Nashua South Book Reviews: April 2016

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

I Dislike Reading, I Liked This Book (But I Didn't Write a Critical Essay)

By Zack T.

Sebastian Junger put himself in the shoes of your average American Marine serving in the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan in WAR. He followed these soldiers' footprints for 15 months while they were deployed. The idea of the book, which he mentions early on, was to give average Joe's like you and I some insight on what it means to serve your country. There were times throughout the book where he made friends only to watch them die later that day in an ambush.

This should have had a clever title, but Celina is lame

By Celina M.

I highly recommend the book "Fairest Levana's Story" by Marissa Meyer to everyone who like fantasy stories and likes fairy tale related books. Marissa Meyer is a beautiful book writer and a New York Times bestselling author, she does an excellent job at describing the current things happening. Also she gives great details with everything she writes. The book "Fairest Levana's Story" comes from a series of books called The Lunar Chronicles. The series has a number of 4 books Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Fairest.

Halo from the other side

As the world of Reach and its brave defenders were attacked to rubble, and single cruiser fled the killing scene with the battles only human survivor Captain Keyes, his crew of a few hundred Marines, and the last remaining spartan super-soldier, the Master Chief.

Cortana, the ships artificial intelligence concealed in his battle armor follows the Master chief as he crash lands on Halo in the middle of a massive Covenant job. However alien soldiers appear to be searching for something hidden on the ring, which was built by a long-dead race, Halo harbors many deadly secrets, but one dominates them all. Now the Master Chief must lead the scattered troops in a brutal race to unravel Halos darkest mystery and unleash its greatest source of power. . . .

I mainly liked this book because I like playing the games till this day, I've played from Halo: Combat Evolved only to 4 because I haven't played the latest one. This book is really good and fun for anyone that played the games or likes the series in general and you can feel like you're playing it or personally in the game. Although the book is a little bit slow at some bit I'll still recommend it to anyone that likes Halo.

Isaac

Wamushiyi

You Snooze You Lose

By Devika T.

The Silent Alarm is young adult novel by Jennifer Banash that showcases the perspective of a school shooter's sister. Alys's younger brother Luke enters a crowded library with a gun that no one is aware of. Upon his entrance, he tactically kills fifteen people before pointing the gun Alys. His last word was "Hey" which is what he said to Alys before taking his own life. Of the fifteen people that were killed, many were close to Alys and her family. Because of this, her family suffers with the trauma of losing their son and the distress from other households. What's even more nerve wracking is that they don't know they reason as to why he killed those people or why he had spared Alys. The book unfolds as a story of how they came to a consensus in their life after this situation and how they coped with the negativity, shame, and indirect guilt.

Looking To The Sky

By Yesenia M.

Ran, as a young teenager who is not loved by her mother, struggles terribly with not knowing her fate. Taking part of a winter sacrifice with her unloving mother and a brutal stranger will be the hardest thing she does. Trying to figure out how to control her own destiny will help her in the long run. Having her father and two brothers die is very hard on her and her grandmother.

Quite an Electric Book

By Jasmine S.

Some friendships aren't what you expected. In Leah Thomas's book, Because You'll Never Meet Me, one extraordinarily strange friendship is shown from one side of the country to the other.

This review should've had a clever title, but Jissela is lame.

By Jissela O.

Blind Spot by Laura Ellen is a story that makes you realize who people are and who you really are. It shows you how many people have problems in their life that not everyone knows about. You can't judge someone from the outside without knowing what really in the inside. Some people might seem weird, rude, heartless, etc. but you never know what's going on in their lives that makes them act that way.

This review should have had at least three paragraphs and a clever title

By Amber D.

When Nate discovers his mother is not moving home and his father cancels their summer sailing plans, Nate is sad.He decides to solo the Canadian wilderness in his kayak. Half drowned after risking his life in a wild storm to avoid getting caught, Nate reaches an uncivilized island. His peacefulness is shattered by the arrival of a girl named Kat, but she has something Nate needs, an ample supply of fresh water. As romance happens, another threat drifts in: a drug smuggler with a sailboat full of marijuana. Soon Kat and Nate find themselves fighting for their lives.

Eve was first

By Corita C.

Eve and Adam is an intense [Fiction] book that tells the tale of a young girl with a billionaire mother. Eve and Adam is about a teenager named Evening, called EV by her friends. When EV gets into a car crash she is taken to the hospital that her mother, Terra Spiker, owns. While recovering, Terra gives EV and astonishing project to work on. Terra Spiker wants her daughter to create the perfect man. EV has a top of the line technology at her disposal so she can make every detail of this man. Also staying in Terra's building is a boy named Solo. Solo isn't injured but he is an orphan that Terra took in. Despite this, Solo hates Terra because she tends to be a cold-hearted woman that doesn't care about anyone. Eve and Adam is the story about the adventures and trouble that EV, Solo, and Aislin(EV's best friend) get into.

Books like This

By Manny R.

The book I read is called Girls like Us, I'd say it's about 2 teenager's girls that are special needs, they go to same school, and are in the same special Ed program. They are in their last year of high school and they are graduating this year. After graduation they are moving to their own apartment together as roommates, to me this story is sad, humorous, and overall good.

Bottled up

By Kylie T.

This book, Speak, takes place in a normal setting in high school with a girl named Melinda who gets raped. Melinda has no friends and her parents are extremely oblivious to how she feels. Melinda masks her feelings for so long until the end of the book. I think when cases like these happen girls and boys live in fear, being scared and alone. Throughout her high school year she struggles with keeping everything to herself, bottled up and is having hard time finding friends. The truth hasn't hit the surface at school and no one likes Melinda.

This review should have had a clever title, but Preetika is lame

By Preetika K.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a story about a 14-year-old boy named Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with fitting into society. Ponyboy and his two brothers, Sodapop and Darry have recently lost their parents in a car accident. The brothers along with a group of other boys on the poorer side of town are called the "Greasers" and are constantly fighting with the "Socs", the rich kids who live on the other side of town. The storyline follows Ponyboy as he discovers his identity, and realizes the two social classes aren't that different.

305 Pages of Paper Talking About Metaphorical Paper

By Ashley M.

Paper Towns, by John Green is a book about two old childhood friends who rejoice for one crazy night. John Green is most famously known for his book the Fault in Our Stars, but he has written other books including Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and Let it Snow. Quentin Jacobsen and Margo Roth Spiegelman grew up next door from each other, but as the years went by they found themselves growing apart. Quentin has always been secretly in love with Margo so when she randomly appears in his window in the middle of the night and asks him to help her with a secret plot, he accepts.

Do Not Keep This Book in Your Memory, Lauren R

By Lauren R.

"The Memory Keeper's Daughter" is a fictional story told by Kim Edwards. It's a tale about a sticky situation in a doctor's life. The situation is taken on by the doctor's nurse.

Halo: the Fall of Grammar

By Aiden M.

Halo: The Fall of Reach, by Eric Nylund, is a book full of action, heroism, and sacrifice all based in science fiction. This book contains scenes from space, interstellar war, and action. Halo: The Fall of Reach, by Eric Nylund, revolves around one boy in particular. His name was John, and his life was just about to get turned upside down.

Anything But a Stinker

By Jason F.

Carl Hiaasen's Flush details the adventures of Noah Underwood, a young teen who lives in Florida with his family. He loves spending his time outdoors fishing, snorkeling, boating and exploring with his younger sister, Abbey. Then one day, Noah comes home to find out that his father had been arrested and put in jail. Later he finds out it was sinking a ship that had been dumping its sewage into the crystal clear waters of the Florida Keys. Noah and Abbey try doing some investigation of their own and try to expose the ship that had been refloated and repaired, to help justify their father's actions.

Fuck Neon Gods

By Robert Gosse

American Gods, a 2001 novel written by Neil Gaiman, tells the story of a man named Shadow, a recently freed prisoner and widower, and his encounters with the gods of America. In this book, while the gods are indeed real, they live and breathe as ideas that exist as a result of human belief. The old gods like Odin and Anansi are in conflict with the new gods, like the internet, the dollar, and television. In the middle of this conflict is Shadow, who has been enlisted by Odin as a bodyguard, a killer, and the one who will hold Odin's vigil should Odin succumb to the passing of the era.

Is the Grass really tall?

By Pamela G.

This book is written in the point of view of a 13-year-old girl who lives in the small farmers town of Ellis. The government has interrupted their quiet life and built a work camp for the Japs during WWII. The camp sets the town wild, them want to know more they want to hire the Japs to work on their farms since their workers got drafted. And this little girl is right in the middle of it since her dad is the most respected man in the town. Because she is from the south the language is southern. It is brilliantly written but a tad boring, it takes awhile for the book to get interesting, with long chapters. Major themes that emerge in Tallgrass are prejudice, courage, family and community connections, and how fear creates hatred and disregard for human rights.

Saturday, April 16, 2016

This review should have had a clever title, but David is lame

By David B

Steve Jobs The Man Who Thought Different, by Karen Blumenthal is a book written in 2012. This book is a biography about Steve Jobs. This book tells all about the issues and accomplishments that has fallen on the Apple company. The book as well touches on Steve Jobs personal life and his life as a child.

History and Psychology (This was supposed to be a critical essay but ...)

By Dylan G.

Regeneration by Pat Barker is a classic story set in a time recently post First World War, in England. Barker goes into very deep detail about patients and doctors; inspired by her own grandfathers personal account of the war.

This Book Keeps you Up at Night (This is not so much a critical essay)

By: Stacey L.

Given rave reviews for its mind turning plot twists and lures, this book is a text that will plant its into your mind until you pick up the book and tend to the ivy twisting plot. Author Lisa McMann leaves you daydreaming about the introductory book to the Wake trilogy. Life altering dreams act as a portal for Jamie, the center of the Wake plot, this young lady is able to transcend into the various settings of other people's dreams. She began to enter people's dreams at the age of eight, it has mainly caused unpredictable naps. When she can't prepare for a dream, sometimes she gets more than fantasies crushes and calming memories.

An Analysis of Lee Child’s 61 Hours (This had some elements of a critical essay)

By Brett Roy

In 61 Hours Lee child excels by describing the thrilling and anxious moment during the Book. By Child's Cliff hanger style of thrilling action it keeps the readers hooked. Throughout the book Child keeps Reacher's Character consistent with his confident, arrogant yet likeable attitude.

Paradoxical Endeavors

By Anthony M.

Joseph Heller's Catch-22 is a satirical novel inspired by World War II, commenting on the absurdity of war and the moral bindings that restrict soldiers during their enlistments. This novel focuses on John Yossarian, an everyman soldier who constantly tries to escape the tight grasp of war. The title is inspired by the dilemma the protagonist and other soldiers face: any rationale for leaving the war is viewed as a plea of sanity and sane people are ineligible to be relieved, so they must continue fighting. This novel was not received upon its first publication as it is today, for both its tone and graphic content. More than 50 years later, however, Catch-22 remains at close to the top of best novel lists by publications such as Time, Newsweek, and the Modern Library.

Ian Fleming's Toy Box

By Patrick M

Ian Fleming's Casino Royale tells a cold war spy story, and is the first in a series following British secret agent, James Bond. In this first adventure, Bond must defeat a bankrupt and desperate Le Cheiffre in a high stakes game of Bakara. Le Cheiffre, a member of the Russian secret service is on his last legs and will do anything to save his own neck. This happens as a romance blossoms between Bond and his appointed personal assistant Vesper Lynd. All culminate into a storm of violence, torture, and tragedy.

I Could Read This for All Eternity

By Vishik B

Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code, was a great book. Everything flowed smoothly. The dialogue was great, it was short and to the point. There was more show than tell, which made the book very interesting, and the action and mystery was really good, too.

The World (as Told by a Five Year Old)

By Mackenzi V.

Room by Emma Donoghue is a novel limited in both setting and perspective, but not in capability. Written from five-year-old Jack's point of view, it brilliantly tells the story of him and his "Ma", who was kidnapped as a teenager and kept in a single room in her captor's backyard ever since. Despite these restraints, Donoghue creates characters and a plot which are equal parts sympathetic and captivating.

Crunch Time: Worth The Read (However, this is not a critical essay)

By: Zack T.

Crunch Time is a story written by Mariah Fredericks about four teenagers that are thrown out of the SAT's and come together to form a study group. The main characters are high school Juniors – Max, Daisy, Jane, and Leo. These four all showed up to take the SATs and got thrown out together which is when they became friends. The group consists of a jock, a nerd, a rich kid, and just your average high school Junior.

Olivia Trader's Book Review (This should have had a better title)

By Olivia T.

The first book I got to read for my Creative Writing Class was awesome! Reading the novel Shrink Rap, made you feel like you were in the eyes of the main character herself, Sunny Randall. The story was very well plotted as well as being a definite page turner. The book revealed no giveaways as to what would happen next which I loved. I enjoy being able to predict what's going to happen and then being thrown off. Each action made and words that were said, all fell so perfectly together. I wasn't confused at all for the duration of the novel; I would most definitely read it for a second time.

do you have swagger?

By Isaac W.

Swagger is about a kid named Jonas and his basketball dream.He yearns for a college scholarship Jonas was simple, he was a normal kid in high school. When he was a senior Jonas moves to Seattle because of his dad,there he meets Levi, a nice, play-by-the-book, soft-spoken guy and a basketball player. The story builds slowly as we the readers start to smell a rat in Ryan Hartwell, a basketball coach, good guy………and sexual predator. When Levi keeps telling Jonas that Hartwell abused him, Jonas has to decide whether he should risk his future career to report the coach.

The title of this review is pretty lame

By Haleigh A.

The novel The Boy In The Striped Pajamas is written by John Boyne. John Boyne is 44 years old he was born April 30,1971. The book was published January 5,2006. This novel focuses on complex issues of evil and the holocaust. The novel is told by a nine year old boy named Bruno.