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.

Jenny reviewed The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I read the book The Great Gatsby, by Scott Frizgerald during the time while I was at the libary. The first few chapters were confusing. Not much was happening, no characters were introduced, for a while, I had no idea what was happening in the story. Then as the story progressed, I got to meet other characters through the third person narrator, Nick Carraway. Although Nick is the narrator, our main character is the mysterious Jay Gatsby, an extremely wealthy bachelor with a mysterious background. Behind Gatsby's enormous fortune is a sweet secret… Years ago, young Gatsby was a man with no background. But he fell in love with the beautiful and wealthy Daisy. Her family did not approve of him, instead, they choose Tom Buchanan, a rich but rude and selfish man instead. Gatsby has dedicated himself to winning Daisy back even since. Many surprises happen along the way, and as I read more about Gatsby, the more I start to understand why he is considered 'great'. THis was a wonderful and insightful read, I recommanded to anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the flamboyant 1920s in the United States.

Sabryna reviewed Princess in Training by Meg Cabot

I love, love, love Meg Cabot. Her writing is so funny and good. In this book Mia has just arrived back in New York just in time for school, where she is starting starting grade 10. At home Mia is getting used to her new sibling Rocky who is 2 months old. Mia's year starts with a suprise when her best friend Lily nominates her for student body president. Lana (the popular girl) tells Mia about things to do or her boyfriend will dump her (Mia's boyfriend is in College). This book is filled with hilarious ups and downs involving her grandmother and lily,they have seemed to have formed a friendship and secret plan behind Mia's back so she'll be garen'teed to win. This is one on the books in the series. The background of these stories is that  Mia's father is the prince of Genovia and Mia will one day be ruler. After school Mia takes princess lessons with her grandmother at the plaza. Also her mother has married Mia's math teacher. I give this book 4.5/5.

Sara reviewed Avian Flu by Tamra Orr

I love to read medical books and this is one that stands out. Avian flu is a flu that humans get sometimes when they have contact with an effected bird. This could results in deaths. This book stood out more because it is one of the current deseases that scientist are worried about. Thay are worried that it will turn into a pademic (a world wide desease that kills many people). However, in the book they explain not to worry about it. They assure us by telling tales of other pademics that occured. For example, they pointed out that the U.S. spent so billions of dollars injecting vaccine into patients to prevent the swine flu. The swine flu never turned into a pademic (thankfully) and the vaccine even had a side effect. It caused hundreds of people to develop Guillain-Barre syndrome. This syndrom results in muscular weekness. This book also enlights that it's not easy to be effected with Avian flu. There so much more information I can give, but you're going to have to read the book and find out yourself!

Sabryna reviewed Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison

I was told by so many people to read this book. I wasn't sure how good it would be so I delayed reading it. Then I needed a book to read. I have to admit this book was really funny. I'm still not exactly sure what the book is about. But the main plot include Georgia having a crush on a boy and how their relationship changes, her dad moves to new zeland to try to find a new life for the family and all the troubles her cat Angus gets into (he is the size of a small Labrador). This was a really easy read and is 247 pages. In the back is a glossary of British words because there are a lot in the book. The only change I would make to the book would be to the ending. I found that it ended really quickly. There are 7 books in the series and this is book 1. I give this book 3/5.

Clarissa reviewed The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

I'm actually not a fan of Twilight series, but I found this book has a really good and interesting story. Well, for people who already watch or read Eclipse, know a glimpse about Bree. Stephenie Meyer try to explore more about the life of the newborn vampire. Bree Tanner is a newborn vampire that was created by "She", a vampire who try to create an army to fight the Cullen. Since she become a vampire, she never know her past life, she never know what are family like. In the place, where are the new vampire stayed with Riley, they are just jealousy, and fight. Within her life as a vampire, Bree finds friendship, and a secret that a newborn wasn't suppose to know. As we know that on Twilight, the vampire can't just because of a sun, but they become sparkle and shiny. But all the newborn vampire, like Bree, they never know that, and their leader, Riley, always warn them that they will die and become a dust when they are outside in the sun. One Day, Bree and her best friend, Diego, found out the truth about all of those thing. When Bree discover the truth, she already asked Diego to run away with her from Riley, because she know that this gonna be a bad things to fights the Cullen and to reveal the truth. I don't want to reveal the ending, so you guys should read it. In summary, through her short life, Bree finds what are family like(the first time she met the Cullen), true friendship, and adventure. I really like this side story from Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer, and I hope you guys will enjoyed it too 🙂

Daisy reviewed Mindscan by Robert Sawyer

Mindscan, by Robert Sawyer, is a science fiction set in the near future and concerns two people who are the same person. Jake Sullivan is a middle aged man who suffers, like his late father, from Katerinsky's syndrome, an incurable condition, and lives with the threat of death. He is offered a way out by Immortex, which promises eternal life in the form of an android uploaded with his mind. Jake takes this chance without hesitation but after he goes through the procedure, he realizes it was not what he expected it to be. Instead of his consciousness transferring to the android, he remains inside his own body. He is told that his android form will take over his life for him, while he must retire to the far side of the moon, his rights as a person relinquished in favour for his android form. While android Jake and his new android girlfriend Karen Bessarian fight for their rights as a person in court, human Jake discovers that, while on the moon, a cure for his condition has been found and he is determined to restore his personhood now that he can live without fear of death. Thus the two Jakes struggle for their own identity and turns to metaphysical philosophy, in which there is no right answer. This book contains a lot of philosophical undertones and is informative for people who aren't familar with it or terribly exciting for people who are.

Gail reviewed Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall is about a, shall we say, "reform" school for Prodigiums.  Prodigiums are paranormal beings and once they do something really bad that they threaten the safety of all paranormal beings by letting people know that there are witches, werewolves, fey etc., then they are sent to Hecate, short form Hex Hall.  Sophie Mercer is a new witch who does a love spell that went terribly wrong and is sent to live here. In her first week, she already made best friends with the school outcast, is hated by the three most popular girls in school, has a crush with the hottest warlock at school and has celler duty…for the entire term.  What more can go wrong? Well, Sophie's going to be in for more trouble because when a mysterious predator comes and kills people the way vampires bite them, all suspicions are on Sophie's best friend, Jenna, the only vampire in the school. What is Sophie going to do when she herself is already so complicated with her own life?
First of all, i will admit that i was very disappointed with this book.  I've read many good reviews and finally decided to give this story a try.  Well it wasn't exactly what i expected.  The plot line was pretty good but most of the character development was predictable. Of course, Sophie, the main character, would fall in love with the pretty boy.  I also think they introduced him WAY too soon.  It's always best, in my opinion, to leave the readers guessing at who the love interest is going to be, in this case, nope.  We meet him in the first chapter in which they share a not so nice conversation and Sophie starts to chant prayers of not having a crush on him.  See where i'm going?  I also found that although the main focus is on the evil group, "The Eye", that is trying to kill every Prodigium, the story sort of took another route instead.   The Eye becomes secondary, instead we find the true villian of this book to be not The Eye but someone much closer.  Some parts of the plot was also very predictable.  I feel Hawkins foreshadows too much and gives away means details that would be best be hidden until the surprise at the end.  There were many constant surprises in the book and i do appreciate them.  Lastly, the cover of this series is horrible.   I thought that this book was about the fact that Sophie was some super reincarnated witch that lay dorment in her, which is why there is a reflection in the water.  Well i was somewhat right…not really.  The cover has no revelance and it's not really pretty.  Overall, would i read this book again, probably not.  Will i read the sequel? Yes, because it's sitting in my pile of books to read and i really hate starting a series and not trying to finish it. Give it a try and see for yourself.  Perhaps you will like it!  Enjoy!