieghbour, meaning kill. little did they know, little Tin (who really isn't THAT little anymore) heard every single word, and reached the nieghbour's house through his tunnels. and there, he made a trap in the neighbours house, and killed or murdered him. by placing him in a trap in his tunnel, and, because normal people can't see very well in pitch blackness, he killed the neighbour. when harper, who followed her dad because she wanted to stop him. when they reached his house, the guy was already dead. and so they slowly figured out what happened. that's mainly the plot.
okay, my grammer and stuff is really really bad when i type on the comp. so sorry if this really bothers you.

Thoughts: wow, i't such a good book. man would i like to be able to go through those tunnels, and stay safe. but then again, i wouldn't go kill the neighbour, cause i'd probably die or scaredness, either that or the blood. but this is a really good book.
rating: 8/10, it's really good. go read it xD
genre: historical fiction (but actually, i can't really find that much history in it, so i'd probably just call it FICTION)

recommended for people who like to read about little kids doing random things that seem to have no meaning watsoever. actually, just read it. it's good for everyone, as long as you don't get bored with reading after 15 mins.

total: 6



hehe =) thanxs for the comments on the forst post. xD
your reply to your comments: lol, let's see, i'm called woofy cause we were making up other names to call each other, and then the name just slipped out. therefore i usually go by that name on the internet now. xD and if you would really like to know... i actually AM sorta nerdy. but then not that much. just that i like to keep busy with work or read. or music. xD

What Child is this? A Christmas Story.

I sometimes get trapped in some of the sappy Christmas stories and movies. This year, I did not want to get into that but yes, I succumbed and have read one book, by Caroline Cooney.

it is not very long, about 150 pages. There are a number of smaller stories linked into the main story. As Christmas stories go, it was pretty good. Seeing that it was writtne by Cooney makes it better.

Pick it up for that warm Christmas feeling.

catherine

What is the one thing you want to do most on your holidays?

Whether you celebrate the holidays or not, you still have two whole weeks off that you have more than earned.

What is the first thing you are going to do and what is the one thing you cannot wait to do?

Personally, I know that this sounds corny but I cannot wait to have a fire, in the fireplace. We can have one, any day of the year but this is one time when I just sit and let everything go.
I read like mad over the holidays. I am not a big shopper so I tend to stay put and read.
I find the holidays stressful so anything I can do to take it easy is fine with me.

What are you dying to do?

catherine

Reading, reading - 4 titles.

The first one had a problem. Shooter by Walter Dean Myers. This is about a boy and his friend and the events of a school shooting. Problem, i am reading along and get to page 214, the last page of the book. Problem: the book is over 221 pages long. This is a great book so my boss says i should try and pick it up. We will try and fix the book.

Hero of lesser ---___

I have been reading non-stop lately so forgive me for not remembering. This is the story of a brother and a sister who grow closer as the brother battles an illness. It falls into the historical fiction category. A great read.

The sledding hill.

This is the story of Eddy who tries to cope after the death of his father and his bestfriend. Although this sounds creepy, his best friend comes along after his death and continues to be Eddy's friend. The other neat twist to this book is the Chris Crutcher, the author brings himself into the book. I liked that but was so into the relationship between Eddy and his best friend it took away from that part of the story. Good read.

The blue helmet

I am reading this book and reading this book waiting for the blue helmet. The story is amazing.
I expected the blue helmet to be about the main character but instead it was about a secondary character. The helmet does not come into play until almost the end. This story is also a bit graphic but i loved this book. There is an old saying when one door closes, another one opens. This totally fits the story.

catheirne

P.s. I cannot spell my name. I could not remember the password to log in. I need to go outside and get some fresh air.

Sad, eh!

Acceleration by Graham McNamee 210 pages

This book is the best mystery book I have ever read (I think)
It talks about Duncan working in Toronto's subway lost and found in the summer. The horrible job is nightmare, but the good side is that if you see an item that you want,after the term found date, you can take the item. When Duncan finds a journal of stuff, there is mice drowning times/experiment, building burning and now women stalking. Duncan must find the "Roach" before it's too late...
I thought this book was pretty suspensful, but I thought the ending was a bit rushed. Great book. Read it!!

rating: ***/5

Title: Secrets of my Hollywood Life
Author: Jen Calonita
# of pages: 242

Summary:

Kaitlin Burke is a star of a popular nighttime soap opera, called Family Affair. She has worked in Hollywood since she was four, but as she copes with her overbooked calendar, she begins to realize how much she would like to become an "ordinary" teenager. A life without all of the rush, a chance to meet new friends who care about her for who she is.

After a discussion with her best friend, Liz, about their current lives, Kaitlin decides to go to high school with her at Clark Hall. She enrolls under an alias name, and forms a perfect disguise that fools the others into believing that she really is just like them. But if the press finds out that she has been trying to escape from Hollywood life, her career would be damaged...

Opinion:

I admire the fact that Jen Calonita's unique writing style is direct, but manages to match and blend in with the storyline. It seems as though each of the characters' personalities is plainly displayed for the reader to see, and the subtle foreshadowing leaves readers urging themselves to continue reading.

The ending of the story was superb and brought a suitable conclusion of Kaitlin's adventures of leading a double life. She learns an important lesson in life: that there are always rivals in life who try to make life more difficult for you, and that a happy, successful actor must have a life on both sides of the camera.

While reading a novel regarding Hollywood life would often seem drastically insignificant compared to the awareness of today's world issues, I thought it brought an interesting perspective on the lives of celebrities. As shown by the 18 "Hollywood Secrets" mentioned in the novel, there are many things that happen without us noticing, that are actually the foundation for many activities and functions in Hollywood. The first-person narrative adds to the effect, as if we were seeing the world with the eyes of an exhausted Hollywood star.

One similar series that immediately came to mind as I browsed through the pages, were the Gossip Girl novels by Cecily von Ziegesar. The world of Gossip Girl includes the socialites of New York City, celebrities in their own right. Though they probably wouldn't be as well known as any Hollywood star, they have always grown accustomed to luxurious lifestyles of glamour and fortune. However, significant differences in the setting, and the way Secrets of my Hollywood Life provides a solid ending of the storyline, set this novel, and the Gossip Girl series, apart.

Main themes:

• What happens on screen is often completely different from the reality
• There are people who mean ill will to you wherever you go
• One thing that happened in a minute can change an entire lifetime of effort

Subjects:

• Hollywood life
• Romance (between a few couples, notably Kaitlin and a student at Clark Hall)
• High schools (Clark Hall)

Target audience: teenage girls

Genre: Chick lit

Rating: 5/5 (thanks for pointing out the omission, Jessica!)

Book review by Fiona T.
* 6 hours so far
* Can be published in the Teen Newsletter

The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants
By Ann Brashares
290 pages
4/5

I actually read this book a few weeks ago, but never felt like posting on it yet. I don't know why, but I loved the book. It was written like one story, turned into four, and then into one again. It's like, you read a few paragraphs on one person, and then something exciting happens, and the next paragraph is about somebody else. Which makes you want to keep reading until you find out what happened next to one of them. But all four of them had interesting summers. Problem is, I didn't really know where the climax was. It wasn't evident. But it was still good.

The main characters, who are best friends forever, are Lena, Tibby, Carmen, and Bridget. Their mothers met at some pregnancy yoga class, and continued to hang out after, so all their birthdays are really close.
Carmen innocently buys a pair of jeans from a thrift store, and she wasn't serious about it.. she didn't even try them on. Completely accidentally, they find out that the pair of pants, magically, fits all of them perfectly and looks really good on each of them. Mind you, all four of them are different shapes and sizes. This happens the day before their first summer apart as best friends. They had spent every summer together the years before, but this year, everyone was at a different place.

Tibby is the one that stays at home, with a part time job at Wallmans. She thought this would be the most boring summer of her life, but it turns out to be an emotional roalercoaster ride for her. While she's putting up a deodorant display, she hears a thonk on the ground. Her name was Bailey. She looked at Bailey's wallet to see if she had an address written in it, but she didn't find one. After she was brought to the hospital, Tibby realized she still had the wallet. She went to return it, and Bailey wasn't pleased. She thought Tibby had stolen her money or something. They get to know eachother, though, and Bailey apparently has a horrible disease - leukemia. At the age of 12. I wonder if the Pants did any good to her?

Lena is in Greece with her younger sister. Where her grandmother lives. Her grandma is totally trying to set Lena up with this handsome boy, Kostos. But she didn't come to Greece for relationships. Even though Kostos showed obvious interest in her, she just did what she wanted to do - paint. Lena sat outside for hours every day, painting the scene in front of her. But Kostos was being extremely nice and inviting. Well, until their grandfathers get into a fight because of something Lena said about Kostos. Not a pretty scene. Can this summer turn around for Lena?

Bridget is at a sports camp. Or soccer camp. I forget which one. And one of the instructors is soo hot. He's older, but who cares? Even though he's totally off- imits cuz he's an instructor. He likes Bridget too. But things just never work out the way Bridget wants them to. It's not anyone's fault, though. Bridget tries hard to impress him, but she has to face the truth - they can't get anywhere.

Carmen is super-hyped about visiting her father. Her parents are divorced, so she doesn't see her dad much. This time is super special because it is the first time that she ever visited him. It was normally the other way around. When she gets there, she is surprised. He is living ina new house. Well, no big deal. He's acting kinda different. Um.. no big deal? BUT ... he has a new fiance. Yes. That's a big deal. They are about to get married, just in a few weeks. Carmen doesn't see herself as a part of the family. They are all so different from her. Carmen doesn't fit in, mentally or physically. She can't keep up. She hates her father's new family

My teacher lent me this whole series (surprise??) but I haven't gotten to the second one yet. I'm reading millions of books in between. I loved this book. The Pants part was obviously unreal but it made the story interesting.

--Jessica--
--54--
can be published in a teen newsletter =)

Perfect
By Natasha Friend
172 pages
4/5

This book was really short, but it gave me a lot to think about. It shows you that a person who is, lets say, really good looking and was really nice; you might think their life is perfect. You wish more than anything to be like them. But as you get to know the person, it turns out that no matter how perfect they seem to be, they can be dealing with a really hard life, at home where you do not see them. But since their perfect-ness seems to overpower what is bad about their life, you think they have the best life ever.

Isabelle Lee, the main character, has an eating disorder. She binges (eats a lot of food) and then makes herself throw it all up afterwards. It started two summers ago, when her father died. She has been keeping it a secret for the whole time. But then her bratty little sister, April (aka Ape Face), tells their mother.

Isabelle's mom makes her go to a support group for girls with eating disorders, which is called Group. She hates the idea. She doesn't think it will help at all. At Group, there aren't many people, but everybody is completely different. Short, tall, fat, skinny, whatever. And in walks... Ashley Barnum. She is the prettiest, most popular girl in her eighth grade. And she's in Group. But... Isabelle doesn't believeit. Ashley is perfect. She's got the looks, the body, the guys, the everything. Well it seems that way. Isabelle gets to know Ashley (she had never talked to her before), and still doubts she really needs group support.

Later on in the book, as they become better friends, they start talking about more private things. Things about how their families are both screwed up. Both of them. Isabelle realizes that she is not the only one who has a weird family, and that Ashley is not the perfect girl everyone thinks she is.

Some parts were really scary. not like horror movie kind of scary, but scary. Like when the author described how she stuck her finger down her throat (*barf barf barf!!*so nasty!!)to make herself throw up all the food she ate. Described. As in how she felt her stomach contract and everything.

By the way it was written, how real it was, it made me wonder if the author had had an eating disorder before. Or maybe she just did a lot of research. (It's like how I thought the book Candy - By Kevin Brooks was so real that I thought the author had done drugs before. Great book. Read it.) In the back, there was a list called Ten Steps to a Psitive Body Image and information about eating disorders, and how to get help if you have an eating disorder.

Great book. Highly recommend it. But not for guys, though (just look at it. the cover is all pink.). This is a great book about what true beauty really is, and that nobody is perfect -- no matter how much it seems like they are. This book is a super quick read, readable in just over an hour, and isn't the kind of book that you just finish and put away without thinking about it at all.
i think this book is so short because it's not the story they want you to concentrate on. They want you to recognize the situation, and what eating disorders do to you. It's a "finish it quickly and spend double the time thinking about it" kinda thing.

--Jessica--
Can be published in a teen newsletter
Would have been 51 community service hours

Question about death of the Dvd

Last week, in the states, Walmart said that they are not going to buy as many dvds for sale because they for see the end of the dvd.

When the Superman sequel was released, last week, in the States, you could pay $2.00 for a downloadable version for you handhelds.

In your opinion, do you see the end of the DVD?

My son has PSP. I am not interested in watching a movie on the psp.

What about you?

Catherine

New cds in the Library - Comment wanted no volunteer hours

during the summer, Andrea ordered a bunch of new cds. they are all coming in right now like All American Rejects, No limits, etc.

my question: During the summer, I had Promiscuous Woman going all the time. I am so bored of that one. Lately it has been Snow Patrol and the Fray with the soundtrack from Greys Anatomy.

What song is your favorite right now?

Catherine

Talking about blog in a meeting

Today, we had a meeting. I was talking about blog. I enjoy this part of my job so much. I often do work from home, like now.

I think you are all great and have so much to share.

Please keep those reviews coming. I also want to hear your opinions about the stuff you read.

Catherine

Abundance of Katherines

Colin is a child prodigy. Throughout his life, he has dated 19 Katherines. My husband would say one Katherine is enough. This poor fellow was doomed for punishment.
Poor Colin has his heart broke by all but one Katherine (number three).

he meets another girl who sets him off on adventures and a simpler life.

The book is another open ended one. It is up to the reader to decide how you think Colin does.

7/10

Looking for Alaska by this writer was an award winner. I would not rush to recommend this title.

Catherine

Title: Peaches
Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson
# of Pages: 312

Summary:

This was the summer that Murphy, Leeda, and Birdie realized that life is filled with unexpected twists and turns. These three teenaged girls, with their outstanding differences that made it seem impossible for them to befriend each other, eventually went against the odds and did so under unusual circumstances.

Murphy McGowen is well-known to be a mischievous teenager in Bridgewater, Georgia, particularly after she is sentenced to work at the Darlington Peach Orchard for the entire spring break, and, later, her summer for committing crimes and setting off pranks. Leeda Cawley-Smith only wishes to avoid the rest of her well-to-do family, causing her to also spend her holidays working at the orchard. Finally, as the owner’s daughter, Birdie Darlington faces hardships after her mother has left her important position there, and the orchard faces financial turmoil that could result in a nearby developer buying the land. Each of these girls is brought together by the orchard, and develops a strong bond that will surely last their lifetimes.

Thoughts:

Jodi Lynn Anderson’s story is truly amazing and extraordinary. She uses real-life situations in writing her novel, without the surreal style of other chick lit authors. She showed the true power of friendships, that humans simply need a loving friend to help cope with their problems. Each of the characters must deal with serious conflicts relating to their family, finance, relationships, or a combination of these. Through the time spent together, they eventually, for the most part, resolve them in some way.

Reading Peaches was a touching experience, from the emotional breakdowns to the moving plot that caused readers to sympathize with the characters. I felt fortunate to not have faced the stressed situations they did, but the author’s realistic writing technique immediately brought me to somehow connect with them. She leads you to simply love the characters and understand exactly how they feel.

For these reasons, I would highly recommend Peaches to all teenage girls, as they will surely enjoy the story and possibly relate to the characters. Peaches is a typical chick lit novel, other than its striking realism, with some romance, and the whole concept of the necessity of friendships.

For such a seemingly perfect novel, its only downside is that the storyline is all too similar to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants novels by Ann Brashares, other than the fact that the three girls in this novel only became friends after some hardships and initial disagreements. Both include themes regarding the inseparability of groups of friends, and the fact that each of the girls get along so well despite their notable differences.

Overall, Peaches will be sure to satisfy the reader, bringing them to yearn for its sequel, The Secrets of Peaches.

Main themes and subjects:

• Romance; many aspects of this novel deal with relationships between the three girls and the boys they meet
• First impressions are rarely sufficient to judge a person; the three girls didn't get along very well at first, but soon became inseparable once they began to know each other
• Friends will help each other in times of need

Target audience: Teenage girls

Genre: Chick lit

Book review by Fiona T.
*3 hours so far

Over The Edge
Norah McClintock
216 pages

Another Chloe and Levesque Mystery.
Peter disappeared one evening. He was found lying at the bottom of MacAdam’s Lookout. At first, it appeared to be suicide. But then they found out that it wasn’t.
Then, Chloe started going out with Thomas, and learned a few things about his friends.
Daria, who suddenly became good at poetry after her sister died.
Lise, who deeply disapproved of her dad’s relationship with Eileen Braden, a teacher.
Matt, who hated his new stepfather Artie, because the man seemed to marry Matt’s mother only for money.
Did Peter pay the price for knowing their secrets?

Big surprise at the end, although you might be able to figure out what it is if you're smart enough. People can be totally different from who they appear to be on the outside.

Rating 8.5/10
David
18 hours total

Scared To Death
Norah McClintock
202 pages

Part of the Chloe and Levesque Series. (Chloe, a teenage girl, is the main character, and Levesque is her stepfather, also the police chief of the town they live in.)

One day, Tessa showed up at Chloe’s front door in the afternoon looking for the chief of police. She looked scared. Unfortunately, Levesque wasn’t home.
Two days later, Tessa was floating in a pond, not breathing.
Now, Chloe’s closest friend Ross is under suspicion for murder. Chloe needs to find out who really killed Tessa, and why.

Mystery genre– same as all the other books in this series. The culprit isn’t mentioned much until near the end, but everything that goes on before that has something to do with why the crime was committed.

Rating 8/10
David
*15*