Literature Young Adult Fiction » School Situations

Review: Mission (Un)Popular by Anna Humphrey

First Mate Keira — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:50:36 +0000

by First Mate Keira

Title: Mission (Un)Popular
Author: Anna Humphrey
Format: Digital ebook
Page Count: 416 pages
Grade Reading Level: Grades 6-9

Summary: Margot Button doesn’t worry about New Year Resolutions. She worries about School Year Resolutions. Unfortunately they all seem to be collapsing before 7^th grade even starts. Her best friend is sent to a private school, her mother won’t take her shopping for new school clothes, a DIY eyebrow and hair trim goes awry, and her social life is killed because she’s needed to babysit her triplet sisters after school every day. What’s a girl to do? Make friendly with the new girl in school whose fashion sense and coolness factor is sure to get them both in the popular group before too long. They just have to play their cards right.

Why I started this book:

I asked for an ARC from the publisher and got it.

Likes:

That the cool crush winds up looking like a plastic Ken Doll – pretty but with little substance.
How Margot and “Evil” Sarah are forced to come to a truce by Sarah’s older sister.
How Lord of the Flies fit into the story.
Em is well developed. I like how you know as the reader there is something just a little bit off about her.
Margot makes a mess of things but does the hardest part and fixes them. I’m glad everybody was willing to allow her to make amends.

Dislikes:

For a zero tolerance bullying policy, the principal at Manning Middle School is a bit of a wuss when it comes to enforcing it.
The spoon game. Gross and in the end dangerous. Luckily Margot does the right thing!
I want an epilogue where Margot meet’s the other girl. I want to know how that works out.

Last Minute Thoughts: For a fun drama filled middle school story about friends and crushes and growing up, read Mission (Un)Popular!

Buy: Mission (Un)Popular

Rating: 3.5 Treasure Chests

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Review: The Royal Treatment (Princess for Hire #2) by Lindsey Leavitt

First Mate Keira — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:38:41 +0000

by First Mate Keira

Title: The Royal Treatment (Princess for Hire #2)
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Format: Digital ebook
Page Count: 272 pages
Grade Reading Level: Grades 6–8

Summary: Desi Bascomb's job as a princess double or stand-in was in jeopardy from her actions helping out Level 1 princesses, but luckily everything got sorted out. Now that she’s done some BEST work (Betterment of Elite Sub Training) she can advance to the more glamorous Level 2 princesses.

But things aren’t all rosy within the Facade Agency and Desi knows something fishy is going on when it comes to magic, but isn’t sure enough of herself to confront upper management about it. Why is magic used only on royals and makeup and bubble transports?

Meanwhile, Desi just wants a chance to see her Prince Karl again, even if a romance between them is against the rules, and star in her school’s production of Midsummer’s Night Dream. She gets her chance when she subs for the princess dating Karl’s brother and lands a role in the play starring opposite her friend’s crush… life couldn’t get more complicated!

Why I started this book:

I read and loved Princess for Hire and asked the publisher for an ARC, which they gave me.

Likes:

Desi is a good friend and a strong female character. She’s interested in doing the right thing for herself and her princesses, even if it means sticking her neck out to do it.
I liked how the relationships on the home front were handled between Desi, her mother, Reed, Celeste, and Kylee. They were fun and genuine. Overall a great line up of characters that are very likeable.
- Her mother is concerned and doesn’t want Desi to feel rejected when she starts prepping Celeste for beauty pageants.
- Celeste is still the snarky frenemy. I didn't like her all that much in the first book, but she's revealed more human in this one, which I like. Will she remain a frenemy or become a friend again because of Desi’s help?
- Kylee is there for Desi. How many girls are out there that would take your weird hobby jumping in stride? There’s no falling out between them over boys, which is great too.
- Reed is clearly enjoying Desi’s company and wants more, but she’s a little clueless and still in crush-mode with Karl.
The time spent at Celeste’s beauty pageant and Desi’s debut as a Watcher for Facade was awesome. Got to love somebody who’s that excited and clueless.
I loved how Prince Karl and Desi’s crush was handled. OMGosh that ending is spectacular. I can’t wait for Princess for Hire #3!

Last Minute Thoughts: Even better than Princess for Hire, The Royal Treatment will take you further into a magical world that you won’t want to leave!

Buy: Princess for Hire: The Royal Treatment

Rating: 5 Treasure Chests

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Review: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Review: If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? by Melissa Kantor

First Mate Keira — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:14:08 +0000

Reviewed by First Mate Keira

Title: If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince?
Author: Melissa Kantor
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 283 pages
Grade Reading Level: Grades 7-9

Summary: Lucy Norton is a modern day Cinderella. Forced to move from San Francisco to Long Island because of her dad’s remarriage, she’s struggling to find her balance in a life she doesn’t want. With her dad constantly out of state due to work, it’s a lot harder than it should be. Her stepmom asks like a totally different person when he’s not around. It’s clear the stepmom wants to be rid of her. Add in her two wicked little stepsisters and Lucy’s just wondering where the heck her prince is to complete the fairy tale.

Why I started this book:

Goodreads recommended it to me based on my TBR pile.

Likes:

I like how Lucy comes to the rescue for her twin stepsisters in the book. It was a smart move on the stepsisters part to call someone to get them out of trouble. Kids take note! Ever find yourself somewhere you don’t want to be make that phone call.
I like that Lucy shares a strong interest in common with each of the guy’s she likes and that like her back. Conner Pearson (most popular guy at school, but who’s too old for her) is on the basketball team and Lucy is crazy about basketball. While Lucy and Sam Wolff share a passion for art – creating it and discussing other artists.
I appreciated the fact that the friendships she makes with two girls while she’s popular stick with her when she’s no longer dating the popular boy.

Dislikes:

I was hoping for a stepmom would appeared horrible but really wasn’t. But she actually is and it’s kind of an unfair reputation. Not all stepmoms are wicked, just this one. She refused to furnish or let Lucy furnish her room until it benefited her to have it done when a friend would need to use it, honed in on all the daughter’s phone time with her dad instead of waiting for them to be done, punished or reprimanded her for small infractions while letting her own daughters get away with everything, it’s a huge double standard.
Oh and at one point at a party she forces Lucy to dress up like the help and take people’s coats and serve them food without bothering to introduce her as her husband’s daughter. Seriously? The father lets her get away with that and that’s just wrong!

Buy: If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince?

Rating: 3 Treasure Chests

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Review: The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking Like a Professional by Philip Yaffe

First Mate Keira — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:14:02 +0000

by First Mate Keira

Title: The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking Like a Professional
Author: Philip Yaffe
Format: Ebook
Page Count: 288 pages
Grade Reading Level: 9^th Grade+

Why I read this book:

I was offered a review copy by the author. In addition, I was interested in learning the secret to effective expository writing… *cough* acing that pesky term paper *cough*

Why you should read this book:

Ever wanted to write the perfect term paper or ace a weighty presentation? Philip Yaffe’s The Gettysburg Approach will give the keys to successful writing to any student wishing to learn and willing to do the legwork. The text itself is a useful example of all of the principles, tips, and instructions the author explains throughout the book.

Early emphasis is on clarity, conciseness, and density. Formulas define what these words mean with instructions and exercises for applying them to your writing. Later Yaffe covers the differences between writing and speaking and how to make slide show presentations work for the speaker and listener alike.

Yaffe employs repetition and summation throughout the book to get points across and make sure they stick. Appendixes A-M continue the lessons from the main text of the book and provide plenty of practice to make sure you get what to do.

Aimed at college freshmen, Gettysburg Approach would also be good for high school students. Beyond the student application, I believe this book to be a good investment for new teachers wishing to keep students engaged. In addition, it would be good for presenters, speakers, and professionals that rely heavily on written communication.

Favorite Sections:

Author’s Story – How he learned to write (from complexity to effectiveness)
Inverted Pyramid – A journalism technique that gives busy readers what they want fast.
Line by Line Analysis – Specifically when Yaffe covers Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and Shakespeare’s Mark Anthony soliloquy about the death of Caesar and the comparison between the two speeches
Lewis Carol’s Jabborwocky Poem – How nonsense can achieve an expository feel and be solidly constructed at the same time

Last Minute Thoughts: This is nitpicky, but I wish attention, attention span, or focus, was used in place of mind control throughout the book. Personally it jolted me out of the reading because it seemed at times the prevalent idea appeared to be mind control, not effective writing, though gaining and retaining reader attention resulted from professional writing. I have no interest in mind control.

Buy: The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking Like a Professional (print)

Rating: 5 Treasure Chests

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Review: C. Y. A.: Covert Youth Agency: The Sext Crime by Jason Ancona

First Mate Keira — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:59:28 +0000

by First Mate Keira

Title: The Sext Crime: C.Y.A.: Covert Youth Agency (Volume 2)
Author: Jason Ancona
Format: Digital ebook
Page Count: 280 pages
Grade Reading Level: Ages 8-14

Summary: When senior class presidential candidate, Meredith, is blackmailed into quitting the election race, she gets her best friend and campaign manager to contact the C.Y.A. (Covert Youth Angency). Peter "Pi" Samuels and his friends (Delilah Lightman and Ben "Tollhouse" Gaw), run the C.Y.A. and in this second installment face challenges they’re unprepared to handle. Trenton High School is a hotbed of trouble just waiting to explode at the least sign of disturbance.

Why I started this book:

I was given a copy by the author.

Likes:

Ancona took a real issue (sexting) amongst teens today and plugged it successfully into his story without being pious (which would turn off kids) or flippant (which would turn off adults). He uses humor to keep things light, but points out the seriousness and consequences of participating in the act.
Lightman going shopping with the girls and finding out undercover isn’t always fun. Haha.
Pi going to the dance and playing it cool with Vera and her friends.

Dislikes:

I miss the opening from Case of Tangled Love where the characters are introduced in a stylized “Case File” summary like way. I thought that was very clever and quickly brought readers into the C.Y.A as if they were agents too.
Tollhouse is a good agent for the C.Y.A. but I’m concerned by his chameleon behavior. He caves easily to situations and suggestions to blend into the group. I hope one day he’ll join a group and change them for the better, because essentially he’s a good kid.

Last Minute Thoughts: You should read The Case of Tangled Love before starting The Sext Crime as they follow each other sequentially and The Sext Crime makes references periodically to The Case of Tangled Love. Can’t wait for round three!

Buy: The Sext Crime (C.Y.A. : Covert Youth Agency)

Rating: 3.5 Treasure Chests

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Review: Debugging Tori Redding by Jason Ancona

Review: Boys are Dogs by Leslie Margolis

CaptainYarr — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:47:12 +0000

by Captain Lyaf Yarr

Title: Boys are Dogs
Author: Leslie Margolis
Page Count: 195
Format: Hardback
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Summary: Annabelle is going into 6^th grade at her first coed (boys and girls) school. She and her mom move in with her mom's boyfriend (a.k.a. Dweeble), and because of the big move they get her a dog. The dog isn't trained and is a big problem, but not the only problem. The boys aren’t exactly as she imagined. In fact they're worse! Much, much, worse! Just like wild dogs. Now Annablles’ job is not only to train her new dog but to train all the boys at school.

Why I Started This Book:

I began this book because, it was on a list of books I had to read for school. I started this one first because it looked the most amusing and was the most appealing to me.

Likes:

I enjoyed reading the parts of this book when Annabelle was reading her dog training book and Leslie wrote what she was reading. I got to learn 10 times more information than if it wasn’t written.
I liked reading from Annabelle’s point of view, and getting to hear what she was thinking. She sounded like my idea of a 6^th grader starting a new school. I could have been her friend.
I liked this book because Annabelle is in 6^th grade, and so am I. So while I was reading I could relate to her problems as if they were my own. Well, maybe not all, as I've always been in coed schooling.

Dislikes:

I didn’t like the ending. Why you ask? Well it wasn’t exactly how I thought it would end, and I thought there was a better alternative.

Buy: Boys Are Dogs (paperback)

Book Rating: I give this book 4 treasure cheats! It interested me the whole time I was reading. It was fun reading what someone else thinks about boys. I would like to read Leslie’s other book called "Girls Acting Catty."

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30 Book Series for Boys You Shouldn’t Miss, Part 3

Review: Schooled by Gordon Korman

CaptainYarr — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:10:11 +0000

by Captain Lyaf Yarr, the pilot of this here vessel.

Title: Schooled
Author: Gordon Korman
Page Count: 208
Format: Paperback
Grade Reading Level: 6-8

Summary: Capricorn (Cap) Anderson has always been home schooled until his teacher and hippie grandma, Rain, falls out of a tree. Now he goes to Claverage Middle school and stays with Mrs. Donelly and her daughter Sophie. At school Cap sticks out like a sore thumb. He gets elected for eighth grade president and wins! But being president wasn’t what Cap wanted. Not at all! At home, Sophie is giving him a hard time, but when Cap goes missing everyone gets worried and thinks he died. They even plan a memorial from him. Did Cap really die? And how will he survive school until Rain is better again?

Why I Started This Book:

I read Schooled because it was on a list of books for my grade level, and if I read all of the books on the list I get to go to a party. So I’m reading all of them! I made Schooled a priority when I first heard what the book was about I couldn’t wait to put my nose in it!

Likes:

I like all the characters. The author wrote them well and gave everyone a personality and place.
This is a good book because of Gordon Korman's writing style. He wrote each chapter as a different person's point of view. Reading a book like that was a change, but I enjoyed something different.
Schooled has a great plot. The idea of a home schooled eighth grade hippie being forced to go to normal school for the first time is very creative!
I like the ending of this book because it was what I wanted to happen, but it wasn’t how I thought it would be given. I won't tell you how it ends. Instead I'll make you read the book to find out.

Dislikes:

The story was good but it didn’t capture me fully, some parts and characters weren’t as interesting as others.

Last Minute Thoughts: I would read it over again, and I will read more books by Gordon Korman.

Buy: Schooled by Gordon Korman

Book Rating: I give this book 4.5 treasure chests!

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Review: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

First Mate Keira — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:40:33 +0000

by First Mate Keira

Title: A Little Princess
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 266 pages
Grade Reading Level: Grades 4-8

Summary: Sara Crewe, a little girl who grew up in India is taken to London by her father to attend Miss Minchin’s Seminary for Girls. Sara must learn to live on her own and navigate the schoolroom and its students. Good thing she’s good at storytelling, playing pretend and supposing or life would be tough for this odd little heiress.

Why I started this book:

I have loved the 1995 movie for ages and ages. Heard it was a book (how did this escape me?) and decided to pick it up and read it.

Likes:

It’s surprisingly easy to read and while there are a few big words here and there that might slip the grasp of a younger child, it is a breeze to get through. A rarity I’ve found in classics.
There’s a more believable reason for Sara to become a beggar than in the movies where the government seems to have unfairly seized everything. In the book he loses it on speculation for diamond mines.
The sparrows outside her attic window and the rat family inside the walls.
Ermengarde as the friend and Lavinia as the enemy.

Toss-Up:

Sara is so immensely likeable because of how kind she is and how brave she is and how she handles herself in the face of adversity and tough situations. Sometimes she’s so strong you break for her. The book can be very sad at times. I cried once or twice wile reading her supposing about being a Princess when she was practically a beggar.
Sara’s relationship with Lottie as her “mother.” That didn’t gel so well with me.
Becky. Surprising.

Dislikes:

Miss Amelia is not nearly so likeable a character in the books as she’s in the movie versions of this story. I was sad about that.
The father is actually dead as opposed to the movies (Shirley Temple's The Little Princess and A Little Princess 1995) where he suffers amnesia from a war wound.

Last Minute Thoughts: This would be a great story to read at bedtime, a chapter or two at a time.

Buy: A Little Princess

Rating: 3 Treasure Chests (at least compared to the A Little Princess 1995 movie)

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Review: Best Friends and Drama Queens (Allie Finkle’s Rules For Girls: Book 3) by Meg Cabot

Second Mate Embry — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:23:54 +0000

by Second Mate Embry, guest reviewer

Title: Best Friends and Drama Queens (Allie Finkle's Rules For Girls: Book 3)
Author: Meg Cabot
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 240
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Summary: Allie gets excited when she learns that that they are getting a new student from Canada! Mostly because that means she won’t be the new girl anymore. But when she finally meets Cheyenne, she finds out how incredibly BOSSY she is! Allie thinks her life is over when Cheyenne’s rules make Allie fight with her best friends. What could she do to solve Cheyenne’s attitude? Will she get her best friends back? Will she lose them forever?

Why I Read This Book:

I read this book because it’s the third book in the series Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls. I can’t wait for the fourth book!

Likes:

Cheyenne is the perfect 4th grade bully. She threatens people to make them do what she wants. She’s the perfect “villain” for this setting better than Rosemary from earlier in the series.
I like how Allie doesn’t give into Cheyenne. She stays strong and doesn’t let her get her cruel ways.

Dislikes:

I didn’t like how Erica, Caroline, and Sophie give into Cheyenne so easily! I mean, I think if Allie can stand up for herself than they can. Or at least make it harder on her to peer pressure them.

Buy: Best Friends And Drama Queens (Allie Finkle's Rules For Girls #3)

Rating: 3.5 Treasure Chests!

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Review: Shadow-Kiss by Richelle Mead

First Mate Keira — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:52:03 +0000

by First Mate Keira

Title: Shadow-Kiss (Vampire Academy Series, Book 3)
Author: Richelle Mead
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 443
Grade Reading Level: Grade 9+

Summary: Lately Rose has been seeing her dead friend around St. Vladimir. Mason’s ghost, if that was what she was really seeing was messing with her and screwing up her trials. Nobody else saw him. So her only explanations were crazy or incompetence. Neither she wants to own up to, but given her lack of options there’s only one way to really go. On top of that, Victor Dashkov is being tried for his crimes but without any of the key witnesses there! If only Dimitri or somebody could get them to the royal court to ensure he was sent to Moroi prison. Oh and Moroi around the school were showing up bruised and injured, but to a one, they are all quiet about what happened to get them that way. What on earth is going on?

Why I started this book:

It’s the next in the series and I had read the previous two. Mead does a lot of exposition and telling in the first couple of pages so anybody can hop into the series at any point in time and know without a doubt what was going on both in story arc and world building.

Likes:

Who wouldn’t love getting to beat up on a teacher? Rose and her fellow dhampirs get to do just that with all their training instructors during their trials. Rose gets matched up with Lissa’s boyfriend, something she’s not happy about and when Mason’s ghost shows up causing her to lose focus and get Christian ‘killed’ it causes big, big trouble for her.
Adrian. Love him. He gets the quartet (Rose, Christian, Lissa, and Eddie) to the royal court so they can testify against Victor.
Rose and Dimitri lying at court. Victor smirking knowingly in the background and his parting shot.
SPOILER… I’m probably the only weirdo who will like this but I was glad when Dimitri was changed into a Strigoi. It sucks. It’s super angsty. It totally means more drama. For those reasons I love it. I also know somehow, probably with spirit, Dimitri will be changed back into Dhampir or at least Moroi. But this is conjecture. I have more books to read before I can know this for sure.

Dislikes:

The Moroi torture brigade at the school all trying to figure out how to use compulsion. Now if we’re going to talk about crazy that’s crazy and also beyond stupid…in more ways than one since they are the reason the Strigoi can access St. Vladimir’s in the first place. I was surprised that Rose didn’t go kick all of them in the teeth when she learned that.
I’m not a big fan of the whole head-hopping business. I get that it’s part of Rose’s shadow-kiss abilities, but I’d much rather focus on her and her story than Lissa’s.

Buy: Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, Book 3)

Rating: 4 Treasure Chests

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