Word Out 2011

Blog down your fines posts! See what other teens are reading.

Earn $2 in library bucks towards your fines when you share your favourite reads.

Gabriel reviewed Girls in Pants: the Third Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares

I am a guy. The book I have just read and fallen in love with is to be read by girls, to be read by guys in public who want their social life to be utterly destroyed, and to be read by a guy in private as a guilty pleasure (that's me!). Welcome to my guilty pleasure.
First and foremost, this book was fantastic. The language was thick and rich, deep, detailed, and penetrating. I couldn't put it down, and so I read its 338 pages in less than a week. Ann did a really good job on describing the characters' pains and joys; her intricate detailing allowed me to jump into the book and see/feel/hear/smell/taste what the characters were experiencing. I could taste Carmen's salty corn nuts, feel the fresh (also salty) beach waves, feel Valia's longing to return to her home in Greece where she's lived her entire life, and Tibby's guilt for almost (accidentally) killing her little sister (who doesn't seem to care that she almost died). This book is funny, emotional, original, curious, and real. I would recommend this book to any teen (unless you're too cool for girly books, then you're annoying and typical), since it's a coming-of-age story.

READ IT.

Maleeha reviewed April Raintree by Beatrice Mosionier

This book probably has about less than 200 pages so it is really quickly to read. This story is about April Raintree, the protagonist, and her sister Cheryl Raintree. At a young age, the two sisters, half-Metis and half-white, were forcibly separated from their paren'ts by authority because their paren'ts had drinking problems. Therefore, these two girls had to live with foster families. Later on, the sisters also become separated and April Raintree's foster mother, Mrs.DeRosier, abuses her and insults her native culture. As the book goes, Cheryl lives a nice life and she becomes really proud of her native heritage, whereas April becomes ashamed of her identity as a native and would prefer being of white race. At school April's foster siblings bully her and the majority of the people insult her. On the other hand, Cheryl keeps on sending April essays she wrote about the struggles of natives and how proud she should be of her heritage but April refuses to read the essays.

When the April and Cheryl grow older, Cheryl stops sending April letters which causes the sisters to drift apart. Then one day, April receives a call from the hospital that Cheryl is injured. When April goes to meet Cheryl, Cheryl tells April that she had been in a dispute with her room-mate. Cheryl asks April to bring her luggage from her apartment  and when April arrives to Cheryl's old apartment to take Cheryl's luggage, she is raped on the way. At court the man's, who raped April, sister said that Cheryl was a prostitute and that her brother was trying to scare her so that she would not steal her clients. April was shocked to hear such a thing  and so she stopped talking to Cheryl. Weeks pass by and then one day Cheryl commits suicide. One of Cheryl's closest friends tells April that Cheryl also had a baby, who she took care of. Also, the day that Cheryl died, April received a letter in the mail from Cheryl. The letter basically concluded that April shouldn't be ashamed to be a half-breed. The theme of this book is 'Searching for one's identity.' It is a great book!

Cynthia reviewed Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston

In June, I recieved a book called "Once Every Never" by Lesley Livingston, and I read it in June.  The author is simply amazing, and not just because she lives in my hometown, Toronto!!  But her writing brings a sort of life to the characters, although sort of um…..unrealistic nature, it does spark alot in the mind of me, myself. The book brings new tips to those writers, like me, who need a hint of inspiration.  Although, the concept of the book is not what usually sparks people, but the way that Lesley Livingston writes, using the voive of the book, is simply amazingly clear.  Once Every Never follows the storyline of the character Clarinet Reid, who bumps into alot of trouble, can "shimmer" from places, and finds lost artifacts, while making a boyfriend or two. I disliked the story, because it showed a bit of insecurity. Although sometimes, that is okay, it makes the story feel like it was half-baked. I barely got the point of the novel, because it just rambled on and on, and totally lost me. The characters were inconsistant, and I think is was just for the sake of a lazy read. But totally recommended, so try it out. You never know it this could suit your tastes.  Although this book was a big disappointment, try Lesley's other books including Wonderous Strange, and Darklight.  Apparen'tly, you can learn alot by examining mistakes and likes!

Tarindi reviewed Not Suitable for Family Viewing by Vicki Grant

If you're life were a movie would you even get a speaking part? Robin is filthy rich. She has enough money to make even her wildest dreams come true. And yet Robin chooses to sit in her room and watch endless reruns of her mom's television talk show. Then one day she finds a photo and a ring that sends her on an amazing quest to find out the truth about her mom's past. Vicki Grant's "Not suitable for family viewing"  truly surprised me. The book was a perfect example of the old saying never judge a book by its cover.

At first, the book seemed as if it was going to be another corny Hollywood drama about the unnaturally pretty teenage daughter of a rich celebrity, and her equally rich best friends gushing over a guy who couldn't seem to keep his shirt on. But as it turned out I was completely wrong. Vicki Grant took the classic, sappy, Hollywood romance and turned it into a modern, unique page turner. All despite a rather cliched beginning where girl meets boy and there's instant bitterness before they realize how much they have in common, Vicki Grant's tale of love was completely unexpected and fresh.

I really loved the characters of this book. The main character, Robin Schwartz, started off in the book as the perfect spoiled brat. She was rude to everyone and acted as if the world revolved around her:

Anita: Robin, be a good girl. Go get the door, would you? Robin: ̃Me go get it? You're hired help. You go get it! (Anita, Robin, page 7) 

But as the book continued, she traveled to Port Minton, and she became a wonderful, generous girl that everyone loved.

    Then there's Levi. He's the type of guy that you can't help falling in love with. He is helpful, caring and not to mention extremely handsome. Another one of his great qualities is that he has a great sense of humor:

̃Levi: You know you have a very small waist.  Robin: ̃You mean compared to everything else? Levi: ̃Yeah. Robin: ̃Gee thanks. Levi: ̃That's good! Small waist. Big|other things….  (Robin, Levi, page 131)

Vicki Grant made the characters very œreal and easy to relate to. This made the book, so much better.
What I came to realize as the book went on, was that, sometimes people act a certain way to cover up the fact that they are insecure, and unsure about themselves. This was Robin's plight. She was very self conscious about her weight. Like most adolescent girls, she thought that she had to be skinny for people to like her. She dealt with her insecurity by being rude to society, thereby making herself feel superior:
 
"She starts rubbing my nose with her feather duster and singing that stupid song she made up when I was little. Anita: Birdie, Birdie, fly away.  I want to rise above all this-make her look like the childish one-but I can't. Robin: Why. Are. You. Bugging me?! Anita: ̃Because you always bug the ones you love. Robin: ̃Very funny. My bottom teeth are jutting out and my nostrils are huge. I know how ugly I look. Robin: Why don't you just do your job and leave me alone. (Anita, Robin, page 6) 

Insecurity is a big issue for people in all parts of the world. Some people deal with their problem by acting in a manner similar to Robin. Others who are willing to take more extreme steps to be skinny, start harming themselves. They stop eating certain foods and start taking diet pills and eventually develop eating disorders. About 70 million people around the world have eating disorders. Like Robin, we must start accepting ourselves for who we are, and realize that we are all beautiful.       

The story was a great read and I would recommend it to people of all ages. Firstly, it reminds us to be ourselves because true beauty lies on the inside, and the only way to show it is to accept yourself and your culture. Secondly, it teaches us that finding ones true human context is much more important than finding ones place in the eyes of others. Most importantly though it does not confine its morals to a certain gender, race or clique, it highlights the point that magnificence can be found in everyone. This book is certainly, suitable for family viewing

Gwyneth reviewed Divergent by Veronica Roth

This book is the first YA book I have read in a while (since Hunger Games most likely) that didn't make me want to stick my fingers deep inside my throat until putrid yellow bile came spurting out. Most YA books try to keep things so tame that they literally bore me to tears. I am so sick of the build up, the love triangles, and the resulting nothing ending that leaves almost everything unresolved because the writers have to drag everything out into at least a trilogy nowadays. It's sickening. I've mentioned before my hatred for the cliffhanger ending and the being held hostage by the author…Roth doesn't do this to us.

Granted, from what I have learned, there will be at least two other books in the Divergent series. But that's not the important part. The important part is that there doesn't have to be. If this was a stand alone book I would be 100% happy. It solved the issues that needed to be solved and it concluded. The end. I see where it can go if it wants to (which it obviously does) but it doesn't have to. And that is the major point. Most books skip so much of the story because they know they have to leave something for that next book, and to be honest, it makes the books dull and empty. Divergent is full of story, character, action, everything. Nothing is lacking.

One of my favourite parts of Divergent is the characters. Not just the main characters, all the characters. I am so tired of the "cardboard" characters in these YA books. I rarely can connect with them. They just don't seem real. They don't make real people decisions, and they often lack emotion.

Veronica Roth has created fabulous characters. The main character is not just the typical strong female teen we get in most YA books these days. She has actual flaws. She makes both good and bad decisions, decisions that I could see myself making given the circumstances involved.

The minor characters are real. They are not just there to fill a spot in the story. They have strong personalities and stand out on their own in the story. Most times when I am reading a book and the main character mentions another character I tend to have to think very hard about who it is again they are talking to. Not with Divergent. I immediately know which character is in every scene.

I just can't say enough good things about this book and I don't want to keep rambling on so I'll end it here…fabulous book…read it now.

My rating?

5 stupendous scribble spiders out of 5!