Bunheads by Sophie Flack

“My name is Hannah Ward. Don’t call me a ballerina.” An outsider looking in thinks that all female ballet dancers are ballerinas. Author Sophie Flack quickly sets the reader straight and sets the stage for a enjoyable first novel.

Hannah is a dancer in the corps of ballet. She dreams of one day becoming a ballerina and has dedicated herself to working hard to reach that goal. However, the 19 year old begins to struggle like we all did at this age. What does she want to do with her life? Is this all she is supposed to do? Being the star of the show means giving up what many of us take for granted – dates with the cute boy next door, holidays with family and eating that second slice of pie on Thanksgiving. Being a star means dancing hours on end, performing and rehearsing on holidays and dieting constantly.

Hannah meets Jacob and begins to question everything. She wants to spend time with him, but it jepardizes her career. At times it becomes a little irritating the way she goes back and forth. See Jacob, don’t see Jacob, see Jacob, don’t see Jacob. However, I for one can admit that there have been times where I have been indecisive and people just want to yell “make up your mind already!”

It’s an enjoyable read, and for those of who fantasized about being a famous ballerina, it gives a great inside look of what happens behind stage.

 

Harry Potter by JK Rowling

Okay, I finally broke down and started the Harry Potter series.  I didn’t think it would be something I would be interested in reading.  I thought it would be boring.  How I was wrong!  I won’t say I love them, but I am totally enjoying them. If actually started them December 14 and if all goes well I will finish reading #7 this week.  Then I need to read Tales of Beetle the Bard.

I’m not going to do a lengthy review, because I think most people of read these long before I.  I will say “shame on me” for thinking I would have no interest in them.  That they would be boring.  They are anything but boring.  Long story (7 books and thousands of pages) short.  The story is about Harry Potter and his two best friends Heromine and Ron (aind cast of dozen other important characters) trying to stay alive and beat Lord Voldemort.

Now it really isn’t that simple as there are tons of twist and turns, but you are going to have to find that out yourself. Basically, my word of advise is READ THEM.  I wish I had sooner, because I can guarantee I would be re-reading them.

 

Rites and Wrongs of Janice Wills by Joanna Pearson

The Rites & Wrongs of Janice Wills by Joanna Pearson

Janice has dreams to be a renowned anthropologist.  She decides that her goal is to become the youngest person published in Current Anthropology and her hometown would be the perfect experiment.  After all she has been studying these people all her life and what a perfect time to study them but during the Annual Livermush festivities.

She begins writing her observations (or should we say assumptions) in a journal all in the name of science.  However, to the reader it shows reads condescending and judgmental.  Her mother and friend attempt to get her to join in running for Miss Livermush, but she is not about to do that!!Until she realizes that sometimes you have to participate in the ritual to truly understand it.

At first it is difficult to like Janice, but through some hard lessons by her friends she begins to see that she is being unfair.  In the “name of science” she has not been open to things going on around her.  To be a true observer you must be open and not place your opinions on everything.  It is a good coming of age novel, but if you don’t like Janice in the end at least you come to understand her.

 

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

What Meghan Chase thought was true about her life was going to be turned upside down.  Meghan is turning 16 and she is hoping that with this magically age change she would no longer be an outcast. Well, she is right as something is going to change big time.

Her younger brother is kidnapped by fairy  and replaced with a changling.  Suddenly her friend Robbie is a fairy named Robin Goodfellow aka Puck and she is the daughter of a Fairy King.  Together they enter the realm of fairies to save her younger brother from the Iron King.

The twists and turns keep you in suspense.  There are 5 books in the series 1)Iron King, 2)Iron Daughter,  3)Iron Queen and 4)Iron Knight.  I must say the first 3 have kept me on my seat wanting to read more! I cannot wait until I get a copy of the Iron Knight.

 

Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

2011

352 p

Jacob’s beloved Grandpa Portman always told these fantastic
stories about the Children’s Home he grew up in.  When Grandpa Portman was young he escaped
from Poland to a secluded island with other children.  Once there he saw amazing children that could
levitate, were invisible and other fantastic things.

People thought Grandpa Portman was nuts, but when he was
killed horrifically Jacob begin to question how much is the truth.  Jacob and his therapist convince his parents
that it would help him to go to the island to prove that his grandfather’s
stories were just that – stories.

Once he gets to the Island he finds himself pulled into a
loop with the children and that the stories Grandpa Portman told were
true.  The “children” were stuck in a
loop, reliving the same day over and over.

The book draws you in and you cannot wait to read what
happens next.  It is an enjoyable read,
but disappointing in the end when you realize there is no end and that there is
definitely a sequel on the way.
According to Ransom Riggs website there will be a sequel.  The question for me is after a long wait,
will I want to read it?  We will see.

 

Double Take by Melody Carlson

Double Take
Melody Carlson

2011

 

 

 

 

 

Worldly rich girl meets sheltered Amish girl and trade lives for a week.  Madison and Anna are tired of their own lives and by chance meet in a small coffee shop.  Madison realizes that they are nearly identically and convinces Anna to trade places so they switch clothes.  Neither one of them are sure the can go along with it until it is too late.  Either continue assuming each others lives or be found out.

Anna suddenly on the bus to Manhatten and Madison in a carriage heading to Anna’s Aunts farm.  Both are thrust in worlds that are so unlike their own and are in for a cultural shock.  Both are faced with challenges so unlike their own and you wonder at the end of the week if they will get away with the charade.

Double Take is a quick and somewhat enjoyable read.  It is difficult to believe that these two teens would pull off the charade even for a week.  It is difficult for identical twins to assume each other’s identities when they are known to a person, but to believe to girls that have only known each other for a few hours can pull it off is not realistic.

 

Sisters of Sanity by Gayle Forman

Sisters of Sanity
Gayle Forman

304 pages

2007

I have become a huge Gayle Forman fan. She is becoming one of my top authors to follow.  If I Stay is still one of my top 10 books to read this year, but Sisters of Sanity is right up there.  Brit is sent to a center for rebellious teens.  Angered at first she does not cooperate with the centers “therapists”, but then she “gets with the program”.  Finding friends in V, Bebe, Martha and Cassie is what helps her get through her time Red Rock.

Reading this it is hard for me to see how a parent could be so blind to what their child is going through. The father is filled with his own hurt and fears that he can’t open his eyes wide enough to see what his daughter is going through.  Add a new stepmother into the picture and try to replace the current metally ill living mother as if she has never existed is a match to

 

Hate list by Jennifer Brown

Hate List
Jennifer Brown
405p

2009

It is hard  to say Hate List by Jennifer Brown is a book that all teens should read.  It is a very
tough topic to write about and promote.  Especially with such well publicized tragedies as Columbine, Virginia
Tech, and West Nickel Mines.   Jennifer Brown did a great job taken on such a taboo topic.  Instead of shying away from it because of some parents believe “if we talk about it, it may happen here.”  This book in no way encourages or glamorizes school shootings.  It humanizes everyone involved, faults and all.

Valerie and Nick wrote a hate list of those people and things that they hated.  Then one day,out of the blue Valerie thought, Nick opened fire in the Commons.  Killing and wounding several of their schoolmates, including Valerie, before shooting himself.

Valerie spends her senior year trying to come to grips with her part of the tragic events.  How she help write a list used to murder.  How she jumped in front of Nick taking a bullet intended for someone else. How she
missed the signs that he was going to do this. Chapter by chapter Valerie begins to put her life
together.  There are many interesting people who help her life put her life back together while others seem bent on tearing her apart.

 

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak
Lauri Halse Anderson
1999

198 Pages

I read Speak because it was a Michael L Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature Honor Book. It was a very quick read.  The basic story is that an unspeakble act happened at a party that Melinda was attending.  During the party she called the police, but was unable to voice what just happened to her.  The police were on there way and she left in shock and fear.  However, students were caught at this underage party.  Melinda is then ostracized by her friends and school mates.  It takes you through her freshman year and how it just seems to go down hill.  Instead of trying to find out what is wrong the parents think she is seeking attention. As her mom says’ She’s jerking us around to get attention.”  Eventually it all comes out what happened during the summer.  I won’t say more because you need to find that out now.

The book is good in late 1990′s standards and would still be a good read for middle school.  High school may  not think there is not enough grit.

 

On Thin Ice by Hugh Rowland with Michael Lent

I love History Channel’s show Ice Road Truckers.  I watched every episode available via Netflix and now DVR the new episodes.  If I find out it didn’t record I watch it on History’s website.  How I love streaming video, but I am missing the point of my post and that is Hugh Rowland’s On Thin Ice.   I won’t say I am an avid fan of Mr. Rowland’s on the show, but he is who is and he’s not going to apologize for it. (I am actually liking him better this season….editing perhaps?

Mr. Rowland’s book discusses his time on the Ice Road’s in Canada and Alaska.  He talks about the loneliness, the boredom and the dangers of the Ice Roads.  Get distracted for one second and disaster will strike.

If you a familiar with show, you will be relieved to know it sounds like his own voice.  However, at times it seems as if his train of thought is lost and I had to reread sections.  Although, the book includes information from the show it is not about the show.  It is about his career on and off the roads of Canada. There is a lot of information about trucks, truckers, life on the road and his experiences.  I don’t feel like I get to know him any more than you get to know him on IRT.

Although, I enjoyed the book and am glad I bought it I wont say it was a favorite.    If you are a IRT fan it is a must read.   I actually enjoyed Alex Debogorski’s book King of the Road better.  Sorry Hugh, you may win the “dash for cash”, but this time Alex’s book beat out yours as the better read.