Nicola and the Viscount

Nicola and the Viscount

Meg Cabot

Avon 2002

Summary

Nicola, an orphan growing up in Brittan in the early 1800's, is "blown like a thistle in the wind." At first she likes it, because well, let's face it, she's somehow caught the attention of the most handsome and rich bachelor in the world, Lord Sebastian Bartholomew. She doesn't know how she did it, but she did, and is looking forward to a life of eternal bliss, until one day her best friend's brother, Nathaniel, casts doubt on Lord Sebastian's character. The question is does Nicola believe what Nathaniel says about her beloved Lord Sebastian, and if she does, what is she going to do about it?

Personal Review

This book is Meg Cabot for you...full of teenage girl romance-fluff. The language she uses in this book is very romantic. It's the kind of language you might find in a Marcia Lynn McClure book--"Take me in your arms and kiss me!" I personally didn't like it all that much, just because I think it gives girls the wrong idea of what love really is, even though Nicola eventually gets her wits back and realizes what she's gotten herself into, and what love really is. I also think it's a little cheesy and predictable. Overall, it's good for a light, fluffy read, but other than that, there's nothing too deep in it.

Cautionary Notes

There might be a few swear words in the book. Lord Sebastian and his father are also rude to some people.

Wintergirls

Wintergirls
Laurie Halse Anderson

Summary
Lia gets up in the morning, goes to school, sometimes, and pretends to have friends. She also weighs less than 100 pounds. To do this she doesn't eat. She must hide this from her mom, dad and step-mother. She has to act like her life is normal, even though everyone watches her like a hawk. To top it off, she blames herself for Cassie's, her former best friend, death. Everyone around Lia thinks that if she doesn't improve her eating habits then she'll go the same way as Cassie. What's scary is that soon Lia realizes that this is true. Wintergirls is about girls dealing with eating disorders. This book is very real to life, and something that every girl needs to read regardless of if they have serious eating disorders. Because it's not only about eating disorders, but about the way you see yourself. Lia thinks she's ugly, fat, and that no one likes her. She doesn't see what other people see. She doesn't see that she's hurting herself.


Personal Review
I absolutely loved this book. I never really realized what a big deal anorexia was until I read this book. I never realized how easily a friendship could be severed over the littlest things. I think that this book can really speak to those people who are hanging with the wrong friends. Are they dragging you down, or lifting you up? Are they making you think good things about you, or bad things? I really can't express how much I loved this book, and how it really opened my eyes to things that are going on today, things that, until now, I didn't realize how big of a problem they were.

Cautionary Notes
There is swearing, teenage cutting, mention of girl stuff, and brief suggestion of sex. This book is also about anorexia, and bulimia is mentioned as well. This book also deals with death.

What Laurie Halse Anderson has to say about Wintergirls

Love, Football, and Other Contact Sports

Love, Football, and Other Contact Sports

Alden R. Carter

Holiday House 2006

Summary

Everyone at Argyle West High School has a story...well not really a story, more like a personality. Carter portrays high school life, the bad and good, by telling short stories through different kids point of view. Every story is different, but most of them build on each other. Join Kenny, Rollin, Sarah, Don, the Doughnut, Bill, and many others in these humorous tales, as they try to do the right thing as their going through high school, and playing a little football on the sidelines, and falling in love.

Personal Review

This was good, easy read. However, I thought the stories would be a little more interconnected with each other, and I was kind of disappointed that the characters weren't very well developed. Some of the main characters seemed to have similar personalities. Although I loved the humor. If I wasn't in the library I would have been laughing out loud the entire time. I also loved how Carter portrayed some football players as dim witts, but nice at the same time...but hey, I am a dancer. :)

Cautionary Notes

Some swearing, mention of necking, and bullying.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

J.K. Rowling

Random House 2007

Summary

It's Harry's last year at Hogwarts, except he's not going to Hogwarts, he's going to search for Horcurxs with Ron and Hermione. While trying to figure out where the Horcurxs are, he's being searched by Lord Voldemort and half the wizarding community. Along the way he faces challenges and decisions that most seventeen year olds don't have to face. He comes face to face with death a time or two. In the end he has to dig deep for the courage he has to have in order to defeat Lord Voldemort.

Personal Review

I listened to this one CD, and I love Jim Dale, who does the reading. He brings all the characters to life--to even more life then they already are. I loved looking from this book to the last one and see how the characters change and grow. Harry doesn't have a mentor now to answer all his questions about his job, he has to figure it out on his own, and no one else is going to tell him what to do.

Cautionary Notes

There is swearing, violence, dark magic, death, and that's about it.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

E. Lockhart

Disney-Hyperion 2008

Summary

Frankie is known as Bunny Rabbit by her family, an innocent little girl starting her Sophomore year at Alabaster. But she's not innocent at all. When she find out about her popular senior boyfriend's secret society for males only, she's determined to put a stop to her innocent self. Soon Matthew, Frankie's boyfriend, isn't the only one who has secrets. Why does Frankie do this? You're going to have to find out on your own.

Personal Review

At first this novel intrigued me. It was thought out, and I loved how a lot of things, like certain kinds of words, were compared to Frankie. It would be really fun to go back and analyze everything in the book. However, it seemed that some parts were a little drawn out, and it didn't exactly end with a bang. It was however a fun read. I liked Frankie's character, although I thought everyone elses, except Alpha's were stock characters. This story was largely about Frankie fighting against society, and I was kind of hoping that it would branch out a bit into other people's characters. However, I'm not the author. The way it was written was very good.

Cautionary Notes

There's mention of the menstrual cycle, birth control, sex, girls underclothing and underage drinking and smoking. There are also numerous pranks that are pulled in this book.

Number the Stars

Number the Stars

Lois Lowry

Laurel-Leaf 1989

Summary

Annemarie Johansen is ten years old, and living in German-occupied Denmark in 1943. Her best friend is a Jew. When the Nazi's start rounding up the Jews Annemarie has to decide whether she can be brave and help save Ellen. She must dig down deep within her to be courageous when she faces danger, and what could turn into death.

Personal Review

This is a very short easy read I would recommend it to younger teens. The characters were very well done, especially Kirisi, Annemarie's little sister. I fell in love with all the characters, and I loved how Lowry did Annemarie. She had courage, but she didn't realize she had it until after she used it. And that's the part I loved the best.

Cautionary Notes

The Lord's name is taken in vain a couple times at the end, and the 'D' word is used. There is also mention of violence that the Nazi's inflict upon people. Nothing is graphic though. Overall the book is very clean.

WAR IS...

WAR IS...

Ed: Marc Aronson and Patty Campbell

Candlewick Press 2008

Summary

War is... is one big story--a story of war in America in the 20th Century. Aronson and Campbell have complied stories, essays and songs from WWI, WWII, Vietnam and The War in Iraq. There are cold facts, opinions and stories. This book will open your eyes to the dangers and stupidity of war, but also make you realize that because Satan is allowed to roam freely here on earth, war is necessary.

Personal Review

I loved War is... It was so powerful and opened my eyes to the horrors of war. Even though it was one long story with one main character, I could hardly put this book down. My favorite parts were the ones with the real stories from WWII, Vietnam and our current war. I would suggest this book to anyone who is even THINKING about joining the armed forces. They have to know what they're getting into.

After reading this book I realized that war is REALLY bad. But I also understand that war is necessary. There has been war since before the world was created, because Satan rebelled, and since then war hasn't stopped. Man has not stopped hating each other. In my opinion it is only right to fight a war when as Captain Moroni stated: "In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, or wives and our children." Only things will "qualify" us to go to war.

Cautionary Notes:
This book is about war, so there are some graphic sense's in it. There is also swearing in some articles, and one story deals with women soldiers and how they handles sexual abuse.