Sunday, January 30, 2011

Moving

Hey again you guys. Did you like my new website? Make sure to follow me!

Friday, January 28, 2011

Moving Websites

Hey readers! I'm changing websites from blogspot to my dad's website colvilleblogger. I wanted to let you know that I won't be posting here anymore but I will be posting at, http://www.nataliesbookshelf.colvilleblogger.com from now on.

So if you could follow me over, I would really appreciate it. I did change the name from Natalie's Reviews to Natalie's Bookshelf, and I designed it. I picked the colors and designed the banner. I hope you like it!

Please comment below and tell me if you are going to continue following me on my new website. Thanks!

Natalie

Friday, January 21, 2011

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams



Title: The Chosen One

Author: Carol Lynch Williams

Stars: 4

Description: Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated community without questioning the fact that her father has three wives and she has twenty brothers and sisters, with two more on the way. That is, without question them much-if you don't count her secret visits to the Ironton County Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her meeting with Joshua, the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her. But when the Prophet decrees that she must marry her sixty-year-old uncle-who already has six wives-Kyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family forever.


Oh my gosh, what can I say. This book is incredible and heart breaking. The Chosen One basically takes place in a Mormon cult and some of the things they do in a cult are horrible. In this book, a thirteen-year-old girl named Kyra is destined to marry her sixty-year-old uncle. The story is amazing, but you can't help feel sorry for these people. The characters in this book say that they are doing God's will, but everything they do in this book isn't God's will. It's really sad.

I'm really glad that I read this book because it's really interesting to learn about these type of people, and I'm happy that the book ended well. So I do recommend teens to read this book, but keep in mind that some of the parts in this book are pretty unbelievable.

But if you get past all of those things, the story is very well written and a great page turner. I read this book in six days.

So please, read this book, it's a good one!

Who is your favorite character? Well, there's not a lot of lovable characters in this book, but I would have to say that Kyra and Laura are my favorite characters. But I am a sucker for babies, so I loved Mariah, too.

What did you like about this book? The thing that I liked about this book is that Kyra knew that she had to get away, and also that the book ended well.

What's your favorite part of this book? SPOILER ALERT!! My favorite part in this book would have to be the part when the police arrive, the God Squad is arrested, and Kyra gets to be with someone that understands what she went through.

Romance: There is only a little bit of romance because part of the plot-line is that she falls in love with a boy her age but she is destined to marry her uncle. Her uncle tries to get her to kiss her goodnight, but she won't. She talks and thinks about how she can't let him touch her when they're married. Joshua and Kyra kiss a few times.

Violence: There is some violence in this book, not it's not gory. I think the worst scene was how they punish the babies just because they won't stop crying. They punish them by getting a big tub of ice water, taking the babies clothing off, plugging the babies nose and dunking them under a few times. This was the part that almost made me cry. There are a couple of beating scenes where the girls get beat up for disobeying the Brothers or Prophets. One character is shot and dies.

Drug Use: None.

Language: Just a few "what the hells."

Alcohol: None.

Other: When Kyra and her mothers go into town, they see a girl smoking. Talk of how any other clothing for girls except dresses that cover their whole entire body is from the devil.


This book is a best seller and has been recommend by some of my favorite and best-selling authors, so please read this book and become another person that loves this book.


Natalie

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Holes by Louis Sachar


Title: Holes

Author: Louis Sachar

Stars: 5

Description: Stanley Yelnat's family has a history of bas luck, so he isn't to surprised when a miscarriage of justice sends him to a boys' juvenile detention center, Camp Green Lake. There is no lake- it has been dry for over a hundred years-and it's hardly a camp: as punishment, the boys must each dig a hole a day, fire feet deep, five feet across, in the hard earth of the dried-up lake bed. The warden claims that this pointless labor builds character, but that's a lie. Stanley must try to dig up the truth. In this wonderfully inventive, compelling novel that is both serious and fun, Louis Sachar weaves a narrative puzzle that tangles and untangles, until it becomes clear that the hand of fate has been at work in the lives of the characters-and their forebears=for generations. It is a darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment-and redemption.


This book is incredible. This is my second time reading it and the mystery is still interesting. Louis Sachar is an amazing author. This book is well thought out and it must have taken a while to think up this story so all the pieces fit together, but this author did it. I really do advise you to read this book. The mystery of this story will take hold of you until you finish the last page.

I haven't read a mystery book like this since the last time I read this book. The mystery is just so complex and it makes you gasp because everything starts to fit together at the end. So please, read this book, you won't be sorry.


Who is your favorite character? Zero has to be my favorite character. He is my favorite character because he is just so kind and has a good heart. And I'm glad that everything ends up good for him.


What did you like about this book? I think I've said it about a hundred times already, but the mystery is what I like about this book. But all the characters and settings are pretty amazing in this book too.

What's your favorite part of this book? Oh, wow. I don't know what my favorite part of this book is. I did really like the chapters in the book that had Sam and Kate Barlow in it.

Romance: There is no offensive romance in this book. There is one kiss, and a part in the book where one character is trying to make another character become his wife.

Violence: There's not really any violence. There is talk of rattle-snakes and yellow-spotted lizards and how one bite of a yellow-spotted lizard can kill you. SPOILER ALERT! There is also one scene where Kate Barlow gets pushed around by a man and his wife trying to get her to show them where her treasure is. And another where Kate Barlow gets bitten by a yellow-spotted lizards but it's not graphic at all. Zero also drinks some spoiled peaches and has really bad stomach cramps. Zero slams a shovel into a characters face. There is one fight scene that is a little graphic, just punches being thrown, no blood or anything. I know this may seem like a lot, but it was nothing. Just part of the story.

Drug Use: None.

Language: One "oh my god" and one "what the hell?"

Alcohol: There is one part in the book where the sheriff tries to get Kate Barlow to kiss but she won't because for one, she's not in love with him, and two, he's drunk. But that's only one very small part of the book.

Other: Mr. Sir smokes, and some talk about the the camp was abusive.


Please read this book. You won't regret it.



Natalie