In a story of true desolation and desperation, Stolen is extremely difficult to put down. Gemma, a teenage girl, has been watched for a long time. It is finally on her family vacation that her world is swept out from under her. She is stolen, kidnapped from her family and taken far away. Gemma’s new life is sandy, hot, and completely isolated. Her delusional captor expects Gemma to love him. She must not surrender to his kindness, or to the beauty of the land around her, no matter how hopeless her situation. This book educates on stranger-danger, and captivates the reader while doing so. Stolen is a novel I will never forget.
Tag: Books
Crystal Keepers (Five Kingdoms) by Brandon Mull
Guest Book Review
Crystal Keepers is an exciting, action packed book that reels you in entirely. Cole Randolph is an 11-year-old boy, who is trapped in the outskirts; a parallel universe of sorts. He, and his companions, travel to Zeropolis, the third kingdom of the five. Here he is looking for Constance, one of the lost princesses. And his enslaved friends. He’s running as an fugitive, and goes undercover. In this technologically advanced city, he faces many challenges. It was fun and exciting, it constantly keeps you engaged. Read this book!
~ Abigail B., age 16
Diary of a Fat Girl by Moira Mugweni
Guest Book Review
The perfect coming of age book, Diary of a Fat Girl by Moira Mugweni is an engaging book about a girl named Bernadette Rivers, or Bernie as she likes to be called. It’s her last summer before she heads off to her dream college, and she decides that she wants to be a new person. To Bernie, there’s no better way to do that than by changing her appearance. Bernie considers herself overweight, so she decides to work out and lose some weight before college begins. Her new trainer and former classmate, Warren Gray, attempts to help her achieve her fitness goal, but a few complications occur along her fitness journey. Will she succeed and meet her long desired goal, or will she give up and decide that none of this is worth her time? In order to figure that out, you’ll have to read the book yourself. I highly suggest you do, because once you read it, you won’t want it to end. I recommend this book for mature people who love romance and drama.
~ Talia W., age 14
Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs by Henry Carroll
GUEST BOOK REVIEW
So I got this book while strolling through an Urban Outfitters with my sister. I saw it and thought “It’s only 10 dollars, why not?” and decided to buy it. After reading and reading, I came to the conclusion that this book is pretty rad. The title just came to me as bait. Read This if You Want To Take Great Photographs is a book that does just that. But what separates it from the crowd is that the author, Henry Carroll, isn’t a tech nerd, and because of this, he talks to you not like a computer, but as a person. Carroll writes in an intimate tone, and covers mechanics of a camera throughly. He discusses camera functions so that anyone can understand. But if I had one complaint, it would probably be that you only hear about some things (like a function or lens) once and never again, forcing you to travel back looking for the page when you need a refresher. In the end, Read This if You Want To Take Great Photographs is an easy to understand, innovative take at a classic picture taking manual.
~ Raka W., age 14
Note: This book does contain some material that may be best for older readers.
The Giver by Lois Lowry
GUEST BOOK REVIEW
The Giver by Lois Lowry is unlike any piece I’ve read before. Jonas is a boy living in a unique community. It appears to be utopia until he learns its secrets. When children in the community turn twelve, they enter adulthood. Then, they receive an assignment that they will upkeep until they enter the “House of the Old”. Jonas is given the rarest assignment of all. With this assignment, he then learns about the pain of the outside world, and some of the things that are happening in the community that no one knows about. When he discovers that Gabriel, an infant who has been living with his family, is doomed because he doesn’t fit into the utopian community, Jonas decides to leave the community and take Gabriel with him. This is a very good, classic book that everyone should read at least once in their lifetime.
~ Asha M., age 14
Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
It was 
the quip on the front cover of this book that reeled me in while I scoured for new books at our local library. “GO BIG OR GO HOME,” it boasted. Murphy combines quick wit and a cheeky sense of humor in Dumplin’ and the result was both raw and real. Texas-girl Willowdean Dickson is a strong believer that anyone can rock a bikini, no matter her size or shape. When Willowdean falls for her coworker, and he seems to like her back, her self-esteem on her own body image starts to waver. To regain her crown of confidence, she enters the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet beauty pageant, something she swore she’d never do. In a stand for all the dumplins’ and misfits in her small Texas town, Willowdean and a team of other improbable contestants brazenly enter the pageant and march towards the highly treasured winner’s sash. Dumplin’ is not for the faint of heart, and appeals to a high school-level reader. Bold and brilliant, this book is sure to win you over.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Claudia Kincaid craved adventure, something out-of-the-blue to dishevel her normalcy. Of course, she wanted a comfortable adventure, with class and preferably money. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City was perfect. Thus, it was only right to carefully handpick Jamie, the second youngest of her three younger brothers, the rich sibling, to accompany her. Running away wealthy was the best idea to Claudia, or so she thought. When she and her brother sneak away to the museum, they have no idea what awaits them… an intriguing mystery that is hundreds of years old. This book is one of my ultimate favorites. It is a whimsical, thoughtfully written novel for all ages and genders. Who wouldn’t want to read about what it’s like to temporarily live in a large and famous museum?
Conversion by Katherine Howe
At St. Joan’s school for girls, life has always been simplistic. Boring, even. And with college admissions being sent and received every other day, it’s a stressful environment. Suddenly, though, everything changes when the most popular girl in the school abruptly breaks out in an inconsolable fit of strange tics. Then, her best friend loses all of her hair, and another girl seems to be completely unable to walk. Soon enough, the strange, eerie epidemic is spreading around school, and Colleen Rowley, a smart student with an extra credit assignment that hints at the truth, knows exactly where she is. Salem Village, Massachusetts.
A Dog’s Life by Ann M. Martin
Squirrel was born into a world where she was taught to fear humans, embrace smelly, mouthwatering garbage, and essentially, to survive. Over the years, each of these initial beliefs morphed, as she lived the experiences of the many types of dogs. The abused dog. The lonely dog. The loved dog. Follow Squirrel’s journey as she sniffs her way along the path of survival. This book is a true keeper for all ages and all dog lovers, who yearn a book simply about a dog’s life. Enjoy!
45 Pounds (More or Less) by Kelly Barson
Sixteen-year-old Ann Galardi has always had a little extra weight on her body. She is terribly self-conscious, especially in front of her body-shaming mother, who can only be described as a “chubby stick fish”, or so Ann seems to believe. When her aunt announces her wedding date, Ann declares to herself that it’s time to lose weight. And not just a few pounds… but 45 pounds. She dedicates herself to a strict, rigorous diet that induces food cravings so bad, she nearly gives up. Ann learns to survive in a world that judges almost everything, and that it’s the most satisfying feeling to accept yourself, and others, despite appearances.
BookBirdz 