The Jack Blank series: Review by The Muse

Post By The Muse  
Review of the Jack Blank series
By Matt Myklusch

Titles: The Accidental Hero, The Secret War and The End of Infinity

Author: Matt Myklusch.

Price: At Walmart I got The Accidental Hero and the End of Infinity for $7.99 & $14.44. I got The Secret War at Barnes&Nobles for $7.99

Length: 470 pages, 525 pages, and 398 pages

Summary of the series:
Starting as an orphan with his  future job as a toilet brush scrubber?  Jack is suddenly chased down by a  robot zombie, and  he barely makes it out alive by causing a generator to explode. He is about to be sent to the loony bin. He is saved by Jazen, an  android  from Imagine Nation. No, not imagination, Imagine Nation -- a place where anything is possible like aliens, superheros and androids. He doesn't even know who he is, and just as he's about to find out, an alarm goes off!  Then we meet the "loving" Mr.Smart, who tells everyone that Jack is infected and demands his execution and Jazen's dismantling. A lot of Jack's  comic  heroes like Prime the Valorian and other famous characters are voting on his fate.  These books follow his adventures as he tries to find out who he is and save the world from the Rustov -- an evil zombie race that is going to take over the world.     

Strengths/ Weaknesses or favorite parts: Well, I loved the whole series, but my favorite book is the last one because it leaves me in suspense. I want to know what happens next! Please, Matt, make a fourth book!

Rating of the series: 5 out of 5 chocolate bars.
Appropriateness: A wussy vampire  because the only bad thing in is the violence.
CoverThoughts: I think the covers are awesome!

                                                                      

                                                                      

                               

Be More Chill, a review by Nico

Title: Be More Chill
Author: Ned Vizzini
Format: Paperback
Price: $7.99

The book follows the life a high school student named Jeremy.  Jeremy is, well, kind of a loser.  He has what he calls humiliation sheets, so when anyone makes fun of him, he marks it down.  Jeremy hears of a pill that makes you smart and cool.  The pill is called a "squip," and so Jeremy goes to buy it.  He swallows the pill, and it changes his life, but is it for the better, or worse?

Jeremy is the main character in Be More Chill.  He is not popular at all until he takes the squip.  His motivation to do what he does is that he wants to be cool.  Michael, Jeremy's best friend, is another character.  He has a big Afro.

I think the theme of this book is to be careful what you wish for.  Jeremy wishes to be more cool and popular, and when he finds out about the squip, he thinks he's found the perfect thing.  The squip makes some large life changes for Jeremy, and it turns out to be not exactly what he had hoped for.

I really don't think there were any weaknesses of the book, but it was very strong.  The moral of the book was very strong, and it had a strong entertainment value.

I don't think the ending was that great because of the problems that the squip causes and then how Jeremy fixes it.

Appropriateness: sexual content, mature themes, and language

Mockingjay, a review by Jacob

Title:  Mockingjay
Author:  Suzanne Collins
Format:  Hardcover
Price: $17.99

The Hunger Games are over.  That should be a good thing, right?  Not for Katniss Everdeen.  As the Mockingjay, she joins the rebellion against the corrupt Capitol.  But, it will not be an easy flight.  She must draw the attention of the other districts to also act up against the Capitol, and kill President Snow.

Katniss is no longer the simple huntress she was.  She is hardened by too much blood and warfare in too little time.  After an attack from the Capitol that destroys Katniss' old life, she has even more personal motivation to take them down.

The theme of the book seems to me to be that things are always changing, and not always in the way you'd like them to.  Everything good comes to an end.  But in the same way, everything bad does, too.

I think that this book was overall pretty strong.  Some people don't like it as much since the Hunger Games are over, but I honestly like it more because they are over.  I really liked getting to know more about the society of Panem, and I enjoyed reading about the rebellion.  But, there are some things that I think could've gone better.  The main weak point to me seemed to be the ending.  The ending was way too sudden, and it didn't really satisfy me.  Other points were a little too sudden, but the ending really hit hard.  It was the "correct" ending to me -- everything went the way I was hoping -- but it was summed up in the last two or three pages.  The other endings of the books were good enough; they left a cliff-hanger, suspense, but this book was supposed to be the conclusion, and it just didn't seem right to me. 

Overall, I think the book deserves a well-earned 3.8 out of 5 chocolate bars.

The book's cover was, uh, pretty.  It was nice to see an actual(ish) Mockinjay.

This book, like the other Hunger Games books, has extreme violence, so be wary.

Catching Fire, a review by Sammy G.

Title- Catching Fire (The Second Book in The Hunger Games)

Author- Suzanne Collins

Format- ebook

Price- $5.99 on Amazon.com and 9.99 on BarnesAndNoble.com

Plot Summary-

Catching Fire starts out with the victory tour for Peeta and Katniss. Right before it President Snow shows up and basically says if you don’t convince EVERYBODY that you love Peeta I will kill Gale. So they go on this Victory Tour and Peeta proposes to Katniss, she accepts, but even that isn’t enough to convince President Snow. Life goes on and eventually it is announced that in the 75^th Hunger Games tributes will be chosen from the existing pool of victors! And for district 12 that means the 2 tributes will be Katniss and Peeta or Katniss and Haymitch! When the drawing happens it is decided that Peeta will go in with Katniss again. During the training and interviews Cinna and Portia, their stylists, come up with more amazing outfits. Also during one of the interviews Peeta drops 2 huge bombshells and says that Katniss is pregnant and that they already got married in secret. Finally the real Hunger Games begin but I won’t tell you what happens because that may spoil the book for you.

Important Characters (edited for length):

Katniss (main character)- She is courageous, a victor of the 74^th Hunger Games, a beautiful singer, in love with Peeta and Gale, named after an edible root, great with a bow and arrow, and she hates the Capitol.

Peeta (main character)- He is great with words, a victor of the 74^th Hunger Games, an amazing painter, he has been in love with Katniss since he first saw her, he is strong, and he hates the Capitol.

Gale (main character)- He is a great hunter and trapper, in love with Katniss, and he hates the Capitol.

Haymitch (main character)- He is a drunk, the victor of the 50^th Hunger Games, and the mentor for katniss and peeta in the 74^th and 75^th hunger Games. He also hates the Capitol.

Prim (Katniss’s sister)- She is sweet, innocent, and almost everyone absolutely loves her.

Theme- I think the theme of the Hunger Games is to stand up for what you believe in no matter what.

Strengths:

1. Interesting back story

2. Great plot and characters

3. Easy to visualize

Weaknesses:

1. Confusing at times

2. Said is used a lot

3. I wish they would have played it out

Evaluation- Over all it is one of the best books I have ever read and encourage anyone who hasn’t read it to read it.

Ending Thoughts- I personally did not like the ending, but without it the third book would be completely different.

Rating- 4.5 chocolate bars

Cover Thoughts- I think the cover is a good cover because it matches the other covers and the mockingjay is basically the symbol for the whole story.

Appropriateness- The only inappropriate thing is Haymitch’s drinking. (and kids killing each other.)  For ages 9 and up.

Nor Crystal Tears, a review by bookgirl12

I am bookgirl12.
I am doing the book NOR CRYSTAL TEARS in paperback.
By Alan Dean Foster.
It has 231 pages, and I borrowed it.

From the back of the book.
Before Man and the insectlike Thranx had become allies when the reptilian AAnn were just occasional raiders of Thranx colony worlds, one young thranx agricultural expert lived a life of quiet desperation.

Its strengths are its exciting parts. It happens when Ryo, the main character, meets monsters, AKA humans.  It was awesome, and I couldn't get my face out of the book.  Its weaknesses are the boring parts, like where it told about Ryo's background and what he does before he meets them.  I love the whole book anyway.  My favorite part is the action.  The most interesting thing about Ryo's character was the way he was always urging himself to learn more.  I know I couldn't have done it myself, no matter how much I urged myself to do it.  I recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure.

I think it rates 5 out of 5 chocolate bars.

Appropriateness Rating:  this is one I came up with myself the werewolf because it’s in the middle of a fairy princess and the vampire ratings.

I love the cover its awesome trust me again.

Trust me I NOT crazy I am the same person just with a different name.

Book Review: The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

A book review by GIRlover230

The name of the book I read is: Uglies

The format is: paperback
The author is: Scott Westerfeld
The number of pages: 425
The price I got it at was: $8.99

The book is about a town in a time where anyone who is normal is ugly. Luckily, when you’re sixteen, you undergo a surgery that makes you pretty (in their terms). Tally, the main character, can’t wait to get her surgery done. Her best friend Paris has already gotten his surgery done and was already in New Pretty Town (that’s the town you go to when you’re pretty). Tally is three months younger than Paris so she is alone for three months until she turns pretty. So one day she decides to go visit Paris in New Pretty Town, but the thing is, Uglies are not allowed in New Pretty Town, so she sneaks in. I won’t go into details, but when she leaves she finds another Ugly named Shay. During the three months until they get their surgeries done, Shay and Tally become good friends the week before there surgeries Shay tells Tally a big secret, then gives her a map in code to tell where she’s going. She tried to talk Tally into going, but it didn’t work. I’m not going to tell any more spoilers, but they go on a big adventure.

I thought this book was good, and it has a really surprising ending.  I also liked the author's description of the characters, how detailed he was on describing things.  My favorite part was the turning point, and the big decision Tallie made in the New Smoke.  You'll find out about the New Smoke when you read the book. 

This is the first of three books. The names are Uglies, Pretties, and Specials. I liked it enough to read the rest of the series, and I'm now on the third book.  This is probably one of the first science-fiction books I've read and liked.

Rating: 5 out of 5 chocolate bars

Appropriateness: fairy princess
Where I got it: we owned it but you could get it at a book store or library.
Cover thoughts: I like it.  It fits my idea of Tallie because I imagined her with reddish-brown hair like that.  I think it's eye-catching because if it were on a shelf, I'd probably see it and go grab it.

My Life and Robots

Original Fiction by Goatboy

CHAPTER 1

I was nine when the robots took over. People said it was fake. People always said the world would end. If it wasn't lightning and tsunamis, it was zombies. It all started when scientists discovered how to cross bioligical and technological robotics. It was declared the feat of the century. The robots could understand tasks on their own without being programmed for them.

Then the robots thought, these old guys in labcoats are annoying, I'll blow them up. The scientists said it would happen; the government didn't believe them. The robots took over, and you would say eh it's fake and then oh,an evil robot! You just know that some old science guy is in the background saying I told you.

All that was left were small groups of people after a long period of war, gathered in America. Some elite groups of the army gathered in other places. I held a group of soldiers, three other teenagers, on Bleaker Street, New York.  They were: Mike, our tech wiz; Blade, our rock solid muscle; Sabrina, my athletic girlfriend; and me--Tony.  We took the back ways to the commander's base. The main streets were controlled by robots.

There are three kinds of robots: the 28-x's, stupid muscle; O'Reilys, arial bots; and the B.O.S.S's., Battle Operated Strike Systems. I hope we don't run into any of those on our way.

book review The accidental hero

A book review BY DIMESIONGIRL12
BOOK TITLE The accidental hero.
FORMAT: I read it in paperback.
AUTHOR: Matt Myklucsh

LENGTH: It has 470 pages
PRICE: It’s $5.99 at Walmart, but it's $7.99 elsewhere.

I love this book because it shows an alternative reality and how it would happen if we opened up our minds to the impossible.  I wish it were real. I liked how everyone was very unique, and I can get what Jack feels because I, too, have experienced what it's  like to be unique.  The one weakness is it was boring at parts because it follows a pretty basic plot of the hero finding out who he is, training, and beating the bad guys.  I wish it would have been mixed up a little with maybe some more conflict like Revile could have captured him or something.

For 12 years Jack lived at St. Barneby’s Home for the Hopeless, Abandoned, Forgotten and Lost.  Now he lives in the world of Imagine Nation. Jack has been infected with a virus that usually turns the host into a robo-zombie.  But will the robo-zombies get Jack?  Will he beat the virus ??

RATING: I think it rates 5 chocolate bars.

APPROPRIATENESS:  I think it’s sort of a vampire book but not quite because it has some violence, but only a little, like a punch in the face.  No language or sexual content.

COVER THOUGHTS:  I think the cover should be more eye-popping like it showing Jack and his friends and them standing on Revile.

I know right now you think I'm crazy, but read the book and you'll thank me.

Guest Post on Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini

Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini

Jeremy Heere is your average high school dork. Day after day he stares at beautiful Christine, the girl he can never have, and dryly notes the small humiliations that come his way -- until the day he is told about the "squip." A pill-sized supercomputer that you swallow, the squip is guaranteed to bring you whatever you most desire in life. By instructing him on everything from what to wear to how to talk and walk, the squip transforms Jeremy from a supergeek to one of the most popular guys in class. Soon he has made friends and has the attention of the hottest girls in school. But his real dream, Christine, remains out of his reach. Jeremy eventually finds out that there is also a dark side to having a computer inside your brain -- and it can lead to disastrous consequences. (Summary from Amazon.com

Jeremy is the main character. At first he is not cool, and the girl that he likes doesn't like him...

Then someone tells him about a squip, a computer chip that they put in your brain that tells you what to do to be cool. He has to steal beanie animals from his aunt's collection so that he can buy it. Then, with the leftover money he earned, Jeremy gets an Eminem T-shirt and sweatshirt. Then the squip makes him cool. (No spoilers!)

I think that Be More Chill was a very good book, but it cuts out some of the end where I think we should know what happens. At some points it gave a little more detail than I think was needed. And at the end it felt like it was skipping things that should have been there. Like the part from a week before the play to all the way to the play.

I liked how at one point Jeremy wasn't even cool, even with the squip. My favorite part was when Jeremy got high and then had to run from a football player who got mad at him for kissing his girlfriend.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 chocolate bars!

Spikez