Book Review: We'll Always Have Summer

We'll Always Have Summer
By Jennifer Han

Reviewed by Lauren Batchelder

Third in a series, this romance novel makes you laugh one minute and cry the next. I was hooked from the first sentence. We’ll Always Have Summer starts off where Han last ended it- with Belly ( the main character in this story) at college dating Jeremiah Fisher, the brother of Conrad, Belly’s first love. Ever since Belly was turned down by Conrad she learned to love his brother. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly wanted it to be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to ask herself if she making the right decision. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever really gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who she wants to be with…. I know that anyone who likes to watch movies like The Notebook or Titanic and read books like Twilight ( minus that entire Vampire thing…) will love this. We’ll Always have Summer_ isn’t just any romance novel though, there’s drama, life changing letters, cancer, proposals and questions that really make you wonder. Han ties everything up nicely. It is a truly great ending to a fabulous series.

4 out of 5 stars

Karla and Kinsey Book Review: Part II

Name: Kinsey Manchester

Envy by Gregg Olsen

Review by Kinsey Manchester

Recap:

15-year-old Katelyn Berkley doesn’t particularly like life. So when her drunkard of a mother finds Katelyn dead in the bathtub, everybody thinks that she killed herself. Everyone except for twins Hayley and Taylor Ryan. Hayley and Taylor know more about what really happened to Katelyn than everyone else does. They have a secret, too. This secret is something that the twins can use to help figure out what really happened to Katelyn, but it is also something that can ruin their chance at normalcy forever. When the stakes rise as someone threatens to oust them and the truth about Katelyn’s death holds more secrets than they imagined, the girls must stick together if they wish to solve the mystery once and for all.

Review:

Envy is an addictive and chilling novel. It grips you right at the beginning when you spend the last minutes of Katelyn’s life with her. You immediately want to know what happened to her and why. All of the characters are easy to relate to, which means that by the time you reach the last page, you won’t want to leave behind Hayley or Taylor. The twins are night and day, as you probably know that most twins are. Gregg Olsen also uses his way with words to make you dislike the people you are supposed to dislike. When you meet the evil Starla Larsen, you instantaneously connect her to someone in your own life that was exactly the same way. You understand why nobody says anything bad to her, but why they all think it. By the end of the book, I had an exact picture of how I thought the characters would look. Olsen’s characterization skills are amazing. His words literally create pictures. His style, however, is a little different and hard to understand at first. The beginning is a little slow and confusing, but don’t give up on it! By the time you are 40 pages in, you will be hooked! You will soon figure out how all of the stories come together to make one big story. I think that this book was very good, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries.

Kinsey’s Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Year of Publication: 2012
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 313

First Line: "Late in the winter of my seventeenth year, my mother decided I was depressed, presumably because I rarely left the house, spent quite a lot of time, read the same book over and over, ate infrequently, and devoted quite a bit of my abundant free time to thinking about death."

Summary: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Source: Back of book.

Review:

John Green, New York Times Bestselling Author, is never short on poignant remarks.  The author, vlogger, nerdfighter*, former children’s hospital chaplain, and sometimes-historian recently released the young adult novel The Fault in Our Stars with Dutton Books.  After signing all 150,000 copies of the first printing of The Fault in Our Stars (henceforth Fault), Green’s dedication to his readers and his fan base (sometimes known as nerdfighteria) has been proven, if there was any doubt to begin with.  Fault is an extraordinary, touching, insightful book that will, as Green expressed he hoped, “will make you feel all of the things!”

            The first of his novels to be narrated by a female and inspired by both his time as a chaplain and nerdfighter Esther Earl, Fault begins in the seventeenth year of a young woman named Hazel Grace Lancaster.  Hazel, diagnosed with cancer in her early teens, is withdrawn and, according to her mother and doctor, depressed.  As a result, she begins attending group therapy where she meets Augustus Waters, a boy in remission.  Chronicling their time together, Hazel tells about her friends, such as Isaac, her trip to Amsterdam, meeting her author-idol Peter van Houten, dealing with being a “grenade,” falling in love, and how “okay” came to mean so much more.

            Like Green’s other novels, Fault is exceedingly clever and smart and, while catching onto inside jokes (mostly from the nerdfighter community) or allusions certainly adds to the novel, the book is accessible and enjoyable no matter your level of obscure knowledge, something Green seems to enjoy packing into his stories.  This quality is especially important because it says so much about Green’s attitude toward teens: “Teenagers are plenty smart. I don’t sit around and worry whether teenagers are smart. I mean, most of the people currently reading The Scarlet Letter and The Great Gatsby…are teenagers,” Green wrote on one of his blogs, TFiOS Questions Answered, and reminds his viewers frequently in his videos. 

These jokes and clever nods to art, history, and the like will make you laugh and then by the next sentence, you will be crying.  The honest, insightful book both breaks and mends the heart at once, reminding the reader of their inherent humanness.  Green makes it easy for the reader to become attached to the characters with their clever, if sometimes slightly forgivably unrealistic, dialogue.  Meanwhile, his beautifully flowing sentences reminds the reader of the intricate and ornate phrasing of Shakespeare – his play Julius Caesar being the title’s inspiration – though decidedly more readable and modern.

In reading Fault, the reader not only gains a new understanding of themselves and the world around him, but also a whole community of other readers of the book, where Green is just another neighbor.  No matter your age, this young adult novel will move you in a way no other novel has before, or, probably, ever will.

*More on nerdfighters can be found at www.youtube.com/vlogbrothers.  John Green’s official website is www.johngreebooks.com, and he can be followed on Tumblr at www.fishingboatproceeds.tumblr.com/.  For more information on The Fault in Our Stars, visit any of the previously mentioned websites for more links, including Green’s TFiOS Questions Answered blog.

Worst part: --

Best part:  --

Grade: A+

Other Books by This Author: Looking for Alaska; An Abundance of Katherines; Paper Towns, Let It Snow; Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Author's Website: John Green

Dear Bully book review

Dear Bully edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones
4/5 stars
Teen Reviewer: Lauren Batchelder
With seventy heartfelt and empathetic stories about bullying, this wonderful book reaches out to victims everywhere. Many prominent authors such as R.L. Stein and Lauren Oliver open up and share their stories about bullying- as observers on the sidelines, victims and as bullies themselves. Every story is deeply personal and it makes every single person who has ever been bullied realize that they are not alone. Bullying is an issue everywhere. This book talks about a subject that is painful to many people, and even though some parts are really hard to read, it is a wonderful book. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a bully, has been bullied, or watched someone be bullied. It will change your view on the subject forever. Dear Bully, is rare. I have never read a book that has had so much power and emotion. I loved it and I know that if you read it, you will be captivated by it too.

Kinsey and Karla Book Review Part I--Envy by Gregg Olsen

Envy by Gregg Olsen

Review by Karla Accorto

3 Stars

This month, Kinsey and I selected Envy by Gregg Olsen. It is a fictional story inspired by a true crime. Envy begins with the death of Katelyn Berkley, a fifteen year old girl. It appears to be an accident, or possibly even suicide. However, twin sisters Hayley and Taylor Ryan- old friends of Katelyn- believe differently; they think it was murder. The two girls work to figure out what really happened to Katelyn, aided by the supernatural gifts that they were born with. They try desperately to put together the pieces, leading them to the very surprising conclusion.

At first glance, Envy seemed like a typical murder mystery or thriller. Once I actually started reading, though, I discovered it was much better classified in the paranormal/supernatural genre. I was somewhat disappointed with the book. When I find a book that really interests me, I can read it easily in a day or two. Envy took me several weeks to get through. The beginning 100+ pages were a struggle for me to get past. After about page 120-125, though, I flew through it in a day. It could be due to the fact that this genre does not typically interest me, but looking at it objectively, I also believe that the beginning plot moved slowly. It was definitely an interesting story line, but just hard to get into at the start. I was also disappointed with the author’s portrayal of the three main characters: Hayley, Taylor, and Katelyn. I had a very hard time distinguishing Hayley from Taylor throughout most of the book and I really wished that I was able to experience Katelyn some more. Hayley and Taylor appeared to be such complex characters that I really wanted to learn more about what makes them different, instead of just the same.The author, Gregg Olsen did an excellent job creating many of the supporting characters, though, which was definitely a plus. These included Katelyn’s family, Taylor and Hayley’s family, and Katelyn’s best friend, Starla and her family. The setting of the story was great, too, in a sleepy, historical small town. I found that part to be really relatable and well-crafted. The mechanics of Mr. Olsen’s writing were spectacular, as well. His sentences flowed nicely and his vocabulary was superb. There was nothing left to be desired there. The last few sentences of some of the chapters reminded me a lot of Sara Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars, mainly due to the foreshadowing and intrigue. I loved PLL so that really made me excited for Envy. Envy had a pretty tidy ending, which I also liked, but also left it open enough for a sequel, due out this fall. I also liked that it was written in a third person narrative. Normally, I cannot stand reading a book written in third person, but for Envy it just seemed so fitting. It allowed the reader to see every little thing that was happening and how it was connected to Katelyn, as opposed to just what Hayley and Taylor had uncovered.

This was an interesting selection for Kinsey and me because our opinions seem to differ on it. She read it first and encouraged me to finish it, saying that it would be worth it. She agrees that the beginning was slow, but believes it picks up at around page 50, whereas I believe it doesn’t until around 100. She really enjoyed the book and I feel that I neither liked nor disliked it- right in the middle. All I can say is that next month, Kinsey, I’m picking the book! J To hear the rest of her opinion, you’ll have to read her review. As for me, I give Envy three out of five stars.

Teen Book Review: The Auslander

Review: The Auslander
by Paul Dowswell
Review by Angeliek Devine

Summary: When Peter's parents are killed, he is sent to an orphanage in Warsaw. Then German soldiers take him away to be measured and assessed. They decide that Peter is racially valuable. He is Volksdeutscher: of German blood. With his blond hair, blue eyes, and "acceptably proportioned head," he looks just like the boy on the Hitler-Jugend poster. Someone important will want to adopt Peter. They do. Professor Kaltenbach is very pleased to welcome such a fine Aryan specimen to his household. People will be envious. But Peter is not quite the specimen they think. He is forming his own ideas about what he is seeing, what he is told. Peter doesn't want to be a Nazi, and so he is going to take a very dangerous risk. The most dangerous risk he could possibly choose to take in Berlin in 1942.

Review: After reading Paul Dowswell's novel The Ausländer I must say that I am quite impressed, and was entirely immersed into the story by the first chapter. The horrors of WWII were impeccably depicted throughout the reading. I especially liked the concept of viewing the war from the perspective of the Germans' side and through the eyes of a teenager. Right off the bat Dowswell brings tragedies into Peter's life, setting the dim scene for the majority of the reading. This novel is not for the softhearted out there, it truly shows the cruelty of war, and the lives of those during this time period. It was interesting to imagine being a civilian in Berlin, Germany during the 1940's, always having to follow orders without a single complaint, and not being sure who you can trust, even within your own family. The book follows Peter through his days at school, perceiving the difficulties for children growing up in a Nazi society, having the pressures forced upon them by their peers as well as the law enforcements to be the perfect citizen, as well as being fully immersed in a world wide war.

As the story progresses, the brutality only grows more and more grim, hooking you in to want to read more. Not only was this book enthralling on an entertainment aspect, but it also gives the reader a good amount of historical background as well as incorporating the German language, connecting the reader more to the story.

During some chapters of the book I did feel that a lot of pages towards the middle seemed more like filler, in my opinion. Overall, however, The Ausländer is a captivating novel and does a beautiful job of combining the horrors of war, difficulties of fitting in, and the trouble of growing up all in one intense read.

If you enjoy reading historical fiction novels centered around WWII, I would most defiantly recommend this book to you.

I give this book an overall rating of 4 out of 5.

Boy Toy by Barry Lyga

Title: Boy Toy
Author: Barry Lyga
Year of Publication: 2009
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 416

First Line: -- (Don't have the book on me, sorry!)

Summary: Josh Mendel has a secret. Unfortunately, everyone knows what it is.

Five years ago, Josh’s life changed. Drastically. And everyone in his school, his town—seems like the world—thinks they understand. But they don’t—they can’t. And now, about to graduate from high school, Josh is still trying to sort through the pieces. First there’s Rachel, the girl he thought he’d lost years ago. She’s back, and she’s determined to be part of his life, whether he wants her there or not.Then there are college decisions to make, and the toughest baseball game of his life coming up, and a coach who won’t stop pushing Josh all the way to the brink. And then there’s Eve. Her return brings with it all the memories of Josh’s past. It’s time for Josh to face the truth about what happened.

If only he knew what the truth was . . .

Source: Amazon

Review: Like The Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl, Boy Toy handles some tough stuff.  Lyga is a master at writing topics that are difficult in a way that is realistic, but still sensitive.  The way the story is woven keeps the reader interested and, even when the reader knows what's going to happen, they still don't quite believe it.  Lyga's style is easy to read and gives the reader plenty of time to think about what has been written.  His characters are well-rounded and the story is atypical for the specific genre.  This was an excellent book, though I would not recommend it to younger teen readers, as there are some graphic scenes and plenty of obscenities.  For people who are unable to handle child molestation or inappropriate relations, this book is not for you.

Worst part: Something about Josh and Rachel's relationship didn't feel right.

Best part:  Weaving in a scene from TAoFBaGG was really cool.

Grade: A+

Other Books by This Author: The Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl, Goth Girl Rising, Hero-Type, Wolverine: Worst Day Ever, Archvillain: The Series, Mangaman

Author's Website: Barry Lyga