Literature Young Adult Fiction » Science Fiction http://www.literatureyoungadultfiction.com YA Readers Reviewing Books. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:18:25 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Review: Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund http://www.literatureyoungadultfiction.com/review-academy-7-by-anne-osterlund/ http://www.literatureyoungadultfiction.com/review-academy-7-by-anne-osterlund/#comments Sun, 11 Jul 2010 09:16:04 +0000 First Mate Keira http://www.literatureyoungadultfiction.com/?p=1103

by First Mate Keira

Title: Academy 7
Author: Anne Osterlund
Format: Trade Paperback
Page Count: 259
Grade Reading Level: Grade 8 +

Summary: Academy 7 is like Star Wars meets Harry Potter. Two kids, Aerin and Dane, must overcome great odds to attend and survive their first year in the universe’s most prestigious school. Aerin must hide her true background, that of a fugitive slave from an X-Level planet. Dane must outwit his father, one of the Alliance's most powerful leaders, who loathes him and favors his elder brother. Both are excellent students and compete for top grade in every class. Trickery abounds and their only hope is to navigate it together.

Why I started this book:

I bought Academy 7 for something to read on a road trip.

Likes:

  • The world-building is swift, complete, and extremely interesting. It’s fun to see that in a world so advanced there’s still budget problems which result in a crumbling school that still manages to keep and maintain advance computers. I can’t wait to see how certain factors play out.
  • Aerin is a strong female character. She excels at computers and fighting, attributes rarely given to heroines. She’s also fragile, constantly worried about exposure. She comes to realize she knows almost nothing about her parents and with Dane’s help is determined to unlock the secret.
  • Dane is the typical cocky good-looking rich and popular boy. His life however isn’t as pretty as it seems. His father hates him and he’s not entirely sure why. The only planet he has called home until school, isn’t a place he can ever return to—not if he wants to live to see another day.
  • I loved the fighting classes. Aerin whipping Dane over and over again is really quite fun. I also like that Dane isn’t so insecure about it. He actually proposes a deal to help her learn Alliance history in exchange for more beat downs (training to be a better fighter).

Dislikes:

  • I think the mean girl of the school was dropped a little too soon. I don’t know who is going to take her place and cause friction in the future.

Last Minute Thoughts: Academy 7 is the possible start of a trilogy (woohoo!), but the author has admitted it takes her a lot of time to write her stories and currently she is working on a sequel to another story. I hope she finishes it soon because I want to know what happens next for Aerin and Dane.

Buy: Academy 7

Rating: 4.5 Treasure Chests

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by Captain Lyaf Yarr

Title: The Dark Side of Nowhere
Author: Neal Shusterman
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 192
Grade Reading Level: Grades 6-9

Summary: Jason has always lived in the same town his whole life and thinks it's so boring. But when Jason's friend, Ethan dies from a burst appendicitis everything changes. Not only is everyone sad that he's gone but something really weird happens. Grant, the janitor tells Jason that Ethan isn't dead. Is he right? How is that possible? Then Jason is given a robotic-like glove by Grant and finds out that his whole life has been a lie. Everybody he knows, including himself, are aliens!

Why I Started the Book:

I started this book because it was a book we were reading in class before school got out for the year. We didn't get to finish it so I decided to cheek it out of the library.

Likes:

  • The writing in this book was phenomenal! I was at the end of my seat after every chapter. I could understand how the characters felt and their whole experience. It was like I was there in the same situation.
  • I liked how his parents never lied. He told Jason the truth about them through a bedtime story, he just didn't know it was true.
  • The cover of this book is way awesome and fits the suspenseful  haunting quality of the story.
  • The book's main point is what it means to be human.

Last minute thoughts: I wouldn't suggest anyone under sixth grade read this book. It's very dark and I don't know if they would understand everything or just be completely creeped out.

Neal Shusterman is my favorite author at the moment! I look forward to reading more of his books!

Buy: The Dark Side of Nowhere

Book Rating: I give this book 5 treasure chests!

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by First Mate Keira

Title: Knightley Academy
Author: Violet Haberdasher (aka Robyn Schneider)
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 469
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Summary: The Midsummer School for Boys is cursed. Not a single student has been accepted to Knightley Academy in years… and this year is no different as a servant boy is the one called to knighthood.

Knightley Academy explores social and national prejudices. The world has overtones of racism, classism, religious intolerance, and more. The world is stable for now but is on the cusp of change and I have a feeling Henry and his friends will be that change.

Why I started this book:

I came by this book in a completely random fashion. I saw this huge fat spine on the new YA releases bookshelves at the library while searching for something for my sisters. Picked it up, read the cover, said to self – sounds like Harry Potter without magic! Checked out. Consumed.

Likes:

  • The quartet: Henry Grim (first commoner ever allowed training to become a knight), Frankie Winter (a finishing school dropout), Roham Mehta (an Indian boy adopted into a wealthy ducal family), and Adam Beckerman (a Jewish boy skilled with a foil.)
  • Lord Havelock, the military professor and head teacher for the first years. He reminds me of Snape, but far more fair and willing to own his errors. I particularly enjoy his Havelook of Doom +2.*
  • The Victorian England Steampunk world filled with the odd combination of progress and backwardness.
  • Valmont: he’s a bully but he’s not a complete ninnyhead.
  • Knight classes! Military History is just the beginning --- one of my favorite classes next to Fencing and Languages.
  • The Inter-School Competition and Henry’s discovery of a super secret hidden room that spells out T-R-O-U-B-L-E and gives the trilogy its long plot arc.

(* Doom +2 is a card in the Munchkin card game.)

Last Minute Thoughts: If you’ve read Harry Potter and liked it, you will like this novel. The books have parallels but they are not the same story. Haberdasher will surprise you with her twists and turns. This is a perfect story for boys, but girls will like it just as much!

Buy: Knightley Academy

Rating: 5 Treasure Chests

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by Bookwatch, guest reviewer

Title: A Girl Named Disaster
Author: Nancy Farmer
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 320 pages
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Summary: This is a story about an African girl whose mother was killed by a leopard, whose father had gone away, and who soon will be married to a cruel man who already has three wives. She is only 11 years old, but she posses an intelligence, curiosity, and intuition far beyond her years. She is protected by her grandmother who encourages her to escape from Mozambique to Zimbabwe, a journey alone on a river in a stolen boat that should take her only 2 days. She instead gets turned around and it takes her many months to reach her destination. Along the way she has to overcome incredible dangers and learn to survive alone.

Why I Started this book:

As you know I am a big fan of Newberry Honor books. I would like to recommend another Newberry Honor book for your Young Adult Fiction list.  It is called A Girl Named Disaster by Nancy Farmer. It was published in 1996 by Puffin Books.

Likes:

  • All along her journey she learns and communicates with the mystical spirits who guide and encourage her. I felt like these were symbols of her own courage, confidence, and intuition.
  • As she journeys, she finds her value, home, and freedom.
  • This book attributes her survival and triumph to spirit forces. I felt that her suvival was the result of her own intuition and the love of her grandmother, who, even though she wasn't with her, had given her a sense of who she was as a person, who her mother was, and why she was valued and should value herself.
  • Her own intelligence, imagination, and curiousity were sources of courage and strength, always with her, always taking her to the next step she should take.

Last Minute Thoughts: I give A Girl Named Disaster your highest ranking.

Buy: A Girl Named Disaster

Rating: 5 Treasure Chests

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by Cook Cutlery, guest reviewer

Title: George’s Secret Key to the Universe
Author: Lucy and Stephen Hawking
Format: Paperback
# of pages: 295
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Summary: It all starts one day when George was going to feed his pet pig, Freddy, that he got on Christmas one year and found that Freddy was missing. Thus begins the search for him which ends in this old abandoned house. George meets Eric who lives in the house with his daughter, Annie, and he shows him Cosmos, the most powerful computer in the world. Before Eric can show George what Cosmos can do, he has to swear not to tell anyone about it. George is dumbfounded by what he sees Cosmos do. Then the next day by mistake George tells his teacher Dr. Reeper (nice name huh?) about Cosmos which then leads to many other problems.

Like:

  • The main ideas of the story such as George trying to find his pet pig, or helping Annie find her missing father that got lost and George trying to win the science fair at his school so he can get a computer, something he has always wanted.
  • The illustrations drawn by Gary Parson are very cute. I like the style and the kids look like how I pictured they would look.
  • The scientific picture files that are through out the book that talked about astronomy such as the planets, stars, and black holes.
  • The little sideline summaries that are scattered throughout the book. They talk about science and the universe. For example: what is a comet?

Dislike:

  • The way Ringo and his boys act. I know I'm not supposed to like them, but I thought they were really mean because at some parts they would chase George home or they would take stuff of his when he wasn’t looking. I'd hate it if someone did that to me.
  • Mr. Reeper, who wants to use Cosmos for evil. Not my favorite character by any stretch of the imagination. He wants to use Cosmos to gain control of the universe so that he can become king of the universe. No Noble Peace Prize for him!
  • That Eric doesn’t believe George when George tries to tell him that the letter he got about a place that could support the human race was actually from his evil teacher, Graham Reeper (Dr. Reeper).

Buy: George's Secret Key to the Universe (Paperback)

Rating: I would give this book 3 out of 5 treasure chests. It was a good book. I enjoyed it a lot.

Originally posted 2010-01-01 03:28:36.

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by Second Mate Embry, guest reviewer

Title: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 400
Grade Reading Level: 6-8 Grade

Summary: Katniss and Peeta arrive back from the 74th Hunger Games as victors. Katniss thought all she wanted was to go home, but things aren't the same. Gale is ignoring her and Peeta is trying to do the same. It's hard to do that though when you're engaged to marry that same person. Rumors of rebellion are springing up all over Panem and Katniss and Peeta are said to be the head of it. Every 25 years the victors from the previous Hunger Games are forced to compete again and against each other in the Quarter Quell.

Why I Started This Book:

Easy! I read Hunger Games, loved it and want to know what happens next in the series.

Likes:

  • I loved the Quarter Quell! Suzanne Collins was smart to come up with a way for Katniss and Peeta to go back into the arena. Very exciting and thrilling action takes place as the two struggle to survive!
  • Every cliff hanger is a doozy! That's another thing Collins is great at providing! You never want to quit because there's always something else happening; another challenge to face and resolutions to find.

Dislikes:

  • The ending is pretty confusing. I'm not sure what to make of it and it's really my only complaint for the whole book.

Last minute thoughts: When does book 3 come out?!?! I checked the author's website but didn't see anything.

Buy: Catching Fire (Hardcover)

Rating: 5 Treasure Chests
tc5


Originally posted 2009-11-19 03:41:14.

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by Second Mate Embry, guest reviewer

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 374
Grade Reading Level: 6 – 8 Grade.

Summary: Katniss Everdeen’s sister was picked for the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games were established a long time ago when one district of thirteen tried to rebel against the capital. After squashing the rebellion, every year one boy and girl is picked from each district to go and take part in the Hunger Games, which is a battle to the death. Katniss volunteers to take her sister’s place. Will she and the boy from her district survive? Will the other kids?

Why I Started This Book:

My teacher told me about it. She said it was a really good book. All my friends who have had the opportunity to read this book have loved the book. I also like Suzanne Collins as an author. It was a no brainer to pick this book up and read it.

Likes:

  • I like how the Game Makers are in control of the game. They’re there to make sure that the audience is entertained. It reminds me a bit of the Roman Coliseum and the games of the gladiators.
  • The weird creatures – mockingjays, tracker jackets (kind of like wasps) with hallucinating venom, and the wolf-human tribute hybrids.
  • I like the setup of the story with the districts and the capital and the games. I really love how it’s supposed to be a futuristic society but that it seems so current too.
  • Suzanne Collins always ends a chapter with something exciting, gross, or foreshadowing that makes you want to immediately start the next without a moment’s hesitation. She’s really good at keeping your interest in that way.

Dislikes:

  • One of the themes that Suzanne Collins writes about is war and the cruelty it imposes on children. It bothered me at first that it was kids going into the Hunger Games but the story soon sweeps you away.
  • I was disappointed how the book just kind of ended. I was expecting it to continue for a while more and do some more wrap up.

Last Minute Thoughts: I didn’t want to finish the book because I didn’t have book two to start right away, but I did finish it and now I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book, Catching Fire!

Buy: The Hunger Games (Hardcover), Hunger Games (Audio book)

Book Rating: 4 Treasure Chests.
tc4


Originally posted 2009-11-03 03:20:44.

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by First Mate Keira, guest reviewer

Title: Ender’s Game
Author: Orson Scott Card
Narrators: Stefan Rudnicki, Harlan Ellison
Format: Unabridged Audio Book
# CDs + Minutes: 9 CDs (11 hours, 11 minutes)
Grade Reading Level: 9th Grade

Summary: In a near-future society, the human race is in a war against the buggers, a hostile alien race, who nearly won twice in two wide scale confrontations against humankind. Fearing a third invasion, a system was put in place to discover and train child prodigies in the art of war. This system found Ender Wiggin, and set a course for him unlike any other kid that has gone before. Is Ender the general humankind desperately needs?

Meanwhile a second (side) plot revolves around Earth, Ender's siblings, and it's three separate governing bodies. The Hegemon, Strategos, and Polemarch, all struggle for supreme control and threaten humankind on the home front. Peter and Valentine are determined to make the world over in their image and work to achieve this through the "Nets" to influence how the masses think. Are two kids capable of achieving that sort of influence?

Why I Started This Book:

I can name approximately half a dozen boys over the last several years telling me I had to read this book. It was essential, a must read! I caved. Got it in audio format, because I’m grooving it right now and settled in for the long haul. I now have to apologize to the first five guys who said to read it and I ignored. Great book!

Likes:

  • Orson’s style of writing. It’s obviously a style meant to be read aloud; in fact audio format is the best version to meet this book and is something the author mentioned at the end of CD #9.
  • Orson’s writing is very evocative. You see pictures and feel emotions and think thoughts as if you were a part of the book itself.
  • Battle School is fantastic. I loved it when Ender finally goes up in rank and starts commanding. The mock battles are some of my absolute favorite moments.
  • The surprising twist at Command School. It was an ending I did not expect it. I liked it even more when Orson took the story further and explained the aftermath. That too did not go how I pictured it might. Frankly, I was expecting that Ender was going to have to watch out for Peter.

Dislikes:

  • Very little. I was going to say the graphic nature of some of the fights or the violence but as Orson pointed out in his ramble at the end of the CD #9 the language is in fact very plain. All graphic nature is rendered through the reader.

Last Minute Thoughts: It’s definitely a book for boys as it deals on many fronts issues boys face more often than girls such as bullying and warfare. Ender also goes through a crisis of identity of self. He does not want to be a killer (or hurt others) but is forced to become one. I think the following quote explains this very well:

Unlike his brother, Ender does not take pride in destroying others and commits this action because he is often pushed into situations which demand physical defense. This portrayal and situation in the novel justifies Ender's actions. (Nick M. on Amazon.com)

I am glad I came to this book now instead of earlier in my life. I don’t think I would have appreciated it then. I do now. It’s terrific! I’m giving the audio book to my dad and telling him to listen to it. He’s on CD #2 and loves it so far.

Buy: Ender's Game (Unabridged Audio Book), Ender's Game (Paperback), The Ender Quartet Box Set (Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind)

Find books by Orson Scott Card on ebay.

Book Rating: 5 Treasure Chests.
tc5

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 2009-10-30 03:09:28.

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by Second Mate Embry, guest reviewer

Title: Turnabout
Author Margaret Peterson Haddix
Page Count: 223
Format: Hardcover
Grade Reading Level: Ages 12+

Summary: Amelia Hazelwood, Annabeth Flick, and 40 or more others from Riverside nursing home are selected at the old age of 100 to live forever. In a doctor’s experiment called Project Turnabout. The doctors inject them with a formula called PT1. When the selected have decrease in age to their ideal age they are supposed to get another injection to make the reverse aging stop. Unfortunately, everyone who received the second injection died. Now in 2085 Amelia and Annabeth are in their teens and are still getting younger. They know they need parents to care for them and time is running out. What will they do?

Why I Started This Book:

I read this book because Margaret Peterson Haddix is one of my favorite authors and because this book was one I hadn’t read yet.

Likes:

  • I liked the idea of this story. The plot was pretty cool and very creative. Imagine turning younger and younger and not being able to stop?
  • This novel takes place across three eras, which is very cool.

Dislikes:

  • The ending is horrible. HORRIBLE! Well at least I think it is. Margaret Peterson Haddix doesn’t continue the story to its conclusion; she just cuts it off like an amputated limb!
  • There were very few main events considering the challenges the two main characters were facing. I like it best when there are plenty of things happening.

Last Minute Thoughts: I am disappointed because Margaret Peterson Haddix because I know she’s capable of more.

Buy: Turnabout (paperback)

Book Rating: 2.5 Treasure Chests.
tc25

Originally posted 2009-10-28 03:50:18.

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by Captain Lyaf Yarr

Title: The Girl Who Owned a City
Author O.T. Nelson
Page Count: 200
Format: Paperback
Grade Reading Level: 5.1, Ages 12-17

Summary: In a city called Glenbard a plague took place. Everyone over the age of 12 was dead. Once the plague passed, all the kids under 12 didn’t know what to do. That was when Lisa and her brother Todd decided to make a militia. Everything was going well until the Tom Logan, the leader of the Chidester Gang takes over Glenberd and treats all the citizens cruelly and unfair. Will Lisa’s plan to regain her city work? Or will she and everyone else be disappointed as it fails?

Why I Started This Book:

I read this book because it was assigned as a class project.

Likes:

  • I liked Lisa’s confidence and bravery throughout the book. It was as if nothing could bring her down.
  • I like the character Craig. I especially liked the scene when he and Lisa were first driving to the secret place and Lisa thought that the warehouse was already looked through by someone else, but because of Craig they discovered that no one had actually took any supplies.

Dislikes:

  • I didn’t like how when the Chidester gang burnt down Lisa’s and Todd’s house, all of Lisa's boundless confidence disappeared because of it.
  • I didn’t really get why this book was divided into 3 sections. It just seemed to be there just to be there. Why are books divided into parts?

Last minute thoughts:

At first when my reading teacher assigned this book to me I was almost positive that I would have to force myself to read it because of the cover. I think it’s ugly and scary. I started reading and actually liked it. Just goes to show you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Buy: The Girl Who Owned a City

Book Rating: I give this book 3.5 Treasure Chests.
tc35

Originally posted 2009-10-21 03:08:07.

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