Books & More

The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney
by Suzanne Harper

Sparrow Delaney just wants to be normal. But when you're living in a house with your grandma, mother, and six sisters, all of whom are mediums, normal is only a fantasy. Sparrow attempts to hide her gift of talking to the dead, but when a particular ghost starts following her around and sabotaging her life, she gets frustrated up and breaks her first rule in ignoring spirits: never talk to a ghost. With the help of the ghost, she helps find balance in her life. She also helps the ghost console his family, who is still looking for him. She even falls in love. This book is great- full of witty comebacks and sibling rivalry...and teenage emotions.

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Reviewed by Emily

Wake
by Lisa McMann

The first time Janie was sucked into someone’s dream was when she was eight on the subway. Now it’s an everyday thing. In the library, at school, even at the senior’s home she works at. Of course no one knows, her mom wouldn’t care anyways. But things start getting out of hand when Janie gets sucked into a gruesome nightmare instead of the usual naked in front of the class while doing an oral report dream. The nightmare totally freaked her out. What if it was real? She can’t do anything about it. Right? In Wake we meet Janie her hopes her fears and other people’s dreams. Will she ever achieve normalcy or will she finally realize that normal isn’t what she’s meant to be?

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Reviewed by Elaisha

Crush Du Jour
by Micol Ostow

Laine’s life is school and cooking. She barely has enough time for herself let alone that really cute guy Seth whose co teaching an after school coking class for kids with her. When Seth offers her a job at his family restaurant, she heartily accepts the offer. For the tips of course. But when her restaurant critic mother writes a (truthful) horrible review on Seth’s family restaurant, Laine may have to put love on the backburner. From the author of Getting Lucky and 30 Guys in 30 Days, comes a hilarious book with tons of food anologies and laugh out loud embarrassing situations for Laine.

Reviewed by Elaisha

Beautiful stranger: an A-list novel
by Zoë Dean

From the Publishers of Gossip Girls and the Clique series comes the New York Times best selling author Zoë Dean with the net book in the A List series Beautiful Stranger. Anna and Ben are through which surprisingly isn’t a relief to Anna. Cammy’s pride and heart was shaken by Adam when she let him in, but never again. She’s going after Ben with her wing tipped acrylics out ready to draw blood. Things are looking up for Sam when Eduardo offers her his life to have and to hold forever. Her heart screams yes, but her brain doesn’t think that logically Eduardo could even want her especially when he disappears to New York on Business. So what does Sam do? Well, she heads to the big apple with Anna in tow. Eduardo doesn’t seem very happy to see his beloved Sam, but Anna is distracted from her friend’s mission when a beautiful stranger from her past shows up at her front door. But could he really be enough to make her forget Ben?

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Reviewed by Elaisha

Speak
by Laurie Halse Anderson

Summer vacation for Melinda and her best friend Rachel was supposed to be a time to shed their middle school status and get ready to be freshmans the following September. A summer high school party they found their way to goes awry when Melinda busts it. No one knows why she did it, and people she doesn’t even know don’t speak to her. Except him. When Melinda’s e best friend starts dating the Best, she has to warn her. But to do that she would have to Speak. This is a haunting story of a teenage girl who’s troubled by more than just growing pains.

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Reviewed by Elaisha

Little Brother
by Cory Doctorow

Little Brother is Cory Doctorow’s political reaction to 9/11. The way security steals people’s rights, and the way governments treat everyday citizens like insane terrorists. It follows the story of Marcus a teenager with an aptitude for computers. Mostly he is interested in the same things as most teenage boys: videogames, girls, computers, and girls but when Marcus and a group of his friends are caught near the scene of one of the worst terrorist attacks in San Francisco’s history the Department of Homeland Security kidnapps them and holds them prisoner for days on end. After his release and seeing how “security” is being used to blindfold people into giving up their rights Marcus realizes he must fight back with every ounce of his skill. He creates an underground internet system only accessible by him and a group of friends and tries to sabotage the DHS’s attempts to treat everyone like criminals. His fight is difficult, filled with false media coverage that claims he is a terrorist, tear gas, punk rock ,and very spicy burritos. Oh yeah and a little high school romance with a girl crazier than he is. This book is also filled with technological tidbits from one of the smartest and most political minds in the field. As the book says, DON’T TRUST ANYONE OVER 25. And have fun reading.

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Reviewed by Joseph

Dooley Takes the Fall
by Norah McClintock

Being a teenager can be scary! One day your youth makes you feel invincible, and the next day you’re sliding down a slippery slope of wrong turns and bad choices, yet you have nothing to grab onto to stop the fall. Do you continue on the current path carved by your former mistakes and their present implications, or do you struggle to free yourself from the tentacles of the past that threaten to drag you down? Award winning author Norah McClintock invites you to join Ryan Dooley, a troubled young man, in confronting and resolving these issues in her compelling novel Dooley Takes the Fall.

Abandoned by his father and neglected by his mother at an early age, Dooley quickly slips into a world of drugs, alcohol, violence and crime. After an 18-month incarceration, Dooley’s free fall is broken when his uncle takes him in, enrolls him in a school, and forces him to get a job. Determined to turn his life around, Dooley pushes hard against the walls of prejudice erected by the police, who wish to remove a kid with a troubled past off the street by sending him back to prison for an unresolved murder, and by the school administration, who desire to distance themselves from a youth with a criminal record. Will Dooley succeed in freeing himself from the shackles of prejudice and injustice by putting the past behind him and regaining control of his life? Read this immersive novel and find out! I strongly recommend reading this book.

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Reviewed by Gerry

Body, Crime, Suspect
by Norah McClintock

Daily, numerous American TV programs catering to the viewer's insatiable desire for glamorous, fast paced criminal investigations bombard the average Canadian, falsely shaping their perception of Canada's criminal and judicial systems. What are the various stages of a criminal investigation when a murder occurs in Canada? What judicial proceedings follow? Award winning author, Norah McClintock, answers all of these questions and more in her captivating novel Body, Crime, Suspect.

The novel opens with a boy by the name of Chris, discovering that his Uncle Joe was one of the detectives assigned to solve the murder case of world renowned author, Edwin Scarr. Thus begins a narrative in which Uncle Joe describes in meticulous detail the painstakingly careful and often tedious work carried out by police, forensic scientists, medical examiners, and lawyers that results in bringing a suspected criminal to justice in Canada. In the end, the deceptively palatable explanations provided by the suspect prove to be no match for the thorough methodical work conducted by the investigative team.

Conclusively, by seamlessly blending detailed explanations of the procedures used in a Canadian murder investigation with her fictional novel, Norah McClintock uniquely adds another dimension to the story which will quench the curiosity of the most demanding murder-mystery fans. I strongly recommend reading this book.

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Reviewed by Gerry

Alive and Well in Prague, New York
by Daphne Grab

Matisse is a savvy city girl who is forced to abandon the plays, theatres and concerts for the dull suburb of Prague, New York. Seemingly in the middle of nowhere Matisse makes the best of her father's illness that forces them to the small town. Flashes of romance, friendship and rumour make her life there not so boring, but those flashes are not reality. When Matisse finally has to face her friends and her father's illness she realizes the importance of truth and she sees her true friends. Finally this time her flashes of romance and friendships are real.

Reviewed by Jestine

No Laughter Here
by Rita Williams-Garcia

No Laughter Here by Rita Williams-Garcia is an inspirational book that shows how friendship can withstand the test of life’s circumstances. Childhood seems so innocent, but to Akilah and Victoria they see the ugly side to a child's life. While their traditions and culture varies, Akilah and Victoria share a bond that is undeniable. While their family values threaten to separate the two girls, they come to realize that despite age-old traditions and the pain that they seem to contain, they can still come together and connect in a way that words cannot describe. Ms. Williams-Gracia has created a special book, one which tells a story that everyone should read.

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Darkwing
by Kenneth Oppel

This Kenneth Oppel has done it again. This time he has managed to write a compelling adventure about the first bats. This time Kenneth Oppel has written an adventure about chiropters.

Dusk is a chiropter in a colony, but he is different. Other chiropters can glide and have limited vision in the dark. But he can fly and see in the dark. He is the first “bat”. Being different in his colony can mean death and banishment. Pondering this while escaping from invaders, Dusk must lead his colony to a new home regardless of how different he is from his colony. Will Dusk succeed? Or will he be shunned and branded as an outcast?

This book discusses about an everyday situation of expectance and difference of appearance and skill. It talks about the life of someone who is different from the norm. Throughout this book, you can find yourself cheering with Dusk and helping him overcome his obstacles as you turn each page. I rate this book a rating of 4/5.

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Reviewed by Thanushan

The Off Season
by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Good Even though The Off Season (the sequel to Dairy Queen) takes place at the beginning of the school year, it somehow makes you think of summer. It takes place in the small town of Red Bend, Wisconsin, following main character D.J. Schwenk. D.J. has a busier life than most eleventh graders, what with playing on the high school football team, and carrying a lot of weight at her family’s farm. She’s also more determined than most kids her age, seeing as her only way out of Red Bend is through hard work and an athletic scholarship.
 
Just when everything seems to be going smoothly for D.J. with her schoolwork, her friends and football, her world is badly shaken up. Through it all, D.J.’ s tough attitude and kindness make you root for her every step of the way. Seen through her point of view, D.J.’ s humble narration only adds to her amazing personality. This good-hearted novel is inspiring not only to girls, but to youth who need some hope to make it through the road ahead.

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Reviewed by Sindu

The Road of the Dead
by Kevin Brooks

This is a story about revenge. It is the story of a family – a brother deeply regretting the loss of his sister, another brother receiving signals from his dead sister and thereby letting his instincts lead to the killer, and a mother who is desperate to have her daughter back. The detectives in charge of the case do not seem to be helping the family in any way. At one point, the family is made to understand that their girl will never come back. The family asks for her dead body, so that they could do what's necessary to help them heal. But the investigation team does not allow this. They keep saying that until the murderer responsible is found, they cannot give the body away as it is part of the evidence. The family starts suspecting that the investigation team is hiding something. The two brothers are off to find out all they can from where it all started.

They meet their dead sister's best friend on the way. She tells them all she knows. The dead sister, Rachael, was returning from trip to meet her friend, Abby, who looks very much like her. Abby asked her to stay in her house until morning, but Rachael decided to leave for her home. Unfortunately she was attacked, raped and killed. The brothers ask for more information. It is very hard to persuade Abby tell anymore. But slowly, conversations take place and once the two brothers know about the problems faced by many in Abby's neighbourhood, it all makes sense.

Who is the culprit?

It takes a great deal of courage to fight men much stronger and cunning than you. These brothers manage to do it with a little help from another local gypsy family.

Normally whenever a novel is a thriller or a murder-mystery, one would expect a lot of high-octane action, with characters such as Sherlock Holmes or James Bond. This novel has all the aspects of a thriller, without all the hype. Kevin Brooks has used very simple language to express the feelings of a family that is grieving. There are no extraordinary sequences in this novel – just plain and simple. I really loved the way the conversations between the characters showed some real arguments. Just reading the phrases or words was enough to inform me about how the character was feeling at that time. It is wonderful how the author is able to use simple language to convey his message.

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Reviewed by Aruna

Good Enough
by Paula Yoo

Good Enough is a funny and touching teen novel that transcends cultural backgrounds and appeals to many of the basic desires of adolescents - to be successful, happy, and accepted for who we are.

This book simultaneously plants the reader in the character Patti's life as an American-Korean high school student, and is intensely relatable. The pressures on Patti by her family and community to succeed academically, as well as the racism she faces, are culturally-based, but the emotions are brought to life in a way where the cultural background becomes less important than the feelings. Contrasting these challenges, Patti's struggles to pursue her love of music and deal with a crush on a (cute) fellow musician deal with more clearly universal teenaged emotions, but are still grounded in Patti's individual personality. It would be hard not to feel for Patti as she tries to find her place in the world.

Entertaining and realistic, Patti's experiences - of artistic passion, anxiety-producing attraction, frustrations with her parents, and even the seemingly endless ways to incorporate Spam into meals - are worth reading about.

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Reviewed by Sarah

Being
by Kevin Brooks

Robert Smith is a 16-year-old orphan nurtured by a loving couple. He gets frequent stomachaches and so decides to visit the hospital. He suspects it is ulcers. But once he gets to his appointment and gets a scan done, his life becomes hectic. He is made unconscious by one of the specialists, but he wakes up as surgery is about to take place. He feels terribly scared, embarrassed and lost, and he attacks the doctors.

He escapes from the hospital with the help of a specialist, whom he threatens with a gun. He tries to get information about the surgery and the scan but his hostage knows nothing. He is just an anesthetist.

Once Robert reaches a safe place, he gets a chance to see the scan report and videos from the hospital. He realizes that there is something that looks like a microchip in him. It tempts him to cut himself and see if it is real. He does it and realizes that it is true. He is confused; is he human? Even his blood has silvery streaks in it. Everything about him is unusual.

By this time, the doctors he attacked in the hospital have tracked him down. He runs away once again. He goes to meet Eddi, his old friend's girlfriend. Unfortunately she sees the advertisement about him in the paper, but just before she informs the specialist, Robert takes control. He threatens her with a gun. She turns Robert into a new person by changing his style, looks and she creates a false ID for him. After many moments of distrust, they start trusting each other. Robert goes to meet the anesthetist, but finds him dead. Eddi has killed him in self-defence.

Everything is at its worst. Eddi decides to take the lead. They leave the country to stay in Eddi's home country. Everything is good there until these doctors find him again.

But what is the issue with Robert's body?

The suspense was built well, but the ending seemed as if there was no point in reading the novel.

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Reviewed by Aruna

The Opposite of Invisible
by Liz Gallagher

This is a story of a mere teenage girl, her day-to-day life, her love interests, and all the other things she did in her life. She has an imaginary friend, called the Dove Girl, who is also her mentor. She has her best friend, Jewel. She has her crush, Simon. Jewel is not like other boys. He is unique in his own way. Unlike other males, he is deeply interested in art. He is good at it, too. Jewel and Alice have been best friends since childhood. Alice would never feel uncomfortable telling Jewel anything.

Simon is a football player, tall, strong and smart looking. Of late, Alice has started having feelings for him. She cannot help but notice his good looks, his character, his charm and everything else. One fine day, Simon ends up in her Spanish group. That becomes the start of confusion for her.

Simon and Alice go on outings. Jewel gets paranoid because he really loves Alice and conveys it to her but she does not reciprocate. She feels as if she has lost his friendship forever. She likes being with Simon, but does not feel like herself when she is around him. At the same time, she feels terrible hurt when she thinks about letting go of Simon. She wants to get back with Jewel. She is in total confusion.

She gets the courage to tell her feelings to Simon. Once again, she is able to be with Jewel. Maybe one day, she might tell him of her affections for him.

There was nothing extraordinary about the plot. But the author definitely has used this story of the life of an ordinary girl to create an extraordinary novel. So many feelings and thoughts run throughout this novel. While reading, it was so easy to put myself into Alice's shoes. This author has proven that you do not need to use big words to express yourself. Small phrases are enough to get your message across. It is definitely worth reading.

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Reviewed by Aruna

A Great And Terrible Beauty
by Libba Bray

Libba Bray has written this novel very passionately and deeply. It is a New York Times bestseller. The novel is filled with drama and is gothic at times. The story takes place during the Victorian Period in the late 1800's in Spence Academy, an all-girls school, where all the women (students) wear corsets and crinolines. The story starts off in Bombay, India 1895, and then in London, England two months later. It is told through Gemma, the main character, and her thoughts. Gemma, a new student at Spence, runs into interesting characters and colourful personalities during her time at Spence.

The main character of the novel is Gemma Doyle. Throughout the novel, she tries to find herself. Instead, she finds out more about her mother, which helps her gain self-knowledge. Gemma is very vulnerable about her mother's death because she has had a rough relationship with her. Gemma is sent to Spence to become a "lady" and "a proper woman". At the beginning of the novel, Gemma feels alienated and different than the rest of the girls. She believes that women should be treated as equally as men are. Later on, she discovers that she has supernatural powers to open doors to supernatural worlds. She is the destined person to help the Order find their way back to the Realms again. This helps her gain confidence. Gemma's perspective of things changes and her personality flourishes. She gets initiated into the most powerful clique at school. She has a confident and strong mind but can be manipulated if she allows people to. Gemma wants to fit in and does everything in her power to be noticed. What she doesn't realize is that she has extreme power throughout the whole novel.

Libba Bray is an amazing writer. Every word was thoroughly thought of. It you are a deep reader, I recommend reading this novel. I am looking forward to reading the sequel, Rebel Angels.

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Reviewed by Shaké

The Royal Woods
by Matt Duggan

As The Royal Woods by Matt Duggan is a novel where fantasy and reality collide, suitable for anyone wanting an easy, but enjoyable read.

Twelve year old Sydney and 9 year old Turk have been planning for months to leave home during summer break, and visit Aunt Lily and Uncle Frank at their farm. Two years ago, when they last went to the farm, their summer had been amazing – they had seen and done things they'd never done before: milking cows, feeding chickens and ducks, and petting calves. Aunt Lily and Uncle Frank were also incredibly friendly; so the children vowed to go again. They each prepared backpacks filled with things they would take with them and Sydney learned everything about trains and where they go. However, when they get there, the farm is gone and in its place is the Royal Woods – a city.

Because the main characters in this book are 9 and 12 and because of the way this book is written, this book is geared towards preteens and young teens. However, it is still a fun and, adventurous book to read: Sydney and Turk don't go home as they didn't tell anyone they were leaving in the first place; so how do these two children survive on their own? It's also a magical book as chickens ride ponies and golf putters are magic.

The Royal Woods is an entertaining first novel by Matt Duggan, where in this strange and wonderful neighborhood, it is impossible to tell what will happen.

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Reviewed by Priyanka

As She Grows
by Lesley Anne Cowan

As She Grows by Lesley Anne Cowan is a novel about mother – daughter relationships, suitable for teenagers. It is a stunning and melodramatic first novel by the author. Snow, who is fifteen, has led a difficult life right from the start. Right after she was born, her mother died, leaving Snow to learn about her mother from others. Her grandmother takes care of her. But even though she has good intentions, she is an alcoholic and it is Snow who has to constantly look after her. This drives Snow crazy and she runs away to a group home. From there, her life takes a turn for the worse. She gets pregnant at a young age, just like her mother. The life she had been avoiding becomes her future, and breaking her skin is a way of coping with it.

Snow's life is a harsh and cruel one, and at times, it can be over whelming to read what she has to go through at only fifteen. But it is because this book is written with such intensity and emotion that is hard not to read on and see what happens in Snow's life.

As She Grows by Lesley Anne Cowan is an amazing first novel that takes the reader on a journey of a girl who is trying to live the life her mother never had.

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Reviewed by Priyanka

Freshman
by Michael Gerber

From the reader's perspective, Stutts is a bizarre, comical mockery of higher education. Vampires, assassination attempts and bizarre study options–such as the Study of Things–are common at the university. To the novel's main character, Hart Fox, however, it represents the ultimate goal–a top school that will lead him to a successful career in any field he chooses. And his goal is fulfilled–in a roundabout way. One of the conditions of his entrance into the hallowed halls of Stutts is that he must take classes for Trip Darling, a none-too-bright boy with a rich father, in exchange for Mr. Darling paying Hart's tuition. The resulting university experience is nothing short of absurd. Along the way, the humour sometimes takes away from our sympathy for the characters–in his attempts to make the reader laugh, Gerber sacrifices some depth. However, in the midst of the surreal and often irreverent parodies present in the book, there is the occasional line that digs deeper.

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Reviewed by Sarah

The Black Sheep
by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout

A hilarious behind-the-scenes look at reality TV.

Fed up with her parents and all their ridiculous rules (they keep a binder full of them), fifteen-year-old Kendra Bishop writes away to The Black Sheep, a reality TV show that offers the chance to swap families with another teen. But when the camera crew, led by rash TV producer Judy Greenberg, shows up at her Manhattan apartment, Kendra starts to have second thoughts.

Too late, Kendra is whisked away to Monterey, California, to live with the Mulligan family in a household that couldn't be more different than her own – complete with hippie parents, their five kids and a pet ferret. Of course, when Kendra falls for Mitch, the Mulligans' seventeen-year-old son, it only complicates things further, especially since Mitch despises the reality TV show and everything it stands for. But given the chance Kendra might be able to juggle first love, her new stardom and a pushy producer who will stop at nothing for high ratings.

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Reviewed by Fiona

Goy Crazy
by Melissa Schorr

A novel about falling for the wrong guy.

Rachel Lowenstein can't help it. She's got a massive crush on a guy: Luke Christiansen, who's the gorgeous star of the basketball team at St. Joseph's Prep. But as the name implies, he's not exactly in Rachel's tribe ... She just knows her parents would never approve. Then Rachel's Jewish grandmother issues a stern edict – "Don't go with goim" – sealing Rachel's fate and presenting her with a major dilemma.

Everyone's got an opinion – from her annoying neighbour, Howard, to her newly social/climbing best friend. Should Rachel follow her heart and turn her back on her faith? Or should she listen to her family's advice and try to find a nice Jewish boy?

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Reviewed by Fiona

The Princess and the Hound
by Mette Ivie Harrison

Have you ever had a secret that would define your worth in the eyes of those around you? This smart, affecting fairy tale tackles that very question, and all the questions that result from it. It is a tale of a prince and princess, fated to marry for the sake of peace between their lands. What could be a dull, we've-read-it-before type of story is exactly the opposite. The strong – and occasionally frustrating – personalities of the characters draw you in, as do the sensory detail and thematic depth. Prince George, Princess Beatrice and her hound live in a land far, far away, yet they are still simply beings looking for a love and a life that don't demand a negation of themselves along the way.

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Reviewed by Sarah

The Eyes of Van Gogh
by Cathryn Clinton

The place changes, but the problems remain the same. Every time a romance fails, her mother packs them up, moving to another place where they will try again, never succeeding - they still have no stability and their relationship is still threatened by her mother's anger. When they move to Ellenville, Jude hopes that the people she is coming to know can rescue her, and that this new town could be home at last. Although the book is not very long or complicated in terms of writing style, Clinton has created a story with realism in the relationships that will resonate with anyone who has placed hope in something outside of themselves to save them, only to discover that they may have to find their own way. Can she, or will she succumb to the depression that comes with problems that won't go away?

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Reviewed by Sarah

Honk If You Hate Me
by Deborah Halverson

Honk If You Hate Me is all about acceptance; accepting yourself, accepting others and being accepted by others. It's said that to be accepted by others, you have to first accept them and to do that, you must know how to accept yourself and that is exactly the lesson Deborah Halverson has to give us.

Monalisa Kent: that blue-haired, skateboarder-girl who collects bumper stickers and hangs out at the tattoo shops (watching other people get tattoos) with her best and nearly only friend Glenn, as she is loathed everywhere she goes by nearly everyone in the small town of Muessa Junction. Why? Because at the age of six, she single-handedly managed to be the cause for the loss of employment of hundreds of workers. How? By playing with a blowtorch in the futon factory, located at the heart of the town, after-hours and in the process of doing so, setting the whole place up on fire.

Now, nobody would hold a grudge against a little six-year-old, would they? I mean, is it really her fault that her curiosity had just gotten the better of her? Okay ... well – maybe, but the Junctioners don't care. Somebody had to take the blame and who better to than Monalisa Kent?

Monalisa is more than willing to accept herself however, her willingness to accept others had long been sucked out of her when she learned that no matter how hard she would try, they would never return the favour. That is, until she discovers a way to make them listen to what she has to say ...

This is the typical teen book directed towards the average teenager; facing problems of isolation or merely being too shy to speak out and all the other issues we face in high school and middle school. I enjoyed a lot and I'm sure others will too.

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Reviewed by Mahera

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports
by James Patterson

Do you look twice before picking a science fiction book? Here is a book where you only have to look once. Maximum Ride, a trilogy, involves "mutants" created by the combination of human DNA with avian (bird) DNA. This story involves a 14 year old girl-Max and her "flock"—Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel. This flock has managed to escape from a laboratory called "The School" and the white-coats (scientists) who want them back. Dodging erasers (humans with wolf DNA), the kids find out they must "save the world". Though all of them can fly, each of these kids has unique abilities. The Gasman can imitate any voice and has an explosive "fart". Angel can read people's minds, make people do things with her mind, breathe under water and talk to fish. Nudge has an amazing ability to manipulate technology she has never seen before. Fang can seemingly melt from shadows like a phantom and Iggy has a great sense of direction even though he is blind.

In the third book, the Director of the school announces the Re-evolution-a plan that will cut the world's population by half! It is now up to Max and her flock to save the day. ... But there is one problem. Half the flock is split up and Max and Fang have broken up. Max and Fang must work together and unite their plans and save the world. Otherwise, the world is doomed as we know it. Though the "saving the world" idea is quite cliché James Patterson has managed to keep the book interesting throughout the story. I would rate the series 5/5 and the book 4/5.

Tip: Read the whole Maximum Ride series before you read the last one. You won't have a clue what is happening.

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Reviewed by Thanushan

Evil Genius
by Catherine Jinks

Evil Genius, by Catherine Jinks, is a darkly comic thriller for early teens. The book, which takes place in Australia, begins as Cadel Piggott, the novel's protagonist, is taken to see a counsellor by his adoptive parents, Lana and Stuart. The "therapist", Dr. Thaddeus Roth, then proceeds to tell Cadel about his real father, Dr. Darkkon, who communicates with Cadel from his high-security prison in the United States.

Roth and Darkkon encourage Cadel in his mastering and subsequent sabotage of various "systems": the train, inner-city traffic, and, eventually, the far more complex system of human interaction. To understand this system, Cadel creates Partner Post, a bogus online-dating site through which he meets Kay-Lee, a twenty-something mathematician whom he falls for inexplicably. But for Cadel, now 14 and in his first year at the Axis Institute for World Domination, nothing is what it seems, and everything he once accepted as fact is soon thrown into question.

Though this may sound like a light-hearted romp through James Bondesque Supervillain clichés, Jinks is surprisingly serious with her topic. The book seems to take a while to get started, but is pretty evenly paced when you consider its length (496 pages). The dialogue is believable–except when Americans start calling each other "mate". However, Jinks does rely on a lot of stereotypes in forming some of her characters, most notably Lana and Stuart. They look like a classic busy, unloving couple, while at the same time each perfectly fulfilling their respective gender roles, her with expensive shoes and he with grunts and manly embarrassment.

The rest of the characters are more three-dimensional, if very over the top. A case in point is Gazo–he could be said to be Cadel's sidekick–who emits a strange and pungent smell when he is anxious or upset. All the characters at the Institute are, in fact, just that: characters. They all seem quite antisocial and untrusting which, at this school, makes sense: people, Thadeus explains to Cadel in true supervillain fashion, are merely tools, stepping stones to reach your goals. Plus, if you put too much trust in one of these pupils, there's a good chance you'll get your face blown
off.

This is the sort of novel that draws you in from the title alone; who could resist a novel called "Evil Genius"? This book, despite its length, proves exciting and impossible to put down.

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Reviewed by Alice

Runner
by Robert Newton

Robert Newton's new book Runner is a book taking place during 1919 in Melbourne, Australia. This book occurs in a typical city setting with the main character depicted as a poor person. The main character, Charlie, watched his father die from the "chill" and is determined to help his family get a better life. Squizzy, a mobster, gives Charlie a job running errands as a courier after he has seen Charlie run fast.

The jobs are "minor" at first—running with messages, illegal liquor, but they begin to escalate into something far more dangerous than Charlie imagines. Charlie begins to collect Squizzy's debts and even manages to seriously injure a man. After chasing romance and danger, Charlie has to realize that maybe the job isn't worth the money it provides his family.

This book is a compelling read and you can find yourself cheering for Charlie as he dodges danger and makes decisions that you feel proud of. Though it may be a hard book to understand due to its abundant use of slang, Runner is a read that you cannot miss. I would rate Runner a good 4 stars out of a possible 5.

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Reviewed by Thanushan

Parrotfish
by Ellen Wittlinger

Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger is a well-written coming of age novel for teenagers. It describes Angela's struggle to discover herself as she admits to being transgendered and wants to start a new life as a boy named Grady. He gets little support from his family and friends who find it hard to believe that the girl they've known for 14 years wants to be a boy. Even Eve, Grady's best friend since he was little, abandons Grady for the popular girls at school. However, he does find support from a senior at his high school named Kita Charles, and from his classmate, Sebastian, who is doing a report on parrotfish that naturally change gender from female to male. This brings comfort to Grady because he knows that what he is doing is not absurd.

This book succeeds because it vividly introduces the reader into the ups and downs of living as a transgendered boy. The most enticing part in the book occurs when a stunt to switch Grady's clothes with women's clothes as he is in the shower, fails, and the perpetrator is suspended.

Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger is a captivating novel that will have you cheering for Grady as he goes through a dramatic change.

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Reviewed by Priyanka

Blindness
by José Saramago

It is a normal, busy day in an unnamed city, in an unnamed country. Traffic is busy, and many cars are stopped in one lane. In the car at the front of the line, a middle-aged man sits unmoving, staring straight ahead. He is yelling something ... as pedestrians try to open the door to his car to get him out, the man yells louder. "I am blind," he is saying.

A man offers to help the blind man home (and later steals his car.) When the blind man's wife gets home, she worries about her husband and books an appointment with an eye doctor, who is baffled by the sudden appearance of this man's blindness. The couple leaves the clinic and takes a taxi home. It is then that the man's wife is struck blind as well, and within a day, so is the doctor, the taxi driver, and anone they have come in contact with.

And so is the beginning of the blindness epidemic. Anyone who comes in contact with a person "infected" with this blindness catches it. The blindness is not ordinary, however, instead of seeing black, those who are blind see white, as if they "were caught in a mist or had fallen into a milky sea."

The only exception to this blindness is the doctor's wife, who for some reason, is not affected by this blindness, and retains her sight through the entire book.

The alarmed government decides to quarantine all those who have been struck blind to a nearby mental asylum. The doctor's wife lies and says she is blind as well in order to stay by her husband's side.

A state of confusion surrounds the internees as well as the citizens and government of the city. The internees become restless because the supplies given to the by the government are being unfairly distributed. This, combined with the confusion and fear of the internees leads to a complete breakdown of order to a state of chaos. Through all this, the doctor's wife remains the "eyes" of the reader, encountering and seeing everything the reader cannot.

What I liked about this book was the overwhelming mystery that came with the plot. I immediately found the idea intriguing, and the language used by the author creates a strong sense of mood for the reader. Unfortunately, this book also contains a confusing dialogue formatting choice. Instead of quotations, dialogue is represented only by colons (for example, instead of: "I am blind," he said, "I cannot see." It would appear in the book as: I am blind, he said, I cannot see). Although this flows well, it is sometimes distracting for the reader, as sentences tend to be long.

All technicalities aside, the intriguing plot of this story overpowered the strange format and made a great, sophisticated novel.

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Reviewed by Annabel

Life of Pi
by Yann Martel

Part of the charm of Life of Pi by Yann Martel is that the reader will never know what is true and what is fiction. The whole book itself is different in terms of plot: the journey of a 16-year-old boy stuck in a lifeboat with a 450 pound Bengal tiger, but somehow it turns out to be a thrilling and absorbing.

The book is about a boy named after a swimming pool: Piscine Molitor Patel. Piscine creates the nickname Pi for himself later on in his childhood. Part I of the book explains Pi's background. He was born in Pondicherry, India and his father is a zookeeper. Pi finds his father's zoo a complete paradise- he loves animals and biology. His father tried to teach an eight-year-old Pi and his older brother by three years, Ravi, the danger of animals by forcing them to watch a tiger devour a live goat. This experience haunts Pi for the rest of his life, but his father has unconsciously taught him the most valuable lesson he will learn, which will keep him alive later on in his life.

Even more than animals, though, Pi loves religion. He sees no reason why he can't practice more than one, and becomes a Hindu, Muslim and Christian.

Part II of Life of Pi is significantly longer. When he is 16, Pi and his family sell most of their animals and leave for a better life in Canada. They cross the ocean in a Japanese cargo ship, along with a few of the animals that they plan to bring to zoos in North America.

The ship sinks in the middle of a storm, bringing Pi's family down with it. Pi escapes into a lifeboat, and the only other living thing he sees in the water is Richard Parker, a Bengal tiger, which he encourages to swim safely to the lifeboat, until he realizes his mistake. But it is too late, and the tiger climbs aboard. It is not until the next morning when the sea has calmed, that Pi realizes he sharing the boat with not only Richard Parker, but a vicious hyena, motherly orangutan and a zebra with a broken leg. Pi's journey across the remainder of the Pacific lasts 227 days, and his problems are far from trivial. He deals with the obvious problem of living with an animal that can easily kill him, as well as trying to be rescued, finding food (Pi happens to be a strict vegetarian), finding land and retaining his faith.

I loved this amazing adventure. Part I can get tedious at points but is worth it to keep reading until you reach Part II. As well, the ending contains a possibly surprising twist that forces the reader to choose "what they believe."

Although Life of Pi did not "make the reader believe in God," as one character claims, it was definitely worth reading.

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Reviewed by Annabel

Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott

Little Women is the classic story of four young girls and their experiences in becoming young women. The March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, are a close-knit group of sisters in the late 1860s. They live with their mother, whom they refer to as Marmee, and their father is away with the Union armies.

The Marches are girls rich in love, with a strong family bond; however they are used to working hard and not gaining much for their efforts. Their social status is a fine line between lower-middle class and poverty, but the four girls manage to keep high spirits and indulge in what they do have.

Meg, the oldest, dreams of a life of riches, where she can leave behind her job as a governess and become a respectable, married woman. She is pretty and intelligent, and looks after her younger sisters as a mother would.

Jo, the second oldest daughter, is a hot-tempered and outspoken tomboy who does not like to act as a "proper young lady". She befriends the grandson of the Marches' wealthy neighbour Mr. Laurence. Laurie, who becomes Jo's best friend, later becomes close with the entire March family.

Beth is the next oldest, who is a kind, gentle and exceedingly shy girl. She loves to play the piano, and since the Marches are quite poor, does not often get to do so. However, their wealthy neighbour Mr. Laurence takes an interest in her talent and encourages her to come over often and play for him, and eventually gives her his deceased granddaughter's piano. The two establish a very close relationship and Mr. Laurence becomes something of a grandfather for Beth.

Amy March is a golden-haired schoolgirl who is constantly concerned with her own, little-girl troubles but often tries to bear her family's burdens cheerfully.

Part I of the book is about the girls when they are ages 16, 15, 13 and 12, respectively. Part II takes place three years later, when Meg is married and running her own household and children, Jo is hoping to find a place to publish her beloved stories that she often writes and is trying to decipher Laurie's true feelings for her, Beth is struggling with the terminal sickness of scarlet fever, and Amy travels through Europe with the girls' Aunt Carroll, getting her first taste of living in luxury.

As the girls continue to grow up, they endure the strains of love, marriage, and increased wisdom of the ways of the world. Many surpises bloom, both good and bad, for the girls. Their struggles continue as the girls grow up and each lead their separate lives. Along the way there are humourous stories, important relationships and more and more new characters.

It is easy to see why Little Women has delighted generations of readers with its heartwarming charm. Louisa May Alcott has produced a true classic novel.

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Reviewed by Annabel

Among the Free

At some point in time, someone decided to take the population numbers seriously and wanted to curtail the number of people in their village. Most of the events happened around a village called Chuitza. One individual, Luke Garner, was going to be the representative for all of the others who were looked down on and his friend, Jennifer, also a third-born, would encourage him to do so even if she was not alive. Population Police had killed Jen while she was trying to fight for the freedom of the third-borns. Each time he thought about it, Luke would get more enlightenment and more strength and confidence to fight the Population Police.

He lived under a false identity working for the Population Police. This was his way of getting food and being alive. Eventually, there came a time when he was ordered by the officer to shoot an old woman who would not follow the Population Police commands. He dropped the gun and ran away. He hid. Soon, he met this other family who were extremely nice to him. It reached his ears that all of Population Police had retreated, though he was not completely convinced.

Upon reaching the village area, in front of the Population Police headquarters, he spotted the Freedom TV, interviewing many of the villagers. They all seemed pleased, as the police were mean to everyone, even those who abided by the rules set by the police. Everybody was telling his or her feelings about the event that happened.

The head of Population Police had surrendered. He was nowhere to be seen. Luke thought with great concentration. That could not be possible and he must be planning something otherwise. He was also searching for his other colleague, Oscar. He walked right into the headquarters. He opened one of the doors and found many of the signs that indicated to anyone who saw it that third-borns were evil. At that time, he heard Oscar talking to Aldous, the head of Population Police. Luke could sense that Oscar was overpowering Aldous.

Luke was happy about it at first, but then that did not sound right to him. He felt that there definitely was something else that would make Oscar stay with Aldous. Though Oscar had made a lot of people believe that he was on the good side, on the side of Luke and other third-borns, he was not. In fact, Luke doubted if Oscar knew which side he really belonged to. He expressed all his views about Oscar with the help of Philip, one of the reporters. Philip strongly believed that illegal children were not to be blamed but he thought he was the only one.

Oscar was said to be the collaborator of the police actions. The crowd understood. Food was never delivered to the families properly. Oscar just pushed the attention towards the illegal children so that he could get more food saved for himself. It was a selfish plot and a rumour that the illegal children stole the food and that they were the ones to force the police to punish someone.

This plot of this novel brought the events of World War II back to memory. The Nazis persecuted Jews. The author has done a great job in describing events and the thoughts of the main character. It is a book worth reading. It does relate to the real world today. Nobody is really loyal. They change sides as and when they like, depending on the situation and the gains they would be getting out of it. These aspects are very well explained in this novel.

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Reviewed by Aruna

A Very Fine Line
by Julie Johnston

Very simple language is used to describe the complex feelings of the characters in a middle-class family. Set in suburbs near Toronto, in the war times, the main character is Rosalind who had the sixth sense. Her great-grandmother explained to her that it was because she was the seventh daughter of her seventh grandchild, though she believed she was the sixth daughter. During a forbidden visit to her old aunt's house, she learned that she had another sister, Lucy, who she did not live with because she was mentally handicapped at birth. She was very aggressive with her moves and gripes. Therefore, Rosalind's mother sent her away to live with her grandmother and aunt.

Rosalind did not want to accept the fact that she had the sixth sense. She wanted to believe it was mere coincidence that she could guess what was to happen. She decided to convert into a boy, Ross. She received some help from her cousin, Cornelius. Though, at first, her family did not accept her transformation, they let her do whatever she wanted. Her family believed that she would get over her ideas and beliefs as time passed. Ross was bullied by others at school, even by the teacher at one point in time. She received home tutoring instead. A lady first took up the post and taught her to believe in her dreams. She soon had to leave for some reason and was replaced by a young lad, Adrian. This was the man who forced Ross emotionally to show her feminine feelings once more. He was the reason she wanted to change back to a girl. When they first met, it was the way he taught that made Ross get attracted. But soon, his beauty and his mere existence made her fall in love with him.

Once more, her hair was long enough and she wished to wear a beautiful gown, instead of shorts and shirt. At first, Adrian felt greatly deceived because he did not know that she was a girl. Once Rosalind explained her experiences and what all she heard from her grandmother, he believed she was a very special person and just by changing genders she was not going to change her fate. Once again, Rosalind got the courage to go back to secondary school after that. She was fourteen by then.

I personally expected some more thrill and action since it was about a person with sixth sense. The author kept on saying that the protagonist had this gift but did not talk about many situations where she has used this power and she was able to do the extraordinary. The author just indicated that the character was special but did not demonstrate it in any way. For example, Ros was able to predict that Vanessa, her sister, was going to fall, but the consequence was not serious. Also, during the time when Ros was a boy, the author did not say anything about using her sixth sense at all. In a way, was the author trying to prove that you could change your fate by changing into a boy, if you had the sixth sense, when the author had made a point through some other character that just by merely changing the gender, someone could avoid foreseeing things? Moreover, the author had started the novel by informing the readers about Faye Wirt's disappearance, though Ros knew that she was still alive. In this case, Ros's sixth sense did not help at all. Like Ros's mother mentioned earlier in the story once about Vanessa falling down, the events that the author mentioned that Ros could foresee using her sixth sense, could be foreseen by any commoner.

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Reviewed by Aruna

To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee

It's the summer of 1933. Jem is near 10 and Scout is 6. A boy, who calls himself Dill, moves in next door to live with his aunt, Mrs. Haverford. The story is told by Scout from her point of view of what happens to them and to their town. Their father Atticus is a lawyer and a single father. Their mother died when Scout was 2. Calpurnia, who is a negro, is their housekeeper and looks after Jem and Scout.
Jem and Scout wonder about their strange neighbour Boo Radley. Jem tells Dill the Radley story and Dill wants to see Boo and they try to get him out of the house.

Their father Atticus is assigned a case defending a negro named Tom Robinson who is accused of raping a 19 year old girl Mayella Ewell, daughter of Bob Ewell.

The Book is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and was first published in 1960 around the time of the beginning of the Civil Rights movement. It won the Pulitzer Prize and was made into a movie which won an Academy Award for Gregory Peck playing Atticus Finch and also won for Best Script.

Harper Lee was born in Monroeville, Alabama and this is the only novel she ever wrote.

This is a GREAT book. This story deals with racism and how badly black people have been treated in the past and also deals with how badly people who are different are treated. The characters are really outstanding. Scout tells the story. Her point of view is that of an honest teller. Atticus, Dill and Boo are all very memorable. Terrible characters like Bob Ewell stand up as examples of the lowliest type of person.
This book has strong characters with strong morals. For example, Atticus Finch teaches his children discipline and honesty. He teaches them about respecting all other people – even those who don't respect you.
Scout, Jem and Dill learn that life is not always good and that the world can be a cruel place to those who don't fit in. I've learned the same things Scout, Jem and Dill have learned about how cruel people can be. But as Atticus said "Most people are nice Scout, when you finally see them."

The book has been around a long time but if you haven't read it yet you have to get your hands on a copy.

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Reviewed by Connor, 13.