Books - The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Rate the book: 9

I think this book was pretty amazing. I mean, yes, it did get annoying when I didnt know whether what the book was talking about was past or present- but then I re-read it and it made a bit more sense.

The story is about a girl named Isabella (a.k.a: Belly) and how she spends her summer in a holiday house with some friends every year. So her mums friend owns this holiday house, and she has 2 sons. Jeremiah and Conrad. Jeremiah is a complete jester- always laughing, joking, goofing around. Conrad on the other hand- he's the more silent type.

So, Belly's had a crush on Conrad like, forever, but none of the boys notice her. That is, until this summer. :)

I'm not gonna say any more. You have to read the book to know what I'm talking about. As a bookworm, I HIGHLY recommend it.

Happy reading! :D

----reviewed by Simran

Books - My life and other catastrophes by Rowena Mohr

Rate the book:  8

This book is extremly funny and light- hearted. It is well written and the use of diary entries instead of chapters adds extra fun to reading this book. The use of adjectives is brilliant and the perspective of this teenage girl is absolutly perfect. Great book!

----reviewed by elysia

Books - Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Rate the book: 8

I started off as a twilight hater. Every time someone mentioned Twilight I brought my steel tipped stakes out [Buffy style]. Once I actually took the time to read the books, I quite liked them. Yeah the books are not particularly well written and yeah Bella appears to have lost her brain at times. Yet their romance still has a certain appeal to it. Bella comes across as a more understandable character than in the movies, probably because it’s written from her point of view. Edward Cullen isn’t nearly as annoying as in the movies and hey what do you know, he has a sense of humor! Well sort of a sense of humor… Actually I don’t know why I like it maybe it’s a generational thing [I’m a generation Z not Y]

----reviewed by Jasper

Books - Out of the Frying Pan by Andrew and Ben Whitehouse

Rate the book: 7
 
Put your hand up if you have ever felt like you are jumping from the frying pan only to realise you have landed feet first into the fire?  I think most of us have been there at some stage as we have grown up and this book puts it down on paper oh so well!  

Out of the Frying Pan is a collection of 15 Australian stories that recount the trials and tribulations of growing up.  Covering the hilarious, heartbreaking and the tragic, these stories are from real people who reveal that no-one escapes their childhood and adolescence unscathed!  

Great read....especially for someone finishing up at high school wondering what now!  

You can buy it from bookstores

----reviewed by Shae

George Ivanoff book signing

George Ivanoff, author of Gamers' Quest (Ford Street Publishing, Melb., 2009), a science fiction novel for children and young teens will be doing a book signing in Ringwood in May.


Official Gamers' Quest website

When: Saturday 8th May 11:30am-12.30pm
Where: Angus & Robertson bookstore (Ringwood - Shop L026a, Eastland Shopping Centre, 171-175 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood) 

Cheers, Maryanne

CD - Last Forever Throw your hands up by Mitchel Musso

Rate the CD: 9

I think that the song is a good one to listen to when you want to 'cool' down and it is a soft and easy song to listen to and to sing if you want to resing the song

----reviewed by ashleigh

Books - Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody

Rate the book: 20!!!!!!!

Obernewtyn is by far the most gripping book I have read. Isobelle Carmody is a fantastic author, and she really makes you believe in the characters. By the end of the book, I felt as though I had been best friends with the characters all of my life. Obernewtyn is written in such a way that you can imagine yourself there, and you feel the emotions of the characters as if they were your own, and see yourself wherever the characters go. The semi-dark setting of the book adds interest and leaves a longstanding impression on you, more so than a lighter one could.

The main character, Elspeth Gordie, is an orphan of Seditioners, people that oppose the iron rule of the council that controls the land untainted nby the "blacklands". The blacklands are a result of what is referred to as the "Great White", a holocaust that destroyed most of the Earth, making it uninhabitable for anything. Elspeth discovers that she has telepathic powers with the help of a cat named Maruman. If these powers are discovered, she could be sent to work on the councilfarms to treat a deadly poisonous substance called whitestick, burned at stake by the dogmatic and fanatical Herders (religious preist that worship their god, whom they call Lud), or sent to the dreaded Obernewtyn, from whence none return. When a guardian from Obernewtyn is sent to Elspeth's orphanage, she is taken to Obernewtyn and has to say farewell to everybody and everything she has ever known. I would highly recommend this book and its sequels The Farseekers, Ashling, The Keeping Place, The Stone Key, The Sending and The Red Queen to any lover of fantasy.

----reviewed by lani

Books - Ruby Clair: Ghost with a Message by Mary K Pershall

Rate the book: 9

I loved this book and the first one in the series, Ruby Clair: The Trouble with Ghosts becasue they are about an every-day girl like me, the only difference is she sees ghosts. Mary K Pershall is really good at bringing her characters to life, even the ghosts! In this book, Ruby has to help a little girl ghost to cross over into the next world. I can't wait for the next book to see what Ruby does next.


----reviewed by katie

Books - Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Rate the book: 8

Sixteen year old Gemma is avoiding spending time with her parents at Bangkok airport when she is approached by a mysterious man with beautiful eyes. Suddenly she finds herself kidnapped and taken to outback Australia where she has to fight for her life and escape from this man who believes he has saved her by bringing her to live in the desert with him. This is a gripping story about love and fear and survival.


----reviewed by sue

Books - Jinx by Meg Cabot

Rate the book: 9

The book is really good i loved reading it and i think other people should read it. it's a really really good book and you cant put it down!

----reviewed by Rachael

Games - Reviewing The Wii

Game platform: Nintendo Wii
Game genre: Other
Rating (Aust): Not applicable
Rate the game: 2

In the begining there was the Nintendo, Now there's the Wii. The Wii is Nintendo's attempt at getting America active by using our favorite pastime, Gaming. Now the Wii is only great for one thing, exersise. Now there may not be many games out for it now, the Wii gives you a wireless remote that gets you active while you play. so you get a full work out while you play a video game. Which is good! but how do you work the Remote? and where do you get the Balance board? and not to mention batteries? the Wii may be good for exersising but when it comes to general gaming well... It has no general gaming! the will is not good for games of this type, All Games in general Except for the Wii Fit! It ruined 2004's game of the year Resident Evil 4, Rated M. And every firt person shooter. Well not all. but anyways the Wii is like the Virtual Bowflex of the 21st Century. but is not good for actully playing the game because the remote has a hard time sending signals and Player Action Time is about 1 second short. so in a game that requires fast action well you get the point.


----reviewed by JorDon