Entries Tagged 'Book Review' ↓
March 10th, 2010 — 3.5-4 Treasure Chests, A-C, Book Review, Fantasy, Humorous
by Captain Lyaf Yarr
Title: The Chocolate Touch
Author: Patrick Skene Catling
Format: Paperback
# of pages: 96
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Summary: John Midas is addicted to chocolate. He refuses to eat anything else. In addition he is a very selfish boy. One day when he finds a coin with his initials on it, he takes it to a candy store, and he buys a box of chocolate. The next day he discovers that everything he touches with his teeth turns into chocolate. At first John is deliriously happy but could this chocolate touch go too far? Is there such a thing as too much chocolate?
Why I Started the Book:
I started this book because it was an in class assignment.
Likes:
- I like how this book is all about chocolate. I love chocolate!
- I like how it's also based off of the Greek myth about Midas' Golden touch. Explains the main character's name, doesn't it?
- I like how this book is written (and wish it was longer).
- I like the moral of the story: selfishness is not a good thing and to be thankful for what you have. I think that it's very important to know that.
Dislikes:
- I didn't like reading this book at school because I couldn't grab a chocolate to munch on with John at the same time. I found myself drooling after every chapter.
Buy: The Chocolate Touch
Book Rating: I give this book 3.5 Treasure Chests.
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March 8th, 2010 — 1-2 Treasure Chests, Book Review, Historical Fiction, Mystery, S-T
by Captain Lyaf Yarr
Title: Black Duck
Author: Janet Taylor Lisle
Format: Paperback
# of pages: 256 pages
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Summary: One day Ruben Hart and his best friend Jeddy are walking on the beach and stumble upon something completely unexpected that changes everything. What did they see? A dead body with a bolt stuck in him! Who shot him and why? That's what David Peterson wants to find out. He wants to be a reporter very badly and this is the only story he's got from such a small town. Befriending the older Ruben Hart will be a challenge as the old rumrunner doesn't want to open up, but David is determined.
Why I Started the Book:
I started this book because it was a school assignment and the only reason I continued reading it was because I was forced to read it. If I wasn't forced to read it I would have quit the book in a heartbeat.
Likes:
- I liked the chapter with Tom and Viola. Jeddy and Ruben skipped school to meet Tom and discuss the body. I thought it was a great chapter, until Viola got shot! Poor Viola.
Dislikes:
- When I was reading this book I feel asleep a few times. Sweet escape! Well that is until I woke up and then I had to keep reading.
- I don't exactly know why I didn't like this book. I guess I didn't like the subject matter and the writing style. It's very slow in the beginning. I never did get interested in the story.
- As I mentioned earlier the best part was the chapter with Tom and Viola. But it was ruined! Some parts I thought “This is a good part” but then it would get ruined!
Last minute thoughts: At first when I read the back of this book it sounded all mysterious and something different and new to read. I don't understand how a lot of other people in my class liked this book. I didn't at all. There were two other people in my group who were also reading it and one liked it and the the other didn't.
Buy: Black Duck
Book Rating: I give this book 1.5 treasure chests. This book was horrible!
March 7th, 2010 — 3.5-4 Treasure Chests, Action & Adventure, Audio Book Review, Book Review, G-I, Mystery, YA Genre
by Captain Lyaf Yarr
Title: Hoot
Author: Carl Hiaasen
Format: Unabridged Audio Book
Narrator: Chad Lowe
# CDs + Minutes: 6 CDs (6 hours and 25 minutes)
Grade Reading Level: Ages 12+
Summary: Roy Eberheardt moves to Florida. On the first day of a new school he spies Napoleon running to an old ice cream truck. Unlikely friends, the two team up with a third, Napoleon's sister Beatrice, in order to save an endangered owl species habitat from developers. But the Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House corporation will do anything it takes to stop them. Can the trio prove the existence of the owls in time to save them?
Why I Started the Book:
I've seen the movie a while ago and wanted to know if the book was as interesting as I remembered the movie to be.
Likes:
- I liked how Mullet Fingers aka Napoleon is very adventurous. He never seemed frightened of what was happening or what might happen. He never gave up, and did anything he could.
- The numerous pranks the trio did against the pancake house construction site and team. My favorite was when alligators were put in the toilet. Look before you sit!
- It was clever when Napoleon had to be taken to the hospital to treat a dog wound and the kids all pretended Napoleon was actually Roy.
Dislikes:
- I didn’t like when the vice principle was talking to Roy about Roy's retaliation against the school bully Dana. Where was the principle's talk to Dana? It didn't seem very fair.
- Chad Lowe, the narrator, wasn't a very good reader compared to others I've had the pleasure of listening to. Don't get me wrong, he wasn’t awful, but he wasn't very good either. I had a hard time getting involved in the story and my attention wandered a lot. The more I think about it, the more I feel I should have read the book as opposed to listening to it.
Buy: Hoot (Audio Book)
, Hoot (Paperback)
Book Rating: I give this book 3.5 treasure chests!
Originally posted 2009-11-06 03:42:50.
March 6th, 2010 — 3.5-4 Treasure Chests, Book Review, G-I, Mystery, School Situations, YA Genre
by Captain Lyaf Yarr
Title: The Homework Machine
Author: Dan Gutman
Page Count: 146
Format: Hard cover
Grade Reading Level: 3rd-5th
Summary: Brenton, Snik, Kelsey, and Judy are in 5th grade and have only thing in common. Can you guess what it is? They all hate homework! Brenton, however, has a secret homework machine that only he knows about. Until, he decides to tell Snik, Kelsey, and Judy and give them permission to use it anytime. (As long as they keep it a secret.) But someone tells another student about the machine. When Brenton gets an email the kids aren't sure if they should still use the machine or who told the other student.
Why I Started the Book:
I read this book because I heard good things about it from my friends and my teachers. The title also made me curious and eager to read it. A homework machine? How Does it work?
Likes:
- I liked how this book was written. It was like a person was in a room being videotaped and someone was writing what they were saying, also it changed point of view or narrators a bunch of times which I thought was fun.
- I like the character Snik. To me he’s the, “I think I’m so cool, and everyone thinks so too!” kid.
Dislikes:
- The things that Kelsey does: like get her navel pierced, seemed real stupid to me. I don’t get why it was included in the book. I think Dan Gutman was trying to show how Kelsey changed throughout the book or how she was trying to get attention, but I’m still not sure.
Last minute thoughts: Dan Gutman has yet to disappoint me! You should try his other books also.
Buy: The Homework Machine (Paperback)
Book Rating: I give this book 4 treasure chests! It was excellent!
Originally posted 2009-11-05 03:01:51.
March 5th, 2010 — 3.5-4 Treasure Chests, Action & Adventure, Audio Book Review, Fantasy, Guest Review, P-R, YA Genre
by First Mate Keira, guest reviewer
Title: The Battle of the Labyrinth
Author: Rick Riordan
Narrator: Jesse Bernstein
Format: Audio Book
# CDs + Minutes: 9 CDs (10 hours, 33 minutes)
Grade Reading Level: 6 – 8 Grade.
Summary: Annabeth finally gets her own quest and she’s breaking all the rules. If 3 is a powerful number, surely 4 is better? Tyson, Percy, Grover and Annabeth are off to find Daedalus in the Labyrinth. They need to ensure his aid of Camp Half-Blood as Luke is gathering more forces to march on the demigod camp. Can they avoid an epic battle?
Why I Started This Book:
Because it’s book four in the series, of course. I’m very glad I got this audio book and the next (final) one from the library at the same time. No waiting! Pure back-to-back enjoyment.
Likes:
- That Annabeth, Percy, Tyson, and Grover all go on a quest together. I really liked seeing the gang head off to fight and conquer together. Nobody was lost and needed rescuing (e.g. Grover book 2, Annabeth book 3.)
- The Labyrinth. It’s very cool and beats Harry Potter’s maze in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
hands down. You have dirt floors, underground sewers, aqueducts, great marble halls, skylights, and more. The maze is living and growing how it pleases.
- The Telchines, while being particularly loathsome monsters are the ones that made Poseidon’s trident. That’s pretty cool. I looked them up on Wikipedia and they’re said to be “excellent metallurgists” and to have raised Poseidon. I wonder if they’ll be an important part of the final book. Maybe be redeemed, as they were exiled in the first place for turning against the Olympian gods.
- There’s a really sweet sequence with Calypso on the island of Ogygia. She’s important in Greek mythology for trying to waylay Odysseus on his way home and by wanting to marry him. Anyway, she’s a nice (Titan?) person and falls in love with Percy. I really liked what Percy said about her as he said goodbye, calling her his biggest what if.
- Kronos/Chronus and Luke. I’m not telling, but it’s pretty darn wicked and a bit scary. I liked it a lot and I wonder how Luke is going to mess things up for Kronos in the end or if he will pull a Draco Malfoy.
Dislikes:
- Hera. Honestly, no wonder Zeus is not a god of marriage. She’s all about her perfect little family and is not happy to have anything or anyone not fit in just so.
- How many times this novel had someone say to the questing kids “you know the answers… just think about it.” Really irksome.
- Ethan – Evan – whoever he is, Jesse Bernstein does this super awesome voice for the guy but the character’s a nimrod. He’s the son of the god Nemesis and literality is the last piece of the puzzle.
- The Triple G Ranch pit-stop on the way to find Hephaestus' workshop. Flesh eating horses and manure clean-up? Yummy.
Last Minute Thoughts: Nico di Angelo is growing up but at times he can be trying. I do think his powers are pretty fantastic and I feel sorry that because he’s the son of Hades he isn’t likely to be accepted by anyone. I hope he and Percy somehow cement a strong friendship.
Buy: The Battle of the Labyrinth (Audio Book)
, The Battle of the Labyrinth (Paperback)
, Percy Jackson and the Olympians Hardcover Boxed Set (Books 1 - 5)
Book Rating: 4 Treasure Chests.
Keira runs a book review blog for readers by readers on romance novels entitled Love Romance Passion. She’s been reading romance since she was in her teens and began blogging about romance so she could share her passion for her favorite genre. She loves reading paranormal, Regency, historical America, and highlander most of all and completely adores blind and wounded heroes.
Originally posted 2009-11-04 03:51:44.
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