Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands - reviewed by Maggie Devero

Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian

Reviewed by Maggie Devero

When your whole world comes crashing down around you, can you ever find the will to live on?

Emily Shepard is on her second to last day of junior year at Reddington Academy, when the school receives some devastating news -- the nuclear power plant called Reactor One, located on Cape Abenaki in the Northern Kingdom, had exploded and caused a radiation blow to the entire area. Now known as the Exclusion Zone, with radiation levels unfit for an living being, has left Emily homeless and orphaned, with her parents being the main directors of the plant and obviously killed in the explosion. Instead of seeking the help that would have reached out to her at the time, she chooses to avoid the general public who blames her parents for coming to work inebriated and causing this problem, and lives on the streets. She takes on the alias Abby Bliss, friend of her idol Emily Dickinson, and roams the streets taking up stealing and some others destructive habits. She struggles between survival and suicide...that is until she meets Cameron, a nine year old runaway who gives her a reason to live for.

I did in fact, like this book very much. Emily was the most accurately portrayed teenage girl in a disastrous situation, unlike characters in the many other YA books I've read before. Her panic and struggle, the solace she finds in the poetry and life of Emily Dickinson was very relatable to the reader,  and the sisterly love she gives to Cameron is one of the most endearing aspects of the story. Even so, she still makes mistakes like a human being (leaving Cameron while he's sick, doing drugs, cutting) which enhances the realistic aspects of her character. How Bohjalian depicts the setting gets you right there on the streets with Emily, in her garbage bag igloo. Beautiful wording, and accurate usage of modern social networks brings the story up to date, and puts you right in it. It was an amazingly written novel, and even without the perfectly happy ending it's an enjoyable read. Five out of five stars.

Cinder--reviewed by Nallely S.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

**** Stars

reviewed by Nallely S.

"A girl. A machine. A freak."- Cinder

After a terrible accident....sixteen-year old Cinder's life changes drastically. Being 36.28% non-human, Cinder is the stepdaughter of Adri Linh, living a cruel life...Cinder has lived through it all, after the death of her stepfather. Cinder is 36.28% cyborg. Knowing people don't accept her for what she is, Cinder tries to live a peaceful life by following everything Adri Linh says. One day while going to the junkyard, Cinder's stepsister Peony insists on going with Cinder and Iko. Earth isn't what it use to be. Filled with a plague that has killed off half the worlds population, Cinder experiences the horror of seeing what the plague does to people. During their trip to the junkyard, unexpected horrors happen....Peony catches the plague.....and Cinder is sold by her stepmother to a crazy scientist.

Cinder gets caught up in two worlds. The world of a cyborg and the world she always dreamed of living in...a girls dream. Meeting Prince Kai only makes matters worse. If only those were her only worries....a terrible secret is discovered....and it seems that Cinder is at the center of everything.......in this new series, Lunar Chronicles, we will see the life of a girl and a cyborg. A life where a girl only struggles to be accepted and to find love, and answers. Cinder let's us see the horror that human society has come to. Set in a futuristic world, we follow the story of a teenage girl and her struggles.

I rated Cinder * * * * stars because although I like Meyer, I felt that in this story she tried to delay a lot of things. I enjoyed reading it and I like Cinder. She's brave and doesn't let anything stop her. She has big dreams and she'll try to get there. This book caught my attention because it's set in Beijing, China, which you don't usually see. I thought that was interesting and the tale of Cinderella turned into Cyborg Cinderella was a interesting idea ^ ^. Hopefully the next installment is a little better and moves a little faster. ^ ^ I didn't like the ending~!! X< Cliff hangers are the worst!! X<

Angel -- A review by Ian Zig.

Angel

by James Patterson

****

Angel knows it all! Everyone is back, but not together.. Max is back leading the flock, minus Fang, and things are quiet... But Where's Fang?.. He's out recruiting, and making a gang of his own. But who does he just happen to recruit into his group?.. None other than Max II, the clone of Max!.. Which Max is not happy about.. But who or what are they fighting this time?.. A rather doom and gloom group called the Doomsday Group, which is spreading and gaining support faster than anyone ever could've expected, and it appears that all of their followers are teenagers. The biggest question in the matter, is the group hypnotizing its followers?... Now to Angel... She's staying in line supporting Max, but will she remain in line?.. you'll have to read to find out!

I liked this book, it was kinda dissapointing with some things, but the action never fails to hold my attention! I really think that the author could've ended it better though.. But if you've read the series, you have to read the end, so check it out. And of coarse, if you haven't read the rest of the series I highly suggest you do, cause its just plain amazing.

Where the Heart Is-- A reviewby Sarah Gnefkow

Where the Heart Is

By Billie Letts

**** 1/2

Novalee Nation is a hardworking, yet unlucky, girl. She finds herself in a bind every time she is associated with the number seven. Ever since her seventh birthday, when her mom ran away, she knew that seven was her unlucky number. Novalee seventeen and seven months pregnant was traveling with her boyfriend to California when she needed to stop in a Wal-Mart. As she was leaving she went to the the cashregister and her change was $7.77, immediately she knew that meant something bad. As she ran outside she noticed her boyfriend had left her and she was stranded in a place where she knew no one. Novalee thinks that her life is over at this point and she has no idea what is going to happen with her or her baby. What she doesn't expect is that she will meet people who will care about her and love her to the greatest extent.

I loved this book so much. Just like the movie it was unforgettable and moving. I gave it four and a half stars because number one it was amazing but also it got slow at some parts. The thing I like about it is it keeps you on your toes for the most part. If you like stories with characters who seem to have a serious of unfortunate events, with happy endings, you will love this book! I recommend this to anyone who likes drama and a lot of stuff going on.

Aftershock -- Review by Ian Zig.

Aftershock

by Kelly Easton

****

Aftershock is a story of an adventure. You could call it a sort of "walk-about." Seventeen-year-old Adam, begins his journey with a fatal car wreck that kills both of his parents. His trip with his parents leaves him an orphan, stranded in the middle of nowhere, on the opposite side of the country from where he lives, and quite literally speechless. Adam, still in shock from the wreck, begins a trek of a lifetime. As he hitch-hikes across the country, he must weed out all the travelers who don't mind giving a ride to a mute, ragged, dirty teenager. Will he make it home?.. Will he starve?... Read and find out.

This book did a pretty good job at keeping my attention, but at times I felt that it was dragging a little bit. I gave it four stars because I thought it wasn't a really realistic story. The author did a good job showing the desperation that such bad luck would bring, and I liked the transitions for the flashbacks. All in all, it was a fairly good book that I would suggest for some but not for others.

Trapped - a review by George Morejon

Trapped

by Michael Northrop

*** stars

Trapped is told from Scotty's point of view, one of the kids trapped. That day, it started snowing. A LOT. As the afternoon goes on, it gets worse and worse. People leave, even the teacher that's suppose to stay with them. After a hours and hours of waiting, it's just Scotty, some friends of his, 2 girls, and 2 other guys. And they realise that no one is going to come get them.

At first it doesn't seem so bad. A sleep over at school. Getting to see what's different about it. Not to mention the fact that the girls there a pretty hot. Great time, yeah?

Wrong. Things quickly go from kinda bad to much worse. People getting upset over little things, arguing, and people's plans not working correctly all push everyone's buttons in the wrong way. The way they start annoying each other so fast is just a baaad sign. And then a giant accident happens...

I thought this was a good book, and it was funny that I got it right after we had a big snow storm since that made it real easy saying "What if this was people I knew?" I took ~4 hours to get through, and while it had some slow parts, I kept wanting to read more to find out what was happening. The ending was kinda abrupt though, like the publisher cut out the last few chapters. And unrelated thing, but one thing I like is how the chapter title pages have snow falling, and it slowly build each chapter, until it's just completely overwhelmed. Cool, random detail.

One Amazing Thing - Review by Halea Coulter

One Amazing Thing

by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

* * * * stars

One Amazing Thing was a good book. It took me awhile to conquer, but i did it. I feel like I would have liked it more if I dedicated some time and just went through it all at once. But it is a book I would definitely recommended if your looking for a book that is just good, something interesting and fascinating, and something that says a lot about the human condition under stress.

 

The book opens with one of the main characters, Uma, sitting in a passport office with sixth other people and two workers in the office, and suddenly an earthquake rips through the building and it starts to flood, and all nine people are trapped together. Uma jokes that it is a Lord of the Flies situation, which it is, there is a definate power struggle between characters to be the leader. Finally Uma, who at that time is reading Canterbury Tales, suggests that everyone tells one amazing thing, one thing they haven't told anyone else. All of the characters are just so different, (for example, there is a Muslim-American struggling with the way people are treating him because of the 9/11 attacks, and theres also an African-American Vietnam Vet who is running out of medicene in his asmtha inhaler) and they all come together so well with such fascinating stories, that even if it takes awhile to get into, it's a hard book to hate. the ending wasn't my favorite, but thats up to you to decide.

I haven't ever read another book like this one. The closest I think might be Canterbury Tales, which no one has probably read any of unless they happen to be a senior. I think it was a good book, but I would only reccomend reading it if you can't find anything else to read.