Here Lies Arthur

by Philip Reeve

Here Lies Arthur follows the life of a young girl named Gwyna after an attack on her village. When no one else survives, she is left all alone and escapes into the woods. There, she meets Myrddin, a bard rumoured to have magic, who saves her. Gwyna finds out the Myrddin is trying to unite Britain, which after being attacked by the Saxons, is now split up into many small kingdoms and villages. Only under the rule of Arthur, the leader of a fierce war-band, does Myrddin think this can be achieved. However, several obstacles stand in their way.

One of these, Gwyna finds out, is convincing some people that the gods are on Arthur's side. To do this, Myrddin has Gwyna rise out of the lake as a goddess of water and give Arthur a sword named Caliburn in front of the non-followers. After successfully tricking them, Myrddin disguises Gwyna as a boy and takes her to be his servant.

When I first picked up this book and saw who had written it I wasn't eager to start it. After being unimpressed by Reeve's Fever Crumb series (though my Mom and co-author of this blog liked it very much) and finding the Hunger City Chronicles only OK, I wasn't expecting much from this book. However, this book didn't win the 2008 Carnegie Medal in Literature for nothing.

This book ended up being quite a page-turner with an interesting mix of fast-paced moments and funny ones.  I found it shorter than most books of the same genre; however, after reading it, the length seemed just right. It is not a stay-up-all-night-reading-under-the-covers book, but one that I enjoyed reading for fun because the plot and the general idea was so clever and interesting.

I also found this book so appealing because it took the myths and put history behind them. This made me think about whether there actually was an Arthur and if there was one, how close the real one could have been to the Arthur portrayed in the legends and myths.

I would recommend it for teens who love historical fiction, but especially ones who know the King Arthur legend and would understand how cleverly the book is written. Because I know the legend myself, I'm not sure if people who do not know it would find Here Lies Arthur confusing or not.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the book and hope to keep a more open mind about Philip Reeve's books.

I Am Number Four

by Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes)

This is a review for a book I read during the 48-Hour Book Challenge.

I Am Number Four is centered around John Smith, an alien from the planet Lorien. When the Mogadorians, another alien race, came and destroyed the Lorien race, only nine Lorien children managed to survive, along with nine guardian "Cêpan" to protect them. They were sent to Earth to one day come back and revive the deserted planet of Lorien. However, the Mogadorians continue trying to eliminate the Lorien race by killing the remaining eighteen Loriens on Earth. Luckily, when the Loriens left, a charm was placed upon the nine children which made it so that they could only be killed in order of their given numbers. In I Am Number Four, One, Two, and Three have all been killed. John Smith is Number Four and is being tracked by the Mogadorians.

This book was highly entertaining and its plot was very captivating. One complaint I had was that the authors tried to squeeze too much action and description into one battle scene which ended up overwhelming and confusing me. I also thought that the characters' personalities seemed typical and unoriginal. However, this was overall a very good book and I would definitely recommend it to any young adult who likes romance, science-fiction, and action.

The second book in the series is The Power of Six and the third book The Rise of Nine will be coming out in August 2012.

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak

Liesel Meminger never expected her brother to die and that Nazis would discover her parents were communists, but her life really turns around after she steals her first book, The Grave Digger's Handbook. Sent to a foster home to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann, she quickly builds a new life on Himmel Street in Molching, Germany, finding a new friend in a certain Rudy Steiner. As she is being taught to read by her Papa, she begins to discover the power of words.
After several adventures and a couple more book thefts, Liesel begins to settle in. But just as her life seems to become normal, the Hubermanns decide to hide a Jew, Max Vandenburg, in their basement. Liesel quickly befriends Max and discovers he shares the same passion for words. Through their friendship, Liesel learns not only that words can not only be used for good, but also for bad. However, after an anti-racism action from Hans, Max has to leave Molching for his own safety. Nevertheless, the tough times aren't over for Liesel and her family. As bombs begin to drop on Molching, people start to fear for their lives and safety.

This thrilling yet charming award-winning book is sure to capture you from the start to the startling conclusion. With memorable characters and a captivating plot that will enthrall children as well as adults, this book is a definite must-read. Right from the start, with the unique introduction of Death as the narrator, Zusak demonstrates his beautiful and poetic writing style. Examining important themes such as racism, sacrifice, loyalty, and perseverance in a remarkable way that only Zusak can achieve, this book is a good example of how life isn't always fair. In summary, The Book Thief will leave readers of any age thinking about and seeing the Holocaust in a new light as well as learning the power of words.

*We chose this book for our mother-daughter book club

Red Maple Mini Reviews - 3# Fanatics (and Stones)

by William Bell

Fanatics is on this year's Red Maple list, but as it is a sequel to Stones, I decided to read and review both books together.

Garnet Havelock has never been good at school, and now, in his final year of high school, he's just waiting to get out and go into the carpentry business. However, during a class debate about love at first sight, he meets Raphaella and falls in love. Together, they discover the existence of a ghost named Hannah, stoned to death 150 years ago because of the colour of her skin and doomed to haunt a trailer park until she has brought her murderers to justice.


In the next book, Fanatics, Garnet, while trying to find a place to set up his shop, meets Ms. Stoppini and strikes a deal to rent the coach house on the estate of the late Professor Corbizzi. In exchange, he must repair the damage to the professor's library and study. However, while cleaning up the library, he finds a secret manuscript titled 'Fanatics' that results in the unveiling of an old problem surrounding theocracy. At the same time, Garnet accidentally witnesses what he thinks is a gang of terrorists.

One thing that was very interesting was how these two problems intertwined and ended up being the same message about how killing people in the name of a religion is wrong. It applied the same problem to modern and past events and presented the solution in a persuasive way that anyone could understand.

Something else that I found with both books was that they covered a lot of topics. You don't find many books that have romance, action, terrorists, social justice, history, and paranormal activities. The characters were also well-rounded. Bell vividly portrayed their unique personalities and throughout the stories, there was much character development. Overall, I thought this was a fantastic book and am hoping that a third will come out next year. However, I would recommend reading Stones before reading Fanatics.

Reviewed by Kate

The Dragon Turn by Shane Peacock

Kate and I are both huge fans of Shane Peacocks’ award-winning Boy Sherlock Holmes series, which started with The Eye of the Crow. Each book has been suspenseful and true to the world created by Arthur Conan Doyle. A big strength of the series has been the development of the young Sherlock Holmes, with entirely plausible explanations of how and why the character had evolved into the familiar detective we know from Doyle’s classic novels.

Perhaps it is because the first four novels had been so strong that I find The Dragon Turn somewhat of a disappointment. Of course, this means that the latest in the series is merely a good story rather than an exceptional one. The Dragon Turn is about two rival magicians and the disappearance of the woman that had been married to both of them in turn. As before, Irene Doyle and the Lestrades, father and son, play significant roles in the story. The plot is, as usual, exciting and fast-paced, but I missed the exploration of Sherlock’s character and history that was more prominent in the earlier books.

This is not Shane Peacock’s best, but still, the series is well worth reading, for both those well acquainted with the Sherlock Holmes character and those meeting him for the first time.

Red Maple Mini Reviews - 2# Haunting Violet

by Alyxandra Harvey

Violet Willoughby is convinced that ghosts don't exist. Having participated in her mother's fake séances, she has learned that ghosts are just ways to scam people of their money. However, when she has terrifying hallucinations of a drowning girl, she learns that while she doesn't believe in ghosts, ghosts believe in her. She later finds out that the girl was Rowena Wentworth, who had drowned last year. With suspicious actions by everyone, Violet must find out who the murderer was before another person gets killed.

I found this book has a little bit of something for everyone: romance, action, suspense, fantasy, history, and mystery. It always kept me on my toes wondering who she was going to be betrothed to, if her mother was going to be found out as a fake, or if she would be killed by Rowena's murderer. I would recommend this book to young adults who like a well-rounded story.


Reviewed by Kate

Red Maple Mini Reviews - 1# Home Truths

by Jill MacLean

Brick MacAvoy plans to escape his abusive father and negligent mother the minute he turns sixteen. However, when he learns that his little sister, Cassie, is just as vulnerable to his father's attacks, he realizes he needs to stay and protect her. Throughout the book, he learns that he's just as bad as his father by bullying other kids. In the end, he comes to the realization that he's a bully and decides to never hurt other kids again.

I found this book very inspiring and meaningful. The author found an effective way to introduce the topic of bullying and I understood it a lot better than any teacher ever explained it to me. The fact that the characters seemed very realistic helped me appreciate the effects of bullying.


Reviewed by Kate

Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks

Intrigued by the premise and the cover design, I picked up Queen of Hearts from a bookstore recently. This is the first book by award-winning Canadian author Martha Brooks that Kate and I have read. The novel is an honest and touching account of life in a sanatorium as seen through the eyes of a French-Canadian teenage girl during the World War II years.

Marie-Claire and her two younger siblings are put into a sanatorium in southern Manitoba after contracting tuberculosis from their uncle, who had succumbed to the illness. Marie Claire must deal with worry and fear for her sister and brother, despair about her own situation, and anger with her parents’ inability to cope with the tragic situation.

In the sanatorium, Marie Claire’s constant companion is Signy, a needy girl that she befriends with great difficulty. In the development of this relationship, Brooks examines the obligations, pains and awkwardness of friendship as well as the joys. In an environment where people are slowing dying, friendship necessarily encompasses a range of emotions, including not so pleasant ones like pity, revulsion and guilt. Yet, in this bleak environment, there is also happiness, love, and even hope for a future life outside this tiny enclosed world.

Eric Walters- Part 3

The Falls

When Jay Hunter, a fourteen-year-old boy, discovers some hidden family history, he's hooked on the story about his great-grandfather, Harold Jamison. As he digs deeper, he finds out that his great-grandfather was a famous river man. He also finds the same barrel that he went over Niagara Falls in. In an attempt to sell the barrel to a daredevil museum, he meets Boomer Williams, another famous river man, and discovers a challenge that he can't resist.

The Falls is an interesting and educational book, but I it found slightly slow-paced. However, this book would be perfect for young adults who enjoy realistic fiction.

Rating:****

Reviewed by Kate.

Eric Walters- Part 2

Fly Boy

Fly Boy is one of Eric Walters' more suspenseful books. It is set mostly in England during World War II. I think the description on the back of the book is more accurate than I could ever do, so here it is:

It's 1943, and World War Two is raging across Europe and around the globe. Seventeen-year-old Robbie McWilliams can't wait to follow in his father's footsteps and enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force-he wants to become a Spitfire pilot and fight for his country. The only problem is that he's still too young to join. So with a little help from his best friend, Chip, Robbie devises a plan that will allow him to enlist early and keep it a secret from his mother, from his schoolmaster, and most important, from the authorities at the RCAF.

Using the birth documents issued to his older brother who died in infancy, Robbie joins the air force and begins his training in Brandon, Manitoba. He aces all his classes and shows the makings of a great Spitfire pilot, but is dealt a huge blow when he's assigned to train as navigator on a Lancaster. Soon he's on his way to England, where he completes his training on treacherous missions bombing German targets in enemy territory, all the while wishing he were training to be a pilot. One of his bombing missions goes awry, though, and Robbie is about to learn that you should be careful what you wish for...

This book is exactly what anyone would look for in an adventurous historical fiction book. Its suspense-filled pages keep you on your toes and it's accuracy makes it educational as well as interesting. I would recommend it to anyone.

Rating:*****

Reviewed by Kate

Eric Walters- Part I

Alexandria of Africa and Beverly Hills Maasai

Alexandria of Africa and Beverly Hills Maasai focus on Alexandria Hyatt, a spoiled and rich fifteen-year-old girl. When she is caught shoplifting, she is faced with the decision of going to a juvenile detention center or joining a diversion program in Africa. When in Africa, Alexandria befriends Ruth, the daughter of a Maasai warrior. Throughout her entire life-changing trip, she learns about the difficult conditions people in third world countries live in and becomes a different person.

I would recommend this book to people who enjoy Eric Walters' writing, but find some of his books scary. This book is "lighter" than his others and doesn't have the same tension and suspense. I would also recommendd this book to people who like inspiring books, that make you see a new perspective to events or situations. Overall, this book was a good read, even though I prefer some of his other books.

Rating: ****

*When we met Eric Walters at the Silver Birch Awards, we mentioned that we had read We All Fall Down for our Mother/Daughter book club. He suggested that Alexandria of Africa would also be a good choice.

Reviewed by Kate

Airman

by Eoin Colfer

After a very, very long break, I'm finally back to posting reviews.

Wow! All I can say is "wow" after reading Eoin Colfer's Airman. This book is amazing and is perfect for adventure, romance, action, and history lovers.

Airman is a book set on the Saltee Islands about a boy named Conor Broekhart who is destined is to fly. As a friend to King Nicholas's daughter, Isabella, Conor spends his childhood playing with Isabella and studying with his tutor, Victor Vigney, on fencing and building flying contraptions. When he discovers a plot to kill the king, the murderer, Marshall Bonvilain, blames Conor instead, and Conor gets put in the Saltee Island Prison. He ends up being cellmates with Linus Wynter, a blind composer and musician, and joins a tough gang called the Battering Rams. Will he ever escape? Is Conor going to die? Will he save Isabella and his parents from poisoning from Bonvilain? Those were the questions circling through my head while reading Airman.

The author describes the living conditions in the prison on Little Saltee Island so well, I felt I was actually a prisoner myself. Eoin Colfer hooks you into the book right away, and I couldn't put down the book for hours!

Reviewed by Kate

Two by Marthe Jocelyn

I had the good fortune to win recently two books by Canadian writer Marthe Jocelyn through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. Both novels are published by Tundra Books.

Folly was released just this spring, and it is a young-adult historical novel based in the late 1800's. The title refers to the folly of Mary, a young woman working as a servant in a London household. Through Mary's eyes and those of three other characters, we see how the consequences of her actions are played out.

This is a well-written, easy-to-read and engaging story that shows the brutal reality of life for the very poor in Victorian London. The paths of the characters intertwine and slowly work toward a satisfactory, if perhaps somewhat predictable, ending.

Would You?, published a year earlier, is also written for teens. It is set in contemporary times and it is an honest account of how a teenager deals with the days following an accident which sends her older sister into a coma. It is a short, intense novel, in which the ordeal is seen through the eyes of the narrator, Claire.

One aspect of the novel I particularly liked is how Jocelyn contrasts the unthinkable with the mundane. This is not so much a novel that one enjoys but rather experiences, and I found at times, it was hard to put down. Would You? is a fast, easy read in simple language suitable for a reluctant teen reader.

After reading both books, I am most impressed by Jocelyn's range. If there's one thing that Jocelyn does particularly well, it's that she gives characters believable voices, whatever the setting may be. On a personal note, I was pleasantly surprised to find out from the bio on Jocelyn's Web site that she spends her summers in Stratford, Ontario, a town I visit regularly to attend the Shakespeare festival. It's always nice to find talent just around the corner.

Reviewed by Paulina.