We Were Liars

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Fiction

The Sinclairs are perfect. They live on a private island and are rich, beautiful, and skilled at hiding secrets. Cadence has spent nearly every summer of her childhood on her grandparents’ private island and is used to holding herself together in times of stress. She spends the summer with her cousins, Mirren and Johnny, as well as Gat, who is not quite a family friend due to his poor background. After an accident, Cadence develops amnesia and is unable to remember a major event at the end of her last summer. As Cadence tries to piece together what happened, we learn that some secrets are too big to remain hidden.

Lockhart creates a world that is puzzling and confusing, leaving the reader as much in the dark as Cadence is about what happened the previous summer.  This confusion escalates and culminates until the world the reader was made to believe was true comes crashing down, revealing one never expected. Lockhart uses language that is poetic and beautiful, but at the same time creates a division between the reader and the characters. This makes it difficult to understand and relate to the characters, which may be Lockhart’s intent. Everybody lies to keep up appearances.  In the end, Cadence realizes that while lies may seem to make life better, living requires the truth.

Holes

Holes by Louis Sachar

Fiction

I appreciated Holes for the same reason I appreciated The Westing Game. Like The Westing Game, Holes had small details that were part of a bigger picture.

                When shoes fall out of the sky onto Stanley Yelnats, he is accused of stealing them and sent to Camp Green Lake. Camp Green Lake is an unusual juvenile detention center. For one thing, there is no lake; in fact, it hasn’t rained for one hundred years. It also employs an unusual method of building character. Everyday all the boys on Camp Green Lake dig one hole each. All the holes must be five feet wide and five feet deep.  All of this is overseen by the Warden, or the president of Camp Green Lake. As Stanley digs holes day after day, he blames his bad fortune on his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing great-great-grandfather. Old family knowledge says that when Stanley’s great-great grandfather was young he made a deal with a mysterious woman named Madame Zeroni and failed to hold up the bargain. As revenge, Madame Zeroni cursed all of his descendants including Stanley. At Camp Green Lake, Stanley meets an inmate who goes by the nickname Zero and has a reputation for loving to dig holes.  As days pass Stanley and Zero become close friends.  Eventually, Stanley begins to question all the digging at camp and soon realizes that it isn’t just a character building technique-- the Warden is looking for something.

                 Zero’s name plays an important role in Holes. A zero is a circle. A circle commonly stands for eternity or something that is endless, in this case it is the Yelnats family debt to Madame Zeroni. When Stanley performs an act that repays his great-great grandfather’s debt, Zero’s real name is revealed, therefore breaking the circle of debt.

The Cardturner

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar
Fiction

Alton Richards didn’t think his summer would amount to much. His checklist involves going to the pool and maybe getting a job. That all goes out the window when he finds out that his materialistic mother promised that he would drive his blind, diabetic, and very rich uncle, Lester Trapp, to his bridge club. Due to financial problems at home, Alton’s mom wants to get on the good side of Trapp in hopes that he will leave them money in his will. In addition to being his driver, Alton finds out that he also is signed up to be his cardturner. Trapp’s blindness doesn’t let him see the cards, but that is what Alton is for. As a cardturner, Alton is supposed to tell Trapp the cards he has and play the cards for him. Eventually Trapp tells Alton of his philosophical musings and Alton learns more about Trapp’s past relationships. Including one with his former partner for bridge, a woman named Annabel, someone whom Trapp avoids talking about.

Frequently I got very annoyed at Alton for being such a push-over. He sits idly by when his best friend, Cliff takes his potential girlfriend, Toni to a party and doesn’t seem to have any control over his life. He doesn’t even try to get a job during the summer. The fact that Alton is a cardturner illustrates this very well. Alton carries out actions, but he doesn’t really decide anything for himself, Trapp makes all the decisions. It isn’t until after Alton exerts some control over his life does he starts dating Toni, the granddaughter of Anabelle, applies to college, and gets his act together.

This theme reappears throughout the story, giving it—as Trapp puts it—a philosophical bent.

The Westing Game

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Fiction

I know I’ve already reviewed this before, but I think my previous review did not do it justice. I’ve read it again recently, and this time I read it carefully, unlike last time. The Westing Game transports the reader to Sunset Towers where there are bombers, murders, a 200 million dollar inheritance, and one great big mystery.

                On Halloween night, Sam Westing, millionaire and owner of Westing Paper Products, is murdered. Later when Sam Westing’s heirs are all gathered to hear the reading of his will, they are surprised and shocked to discover that the murderer is one of them. In his will, Sam Westing pairs the heirs up, and then gives them clues to discover the killer. Everyone desperately tries to win so they will receive the 200 million dollar inheritance. As the game progresses, the players soon realize that this is not an ordinary game.

                The reason why I liked this book so much was the same reason why I didn’t like it last time. In my last review I thought it was confusing and too complicated. When I read it this time, I appreciated the small details and unsuspected plot twists. The plot was laid out perfectly so it formed a well-constructed mystery with puzzles in every chapter and the characters were so well developed I felt that I knew them personally. As the story progresses, small pieces of the puzzle form a picture that brings sixteen unlikely people together  in the most unusual way.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time  By Mark Haddon

*****5/5 stars   Fiction

Christopher Boone can remember every moment of his life. He can’t understand other people, but he can do any type of math or science. Christopher lives with his dad and his mom is dead. When the neighbor’s dog is found killed, Christopher’s curiosity is stirred and he sets out to find the murderer. What will an autistic fifteen-year-old kid uncover?

          This book was unique because the author wrote it from Christopher’s point of view and it was interesting to see how he thought of things.  That was one of the reasons why I liked it. To have the book from Christopher’s view made dialogue seem a bit plain because he is autistic, but the writing was so good, you could still tell what a person was trying to convey through Christopher.

The Eyes of the Amaryllis

The Eyes of the Amaryllis  By Natalie Babbit

**** 4/5 stars Mystery

For thirty years, Jenny's grandmother has waited by the sea, waiting for a sign from her drowned husband. Now Jenny is visiting her grandmother while her grandmother's ankle heals. There Jenny meets Seward, a mysterious man. When Jenny asks Gran about him, Gran doesn't tell her anything. Gran isn't telling many things. This book is well written and suspenseful.

Theodore Boone: The Abduction

Theodore Boone: The Abduction By John Grisham

***** 5/5 stars  Mystery

When April, Theodore Boone’s best friend, leaves without a trace in the middle of the night, pandemonium erupts in her hometown. Panic strikes and search parties are established to look for her. Theo is desperate to find her, and if he does, will she be all right? The sequel to Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer promises as much suspense as the first, and it delivers.  

I So Don't Do Mysteries

I So Don't Do Mysteries  By Barrie Summy

***** 5/5 stars  Mystery
Sherry's mom, who was a police officer, died in a drug bust. Now she is back, as a ghost and she needs Sherry's help. For ghosts there are two options for the afterlife. She could've gone to the Academy for Spirits, or she could've become an animal. Sherry's mom decided to go to the Academy. Now she is in danger of flunking out of ghost school, unless Sherry helps her solve a mystery. Sherry would like to help, but it is hard to balance a normal seventh grade life and solve mysteries for ghosts.

Summer Reading List

Summer Reading List

·        The Cabinet of Wonders  By Marie Rutkoski

Petra's  dad worked for the prince for a couple of years. When her dad came back, his eyes were gone. They were stolen by the prince. Determined to get her dad's eyes back, Petra embarks on a dangerous journey.

·        Heck, Where the Bad Kids Go  By Dale E. Baye

Heck is about two siblings named Marlo and Milton Fauster. After they were killed in a marshmallow explosion, they are sent to Heck. Heck is an underworld for bad kids. Willing to risk their lives (or spirits), the siblings will stop at nothing to get out.

·        Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer  By John Grisham

Theo Boone dreams of being a lawyer.His dream comes true when someone commits a crime. A perfect crime, leaving no evidence. Theo wants to prove that the accused is guilty, but the only witness is too scared to speak up.

·        Heart of a Samurai  By Margi Preus

This book is about a boy named Manjiro. Manjiro was raised in Japan where he was taught that outside of Japan, there are barbarians and monsters. One day Manjiro is stranded on a desert island with some friends. They are rescued by Americans, "barbarians". The farther Manjiro strays from his home, the more he discovers new places. No matter how fascinating the other places are, Manjiro still wishes to return home but Japan won't let foreigners in. Even if Manjiro makes it back, will he be greeted, or despised for associating with the "barbarians"?

Here are other books I think are good summer reads, but I already have reviewed them.

·        The Hunger Games  By Suzanne Collins (reviewed in February)

·        Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder  By Jo Nesbo (reviewed in January)

·        Gilda Joyce Psychic Investigator  By Jennifer Allison(reviewed in January)

·        School of Fear  By Gitty Daneshvari (reviewed in January)

Smells Like Dog

Smells Like Dog  By Suzanne Selfors

***** 4/5 stars  Fiction

When  Homer Pudding's Uncle Drake, a treasure hunter, dies he inherits only 1 thing, a droopy, clumsy, lazy, dog. All of his uncle's other possessions are missing. Homer doesn't think that seems right. What happened to his uncle's treasure hunting maps? Is it true that his uncle was eaten by a tortoise? And why does Homer's dog have a coin with L.O.S.T. on it? Into The City Homer plunges, leaving his country home behind, to find the truth about the mystery his uncle left behind.

The Westing Games

The Westing Game  By Ellen Raskin

*** 3/5 stars  Mystery

I rated this book 3 stars because I didn't get the solution. It was well written and interesting until the characters started to find the solution. Maybe I didn't read it carefully enough.  Anyway, it is about 16 people who all live in the same apartment building. They are all called to the reading of Sam W. Westing's will. The will says that Sam Westing was murdered and in order to find out who did it, the 16 people have to play a game called the Westing Games. The 16 players are paired up with partners that Sam Westing selected and are given 8 clues per pair.   The answer to the game is the murderer.  The one who wins gets the 200 million dollar inheritance!

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place and the Mysterious Howling

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place and the Mysterious Howling By Maryrose Wood

*****5/5 stars Fiction

This book is very unique.  The Incorrigible children were raised by wolves. They eat raw meat, don't wear clothes, howl at the moon, and do anything else wolf like. They are found in the woods by Fredrick Ashton. To civilize them he hires a governess, Penelope Lumley, a girl of about 15. Penelope does not expect children raised by wolves. Will she be able to do it?

The Kneebone Boy

The Kneebone Boy By Ellen Potter
***** 5/5 stars  Fiction

This book is non-stop-action. When the Hardscrabble children are unknowingly sent to stay with an aunt who is away on vacation they decide to stay at great-aunt's house instead. At their great-aunt's house they embark on an adventure concerning a creature who is half-boy and half-animal. This book is very exhilarating and I could not put it down.

Girl's Best Friend

Girl's Best Friend  By Leslie Margolis

***** 5/5 stars  Mystery

Throughout the whole book I was continuously guessing what would happen and I never could. Maggie lives in Brooklyn where dogs are disappearing. Maggie's ex-best friend's dog Kermit, goes missing along with the other dogs and Maggie wants to find out where Kermit is and who took him. Dog lovers will want to read this book.

Gilda Joyce Psychic Investigator

Gilda Joyce Psychic Investigator   By Jennifer Allison

    

***** 5/5 stars      Mystery

I really liked this book. It was funny and exciting and Gilda is a very interesting character to read about. When Gilda is visiting a relative's house she meets Juliet, the girl who lives there. Juliet's Aunt Melanie committed suicide when she jumped out of a tower and died. Juliet now thinks that she haunts the house as a ghost. Gilda thinks that Melanie is trying to tell Juliet something which leads them around San Francisco to solve the mystery. I liked the end because it made it feel like ghosts could be real and also that they aren't. It was a very good  book that was very exciting.