Three Rivers Rising

Review by Edan
Title: Three Rivers Rising: A Novel of the Johnstown Flood
Author: Jame Richards
Published: 2010
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary:
Celstia is the daughter of a rich family that travels to a fancy resort by Lake Conemaugh, a reservoir held by a great dam. She loves spending her days swimming and talking to Peter, one of the hotels hired boys. This friendship soon turns to a romance, and a romance that could cause her to be disowned. Her family is being stretched to its limits when, in May, 1889, the great dam broke and released all of the water onto the towns below. Celstia had traveled down to visit Peter in his town in the valley, and then the water came...

Review:
This tragic event is a true story. I love the way Richards made this past event in history into a vivid scene that can be relived by reading this book. When I picked it up in the library, I hadn't looked at the writing style and was surprised when I opened the book to start reading. The book is written in the format of a poem. I thought this would be difficult to read, but it wasn't. The story flowed and shows the reader what it was like for the poor towns in the valley and the rich families above. It touched the story of each type of person, Celstia, her father, Peter, a local nurse and even more.
This is such a beautiful story. It makes the reader see what it would be like to have experienced the Johnston Flood. It moves a little slow at parts, but I never lost my interest. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a book about romance, courage and realizations....

Rating:****

The Cat Who Went To Paris

Review by Edan
Title: The Cat Who Went To Paris
Author: Peter Gethers
Publisher: Ballentine Books
Published: 1992

Quick Summary:
This book for cat lovers is a true story of the author of The Cat Who Went To Paris, Peter Gethers, and his little scottish fold named Norton. Norton isn't like most cats, he is outgoing, adventurous and makes every person fall in love with him. He frolics through the snow in Vermont, tramps across the beaches on Fire Island and over the roofs of Paris. It is an amazing story of an author and his amazing cat.

Review:
This is a must read for any cat lover. It is such a sweet and funny story. Having three cats, I know whats its like to have pesky felines around, but this story made me imagine what it would be like taking them all over the world. What is would be like having a pet to take everywhere. I don't know what else to say about it... It is a short book, but it was so beautiful and a fun read. I highly recommend it!

Review: *****

A Mango Shaped Space

Review by Edan
Title: A Mango Shaped Space
Author: Wendy Mass
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Published: 2005

Quick Summary:
Mia has synesthesia, meaning she has different visual perceptions when she hears sounds, reads words or has any other sense. Each persons perceptions are different, but Mia sees colors and textures with every number, letter, word and sound. She thought everyone had this until one day, when she was eight, she realized she was different. She was a "freak." She kept her colors a secret until her difficulties in school were increasing and her life seemed to be getting much more complicated. Mia has to take a journey though  life to discover who she is, what she is, and how she fits into the world.

Review:
This book was amazing! I first saw it when I was over at my friends house. It was laying on the table and I read the back of it. It sounded interesting. My friend told me it was such a good book she had read is a whole bunch of times. I wasn't sure of how good it would be, but it was beautiful, interesting, factual and stunning! It grasped my attention all the way through. Mass built all of the characters beautifully and lead me through the story very well. I felt that the end was a little abrupt though. You could tell how things would most likely be like later, but I just wish the author could have expanded a little bit, by doing a few pages from a few years in the future. I was also confused about what time period this took place in. It sounded like a few years in a past, but how long? 20 year? 10 years? 5 years? 1?

A Mango Shaped Space teaches the reader about synesthesia, growing up and letting go. It is about a teen trying to figure out who she is. It is a very connecting story which is a must read for many teens. It has a quick pace, and is great for anyone who is looking for a short and sweet read. Loved it!

Rating:*****

Carpe Diem

Review by Edan
Title: Carpe Diem
Author: Autumn Cornwell
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Published: 2007

Summary:
16 year old Vassar's whole life has been planned out, from her PhD to attending Vassar College. Her family never goes without a plan and Vassar believes her whole life will be like this. But it all changes one night in May when her grandmother (an avid artist and traveler in Southeast Asia) blackmails her parents and pulls Vassar out her perfect life and into a wild adventure. Vassar must learn to adapt, to LIM as her Grandma Gerd says (Live in the Moment). And throughout the whole adventure, she is also looking to discover the Big Secret Grandma Gerd blackmailed her parents with. Finally, with no plans in mind, Vassar, Grandma Gerd and the Malaysian cowboy Hanks travel through Malaysia to Cambodia and even the little jungles of Laos. Vassar must learn to LIM and in the end she does, even when the Big Secret turns her whole life upside down.

Review:
I really enjoyed this book. I picked it off a shelf at the library one day and really liked the idea of the book. I started reading and got so annoyed at Vassar, with her overachiever ways, preppy friends and overly planned life. I also didn't really like Hanks in the beginning either. He just seemed like a kind of weird and loud guy, but in the end I was quite fond of him. Grandma Gerd is also interesting. In the beginning, she seemed like a crazy grandmother with no thoughts or feelings other than traveling and collecting materials for her piece of art, but you later see how hard her life is and how much she cares for Vassar. I love the ways the characters were built. It's like how you would normally get to know someone, making assumptions in the beginning, but really getting to know them later.

Once I got into the story, I absolutely loved it. The combination of humor, adventure and love was perfect. The was Vassar progresses in the story also made me like it more. Once she starts to just LIM and look at her present situation at all angles, she enhances the story. The Big Secret isn't quite that important to the story, but makes sense and adds another angle to it. Its a fast pace and entertaining book that I would highly recommend.

Rating: ****

Paper Towns

Review by Edan (and once again, I am sorry for the lack of posts due to my school work and high school applications)
Title: Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Published: 2008

Summary:

Quenten’s life started out as the next door neighbor of Margot.  They were friends, but over the years, things changed. Margot became popular with her adventurous ways, Q stayed in the shadows with his few friends and they rarely talked. But one night, a few weeks from the end of senior year of high school, Margot shows up my his window with a list of random chores and daring tasks they have to do. The moment he decides to help her is the moment he starts his journey of discovering who Margot really is. The next day, Margot is missing, but she leaves clues for Q and his friends. Only clues he could understand. And with that, Q embarks on a journey to find Margot and answer the question: Who is Margot Roth Spiegelman?

Review:
This book has now been added to my short list of my all time favorite books (along with Eragon by Christopher Paolini, Skellig by David Almond and Pay it Forward by Catharine Ryan Hyde). I loved the mystery and the character building. Q transforms from a kid just going with the flow, to actually looking at the world around him. He realizes new things about his friends and their friendship and he begins to see people in different angles. On his journey to find Margot, he has to question himself as well. Had he really known her? What was the dark shadow within her? Had he let her get away? Was it all his fault?

 I found this book completely hilarious at times, but sad and lonely at others. Paper Towns has a way of capturing your interest and literally pulling you into the story. When Q and his friends had to a limited time to go somewhere important (I'm not going to tell;), I had the same rush and hurriedness as the characters. When I had to put the book down for a moment, I felt like I was running out of time as well. That ability to capture the feeling of being in the story and the mixture of undeniable humor and sadness is what makes John Green such an amazing author. I love his writing and think Paper Towns is his best book yet. 

Rating:*****

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Review by Edan (Sorry, I haven't posted much lately. I have been really busy with homework and high school applications :)
Title: The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants (Sisterhood #1)
Author: Ann Brashares
Published: 2001
Publisher: Delacorte Press

Summary:
A tight knit group of high school friends, Carman, Tibby, Lena and Bridget begin an exciting summer with a pair of pants. Carman had found "The Pants" at a thrift store. They were your average blue jeans, but were more then just average to this group of friends, to them they were magical. As these four split different ways over the summer, the Traveling Pants collected each of their stories. With Lena in Greece, Tibby staying home, Carman visiting her dad in South Carolina and Bridget at a soccer camp in Mexico, these pants travel from person to person, binding them even though each girl has had so many different experiences. And when they finally meet again with the same trust and love, they have the pants to thank.

Review:
I thought this was a very fun and entertaining book. The reader follows each person's very different story, and you really begin to empathize and understand each character. It was hard at first, because the author changes character and character seamlessly, I was reading about Carman and flipped the page and was suddenly reading about Tibby. This style was really easy to get used to though. It felt as though I was reading 5 different books at the same time. One about each girl, and the story about all of them together. I enjoy fantasy books, but I also like to read about real life magic. The type of magic that follows us everywhere and shines through the trees and friendships. It was a fun read that made me want to know what was coming next, causing me to finish the book in two days :) I can't wait to read the second one and see what adventures await them. I would recommend this book to any teenager looking for a good read full of friends, emotions and trying to understand yourself and others.

Rating:****

Pay it Forward

Review by Edan
Title: Pay it Forward
Author: Catharine Ryan Hyde
Published: 2000
Publisher: Pocket Books

Summary:
12 year old Trevor lives in a small town in California. He starts off the school year with a new teacher and an extra credit assignment: To come up with a plan to change the world for a better future and to put it into action. Trevor jumps onto this assignment and comes up with a simple but brilliant plan. An idea called Pay it Forward. An idea that could truly change the world and everyone in it. An idea of generosity and favors, where instead of paying someone back you pay it forward by another favor to someone else. Its a story of pure wonder.

Review:
It is a amazing book. It is full of ordinary kids and people with regular lives who can truly do something about the world. The story moves between characters, Trevor, his mom, his teacher, people he payed it forward to, a reporter and even more. It also sometimes flips into first person for a little bit, helping you understand the characters a little better. It also enters Trevor's diary. You read the story form all angles, the one who started it, people who received it, to people who wonder about it. It is amazing and a must read. It is inspiring and makes you wonder why hasn't anybody actually done it. The idea has been created, why doesn't someone try to do it. Maybe that is what the author was trying to get us to to. Maybe she was trying to get the idea out there to the public. It is inspiring for anyone with dreams. Anyone with a plan to change the world. Anyone who wishes for a better future for all.

Rating:*****

Looking for Alaska

Review by Edan
Title: Looking for Alaska
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Books
Published: 2005

Summary:
Miles, or Pudge, loves last words, everyones last words, and obsesses over the "Great Perhaps". When he decides to go a boarding school called Culver Creek everything he ever believed and done is questioned. He is thrown into pranks with his friends, studying, conceptions and Alaska Young. She is one of his friends, full of humor, smarts, self-corruptiveness and mystery. When he finally falls in such deep love with her and her shroud of mystery, she becomes impossible to get. Impossible to see. Impossible to hear. Impossible to find. And causes him to never trust himself and the world again.

Review:
It was an amazing book. It was divided into two sections, Before and After, leaving you to wonder what they mean. Miles is an interesting character, a good boy leaving his home, not ready to bet mixed up with everything else. Or thats what he thinks when he first gets there. He just wants to fit in and eventually Alaska changes who he is. Everything about him. He forms a new Miles, a new Pudge. It is an enchanting story. The end becomes slightly tiresome, of fighting over dumb stuff and blind ideas. It is a humorous book with a depressing undertone that I would highly recommend, though to anyone at least in 8-9 grade. It makes you think, while also being entraining and wondrous. It has a good plot, with interesting characters and philosophies. I would highly recommend it. But watch out, it will make you cry....

Rating: *****

My Name is Mina

Review by Edan
Title: My Name is Mina
Author: David Almond
Published: 2010
Publisher: Hopper Childrens Books

Summery:
Mina has always been different. She sees the word in different ways. She didn't fit in at school. She picks up this journal and writes what she thinks. How she sees the world and what is is to her. She explains everything through her writing, third person stories and poems. She will change you views with just a couples of phrases.

Review:
OK, I know that was a bad summary. It is just a hard book to explain. It is so beautiful though. I love David Almond's writing. Mina writes in a way that is easy to understand and relate to. She learns and discovers everyday and shares her ideas with you. After reading this book, I truly was changed. My English teacher says that a good book is one that changes your views, it is not always true, but this one certainly does. David Almond got his idea of writing My Name is Mina from his other book Skellig. I loved Skellig. I think that you should read Skellig before picking up My Name is Mina. It would take away some of the mystery of Skellig if you had read My Name is Mina before hand. These two books are beautiful and mysterious, leaving you to wonder and think. I think everyone should pick up these books and read them, then decide what they think of them. Reading these books is about understanding, if you can not purely understand or except what is happening, reading these books will infuriate you. You have to open your mind. These two books and wonderful, mystical, beautiful, awe-inspiring and touching books; a must read for anyone.

San Francisco Book Sale

If you love books and live near San Francisco, CA, make sure to come down to Fort Mason next week for some book-mania!

Next week will be the annual book sale! They have old books, new books, kids books, science books, books on tape, vinyls, CDs, DVDs and more! Everything is under $3 and all proceeds will go to the San Francisco Public LIbrary. A warehouse with rows upon rows of books, what could be better?! All of the books are organized into tables to there is some order to it all ;)  If you have the time, try to make it down there, I love it and have found some of my favorite series there.

Location:
Fort Mason Center, Festival Pavilion

Times:
(***Members only preview and reception***) Tuesday (9/25) 4PM-8PM
Wednesday (9/26) to Sunday (9/29) 10AM-6PM

Click here for more information.

Hope to see you there!

Thirteen Reasons Why

Review by Edan
Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Published: 2007
Publisher: Razorbill

Summary:
One day Clay Jensen comes homes to find a box of cassette tapes on his porch. The cassette tapes were recorded by Hannah Baker, a classmate who committed suicide two weeks earlier. He begins listening to them, they are the thirteen reasons why she did it. Why she ended her life. Each side is about someone and each person on the list will have to listen to all of them. Clay doesn't know why he is on the list. He never did anything to harm Hannah, or at least he didn't think so. He finally sits down to a long night of wandering, crying, listening and understanding.

Review:
It is an amazing book. It makes you truly understand how all the little things can truly change or harm someone's life. As you hear Hannah talking, you also hear the thoughts going through Clay's mind. You watch him go where Hannah tells him and you hear what he has to say about Hannah. It is beautifully written. It is sad and depressing, but also inspirational and makes me want to learn more about suicide statistics. I don't really know what else to say about it, but it is a must read for any teen. It is a wonderful book that I could read again and again and never catch everything.

Rating:*****

Goose GIrl

Review by Edan
Title: Goose Girl (The Books of Bayren #1)
Author: Shannon Hale
Published: 2003
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Summary:
Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, or Ani for short, is the Crown Princess of Kildenree. But others cast long glances at her and act like she is an outsider, because when she was young her aunt taught her the language of animals and birds. Her mother forbid her from conversing with her animal friends, so she began working on getting ready to be queen. Soon her mother announces Ani will be marrying the prince in Bayren and she is quickly sent away. On their way to Bayren, her lady-in-waiting leads a mutiny and she and the most of the other guards take the lady-in-waiting to marry the prince. Alone, Ani goes to the king and finds a job as the goose girl for taking care of the royal geese. Ani has secrets that can't be kept for long and she is finally building a trustworthy family around her. Will the truth be enough to convince the king that she real is the princess?

Review:
I know that summary probably sounded really bad, but I didn't really know how to explain the plot. Just read the book, it all makes sense and is amazing. I like how instead of having one universal language of animals, Ani has to learn the body movements and individual sounds of each species, witch is a lot more believable than being able to talk with telepathy. There is some of that though, not to give anything away. I like Ani's character, she is shy and is nervous talking with people. She feels like she can't trust anyone and has to choose between friend and foe. The beginning is a little slow, but the rest of the story is enchanting and beautiful. It was a fun read that I really enjoyed. It is full of mystery, beauty, adventure, chance, friendship and plots. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a fun fantasy.

Rating:****

Beyonders: A World Without Heroes

Review by Edan
Title: Beyonders: A World Without Heroes (Beyonders #1)
Author: Brandon Mull
Published: 2011
Publisher: Aladdin

Quick Summary:
Jason Walker's life is turned upside down when he stumbles into the hippopotamus tank at the zoo. He is devoured by it's gaping jaws, but is not eaten. Jason soon finds himself in another world... Lyrian, where the evil wizard emperor, Maldor, rules with an iron fist. Jason accidentally happens upon the first syllable of the word to unmake Maldor and is thrown to the secret rebellion, where he meets another Beyonder from Earth, Rachel. Together they set off on a perilous quest to find the word. They must pick their friends and foes, evade the emperors destroying servants and maneuver through this strange world. And, in the end, will they ever live to find a way back home?

Review:
I really like this series. I am rereading it because I forgot what happened and need to read the third book, but it is still an awesome book. I love how creative Brandon Mull is. He created bizarre animals, plants, stories and other human-like races. Soon you really feel like you belong to Lyrian, like it is real world. Having read it before, it was easier to imagine all of the different objects. Jason is interesting. He is an average 8th grade boy who plays baseball and is a devote student. Somehow, he and Rachel manage and maneuver their way through Lyrian. Jason is stubborn at times and in the beginning, he doesn't understand the way that information is told,  people act and the main principles of Lyrian. Rachel is also stubborn and hates the way women are treated there. Jason and Rachel are alike in many ways and make a good team. They are resourceful, careful, hurried and determined. I would really recommend the Beyonders for anyone who enjoys other world, fantasies and thrilling adventures.

Rating:*****

White Cat

Review by Edan
Title: White Cat (Curse Workers #1)
Author: Holly Black
Published: 2012
Publisher: Margaret K McElderry Books

Summary:
Cassel comes from a family of curse workers, people who can change your emotions, luck, memories and even your physical being with a touch of a hand. Cassel is an outsider, different from the rest, because he was not given the ability to curse work when he was born. There is one different thing about him though: he killed his best friend Lila when he was 14. Cassel soon has nightmares about a white cat, and is constantly sleep walking. Things start to go astray when he hears secret conversations, reads things he's not supposed to read and notices suspicious behavior. Is his family keeping a deep truth from him? A truth that changes everything. A truth that changes who he is and who he was. A truth that will change his life forever.

Review:
White Cat is an awesome book. It takes place in a world where people are afraid of bare hands and everyone wears gloves. Our world, just slightly different. It is really interesting. Cassel is an interesting character. He is different than the rest of his family of murderers, assassins and thugs. He uses his brain and con. He gets by in his world of magic just with his brain. It is a thrilling novel, but sometimes is confusing. It takes awhile to understand everything to know about "workers" and curses. It is also confusing when he talks about Lila. How can you kill someone and not remember? It is just weird, but makes sense later in the book. White Cat makes you sit on the edge of your seat and try to piece everything together. I would recommend White Cat for anyone looking for a good fantasy or thriller.

Shiloh

Review by Edan
Title: Shiloh
Author: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Published: 1991
Publisher: Atheneum

Quick Summary:
Young Marty lives in West Virginia and has always wanted a pet. One day he finds a small, shy and timid beagle in the woods, falls in love with him and takes him home, naming him Shiloh. He finds out it is really Judd Travers' new hunting dog and return Shiloh to Judd. Marty comes across Shiloh again and decides to keep him in secret, where Judd can't starve and kick him for running off. Things get tuff as Marty struggles to keep his secret and soon it slips out. It is up to Marty whether he has enough will to stand up to Judd and keep Shiloh forever.

Review:
I really liked the short, beautiful tale. I love animals and can relate to Marty in many ways. I don't know what I would do if I found Shiloh in the woods, but 11 year old Marty was really brave to stand up to Judd. In the beginning, it was a little hard to understand because it was written in first person and he wrote with an accent. Eventually it was fine. The story is not really that slow. It is so short that is fits everything in and has no lapses. If you like adventure, this book is not for you. But if you like real life stories about kids or if you like animals, you would probably enjoy this book. It is short and sweet and is one story about a boy and dog that has a happy ending.

Rating:****

Theodore Boone: The Accused

Review by Edan
Title: Theodore Boone: The Accused (Theodore Boone #3)
Author: John Grisham
Published: 2012
Publisher: Penguin Group

Quick Summary:
Theo Boone, son of two lawyers, is excited in the retrial of the Pete Duffy murder case, where Theo turned the table of events a few months earlier. The town of Strattenburg is alive with murmurs, but soon things start to look worse for Theo. First he find items stolen from his locker, later his bike tires and slashed and a rock flies through his window, showering him in glass. Next, things go too far as the police suspect him as the thief of a computer shop theft. All of the evidence is pointing toward Theo and only he can find out who the real thief is. Join Theo to see if he can find them before the case is closed...

Review:
Out of all of the Theodore Boone books, I liked this book the most. It was the most interesting and thrilling. It made me sit on the edge of my seat even more. It is full of suspense and you are as stuck as Theo when it comes to figuring out the problem. I love Thoe's character. It is really real and make you realize how fake and brave some other main characters are. It makes you think about who you would react to the vandalism and framing. The stories are always complicated and full of other cases and trails that Theo gets wrapped up in. It captures how busy a middle schoolers life really is. The Theodore Boone books are realistic and easily relatable, and it is still inthralling and captivating. I really enjoy reading the Theodore Boone books and can't wait to finish up the series with the last book, Theodore Boone: The Activist

Rating:****

Delirium

Review by Edan
Title: Delirium (Delirium #1)
Author: Lauren Oliver
Published: 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins

Quick Summary:
Love is a disease, or so Lena has been told all her life. Her evaluations are coming up, when she will be paired, and finally married. Married, of course, after she has been cured of the deadly disease of love. They tell her the cure will make her happy, that she has nothing to be afraid of, and she doesn't doubt them. She is afraid to do anything wrong and follows along everyone else. She finally begins to open her eyes when her friend Hana shows her the world of invalid music, parties and opinions. Where love is not scared of, where uncured girls and boys come together. Then there is Alex. Another boy with a mysterious past and who Lena looses her heart for. He shows her the lies that surround her life, the lies that had been fed to her since her mother committed "suicide". In the end, it is up to Lena has to decide who to trust, where to go, and what to believe.

Review:
I really like Delirium. In the beginning, I assumed it would be another Sci Fi book about a girl who falls in love, but has to marry someone else. She runs away and starts a rebellion or something like that. Delirium is different and a thrilling novel. In the beginning I was really frustrated at Lena because of how stubborn she was. She couldn't believe Hana was doing the illegal and was just scared. I hated how blind she was being and how she just wanted to go along with everything. Finally, things become more clear and you understand more about Lena. This book is not just about love and choice, but about freedom and truth. They lead more choosing lives than people in other Sci Fi books, but their minds have been corrupted into just believing what is told to them. They don't doubt the system. The end of the book leaves you with more questions, some answers and a longing to find out what happens next.

Rating:*****

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer

Review by Edan:
Title: Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer (Theodore Boone #1)
Author: John Grisham
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Published: 2010

Quick Summary:
13 year old Theodore Boone is the son of two lawyers in the small town of Strattenburg. Theo dreams of becoming a big lawyer or judge someday and is acquainted with almost every policeman, lawyer and judge in the town. There is a big murder case and Theo is soon watching it with intensity. He soon finds himself wrapped up in this mystery. It doesn't have a clear answer and there is a unidentified witness confiding in Theo. The trial is finally coming to an end and the guilty man might go away free. Can Theo get this witness to the courtroom before it's too late?

Review:
I thought this book was very interesting and fun. It was a little slow at first, but I really liked Theo. He is not very complex, but still complicated. He know a lot about the law and it teaches the reader some new facts in a fun way. Theo has large ambitions and is always dealing and advising with legal issues with people around his school. The book was exciting and never too boring. It makes you wonder what will happen next and how he will confront his problem. Theo works with his family and friends to find answers that others cannot. This was a fun, delightful, exciting and inspiring book.

Rating:****

Life of Pi

Review by Edan
Title: Life of Pi
Author: Yann Martel
Published: 2006
Publisher: Seal Books

Quick Summary:
Pi Patel lives in Pondicherry, India on a zoo owned by his father. He loves to study two subjects, animals and religion. Pi is a devote Hindu, Catholic and Muslim. He has his own opinions and thoughts that aren't always excepted. Finally, his parents are forced to sell the zoo. They go on a cargo ship called the Tsimtsum with the zoo animals heading to Canada. Soon, the ship sinks and Pi is thrown onto a lifeboat with a bengal tiger. He realizes he will have to work twice as hard to find a way to alive with the tiger (Richard Parker). As Pi struggles to survive, he learns to love his companion Richard Parker and they both experience amazing scenes and mystical events. Will these two castaways survive on a adventure they will never understand?

Edan's Review:
Life of Pi is a crazy, nerve racking story. The first half was a little boring and confusing as Pi describes his ideas, beliefs and life in Pondicherry, but is still interesting and intriguing. The second half is an amazing unbelievable story about a boy and tiger. Because the reader is in Pi's head, it is hard to look at the scenario in someone else's perspective. You are tested to see what you believe as Pi sees many crazy and amazing things. By the end of the book, the reader has a connection with not only Pi, but also Richard Parker. The story takes many unexpected twists and has many different ideas. I loved reading this fascinating, colorful, a bit gruesome, mysterious and interesting adventurous book.

Rating:*****

Eragon

Review by Edan
Title: Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle, Book 1)
Author: Christopher Paolini
Publisher: Knopf Books
Published: 2005

Quick Summary:
Eragon is just a small farm boy from the Palancar Valley in Alagaesia. One day he stumbles upon a blue stone in the forest. Eragon is soon swept  into confusion and doubt as the stoned hatches into a dragon, turing Eragon into one of the long gone Dragon Riders. He names his dragon Saphira and together they learn their path as a dragon and Rider. The only Rider left is Galbatorix, the immortal and evil ruler of Alageasia who wants to have Eragon as his own Rider. Eragon soon is off on a journey with his town storyteller, Brom, to track down the creatures who killed his uncle. Eragon soon has to face dangerous choices of allegiance, trust and friendship, for what he chooses will slant the prospects of an ever brewing war...

Review:
I love Eragon. This is the second time I have read it and still love it. It is a book filled with secrets and adventure. The ideas about dwarves, elves, dragons, magic and other creatures of the sort are different, more realistic and believable than other perspectives. If I had to choose the most believable type of magic that I have read about (wands, charms, spirits, potions, ect.) I would choose this one. Eragon changes a lot throughout the book, turning from a illiterate farm boy to a Dragon Rider, swordsman and magic user. He gains knowledge and cautiousness, but still remains the stone headed fool that he was. Like Saphira says, Eragon is like a hatchling always getting into trouble. The never stopping excitement  leaves me reading for hours on end. Re-reading it had made somethings clearer than before, and I think I wouldn't mind re-re-reading this series once I done with it again. Eragon is never ending, adventure, trust, battles, information, thoughts and choice.

Rating:*****