The Grapes of Wrath (book review)

The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck, is the story of the Joad family, who have been forced off the farm they have lived on for generations, in the midst of the Great Depression. They head to California, dreaming of a lush green land of endless opportunity. The jouney is long and hard, and not everyone will survive. But when they get there, the Joads finds that California is not at all like they dreamed it would be. The camps they are forced to live in are crowded, dirty, and unsanitary. Work is scarce and jobs never last long. But the family still clings onto the hope that somehow, someday, they will find another home.

I'm happy to say that this was a very good book. Parts of it read slower than others, but I generally found it very interesting. It was very long, more than 600 pages, but a worthwile read. The ending seemed very abrupt, though, almost as if it was just the end of a chapter as opposed to the end of the book. Overall, however, I would definitely recommend this book. I've only read one other book, by this author, The Red Pony, which I didn't enjoy. This was much better.

Andy Warhol: Prince of Pop (book review)

Andy Warhol: Prince of Pop, by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, tells the story of the man who was perhaps the most well-known artist in the Pop Art movement. It was impossible not to notice him, with his crazy wigs, wild friends, and huge parties, not to mention his art, which was different from anything the public had seen before. Warhol compared making his art to working in a factory, even naming his studio the Factory. He took images of popular products and people and silk-screened them, mass-producing paintings of soup cans, coke bottles, boxes, and more. Warhol was different, but he wasn't afraid to be so, and he changed the art world forever.

This was a very good overview of Andy Warhol's life, quick but packed with information. Anyone interested in this artist, young or old, would find this to be an interesting and informative book. It covered his life in short chapters, from his childhood to his death, with several pages of pictures in between, of Warhol, his friends, and some of his famous paintings.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Part One (book review)

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Part One, by Akira Himekawa, is the story of a young knight, Link, and his journey to save Princess Zelda, ruler of the kingdom of Hyrule. Link, although young, is highly skilled with a sword, and his confidence in himself has caused him to become arrogant and insubordinate. The only person he will listen to is wise and beautiful Princess Zelda. And when she is kidnapped by an evil, twisted  copy of himself known as "Shadow Link", Link journeys to the ancient temple of the legendary Four Sword, which has the ability to split the hero who draws it into four. But when he draws the Four Sword, he unleashes a powerful demon who will do anything to destroy him! With the help of the Four Sword's mystical powers, can Link defeat the demon and rescue Zelda before Hyrule is turned to darkness?

This book was very good, but a bit confusing (not surprising considering it's the sixth book in a series, and I have no clue which is the first). However, once you get the gist of things it's pretty easy to understand, although I'd actually recommend reading them in order. Link, the hero, is funny and likeable, and Zelda is brave and clever. Of course, being a graphic novel, the book also reads extremely fast. Fans of the game will probably enjoy it, and so will others!

This book is for the Graphic Novels Challenge.

Pride and Prejudice (book review)

This book is going to be hard to write a review for, and it probably won't be very good, but here it is:

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is the story of Elizabeth Bennet, a young woman living in England during the early 1800's. Elizabeth is pretty, clever, and smart, regarded by some as second only to her sister Jane in beauty. When a handsome young man, Mr. Bingley, arrives in town, Elizabeth's rather shallow mother can't stop thinking about him and how wonderful it would be if she could marry one of her five daughters off to him. But Mr. Bingley doesn't come alone. A friend has accompanied him, Mr. Darcy, equally handsome, but proud and vain (or so everyone thinks). He even goes so far as to snub Elizabeth publicly when asked by Mr. Bingley if he would dance with her. This is the beginning of an intense dislike on her part, which only strengthens when she meets a handsome young officer named Mr. Wickham, who tells her how cruelly he was treated by Mr. Darcy. But what Elizabeth doesn't know is that Mr. Wickham has a few dark secrets of his own, and that not everyone is to be trusted...could it be that the man she dislikes most will in fact become her future lover? Read the book to find out!

I thought this was a wonderful book. It was much easier to understand than I expected it to be, and although there wasn't a lot of actual action, there was always something going on and there was no pointless dawdling. The characters had very different personalities, and they were complex and many-sided, not flat or cardboard at all. So, if you can't bear to read a book without tons of action, fighting, and blood and guts, I'd suggest you should look elsewhere. But if you enjoy classics, romance, or even historical fiction about this time period, I'm guessing you'll love this book.

Out of the Dust (book review)

Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse, is the moving story of a teenage girl, Billie Jo, living in Oklahoma in the time of the Dust Bowl. Dust storms blow across the land without relief, creeping through the walls and seeping through the windows, suffocating the cattle and smothering the wheat. Dust is everywhere; there's no escaping it. Billie Jo is freed from the pressure of everyday life through music. When she plays the piano, it seems as if she is transported to a dream world, far away from the dust and the hardships everyone in her town has been suffering. But a terrible accident is about to change her life forever, scarring her hands badly and rendering her unable to play the piano. And in the aftermath, Billie Jo must look to unexpected places in order to find the solace that she needs during this period of hardship and suffering.

This was a very touching book. The protagonist, Billie Jo, is determined and likeable. She is strong-willed and tough, and she doesn't let hard times get her attitude down, despite all her suffering. Her story is moving, and seeing the events unfold through her eyes gives a unique perspective to the whole book. I also thought the fact that this book is told in free verse was very interesting, and at times contributed greatly to the character of the novel. However, at times the short chapter-poems seemed to flow choppily, and I couldn't help thinking on rare occasions that it would have been easier had this book been in typical novel format. On the other hand, however, the poems are tied in so deeply with the book that the story might have been completely if this were changed. So, overall, this was a great book that is worth reading, especially if you enjoy free verse books or stories about the Great Depression, and it's not at all time-consuming.

Joining Two Challenges

I'm going to join two challenges--the Graphic Novel Challenge hosted by Chris and Nymeth (thanks guys!), and the Sci-fi Experience hosted by Carl (thanks to you, too, Carl!). I'm joining the Graphic Novel Challenge at the 10-book level, but I don't have a definite list yet.

Books I Read in 2009

Here is a list of the books I read in 2009:

• 146. Your Eyes in Stars by M. E. Kerr (11/25/09) 3 out of 5 stars
• 145. A Different Day, A Different Destiny by Annette Laing (12/22/09) 4.5 out of 5 stars
• 144. Affluenza by John De Graff, David Wann, and Thomas H. Naylor (12/17/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 143. The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (12/14/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 142. Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger, Jr. (12/13/09) 3 out of 5 stars
• 141. Child of the Wolves by Elizabeth Hall (12/4/09) 2.5 out of 5 stars
• 140. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (11/28/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 139. The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga (11/27/09) 4.5 out of 5 stars
• 138. Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (11/26/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 137. Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman (11/22/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 136. Cry Bloody Murder by Elaine DePrince (11/18/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 135. Looking for Alaska by John Green (11/15/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 134. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (11/11/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 133. Where the Wild Things Were by William Stolzenberg (11/10/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 132. Time of the Witches by Anna Myers (11/9/09) 4.5 out of 5 stars
• 131. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (11/8/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 130. Abstract Expressionists by Rachel Barnes (11/5/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 129. Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Peterson (10/24/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 128. The Good Dog by Avi (10/24/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 127. Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (10/24/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 126. The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer (10/24/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 125. Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles by Kathryn Lasky (10/24/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 124. Riot by Walter Dean Myers (10/23/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 123. An African Tale by Enna Neru (10/18/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 122. The Midnight Twins by Jacquelyn Mitchard (10/14/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 121. The Twelve Kingdoms by Fuyumi Ono (10/11/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 120. Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix (10/6/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 119. Warriors: Warrior's Return by Erin Hunter (9/27/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 118. Warriors: Warrior's Refuge by Erin Hunter (9/27/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 117. Warriors: The Lost Warrior by Erin Hunter (9/27/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 116. Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde (9/26/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 115. Willem de Kooning by Louise Hawes (9/25/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 114. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (9/24/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 113. The Luckiest Girl in the World by Steven Levenkron (9/21/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 112. Pedro and Me by Judd Winick (9/16/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 111. Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce (9/14/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 110. Vacations from Hell by Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Claudia Gray, Maureen Johnson, and Sarah Mlynowski (9/8/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 109. My Sister the Vampire: Switched by Sienna Mercer (9/5/09) 3 out of 5 stars
• 108. How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card (9/4/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 107. The Garden of Eve by K.L. Going (8/31/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 106. Monkey Town: The Summer of the Scopes Trial by Ronald Kidd (August) 5 out of 5 stars
• 105. Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix (August) 4 out of 5 stars
• 104. That Summer by Sarah Dessen (August) 4.5 out of 5 stars
• 103. Extras by Scott Westerfeld (August) 4 out of 5 stars
• 102. Dramacon Ultimate Edition by Svetlana Chmakova (August) 5 out of 5 stars
• 101. Warriors Super Edition: Bluestar's Prophecy by Erin Hunter (August) 5 out of 5 stars
• 100. My Little Red Book by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff (August) 4 out of 5 stars
• 99. Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb by Kirsten Miller (August) 3 out of 5 stars
• 98. Ophelia Speaks by Sara Shandler (8/16/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 97. Dramacon Volume 1 by Svetlana Chmakova (8/13/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 96. Firegirl by Tony Abbott (8/13/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 95. Pita-Ten Volume 1 by Koge-Donbo (8/13/09) 2.5 out of 5 stars
• 94. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (8/13/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 93. Spooky New York retold by S.E. Schlosser (8/11/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 92. Fruits Basket Volume 3 by Natsuki Takaya (8/11/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 91. Faeries' Landing Volume 1 by You Hyun (8/10/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 90. Freaky Green Eyes by Joyce Carol Oates (8/10/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 89. Little (Grrl) Lost by Charles De Lint (8/8/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 88. Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah (8/6/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 87. Warriors: Code of the Clans by Erin Hunter (8/5/09) 4.5 out of 5 stars
• 86. The Poison Apples by Lily Archer (8/4/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 85. Seekers: Smoke Mountain by Erin Hunter (8/3/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 84. Seekers: Great Bear Lake by Erin Hunter (8/3/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 83. Seekers: The Quest Begins by Erin Hunter (8/1/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 82. A Different Day, a Different Destiny by Annette Laing (7/28/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 81. Even Angels Fall by Sherry Mauro (7/26/09) 4.5 out of 5 stars
• 80. Wolf Tower by Tanith Lee (7/24/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 79. A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass (7/21/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 78. (Re-read!) Warriors: The Darkest Hour by Erin Hunter (7/20/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 77. (Re-read!) Warriors: A Dangerous Path by Erin Hunter (7/19/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 76. (Re-read!) Warriors: Rising Storm by Erin Hunter (7/18/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 75. (Re-read!) Warriors: Forest of Secrets by Erin Hunter (7/16/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 74. (Re-read!) Warriors: Fire and Ice (7/13/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 73. (Re-read!) Warriors: Into The Wild (7/10/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 72. Gamer Girl by Mari Mancusi (7/8/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 71. Maximum Ride: The Final Warning by James Patterson (7/6/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 70. Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber (7/3/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 69. Water Tales by Alice Hoffman (7/2/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 68. Warriors: The Rise of Scourge by Erin Hunter (7/2/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 67. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier (7/1/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 66. Ghostly Encounters by Frances Kermeen (6/29/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 65. Saving Zoe by Alyson Noel (6/23/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 64. May Bird: Warrior Princess by Jodi Lynn Anderson (6/22/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 63. Chew on This by Eric Schlosser and Charles Smith (June) 5 out of 5 stars
• 62. No More Strangers Now (June) 5 out of 5 stars
• 61. Animals in Art (June) 4 out of 5 stars
• 60. Focus On Afghanistan (June) 4 out of 5 stars
• 59. Javatrekker by Dean Cycon (6/19/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 58. Coraline (graphic novel) by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell (6/13/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 57. The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman (6/12/09) 4.5 out of 5 stars
• 56. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (6/6/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 55. Julie's Wolf Pack by Jean Craighead George (6/6/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 54. Tokyo Mew Mew Volume Seven by Reiko Yoshida and Mia Ikumi (5/28/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 53. Tokyo Mew Mew Volume Six by Reiko Yoshida and Mia Ikumi (5/28/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 52. Tokyo Mew Mew Volume Five by Reiko Yoshida and Mia Ikumi (5/28/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 51. Tokyo Mew Mew Volume Four by Reiko Yoshida and Mia Ikumi (5/28/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 50. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (5/23/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 49. All Shook Up by Glenn Altschuler (5/11/09) 4.5 out of 5 stars
• 48. Tokyo Mew Mew Volume 3 by Reiko Yoshida and Mia Ikumi (5/26/08) 4 out of 5 stars
• 47. (Re-read!) Tokyo Mew Mew Volume 2 by Reiko Yoshida and Mia Ikumi (5/25/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 46. (Re-read!) Tokyo Mew Mew Volume 1 by Reiko Yoshida and Mia Ikumi (5/23/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 45. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson (5/23/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 44. Warriors: Sunrise by Erin Hunter (5/10/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 43. Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull (5/3/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 42. Summer for the Gods by Edward J. Larson (4/20/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 41. Albert Einstein by Ann Heinrichs (4/20/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 40. Rainy by Sis Deans (4/19/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 39. Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (4/18/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 38. The Ruby Key by Holly Lisle (4/18/09) 4.5 out of 5 stars
• 37. Zodiac P.I. Book #1 by Natsumi Ando (4/11/09) 4.5 out of 5 stars
• 36. When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park (4/8/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 35. Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature (4/ 3/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 34. Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr (4/2/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 33. Lives of the Artists by Kathleen Krull (3/20/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 32. The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg (3/8/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 31. Beneath My Mother's Feet by Amjed Qamar (3/7/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 30. The Homestead Steel Strike of 1892 by Nancy Whitelaw (3/5/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 29. Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley (3/2/09) 3 out of 5 stars
• 28. Warriors: Power of Three: Long Shadows (3/1/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 27. Evernight by Claudia Gray (2/24/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 26. Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe by James R. Arnold and Roberta Wiener (2/20/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 25. Gothic Lolita by Dakota Lane (2/18/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 24. Warriors: Cats of the Clans by Erin Hunter (2/16/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 23. Bliss by Lauren Myracle (2/16/09) 2 out of 5 stars
• 22. Don't Know Where, Don't Know When by Annette Laing (2/14/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 21. Werewolves edited by Jane Yolen and Martin H. Greenberg (2/12/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 20. Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson (2/8/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 19. A Bottle in the Gaza Sea by Valerie Zenatti (2/5/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 18. The Dog with Golden Eyes by Frances Wilbur (2/3/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 17. Sweethearts by Sara Zarr (1/30/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 16. Shays' Rebellion and the Constitution in American History by Mary E. Hull (1/28/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 15. Tanzania by Joan Vos MacDonald (1/27/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 14. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (1/28/09) 5 out of 5 stars
• 13. The Crucible by Arthur Miller (1/21/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 12. Science and Society by Robert Snedden (1/21/09) 2.5 out of 5 stars
• 11. Tokyo Mew Mew #2 by Mia Ikumi and Reiko Yoshida (1/20/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 10. Tokyo Mew Mew #1 by Mia Ikumi and Reiko Yoshida (1/20/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 9. Dream Saga #3 by Megumi Tachikawa (1/20/09) 2.5 out of 5 stars
• 8. Fruits Basket #2 by Natsuki Takaya (1/19/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 7. Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara (1/19/09) 4.5 out of 5 stars
• 6. The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaption by Jonathan Hennessey and Aaron McConnell (1/15/09) 4 out of 5 stars
• 5. Avalon High Coronation: The Merlin Prophecy by Meg Cabot (1/9/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 4. Drugs Explained by Pierre Mezinski with Melissa Daly and Francoise Taud (1/9/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 3. Vampire Kisses: Blood Relatives by Ellen Schreiber and Rem (1/6/09) 3.5 out of 5 stars
• 2. Patriots, Pirates, Heroes, and Spies edited by Sandra Mackenzie Lloyd (1/3/09) 3 out of 5 stars
• 1. Nod's Limbs by Charles Ogden (1/1/09) 3 out of 5 stars

Some of my favorites of 2009:

Dramacon Ultimate Edition by Svetlana Chmakova
Tokyo Mew Mew series by Mia Ikumi and Reiko Yoshida
Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
Warriors: Sunrise by Erin Hunter
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Chronicles of Vladimir Todd: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer
Seekers: Smoke Mountain by Erin Hunter
Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull

My goal for number of books to read this year: 250 :3

A Different Day, A Different Destiny (book review)

A Different Day, A Different Destiny, by Annette Laing, is the second installment in the story of three children and a time-traveling professor. Nothing has ever been the same for Alex and Hannah Dias, or their friend Brandon, since they moved to the small town of Snipesville, Georgia. At first glance Snipesville is an ordinary place, but ever since their chance encounter with Kate Harrower, professor of history at Snipesville Colledge, the kids' lives have been anything but ordinary. Kate Harrower, or the Professor, has conquered the ability of time-travel, and she's dragged them along with her! They thought World War II England was difficult enough, but this time they've been dropped off in three different locations in 1851--a Southern cotton field, an English coal mine, and a Scottish factory. And they'll have to use everything they've got if they ever want to see their families again.

This was a very good book; I enjoyed it even better than the first. It was very informative while also fun and exciting to read, and I can't wait for the next in the series. However, I would recommend reading the first book, Don't Know Where, Don't Know When, before this one, as it bases heavily on the first volume.

Affluenza (book review)

Affluenza, by John De Graff, David Wann, and Thomas H. Naylor, is the story of Americans nationwide, who are suffering from a wide variety of "conditions" such as credit card debt, stress, and obsession with shopping. The authors of this book have compiled all of these and much more into a single "disease" called affluenza. Affluenza is, essentially, the craving for more material possessions. The authors of this book show that when given a choice, America chose money over time--higher wages over a shorter workweek, and how that has turned into a giant tangle of greed, materialism, and consumerism. Affluenza is affecting nearly all aspects of life, disrupting communities, alienating family members, and turning citizens, even neighbors, against one another.

This was a great book that can really open your eyes to the truth--that people spend MUCH more time spending money than they do socializing with other people, their friends and family. It is a very moving and convincing book, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in this subject.

Child of the Wolves (book review)

Child of the Wolves, by Elizabeth Hall, tells the story of the young husky pup, Granite. Rebellious from the start, Granite flees his home after a mysterious man attempts to "kidnap" him (he is in fact being sold to a dog-sledder, but he doesn't know this). Lost and alone in the forest, Granite nearly starves to death until he wanders into the territory of a wolf pack. The pack welcomes him, to some degree, but Granite can tell that if not for the female leader's kindness for him, they would shun him. He struggles to please the pack, but despite his eagerness to learn the ways of the wolf, the other wolves either bully or ignore him. It will take a disaster and the near-death of all the wolves for them to realize exactly how valuable Granite is to their pack.

This book was okay. The end was heartwarming, and overall the story was cute, but the plot was a little simplistic. It seemed that whenever Granite got into a bit of trouble, something magically occurred to get him out of it. For example, in one instance, an angry grizzly bear mother was about to maul him, when she suddenly veered off to chase something else. There is no explanation of this. Sure, it's a children's book, but it's marketed to older children, ages 10 and up. Surely they can handle a bit of suspense! I would, overall, recommend this for young animal lovers ages 7-10. I think they would really enjoy it. And I did like the fact that it was very scientifically accurate, providing young readers with information on the feeding habits, behavior, and lifestyle of wolves.

This book is for the What's in a Name Two Challenge.

The Great Gatsby (book review)

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a defining piece of literature for the Roaring '20's. Set near New York City, it tells the story of a young bond broker named Nick Caraway, who lives next to an enormous mansion owned by the mysterious and elusive Jay Gatsby. At a party one night, Nick has the opportunity to meet Gatsby, and they strike up a strange, curious friendship. Matters are complicated when Gatsby rediscovers his old lost lover, beautiful Daisy Buchanan, and they begin to fall back in love. But Daisy's husband is a jealous man, who will do anything to keep her to himself. And when a horrible tragedy occurs, it opens the perfect opportunity for Tom to get his revenge...

I thought this was a very good book. The characters themselves, as well as the interactions between them, were complex and many-sided. The plot was light and cheerful at points, but it had a distinctly dark undertone, adding to the suspense of the book. The ending was definitely a shock. The only problem I had with this book was that occasionally I found it confusing and hard to follow. But these moments were rare, and overall I greatly enjoyed it.

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl (book review)

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl, by Barry Lyga, is the story of two teenage outcasts. Fanboy, thin, studious, and a comic book geek, doesn't have it so good. He's bullied at school, has only one friend (a friend who would choose his jock buddies over Fanboy), and his mother and "the step-fascist", as Fanboy calls his stepfather, are eagerly awaiting a new baby who will become Fanboy's little sibling. But Fanboy does have one thing going for him: the graphic novel he's writing. He knows it will be his ticket out of this town, and into a good college.

Then he meets Kyra, aka Goth Girl. She's sarcastic, witty, and intelligent, shares his love of comics and his hatred of the popular kids, and seems to take an interest in him. Soon they have a strong, if bumpy, friendship, and Fanboy feels as if perhaps his life is finally beginning to look up. But he doesn't know that Kyra has secrets of her own, secrets that could put her life...and perhaps even his...in great danger.

I truly loved this book. The plot was full of twists, the main characters clever and witty. Often I found it hard to put this book down; I just wanted to keep reading! Comic fans will enjoy the various references made to comic book artists in the book, and others will love the curious and sarcastic relationship between Fanboy and Kyra. I absolutely can't wait to read the sequel!

Cry Bloody Murder (book review)

Cry Bloody Murder, by Elaine DePrince, is a true story about love, loss, and the effect AIDS can have on a community. Elaine DePrince, her husband, and her five sons (two biological, three adopted) are a family of hemophiliacs. Their three adopted sons, Cubby, Mike, and Teddy, had hemophilia A. DePrince and her biological sons, Adam and Erik, have a less well-known, yet similar, condition known as von Willebrand's disease. Hemophilia and von Willebrand's disease are conditions in which one's blood cannot clot. In order to prevent them from bleeding to death, DePrince needed to give her sons clotting factor, which would help their blood to clot when they experienced bleeding. However, DePrince was unaware that the clotting factor she gave her children contained the virus HIV--she only found this out after Cubby, Mike, and Teddy had all been affected. The clotting factor, and other blood products--could have been virally inactivated, killing HIV and other viruses in them--but the multi-million dollar corporations making the blood products didn't bother to do this. And as a result, thousands of hemophiliacs and others died, including Cubby and Mike. Cubby was only eleven. Mike was only fifteen. And what makes Elaine DePrince angriest is that their deaths could have easily been prevented, if only an industry cared more about the lives of its consumers than about its profits.
Teddy is still living, thanks to the new drugs available, but DePrince knows that, if not for the drugs, he could have died as well.

Thousands of hemophiliacs have suffered in this way, thousands have lost loved ones. But they cannot get compensation. In many states, so-called "blood-shield laws" have been passed, protecting the product responsible for all these deaths from strict product liability, a legal term allowing a consumer injured by a product to file suit against the manufacturer or seller of the product. As a result, the corporations and the blood banks don't have to pay for what they have done, and the hemophiliacs must suffer on with the ghosts of their siblings, parents, friends, spouses, and children.

This was a wonderful book, but it was also very sad. I would recommend it to anyone interested in AIDS or in hemophilia. The stories pictured in this book, Cubby's and Mike's, as well as those of others with the virus, will inspire you and at the same time, fill you with sorrow, that such wonderful lives had to be lost.

Where the Wild Things Were (book review)

Where the Wild Things Were, by  William Stolzenberg, is a moving account of how species are coping in a world of vanishing top predators. Stolzenberg takes us deep into the Venezuelan rainforest, to the rivers of Yellowstone, and almost everywhere in between. He's trying to say that evidence of disappearing predators is everywhere--most often caused by humans. Where cougars, grizzlies, and wolves once roamed now only coyotes and house-cats hunt. But why does this matter? This is the question Stolzenberg is trying to address. And we will see it in a variety of ways and places, from overpopulation of herbivores to extinctions of whole ecosystems.

This was a great book. It wasn't hard to read at all, and it was very interesting. Stolzenberg had a nice, easy style that grabbed you in at the same time. If you're interested in conservation biology, ecology, or even just in animals, I would recommend this book to you as a great addition to your collection.

All Quiet on the Western Front (book review)

All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, is the moving story of Paul Baumer, a fictional German soldier who enlists in World War I. Young, only twenty years old, already his life is filled with death. He must face it everyday, and somehow manages to elude it even while his comrades and friends fall around him. The book relates various escapades, travels, as well as horrors that this young man and his friends face during their years on the front. As the years go by, Paul realizes that the only difference between him and his enemies, the ones he kills every day, is their uniform, and he decides to do everything he can to help the world avoid future wars--if only he can make it out of this one.

This was a wonderful book, but very sad. Paul, only twenty, was already much wiser about the world than much older men were. He was used to the sight of men without arms, faces, or legs. But he and his friends still found time for amusement. I thought it was very interesting to hear from his point of view, and to learn about what it felt like to actually be there.

Abstract Expressionists (book review)

Abstract Expressionists, by Rachel Barnes, is a collection of short, generally two or three-page biographies of some of the major contributors to the abstract expressionist art movement. Included in this book are men and women such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Helen Frankenthaler. Since it included many different artists, the book couldn't go very in-depth about any of them, but it still gave a good biography of each of them,  along with examples of their work. I would definitely recommend this to people interested in getting a general overview of the famous names we now associate with this movement. It was a quick and easy book to read, and if you sit down and read it it shouldn't take you very long, while still giving you quite a good introduction.

Read-a-thon Post 13

Time: 25 minutes
Pages: 1,123
Reading: Time of the Witches by Anna Myers
Read: Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles by Kathryn Lasky, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer, Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, The Good Dog by Avi, Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Peterson

Read-a-thon Post 12

Time: 40 minutes
Pages: 1,119
Reading: Time of the Witches by Anna Myers
Read: Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles by Kathryn Lasky, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer, Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, The Good Dog by Avi, Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Peterson

The Good Dog (book review)

The Good Dog, by Avi, is the story of a handsome malamute named McKinley. The leader of a pack of local dogs, McKinley has always taken his life for granted--protect the humans, protect the pack. Until a mysterious she-wolf named Lupin shows up, promising freedom to any dogs who wish to join her suffering wolf pack. At first, McKinley feels threatened by Lupin--who does she think she is, anyway? But eventually he realizes that the humans are even more upset by the wolf's appearance than he is. In fact, they are planning to track her down and shoot her. Soon, McKinley and his friends become caught up in a wild race to save one of the last wolves in Steamboat Springs.

This was a very good story. There was plenty of action, and it was a very quick read. It wasn't hard to understand at all. The characters, although inhuman, were easy to relate to, and one establishes a bond with them throughout the book. I would definitely recommend this to fans of the author's novels, and also to animal lovers.

Read-a-thon Post 11

Time: 43 minutes
Pages: 927
Reading: Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Peterson
Read: Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles by Kathryn Lasky, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer, Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, The Good Dog by Avi