Wednesday, June 29, 2005

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood

There are four girls, Lena, Carmen, Bridget, and Tibby. During the summer they all split up, and they have "magical" pants that they share to keep their tight bond. The four girls, who have been inseparable since birth, mail the pants to each other while they are apart. They experience love and loss in them, but the pants always seem to bring them good fortune in the end.

This is an excellent book for girls because the characters go through the same events as we do, and you can relate to them. I liked it because it changed scenes and people a lot, which kept it from being dull. - Hannah K.

The Last Shot by John Feinstein

This book is about two kids who win a writing contest and get to report at the Final Four. When they are exploring, they overhear a conversation between a coach and a player involving blackmail. In this mystery, as they are trying to help, they have many obstacles to overcome, including guards that won't let them in without a key, lying to their parents, and more! What will happen? Will they help Chip and his father? I think this story illustrates what really could happen during March Madness. What grabbed my attention was the title, because I love basketball! I hope you'll enjoy this book! - Melissa L.

Halloween Night II by R. L. Stine

Brenda's luck is absolutely not getting any better than last year. Her cruel cousin, Halley, has come to stay with her forever. Brenda's old friend, Dina, who tried to stab her, has returned from the mental hospital she was in, and that definitely isn't helping her mood. Just to make things worse, her extremely untimely boyfriend, Jake, was seen by Brenda and her friend, Angela (the new girl in town), kissing Halley in the foodcourt of the mall. Can life get any worse than this? It definitely does for Brenda.

This time the trio (Brenda, Traci, and Angela) is planning to get revenge on Jake by scaring him into calling for his mother. The plan is to go trick-or-treating with him throughout the whole neighborhood and, when they reach Angela's house, she is supposed to be lying down in a coffin with her hand sticking out as if she were dead. However, when they actually do reach Angela's house, she's nowhere to be found. Read the book to discover what happens.

My comments about this book are that it was mediocre because it copied off the first book, Halloween Night, a bit. It had a similar story, just a few differences such as the setting and two additions character-wise (Jake and Angela). The reason I chose this book especially is because it was the sequel to the book Halloween Night, which I enjoyed very much. - Abhinav K.

Halloween Night by R.L. Stine

Brenda is a teenage girl whose troubles are never-ending. Her cousin, Halley, whose parents are getting divorced, has come to stay with Brenda, and she is not enjoying it. Halley wants everything Brenda has. She took Brenda's clothes, room, and even her boyfriend. By the way, it gets even better from here. Brenda's parents don't listen to a thing she says.

To get revenge on Halley, Brenda and her friends Dina and Traci plan to murder her at Brenda's Halloween party, but at the last moment, before Brenda can make any changes, she and Halley start getting along. So now Brenda realizes she's made a huge mess of things. Read the book to find out what happens.

My comments about the book are that it was very interesting. It had a lot of suspense, and I took pleasure in reading it. There are many things that I enjoyed about this book. First was that the author, R.L. Stine, has a very engaging style of writing. Another reason I chose this book, in particular, is when I read the review at the back of the book, I had to find out what happened at the end. -Abhinav K.

The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney

During one lunch day, Janie Johnson was eating her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She suddenly got a craving for milk, even though she had just found out that she was allergic to it, and grabbed her friend's carton. She finished it and glanced down to see who was missing that day (the milk company posted pictures of missing children on their cartons) and instantly recognized the picture. She thought about it for a minute and realized that it was her picture! She was missing! This book is definitely a page-turner. It's a little freaky, but it's still really good. This is the story of a girl who is in search of her real self. - Apeksha V.

The Purple Emperor by Herbie Brennan

Henry Atherton, Pyrgus Malvae, and his sister, Holly Blue, thought they had defeated the Faeries of the Night. Now, Lord Hairstreak, leader of the Faeries of the Night, has resurrected Pyrgus's father, the murdered Purple Emperor, in order to control the Faerie Realm. When Henry tries to teleport through a portal leading to the Royal Palace, he discovers that his friends have been exiled to foreign lands. In his struggle to find them, Pyrgus and Blue are also struggling to return to the palace. When the friends are finally reunited, Pygus's father has been killed again, and they lead the final battle against Lord Hairstreak's men. The Purple Emperor is the even more complex and exciting sequel to Faerie Wars. Faerie Wars was also an excellent book which compelled me to read the sequel. Henry, Pyrgus, and Blue mature emotionally, and they have a better understanding of the political ways of their world. The mood of this book is dark and depressing throughout. It does not lighten up until the end, and even then, it is still sad. -Olivia R.

So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez

Fredrick moves to California from Wisconsin. In his first period class he forgets a pen and meets a girl, Xio. They become fast friends, but Xio has something else in mind. Does Fredrick feel the same way? Find out how he feels in this amazing book. It was a very well-written book. - Apeksha V.

Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B. Cooney

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JANIE? is the sequel to The Face on the Milk Carton. In this book, Janie goes to live with her second family, or rather, her first. The Springs are overjoyed when Janie, or Jennie, returns home. but does Janie feel the same way? Over the days, Janie tries to become Jennie, but to the Springs, it isn't enough. 12 years have gone by and the Springs want all 12 back. Will Janie manage? Or will she turn on them once again? This book is exciting and very well-written. - Apeksha V.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Bridget, Lena, Carmen, and Tibby had been friends since before they were born. Their mothers all took prenatal aerobics class, and they had one thing in common: due dates. During their first summer apart, they find a pair of pants that magically fit them all. Through these pants, they will be together even when they are far apart.

In this story, I loved each girl's personal qualities and how when they were together, it's like they make one complete, perfect person. I think the theme of this story illustrates that friendship is a very important part of life and that everyone needs a friend to rely on. This story makes you realize that friendship is one of the greatest gifts you can receive. -Natalie M.

Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan

In FAERIE WARS, Henry Atherton, torn apart by his troubles at home, decides to work for Mr. Fogarty, an old man whose house is in dire need of cleaning. Henry expects to find garbage and rubbish, not Pyrgus Malvae, crown prince of the Faerie Realm. In danger of being murdered by the treacherous Faeries of the Night, who plan on taking over the realm, he escapes by traveling through a portal into the human world. With the help of Henry and Pyrgus' sister, Holly Blue, he manages to return to the Faerie Realm and overthrow the Faeires of the Night.

Faerie Wars is a wonderful book of fantasy, magic, and science. The mood was dark as the wicked Faeries of the Night plotted to murder Pyrgus. In the end, the mood was joyful as justice was exacted upon the Faeries of the Night. Henry, throughout the book, grows less resentful of his family predicament. I decided to read this book because it looked like an interesting tale. -Olivia R.

Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris

PRIDE AND PRESCIENCE is an outstanding sequel to the original classic, Pride and Prejudice. This story starts where it left off, with the marriage of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. It turns out to be a joint marriage (wedding) with Mr. Bingley and her sister, Jane. At their weddings, Caroline Bingley, Mr. Bingley's sister, announces her own engagement to an American, Mr. Frederick Parrish.

After the Parrish's spectacular wedding, strange events occur that would have usually been unheard of. Even though Caroline is happily married to a wealthy man, she has begun acts of self-destruction. These include sleepwalking, spooked horses, carriage accidents, and even arson.

The Darcys soon become wrapped in a mystery full of adventure. Not knowing the outcome, they plunge head first into the plot. They hope to revive Mrs. Parrish to her senses.

A great mystery, full of devious characters, old myths, and a capturing plot. A book that deserves a spot in the classics with its prequel. If you pick it up, you'll never be able to put it down. A great story for those into romance, mystery, and adventure. - Christine Y.