Delirium

Delirium

by Lauren Oliver

Synopsis:

They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever. And I''ve always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I''d rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.

My thoughts:

Delirium has such a unique twist on the genre it fits into. This book is just full of heart-pounding action. I quite enjoyed Delirium and the characters that designed it. Although the writing was pleasing, the story was exceptional. I did find the story to be quite predictable, If love is a disease, and Lena is supposed to get cured in a few short months, it's almost expected that she meets a guy that she falls in love with. However, it is written in such a way that it makes you want to keep reading.


reviewed by R.P., Grade 10 Scona student

City of Bones

City of Bones

by Cassandra Clare

Synopsis:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder-much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing-not even a smear of blood-to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

My thoughts:

I just finished reading City Of Bones and I thoroughly enjoyed the many twists and turns of the story. The plot revolves around a 15 year old girl named Clary. One night when she goes out to the pandemonium club and see’s a murder. When her friend who she is with seemingly can’t see the dramatic events playing out in front of him she becomes concerned that what happened wasn’t real even though the murderers talked to her. She convinces herself that it was a hallucination, but a few days later when one of the murderers comes and finds her at a coffee shop she is thrust into a unknown world head first. Soon her mother is kidnapped and she must find an ancient treasure of the secret society of shadowhunters who hunt and kill demons to keep the world safe. With new friends she faces the ultimate test to rescue her mother.

I found this book extremely entertaining and enthralling. It had many twists and turns and all the characters were very memorable and interesting. The many characters were very believable and you could relate to them very well, such as Simon, Clary’s human best friend, who is awkward and has very human emotions and opinions.This book is definitely aimed at older teens with obvious darker themes and violence. The book is written entirely in third person and mostly from the perspective of Clary. I enjoyed the very deep and varied description of every scenario that unfolded in the book

All in all I would recommend this book to anyone who is even slightly interested in reading it. I loved reading it and I have now finished books 2 and 3 of the series and enjoyed them just as much.

reviewed by S.J., Grade 10 Scona student

Gone

Gone

by Michael Grant

Synopsis:

In the blink of an eye.

Everyone disappears.

Gone.

Everyone except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not a single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Gone, too, are the phones, internet, and television. There is no way to get help.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents-unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers-that grow stronger by the day.

It''s a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen and war is imminent.

The first in a breathtaking saga about teens battling each other and their darkest selves, gone is a page-turning thriller that will make you look at the world in a whole new way.

My Thoughts:

Gone by Michael Grant is a mystery and a suspense book.In the book Gone, it talked about a group of kids try to survive without any adult. In one blind all the people over 15 disappear, without any explanation why? and how? it happened.

I like how on the very first page of the book the book already show what happened and what the story going to be about. it caught my attention and made me want to read more. As I read the beginning it made me ask myself what would I do if I’m in there situation. Not a single adult around.     

reviewed by C. M., Grade 10 Scona student

Smoke

Smoke

by Ellen Hopkins

Synopsis:

Pattyn Von Stratten's father is dead, and Pattyn is on the run. After far too many years of abuse at the hands of her father, and after the tragic loss of her beloved Ethan and their unborn child, Pattyn is desperate for peace. Only her sister Jackie knows what happened that night, but she is stuck at home with their mother, who clings to normalcy by allowing the truth to be covered up by their domineering community leaders. Her father might be finally gone, but without Pattyn, Jackie is desperately isolated.

Alone and in disguise, Pattyn starts a new life as a migrant worker on a California ranch. But is it even possible to rebuild a life when everything you've known has burned to ash and lies seem far safer than the truth?

Bestselling author Ellen Hopkins continues the riveting story of Pattyn Von Stratten she began in Burned to explore what it takes to rise from the ashes, put ghosts to rest, and step into a future.

My thoughts:

I believe that Ellen Hopkins, Burned, did not need a sequel because of the way that it ended with Pattyn Von Stratten standing on the edge of a bridge contemplating suicide. It let the reader imagine the best or the worst for poor Pattyn. In Smoke, Hopkins writes from the point of view of both Pattyn and the second oldest Von Stratten sister, Jackie. This is effective, but not nearly as effective as in Burned when she writes from just Pattyn’s point of view. Smoke does show a different side of Pattyn than in Burned though. In Burned, Pattyn has people to turn to and still has fears in her life. In Smoke, Pattyn seems more vulnerable and is easier to connect to. For example, at the beginning of the book when Pattyn has to re-live and regret the murder of her Father and the tragic loss of Ethan, hits a real nerve. Towards the end of the book when I finally started to see Pattyn beginning to move on and start her new future, I finally felt at peace. As she lets go of her past and stops regretting her choices I can finally be happy for Pattyn. The character that Ellen Hopkins has created is a true inspiration for anyone who has ever had to deal with loss in their life or abuse. Overall, by the end of the book I was happy that Hopkins decided to write a sequel for Pattyn. Although I didn’t care too much about Jackie’s side of the story it helped me understand Pattyn better and added to the story. If you have read any of Ellen Hopkins books and enjoyed them, I recommend Smoke, it is a great ending to Pattyn Von Stratten’s story.

“The Truth

Is a product of perception.

One person’s mountain

is another’s hill. Your river

is someone else’s creek.

In the end, it doesn’t matter.

A lie

is different. Oh, you might

claim a small white one is

really a positive, but a lie,

no matter where it falls

in the spectrum,

corrodes

gently. Relentlessly.

Confess it, you’ll regret

the pain it causes.

But choose to keep

it a secret, and the longer

you

do, the deeper it gnaws,

through skin and flesh,

sinew and bone, all the way

to your heart. And there

you’ll carry it always” (Hopkins, 166)


reviewed by C. H., Grade 10 Scona student

The Mark Of Athena

The Mark Of Athena

by Rick Riordan

Synopsis:

In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six--who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?

The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophecy remains a mystery. . . .

With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.

My thoughts:

After reading the first two novels in The Heroes of Olympus series, my expectations were quite high for the third installment. But the deeper and deeper I read, the more I was astonished and left wanting more. The Mark of Athena is a wonderfully written novel. It draws the reader in with action, romance, and complex conflicts. Although, I found it hard to believe how short the book genuinely felt. In reality the book is over 580 pages but it feels so much smaller when reading. I wasn't ready for the fantastic spectacle to end. The story seemed to go by so fast because of how much it dragged you in and outstanding use of language to help further the story. It also had mesmerizing action and romance cleverly combined into plot that had me on the edge of my seat. While The Mark of Athena is a fantastic book; you should consider reading the first two in the series before jumping into this one.

reviewed by Q. M., Grade 10 Scona student

YRCA 2014 Nominee #4: Tiger's Curse

Tiger's Curse 

by Colleen Houck

Synopsis:

The last thing teenager Kelsey Hayes thought she'd be doing over the summer was meeting Ren, a mysterious white tiger and cursed Indian prince! When she learns she alone can break the Tiger's curse, Kelsey's life is turned upside-down. The unlikely duo journeys halfway around the world to piece together an Indian prophecy, find a way to free the man trapped by a centuries-old spell, and discover the path to their true destiny.

My Thoughts:

Oh my gosh!  I . . . there are just not enough words to say how much I loved this series. I read a few other reviews saying that the characters were boring or not believable because they (mainly Kelsey) were so unsure about decisions and kept changing their minds.  To those people I say of course Kelsey is unsure about life and her decisions, she's 18 and dealing with way more than most 18s could even dream of. For me like I said I adored this story.  I thought that Kelsey was wonderfully written; she doesn't have a lot of confidence because she has never had to rely on herself to make the decisions and so she is constantly second guessing herself and changing her mind. Which with how Ren acts half the time it's no wonder Kelsey is confused.  Ren could be the perfect guy (and honestly he is pretty awesome; I mean he's an Indian prince that turns into a tiger!) if he loosened up a bit and let other people in on the plan or simply what is going on in his head.  Houck did an amazing job creating this novel and in giving it the feel of a real Indian myth.  Her writing is beautiful and creates a magical world not far beneath the surface of our own.  The action (and romance) never stopped in this novel and it was not possible to put down this book till I reached the last page and then I was reaching for the next book to find out what happens next.

Passion

Passion

by Lauren Kate

Synopsis:

Luce would die for Daniel.

And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn't need to be that way. . . .

Luce is certain that something-or someone-in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime . . . going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel . . . and finally unlock the key to making their love last.

Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history.
Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames . . . forever.

Sweeping across centuries, PASSION is the third novel in the unforgettably epic FALLEN series.

My thoughts:

My reason for choosing Passion by Lauren Kate  is very simple; it is the third in a series. I enjoyed the first and the second, but I can honestly say that it was very difficult to get through this one. It is well written but slow going. The protagonist, Luce, goes back in time throughout her past lives in order to find out how the curse bestowed upon her and her love interest, Daniel, began. Luce encounters a little stone angel named Bill who helps her go back in time to find how the curse started, but her angel is not what he seems. In her haste to break the curse and get back to Daniel, Luce misses some key hints that could show her that Bill is not in fact trying to help her but has his own agenda to attend to. Luce goes throughout her lives learning that the pull and love she feels towards Daniel is real and not just an effect of the curse.She always learns the same thing; Daniel loves her; she has to find him; the love she feels is real. Every life Luce has ever lived, she dies before she can turn eighteen. While going back in time, Luce realizes that every time she dies, Daniel’s suffering is indeed greater than her own. Daniel chases Luce back in time to stop her from altering history to much. His fear is that she will alter her own history and cease to exist. He is always too late, usually only by a day or two. He always winds up talking to someone. Sometimes he even talks to himself in the past, that’s when things get interesting. 

There were many times that I was tempted to skip a couple chapters due to how slow paced the story was, but decided against it in fear of missing something crucial to the story. Normally it would take me three days to read a book the length of Passion, but it instead took me four weeks. I always look forward to reading. I didn’t look forward to reading Passion, I looked forward to finishing it. Knowing that the next chapter was going to be the same as the one before it was a dull feeling and I just wanted to get it over with.

The story was written from two different perspectives, both limited omniscient, Daniel’s and Luce’s. Until the end, when Luce finally stopped going through her lives, the only interesting parts were from Daniel’s perspective...especially when he wound up talking to himself.

Even though I said that this book is slow going and dull, it is well worth the time when I got to the last few chapters. Luce finds out things that shouldn’t be possible and Daniel realizes he may have made a mistake. I strongly suggest reading the series. The first book is called Fallen, the second book is called Torment, and the fourth books is called Rapture. There is also a novella called Fallen In Love, but it is not essential to the story line. I would give Passion a seven out of ten and suggest it to readers twelve and up who enjoy supernatural novels and/or stories.

reviewed by P. M., Grade 10 Scona student