Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
Upon visiting Plymouth Rock, Horwitz begins to think about early American history, the history before the Pilgrims. The Pilgrims were not the first people to settle or visit what is now North America; most people do not know about the Spanish and Viking voyages prior to the early 1600s. So, Horwitz ventures on a self-imposed quest to tour the destinations of the conquistadors and early explorers to learn more about America's history. In this travelogue/American history lesson, Horwitz discovers myths and facts about the early explorers and ultimately looks at the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock in a different way.
Full of adventure and unforgettable people, A Voyage Long and Strange is a fascinating book. I loved every page of it. He has a wonderful way of capturing the reader's attention, switching between historical accounts and his adventures in modern day settings. What a great way to travel without leaving your home!
If you enjoy A Voyage Long and Strange, I would recommend trying his Confederates in the Attic, another American history/travelogue that has Horwitz looking at how the aftermath of the Civil War still effects a few citizens and organizations. This too is a very interesting and entertaining read!
Reviewed by Jessica
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Wake by Lisa McMann
Age Level: Teen
Format: Book
Seventeen-year-old Janie lives with a secret, something that she can never tell anyone. When you dream, you’re not really alone. She gets sucked into dreams, watching, first hand, the falling dreams, sex-crazed dreams, and, unfortunately, nightmares.
Janie believes that she’s cursed with this ability that she doesn’t want, and cannot control. She hates it. She lives on the fringe, keeping her secret from everyone. But, someone notices that there’s something going on . . . and then Janie gets sucked into a twisted nightmare. One that chills her to the bone because this time, rather than just watching, she’s also a participant.
I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up this book. I figured that this would be the usual sci-fi/fantasy-ish book, but it was so much more. Janie is very real, very grounded. I felt like she could have been someone that I went to school with, maybe someone who I passed in the halls and paid no attention to. In this book, you are transported into her head. You know her thoughts; you know how much she simply wants to be able to sleep at night without falling into dreams. And you know how much she simply wants to graduate, go on to college, and make something of herself.
It may take awhile for you to get used to the sparseness of the writing style, and there are major twists in this book . . . some are more believable that others. But the entire book leaves you wanting more, and it sets you up for more. Will there be sequels? I hope so. I want to learn more about Janie and some of the other people that you meet in this novel. I know you will too.
Reviewed by Sara.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Evernight by Claudia Gray
Age Level: Teen
Format: Book
Raquel whispered, “Don’t you ever feel like there’s something at this school that’s . . . evil?” Her voice shook. “Do you believe in real evil?”
Nobody had ever asked me that, but I knew the answer. “Yeah. I do.”
Bianca is a new student at
I absolutely loved this book! The story is tightly written with many great details about both the school’s forbidding character and the relationship between Lucas and Bianca. There is a major twist in the middle of this book which caught me completely unaware. I thought I knew where the story was going, why Lucas and Bianca’s budding romance was probably not going to work out, and what the evil at the school really was. I was caught by surprise, and so will you.
Give Evernight a chance. You won’t be sorry.
Reviewed by Sara.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott
Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
The practice of alchemy and the world of the seventeenth century collide in contemporary times in this suspense novel. Cameron Brown commissions his former lover Lydia Brooke to ghostwrite an Isaac Newton biograhpy by his late mother Elizabeth Vogelsang, who died under mysterious circumstances. Lydia moves into Elizabeth's home to immerse herself in Elizabeth's notes for her biography. As Lydia reads Elizabeth's work and talks with a few people close to Elizabeth, she discovers links between murders that occurred in Cambridge (England) during the seventeenth century and vicious attacks by an animal rights group in present day Cambridge. All the links point to Isaac Newton and his practice of alchemy. The further Lydia delves into Elizabeth's research and conclusions, the more dangerous her life becomes. Comprehending the clues from the past may just save Lydia's life. And then, there is the white-haired man in seventeenth century clothing who watches Lydia - what is his connection to all of this?
Stott writes her novel in the first person from Lydia's perspective. There are many plot twists in the end, leaving for a surprising ending. I liked the link established between present and past; history can repeat itself if individuals fail to observe past actions. I think Stott's concept is very interesting, making aspects of the seventeenth century come to life while walking around in a modern day city. In one instance, Lydia becomes so immersed in imagining a seventeenth century setting that she can hear and smell and experience a seventeenth century market, as if she was actually there, though she obviously remains rooted in present day Cambridge. While this is a book of suspense, it also has elements of scholarly information: throughout the book, Stott includes chapters of Elizabeth's Newton biography, providing a nonfiction-feel to a fiction book. At times thrills and chills and at other times romantic, this book may interest historical fiction readers and suspense readers.
Reviewed by Jessica
Format: Book
The practice of alchemy and the world of the seventeenth century collide in contemporary times in this suspense novel. Cameron Brown commissions his former lover Lydia Brooke to ghostwrite an Isaac Newton biograhpy by his late mother Elizabeth Vogelsang, who died under mysterious circumstances. Lydia moves into Elizabeth's home to immerse herself in Elizabeth's notes for her biography. As Lydia reads Elizabeth's work and talks with a few people close to Elizabeth, she discovers links between murders that occurred in Cambridge (England) during the seventeenth century and vicious attacks by an animal rights group in present day Cambridge. All the links point to Isaac Newton and his practice of alchemy. The further Lydia delves into Elizabeth's research and conclusions, the more dangerous her life becomes. Comprehending the clues from the past may just save Lydia's life. And then, there is the white-haired man in seventeenth century clothing who watches Lydia - what is his connection to all of this?
Stott writes her novel in the first person from Lydia's perspective. There are many plot twists in the end, leaving for a surprising ending. I liked the link established between present and past; history can repeat itself if individuals fail to observe past actions. I think Stott's concept is very interesting, making aspects of the seventeenth century come to life while walking around in a modern day city. In one instance, Lydia becomes so immersed in imagining a seventeenth century setting that she can hear and smell and experience a seventeenth century market, as if she was actually there, though she obviously remains rooted in present day Cambridge. While this is a book of suspense, it also has elements of scholarly information: throughout the book, Stott includes chapters of Elizabeth's Newton biography, providing a nonfiction-feel to a fiction book. At times thrills and chills and at other times romantic, this book may interest historical fiction readers and suspense readers.
Reviewed by Jessica
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Banana: the Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World by Dan Koeppel
Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
Many people eat a banana during the course of their day. In the United States, we eat bananas in our cereal, as a quick breakfast, or in an ice cream sundae. But, what is the story behind the banana? Koeppel examines the history of the banana in this nonfiction account of a world favorite fruit. Touring plantations and fields that grow bananas, as well as combing through documents and histories of world-leading banana companies, Koeppel discovers the banana's role in politics around the world and the struggle of some scientists to save the banana from disease.
Koeppel's smooth writing makes his narrative very easy to read. He documents his sources at the end of the book and provides a concise timeline of major banana events. I found this book to be quite enjoyable and eye opening: I was completely unaware of the political and scientific turmoil surrounding the banana. Not only have I gained a greater appreciation of the banana, but I will never look at the fruit the same way again. After reading this book, you will not either.
Reviewed by Jessica
Format: Book
Many people eat a banana during the course of their day. In the United States, we eat bananas in our cereal, as a quick breakfast, or in an ice cream sundae. But, what is the story behind the banana? Koeppel examines the history of the banana in this nonfiction account of a world favorite fruit. Touring plantations and fields that grow bananas, as well as combing through documents and histories of world-leading banana companies, Koeppel discovers the banana's role in politics around the world and the struggle of some scientists to save the banana from disease.
Koeppel's smooth writing makes his narrative very easy to read. He documents his sources at the end of the book and provides a concise timeline of major banana events. I found this book to be quite enjoyable and eye opening: I was completely unaware of the political and scientific turmoil surrounding the banana. Not only have I gained a greater appreciation of the banana, but I will never look at the fruit the same way again. After reading this book, you will not either.
Reviewed by Jessica
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