Letter of Apology

Hi Everyone,

From what I have gathered from recent posts there has been a slight technical hitch in the submission of Author forms; we have fixed it and it is up and running again. Please check it out and become an author!

Thanks and Best Regards,
Nikki.

Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

Synopsis

When Professor Lidenbrock opens an ancient book, a sheet of paper comes out and he decides to take his nephew, Axel, with him to discover more information on what the sheet is saying. They travel deeper and deeper into the earth in order to find the centre of the earth.

Review

Category: Fantasy, Science Fiction

Age Group: Young Teens

Star Rating: 7/10

Verdict

This book was really interesting because it is fun to read about the adventures of Professor Lidenbrock and Axel travelling further and further down into the centre of the earth. The reader is able to feel as though they are on the journey with these characters, suffering the lack of food and water and sighing with relief once a new supply has been found.

Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer

Warning: If don't want to hear Breaking Dawn being criticized please don't read my ranting verdict.
Synopsis
In the final book of the Twilight series, Bella has made her choice. She is going to leave everything she knew, humans and all, behind, and start her new life as a vampire.

Twilight tempted the imagination. New Moon made readers thirsty for more. Eclipse turned the saga into a worldwide phenomenon. And now, the book that everyone has been waiting for...

Goodreads


Review
Category: Teen Fiction/Romance (Mild Violence)
Age Group: Teens
Star Rating: 0.5/10


Verdict (Beware: Rant)
What can you say about an absolutely rubbish book with no plot? Funnily enough, the book's initials are B.D., which suits the contents perfectly. Breaking Dawn is an absolute Brain Drain. Bella, who never bothered me from the start of the series, started really bugging me in New Moon. Please leave Edward alone if he's convinced he's too dangerous for you. Stop whining about the amazing 'after' car your fiance has bought you. If you are THAT displeased sell the car and donate the money to Salvation Army. Bella has become so much of a whiner that it totally spoils the book as readers stop to stab at her name with sharp fingernails and glare.
On the plot. Stephanie Meyer has previously spent three long books describing the supernatural world and what can and cannot happen in it. Then she turns around and totally ruins everything I was reading about. Rule: Vampires cannot have kids. Bella has a kid. Rule: Newborn vampires spend years being bloodthirsty and out of their head. Bella is not.
Come on. Supposedly, Bella has to struggle with the fact that if she wants to become a vampire, she will have to cut off ties with all humans she ever knew; she will be out-of-her-head-crazy for at least a few years; she will never be able to have kids. All this is spoiled with the author's obsession for having a happily-ever-after ending that Bella gets the best of both worlds by being beautiful, controlled, having a talented, amazing child, being amazingly talented herself. She opens her eyes and sees the world in a whole new perspective. After reading this, doesn't everyone want to be a vampire? There are absolutely no downsides to it! Mummy, I want to be a beautiful vampire with paranormal powers too. This total Brain Drain killed me to read and I ended up throwing my hardback copy across the fence to my three year-old neighbour who will hopefully enjoy tearing them up and chewing on the hard cover.

Chasing Orion by Kathryn Lasky

When Georgie moves houses, she has to face new neighbors. However, this is not usually a problem except this time of the year is Polio season and back in 1952 the vaccinations were not yet invented. What is strange about her neighbors is that their daughter had Polio so is now in an iron lung. Georgie learns to make friends with this girl, Phyllis, who is around the same age as her elder brother. They all get to know each other and soon Phyllis starts a relationship with Emmett, Georgie's brother. This is all perfectly find until Georgie finds out about Phyllis' lies and plans.

I think this book was quite interesting; the reader can learn of the past and compare differences with the current day and life 60 years ago. It is fun to know what they used to do for relaxation purposes withoutany of the current technologies such as computers, PSPs, iPads etc.

Age Group: 12+

Star Rating: 6/10

It was quite cool to read but some bits dragged on for a while.

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Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

Synopsis
According to Amy Chua, playing drums leads to drugs and a mother is not meant to be liked by her children. Her 'job' is to prepare her children for the future. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is a story of how Chua came to raise highly successful children.

Review
Category: Adult non-fiction/Biography
Age Group: Teens and Adults
Star Rating: 5/10


Discussion
After reading about much controversy surrounding this book, I picked it up and was prepared for two things; 1, to be completely shocked and blown away by just how emotionally abusive Chua was, and 2, to feel extreme pity for her children.
I was steeling myself to read the book after reading some reviews (a memorable one from Goodreads by Elisha Condie-

"Holy cow, I hate this lady so much. Her book kind of gives me a headache, but I can't stop reading it. I hope it doesn't end with one of her kids waving a gun around at a piano recital, but I won't be surprised if it does...Amy Chua is just appalling! I can't stand this woman."

So yesterday, when I finally picked it up from the bookstore (it is surprisingly sleek and the print is relatively large), I was surprised to find, firstly, that it wasn't all that interesting, and secondly, that Chua was not really the sort of abusive mother I expected her to be. She's tough, sure, but I don't think it's to the point were she's abusive. She does back off at one point.
The problems don't lie there. The book appears to be about conflicts between Chinese and Western parenting on the back cover. However, when you flip through the actual thing, three-quarters of it are about Chua screaming at her kids to play the piano or the violin; the remainder is a song of praise for Chinese parenting and slamming any other conflicting opinions between her and her husband (this isn't a direct quote, but think along the lines of: 'I am always right; you're the American Puss and I'm the Chinese Tiger. You will take our kids to water parks with dangerous slides and let them engage in such revolting behaviours over my dead body.') It isn't keeping me interested and the only reason why I ploughed through it was for the pure sake of finishing the thing. Another big problem with the whole thing is that the author can go on, and on, and on...and on, about something absolutely insignificant.
Take the Caviar example.
The Chua family is in Russia. They order caviar. Lulu refuses to eat it. Mother tells Lulu she must eat it. Lulu refuses. Mother tells Lulu she is an uncultured savage. Lulu screams.
This goes on for pages and Chua focuses all her parenting energy into making her daughter eat that one single egg. As it appears, there is nothing more interesting for her to say.
In summary, we as readers are basically left to ponder the life-changing question of whether Chua's kids will:

• play the piano at Carnegie Hall, and not get into the Ivy League
• play the piano at Carnegie Hall, and get into the Ivy League (which we all know will probably happen)
• not play the piano at Carnegie Hall, and get into the Ivy League
• not play the piano at Carnegie Hall, and not get into the Ivy League (The shock horror of bringing your forefather's dreams and your Chinese heritage down by not getting into the Ivy League and not playing piano at Carnegie Hall!)

Verdict
A brief verdict: firstly, this book is too repetitive. There is apparently nothing more interesting to talk about apart from the fact that Lulu refuses to play the violin properly. If it is that much of a big issue, make her give it up, please. Secondly, the author seems to be very stereotypical, far over-generalising 'Westerners' and 'Chinese' people. This gets to me a little. Otherwise, the book is told in a witty, honest, fresh maner, and is a good read--if the preaching doesn't get to you first.

Grk Down Under by Joshua Doder

When Tim goes on vacation for 3 days, he has to drop of the dog, Grk, at Cuddles Kennels, a place for pets to stay while their owners were on holiday. Tim's parents think that Grk would have a lovely time at the kennels but Tim and Grk however, think differently. Grk, "trapped in a prison" behind bars, is miserable and lonely, wondering why he was deserted by himself, locked up in a cage. The second time the gate is open for Grk to be fed, he rushes out of the cage, running away as fast as he can, occasionally stopping for a food break. Cuddles Kennels is situated next door to the airport, so that it is handy for people to drop of their pets before boarding their flight. Tempted by a scent of sausage, Grk manages to get through to the airport, into a suitcase and aboard a flight halfway across the world to Australia from New York.

I think this story is great for all dog lovers because you can make out similarities of Grk to your own dog and remember all the great moments you've had with your dog. The adventures Grk goes through are fun to read because the ideas Doder comes up with are catchy and luring. Grk Down Under is actually one of the books in the series in which i haven't read, so to find out more information and what happened at the very beginning you have to start from the top and go down. Doder often makes references about previous books in the series so in order to fully enjo the book i recommend you start reading from the first book, A Dog Called Grk.

Age Group: Kids

Star Rating: 6.5/10
The plot was cool but this isn't really the right book for me ;)

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

Skulduggery Pleasant is the first book in the Skulduggery Pleasant series. Confusingly enough, Skulduggery Pleasant is also the name of one of the main characters in this book. Skulduggery Pleasant is a live skeleton; he has died but his bones and life still remains. When Stephanie Edgley's uncle dies, she attends the reading of the will. Every member of the family shows up - and one mystery person that no one knows anything about - Skulduggery Pleasant. When she meets him and realizes that he is a living skeleton she receives a big surprise. However, when she finds out about what he does for a living she is flabbergasted. Skulduggery Pleasant teaches her magic so that they can destroy the evil magicians.

I really enjoyed this book because I found the idea of an "undead" hero quite funny. It is an enjoyable read; it's fun to read about the adventures of Stephanie and Skulduggery as they fight the evil to bring peace back. People who enjoy science fiction will enjoy this!

Age Group: Teens

Star Rating: 8/10

The Tomorrow Series by John Marsden

The Tomorrow series consists of 7 books, beginning with Tomorrow When the War Began and ending with The Other Side of Dawn. During these books Ellie and her friends are constantly thinking up new tactics to try and defeat the enemy soldiers as well as trying to keep their lives going.

Personally, i think the series is quite good because once you've started reading you don't want to put the book down, or wait until you can get the next book in the series. I was quite sad when i reached the ending as there was nothing else i could go on to, but i was quite satisfied with the way Marsden ends it all off. Even though I wasn't expecting it to be closed off the way it did, i can't think of any other way else to make it such a great and interesting read.

Apart from all the fighting and (mild) violence, there are also other themes in the play such as romance and friendships. The series can be quite sad at times, such as when friends pass on, but most of the time the reader can enjoy the mighty adventures of Ellie and her friends.

Age Group: Teens

Star Rating: 9/10

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Eragon is a boy that used to live on a farm with his uncle. One day while he was hunting, he found a blue "stone" which he kept. One time while he was sleeping, a dragon hatches from the "stone". He calls the dragon, Saphira. He secretly keeps the dragon because the king might take away the egg. After his uncle is killed in a fire, they find Ra'zac with Brom. Brom teaches Eragon how to be a Dragon Rider and how to speak the language of the elves.

I found the plot really interesting, but some bits were a bit boring and kept on lagging on. Also, I think there was a lot of scenes that weren't necessary.

Rating: 3/10

Series: 2/10