Out Of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

       This is an amazing book! The main character is a really smart eleven year-old named Melody.  She can remember everything she's heard, and she learns fast.  The only problem is that no one knows this about her because she can't talk, walk, or even write.  Melody has cerebral palsy, and so she has to spend her whole day with the other disabled kids doing basically nothing.  Then, something happens that helps her better communicate with the people around her.  But most everyone isn't wiling to accept her for who she really is.

      I loved how Out of My Mind was never predictable.  The most surprising things happen near the end, and I really wish there was more.  I think that anyone over the age of nine will enjoy this amazing book, and it will really help you to appreciate the things that you have.  I rate this book five out of five stars.

✿ Rosalind ✿

Every Soul A Star

                             View the cover here

     This book is about three kids, all of whom are about thirteen years old.  Ally (short for Alpha, the brightest star in any constellation) lives at the Moon Shadow Campground, which her family runs.  She is homeschooled and loves nature, but is very clueless about life in “civilization.”  Bree is the one of the most popular girls in her class, and she works hard to keep it that way.  Bree wants to be a model when she gets older.  Finally, there’s Jack, who is a quiet loner who loves drawing aliens and spaceships.  He is slightly chubby and insecure about this.  One day, Ally learns something that will change her world forever.  Bree’s family is coming to take over the Moon Shadow, and Ally’s family is moving to the city.  Both girls are really upset about this.  Then Jack finds out that if he joins his science teacher on a trip to see the eclipse at Ally’s family’s campground, he won’t have to go to summer school.  When all three kids meet, they make a plan to get Ally and Bree’s homes back, learn many life lessons, and maybe even become unlikely friends. Wendy Mass is definitely one of my favorite authors, and I would recommend this amazing book to everyone.  I rate it five out of five stars (how fitting). :)

                                                        ✩  Rosalind  ✩

Ten By Gretchen McNeil

     Wow.  I just finished Ten by Gretchen McNeil, and I am literally shaking from how amazing, exciting, and terrifying it was.  It's one of those books that you just can't stop reading!
 
     Basically, ten teenagers (Meg, Minnie, T.J., Gunner, Kumiko, Lori, Vivian, Ben, Nathan, and Kenny) are invited to an exclusive party at a popular girl's house over President's Day weekend.  She lives on an isolated island in a beautiful house made of white stone.  The kids find a DVD labeled Do Not Watch, so naturally, they watch it.  It is full of sinister messages, promising death and revenge.  Then the deaths start happening, one by one.  Any one of the party guests could be the killer, or maybe even someone lurking outside.  The deaths are all linked to a mysterious girl's notebook.  And just when you know you know who the killer is, and you are freaking out because you can't believe it was him or her, well, another surprise comes along and takes your breath away.  Let me just say that the end is definitely unexpected.  I would recommend Ten to anyone who likes a scary (and usually I'm not a fan of scary novels, but this one is different!), well-written, super exciting book to read.  I would say you should probably be at least thirteen because there are lots and lots of creepy murders and scary situations.  My rating is five out of five stars for sure!  
   
     The next books on my to-read list are The One And Only Ivan, My Sister's Keeper, and Paper Towns.  Comment below and tell me if they're any good!  And I just finished Flowers For Algernon, which is a very unique and interesting book!  Thanks for reading, guys! :)

                                                           ✕    Rosalind    ✕  

Uglies

Hey y'all! So it's been a really long time since I blogged last... and I guess I've been reading a little... So lately the books I am most attracted to when I go to the public library are all those futuristic dystopian novels that everyone is talking about, like, of course, The Hunger Games and Divergent, etc. So I read this book called Uglies - yeah I really want to call it The Uglies - for a book report a couple weeks ago. I really liked it.

So the main character is an almost 16 year old girl named Tally Youngblood. According to Wikipedia and a few other sites (because you should never trust Wikipedia, kids!) it takes place in California, about 300 years from now (I know, I hate it when they say what year it's in, too). So in Tally's society, when you turn 16 you turn "pretty". Basically you have plastic surgery that turns you from normal looking(today) to all fake and perfect. Like those people who turn themselves into live barbie dolls (they're so messed up!!!) So most people on this planet would be considered ugly. Yes, that means you. No offense or anything.

So after the operation you will go live in New Pretty town and live a very "Bubbly!" life where you party all night and drink a lot and then wake up with a hangover. Most people have tons of "surges" (operations) to change little things such as the way your eyes look or to get a moving tattoo. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Anyways, Tally is anxiously waiting to become a pretty. All her friends have left, and she has nothing to do in boring old Uglyville. Then she meets Shay. Shay is a rebel. She knows things that other uglies don't, little secrets that have been passed along from older, wiser uglies who escaped from the city to go to the mysterious Smoke. The Smoke is where, every once and a while, some uglies will run away to before their 16th birthday. Duh duh duh DUH......

Anyways, y'all should definitely read it, it's super duper good and I think everyone should read it... yeah! Bye y'all! (Y'ALL! Y'ALL! Y'ALL! I LOVE THAT WORD!)

The Mysterious Howling

        The Mysterious Howling (in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series) by Maryrose Wood is a very interesting book.  It starts off when 15 year-old Penelope Lumley leaves her boarding school to interview for the mysterious job of being a governess for three children at a huge estate.

       

It turns out that the young children are wild things that were found in the woods one day when the master, Sir Fredrick, was out hunting.  They are dirty and loud and don't speak English.  They are really sweet, but the problem is that Sir Fredrick and his wife, Lady Constance, think the children are nasty beasts.

     

And the real trouble happens at the holiday ball.  Read this exciting, unique book to see what happens! I rate it four out of five stars.

✬ Rosalind ✬

HURRAY!!!

HURRAY!Thank-you everyone for helping us get to 13,000 page views!!!!!!!!

SOLO

A memoir of Hope:

 This book is the first time that I have read a book about a persons life wanting to and with interest. This is a story of Hope Solo! The amazing goal keeper of the USWNT soccer team.Hearing the story of her life and who she is off of the soccer field, I seem to see her in a different way. I had no clue of what her life included and what she has experienced in her life. Also I learned how she was a phenomenal player who was asked to join teams  from all over the state. Not only was she a phenomenal goal keeper but also a goal scoring machine who ended the season with 109 goals that her team relied on. I recommend this book if you play or enjoy soccer, are into the USWNT (United States Women National Team), or like (or LOVE) Hope Solo!

_-*_-*_-*_-*LUNA_-*_-*_-*_-*

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

     Liar & Spy, by Rebecca Stead, is about a boy named Georges (pronounced George). He moves to an apartment with his dad and his mom (who isn't around much because she works lots of hours as a nurse) and meets a strange boy named Safer and his little sister Candy.
   
Georges gets bullied in school by some mean boys who call him Gorgeous.
       
Then Safer makes Georges his apprentice, and they have a mission to spy on Mr. X, a man whom Safer tells Georges he suspects of being a murderer. The missions get scarier, and Georges starts to wonder what he would do for his only friend.
   
At the end of the book, a few surprising things are revealed. It's hard to write anything more without giving something away, so let me just say that Liar & Spy is very different, unpredictable, and totally worth reading. I rate it five out of five stars in its own unique way.

                                                                   ~Rosalind~
  

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Hey guys! It's me, Annabeth, and I know I haven't blogged in forever, but here I am now! So I recently finished reading Confessions of a Shopaholic,  by Sophie Kinsella. It is one of those books that I don't want other people to know that I read, because they might judge me and all that crap.

You may have seen the movie. I didn't. You may have read the book, only with a different cover. There are a lot of different images if you search "confessions of a shopaholic book cover". Anyways, it's (I think) the same story, the same characters, etc. Oh, and I'm pretty sure it's called The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic everywhere but the U.S, and India. Jeez, I hate it when the same book has two different titles.Like how Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is actually Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. 

The setting is "present day" London (it's actually set from 1999 to 2000). It was an okay setting, but it would have been more relatable for me if it was set in America, so I knew what all the stores she shopped at were, and stuff like that.

So the main character is Rebecca Bloomwood, an ignorant, shallow, fashionable, and lots of other adjectives financial journalist. She lives in Fulham, London, in a fashionable flat with her best friend, Suze. She hates her low-paying job, and loves- or more importantly, is addicted to- shopping. So, the result is a whole lot of debt. And Rebecca basically ignores it through out the whole book. ARGH!

What really annoyed me was that she actually could have easily payed off some of her debt, but instead she knowingly spent it on things such as a $200 scarf because it was 50% off and she was "technically saving money".

I thought this book was meh. It was a quick, easy read, which was nice, but it kind of annoyed me, so I'd rate it... somewhere between 2 and 3 stars.

If you like meaningful, interesting books, this may not be for you. If you like chick-lits and girly stuff and Twilight and those kind of books, go ahead and read it.

-Annabeth

AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

THIS IS TERRIBLE!!!!!! I DON'T HAVE A BOOK TO READ!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS HORRENDOUS!!!!!!!!!!! Please tell me some books you recommend!!!!!! I can't live without a book to read!!!!!!! I just finished a book so I NEED another one!!!!!!!
:)


~~~~~~~Kara~~~~~~~

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

The Mark of Athena is action packed, fast, and one of my favorite books. It is the third in a series. The first two are called: The Lost Hero, and The Son of Neptune. If you have read the Percy Jackson series and haven't read this series, I highly recommend it. (and if your wondering, Percy and Annabeth are still in it) There are new characters. Three of the important ones are, Leo, Piper, and Jason. (and yes, Jason the son of Jupiter, if you know about him) Read the books! THE LOST HERO, THE SON OF NEPTUNE, AND THE MARK OF ATHENA 



~~~~~~~Kara~~~~~~~



P.S. It's my first post on this blog. :)

Marked by Kim Richardson

Marked is an action packed, page turner. The story follows a girl named Kara, age 16. After getting flattened by a bus on her way to a meeting with one chance to get a scholarship, she becomes a guardian angel. GA's (guardian angels) protect mortals' souls from being eaten by demons. GA's are NOT alive. They do not have a beating heart. They stay connected to the Horizon by mortal souls living. This book was added to my top 10 list yet it does depend on the reader. I recommend this book and rate it five out of five stars. Read the book to find out about Kara and her adventures! ENJOY!

~Luna