Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling

Hellen's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is about a young boy whose life is dramatically changed when a giant bursts down his door. Harry discovers he is a wizard, goes to Hogwarts, meets multiple people, and save the world from an evil psychopath. Harry Potter is action-packed, with plenty of near death experiences.
I personally have read the book at least five times, loving it more with each read. 

Black Butler Vol. 3 by Yana Taboso

Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

The murderous Jack the Ripper has been found: Ciel's aunt, Madame Red, and her butler, Grell! While Madame Red is fully human, the same can not be said for Grell who turns out that he is not an incompetent butler, but an able and flamboyant grim reaper! With an admiration for the demon butler Sebastian, the two fight while Ciel is left to confront his aunt and her tragic past. It is his duty to rid London of the killer, but could family bonds prevent him from killing family?
Oh, the fight scene between Grell and Sebastian was amazing! Yana Toboso was smart to not make it just full of sound effects, but include dialogue between the two supernaturals. Toboso also makes Madame Red's backstory dramatic and I found myself feeling sorry for her. The world Toboso has created is growing wonderfully and I look forward to reading more. Also, I can admit that, in my opinion, this manga is better than the popular anime of the same name (and I think that is excellent too). After the arc with Madame Red ends, we are introduced to the strong mother of Ciel's fiance, Lady Francis. This character is not introduced so early in the anime, which is a real shame. The short story involving her adds to the manga and strengthens the bonds between characters. This manga has made me interested to see what other differences exist in the manga and anime and how they compare with each other. 

Black Butler Vol. 2 by Yana Toboso

Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

Murders take over the headlines of London's news as a new killer ravages the streets. Known as "Jack the Ripper," this elusive criminal stalks and kills women and is causing unrest. Queen Victoria enlists the help of her loyal "guard dog," Ciel Phantomhive, and Ciel enlists the help of Sebastian. With the help of his aunt and other comrades, Sebastian and Ciel seek out this murderer. Perhaps Ciel just wishes that he did not have to converse with a loony mortician or wear a dress...
With this volume, the story of Black Butler picks up and begins. We are introduced to even more important characters and the manga ends in a cliffhanger. We also learn more about the unique relationship between Ciel and his butler. Like before, the art, pacing and humor are fantastic to see. My favorite character, the loony mortician Undertaker, finally gets introduced and we got to see more of the impossible things that Sebastian can do. I won't spoil it, but there is a wonderful allusion to the real Jack the Ripper. The killer was never identified, but many theories existed for who could have been the perpetrator. I thoroughly enjoy the effort Toboso makes towards the history of London. 

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Lydia's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
Through the eyes of 3 women in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi you are able to see and feel what is is like to be in a southern town during segregation. Abileen and Minny, two black maids, tell the tale of fear and depression for what their lives are and what they could become. Skeeter Phelan learns that although she has had a hard life, she is white and better off than black people, but she can't leave it at that. Skeeter has an idea, write a book telling what it is like to live as a black maid, but will it become a success or fail even before it starts?
This book is worth at least one read through if not more!

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Kelly's Rating: ★★★

Review:
For it's time, To Kill A Mockingbird was actually pretty well written. It had 2 parts: Part 1 acted as an intro to the book and Part 2 acted as the real story. I thought it was good, but I do have a couple of complaints. My biggest complaint was the fact that the story took a long time to progress. My second complaint is about the character development. There wasn't an overflow of characters, which was good, but there were only a few characters who were recognized and considered "important." I liked this story a lot because it felt like a real-life story. It was a nice change of pace. It was also a good history lesson! I found out more about segregation and life back in the the Great Depression in 1935! 
What did you think of the book?
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 Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz

 Gabbie's rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Holocaust was a horrific time for the entire world. But it was most horrific to those who were subject to Hitler and his followers. This novel is based off of the true story of Jack Gruen and how he learned to survive. He was shuttled from concentration camps, embarked on death marches, nearly starved to death, and lost connection with his entire family. A must read.

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick
Gabbie's rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book is absolutely amazing! Before reading this book I was unaware of the events that occurred in Cambodia.  I found this book intriguing and it helped me to realize what awful events others face outside of the United States.  This book especially standts out in my mind because it is written with such a colorful syntax.  The most spectacular detail about this book is taht it's based on the true experiences of Arn Chorn-Pond.  If you love history and stories of overcoming difficulties, you will LOVE this book.  Two thumbs up!!

Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus
Tami's Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Based on a true story, Shadow on the Mountain is the exciting chronicle of a teenager named Espen who quickly gets swept into the Norwegian resistance movement after Nazi Germany invades in April 1940, overthrowing the neutral king and occupying the country.  Preus masterfully crafts the character of Espen and his friends, drawing comparisons between the boys while later showing how they could be so different.  Espen begins his adventure delivering underground newspapers but soon begins to gain prominence in the resistance movement while his best friend Kjell and soccer captain Aksel rise in the ranks of the Nazi Gestapo.  During the five years of German occupation, Espen matures and soon realizes the great responsibility he bears in the resistance movement until he must forgo his old life to save those he loves.  This book is an excellent read, even for those who would not typically read historical fiction, and the book progresses at a lightning pace.  It's very easy to get engrossed in this book due to the ease of relating with the characters and the intriguing story line.  Definitely worth a shot!

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I want to learn more about the French Revolution now! I downloaded the audio of this book and it was a great story to listen to. High School senior, Andy, is super depressed after the death of her younger brother and her family is falling apart. She is on the brink of flunking out of her prestigious high school and even contemplating suicide. She is forced to go to Paris with her father when her mother is put into a mental hospital. While in Paris she is on strict orders to finish her thesis. In the process she comes across a young woman's diary from the time of the French Revolution. The story alternates between Andy's contemporary life and the story of Alex, who cared for Louis Charles, the young lost King, in the time of the Revolution. The story is a historical mystery that kept me wanting to know what happened next. Definitely a must read!



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