Book Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Rating: PG (violence)

Recommended for: Ages 12 to Adult

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse—Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena—Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods. 

This is going to be more of my thoughts on the series than a regular review. Because as far as a literary analysis goes, this series gets 4-5 points all the way, and I don't want to keep saying the same things over and over again. Addy, don't get onto me for not following the system.

"I like it except..."

A few weeks ago, a friend and I had a conversation about Mulan and Disney movies, and how for pretty much all of them it's "I like it except..." For instance, I like Mulan except the whole ancestor worship thing. But I realized the same is true for most fiction. For Percy Jackson, I like it except the fact that the assumption that Greek gods are real denies the existence of the One true God.

That's a pretty big except, the same one that caused me to hate Disney's Hercules. It's not one that can be reconciled. Indeed, if I didn't have Christian friends who like the series, I never would have read the books, let alone bought them. It's a tough call. I don't have any more problem with the Percy Jackson series than I do with learning about the actual myths. In fact, I'm sure with my own children it'll be "Now, we're done with our study on Greek myths. HERE'S PERCY JACKSON, GO READ IT. AND NO, WE ARE NOT WATCHING THE MOVIES." But is it truly okay? I don't know. Because I still don't like Greek myths, I'm still not okay with pretending they are real, and (though this is utterly impossible) I'd like it better if it didn't make Greek mythology "real." But I do like Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

 The Characters

The main reason I like these books is because of the characters. They're all very well developed and each one adds to the story.

Percy Jackson
Percy is the protagonist, son of Poseidon, and the narrator of the series. In a lot of ways he's a fairly normal preteen/teen, but in a lot of ways, he's so much better. He's ADHD and dyslexic, common signs of being a halfblood, a demigod, and he's got a crazy sense of humor. So often I laughed or just had to read something out loud because the wording or the metaphor used was just so unusual and funny. And he's very loyal to his friends. He'd do anything to save them. He really would. He'll even fall into Tartarus with Annabeth, though that doesn't happen until the second series. Percy isn't perfect. He makes lots of mistakes, and his fatal flaw is that he's willing to go too far in protecting his friends, or at least so he's told by Athena. But Percy is strong and a great fighter, and he doesn't know it. He doesn't realize how awesome he is, and that just makes it better.

Annabeth Chase
Annabeth is the daughter of Athena. She's smart, she loves architecture, she has a deathly fear of spiders, and she wants so badly to build something permanent. She's had a rough life, but Camp Half-Blood is her home, and Percy becomes her best friend. Eventually. I love watching their relationship grow throughout the series. She always calls Percy Seaweed Brain, but when she uses it, it's more of a term of endearment than an insult. He's Seaweed Brain, and it's sweet. Just believe me.

Grover
Grover is a satyr, Percy's best friend at the beginning of The Lightning Thief. He's funny too. But he's also devoted to his cause. He's pretty great.

Tyson
Tyson's such a sweetie. He's a cyclops, he loves peanut butter, and he looks up to his "big" brother Percy so much. (All cyclopes are apparently children of Poseidon.) He's willing to fight for what's right, he loves "ponies" (centaurs), and did I mention he's sweet? "Though 'peanut butter' is a strange battle cry."

Thalia Grace
Daughter of Zeus, reminds Annabeth a lot of Percy. They are similar, though I don't think Thalia quite shares Percy's sense of humor. She's had a rough life. I like her.

Chiron, Mr. D (Dionysus), Charles Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, Nico di Angelo, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Luke Castellan, Sally Jackson, Mrs. O'Leary (the hellhound), Apollo...they all spring off the page, they all add something to the book, they (the heroes) all will fight to the death to defend their friends and family, to defend their home, to defend the earth. That's why I like them.

Persassy
My friend tells me that's the fan term for Percy's character voice. It's very unique, and a good reason to like these books. 

     Ever had a flying burrito hit you? Well, it's a deadly projectile, right up there with cannonballs and grenades.

     At the Hoover Dam--“Let us find the dam snack bar," Zoe said. "We should eat while we can."
     Grover cracked a smile. "The dam snack bar?"
     Zoe blinked. "Yes. What is funny?"
     "Nothing," Grover said, trying to keep a straight face. "I could use some dam french fries."
     Even Thalia smiled at that. "And I need to use the dam restroom."
    ...I started cracking up, and Thalia and Grover joined in, while Zoe just looked at us. "I do not understand."
    "I want to use the dam water fountain," Grover said.
    "And..." Thalia tried to catch her breath. "I want to buy a dam t-shirt.”

    She'd also called me brave...unless she was talking to the catfish.

    We only came close to dying six or seven times, which I thought was pretty good. Once, I lost my grip and found myself dangling by one hand from a ledge fifty feet above the rocky surf. But I found another handhold and kept climbing. A minute later Annabeth hit a slippery patch of moss and her foot slipped. Fortunately, she found something else to put it against. Unfortunately, that something was my face.
    "Sorry," she murmured.
    "S'okay," I grunted, though I'd never really wanted to know what Annabeth's sneaker tasted like.

     I don't recommend shadow travel if you're scared of:
a) The dark
b) Cold shivers up your spine
c) Strange noises
d) Going so fast you feel like your face is peeling off
    In other words, I thought it was awesome.

You probably get the point. Persassy alone was enough to keep me reading.

Morals
Despite the fact that the Greek gods are supposedly real, right is right and wrong is wrong, and there's no confusion between the two. The one time Percy sneaks away from camp, they're under a really horrible camp director who shouldn't be in charge, gets replaced at the end, and wasn't following procedures correctly. And they were helped by Hermes.

Content
It does get a little violent. They do end up at war with the Titans. Percy gets put into a gladiator arena in the Labyrinth. I didn't find it too gruesome, though. As far as romantic content goes, it's really clean. Sure, there is some romance, but it's pretty slow. There are a couple kisses, but it doesn't go any further in the description than to say that they kissed. I found it extremely refreshing. Spiritual content is the trouble, but there's not really anything you wouldn't expect from Greek myths. So if you're okay with reading Greek myths, you should be okay with Percy Jackson. And there was one bit of conversation. I hate that it was applied to a Greek god, but I still think it made a powerful point.

     "Dad," I said, "when I was in the maze, I met Antaeus. He said...well, he said he was your favorite son. He decorated his arena with skulls and--"
     "He dedicated them to me," Poseidon supplied. "And you are wondering how someone could do something so horrible in my name."
    I nodded uncomfortably.
    “Percy, lesser beings do many horrible things in the name of the gods. That does not mean we gods approve. The way our sons and daughters act in our names... well, it usually says more about them than it does about us."

Conclusion
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a difficult topic. There are many pros, but there are also serious cons. I personally like the series a lot, but I'm glad I waited to read it until I was a more mature reader. For younger kids, since they are clean and well written, I would recommend them as a follow up to a school study on Greek mythology. As such a supplement, they are fantastic. Be careful to treat it wholly as fiction, and enjoy!

Movie Review: The Karate Kid

The Karate Kid

Rating: PG (language)

Recommended for: Ages 10 to Adult

There is more to karate than fighting. This is the lesson that Daniel (Macchio), a San Fernando Valley teenager, is about to learn from a most unexpected teacher: Mr.Miyagi (Morita), an elderly handyman who also happens to be a master of the martial arts. So when he rescues Daniel from the Cobra Kai, a vicious gang of karate school bullies, Miyagi instills in his young friend the importance of honor and confidence as well as skills in self-defense, vital lessons that will be called into play when a hopelessly outclassed Daniel faces Johnny, the sadistic leader of the Cobra Kai, in a no-holds-barred karate tournament for the championship of the Valley.

"Wax on, wax off." There's a lot about this movie that is iconic. It's one of the good movies that came out of the 80's. There were some really great films, and then...there are those "PG" films you have to turn off because the content is just THAT bad. Fortunately, this is one of those good ones. Aside from some language in a scene or two, there's not even much to warn about. Even the relationship drama isn't over the top. (Now I have some significant complaints about the girlfriend situation in 2 and 3, but that's another story.) We rewatched this recently when a friend spent the night, and I really enjoyed it.

Technical: 4.5/5

It's a pretty well made movie. It's well written, well acted, and the guy who created it actually knew karate, so I'm pretty confident the karate is even accurate. Now, Sensei does at times seem a little too evil and mean, but that's probably the point. And the ending might be a bit predictable, but SPOILER who doesn't expect the hero to win in the end against all odds? END SPOILER

Setting: 5/5

I wasn't alive in the 80's, but it was contemporary fiction for the time, and I've never heard my parents complain about it being inaccurate. Yet it's still a setting that feels applicable to this day and age. Because whatever the time period, a high school where a boy gets constantly bullied and has to do what he can to stop it is relevant.

Plot: 4.5/5

Daniel has to move to a new city where he has no friends and is a prime target for the bullies. And his solution is to run away from a fight. He wants someone to get him out of his problems, but Mr. Miyagi finds him a different solution. Much of the plot centers around Daniel learning karate--in a very unconventional way. This is where "wax on, wax off" comes in. Daniel doesn't get what's going on, and he gets mad about it (that's the scene with the language). 

But in spite of being a movie about a teenager learning karate to fight in a tournament, it's very much a movie about people. About human problems that people face. About bullying. About doing the right thing. About friendship. And even though I've never been to public school or taken karate, it's still a story that I can enjoy.

Character Development: 5/5

Really, all the characters in this movie are well developed. And well acted. They all feel very real. While Daniel's attitude keeps him from being one of my favorite characters, I still feel like I know him well. Sometimes I might want to smack him, but he eventually gets it all right. Mr. Miyagi. He's kind of eccentric, sort of Yoda-ish, but a good teacher and the perfect person to fill in the father figure space that's left empty in Daniel's life. They don't give much of a reason for why Sensei is such an evil jerk, but since Johnny is more of the direct antagonist, I guess it doesn't matter.

The Karate Kid is a good movie. It's not perfect, but it is good. I very much enjoy it.

Movie Review: Freaky Friday (TV version)

Freaky Friday

Rating: PG

Recommended for: Ages 10 and up

 A few days before her mother's wedding, Anna and her mother switch bodies after being given a fortune cookie with a strange prophecy on it at a Chinese restaurant. They must then figure out how to fix the problem before it is too late.

 Several days ago, we just randomly turned on this movie when flipping through the TV guide. My sister had read this book when this movie was coming out, so it caught her attention. I do have a feeling that this movie is nothing like the book, especially from some of the things we learned from looking up the book summary.

Technical: 5/5

 This movie was really well done and I thought that the acting was great. The two main actors had to do two different characters, a brat and a mom, but they both pulled it off convincingly making an amusing movie. The story flowed well and it was pretty easy to follow what exactly was going on. 

Setting: 5/5

 There is nothing really special about the setting. It was just a normal home and a school. There was also the building where the wedding rehearsal dinner was held and a place where a band contest was going on. Everything fit the story very well.

Plot: 4/5

 The story is about Anna, who is a brat. She changes bodies with her mother after getting a weird fortune cookie (from what we can tell, this is not in the book). The story follows how she and her mother get through the day after they have decided to take the others' place. The mother does do something that is wrong and very mean to another student's test. I can't think of any plot holes and it is a satisfying ending. It is not entirely explained why they switched but it makes for an amusing story.

Characters: 5/5

 As in all Disney movies, the characters are well developed. Anna is a brat but throughout the story she learns to put others first, after doing things that makes her mother upset. She does follow her mother's advice about her job, which is pretty funny. Her mother is about to get married and she worries about what will happen if they don't switch back. She does struggle some at school.

 This movie, while not entirely realistic, is a funny movie to watch and I would recommend it.

Movie Review: Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day  

Recommended for: Ages 13 and up

Rating: (officially) PG, Shire Reviews would go PG-13 (one inappropriate scene and attempted suicide)

 Weather man Phil who hates Groundhog Day is sent to Punxsutawney on Groundhog Day. He then gets stuck reliving Groundhog Day again and again and again.

 This is a funny movie about Groundhog Day, although there is one inappropriate scene to skip after he asks a woman a bunch of questions about her high school.

Technical: 4/5

 The flow of this movie is done well, being able to clearly show you when it is another day for Phil, even when the events are almost identical. There are several montages that show that Phil repeats the day much more than is shown. There aren't a lot of special effects but what there is in this movie, are all well done. The actors were able to  portray their characters in a believable way.

Setting: 5/5

 The story takes place mostly in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, but starts out at the news station studio where Phil works, also Pennsylvania. Punxsutawney is a small town with a small cafe, and a bowling alley. At the beginning of the movie there isn't a ton of snow, but on Groundhog Day there is a blizzard, which traps them in Punxsutawney.

Plot: 4/5

 The story focuses on how Phil reacts to being stuck in one day and how he changes because of it. It is never has a technical reason for why the day keeps repeating. The plot is very unique and interesting.

Characters: 5/5

 This story is mostly about the characters. Phil is mean at first, and has a bad attitude about Groundhog Day. When his day repeats at first he is confused but then he realizes that he won't have any consequences for his actions. Different events throughout the movie cause him to see things differently. The reactions of other characters, who don't know that the day is repeating, are done realistically. They sometimes think that he is crazy and are sometimes surprised by his actions and how much he knows. 

While this movie isn't completely clean, it is a funny way to look at things and is a unique concept.

Book Review: Greensleeves

Greensleeves by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Rating: PG (for romance)

Recommended for: Ages 15 to Adult

For eighteen-year-old Shannon Lightley, life’s been an endless parade across Europe, following either her actress mother or her renowned journalist father. Paris, Milan, London—Shannon has been everywhere, but somewhere along the way, she realizes she’s really…nowhere.

Having graduated from high school and about to board yet another flight for yet another destination, Shannon is offered an alternative: stay in Portland, Oregon, with her parents’ close friend and help his law firm investigate a group of strangers living near the local university. A will with a substantial inheritance is being contested, and Shannon’s task is to gather information on the unlikely recipients of the money.

Using an assumed name and working as a waitress in a diner, Shannon finds herself entirely on her own for the first time in her life; and as the long summer days go by, she tries to sort out who she really is and what her future holds. 

A week ago, I didn't know this book existed. Last Thursday, I came across a link to this review on Twitter. Odd, because I rarely actually scroll through my Twitter feed, and even more rarely click on any links (unless they're behind-the-scenes information on Doctor Who; those I can scarcely resist). I suppose it was the author name that intrigued me: Eloise Jarvis McGraw. Since the review made it sound incredibly interesting, it was $1.99 on kindle, I still have gift card (I tend to hoard it for moments like this), I'd really enjoyed the author's The Golden Goblet and Moccasin Trail and my library doesn't have Greensleeves, I decided on impulse to buy it. It's definitely for a different audience than those books; those are middle grade historical fiction and Newbery Honors. Greensleeves is a 60s teen contemporary novel with a dash of mystery and intrigue and a lot about finding direction in life.

I rarely read contemporary teen fiction, 50 years old or otherwise. If I read any era of contemporary, it's usually middle grade. As for teen fiction, I have a friend who reads a lot of it and her reviews are usually enough to steel my determination to avoid it. A lot of the teen fiction books I hear about sound wildly inappropriate, my main reason for avoiding them, other than the fact that I generally enjoy adventure the most. Greensleeves certainly isn't. There is kissing in the book, and Shan does analyze how different guys make her feel, but it's rather less than what's in The Hunger Games. (In case you're wondering why I make the comparison, since I also did it in my Cinderella post, THG is basically my as-far-as-I'll-go-on-Content, which I realize isn't incredibly far.)

I have a lot of unread books on my kindle, yes, bought ones as well as free ones. It's mostly typical for me to download a book and let it sit there. However, Saturday came and since I'd spent Friday out in the woods with my sisters and our friend filming an impromptu movie, stayed up past midnight to show her Star Wars, and then gotten up earlier than I would have liked so I'd be up before her parents came to pick her up, following that up with a trip to the post office and several hours editing our movie, and a 45 minute nap (I never take naps) because I was so tired, I really didn't feel like trudging through the really old books that don't get good until halfway through, and I wanted something different. Besides, Greensleeves had intrigued me. So I did little else from that late afternoon until late Sunday afternoon besides read that book. (Of course I didn't read it during church, just to and from church.)

I really enjoyed it. Shannon is a girl who really doesn't know what she wants out of life. I'm sure everyone's felt that way at some point. And even though I do know what I want from life and I am pursuing some of those things, I still can't help feeling directionless and like I'm waiting for something to happen. Shan goes under cover to help her Uncle Frosty investigate a strange will, but also because she's tired of Shan Lightley and her problems, and just wants to be someone else for awhile. She's trying to find herself. While I don't exactly identify with her struggle for identity, I can understand her fears that people wouldn't like her if they knew the real her. Probably why I liked it, besides the natural intrigue of the peculiar will and the interesting, varied people named in it which is bound to excite me, is because I can understand her struggles.

I have to say, though, my favorite character is Sherry. Gone are the days when I didn't like guy characters simply because they were guys. Sherry (his full name is George Maynard Sherrill) is an interesting guy. He’s good and smart and intellectual, kind of shy, very perceptive, extremely curious, and he wants to learn just to know things. He studied Greek because he wanted to know how people in Greece sounded. He wanted to learn integral calculus so he would know what people were talking about when they said “integral calculus.” I didn’t like Dave Kulka. He kind of reminded me of Dean Priest from the Emily of New Moon books by L. M. Montgomery, and that’s not exactly a good association. The characters are all very well developed, and so is the little world Shan stepped into when she went to College Street and became Georgetta Einszweiler Smith. It all felt so real.

Greensleeves is a good book. The ending was slightly unsatisfactory due to being a bit inconclusive, but I guess I can make up my own epilogue. I’d say it’s geared towards older teen girls and that’s probably the best audience for it, but I would recommend it. It gave me a nice weekend and some food for thought.

(P.S. Do you prefer story-of-my-experience-with-the-book reviews or literary analysis reviews?)

Movie Review: War Room

War Room

Recommended For: Ages 12 to Adult

Rating: PG (for thematic elements throughout)

Filled with heart, humor, and wit, War Room follows Tony and Elizabeth Jordan, a couple who seemingly have it all-great jobs, a beautiful daughter, their dream home. But appearances can be deceiving. In reality, their marriage has become a war zone and their daughter is collateral damage. With guidance from Miss Clara, an older, wiser woman, Elizabeth discovers she can start fighting for her family instead of against them. As the power of prayer and Elizabeth's newly energized faith transform her life, will Tony join the fight and become the man he knows he needs to be? Together, their real enemy doesn't have a prayer.

This was the first Kendrick Brothers movie I have ever seen in theaters. And it was entirely worth it.

Technology: 4.75/5

This movie was superbly done. The Kendrick Brothers have learned a lot since the making of Flywheel, which had a great story, but bad acting. This time, it was almost perfectly well-acted. My one complaint was the robber. He wasn't very well-acted. He wasn't mean enough or threatening enough. But they've improved greatly if they only have one instance of bad acting in the movie. As always with a Kendrick Brothers movie, the movie is chock-full of well-placed humor while having a dozen heartfelt moments as well, a couple of which I had tears in my eyes for. And since I almost never cry over fiction (Last of the Mohicans and an episode of BBC Sherlock), this is a big deal.

Setting: 5/5

This is the first Kendrick Brothers movie not to be filmed in Albany, Georgia! Instead, it was filmed in North Carolina. The place is never said in the movie, although it is obviously down South. It is just a typical normal-world environment, filmed on location in the real world. It's hard to go wrong with a setting like that.

Plot: 5/5

Wow. I mean wow. It's definitely not an evangelistic movie, geared more towards getting Christians to stand up and fight the right way: with prayer. That is something that is desperately needed in today's world. And it wasn't preached at you or thrown at your head, either. It was tastefully done in a way everyone can appreciate and woven into the plot with the skill of an expert craftsman. Superbly done.

Characters: 5/5

Thumbs up to the Kendrick Brothers for not making the mentor just a boring, preachy character. Miss Clara was amazingly done, full of wisdom, yet hilarious in a way only little old ladies can be. Elizabeth was well done. Her character arc was supreme, and Tony SPOILER turned around in a completely awesome and wholly believable way. END SPOILER I love Danielle, and Jennifer is hilarious. What Tony's boss did was rather predictable, but that was mainly because Alex Kendrick played him, and Alex Kendrick's characters always do the right thing in the end. 

In short, go see this movie right now. Parents be warned, Tony almost cheats on his wife, so use your discretion on that. Plus younger children are likely to find it boring. But everyone (and I mean everyone) should go see this movie. It was completely amazing, and also the first movie I've been to where the people watching applauded at the end. Entirely recommended.

Book Reviews: Escape From Memory

Escape From Memory by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Recommended For: Ages 8 to Adult

Rating: PG (scary situations and intense images)

When Kira agrees to let her friends hypnotize her at a slumber party, she has no idea that she will reveal secrets even she didn't know she had - memories of fleeing a war-torn country with her mother, understanding a language she can't identify. Then her mother disappears, and a woman calling herself Aunt Memory takes Kira to Crythe, a place that doesn't officially exist, in order to rescue her mother - or so Kira thinks. She soon learns that there are memories locked in her mind that place her and her mother in grave danger, but those memories are also the only thing that might save them.

In Escape from Memory, award-winning author Margaret Peterson Haddix imagines a culture that values its memories above everything else - and a teen who has to make the most important decision of her life.

This book...was not what I was expecting. It was certainly interesting, and certain aspects of it reminded me of a character from the Ilyon Chronicles. Another noteworthy thing: I finally got my library card! Yay! I had to wait a while, but the wait is finally over, and I can start getting new books again.

Writing: 5/5
It was well-done. It immersed you into the head of the main character and portrayed her and her thoughts well. Descriptions weren't lacking, and the grammar and spelling was good as well.

Setting: 5/5
It was set in the Mid-West and a place...well, in California. The settings were realistic and interesting.

Plot: 5/5
The plot was very exciting. It had unexpected bits, and rounded off well. It was an intriguing plot.

Characters: 5/5
I really liked the characters in this book. They were well-rounded and interesting. The villain was well-done and had believable motives.

This book is another good one of Margaret Peterson Haddix's, and I certainly recommend it.

Book Review: Wolf Rider

Wolf Rider by Avi

Recommended For: Ages 12 to Adult

Rating: PG

The kitchen phone rings three times before Andy picks it up.

"Hello?" he says.

A voice replies, "I just killed someone."

From that moment, Andy Zadinski, a 15-year-old student at Madison High is plunged into terror of his own making. No one believes that the caller - "Zeke" as he names himself - was serious. When Andy reports what he's heard to the police, they dismiss Zeke as a Friday-night crank. And no one believes that Zeke's reputed victim, Nina, a pretty young woman attending the local college, is in danger. She refuses to believe it herself. Andy, says everyone, is crying "Wolf!" But Andy, whose experience with death has been close and hurtful, will do anything to protect Nina.

Pressured by the doubts of others, particularly his father, Andy is driven to prove the "wolf" real. Finding Zeke, however, is not enough. Andy must prove his existence to the doubters. To do so, he sets in motion a series of tension-filled events that can well lead him to the very catastrophe he is trying to avoid: Nina's death. For even as he and his father struggle to save each other from the consequences of Andy's actions, the man called Zeke begins to act on his own.

When the boy who cries "Wolf!" attempts to ride the beast, nothing can ever be the same.

This was a heavy read. What's crazy about it is that the phone call at the beginning of the book actually happened to the author just as it happened in the book. This is definitely the creepiest Avi book I've read, and it doesn't even have ghosts or anything like his some of his other ones do. This was my first book I read from my new library. I was so excited when I finally got my new library card! I'd been waiting for weeks.

Writing: 4.5/5
This book was written fairly well, Avi's books always are. The one complaint I had was I couldn't tell whether it was supposed to be an omniscient point of view or a deep third-person point of view. It seemed to be from Andy's point of view, and then it would say something that Andy wouldn't know because he had his eyes closed or something else like that. Probably something only a writer would notice. Other than that, the book was very well-written.

Setting: 5/5
There wasn't anything particularly spectacular about the setting. It was mostly in a college town. I got the impression it was in the eighties or nineties, however, this is never specified. For what it was, it seemed accurate and fairly vivid.

Plot: 5/5
Very interesting and intriguing. I certainly wasn't quite expecting the end the way it was. The plot was well-done and...creepy.

Character Development: 4.5/5
Not really spectacular, but not horrible either. Andy is well-developed and is given good motives for his persistence in believing what "Zeke" said on the phone call. Andy's dad was pretty well-developed, but "Zeke" could have used some more development and explanation into his past and motives and current state of mind and everything. Pretty well done, but not amazing.

This is a good book, though a little dark, and though I would recommend it, it's not for everybody.

Friday Favorite: The Ramona Series

The Ramona Series by Beverly Cleary

Recommended for: Ages 6 and up

Rating: G

This series is about a girl's life starting when she is four. The first book focuses on Ramona's older sister but the rest of the series focuses on Ramona. When Ramona is young she is a brat, but by the end of the series, which ends when she turns ten, she mostly just gets into scrapes.

 I'm not exactly sure why I loved this series, but I read it several times. The books are funny part of the time and when I was younger I was as confused at some of the things as Ramona was, for example it took me a little while to understand what the Dawnzer song was, "The Star Spangled Banner," but it didn't give the lyrics. Ramona is a brat at first and since our dog was bad as a puppy, she got the middle name of Ramona. One thing that I do like about this series is that Ramona gets in trouble when she is bad and her misbehavior is not portrayed as something good.

Not every author is able to write ordinary life in an interesting way. I've read a couple books about the characters' ordinary life that were boring. Beverly Cleary is one of the few authors I have read that is able to write ordinary life in an interesting way. Her characters are also well done. In the first book, Beezus, Ramona's older sister, struggles with not being frustrated with her little sister. Her characters are realistic and none of them are perfect, but many of them are still likeable. Throughout the series, Ramona grows up a lot from the beginning of the series.

There are eight titles in all: Beezus and Ramona, Ramona the Pest, Ramona the Brave, Ramona and her Mother, Ramona and her Father, Ramona Quimby Age 8, Ramona Forever, and Ramona's World. The first one is not from Ramona's point of view, but I still count it with the series. 

I would recommend it with the one caution, that Ramona is not a good role model, but it is a good series and one of my childhood favorites. Writing this review is making me want to read them again.  

Movie Review: God's Not Dead

God's Not Dead

Recommended For: 10 to Adult

Rating: PG (for thematic material, brief violence and an accident scene)

 A story of intersecting lives, each on a different path but all on the same journey - an atheist Philosophy professor, a converted Muslim, a callous businessman, a desperate reporter, an anxious pastor and an abused girlfriend - weaving together in a journey of faith, denial, doubt, and trust leading to a decision that will change all their lives. College philosophy professor Mr. Radisson's curriculum is challenged by his new student, Josh, who believes God exists.

I've been half-wanting to watch this movie for a while. I first heard it was cheesy, then had a few friends text my mom saying God's not dead. They said the movie was worth seeing. Then, a week ago, when me and fifty-one of my "closest friends" were on a bus to Washington, D. C., for Barry Loudermilk's swearing-in, we watched God's Not Dead. My general opinion was that it was good, although I didn't love it. I'm glad I watched it, but it's not a movie I would want to watch again and again (unlike Captain America 2). One thing that detracted from the enjoyment of the movie was that the people that wrote it were obviously Arminian, whereas I'm Reformed. Their "free-will" stuff bothered me. But it was only in one small part where it became clear the writers felt that way. There wasn't anything really wrong with this movie, it just didn't stand out as great. I would probably rate this movie an over-all four stars.

Technical: 4.5/5
Again, nothing really stood out. All the technical aspects seemed overall good, just not great. And then there were the famous people that couldn't act (thankfully they weren't in much of the movie. They weren't there to act). I think that they should've had a scene with Josh's parents talking to Josh about what he should do about the professor's challenge. I wouldn't say this unless Josh hadn't mentioned how his parents felt, but he did, so... SPOILERS One thing my sister pointed out later was that when the main character, Josh, loses his girlfriend, he doesn't really seem that upset. He's just like, "ok, if that's how you feel," and they've been going together for five years and planning their future together and everything. END SPOILERS And now that I think about it, they could've spent a little more time on what he had to lose if he lost the challenge. I mean, it was just like "he could lose his major, which would mean say goodbye to his career" and I just didn't really connect with Josh's internal conflict. Maybe it had something to do with I knew what he was going to choose to do, but that's never held me back before.

Setting: 5/5
The setting was not really much of anything. It's set in a town and a college near it. For what I saw, it seemed pretty much accurate. (I mean, it was set in an unnamed town with a college in it that was probably a nearby town they picked to film in. It wasn't that spectacular at all.) But it really didn't need a spectacular setting (unlike some movies and books I could mention: Lord of the Rings, for instance...) Overall, the setting was good.

Plot: 5/5
The plot was of a young college student defending his faith to a very cynical and demanding professor and a few other people's lives as they tie in. Again, nothing spectacular, but it was well-done. The arguments were well-put and well-written (although there were a few times I wanted to butt in with some fact I knew that Josh didn't and would've helped his argument). It was well-done, and a good plot especially for new Christians, ones who don't know how to defend their faith, atheists, and agnostics.

Character Development: 4.5/5
There wasn't exactly anything bad about the characters or anything, I just don't feel like they were as good as they could have been. They didn't really stand out that much. I did like the Muslim girl. And Josh. The pastor was okay. He wasn't anything that stood out.

Basically, you should watch this movie, but don't expect it to be awesome. It's way better done than most Christian films, but it isn't quite up to par as most Hollywood movies. Expect good, but not the best. And don't show it to young children, especially not without parental previewing first.

Book Review: Becoming Nikki

Becoming Nikki by Ashley Elliot 

Disclaimer: I received this book as an advance review copy. However, the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Cross my hearts.

Recommended For: Ages 10 to Adult (interest and reading level)

Rating: G

What would you do if you were given the opportunity to rebuild a broken relationship?

Alec and Nikki Scott are the perfect ice dancing duo, executing flawless technique and brilliant performance abilities each time they compete. No one doubts their camaraderie, not even their closest friends.

But looks can be deceiving. Off the ice, their relationship is in shambles. Ice dancing is the only thing they have in common anymore... and Alec wants to quit.

Just as Nikki feels like their relationship can't get any worse, an unexpected tragedy crashes into her life. She's left struggling with a difficult choice as her opinion of her brother slowly starts to change.

Whatever she decides, she knows her life will never be the same.  

This book is AWESOME!
Seriously! I admit, it wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I loved it all the same. Nikki was so likable and interesting, and so was Alec. Well, I didn't like Alec in the beginning, but later, he got...and SPOILERS. I don't read much contemporary fiction (for the reason I Don't Know Why), but I made an exception for this and am so glad I did. But I should probably get to my review.

Writing: 5/5
I must admit, the writing style was a little hard to get used to. But once I got used to it, it was great. And interesting. There weren't any technical issues as far as I can remember, except for a few typos, which should hopefully be fixed in the very final version. One thing I liked a lot would be the pop culture references, especially the Doctor Who ones. They were refreshing and light-hearted.

Setting: 5/5
This book is set somewhere in the United States in the modern times. The setting was very well done. There is a lot of ice skating stuff and ice skating places in it (DUH), which I am not very familiar with, but, from what I've read in books and seen on TV, it seemed pretty accurate.

Plot: 5/5
The plot in this book was done in a very unique way (because I can't say the concept is very unique. It's not.). SPOILER ALERT Most amnesia stories in books and on TV aren't done well and/or are cheesy. HOWEVER. This book was far from cheesy. And it was a lot more realistic than the bonk-on-the-head-and-you-have-amnesia, bonk-on-the-head-and-it's-gone stuff (thank goodness). That stuff is good for comedy, but not much else. This amnesia story, however....(AWESOME!!!) Very well done. END SPOILER ALERT I loved the plot and the way it was done. And it is something interesting to think about, as well.

Character Development: 5/5
Let me just say. The characters. (The most awesome part.) They were REALLY cool. Nikki's rollercoaster emotions at the beginning were a little hard to get to. But once I did (either that or they stopped being so rollercoastery), it was great. I ended up loving Nikki. And Alec. And I also liked: Dylan, Natalie, Sam, Bennet, Liam, Kate, and Nikki's dad (among others I may have forgotten). I didn't like Allie, or Alec (yes, the same Alec I loved. He's sometimes a jerk). The minor characters fulfilled their roles as minor characters correctly. And such.

You should really get this book and read it. It's good. You will not regret your choice.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Find the rest of the Becoming Nikki blog tour here.

Ashley Elliott is a writer, reader, musician, photographer, tree-climber, and Leaguette. She speaks fluently in movie quotes and spends most of her time fangirling over her latest obsession. In her free time, she enjoys laughing with her friends, laughing over Christian indie films (but secretly loving them), and laughing with her five crazy siblings. Ashley is a homeschool graduate and is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Humanities through CollegePlus. She lives in Georgia with her parents and siblings, and doesn't have any pets.

Cover Reveal: Becoming Nikki

Today is a very special day. One of my good friends by the name of Ashley Elliott is going to be publishing her first book. It's called Becoming Nikki, and it's super good (yes, I've read it . . . I formatted it, too, so I know), and so I'm really excited about it. You can find out even more about it on Ashley's blog, www.inklingspress.wordpress.com. It will be released on December 8th. I know, that's about a month away, so why am I talking about it now? Well, I want to get you all hyped up about this amazing Christian Contemporary Fiction book . . . and you get to see something special today, too. The Cover! First, the book description.


What would you do if you were given the opportunity to rebuild a broken relationship?

Alec and Nikki Scott are the perfect ice dancing duo, executing flawless technique and brilliant performance abilities each time they compete. No one doubts their camaraderie, not even their friends.

But looks can be deceiving. Off the ice, their relationship is in shambles. Ice dancing is the only thing they have in common anymore… and Alec wants out.

Just as Nikki feels like their relationship can’t get any worse, an unexpected tragedy crashes into her life. She’s left struggling with a difficult choice as her opinion of her brother slowly starts to change.

Whatever she decides, she knows that her life will never be the same.


Doesn't it sound cool? Ashley is superb at writing the struggles of Alec and Nikki's relationship, and the difficulties surrounding the tragedy. And she tells me what she writes now is even better! But here's the real purpose of this post. The cover.

 

 

So, what do you think? Sound like a book you're interested in? Mark your calendars for December 8th. We're planning all sorts of fun blogging stuff to celebrate the release. You won't want to miss it.

Ashley Elliott is a writer, reader, musician, photographer, tree-climber, and Leaguette. She speaks fluently in movie quotes and spends most of her time fangirling over her latest obsession. In her free time, she enjoys laughing with her friends, laughing over Christian indie films (but secretly loving them), and laughing with her five crazy siblings. Ashley is a homeschool graduate and is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Humanities through CollegePlus. She lives in Georgia with her parents and siblings, and doesn't have any pets.

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Book Review: Running Out of Time

Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Recommended for: ages 8 and up

Rating: PG

Jessie lives with her family in the frontier village of Clifton, Indiana. When diphtheria strikes the village and the children of Clifton start dying, Jessie's mother sends her on a dangerous mission to back help. But beyond the walls of Clifton, Jessie discovers a world even more alien and threatening than she could have imagined, and soon she finds her own life in jeopardy. Can she get help before the children of Clifton, and Jessie herself, run out of time?

 After reading several of Haddix's other books, I decided to go read her first book. I also thought it was interesting that it was inspired by Conner Prairie in Indiana.

Writing: 4/5

The writing is good, but not as good as in some of her later books. In the story there are many things that are ordinary that Jessie thinks are strange. It is written well, showing that from Jessie's point of view, that the world is very strange to her. It is written as a good stand alone book, and it has a conclusive ending.

Setting: 5/5

The book starts out in Clifton village, a small town in 1840. There is not a lot in the story that actually takes place in Clifton village, but what is in the story does seem like a small village in 1840. The story mostly takes place in Indiana in 1996. I don't know what it was like in 1996, but since it was modern when it was written, it is probably accurate in the setting.

Plot: 4/5

The plot of the story is, when the children of Clifton village start getting sick, Jessie is sent to go get help for the people who are dying. Clifton village is a tourist attraction where people can see what it was like in the 1800s. The children don't know that it is not really 1840. The people who live in Clifton village are also not allowed to leave. The story follows Jessie, who tries to get help while not understanding 1996.

Character Development: 4/5

The story focuses on Jessie who is well developed. There is a lot about 1996 that she doesn't understand, and it is written from the view of someone who grew up like she was living in 1840. Jessie struggles with what to do and how to act without giving away where she is from. There are several other characters, but none of them are in it very long or have much focus on them. While the character development is well done, it is not as good as the character development in her later books.

I enjoyed reading this book, even though it is not as good as her later books, and would recommend it to anyone who likes adventure stories.

Book Review: The House on the Gulf

The House on the Gulf by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Recommended For: Ages 9 to Adult

Rating: G

When Britt's older brother, Bran, lands a summer job house-sitting for the Marquises, an elderly couple, it seems like a great opportunity. Britt and Bran have moved to Florida so their mother can finish college, and the house-sitting income will allow their mom to quit her job and take classes full-time. Having never lived in a real house before, Britt is thrilled. There's only one problem: Britt starts to suspect her family isn't supposed to be there.

She's been noticing that Bran is acting weird and defensive--he hides the Marquises' mail, won't let anyone touch the thermostat, and discourages Britt from meeting any of the neighbors. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Britt starts investigating and makes a startling discovery--the Marquises aren't who Bran has led her and their mom to believe. So whose house are they staying in, and why has Bran brought them there?

Wow. This book turned out quite different from what I expected. The ending was quite a surprise. I very much enjoyed this book.

Writing: 5/5
The writing of this book was good, and, as always, Margaret Peterson Haddix drew me in with her deep character voice. Really, her character voice is always as if it's in first person when it's not. As for the other aspects, it seemed fine to me. No typos that I noticed.

Setting: 5/5
This book was set in Florida in the modern times. It was in one of those beach communities where some people only stay for a certain time and there isn't much around. The setting was very well done.

Plot: 5/5
This was what blew me away. The plot was VERY well done, down to the unexpected twist in the middle. It was very intriguing. I couldn't put this book down because of the plot, though that happens with quite a few books.  Margaret Peterson Haddix did a very good job on the plot of this book.

Characters: 5/5
Margaret Peterson Haddix always does a great job on her character development. This book was no exception. The characters were well-rounded, and Bran was especially well-done. I also liked Britt and her character arc, even though it was more off-screen than on-screen.

I say a hearty round of applause to Margaret Peterson Haddix for creating such a good book. I think anyone who likes reading would enjoy this book.