Burned by Ellen Hopkins

Burned


Title: Burned

Author: Ellen Hopkins

Pages: 531

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Ages: 15+


It contains adult topics, but OK for most teens.



Ellen Hopkins’ books are a work of art. It warns girls and boys alike, about how dangerous the world can be. Dealing with sex, abuse, drugs, and alcohol, it can be quite hard to read at times yet thoroughly worth it. The endings will leave you pondering for the rest of the day, and sometimes more.

Told in verse, the book tells the sad tale of Pattyn Von Stratten, the eldest daughter of a ‘good’ Mormon family. Her journey begins with a simple dream about a boy. With most families, it would not mean anything. But to Pattyn, it could be the first step to hell and eternal damnation.

The dream is the first step, but to what? Will the dream lead to a better life or hell? Pattyn ponders this and other questions. They are questions without any answers – about God, sex, and most of all, love. The readers will find themselves pondering these same questions along with her in this battle of good and evil. Soon enough, Pattyn gets caught with a real boy, and gets shipped to rural Nevada. There she finds something new to her: love and acceptance. And for the first time in her life, she feels worthy of it. But her past demons won’t let her escape. Pattyn goes down a path that will surely lead her to hell.

From the first pages, you are drawn into Pattyn’s harsh life. The way it is written makes it impossible to quit reading. It is not possible to skip a paragraph – because there are no paragraphs. Most of the book is thoughts and feelings, but the dialogue is very important to read. There are no annoying pages where the dialogue just goes on… and on. I love how you always know what Pattyn is thinking. When she is sad, you are sad; when she is ecstatic, you are too. Her story will leave the readers absorbed until the very end.

This book isn’t an easy read and some scenes could be quite traumatic to younger audiences. I don’t recommend this to kids younger than 15 or 14 (unless their parents permit them to read it). But with this said, it is an amazing book that I think everyone should at some point in their life. Ellen Hopkins’ books should be recommended reading in schools across the country and the world.



Ellen Hopkins also wrote:

Crank

Glass
Fallout

Identical

Impulse

Tricks

Perfect

Triangles [Adult book]

And some children’s science books

The Angel Hunter

Sorry, I haven't been on in a long while. Yeah, I'm pretty dissapointed with myself. So before you write any annoyed commments please read the post! ^_^ (oh yeah! big smiley face)


***_***_***

The Angel Hunter


Title: Angel Hunter

Author: J. A. Leary

Pages: 340

Publisher: AML Enterprises, LLC

.J. A. Leary’s debut book is a good start. It is a supernatural mystery starring Victoria Hunter, a highly accomplished business woman and mother of twins. It has an original plot, unlike many of the popular wannabes, interesting dialogue, and life-like characters. Mr. Leary proves that it is possible to write a spell-binding book involving the supernatural without vampires and werewolves. Yes, you read that right. There are no vampires fighting over the heroine in this book. Many twist and turns will compel you to keep turning the pages well into the wee hours of the morning. The book delves into the eternal question of good and evil and challenges some deeply held Judeo-Christian principles which may further fascinate (or upset) some readers.



Victoria Hunter faces an enormous terror as her twin sons are torn from her arms and the shock leaves her with little more than vague memories of consuming fear and something profoundly evil. FBI agent Mc Clanahan is convinced that Victoria Hunter suffers from severe postpartum psychosis and is herself responsible for the infants disappearance. Her psychiatrist however, is beginning to sense that what she is up against is not something easily explained in the glib terms of psychiatry and law enforcement. Meanwhile, Father Stephen Christensen, an aged Catholic priest finds himself closer to the truth than most and that isn’t much comfort to him. An ancient secret is waking up and reaching for destiny. Victoria’s mother has some deeply help secrets which she simply cannot reveal to her daughter, even in the light of these terrifying circumstances. As the protagonist and the other characters start to spiral towards a terrifying crescendo the reader will find themselves struggling to define good and evil within the context of this book.

The initial pages felt awkward as though the writer was trying to write according to some creative writing principles handed down by a teacher from long ago, rather than in his own voice. By about chapter three it was clear that Mr. Leary had found his way back to his own voice and style and the novel had managed to garner my undivided attention. As the perspective of the narrator changed frequently in the book it became, at times, cumbersome to read.

This book is not an easy read and some of the scenes can be quite frightening, which makes this not a book I would recommend to younger audiences. But to readers who enjoy reading something other than your average pool side novel I recommend this book.

TEN KINGS and the world they ruled (and something else equally awesome)

TEN KINGS  and the Worlds They Ruled

OK, I have a deal for you. I have to do this and you have to read a little about 6 kings. Then you find out what the AWESOME THING OF WONDER AND MYSTERY is! Deal? Good.

Today (and for the past few weeks; haven't been reading it like I should have) I read a book called TEN KINGS and the Worlds They Ruled by Milton Meltzer *. In it are the great Kings Hammurabi, David, Alexander the Great, Attila, Charlemagne (my mom has a friend who is related to him!), Kublai Khan, Mansa Musa, Atahualpa, Louis XIV (14), and Peter the Great. I read all but Mansa Musa, Atahualpa, and Peter the Great. Here are some facts about some of the ones I read.

1. Hammurabi <<1792-1750 B.C>>
The first city-states in history developed in Mesopotamia. One of the best known kings was named Hammurabi. He was famous for his law-like code covering everything from wages to divorces.
Mesopotamia is a region in the Middle East.  It has been called many things including Chaldea, Akkad, Sumer, Babylonia, Assyria. Right now it is called Iraq. Hammurabi, by the end of his 42 year reign, had expanded Babylonia from a territory less than 50 miles in radius to an empire 700 miles long and 100 miles wide. The empire collapsed immediately after Hammurabi died in 1708 B.C. Around 1600 B.C. the Hittites completely destroyed it.

2. Alexander the Great <336-323 B.C>
No point of doing this again, just read this http://annaxandria-storygirl.blogspot.com/2010/11/alexander-great.html.

3. Attila <445-453 A.D>
Attila is a shadowy figure in history.  He was king of the Huns for a brief time (8 years).  In many people's minds, Attila was a cruel killer and a bloodthirsty tyrant. The word Hun has come to be a symbol of hate. A striking force of Hun warriors numbered between 500 and 100,000. In modern Turkey though, Attila's name is much respected and children are often named after him. Which is true? Is he a bloodthirsty tyrant or a person of respect? To answer that you would need to choose for yourself as works on Attila vary greatly. Go on pick up a book about him and read! Life back then was hard and justice swift and unyielding. To remain on the throne all rulers of their realms, in those times, had to have a measure of cruelty.

4. Charlemagne <768-814 A.D>
History claims him to be one of the legendary figures of the Middle Ages. He was a rare mix of scholar and warrior. He learned to read which was very uncommon in those days. They had scribes for that. He also enforced peace/compliance throughout his kingdom, in an unpeaceful way which included cutting ears off, noses slit, tongues ripped out, teeth broken, joints crushed, hands and feet severed, certain other unmentionable cruelties, and execution. Happy..... But he was a good king.

5. Kublai Khan <1260-1294 A.D>
He is probably less known than his grandfather Genghis Khan but none less important, Kublai Khan was the King of the Mongols who ruled an empire stretching from the China Sea to a country called Hungary. His military was amazing. Most people who lost to him said they were over powered which was untrue because they rarely had more then 150,000 men. Kublai's forces excelled in quality not quantity.

6. Louis XIV <1643-1715 A.D>
Louis the 14th!
Who were the other Louises? They were French kings in a long line of monarchs that traced back to Charlemagne. But the 2 who have blazing pages in history are Louis XVI (16) and XIV (14). Louis XVI is famous because he was the last in line, the one overthrown by the French Revolution and executed in 1793. Louis XIV because he reigned 72 yrs. during a time historians consider the peak of France's glory. His pursuit of glory often lead him to do unwise things resulting in France's quickened pace toward the collapse that could only result in, as it did 2 reigns later (with Louis XVI), in the overturn of absolute monarchy. His pursuit of glory often lead him to do unwise and excessive things

I really like Alexander the Great beacause of his everlasting bravery, courage, and determination. I am not that fond of Louis XIV. He is an interesting person, but his pursuit of glory gets the better of him on many occassions. Poor France.

Yes all six done! Now for the AWESOME THING OF WONDER AND MYSTERY. Drum roll please.....

I AM GETTING A DOG! WHO HO! I will be getting an Airedale ** (see airedale ***) on the 28th of May. I am so psyched! I need an name though. I like Iggy (from Maximum Ride) McShane (not my last name, just a middle name ((and yes, if adults are wondering if I got it from Ian McShane, I did)). What about you? Any name suggestions?

* Link for the book on Amazon
** Link for Pic
*** Link for Info

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Percy Jackson and the Olympians  

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a series about a young demigod who is the son of Poseidon. A demigod is the child of a god and mortal.

Percy and his fellow demigods go to a camp called Camp Half-Blood. While Percy is training at camp, something powerful is stirring. When it comes to power, havoc will rise. Can Percy and his friends stop it before it rises?

The way the author wrote the series is very engaging and packed with Greek Mythology. I'd recommend this book to ages 9 and up. I think you need to be at least 9 or 1o to fully understand the book.

If I were a demigod my mother would be Athena, the goddess of wisdom, warfare, and crafts. My mother would be Athena because I enjoy learning and crafts. I am also pretty smart.

Overall the series was well written and entertaining, which is the best combination. I would recommend this series to others.

 Rating: 4 ½ / 5 *

Percy Jackson Book 1



That's it for now!
Annaxandria

*Ratings:

  * 1- I really HATED it

                                                  * 2- I didn't like it
                                                  *  3- I liked it
                                                  * 4- I really liked it
                                                  *  5- I LOVED it









Book Review #4

Rating 5 out of 5*
         Well, I told you I would write a review of Leonardo's Shadow. So, here it goes. Leonardo's Shadow is about being Leonardo's servant, from the servant's point of view. It is a fictional story, but tells many true things about Leonardo and his art. It all starts out when a boy, named Giacomo, becomes Leonardo Da Vinci's servant in Milan. He learns his master was supposed to finish a painting ( The Last Supper), two years ago! Even worse, the Duke of Milan is mad and you don't want to get him mad. Will Leonardo Da Vinici finish the painting, or will they be banned from Milan for good?

This book is amazing. The author has brought together fiction and true facts to make a wonderful book. It is a book I would read over again. I would recommend it to 10 or 11 and up.


*Ratings:

1- I really HATED it
2- I didn't like it
3- I liked it
4- I really liked it
5- I LOVED it

Book Reveiw # 3

Rating 5 of 5

I finished the book The Little Prince by Antonie de Saint-Exupery. It's sold 80 million copies in 180 languages, making it one of the best selling books ever made.

This book is told by the narrator for a bit, then for the other half it is told by another person. The narrator is telling something that happened in his life. In the beginning, he , the narrator, is told to draw a sheep by a young boy. Not knowing how to draw one, he draws the only thing he knows a boa constrictor that ate and elephant, from the inside and outside. His little visitor exclaims "No! No!" "I don't want a boa constrictor from the inside or  outside". Later this boy describes his journeys throughout space.

The Little Prince is a book I would recommend to people 10 and up. I enjoyed reading this book very much. 

A Book Review - Mama's Babies

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5*

Mama's Babies is a chilling fictional story of a "baby farmer" who, for money, takes in unwanted, or inconvenient children. The appearence of a new baby is often preceeded by the dissapearance of an older child, usually a toddler. This story is based on true events in the mid nineteenth century. Mama's Babies is told in first person by a girl named Sarah who, along with many other children, lives with a woman whom she calls Mama.
         
Sarah, the eldest child, cannot be a regular kid because she must take care of the rest of the kids in the family. Sarah friendship with the train station master's nephew unravels the story.

Mama's Babies was an exellent story written by Gary Crew. Mama's Babies has many sad and horrific parts, so I think this book is best to be read aloud by an adult. This book also has some old fashioned words and terminology. My mother has read this book to me, and because of the facts I just gave you, I'm glad she did.

I really enjoy reading this book (well listening to it). I would recommend it to mature pre-teen and young adults.

*Ratings:

1- I really HATED it

2- I didn't like it

3- I liked it

4- I really liked it

5- I LOVED it

Pendragon Reveiw

Rating: 4/5

I have just recently finished reading the Pendragon series. The books are about a young boy’s magical journey in which he sees death, hunger, and destruction. The boy’s name is Bobby Pendragon. He is a Traveler and his job is to roam Halla, which is various territories in a number of alternate universes both past, present, and future, searching for Saint Dane and trying to find a way to destroy him because he can't be destroyed by brute force. Saint Dane is a shape shifter, willing to take form of any creature, with the only goal to  destroy Halla.
Bobby is one of twelve Travelers. All of them have been taken out of their normal life to be to be told they are Travelers. They must protect all of Halla. Will they succeed or will Saint Dane be victorious?

http://www.thependragonadventure.com/

*Ratings:
1- I really HATED it
2- I didn't like it
3- I liked it
4- I really liked it
5- I LOVED it

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

The movie Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was very good. It's all about Harry's hunt for Voldemort. It goes deeper than ever before, when Harry loses someone very close to him. There are emotional and romantic twists in the movie. Thrill seekers are in for a treat if they want alot of at-the-edge-of-the-seat moments. But take my advice, if you are new to the Harry Potter series, READ THE BOOKS FIRST. Over all, I've really enjoyed it, and I'll be back for more when parts I and II of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows come to theatres.