Six Reasons Why The Sixth Harry Potter Book Is The Best

Hi, Readers!

After a brief hiatus, I have returned to the blogging world.  Where have I gone, you ask?  Well, I was inspired by a friend to re-read the entire Harry Potter series for the third time.  I've just finished the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, after a few weeks of steady reading.  The fourth book has always been my favorite, but recently I've had a change of heart and I now prefer the sixth book.  Therefore, inspired by my recent Harry Potter obsession, I have created this list of the six reasons why the sixth Harry Potter book is actually the best out of the entire series.  Enjoy!  (Spoiler alert: if you for some reason haven't read the HP series yet, do not read any further)


1. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes
After a dramatic exit from Hogwarts the previous year, Fred and George finally open their shop in Diagon Alley, and it is a huge success.  From love potions to Pygmy Puffs to Skiving Snackboxes, the joke shop sells everything imaginable to troublemaking Hogwarts students.  They are able to spread joy and laughter through Diagon Alley, even while You Know Who plagues the whole of Europe.  Best of all, Fred and George show their cheek when they create a spoof trick of You Know Who, named "U-NO-POO".

2. Fleur, or should I say, "Phlegm"
Now that Fleur and Bill are engaged, the part-veela is always hanging around the Burrow.  Aside from adding another body to the already-full household, Fleur manages to get on everybody's last nerve.  She enchants the boys and enrages the girls, Ginny in particular, and is nicknamed "Phlegm".  However, by the end of the novel, Fleur and Mrs. Weasley finally begin to get along, and she is hesitantly welcomed into the family.

3. Luna's Quidditch Commentary
"And that's Smith of Hufflepuff with the Quaffle... He did the commentary last time, of course, and Ginny Weasley flew into him, I think probably on purpose, it looked like it."  Like always, Luna Lovegood's brutal and uncanny honesty never ceases to draw laughs.  When combined with the wizarding world's most famous sport, Luna's loony antics are heightened to a whole new level.  The only thing better than her commentary is her enchanted Gryffindor hat.

4. Harry and Dumbledore's pensieve adventures
One part of the magic of the novels that is lost along the making of the movies is Harry's private lessons with Professor Dumbledore.  Over the course of these few lessons, Harry and Dumbledore delve deep into Lord Voldemort's past, starting even before the Dark Lord was born, by using a pensieve to relive memories.  I absolutely love getting more background on He Who Must Not Be Named, and he becomes a much more complex, and even sometimes relatable, character.  Plus, Harry gets to infiltrate Slughorn's deepest memories using the revered potion, Felix Felicis, for a little luck.

5. Ron's many tragedies
First came his budding, and then failing, relationship with Lavender Brown.  Next, his poisoning by Cauldron Cakes spiked with love potion meant to be for Harry from Romilda Vane.  After that, his sister's relationship with fellow Gryffindor, Dean Thomas.  Finally, his fights with Hermione that resulted in his being attacked by transfigured birds.  In The Half-Blood Prince, Ron cannot catch a break.  And each and every mishap is more and more hilarious!

6. Harry and Ginny
FINALLY!  Harry Potter's inner "beast" awakes when he sees Ginny and Dean together, and he realizes that he likes Ron's little sister.  And best of all, Ginny is no longer the shy, clumsy little girl who was afraid to talk in front of the famous Harry Potter.  The few short weeks that Harry and Ginny are dating are the happiest weeks of the entire series.

I hope that this list has brought back the best of your memories about the Harry Potter series.  If you have any other thoughts about the series, I would love to read your comments.

Happy reading!

Book Review: Elsewhere

Title: Elsewhere

Author: Gabrielle Zevin

Publication Date: May 15, 2007

Publisher: Square Fish

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 277

Age Rating: Readers over 12

My Opinion: 9/10

Hi, Readers!

       I recently saw a magazine article that discussed how a vacation can be influenced by what you read.  A good vacation is improved with a quality novel, while a bad vacation seems even worse if you've packed a boring book.  Luckily, I brought Elsewhere along on my vacation, and it entertained me through a couple of rainy days.  It is a lighthearted read that is at the same time  thought provoking.  Plus, Elsewhere's timeless qualities make it interesting for readers of all ages.

       Liz Hall gets into a biking accident and dies instantly at a mere fifteen years old.  Sounds like the end of her story, right?  Well, Liz wakes up on an enormous cruise ship that is traveling through an enormous ocean.  She can't remember how she has gotten there or where she is going.  After going exploring with a friendly roommate named Thandi and meeting the late musician, Curtis Jest, Liz comes to the realization that she is dead.  Of course, this discovery is not taken lightly.  The cruise ship finally reaches land, called Elsewhere, and Liz has no idea what is coming next.  When she is greeted by her deceased grandmother, Betty, who appears to only be thirty years old, she slowly begins to learn about life in Elsewhere.  However, her discoveries in Elsewhere are life-altering (or should I say death-altering?), and Liz's perspectives of life and death are changed forever.

       In this case, I don't feel that any summary of the novel could do it justice.  Gabrielle Zevin is able to create an entire alternate universe in a mere 277 pages.  She brings up questions such as what happens after death in a philosophical and respectful way.  One of Zevin's smartest decisions is to leave religion out of the picture - she therefore avoids upsetting readers with her creation of an afterlife.  Also, Zevin completely changes the rules of society in Elsewhere by making people age backwards and not care about money.  Although these concepts seem vague and difficult to comprehend, they are explained clearly in the novel and seem almost realistic.  Additionally, although Elsewhere is completely fictional, Zevin still deals with real-life issues such as depression and romance.  She perfectly blends the fantastic (talking animals, etc.) with the realistic.  

       One of the best parts about Elsewhere is that it is suitable for a wide audience.  Both teens and grown-ups alike will enjoy reading this fun and yet philosophical novel, both because of its interesting plot line and because of its lovable characters.  If you have any time left in your summer to read, I would highly recommend picking up a copy of Elsewhere.

Happy reading!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? Sky Raiders

Title: Sky Raiders (Five Kingdoms #1)

Author: Brandon Mull

Publication Date: March 11, 2014

Publisher: Aladdin

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 432

Age Rating: Readers over 8

My Opinion: 9/10

Hi, Readers!

       I was more excited than a little kid on Christmas morning when I got my hands on the newest Brandon Mull book, Sky Raiders.  I'm so glad to share my thoughts about the book with you for this It's Monday!  What Are You Reading?, a blogging meme hosted by Teach Mentor Texts, Book Journeys, and Unleashing Readers.  Mull's Fablehaven series is one of my favorites of all time, and I have high expectations for the rest of his new Five Kingdoms series as well. 

       Cole is a sixth grader who leads a fairly ordinary life in Mesa, Arizona, hanging out with his best friend Dalton and crushing on a beautiful girl named Jenna.  He thinks he's hit the jackpot when he gets the opportunity to go trick-or-treating with Jenna and her friends, and to impress them, he takes them to a haunted house.  However, as soon as the kids enter, something seems amiss.  The decorations are too realistic, and the house is too creepy.  Suddenly, kidnappers pop out of nowhere and bring Dalton, Jenna, and the other kids through a portal leading to the 'Outskirts'.  Cole hides to avoid capture, but he follows them in to try to rescue his friends.  When they become seperated, Cole is sold into slavery to the Sky Raiders, a group of scavengers who pillage empty castles in the sky.  His fate and the fate of his friends become entangled with that of an undercover princess on a mission to overthrow her dictatorial father.  The children must face unthinkable threats and dangers in order to reunite, and they must figure out a way to return to Earth.

       As you can probably tell by my summary above, the plot line of Sky Raiders is extremely intricate.  One of the best parts about the novel is that settings are always described in great detail when the characters are traveling through them.  For instance, when Cole and his friends entered part of the 'Outskirts' that was made out of food, I could picture in my mind their carriage driving by enormous lakes of milk and cookies and mountains of cake.  Another successful part of Sky Raiders is that it made me want to read the rest of the series right away.  There were a lot of loose ends by the conclusion of the novel that set it up perfectly for its sequel, which is due to come out in October.

Sky Raiders' sequel,
The Rogue Knight

       My only complaint about Sky Raiders is the age of the characters.  Brandon Mull is definitely writing the series for a younger audience, probably elementary and middle school readers.  However, I wish that he had Cole be in middle school in order to appeal to a wider audience of readers.  Just think - kids love reading about characters who are older than themselves because it makes the characters ten times cooler.  It's not nearly as fun to read about characters who are younger and have less life experience than yourself.  I think that Mull would have attracted a much wider audience if he would have aged his characters by a couple of years.  All in all, though, I managed to mostly forget the young age of the characters while I was reading and tried to pretend that they were older.

       Overall, Brandon Mull certainly did not disappoint in the first book of his newest series.  He took a very magical and fantastical approach to the novel, much more than in any other books he's written.  His creation of the character Cole reminded me a lot of Seth from Fablehaven.  Any young reader would absolutely love Mull's Sky Raiders.

Happy Reading!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? Ignite Me

Title: Ignite Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Publication Date: February 4, 2014

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre: Fantasy, dystopian

Pages: 416

Age Rating: Readers over 13

My Opinion: 8/10

Hi, Readers!

       I just finished the Shatter Me series, by Tahereh Mafi, and I've decided to share my thoughts about the final addition to the trilogy, Ignite Me, as well as the series overall for It's Monday!  What Are You Reading?  This blogging meme is hosted by Teach Mentor Texts, Book Journeys, and Unleashing Readers.

       Juliette has faced a lot of issues in the past two books (Special powers!  World war!  Boys!), but there is even more excitement coming in Ignite Me.  Juliette wakes up in a Reestablishment compound, which is an army base that houses soldiers of the world's evil dictator.  Then, she discovers that her enemy/lover, Warner, saved her from the mass destruction that just occurred at her previous rebel base and home, Omega Point.  Now, Juliette is not sure if any of her friends are even alive.  As soon as she finds the lone survivors of Omega Point, they join up with Warner to overthrow the Reestablishment.  However, Juliette has to put her thoughts ahead of her feelings to save the world, a task that is easier said than done.

       Ok, so I was absolutely in love with Shatter Me and couldn't read it fast enough.  Then, I got my hands on its sequel, Unravel Me, which was also phenomenal. Ignite Me definitely had some big shoes to fill, and it succeeded in a number of ways.  First of all, I love how the entire book is about girl power!  Juliette manages to get over herself - she was pretty obnoxious in the second book - and puts others before herself more often than not.  Also, she harnesses her inner strength and can now control her powers.

       I finished reading Ignite Me a few days ago, and I am still trying to decide whether or not I liked Tahereh Mafi's conclusion of Juliette and Adam's rocky relationship.  Through the first two books, I was totally Team Warner, but now I just feel bad for Adam.  He gets the short end of the stick because he really likes Juliette and she completely blows him off for Warner.  On the other hand, I am so pleased with how Juliette realizes that she wasn't actually in love with Adam to begin with.  I mean, the girl was locked up for an entire year and had never touched another human being - of course she got excited to see a boy for the first time.  Luckily, she discovers in Ignite Me that she does have options and she never lets any guy get in the way of saving the world.

       Overall, the Shatter Me series is one of the best YA series I've read in a while.  It is definitely up there on my list of favorite books, and it was published at the perfect time because teens are really getting into dystopian novels right now.  I wholeheartedly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys reading YA fantasy or dystopian novels such as The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Testing.  Now I can't wait to read Unite Me, composed of two novellas from Warner and Adam's points of view. 

Happy reading and have a fantastic Monday!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? Book Review: Inhuman

Title: Inhuman (Book 1 in the Fetch series)

Author: Kat Falls

Publication Date: September 24, 2013

Publisher: Scholastic

Genre: Fantasy, dystopian

Pages: 384

Age Rating: Readers over 13

My Opinion: 5/10

Hi, Readers!

       For this It's Monday! What Are You Reading?, hosted by Teach Mentor Texts, Book Journeys, and Unleashing Readers, I chose to review a book that you should not read.  I used to think that a book would be "good" because it has an interesting concept, but reading Inhuman, by Kat Falls, has shown me that writing style and characters are much more important.  Inhuman has a creative plot line, but that is its only saving grace. 

       Lane McEvoy lives peacefully on the safe side of an enormous wall that seperates civilization from the Feral Zone, filled with savagery and disease, and she has no interest in discovering why the wall was built in the first place.  However, when her father is discovered as a known criminal who has crossed the wall numerous times and survived, Lane is forced to take drastic action in order to clear her father's name.  She has to enter the Feral Zone in order to find her father,getting help from friends such as a thief, Rafe, and a soldier, Everson.  However, Lane is forced to confront the truth about what is actually in the Feral Zone, and her discoveries sure aren't pretty.

A standout quote from Inhuman

       When I started reading the book, I immediately became confused.  Lane was hanging out with friends that I figured would be other main characters, but then they completely disappear from the book after a couple of chapters.  Then, as soon as Lane crosses into the Feral Zone, she starts remembering these weird childhood stories that her father used to tell her, and the stories miraculously help her to survive.  It seems to me that Kat Falls threw the stories in as an afterthought, and they do not seem coherent.  Later, the author introduced these completely unexpected mutated humans that have somehow mixed their DNA with that of animals... The book's story line is very choppy and hard to follow until about halfway through.

       Frankly, the characters were not very pleasing, either.  Lane seems weak and she gets captured by the antagonist a number of times.  On top of that, she has to wait for Rafe and Everson to save her every time she is captured. Plus, Everson and Rafe are extremely stereotypical - the upstanding citizen-soldier and the bad boy thief.  Yawn.  On the other hand, the novel's antagonist, a human-tiger mutant named Chorda, is quite freaky and pops up in the most random of settings.

       Inhuman does have one thing going for it - Kat Falls is not afraid to take drastic measures such as killing off characters.  Most authors hesitate to kill off main characters so that readers are not upset, but I was pleased that Falls took the risk because it increased the suspense throughout the novel.  Also, I am happy with the ending of the book because, although it is the first in a series, almost all of the plot elements were wrapped up nicely.  

       

       To put it simply, Inhuman is not a book that you should spend your time reading unless you read as much as I do.  It was very choppy and incoherent, and the characters were obnoxious.  I'm actually disappointed that Inhuman wasn't well written because I've enjoyed other Kat Falls novels.  I did enjoy the story as a whole, but not enough to recommend Inhuman as more than a 5/10.  Needless to say, I will not be anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Happy reading and have a great Monday!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? Book Review: Unravel Me

Title: Unravel Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Publication Date: February 5, 2013

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre: Fantasy, dystopian

Pages: 461

Age Rating: Readers over 13

My Opinion: 9/10

Hi, Readers!

       Usually, I am against trilogies and sequels, but... the Shatter Me trilogy, by Tahereh Mafi, has completely captured my attention, and I am sharing it with you for this week's It's Monday!  What Are You Reading?, a blogging meme hosted by Book Journey, Teach Mentor Texts, and Unleashing Readers.  I just finished reading Shatter Me (read my review here) a few weeks ago, and I had to get my hands on its sequel, Unravel Me, ASAP.  Thank you, public library!  Now that I've finished it, I am dying to read book three.  

       Juliette is back in action, and she has joined a powerful movement at Omega Point to resist The Reestablishment, a communistic organization that has taken over the world.  However, her life is getting more complicated due to the fact that her touch is lethal and she is surrounded by more humans than she has seen in her entire life.  Juliette comes to the discovery that her touch is slowly draining the powers of her boyfriend, Adam, and she must decide between love and safety.  Also, the supreme leader of The Reestablishment is on a mission to capture Juliette in order to punish his own son, Warner, who has fallen in love with her.  As secrets come out and trust is broken, Juliette must learn to rely on her new Omega Point friends if she wants to survive a showdown with The Reestablishment.

       The best part of Unravel Me is that Juliette's friends are not afraid to tell her that she is acting like a jerk.  This made me extremely happy when I was reading because too many dystopian heroines end up acting in a self-centered and annoying way.  Juliette's friend, Kenji, tells it like it is - if Juliette doesn't complete her Omega Point missions, he is the first one to let her know that she needs to step it up.  I love the honesty of the characters throughout the novel.  Plus, another very pleasing aspect of Unravel Me is that author Tahereh Mafi is not afraid to include controversy in her writing.  I loved reading about Juliette's conflicted feelings about Adam and Warner and how she grew as a person throughout the novel.

       One downer about Unravel Me is that Tahereh Mafi sort of, well, forgot to include her ingenious writing style from Shatter Me.  In Shatter Me, Mafi used lines through words (like this) to show what Juliette was really thinking.  However, she only includes this interesting writing technique a couple of times in the whole novel, which was a little disappointing.  My only other complaint about the novel is that there seems to be a lot of description in the first few chapters, but once you get past the initial intro, the book is quite exciting.

The Shatter Me series

       Mafi's Unravel Me was a great deal more suspenceful and thrilling than Shatter Me, which is saying a lot.  I can honestly say that I cannot wait to read the final book in the trilogy, Ignite Me, which just came out on February 4.  I highly recommend the series to teen readers, especially females, who love dystopian and action-packed novels.

Happy reading!

Book Review: Shatter Me

Title: Shatter Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Publication Date: November 15, 2011

Publisher: Harper

Genre: Fantasy, dystopian

Pages: 338

Age Rating: Readers above the age of 13

My Opinion: 9/10

Hi, Readers!

      Calling all Hunger Games and Divergent fans!  This week, I am reviewing a dystopian novel that has all of the potential necessary to become a hit film and YA phenomenon.  Make sure you read this book before it makes it big-time!  I had noticed that Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi, was reviewed on a couple of other YA blogs and it was highly praised due to its intense plot line.  Shatter Me turned out to be an awesome novel that I would consider comparable to top dystopian novels.  I am looking forward to getting my hands on the sequel as soon as possible.

       Here's a quick summary: Juliette is imprisoned in a mental institution controlled by The Reestablishment, a powerful organization that has taken over a basically post-apocalyptic Earth.  She found out over a year ago that her touch is fatal to humans, and she was abandoned by her parents.  Now, Juliette is faced with a strange roommate in her cell, named Adam, who turns out to be her former classmate.  Juliette discovers that Adam is a soldier of The Reestablishment, and he is required to make her fatal touch a weapon to be imposed on society.  However, the two fall for one another and must hide their romance while attempting to escape from The Reestablishment, and Juliette always has to remember her cursed touch.

Another popular cover
of Shatter Me

       Although I am not a big fan of romance novels, the connection between Juliette and Adam is well-written and made me feel attached to their adventure.  Their romance is fairly predictable, but the added element of suspense pertaining to Juliette's inability to touch Adam throughout the novel adds unexpected new depth.  Juliette is clearly scarred from her rough past, from her parent's abandonment to her accidental murder of a young boy, as shown through Mafi's writing style.  The author shows Juliette's innermost thoughts as text that is crossed out by a "pen" (a thin black line), as if Juliette is trying to hide her true feelings.

       Juliette is a strong female heroine due to the fact that she has so much power over those around her.  She does not wallow in her outer beauty, which is a refreshing change in YA novels.  Also, Juliette inspires fear even in The Reestablishment soldiers, who are used to being in control, and she is able to use trickery and intelligence to her advantage throughout the novel.  I would definitely suggest Shatter Me to any female high school YA readers, and it is action-packed for the male audience.  Although this novel is from 2011, it's popularity is still growing due to sequels that readers are looking forward to.  There have been rumors that it will become a movie.

Happy Reading!

Back-to-School Books Part 2

Hi, Readers!

       Thanks for tuning in to Part 2 of Back-to-School Books!  If you missed my last post on Monday, Part 1, click here.  All of these books are fun reads that will get you jazzed up for the first day of school.  They include relatable characters and interesting plot lines. Each novel is followed by an age recommendation, genre, and short summary.  Click on a title for more information about that book on Amazon Books.

6. Prep, by Curtis Sittenfeld
Age rating: 16 and up
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Lee Fiora, a quiet girl who would rather observe than participate, transfers to the Ault School, a private school filled with stereotypical students.  She learns more about everybody there than they even know about themselves by watching from a distance.  Instead of participating in constant partying, Lee chooses to stay in her room alone.  However, she ends up being more similar to the prep school students than she could ever imagine.  This novel is filled with the insightful observations of the self-conscious teen.

7. School Spirits, by Rachel Hawkins
Age rating: 10 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Izzy Brannick is a trained monster-fighter, but she is no match for high school.  When a strange ghost is sighted at a local school, Izzy gets the chance to attend this school for a month and makes friends with some unusual characters.  She struggles to focus on the case because she is too busy having sleepovers with her new buddies, studying for tests, and playing dodge ball in gym.  Will she be able to banish the ghost, or will she crack under the pressure of being a high school monster hunter?

8. Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney
Age rating: 7 and up
Genre: Realistic fiction
Greg Heffley is probably the only boy who keeps a diary, but his cartoon drawings of school make readers of all ages laugh out loud.  Some of Greg's tormentors include his older brother, Rodrick, his best friend, Rowley, and his middle school classmates.  His silly tips about making it through middle school and his descriptions of his stereotypical classmates include just the right amount of teenage angst and comedy.

9. The Secret School, by Avi
Age rating: 8 and up
Genre: Historical fiction
In the year of 1925, all Ida Bidson has to do to become a teacher is to finish the eighth grade and attend high school.  However, her plan is thrown out of the window when her local high school is forced to shut down.  Ida has to keep the school opened if she wants to become a teacher.  The fourteen year old must take over the school all by herself, keep up with her chores, teach her classmates, and somehow manage to pass the eighth grade final exams, all in less than a year.

10. Going Vintage, by Lindsey Leavitt
Age rating: 13 and up
Genre: Realistic fiction
Finding out that your boyfriend is cheating on you is bad enough, but Mallory discovers that her boyfriend, Jeremy, is with a girl that he has never even met!  Jeremy is flirting with a girl in a social media game, causing Mallory to swear off of technology.  She finds a list that her grandmother made in 1962 about her school year goals, and she pledges to complete all of the tasks.  From becoming pep-squad secretary to sewing her own homecoming dress, all without the help of technology, Mallory sure has some hard work cut out for herself.


       Reading a few of these books will help to get you excited for the upcoming school year.  Many of them are great for both kids and adults alike.  Whether you are interested in reading about a monster-hunting student or a boy who is writing in his diary, you will enjoy these books with a school setting.  Give some of them a try and get excited for the first day of school!

Read on,

Back-to-School Books Part 1

Hi, Readers!

       I'm sure that all of you are looking forward to the upcoming school year. (Yeah, right.)  A new school year means new pencils, new paper, new backpacks, new clothes, and NEW BOOKS!  Although people's schedules start to get busy during school, make sure you squeeze in some quality time with a good book.

       One of the popular settings for Young Adult novels is school.  Books that are set in school have endless plot line possibilities, from realistic fiction to fantasy.  Characters in these novels are usually relatable to middle- or high-schoolers.  I have compiled a list of ten back-to-school books for readers of all ages that tell the stories of young adults trying to find their way in the world.  This post includes Part 1, the first five books.  Tune in on Friday for Part 2, with five more great reads.  Each title is followed by an age recommendation, genre, and short summary.  Click on a title for more information about that book on Amazon Books.

1. Marked, by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Age rating: 13 and up
Genre: Fantasy
When 16 year old Zoey Redbird becomes marked as a vampyre, she is required to attend the House of Night school.  Her powers are much greater than expected, and Zoey gets initiated into the exclusive Dark Daughters group.  She must decide who to trust, as well as control her powers, in order to make it through her high school experience alive.

2. Viola in Reel Life, by Adriana Trigiani
Age rating: 9 and up
Genre: Realistic fiction
Viola Chesterton has been sent to Prefect Academy for Young Women against her will, and her pessimistic attitude doesn't make her many friends.  Luckily, her roommates instantly take a liking to her.  Viola loves filmmaking, and she begins making a film to enter in a competition.  Life seems perfect when Viola gets her first boyfriend and becomes popular at school, but underneath she is still unhappy.  Viola's realistic story of school and love is the perfect read for students who are anxious about school.

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling
Age rating: 8 and up
Genre: Fantasy
The magical Harry Potter novels have been thrilling Young Adult readers since J.K. Rowling published The Sorcerer's Stone.  Harry is stuck living with his horrible aunt, uncle, and cousin, until he is swept away to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  He meets his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, as well as some enemies.  Harry discovers the real reason that his parents died, and he embarks on an adventure that will span through seven books, a movie franchise, and an amusement park.

4. Openly Straight, by Bill Konigsberg
Age rating: 15 and up
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Rafe has gone through his entire middle- and high-school life being openly gay.  When he transfers to a private school as a junior, Rafe decides to hide his sexuality so that he can be viewed as a 'normal' boy.  He instantly becomes a jock and makes tons of new friends, but he also has to hide a part of himself.  As soon as Rafe meets a boy that he may be in love with, he has to decide whether or not he should come out again and give up his wonderfully new, straight life.

5. Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life, by Rachel Renee Russell
Age rating: 8 and up
Genre: Realistic Fiction
The Dork Diaries series is like a girl version of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series: it is told in the form of a diary and is embellished with drawings and comics on every page.  The diary is narrated by Nikki Maxwell and describes her experiences at a new school.  She meets new friends, a new crush, and... new mean girls.  Nikki struggles with typical middle school drama that is presented in a fresh and funny way.

       Check some of these books out at your local library to be enthusiastic about the upcoming school year.  Plus, read my next blog post, Part 2 of Back-to-School Books!  In order to be alerted about Part 2 as soon as it is posted, sign up to follow Book Savvy by typing in your Email to the "Follow by Email" section on the right side of the page.

Keep up your reading,

New Release Book Review: Indelible

Title: Indelible (Book 1 of The Twixt series)

Author: Dawn Metcalf

Publication Date: July 30, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 384

Age Rating: Readers above the age of 10

My Opinion: 5/10

Hi, Readers!

       I personally like to believe that everyone loves a great fantasy novel.  Fantasy is the only genre that can completely take readers away from reality and into a world of mythical beings and wacky scenarios.  Indelible, by Dawn Metcalf, is a decent fantasy book, but it also has some odd qualities.

My vision of what Ink would look like

       Indelible starts off in an under-18 club, where the main character, Joy Malone, is dancing with strangers.  She is having a great time until a mysterious teenage boy with black eyes, named Ink, tries to stab her eyes out.  What a way to start a book!  Joy's eyes are fine, but her adventures are just beginning.  Over the next few days, she is visited by various creatures claiming to have messages for Ink.  Out of the blue, Ink reappears with his sister, Inq, to claim his messages.  Ink explains that he accidentally "marked" Joy as his servant and lover in the Twixt world, where all fantastical creatures live.  Joy learns all about Ink's role of marking humans to signify their pasts.  Meanwhile, a malevolent sorceress, Aniseed, is threatening to upset the balance of the Twixt and all of Ink's hard work.  Now, Joy must stay safe from Aniseed and protect Ink while dealing with earthly problems, such as her parents' divorce and her brother's sexuality.  A fast-paced battle scene culminates the novel, bridging the way for the next book in The Twixt series.

       One of the quirky aspects of Indelible is Dawn Metcalf's descriptive wording.  I had to read certain sentences a few times in a row to understand what she was trying to say.  For example, when describing symbols on the wall in Aniseed's lair, Metcalf wrote, 

"Archaic symbols fought one another for space - anorexic in some corners, a traffic jam in others."       

In my opinion, "anorexic" and "traffic jam" are unique word choices for inanimate drawings on a wall.  However, in certain instances, Metcalf's descriptions also create vivid images in the reader's mind.

       The main reason that I rated this novel a 5/10 is that Joy Malone is not a strong main character.  There are so many new novels with tough heroines who don't need help from any Prince Charming, such as Katniss from The Hunger Games, and Tris from Divergent.  In the case of Indelible, Joy relies too heavily on Ink's protection and is constantly getting taken care of.  She is always falling into traps, and she does nothing to help defeat Aniseed.  Joy becomes obsessed with Ink and feels that she needs to be in a relationship with him in order to be happy.  Teenage girls in modern society should be reading novels with strong heroines, not frail girls who rely on a hero to save the day.

Joy is not a strong heroine, unlike Katniss and Tris.

       On the whole, Indelible has a very interesting and new plot line.  It has a few quirks, such as bizarre descriptions, and lacks a strong heroine, but Indelible is still a fun read.

Pick up a good book!