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Teen SRC 2018- Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Hunger Games is a very action packed book with a lot of excitement. It takes place in a place what was once North America. There are 12 districts control by the Capitol of Panem and the Capitol has created a national violent game called the Hunger Games. Every district needs to send 2 youths to compete in the the game. They will need to fight to death until 1 stands alive. (Yes, I know it’s so cruel.) This story is about a 16 year old girl named Katniss Everdeen, competing in the Hunger Games, surviving on her hunting skills and quick thinking. She will meet difficult problems and face impossible choices.

I personally really like this book but some parts are really violent and sad. So if you can’t stand someone dying then I suggest you not read this series. It is very exciting and written very well. I would rate this book 5 stars. Enjoy the book if you decide to read it! Hope you found this helpful. =)

Teen SRC 2018 – Inside Apple by Adam Lashinsky

Adam Lashinsky’s Inside Apple is a compelling nonfiction that explores the extraordinarily unique operational methods of the titular technology company. Through powerful correlations between the strategies of Apple and those of other businesses, the author is successfully able to show readers the unique approach that the company takes to every aspect of their existence, from marketing to employment and even the meticulous design of product packaging. Having read and watched other works about Apple in the past, I found it truly fascinating to see how all the bits and pieces of knowledge that I previously had came together through the facts presented in this work. As a standalone nonfiction, the book is strong as well, allowing readers to explore the intricacies of business methods that work generically, don’t work at all, or work against all odds. I recommend reading this book if you are looking for something different to explore this summer or simply curious about Apple.

Teen SRC 2018 – The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Imagine if everything in the world was black and white. No conflict, no sadness, no emotions. Society is perfect in the Community, but too perfect for Jonas. Once a rule following, robot-like citizen, now a rebellious free man, all because of the Giver, the only person in the Community who is allowed to feel emotions. As Jonas learns more about the forgotten history of the human race, he realizes that not everything is as it seems. But everything he believes is now put to the test when his family is put in grave danger.

Teen SRC 2018- The Elite by Kiera Cass

     The Elite by Kiera Cass

The Elite is the second book of The Selection series. So if you haven’t read the first book, don’t read this review because there will be some spoilers!

In this book, the Selection for Prince Maxon is narrowed down to 6 girls, the Elite. America is one of them. All the girls are doing everything to win Prince Maxon’s heart but America isn’t sure. She is torn between Maxon and Aspen. When she did choose, something big happened and she’s doubting her decision again.

This wasn’t my favorite book out of all the books I’ve read but it’s okay. Some things happened throughout the story but it wasn’t that interesting. I would still suggest to read it though if you want to read the whole series.

Teen SRC 2018 – Allegiant: The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth

Allegiant: The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth

This is the third and last book of the Divergent series so if you didn’t read the first two books then don’t read this!

The Divergent series is about a 16 year old girl living in a future Chicago which is divided into 5 factions that describes your personality. Her name is Beatrice Prior. She is a Divergent which means she is not one personality and that is very dangerous in this world. If the leaders find out who she is then they will kill her. They kill all the Divergents because they say that they are dangerous to their society since they cannot control them. If you have already finished the second book then you will know what I’m talking about. I read the second book awhile ago so I kind of forgot what happened. When I started reading this book, I was very confused. So I don’t say this book is that good. But if you like adventurous books then you should probably read this series.

Teen SRC 2018 – Warcross by Marie Lu

Warcross

Warcross by Marie Lu 

Marie Lu has always been a favourite author of mine, as she had me hooked on her previous series, Young Elites and Legend. So when Warcross came out and I had the chance to give it a read, I was not at all surprised by how much I enjoyed the book :). I am a very huge fan of reading and I have a list of 30 books/series that have left me astonished, and needless to say, Warcross is on that list. I’m going to be reviewing and summarizing the books on my list over this summer so do look out for them as they are truly amazing. Back to Warcross, I give this book a full 5/5 stars and I cannot wait for the second book, which sadly, has not come out yet.

Summary Below:

This story is kind of an extension on what was briefly mentioned in the last book of the Legend series: A place where everything is linked to a digital world that is an integral part of daily life. Don’t worry, I will explain. In Legend, the main characters ventured briefly into a country where doing everyday things could earn you points in the virtual world of a video game that has basically taken over every single citizen’s lives. So, for example, watering a plant might earn you 1 point and drinking a cup of water, another point. “Players” with the most points would then become famous and known by anyone who plays the game as well. In Warcross, this idea is evolved on. Warcross is the digital game that has taken over, and it was invented by a young genius, Hideo Tanaka, barely in his twenties. Emika Chen, the main character, has a way with technology and she is an extremely talented hacker. She is hired by Hideo to find out who has been messing with his game’s programming. As they work together, Emika earns points from meeting the creator of the game, entering the company headquarters etc, and these points cumulate to the point where she becomes a VERY well-known Warcross celebrity. But as the story continues, we learn about Hideo’s past and his reasons for creating this game, this just creates more mystery and the entire plotline just completely baffles me. It is honestly so amazing that Marie Lu could create such a complicated storyline with so many components but that’s what I love about her writing, just when you thought it couldn’t get more mysterious, it does. So again, full 5/5 stars, AMAZING read, definitely recommend.

Teen SRC 2018 -The Book Jumper by Mechthild Gläser

The Book JumperThe Book Jumper by Mechthild Gläser

I just finished The Book Jumper by Mechthild Gläser yesterday and I have to say, I originally chose it because the cover was gorgeous but the plot and characters totally exceeded my expectations! I’m now moving on to the next book and I’m really looking forward to finishing it. I’m going to rate this book a 4/5 stars only because I don’t particularly like unresolved endings and the ending just didn’t satisfy me. The plot and characters though, have a full 5/5 stars through and through.

Summary below:

This book is about a girl, Amy, who discovers that her family has the ability to jump and enter the story world between their fifth and twenty-fifth birthdays. She has many adventures in the book world with her fellow book jumper, Will, and a young book character named Werther, with whom she is proud to be friends with. But during these adventures, she discovers that something is off in the book world. A thief is stealing the main components of different stories, or, the important ideas of the author when he/she created the stories, such as the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, who is the one to introduce Alice to the wonderland world or the cyclone in Wizard of Oz that brought Dorothy to the strange land. As they continue to pursue the thief, they find out many key clues and details that help them solve this confusing mystery. This book has MANY plot twists that will leave you reeling and many truths that I just couldn’t fathom. The ending was quite sad at first then turned a bit better but still very unresolved, that was the only part of the book I did not enjoy but I would still fully recommend this book to all of you because you’ll find the characters’ love of books quite relatable. 🙂

Teen SRC 2018 – Sundae My Prince Will Come by Suzanne Nelson

Summary

Sundae My Prince Will Come is a romance story with ice cream and ballet. Malie is a teen girl who loves ballet but her mother manages an ice cream parlor near her school. Her dream is to lead the dance in an upcoming production of Cinderella but her mother is doesn’t support her. Her boyfriend Ethan, cheers her on but with all the problems, she might not be able to continue her ballet.

An cute Italian boy moves to her school and he loves gelato ice cream. Alonzo and Malie made a deal: If Malie lets him work at her mom’s ice cream parlor then Alonzo will let Malie take free dance lessons from his mother who is a famous ballerina. So much is happening that Malie is losing control of all that is happening around her. Did she like Alonzo? If she does, what about her boyfriend Ethan? Will she be able to have the lead role in Cinderella?

Review

I enjoyed this book very much, with ice cream and gelato, this story is much more sweeter. There are also more books by this author related to food and romance that I have also read. My favorite is this book so far in all of her books. I suggest this to romance readers around the age of Grade 5-7. I would rate this book 5 stars.

Teen SRC 2018 -The Selection by Kiera Cass

Summary This book is a romance story about a 16 year old girl named America Singer who lives a country in the future that is a caste divided nation. She has won the opportunity to compete in the selection, which is designed for Prince Maxon to find his mate. This is every girl’s dreams but America doesn’t want to go because she is secretly already in love with Aspen, a guard who works at the palace from her hometown. Will America fall for the prince? Or will she leave the prince for Aspen… What if the royal family finds out about her relationship with Aspen? That is something you’ll find out by yourself if you read this book. No spoilers!

Review

I loved this author’s plot and descriptions, it was simply amazing to read. It was a really exciting book to read. My best friends also read it and they agreed to how great this book was. There are 5 books in this series and I’m planning to read all of them. I suggest this to all people who likes romance books, I rate this book 5 stars.

 

Teen Book Review – The Good Earth

The Good EarthThe Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck is a phenomenal classic set inancient China. It is the first book in the House of Earth Trilogy and is arguably the best. This story tells of a common farmer by the name of Wang Lung and the hardships he and his family must endure. The story begins as Wang Lung meets his arranged bride: O-Lan, a servant from the noble house of Hwang. He and his new bride prosper for many years on the humble land of his father. However, when famine comes, the Wang family must move out or starve as the end becomes inevitable.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the plot and characters were flawless and each character had a very gritty and believable personality. Unlike many books, there is no real hero or a typical dramatic climax, but when you reach the end of the book, you are itching for the next book to read. The realism in this story can be unsuitable for younger children with no hesitation to bring up oppression of women, and the horrors of famine and poverty. The author also clearly shows the effect of wealth on a man and how the greed inside him will grow.