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Reviewed by - Sarah (Age 15) |
Book - Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
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The book was amazing, the writing style captivated the reader in a way most books can`t. The story line is beautiful and truly shows life like emotion not shown in most books
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Reviewed by - Marc (Age 16) |
Book - Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
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It was awesome, quite suspenseful
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Reviewed by - Darren (Age 15) |
Book - Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
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Great read, wasn't able to put it down.
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Reviewed by - Emily (Age 16) |
Book - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
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Even though this book is technically classified as "adult fiction" I absolutely loved it and I think other teens would as well. It made me feel completely satisfied when I finished reading it.
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Reviewed by - Emily (Age 16) |
Book - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
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A classic. I loved every page. The best book I have read all year
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Reviewed by - Emily (Age 16) |
Book - Maximum Ride- The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
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This is the first book in the Maximum Ride series and my personal favourite. It is a series about mutant bird kids and yes that may sound completely ridiculous but the fact is--THEY ARE AMAZING BOOKS. Anyone who likes Harry Potter or The Hunger Games or Twilight should definitely read these books.
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Reviewed by - Lindsay (Age 16) |
CD - Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice by HIM
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On February 9th 2010, goth metal band, HIM (abbreviation for His Infernal Majesty), released their seventh studio album, Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice. I bought it the day it came out (considering I am a huge fan). The first time I listened to it all the way through, I realized that HIM had definitely re-invented themselves, and for the better. When compared to their previous album, Venus Doom, it sounds about ten times lighter and has a lot more catches in the songs. After listening to it a second time, the songs really started to stick and I found myself remembering the lyrics. It is the kind of CD that just gets better the more you listen to it. The first track, 'In Venere Veritas' is one of the more darker songs and has the best chorus, by far. My favourite at the moment is 'Dying Song' which I think has the best rhythm and the best sounding guitar riffs. With provocative lyrics and catchy riffs, HIM has outdone themselves yet again. The difference with this CD comes with the obvious lighter feeling, but still has the romantic, melancholic lyrics Ville Valo (lead singer) always belts out. However, I believe this album shows off Valo's natural singing talent the best, out of all the HIM CDs. So, if you are into some love-and-death serenading rock, then I would definitely pick up HIM newest, Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice. Now I'm going to go listen to 'Ode to Solitude'...
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Reviewed by - Katherine (Age 15) |
Book - Marked by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
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Marked is the first in an on-going series of 'teenage-vampire' (or vampyre) books. It is full of action, drama and romance. The series is about 16 year old Zoey Redbird who is 'marked' (given a crescent moon on her forehead and made a vampire) After finding out about this, she goes to her friends and family who all shun her except her ex-boyfriend Heath. Realizing she was pretty much alone in this 'fight', she visits her grandmother to discuss this matter with her. At her grandmothers', she ends up falling and hitting her head due to an order of events. When she is in her "dream-state" she meets with the vampires' Goddess Nyx. When she wakes up she finds her mark filled. After meeting with her grandmother she learns that she HAS to go to a boarding-school called 'The House of Night'. There she learns about being a creature of the night and that even vampires have issues and are full of drama, just like humans. And that there is more to this vampire-filled school than what meets the eye.
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Reviewed by - Katherine (Age 14) |
Book - Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shan
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The 'Cirque Du Freak' is a series of 12 that is full of love, action, horror and humour. This major series recently hit the theatres in a horrible display of what the books were really about. The first book in the series tells how Darren Shan, an average teenage boy, becomes a Vampire due to the gruesome way of destiny. He learns to cope with his new powers by 'dying' to go off with Mr. Larten Crepsley, the man who turned him into a Vampire. Young Darren befriends many on the way, but soon learns that not everything is as pleasant as it seems.
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Reviewed by - Melyssa (Age 15) |
Book - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
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I thought it was an absolutely AMAZING book. As I read it, it was so easy to get thrown in and enthralled with the story and characters. It was very well put together and written. DEFINITELY recommend it. A good balance between action and hints of romance.
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Reviewed by - Andrea (Age 13) |
Book - Airhead by Meg Cabot
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This book was classified as a Sci-Fi but as a realistic fiction reader I found it completely in my area. It was about an everyday tomboy who died and got her brain transplanted into the body of a famous teen model. It made me think of how really realistic this could be, but also how controversial the operation is too, considering the owner of the brain didn't have a choice. This book is not for just anyone though. It made me feel a certain way that I've never felt before in a book, and if you don't feel it when you read the book, the book is just not qualified for you. :)
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Reviewed by - Amanda (Age 15) |
Book - The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks
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Ties into the Notebook. An amazing, sad novel :)
READ IT :) and you will love it. Nicholas Sparks is one of the BEST authors ever :D
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Reviewed by - Taneeka (Age 15) |
Book - Marked (House of Night Series #1) by P.C Cast and Kristin Cast
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I thought it was a very realistic book involving the average teenage dilemmas in life such as alcohol, drugs, sex, and relationships with parents, friends and boyfriends. It is about a 16-year-old girl who gets a crescent mark which means that she will attend the House of Night which is a high school for vampires. It's not like the other vampire books, it's very unique and that's why I love it!
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Reviewed by - Sarah-Ann (Age 19) |
Book - Mountain Girl, River Girl by Ye Ting-Xing
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An amazing story of true friendship as two girls fight for their ambitions to escape their current lives. Full of sadness and heartaches to joyful cries of happiness in the readers eyes. It was a motivating book that emphasized true friendship and finding your dreams.
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Reviewed by - RuiLin (Age 14) |
Book - Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer
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This is the latest book in the excellent Artemis Fowl series. I loved the original ideas, quirky characters and humourous writing from the series, and this book is no exception. It's a good read, but I strongly suggest you read the rest of the series in order before you attempt this one. The plot device in this book is about people traveling back and forth in time, and if you can figure out the paradox, I salute you! This is a great book, although I think the series gets a little less believable as it continues (not that the first was, but it's a fantasy, what do you expect?), and others in the series like Artemis Fowl (1st book), Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code, and Artemis Fowl: the Opal Deception, were better.
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Reviewed by - Bella |
Book - A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass
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This book is very good. It is very informative and very natural at the same time. The writing is very very good and the characters are very strong and real.
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Reviewed by - Hannah (Age 16) |
Book - My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
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I really loved this book. It was about a young Jewish boy with an amazing artistic gift. It was sad, thoughtful and beautiful. |
Reviewed by - Jordan (Age 16) |
Book - Atlantis Found by Clive Cussler
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This book and author are one of my favourite out there. It was an action packed, superbly written book that had me hanging on to the end! I would recommend it too any person who likes action books like Tom Clancy. |
Reviewed by - RuiLin (Age 14) |
Book - Project Sweet Life by Brent Hartinger
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This young adult novel chronicles a summer in the life of three friends, Dave, Curtis and Victor, who have been forced to find summer jobs. Wanting one last summer of sweet life, they decide to 'make the money, fake the job', but it's not as easy as it sounds! This is a great light-hearted read, with believable characters, less believable but funny events, and quite a few good laughs. Even though this book is in no way a life-changer, it does manage to touch on things like responsibility, friendship, loyalty, racism and identity, all in a humourous light. All in all, a fairly good read, especially when summer rolls around! |
Reviewed by - RuiLin (Age 14) |
Book - Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve
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This is the first book in a very interesting series set in the future. The ideas behind this story are really cool- it's a town-eat-town world where cities are mobile machines that hunt and eat smaller cities in a system called Municipal Darwinism. The characters and writing style are very good, as are the titles! Mortal Engines is the first book of the four-part series The Hungry City Chronicles, which includes Predator's Gold, Infernal Devices and A Darkling Plain. |
Reviewed by - RuiLin (Age 14) |
Book - The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
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This book is my favourite in the trilogy, which consists of The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia. This series is set in an interesting world with a mix of modern and ancient technology, in what appears to be ancient Greece or Rome but with several differences and their own set of gods. This book is seen from the viewpoint of a palace guard called Costis, but is really all about the revealing of the mysterious king Eugenides. The characters are superbly written, and subtle hints and dialogue give clues to their true identity and abilities. The writing style is very high-quality (lots of vocabulary), and there are so many plot twists! It is intelligent but also surprisingly funny at times. This novel is best read in sequence, so read The Thief and The Queen of Attolia first. |
Reviewed by - RuiLin (Age 14) |
Book - I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
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This wonderfully original book has to be my new favourite novel! Ed Kennedy is an underage cab driver with no prospects, monetary, educational, social or otherwise. His life is turned upside down when the first ace arrives in the mail, and Ed is sent on a neverending mission around town, helping and hurting others as the cards foretell. The author Markus Zusak has a fantastic way with words, making everyday vocabulary something special with his unique style, metaphors, personification and similies. This is a suspenseful, engaging, humourous, unique novel, and an extremely good read. I could not put it down! |
Reviewed by - RuiLin (Age 14) |
DVD - Slumdog Millionaire by Danny Boyle (Director), starring Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto
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After watching this movie sweep away eight Oscars at the Acadamy Awards, I decided to see for myself if it was worth all the hype. I was hooked straight from the beginning, and riveted until the very end. I have to admit I continued staring at the screen even after it was over! Slumdog Millionaire is a phenominal movie, with suspenseful, heartrending and several tearjerking scenes. The cinematography and the way the scenes played out was very visually dramatic, as were the costumes, lighting and landscape. Acting was very well done, and the music was also fitting. I don't know how true to Indian culture the movie actually was, but nevertheless it really opened my eyes to the countless differences between places of the world, and the strength of human character that brings them together. |
Reviewed by - Lisa (Age 18) |
Book - Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
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This book is a story of characters and how they grow together. It is beautifully written; it uses Spanish, Japanese and French words to relate to the utter beauty of certain things that they see. It's a short novel but a really good read. |
Reviewed by - Lisa (Age 18) |
Book - The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
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This book was honestly the most beautifully written book I've read in a long time. The narrative is told from a cynical perspective but the language he uses is so intricate and beautiful. The story of his suffering and how he overcomes his accident is simply amazing. You should definitely read this. |
Reviewed by - Danielle (Age 16) |
Book - Faking It by Jennifer Crusie
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So I am in love with this author and I decided to try and see if the last book I read by her was AMAZING. Well this one lived up to its expectation it was such a good book. Jennifer plays her characters off one another. She has this family who is from the dumps and the broken family co-mingle with these rich and well built families. Later to find out that the broken family is the most sane and proves that no matter who you are or what you have done, or where you come from you can and will always be loved. The reader learns much about art and how you can tell forgeries and fakes from each other. Overall this book is a good read if you are looking to just sit down with a hot tea and warm cozy blanket ona Sunday afternoon. This book is made to make you feel better about your family and that you are not the only ones like that. |
Reviewed by - Gabriel (Age 13) |
Book - Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
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I really liked it. It’s a book about a book. This book has characters that come out of the book in the book ooooooh! When they read aloud magical things happen. Look it up! |
Reviewed by - Danielle (Age 16) |
Book - Dancing in Red Shoes Can Kill You by Dorian Cirrone
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I thought it was a very good book. It gave the reader a look into the life of a girl cursed with unsightly large breasts who wants to get rid of them so she can dance. It was also very good because it gave the reader the message that they could do anything that they put their minds to. Overall it was a very good book and I recommend it to any female teen who is looking to laugh and cry about the hardships any teen would face in their awkward years in high school and junior high. |
Reviewed by - Danielle (Age 16) |
Book - If We Kiss by Rachel Vail
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It was such a funny book. It was an OMG kind of book that makes you think about your first kiss. |
Reviewed by - Katrina (Age 14) |
Book -The Devouring by Simon Holt
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This is an amazing book. It is an amazingly well written horror story about fear and the "vours" that thrive on it. It is about Reggie a 15 year old girl who love horror movies and books until she find a strange one at the old bookstore where she works that tells of the "vours" beings that take over peoples bodies on the eve of the winter solstice and put their souls in a world of all their worst nightmares. This poem is in the book:
When dark creeps in and eats the light,
Bury your fears on sorry night,
For in the winters blackest hours,
Comes the feasting of the Vours,
No one can see it, the lives they stole, your body's here but not your soul,
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Reviewed by - Jessica (Age 15) |
Book - Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt
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It was a great book. It made me smile every once in awhile.
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Reviewed by - Allison |
Book -Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
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I thought it was one of the best books I've ever read.
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Reviewed by - Melyssa (Age 15) |
Book - Wicked Dead: Snared by Stefan Petrucha & Thomas Pendleton
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I absolutely loved this story. It had the right amount of suspense, horror and twist that made it a good read.
I super recommend it .
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Reviewed by - Charlotte (Age 15) |
CD - No Really, I'm Fine by The Spill Canvas
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I LOVED it! This band doesn't get enough credit. Give them a try they are AMAZING! |
Reviewed by - Morgan (Age 15) |
CD - The Baroness by Sarah Slean
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I have recently listen to Sarah Slean's newest CD The Baroness. What I like about this CD is that the lyrics tell stories and how Sarah Slean sings it so well. The music is lovely. Sarah is a Canadian singer and I think it is one of her best CDS. My favorite song on this CD is "Get Home". |
Reviewed by - Morgan (Age 15) |
DVD - Muriels wedding
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Do you want a movie that is sad, funny and set in the place of Sydney Australia?
Then may I suggest Muriel's wedding starring Toni Collette (Little Miss Sunshine and in her shoes) It tells the story of Muriel who is an ugly and according to her father, worthless. The movie starts off when Muriel is at her friends wedding and a lady finds that she stole a leopard print dress. Muriel hides her fears and worries by listening to ABBA's music. When her friends announce that the brides husband cheated on her they go on a trip. They all hate Muriel but Muriel decides to take an empty cheque from her mom for a make-up store. Muriel ends up meeting with her old high school friend Rhonda who soon gets sick. Muriel goes off to New York and works at a movie rentals store and soon meets a guy. Then the mother and father of Muriel notice that they are missing a ton of money. So Muriel has to find out how to get back all that money she took. Once she walked by a wedding store, she lies to the clerk and gets pictures of her self in wedding dresses. Her friend Rhonda finds out and is not happy. So does she get back her parents money? Or to find out who Muriel marries and ends up with...watch this movie.
I give this movie 4/5 stars
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Reviewed by - Sarah (Age 15) |
Book - Second Glance by Jodie Picoult check the catalogue |
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This book sits under the pretence of fantasy but is really about the relationships of the main characters (of which there seems to be many in the first few chapters, until you start remembering who is who). This book explores the truth and horror of eugenics (it had me shocked!) as well as a mezmorizing tale of love and second chances. Picoult mixes chilling fact and compelling fiction to make a truly wonderful read. |
Reviewed by - Kris (Age 18) |
Book - Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
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There is a distinct hint of Armageddon in the air. According to "The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch" (recorded, thankfully, in 1655, "before" she blew up her entire village and all its inhabitants, who had gathered to watch her burn), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, the Four Bikers of the Apocalypse are revving up their mighty hogs and hitting the road, and the world's last two remaining witch-finders are getting ready to fight the good fight, armed with awkwardly antiquated instructions and stick pins. Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring... Right. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan.
Except that a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon -- each of whom has lived among Earth's mortals for many millennia and has grown rather fond of the lifestyle -- are not particularly looking forward to the coming Rapture. If Crowley and Aziraphale are going to stop it from happening, they've got to find and kill the Antichrist (which is a shame, as he's a really nice kid). There's just one glitch: someone seems to have misplaced him...
What did I think of it? I absolutely LOVED it. The copious amounts of humour, the use of footnotes, and the unexpected (yet expected) turn of events made this book incredibly difficult to put down. Not to mention, had me laughing throughout. A great read if you're looking for something that'll have you laughing out loud and "won't make you think". |
Reviewed by - Sarah-Ann (Age 18) |
Book - Stranger with my face by Lois Duncan
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A wonderful book that holds you from start to finish! Using suspense as a major element it gives the story what it needs to draw you closer into reading further into the book. I think if you haven't read a Lois Duncan, you definitely need to. Her books truly do take you to other places of excitement and wonder! The story starts as Laurie thinks she is being spied on and is then dropped by several friends as a result of things they say she was seen doing but which she does not recall.
She lives on Brighton Island (an island just off the American mainland) and has recently bagged a gorgeous boyfriend (and instant popular status as a result of who the boyfriend is). But after she is unable to attend the party-of-the-year due to a vicious 24 hour bug, she finds her new friends accusing her of cheating on Gordon - they saw her on the beach with another guy.
Over a short period of time, Laurie begins to become aware of another presence in her life. There is another girl who looks like her, who speaks to her, who tells her that she and Laurie are two sides of the same coin. Her name is Lia, and it seems that she is the identical twin sister Laurie never knew she had. Lia is astrally projecting herself from an unknown location - and she wants Laurie to learn how to do it too. I literally could not put the book down until I finished it, I just needed to know what happened and why!
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Reviewed by - Geoff (Age 17) |
Book - The Pilgrims of Rayne - Pendragon Series by D.J. MacHale
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I read the previous books in the series and enjoyed them, so I was interested in reading this one to find out what happens. I enjoyed it too. I am looking forward to reading the next one. I already have my name on the hold list for it at the library. |
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