Bryan Community Book Review

The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks

2008-02-13T09:06:00.001-08:00

On a storm-ravaged night, a 19-year-old girl is kidnapped, raped, and killed. Three days later, her two younger brothers set out in search of her murderer. Cole, 17, is a dark-eyed devil who doesn't care if he lives or dies, while Ruben, 14, is a strange child who sometimes, inexplicably, experiences sensations above and beyond his own. This is the story of the boys' journey from their half-gypsy home on a London junk lot to the ghostly moors of Devon, where they hope and fear to find the truth about their sister's death. It's a long road, cold and hard and violent. It's THE ROAD OF THE DEAD.

SImon Says

2008-02-13T08:56:00.000-08:00

Aspiring young artist, Charles Weston has enrolled in a private arts high school soley to meet the "famous" Graeme Brandt, a student whose recently published novel touched a chord deep within Charles.

But Graeme is not at all what Charles expected, and soon the two teen prodigies are drawn into a clash of wills that threatens to destroy them both.

Cathy's Book

2008-02-13T08:25:00.000-08:00

Things weren’t so peachy in Cathy’s life before Victor broke up with her. Her father died unexpectedly, she’s failing school, and her best friend is mad at her. But when Cathy decides to investigate Victor’s reasons for ending their relationship, things suddenly go from bad to very, very, very bad as her findings produce more questions than answers. For instance, what does the death of Victor’s co-worker, the strange mark that appeared on Cathy’s arm, and the surreal behavior of several Chinese elders have to do with it?

Through Cathy’s unique and irresistible voice—and lots of proof in the form of letters, photographs, date book entries, telephone numbers readers can call, websites they can access, as well as secrets only a careful reader will be able to decipher—readers will enter a strange and fascinating world where things often aren’t how they appear.

Rule of the Bone by Russell Banks

2008-02-12T11:43:00.000-08:00

When we first meet him, Chappie is a punked-out teenager living with his mother and abusive stepfather in an upstate New York trailer park. During this time, he slips into drugs and petty crime. Rejected by his parents, out of school and in trouble with the police, he claims for himself a new identity as a permanent outsider; he gets a crossed-bones tattoo on his arm, and takes the name "Bone."

He finds dangerous refuge with a group of biker-thieves, and then hides in the boarded-up summer house of a professor and his wife. He finally settles in an abandoned schoolbus with Rose, a child he rescues from a fast-talking pedophile. There Bone meets I-Man, an exiled Rastafarian, and together they begin a second adventure that takes the reader from Middle America to the ganja-growing mountains of Jamaica. It is an amazing journey of self-discovery through a world of magic, violence, betrayal and redemption.

My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King

2008-02-01T07:12:00.000-08:00

Looking for an escape from childhood abuse, Reymundo Sanchez turned away from school and baseball to drugs, alcohol, and then sex, and was left to fend for himself before age 14. The Latin Kings, one of the largest and most notorious street gangs in America, became his refuge and his world, but its violence cost him friends, freedom, self-respect, and nearly his life. This is a raw and powerful odyssey through the ranks of the new mafia, where the only people more dangerous than rival gangs are members of your own gang, who in one breath will say they'll die for you and in the next will order your assassination.

Tesha said...

On a scale of one to ten I would rate this book a 10!!! I could not put it down. I would recommend this book to everybody, No matter age, race, ect. I believe EVERYBODY would enjoy it. I t teaches you a lot. And gives you a whole different outlook on life. I can't wait to read the next one!!!!! :)

Katie.com (a.k.a. A Girl's Life Online)

2007-11-09T06:49:00.000-08:00

Summary

This is a true story written by the author about 3 years after the events unfolded. Katherine “Katie” Tarbox was 13 years old when she entered her first teen chat room on America Online (AOL). She was going online when the internet was just getting popular. Not knowing much about the internet and wanting to be “safe”, Katie stuck to teen chat rooms where she meets “Mark”, a 23 year-old man who seems to be a friend. Through the internet and phone calls, Katie grows to care for Mark and eventually meets him. However, the man she meets is not the young man she had placed her trust with and the results change Katie’s life.

Review by Susie Larson:
I found this book to be an easy read; that says ALOT as I rarely read a book cover to cover. The beginning is a little annoying and I thought I might not get through it; she recounts the many details of the average 13-year-old’s life quite vividly. However, the story moves along and quickly unfolds into an interesting series of events.

This book tells an important cautionary tale; no matter the person, it is possible to be "taken in" by online predators. Too bad all the creative energy of predators to lure their victims doesn’t go to good use.

This book helped me understand how easy it would be for a young person to quickly have their life changed by the Internet. I highly recommend this book for its content and storyline. The writing flows and captures the feelings and events of importance to adolescence to make it engaging and compelling enough to finish.

This book made me reflect on the way that children often see adults as authorities and will do whatever an adult tells them to do. Parents and those in charge of children need to constantly advocate for children and others not in power, to help ensure their rights and personal expression are not denied or abused by other adults. We need to empower children to respectfully question adults when they are in doubt of the adult's intentions. Sadly, parents and other adults need to be vigilant to be sure that the people we entrust to care for and guide our children truly have the child's best interests in mind.

Website with support & education concerning online predators & safety
www.katiesplace.com

I discovered after reading the book that there is some controversy surrounding the book’s title (see http://www.katiet.com ), hence, the change in the book’s title from Katie.com to A Girl's Life Online. There is now a website, http://www.katiesplace.com, that helps support and inform people about online predators and how to protect children and young people from potential emotional and physical harm. This is no trivial matter as in several cases, online predators have been able to meet with, abuse, and even kill their online “friends”/victims.

Push: by Sapphire

2007-11-05T07:48:00.000-08:00

Shanta T wrote:

It's about a girl named Precious Jones. She is abused by her mother and raped by her father and has 2 kids by him. She faces unimaginable hardships in her young life. She grows up poor, angry, illiterate, fat, unloved and generally unnoticed. This should be a must read for all young girls, no matter of race. Powerful.

Monster: autobiography of an L.A. gang member

2007-11-05T07:44:00.000-08:00

Shay N. wrote:

This book tells an awesome story about one of the most feared and well know gangsters in Central L.A. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes to read just because of how good of a book it is. And if you like action and violence then you will definitely like reading this book.

Running With the Reservoir Pups, by Colin Bateman

2007-11-05T07:40:00.000-08:00

Ann A. (English Teacher) said:

It's a fun book, many reluctant readers might enjoy. Lower level reading, probably 8th grade.

LOSING FOREVER by Gayle Friesen

2007-10-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

Above us loomed the old pine tree with the rope that had been held on to by countless kids as they jumped into the water. I'd never done it. The rope reminded me of a waiting hangman's noose.
Jes is holding on as tight as she can, but normal life seems to be slipping out of her hands. Her mother is getting married again and is totally preoccupied with planning a full church wedding, including the fancy dresses, catering and bridesmaids! And if one fool is in love is not enough, Jes's best girlfriend has fallen for a complete jerk.
To make matters worse, Jes also has to deal with Angela, her soon-to-be stepsister, who has come to stay for a month before the wedding. Tall, gorgeous, smart and devious, Angela seems intent on infiltrating Jes's life.
A half-crazed mother, a lovesick friend,a perfectly evil stepsister -- could things for Jes get any worse?

Glass Castle

2007-10-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

This book is a super fast read! It is a 4 out of 5 star book for sure. It's about a young girl named Jeanette and her childhood within a dysfunctional family. Her father is an alcoholic and her mother is very "free spirited". Great adventures they have and many lessons for the reader to learn within this book. Highly recommend.

Skin Game, A Memoir by Caroline Kettlewell

2007-10-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

I would recommend this memoir to people who may have had issues with cutting in their childhood and are now adults. The author, Caroline Kettlewell, has an amazingly acute vocabulary. She writes about growing up in an all-male private school due to her father's job as the headmaster. Her family lives on campus and she goes to school in town. Her older sister is popular with the male students at the academy and as Caroline begins to mature, she realizes that she is also able to gain that attention. She begins to cut herself at school in the bathroom, and when caught, she is teased by the rest of the kids about wanting attention. She continues to do it for a "release." The book seems to drag on a little. People who have gone through this experience might feel a stronger connection to the author. I would probably not recommend this book to lower level or struggling readers due to the vocabulary.

THE COYOTE ROAD - TRICKSTER TALES

2007-10-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

Short Stories and poems from many different authors writing fiction (Holly Black, Charles de Lint, Kelly Link, Jane Yolen, etc.). Each author takes at a different spin on a trickster character. These stories come from many cultures and traditions all over the world. Great introduction to the trickster myths of the world.

EASY By Kerry Cohen Hoffmann

2007-10-01T10:04:00.000-07:00

Kelsey M said...: Another easy reader for students who struggle with reading. While it isn't the best book, and the plot line goes from decent to horrible, I would still give this book a two out of five.

HEAVEN AND EARTH By Nora Roberts

2007-10-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

Kelsey Minchow said...: Wonderful for anyone who loves Romance novels. The magical side adds something more to the usual lovey dovey story, and it's great to watch Riley and Mac overcome the darkness that haunts Three Sisters Island. While it's not necissary to read first book in the series to understand the plot line, I would still recommend it.

Warning: Lots of descriptive sex scenes.; October 1, 2007 10:19 AM

Book Two in the Face the Fire trilogy.

MIDNIGHT PEARLS: A RETELLING OF 'THE LITTLE MERMAID' By Debbie Viguie

2007-10-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

Kelsey Minchow said...: Another wonderful twist on a classic fairy tale. This story takes 'The Little Mermaid' and turns it completely around. A great easy reader.; October 1, 2007 10:17 AM

BRIAR ROSE By Jane Yolen

2007-10-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Kelsey Minchow said...: Great for anyone who still loves those old fairy tales. This version of Sleeping Beauty twists into the dark secrets of the Holocaust, binding fact with fiction in a heart-wrenching tale of fulfilling a promise to a dying grandmother. A five out of five.; October 1, 2007 10:15 AM

I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU By Ally Carter

2007-10-01T09:44:00.001-07:00

Sam D. said...: This book is very good and teaches many things too.; October 1, 2007 10:10 AM
Kelsey Minchow said...: This book is a great read for anyone looking for an easy book. It's humorous and compelling, with a very original story idea. I personally find the writer's writing style slightly juvenile, which would be great for some struggling readers.; October 1, 2007 10:13 AM

FOR NOW by Gayle Friesen

2007-10-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

Kelsey Minchow: This book is a great read for anyone who's ever gone through a divorce and/or remarrying of a parent. It's also wonderful for anyone just trying to live through the teenage years without going insane. I highly recommend this book to my fellow students at Bryan.

October 1, 2007 7:34 AM