Reviews!

    "Very good because it is fast paced. Full of good stuff."

I'm loving the bite-sized reviews you guys are posting to the reading tracker so far. Here are just a few! (Click the covers to check them out)

 "Historic,interesting and imaginative"

"This book is the best book in the world. It has great morals to it and lots of things to think about. In saying that the book is the only book that has made me cry and laugh. The page that got me the most was 270. I really liked it though it is probably my favorite book, now! Great Job John Green! Thank you."

"The book was artfully crafted by an amazing author! Ransom Riggs not only wrote an amazingly peculiar book but also illustrated in through the use of authentic vintage photos. This unique idea sets the backdrop of the story and helps us, the readers, better understand the nature of Miss Peregrine and her Peculiar Children."

"Really good book! Surprisingly one of my all time favourites!"

&

"Amazing Book. I would definitely recommend this book to others. Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson is competing for Hamiltons Next Top novel. I definitely want this book to win. It deserves it."

"Just as good as the first book! Can't wait to read the last book in the series!"

but also: "Eh okay not her best"

Read and decide for yourself :)






You can track your reading here!

Review: Water Wars

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

When Vera meets Kai at the bus stop one morning, she has no idea how her and her brother, Will’s lives will be altered. Kai and his father have found reservoirs of water, and in a time when there is a shortage of fresh water this makes them rich. One day, however, they’ve suddenly disappeared. Vera and Will decide to undertake a rescue mission but little do they know they’re about to go on an adventure they never expected.

The Water Wars was a really good book. I loved how the author added the little details about how water affects us in ways we don’t think about. The pacing was perfect and the action was great. I didn’t want to put it down, particularly as it got closer to the end. I think Cameron did a fantastic job at making the characters relatable, portraying their emotion through the pages and creating an all too realistic world. All together, it was a great book and I recommend it to anyone who loves action and adventure. 

~ Taylor

Teen review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Sometimes the love of your life isn’t quite normal. This is what happens to Ethan Wate when he falls in love with Lena Duchannes in Beautiful Creatures, but she isn’t just an outcast, she’s a caster. A caster is like a witch but at the age 16, they get claimed by either the dark or the light side. As Lena’s 16th birthday gets closer, Ethan helps her prepare for her fast approaching birthday. Along the way, they find a locket that causes them to have visions of a caster and a mortal just like them! now, they also have to figure oout why they are seeing this and what the visions mean.

 This book was amazing! It had fear, bravery, love, mystery, humour, light and darkness, and they all blended together perfectly to form a beautiful book...pun intended.

~lyndsey

Review: Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden

ThreeDay Road by Joseph Boyden

The novel follows Native Canadian Xavier Bird as he returns home from the First World War missing a leg and gaining a morphine addiction. The novel follows his memories of the war with his friend Elijah who didn't make it out of the war as well as Xavier's Aunt Niska who cares for him and tells him stories (in Native tradition) of her life in the residential school systems. Both Xavier and Niska's stories intertwine and connect the two bringing healing through the pain.

I read this novel for my Canadian Literature course and loved it! It allowed me to read about historical Canadian events that have been whitewashed by history. It allowed me to better understand the horrors of residential schools and the role Native Canadians had in the First World War. This book is a great historical read!

~ Sarah

(also available in ebook - the holds list isn't as long). 

Review: End Games by Michael T. Martin

The End Games by Michael T. Martin

For seventeen year-old Michael and his five-year old brother Patrick, fighting the Bellows is just part of everyday life now. They’re playing a game to protect themselves against these zombie-like creatures, getting the directions from the Game Master, whom neither has met. Things are changing now and not everyone is playing by the rules. The brothers will have to stick together or it may be Game Over.

When I first heard the concept of this book it reminded me of the TV show Supernatural, two brothers fighting monsters but as I read, it wasn’t really what I expected and I loved it! Michael and Patrick are very relatable, Michael being the protective older brother and Patrick being the innocent little boy. I found the Bellows quite unique while maintaining a zombie-like appearance. The pacing was fantastic and I found that everything was revealed at the perfect time. I think T. Michael Martin did an amazing job and I can’t wait to read his other upcoming books. 

~ Taylor 

Review: Zombies Don't Cry

          Zombies Don't Cry by Rusty Fischer

          Maddie was never popular, that is her best friend’s job, so when the hot new boy in her art class invites her to party, she had to say yes. When her dad is asleep, she sneaks out and starts to walk towards the party…in the middle of a storm. Then zap! Lightning struck too close for comfort for Maddie, and she wakes up a little while later face down in the puddle and realized that the party must have been canceled. When she gets home, she slowly realizes that the lightning didn’t strike near her, it struck her and she was now a member of the living dead. She later finds a few zombie class mates who help her survive and teach her that not all zombies are nice, there are some that you have to stay away from. This book was amazing and I couldn’t put it down! With the perfect amount of supernatural and (somewhat) realistic events, this book is a must read for any zombie lover!

~ Lyndsey

Kat's note: HPL doesn't own this title, however, did you know we can order you books from other library systems? True! Use the Interlibrary Loan form to request any title you like and we'll do our best to get it for you! 

Review: Out of This Place by Emma Cameron

We're going to be starting up with our regular reviews and very soon you'll be able to earn volunteer hours for reviewing books, videogames, music and more! Stay tuned. In the meantime, here is Sarah with a fantastic review of Out of This Place.

Out of This Place by Emma Cameron

This was the first verse written novel I've ever read! I was a bit nervous to read it at first as I've wondered how novels could possibly be written in verse. How do we get to know the characters? How is a plot created? How do we transition? I'm glad Out of This Place was my first verse novel I've read because it really showed me the joys and talent it takes in writing a novel of this sort.

Out of This Place follows three teens: Luke, Casey, and Bongo as they try to discover who they are and what they are going to be doing for the rest of their lives. Luke has a pretty easy life with nice but distant parents who pines for Casey while trying to figure out whether he's going to go to University after school or an apprenticeship program; Casey is a love-child whose father doesn't let her do anything which frustrates her causing her to seek an opportunity to run away, Bongo desperately tries to get in contact with his younger half-brother who is in foster care, with a mother in rehab and an abusive step-father Bongo runs to the streets to find his half-brother and start a new life.

Out of This Place is a perfect coming-of-age story set in Australia. It was nice to read from the perspectives of three very different teenagers as they searched for who they were and what they were going to make of their lives. While the story did jump around too quickly at points and leaving holes in some instances it is a very heartfelt story, unforgettable. It's poetry creates fantastic images that sweep the reader away while the story makes readers relate to the characters.

A fantastic novel, recommended for lovers of verse written novels or anyone who likes a good coming-of-age story.

Review: This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

When Ellie gets an email, clearly not meant for her, she replies and spurs a friendly email exchange between her and 'G', a teen who lives in California. What Ellie doesn't know is that 'G' is actually Graham Larkin, teen heartthrob and celeb. 

They form a deep friendship and when Graham has a chance to pick the location for his next movie, he picks Ellie's hometown. He just wants to see her, meet her, chat with the person who he gets along so well with online.

Of course, it's more complicated than that. Graham has paparazi following him always and Ellie wants to stay out of the limelight to protect a family secret. Can they make their relationship work offline?

This is What Happy Looks Like is more than wish-fulfillment sap. It's a novel that looks at human relationships and the lengths we'll go to protect the people we love. It has a cheesy Hollywood rom-com premise, but I actually really loved the characters and seeing their story unfold.

Fans of contemporary romance will love this one. Definitely recommended!

~ Kat

(Reviews are going to be paused during May + June while we get things up and running for summer reading. Readers will be once again invited to submit online reviews of what they're reading in July to win prizes).

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass

America Singer wants no part in the competition for the prince’s heart, she doesn’t even want to try...

In a world that is separated into the rich and the poor, the Singer family is nowhere close to the top. In fact, they are only three castes (levels based on wealth and jobs) away from the bottom and are always struggling to make ends meet. So, when 16 year old America Singer gets a letter stating that she is eligible to join the selection and has a chance to compete with all of the other chosen girls for Prince Maxon’s hand in marriage, her mother tries to persuade her to enter. The problem with this though, is the fact that America already has a boyfriend that she loves, but has to keep a secret from her mom because he is in a lower caste. After some persuading, she decides to enter the selection, after all, every girl in the country will be entering and only 35 will compete. Of course though, America isn’t that lucky and ends up getting brought to the castle to compete against 34 other women, and eat as much of the palace’s food as she can before she gets kicked out!

I absolutely loved this book! It was a romantic story with just the right amount of conflict and fairy tale. I would recommend the selection to anybody who liked the Hunger Games and a lot of romance.

~ Lyndsey

Review: What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Addie and Eva are two souls in one body, just like everyone else in their world. The only difference is, Addie and Eva didn’t settle. Eva shouldn’t be there any longer, but she is still able to communicate with Addie. If anyone found out about Eva, they could be taken away. When Addie and Eva discover there may be a way for Eva to move, dance and talk again, they consider taking the risk.

I was first drawn to the book from the plot when I read the synopsis. I wasn't sure what to expect but I absolutely loved this book! The idea of two souls in one body is so unique and interesting I could hardly put it down. First off, I love the idea of having an 'Eva' in my life to help me through everything and when you're young, to have someone else take control so you can rest for a bit.

 I can understand why Eva wants to learn to take control again after years of not being able to. I can also see why Addie would be reluctant. After all they and their family went through, they were finally starting to be 'normal' in their new life. She was nervous about what would happen if anyone found out.

 Secondly, the twists and turns in the book, particularly in the second half, kept me interested and wanting to know what was next, if everyone would be okay or if things would work out. I can't wait for the next book so I can know how the story will continue.

I like how different, Kat Zhang made Addie and Eva even though they were the same person. It's like showing two different sides of someone's personality. Besides Addie and Eva, my favourite character had to be Ryan and Devon or more specifically Ryan. He was always there for Eva and I thought he was super nice to her and Addie. Eli was very cute and I really hope to see him again.

 Overall, I enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read Once We Were when it comes out September 17th.

~ Taylor

In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth

In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth

Eagan is a bright girl, but one mistake costs her her life. She is now stuck between worlds, in a heaven-type place, but instead of great joy, she experiences memories of her terrible relationship with her mother. All this is possible through her heart, which has been donated to another girl, Amelia. Amelia is unaware of the girl still within her, and when she starts to feel strange and act even stranger, she figures out that she must do something to put Eagan at ease. 

Will Amelia figure out how to help Eagan? Or will they both continue to suffer? In a Heartbeat is a great read for anyone! A heartwarming (no pun intended) and suspenseful book that will be definitely enjoyed!

~ Elena

   

Review: Mind Games by Kiersten White

Hello readers! I have the pleasure of reviewing for you today. I want to talk about a book I just finished, Mind Games by Kiersten White.

Mind Games reminded me a lot of my favourite Marvel team, X-Men. These two sisters have super powers - one is a seer (can see the future) and one has perfect instincts.

The girls attend a special school but unlike Charles Xavier's, this school is somewhat evil. The school wants to train the girls to assassinate world leaders and give them political gain. Yikes!

Fia, the one with perfect instincts, wants to leave, but she won't leave her sister Annie behind, particularly when Annie is blind and somewhat vulnerable.

Their story changes when Fia is sent to kill a boy and sort of falls for him instead. When she refuses to kill him, it sets a series of events in motion that not even Annie can predict.

This book is about intense siblings who will do anything for each other. There's a fair amount of action, which makes this a fairly quick read. Although there wasn't a ton of character development, I have a feeling that may come in later books because you guessed it - this is a trilogy!

If you like your paranormal books with an edge, check out Mind Games.

(tip: it's still on order in the catalogue, but you can scoop it up on e-book now here).

~ Kat

Review: Gone by Michael Grant

Gone by Michael Grant

Gone by Michael Grant is an adventurous and thrilling novel about a small town called Perdido beach. Its a normal school day, when something unusual happens. The teacher just disappears. The students are confused at first, but then they go out into go the hallway and realize their teacher is not the only one. All the teachers have gone missing, along with everyone over the age of 14. All the parents were gone, leaving the kids to take care of themselves. There is an unusual dome that covers the area that is imppossible to break and hurts to touch. Sam and his friends Astrid, Quinn, and Edilio decide to be the leaders. Soon, they begin to realize that everyone over 14 years of age disapearing isn't the only weird thing that's happening. People have started to have magical powers. Sam can create light. Also, evil things like the darkness are stirring, craving for power, and it's up to Sam and his friends to protect everyone. Hunger and fear is everywhere. Everything is changing.

I think this book is a great read and I really recommend it if you like adventure and a thrilling fun read. I would overall rate this book a 9 out of 10 .

~ Nida

Review: Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Jessica Packwood is a ‘mathlete’(aka really good at math!) who refuses to believe in anything that can’t be explained by logic and facts. Her parents however, are researchers who have always been supernatural fanatics. They are so obsessed with the supernatural that years ago they went to Romania to witness a ritual of a cult that they were researching. While they were there, the cult was threatened and so they were asked to bring Antanasia Dragomir (a baby of one of the cult members) back to America to keep her safe. This is the story that Jessica has heard her entire life, how she was born in Romania and adopted into a vegan family in rural Pennsylvania, but when a new student shows up in her school during senior year, the story changes drastically. Jessica’s adoption was her deepest secret, only her best friend knew it, but suddenly the creepy foreign exchange student who claims to be from a royal family arrives, and he too knows her secret. Lucius Vladescu is from a royal vampire family in Romania and was betrothed to Antanasia, the daughter of another royal vampire family, at a ritual before she was brought to America. While Lucius is trying to teach Jessica how to act more like a vampire princess and trying to win her trust and affection (with a little competition from her crush), Jessica will be teaching Lucius how to act more like an American teenager.

This book was an amazing story that had a perfect balance of a fairy tale romance, a mysterious new vampire, and a girl trying to accept the unbelievable in order to find out who she really is... and she thought that her senior year was going to be easy!

 ~lyndsey

Review: The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney

The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney

When Janie Johnson happens to look down at her friend's one quart milk carton in the lunch room, she see a picture of her three-year-old self on the side. It says she was kidnapped twelve years prior from a shopping mall in New Jersey. She can't believe her mom and dad would've kidnapped anyone. As the story continues Jennie has some interesting memories and the mystery into what happened that day in New Jersey starts to unfold.
I really like this book, I found Janie's reaction realistic. She loves her parents but still can't help thinking about what her real parents in New Jersey went through and are going through. How can she be a good daughter to both sets of parents. I really liked the suspense and writing style. Anyone who loves mysteries and a unique story line should enjoy this book. I can't wait to read more books by Caroline B. Cooney.

~ Taylor

Review: Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank is a young Jewish girl living during the second world war in Germany. Her dad, a successful businessman has nothing to worry about in terms of being captured right? Wrong. When word goes out that they may be in danger, the whole family, along with another go and hide away in a storage room at the business her father worked at. Anne is so young, but she must mature quickly. Be quiet, don't attract attention to yourselves, and most of all, stay inside the wall! But what happens when even where they are becomes dangerous? Who could possibly help them now? Follow Anne as she discovers herself and experiences one of the most terrible moments in history; the Holocaust.



~ Elena


note from Kat: I definitely missed putting this up last week. My apologies! Another review will be coming tomorrow! Yay!

Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Looking for Alaska by John Green

“Looking for Alaska” is without a doubt my favourite book by John Green. I love how different this is from his typical work (even though “Looking for Alaska” is his first novel). It feels more personal, more relateable and more real.

The characters are well developed and I love Alaska! I love how dimensional she is and how the reader and other characters never really get to know who she is. Even by the end of the novel there’s that question about who Alaska really was. It felt very much like “Paper Towns” where Q (and the reader) try to discover who Margo is. While we do get some insight on who Margo is, we never know who Alaska is. And I think that’s what makes the book great, this forever questioning of who she was. It works with the question John Green seems to put in his writing: How do we know who we truly are and who other people are? It makes readers realize that we don’t know ourselves or others no matter how much we think we do, so it’s important to take the time to get to know the person.

Also while reading I discovered that the line “I love you present tense” is found in both “Looking for Alaska” and “The Fault in Our Stars”.

They do differ slightly though. In “Looking for Alaska” the line is something like, “But I did love her, present tense.” While in “The Fault in Our Stars” it’s simply “I love you present tense.”

~ Sarah

Review: The Limit by Kristen Landon

The Limit by Kristen Landon

The limit is a wonderful and thrilling book about a boy named Matt. Where Matt lives, children are being taken away from their families. Why? Simply because their parents were too careless and exceeded their debt. Matt thought he didn't have to worry, until one day him his mom and his sister went shopping. As soon as his mother did the regular eye scan you had to do in order to buy something, they realized there was a major problem. They had gone over the limit. They hadn't believed it at first, they thought they had been a well put together family, but of course they were wrong. A government official named Ms. Smoot comes and picks Matt up. Matt feels terrified and trapped, but there is nothing he can do about it but wait until his parents pay off the dept. That wouldn't be long, he thought. As soon as he gets there, its nothing like he imagined at all! It seemed like a five star hotel to him, and soon enough he gets transferred to the top floor, where the most intelligent go. It was like a paradise, with a pool and everything. Just as he starts to think 'hey, this isn't so bad' he begins noticing an odd pattern. Many people who have been in the workhouse for a long time have experienced horrible migraines and even seizures! He learns more dark secrets and realizes he has to escape, and things were about to get dangerous. I think this a good, fast and thrilling read. I would rate it 6 out of 10.

~ Nida

Review: Daylight Saving

Yay, we're back to reviewing! Here's our latest from Taylor. 

Daylight Saving by Edward Hogan

When Daniel and his dad go to Leisure World, a sports holiday complex, to get away from reality for a bit, he’s not holding out much hope for a great week. That is until he meets a girl, Lexi. He starts hanging out with her more and more and as he does, he notices bruises on her face, arms and legs that seem to get worse, and that the watch she wears is ticking backwards instead of forwards. Both Daniel and Lexi help each other through their own difficult situations and learn more about themselves and each other in the process.

I enjoyed this book, and even though it was similar to other “boy meets girl who only he can see” books, it had some unique elements that made it interesting. I really enjoyed Lexi’s character and how she was portrayed throughout the book as an independent girl who, with the help of Daniel, learned that things can change if we let them. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery with a touch of romance (but not overly so) with two characters who just want to forget their past for awhile. 

~ Taylor 

Review: Holes by Louis Sachar

Sorry, this is late! This will be our last review for December. Reviews will start up again in January!

Holes by Louis Sachar

Holes is a book about a young boy named Stanley Yelnats. He is a nice young boy, innocent and caring, until one day where he falls into a predicament. When a shoe falls from the sky, something overcomes Stanley. So he runs away with it. Only, its not a normal shoe, its "sweetfeet"'s, the famous basketball player. Police catch him and soon after, he's falsely convicted and on the bus to Camp Green Lake. He's not the one who stole the shoes, but he puts the blame on his "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather", who has caused his whole family to be under a curse. Anyways, Camp Green Lake isn't what Stanley expected. There was no lake or any green at all. More like a desert like place with holes everywhere. Everyday, they were forced to dig holes five feet wide and five feet deep to "build character". Soon enough, Stanley finds out they were not only digging holes for a punishment, but something more. Everything unravels and the several mysteries are put together like puzzle pieces. I loved this book, it was really interesting how everything came together at the end and it made sense. Its kind of a mystery/adventure book and I would rate it 8 out of 10. 

~ Nida