11.26.09
Another year over
I can’t believe another year is almost over! It seems just like yesterday that 2009 was starting, as cliche as that sounds. Just a reminder, for those of you who are still at school, that you are able to borrow books to read over the holidays. Each person is allowed to borrow up to 5 items each, although if you give us a big smile (and a bribe) we may be willing to give you a couple more.
Have a great holiday everyone!
09.18.09
‘Tomorrow, When the War Began’ movie
I’ve just found out recently that the book Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden is to be made into a movie! Filming hasn’t started yet, as the movie has just been anounced but apparently Caitlin Stasey (Rachel from Neighbours) is to play Ellie, and Lincoln Lewis (Geoff from Home and Away) are set to play Ellie and Kevin.
You can find the IMDB entry here where they have a little bit of info about the movie and also a forum for questions/comments and news. You can also see some of the cast listed here although most of them aren’t listed on IMDB yet so I’m not sure if it’s the final list.
For those who don’t know Tomorrow, When the War Began follows the journey of Ellie and a group of seven others who band together to fight when Australia is invaded by an unknown enemy. There are seven books in the series. Renowned screenwriter Stuart Beattie, whose credits include Australia and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, will write and direct.
08.21.09
New Fiction July 09
Here are some new books that we have in the library. Come in and have a look!
The trouble with sauce by Bruno Bouchet (BOU)
Stolen by Lucy Christopher (CHR)
Flitterwig by Edri Cullen (CUL)
It’s yr life by Tempany Deckert (DEC)
High stakes and hunted by Alex Duval (DUV)
The viking invader by Fergus Fleming (FLE)
Dark summit by Nick Heil (HEI)
Lessons for a werewolf warrior by Jackie French (FRE)
The night they stormed Eureka by Jackie French (FRE)
The year my sister got lucky by Aimee Friedman (FRI)
Polar boy by Sandy Fussell (FUS)
The dragonfly pool by Eva Ibbotson (IBB)
After by Sue Lawson (LAW)
Perry Angel’s suitcase by Glenda Millard (MIL)
Season of secrets by Sally Nicholls (NIC)
The devil you know by Leonie Norrington (NOR)
Wings by Aprilynne Pike (PIK)
Extreme kissing by Luisa Plaja (PLA)
The bride’s farewell by Meg Rosoff (ROS)
Fill out this application and wait over there by Ruth Starke (STA)
Measuring up by G. J. Stroud (STR)
Loving Richard Feynman by Penny Tangey (TAN)
Lucky by Rachel Vail (VAI)
Pink by Lili Wilkinson (WIL)
Beatle meets destiny by Gabrielle Williams (WIL)
Wings review
Wings
Aprilynne Pike
2009
Rating: Very Good
Located on the fiction shelf under PIK
Laurel’s family has just moved to a new town so her father can open a bookstore. This means that Laurel, who has been homeschooled all of her life will have to start going to high school. She quickly becomes friends with David, despite feeling closed in at school. But then Laurel finds a bump on her back, which keeps getting bigger and bigger. At first she ignores it and hides it from her family and friends, but eventually she has to tell David when she wakes up to find a wing-like blossom has grown from the bump.
David and Laurel set about trying to figure out what’s going on with her body. David, the science wizz, concludes after looking at Laurel’s cells through a microscope that she is more plant than human. But it takes a trip back to the woods behind her old house and an encounter with the handsome Timani for Laurel to realise that she’s a faerie! She also learns that it’s up to her to save her old home from the evil that is trying to take it away from her, her parents and the faeries that live there.
Wings was a really enjoyable story to read. It had a unique twist, was funny at times and overall a very entertaining story. Laurel was a very likeable character, although I felt that David was a little boring at times. But both them, and the other surrounding characters grow through the novel and you really get to know them.
Another blogger mentioned something about the possibility of there being a sequel which would be interesting, especially with the growing love triangle between Laurel, David and Timani.
08.17.09
Exchanging Lives review
Exchanging Lives
Kathy Buchanan
April, 2009
Rating: Good
Exchanging Lives is a very light and fun novel about two young girls from Sydney, Australia. Charlie and Annie used to be friends, but once they hit high school, Annie joined the popular group and pushed Charlie away. Now both girls have been chosen for an exchange student program where they will spend 3 months in America with a host family. Annie is supposed to be going to New York where she’s excited about checking out the latest fashions, and Charlie is supposed to go to a small town in Ohio, where she’s excited about finding out what living on a real farm will be like. But their parents, who are also friends, decide to pull the ultimate switcheroo and send Charlie to New York and Annie to Ohio with interesting results.
Exchanging Lives was a nice story about what real friendship is about, and making the most of what life throws your way. Both girls learn a lot about themselves and each other in their 3 months away, and also to look beyond their first impressions of places and the people they live with.
Second Star to the Right review
Second Star to the Right
Deborah Hautzig
2008 (first published 1981)
Very Good
Second Star to the Right is an incredibly moving story about 14 year old Leslie Hiller. Leslie is a perfectionist and constantly worries about disappointing her mother. To take control, and she believes, to make herself happy she decides to go on a diet. But things get out of control, when Leslie can’t stop dieting. She starts eating less and less, believing that she’ll know when she’s thin enough. But she’s never thin enough. Soon Leslie is throwing up whatever she eats, throwing food out her bedroom window and is too exhausted to even go to school. Leslie is aware that she’s slowly killing herself and that she needs help, but finds it impossible to bring herself to eat.
08.13.09
The Year my Sister got Lucky review
The Year My Sister got Lucky
Aimee Friedman
June 2009
Rating: Very Good
Katie and her sister Michaela are extremely close, more like best friends. They have lived in New York all their lives, both attend a prestigious ballet school and both love their lives in New York. Or so it seems.
Katie is devestated when she finds out that she has to move with her family to a small town, called Fir Lake, in upstate New York. It’s nothing like her beloved New York City. The people are overly friendly, her new ballet school is, to put it bluntly, a joke and they actually live near real cows! Katie immediately sticks out like a sore thumb, with her ‘New York’ sense of style and attitude. But to her surprise and horror, Michaela fits in straight away.
As Michaela settles into her new country life, making friends, gaining a footballer boyfriend, joining the yearbook team and attending homecoming, she and Katie grow apart. Katie finally does start making friends and trying new things, but she does this reluctantly. And then she finds out that Michaela has been hiding things from her, important things that she would usually tell Katie. Can these sisters also be best friends?
I had added The Year my Sister got Lucky to my wish list on Amazon, only to have it bought by my Library the next day. What a coincidence! And I’m glad I got to read it too, as it was a wonderful and entertaining book, with a great message about how your attitude effects your situation. Both Katie and Michaela were likeable, in their own way. Neither of them were perfect and made plenty of mistakes through the book, but this was part of what made them so likeable and real. The Year my Sister got Lucky is a great story about sisterhood, change and growing up that I’d definitely recommend.
08.09.09
Pink by Lili Wilkinson
Pink
Lili Wilkinson
2009
Rating: Excellent
Blurb: “The pink jumper was practically glowing in my grey bedroom. It was like a tiny bit of Dorothy’s Oz in boring old black-and-white Kansas. Pink was for girls. Ava Simpson is trying on a whole new image. Stripping the black dye from her hair, she heads off to the Billy Hughes School for Academic Excellence, leaving her uber-cool girlfriend, Chloe, behind. Ava is quickly taken under the wing of perky, popular Alexis who insists that: a) she’s a perfect match for handsome Ethan; and b) she absolutely must audition for the school musical. But while she’s busy trying to fit in – with Chloe, with Alexis and her Pastel friends, even with the misfits in the stage crew – Ava fails to notice that her shiny reinvented life is far more fragile than she imagined.”
I’ve often seen Lili Wilkinson’s books around but have never had the chance to read any. When I saw Pink though I knew I had to read it, especially since one of my favourite colours is pink.
I can honestly say I really enjoyed reading Pink. Ava’s story and her struggle with her identity and sexuality were very real, honest and something I think most people can relate with. Pink shows that it’s okay to be unsure of who you are and who you want to be, but that in the end it’s important to just be yourself and not be ashamed of any aspect of yourself. All of the characters were easy to identify with, many of them hiding parts of their lives as well.
Pink was very well written, with quick snappy and funny dialogue, and conversations and stories seemingly straight out of a schoolyard. I loved the fact that the book was set in Melbourne, with mentions of lots of places I like to go to. I will definitely be hunting down more of Wilkinson’s books in the future.
08.02.09
Envy: A luxe novel
Blurb: “Two months have passed since the dramatic homecoming of Elizabeth Holland – Manhattan society eagerly awaits her return. But Elizabeth won’t rejoin her sister Diana’s side. The whispers are beginning – is all as it seems behind closed doors? Uptown, Henry and Penelope Schoonmaker are the city’s most celebrated couple. But despite the glittering diamond she wears, the newlyweds share little more than scorn for each other. Manhattan’s most envied residents appear to have everything they desire: wealth, beauty, happiness. However, in a city where appearance is everything, sometimes the most practiced smiles hide the most scandalous secrets.”
I must admit, the first thing that attracted me to the Luxe series was the covers. Who could resist those beautiful dresses?! Not me!
I wasn’t sure how ’Envy’ would span out and if I’d like it considering Henry and Penelope…… But I wasn’t disappointed. Envy was just as good and just as addictive, juicy and scandalous as the first two books in the Luxe series!
Although despite all the juiciness it’s nice to see some of the characters growing up a bit and starting to stand up for themselves.
I’m excited that the fourth book ‘Splendour’ is not far off being released, although I’m sad to hear that it’s going to be the last book in the series.
07.14.09
Holidays & Envy, the new Luxe novel
Welcome back from your holidays! I hope everyone enjoyed themselves, despite the cold weather. I can’t believe it’s already term 3! This year is going so fast.
I’ve arrived back to work with a few new novels on our shelves which was a bit exciting. Those who are reading the Luxe series by Anna Godbersen at the moment will be happy to know that the next book in the series ‘Envy’ has arrived and is ready for borrowing. We’ve also just received a few books from the Vampire Diaries series by LJ Smith.
