Ghosts of War

Ghosts of War

By: Ryan Smithson

Summer Reading 2011 (SR2011)

Ghosts of War is the true story of Ryan Smithson, the story of his beginning, his basic training, his year in Irag, and his life in America after his return. It tells the story of why he went to Iraq, why he felt he was needed there. I believe the quote on the front cover, and in the book, sums it up; "If I don't do something, who will?"

I read this book for two reasons: one, to review it for the blog, and two, because I wanted to see if this true telling of war, and death, could faze myself from joining the military. It has only confirmed what I want to do. This story was gruesome, overwhelming, and heartbreaking, yet inspiring, and informative all at the same time. If you want to join the military, I recommend you read this book, it will test you on whether or not you belong there.

Rating: 5/5

Violence: PG-13, for a story about a war zone, it's surprisingly not very violent

Sexual Content: PG, nothing except kisses

Languuage: R, every word is said that I know of

~Katie

Shiver

Shiver

By: Maggie Stiefvater

Summer Reading (SR2011)

When Grace was young, she was kidnapped by wolves, because they were short on food, and wanted to eat her. But there was one wolf that didn't want to eat her, the wolf was black, with mysterious golden eyes. Grace was rescued, but since then she's been obsessed by wolves.

Sam is a mysterious person, he lives two different lives, one as a wolf with gold eyes, the other as a human with the same eyes. He's been obsessed with Grace ever since he saved her all those years ago. Grace and Sam finally meet, and Grace knows its her special wolf. But Sam is a werewolf, and he must fight to prevent his final transformation into permanent wolf.

I loved this book because its was very mysterious and suspensfull. This book is awsome if you enjoy going to a different world and becoming part of it. This is book is worth staying up all night to finish it just to see what happens to Grace and Sam!

Rating: 5/5

Violence: PG-13

Sexual Content: PG-13

Language: PG

This review was sent to me by Katie Fee

Warriors Don't Cry

Warriors Don't Cry

By: Melba Patillo Beals

Summer Reading 2011 (SR2011)

Warriors Don't Cry, is the story of 9 African-American students trying to integrate Central High School of Little Rock, Arkansas. The author, Melba Patillo Beals, is one of the nine, and the story is told from her point of view.

Integration talks begin when Melba is twelve-years-old, and Melba, along with sixteen other kids volunteer to be the first African-American students to step foot in Central High School. The first day, September 3, 1957, they are met by a mob, and the Arkansas National Guard, sent by the governor to prevent the African-American students from entering the building. They are forced to return home, and remain there until September 23, 1957, when they finally are able to enter the school, with help from the 101st Airborne Division. But despite the fact that each student had their own "bodyguard", torments from the white kids rained on. The guards are eventually removed, and Melba and the other students are forced to endure on their own. Lives are threatened, and Melba can't hang out with any of her friends from her old school, because they are afraid she will get them killed. The hardships pull Melba to the brink of giving up, but with the help of her grandmother's encouragement, her family and some friends, Melba survives, and finishes the year out.

This book was very enlightening, inspiring, and it opened my eyes to how cruel people were back then. I can't think of any other words to describe this book, I mean it was sad, that the nine African-Americans had to deal with such cruelty just because they wanted to go to a good school. But it was awesome, and truly inspiring how they had the courage to stand the beatings, and the torments the whole year.

Rating: 5/5

Violence: PG-13, its cruel, but not overly graphic

Sexual Content: PG-13 or R?? Not sure really, there's talk of rape, the mom is sexually harassed, and other things, but nothing worse than what was mentioned above

Language: PG-13 I'm gonna say, though I don't quite remember

~Katie

The Amulet of Samarkand

The Bartimaeus Trilogy

Book One: The Amulet of Samarkand

By: Jonathan Stroud

Summer Reading 2011 (SR2011)

The Amulet of Samarkand, is about a boy named Nathaniel, an 11-year-old apprentice to a magician named Arthur Underwood. Nathaniel was bought from his parents, at the age of five, and commanded to forget everything from his old life, including his birth name. He spent his years learning the ways of magic, learning summoning demons, and learning how to avoid their tricks. Never did he actually summon one, and he never had the desire to, until he meets Mr. Lovelace, magician extraordinaire, and is humiliated by him in front of his master, and other magicians. That day, he stepped up his training, learning on his own, with revenge his whole goal in this. But mastering the spell to call up one of the greatest demons of all time, Bartimaeus, and dealing with the demon, are two totally different thing entirely. One question is in your mind the whole book, can Nathaniel and Bartimaeus survive an adventure, without killing one another?

This book was amazing! I definitely could not put it down. I had it with me in the car, outside, and inside until I finished it. Its a page turner without a doubt! Set in modern day London, and it gives you Nathaniel, and Bartimaeus' point of views. It also has footnotes from Bartimaeus, explaining what is happening, and giving you insight as to what a certain magical object is.

Rating: 4.75/5

Violence: PG-13, there's talking from Bartimaeus on how he'd kill certain people, and fights

Romance: G, none really

Language: PG, none that I remember

~Katie