Student Review: J.K. Rowling: The Wizard Behind Harry Potter by Marc Shapiro

J.K. Rowling: The Wizard Behind Harry Potter, by Marc Shapiro

You have most likely heard of and read the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling. It’s practically a demand by society to prove you’re human. To those of you who have: I present this book.

It’s exactly what’s advertised: A book that tells the life story of J.K. Rowling’s life. It may not be the same levels of epicly awesome as Harry Potter, but it’s an entertaining read, and helps the reader understand the author a bit better.

Recommended to any and everyone who has ever read Harry Potter!

Reviewer: BF

Student Review: Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox By Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox, By Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl Series, Bk. 6)

Most kids dream about magic creatures at some point in their lives. But sadly enough, kids stop believing around the age of 11. This is normal behavior. But the boy by the name of Artemis Fowl the Second is anything but normal. He is a criminal mastermind. He’s always been the smartest person in the room, and he’s proud of it. However, he’s decided to give up his criminal activities to pursue a life that is beneficial to others that are not himself. He came to this decision upon the influence of several fairies. Not the kind that flit about stealing teeth, but the kind with an advanced arsenal of weaponry that would put any army to shame. But he’s got one more adventure coming his way before he heads to the quiet life.

His mother is sick, and he needs a cure. Unfortunately, the only cure is to be found in the brain fluid of a lemur that Artemis himself made extinct almost eight years previously. It’s up to Artemis and Captain Holly Short, a close fairy friend of Artemis’s to stop the most formidable person in the world at that time: Artemis Fowl, age 10.

This book is probably one of my favorites in the series. Possibly number one. The entire situation feels completely believable, which is saying something about a book with time travel, demons, and fairies. All of that aside, the book is very believable. Artemis Fowl, both young and elder, are geniuses. This is understood from the way they speak and how they think. But the beauty of this book is that the reader never feels too dumb. I will admit that sometimes Artemis does something that completely threw me for a loop. But the book as a whole is written to compensate for the few moments where that happens.

As a whole, I recommend this book, and the entire Artemis Fowl series to any and everyone who enjoys a thrilling read that’s not taxing in the slightest in terms of enjoyment or awesomeness.

 

Reviewer: B.F.

Student Review: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

The Lost Hero, by Rick Riordan

 

Demigod. That’s what people are called when one of their parents is an Olympian. Be it Greek or Roman is no matter. That’s the position that our heroes find themselves in. Jason wakes up on a bus with no memory of who he is or his past. All he knows is his own name. He ends up finding out that he is a Roman demigod, in a world that didn’t know the Roman gods still existed. Jason has to join forces with Greek demigods in order to save the world from the god’s greatest enemy: the giants. Can Jason and his friends Piper and Leo help save the world? Will Jason ever regain his memories? What about the secrets that they are hiding? Will they reveal their deepest, darkest secrets to their friends, or will it cost them the upcoming war?

 First off, Rick Riordan is a genius, and anything written by him is strongly recommended. But The Lost Hero is cool because it unites the Greek and Roman sides of mythology. Up until this book, Riordan has only written about the Greek. But as anyone knows, you can’t talk about the Greeks without the Romans, and the way Riordan has done this is clever. He brings in three new characters, with just enough interactions with characters from the past series to let the reader feel at ease. But if the reader hasn’t read the previous series, there aren’t any references to the past that will make new readers feel as if they need to catch up on anything.

The Lost Hero, by Rick Riordan is a masterpiece. A complete must read for those who enjoy reading, and a great way to get people who don’t like reading hooked on the story.

Reviewer: BF

Student Review: She Said Yes by Misty Bernall

She Said Yes by Misty Bernall

Does anyone remember the Columbine High School shooting that happened on April 19, 1999? Two rage-filled students opened fire on the student body, killing thirteen individuals? She Said Yes by Misty Bernall, tells the story of her daughter, Cassie Bernall, who was one of the thirteen victims. The focal point of the story is how when asked at gunpoint if she believed in God, she said yes. The book is told by her mother and offers a narrative of how this young woman went from a teenager with a mindset unsettling similar to those of her killers, to the person who managed to touch the entire nation with her unlikely martyrdom.

This book is short, sweet, and very touching. If someone doesn’t believe in the Christian faith, this book may not be for you. But it does have several accounts of what happened during the infamous Columbine Shooting. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to know more of that day, and how the girl who became known the world over for the shooting, became who she was. The book is an excellent tribute to her memory.

Reviewer: BF