Book Bites Reviews

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Review by B-Liz
Alina has to fight the Darkling, save the world and be a boss. Can she do it? My favorite character is the Darkling because he is so misunderstood. I loved and hated this book because it was action packed and sad.

Alice and the Country of Hearts by Various Authors
Review by Paige
Alice falls down in this dark hole and finds this new world. This rabbit guy makes her drink this medicine to make  her stay in their world. My favorite character is Alice because she is a strong female character and funny. I loved this book because it was really good.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
The second book in the Lunar Chronicles. The book is mainly on the perspective of an 18 year old girl, Scarlet who lives in a small town in France. When Scarlet's grandmother disappears her and Wolf's destiny's meet. My favorite part of the book is when it is finally revealed what Cinder is. I recommend this book to teenagers who like science fiction.

The Sweetness At The Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Review by Paige
Flavia de Luce lives in a big house with her two sisters and a father, but her mother died in a mountaineering accident. Flavia loves chemistry and hates her sisters. One day a dead bird had a postage stamp connected to it's beak on their doorstep and a dead man is found in the cucumber patch. Who is he? My favorite part in the book was when she made a concoction with poison ivy and added it to her sister's lipstick. I recommend this book to anyone. It is amazing.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'dell
Review by Paige
Karana notices that a ship has come to kill otters. They end up killing most of the tribe because the leader of the tribe disagreed with the men on the ship. Another ship comes and says that they will take them to another island but she is left behind. My favorite character is Karana because she is very brave and she uses her skills to survive in the wild. I liked this book because it was very adventurous.

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
Review by Tori
Jennifer Strange discovers that she is the last dragonslayer, but she believes after meeting Maltcassion, the last dragon, that he is noble creature and does not deserve to die. My favorite character is the Quarkbeast because he is very funny. I liked this book because it was entertaining.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Review by Justine
Percy went to a boarding school for reform students. He was going home with his best friend Grover when the bus broke down. Percy saw 3 women who are cutting strings. Grover and Percy got home. Grover got to their apartment with goat legs. His mom got all upset and a Minotaur was chasing them and crashed their car.

The Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
Review by Paige
Flavia is trying to figure out why the Fortune Teller was brutally attacked and she is trying to find out who did it. Buckshaw is not doing well, her father doesn't have enough money to keep Buckshaw going. My favorite character is Flavia because she is very intelligent and loves chemistry. I loved this book because it was suspenseful and I loved the characters.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Review by Tori
A plane full of beauty queens crash lands on an island in the middle of nowhere and are forced to combine their talents and survive. My favorite character is Adina (Miss New Hampshire), and Taylor Renee Crystal Hawkins (Miss Texas) because they were very funny and crazy. I loved this book because the audiobook was amazing.

Cress by Marissa Meyer
Review by B-liz
Cinder has to stop the wedding of a lifetime. My favorite character is Wolf because he is a boss. I liked this book because it was action packed.

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
Review by Tori
When Jacob's mom and dad die in a car crash, everything begins to change. Jacob, after dropping out of vet school, runs off with the circus and falls in loved with the wife of the director of the menagerie and becomes friends with Walter and Queenie, his dog. My favorite characters are Walter, Queenie and Rosie because all these characters propel the story and make it interesting. I especially enjoyed the character Rosie, the elephant because she is so smart. I dislike August and Marlane. I liked this book because it was interesting and I especially enjoyed the perspective of the old man who lives at the nursing home (Jacob.)

Out Of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
Review by Paige
Melody can't move, talk or write anything. She is very intelligent, but she can't express herself and nobody knows that she is smart. She is going to enter a quiz team but everyone is against her. My favorite character is Melody because she is determined and intelligent; I admire that. I liked this book because it was definitely a page turner.

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Review by Tori
Alina is captured by the Darkling and finds a way to escape with a pirate who turns out to be the younger prince of Ravka and Mal, her loyal and trustworthy friend. After finding the amplifier, becoming the leader of the second army, how will she change? My favorite character is Alina and Nikolai because she is a strong character and he is a pretty cool character. He is always entertaining. I loved this book because it was written well and the idea was interesting.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Review by Paige
A plane crash was full of beauty queens and they have to survive on this island. This book is about their adventure through being beauty queens on an island and how they change. My favorite character is Adina because she is smart and is a feminist. I loved this book because it was adventurous and interesting how they change on the island.

Other Titles Discussed
Seizure by Kathy Reichs
Siege by Kathy Reichs
Shatter Me by Tahere Mafi
The Tongue Cut Sparrow by M. J. York
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume.