Dash and Lilly's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohen

Two teenagers exchange words with a red notebook that is left in various locations around Manhattan. Clues and dares are profuse as the characters' souls leak onto the pages for the other one to read. Towards the end--surprise, surprise--the characters meet face-to-face. Other secondary personas enter the story to give it some pizzazz. The dares and situations get fairly ridiculous, and the fact that it is Christmastime adds to the chain of events to keep up with.
Seeing as how the book alternates between the male and female characters in terms of narration is interesting. The love story is sweet, but the philosophies tied into the book are anything but subtle. There are some blows to Catholicism--jest or not--and a pinch of nihilism added in for what appears to be for the authors' idea of good measure. While the book is fast paced, it does teach youngsters that going out in the middle of the night to meet strangers is all right; this should be cautioned against, especially in the city.
Homosexuality is seen as normal, and some crudeness is included. Not for young readers.
Reviewer Age:19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Troy, NY USA

Thaw

This book is about a young girl named Dani Kraft. Her best friend Jake has been missing for over 2 weeks. An unexpected visitor named, Vincent, comes looking for Dani because Jake has entered a world never seen before, and he can't come out! So, Dani and her other good friend Trey are on an adventure to save Jake's life.

I really enjoyed reading this book; great cliff-hangers at the end of each chapter, lots of description of the characters, a great theme, which is friendship, and an amazing lesson, which is to never doubt your good friends. But unfortunately I wouldn't recommend it to a school library because of some of the violent words and actions in the book. But in a local/public library, most definitely! I was really disappointed at the end of the book because it left me with a cliff-hanger, and now I'm never going to know what happened with Vincent, and what is going to happen with Trey, Jake, and Dani. But overall, good book.

This book is talking about a burned-down, abandoned, old camp ground. And when it was burning down, there were little kids, and camp counselors inside of them! This book wouldn't be good for just any 6th, 7th, or 8th grader. They would have to be mature about it!

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lakewood, Ohio United States

Sphinx's Queen

Sphinx's Queen picks up where Sphinx's Princess left our


trio of Nefertiti, Nava, and Prince Amenophis. After

escaping from Thebes in the last book we pick up with the

first sunrise of their quest for freedom. Together they

make their way to Dendera but about half way the odds turn

against them. With luck, our protagonists make it to

Dendera, then they are no sooner sent to Thebes. Now

is the time for justice to reign as Nefertiti is judged by

Ma-at, an Egyptian goddess. If the verdict of innocence

is given will she be able to be with Amenophis or will

they be separated forever? On the other hand, if her

verdict of guilt is said will Nefertiti survive? This tale

of justice and love is predictably unpredictable.

I found Sphinx's Queen to be be an enchanting tale. The

detail is amazing and brings the reader into the story.

On the other hand, I found the author may have gone a

little too far after Nefertiti's trial. For whatever reason, I loved the book up to the

point where it becomes more of a romance. Had the book

ended shortly after the trial and quickly turned into a

happy ending or a sad ending, I would have been pleased and

wanted to know more of what would happen, but there is a

fine line in giving the readers what they want and what

they need. I need to be stopped at a point at which I want

more but never get it. This leaves me to imagine what

could happen, but by ending it with a complete ending I

lost interest quickly. I did enjoy the book immensely but

I found it to linger on past it's point of leaving the

reader wanting more.

Reviewer Age:20
Reviewer City, State and Country: Az city, Arizona USA

Elegy for April by Benjamin Black

It's a cold, bleak winter in Ireland, and April Latimer is gone. The question is, where? Phoebe Griffin, April's concerned friend, goes to her father, the somewhat unhinged but brilliant Doctor Quirke. She claims that April is missing and probably dead, although her only proof is that she hasn't seen April in over a week. Nonetheless, Quirke digs a little deeper and finds some disconcerting evidence and telling truths on the scandals of the well-to-do Catholics of Ireland.

I enjoyed the language used in this story, because it made it unnecessary to describe the setting in much detail. He only had to say where they were with a few minor details, and the language painted everything gray by itself. It all sounded bleak and lonely, but beautiful nonetheless. The words read like Robert Frost poetry, lovely but dark and lonely at the same time. The plot was kind of slow, and the main conflict seemed to take a backseat in some parts, but it stayed on where it needed to and wrapped up quite nicely. I also thought that the story was focused more on the characters than the plot, which I enjoyed. There were a lot of third person narratives and not as much movement, which was interesting, but if you're looking for thrills and action, you have to wait until the very end of the story. The twist at the end is killer. I would (and already have) recommended this book to all my friends.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Fairfax, VA USA

Justin Bieber by Justin Bieber

This book essentially tells the story of how Justin Bieber made his claim to fame. It starts off with his life and family and progresses to when he started singing publically. The book then goes into the story of how Bieber bonded with his manager, recorded his first songs / albums, met celebrities, and became a star. Included are tweets from Bieber that were posted online with date and time cited. His personality is revealed as he talks about pranks and the fragile state of his parents' relationship. The font is large, and there are many pictures. The book cover serves as a poster when turned inside-out, too.

I wanted to see what all the fuss was with the so called "Bieber-Fever." Truth be told, I was expecting some obviously ghostwritten tale of how some pretty boy is fantastic. Surprisingly, I did not get that, and I really enjoyed Bieber's book. His voice is clear in the prose, and sincerity leaks from the pages. Also, I was impressed with how he acknowledges that his success comes from God. Sure, he's not perfect (he's a little girl-crazy and one of his photos has him singing shirtless while grabbing his--um, er--manhood). Still, the book is not overtly offensive, and through all the stardom, readers can hear the tale of a real boy.


Reviewer Age:19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Troy, NY USA

DEAR MRS. KENNEDY by Jay Mulvaney

DEAR MRS. KENNEDY explores the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.  In the book, the reader is given the opportunity to read some of the most poignant letters sent to Mrs. Kennedy after the tragedy.  These letters demonstrate the compassion given to the First Lady and they also show the impact that one man had on the lives of so many.  This book gives an astute impression of what it was like to live through such a historically tragic event.

  The author succeeded in enlightening his readers on this important period in our history.   I set the book down both entertained and reassured of the good nature of people.  The author managed to capture the loss that the United States felt, while allowing a strong feeling of hope to permeate through the pages.  I would suggest this book to anyone who is interested in history.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  However, it may not live up to the expectations of a reader who is not passionate about history. .

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Midlothian, Virginia United States of America

Time Riders by Alex Scarrow

Three times in history, a mysterious stranger shows up right before a child was about to die in a disaster. Each time he offers the child a choice: to come with him and live an invisible life, or to stay where they are and die. The three children that accept are taken through time to the year 2001. There they learn about their new job as time riders. They are in charge of keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary that would signify a change in history. If they find one, they must risk life and limb to go back in time and correct the change.  One day, all of a sudden the United States in no longer its own county; it is part of Nazi Germany. The time riders must go back to when the change was made and correct it if they want their world to stay the same.

I thought that this was a good book overall. As far as I know, A. Scarrow came up with a completely original idea and made it into an amazing book. It was easy to identify with the characters; I can see some of the same qualities in myself and my friends. The vocabulary was challenging enough to make the book seem like it was written for teenagers, but not so challenging as to discourage readers. I would definitely recommend this book too. I have a lot of friends who are in to science fiction novels and would enjoy reading through this book just as much as I did. I' d love to see what Scarrow would do with a sequel of this book.

Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Berwyn Heights, Maryland USA

How to Trap a Zombie by A.R. Rotruck

Ever had the need to make a wand on the go, or make a monster-catching net? Well look no further, because How to Trap a Zombie has just what you need. With this handbook you can learn just about everything you need to know about monster-hunting, and make cool stuff with everyday items. If you ever have the urge to go on your own hunt then get How to Trap a Zombie and be on your way.

How to Trap a Zombie was an awesome book. There were so many crafts and activities that it made me want to do them all. With instructions on the proper way to track a vampire, to learning how to make a wand would be fun for just about any young wizard. Almost anyone with a wild imagination could love this book. Just remember to ask an adult wizard before doing anything.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas USA

The Skinny On Willpower by Jim Randel

The Skinny on Willpower is a book that emphasizes the ways that you can build your self confidence. It also uses pictures and comics to help you better understand the topic. There are many great quotes and sayings but one really popped out at me. That saying is: "I find that one reason that people lose the will to achieve their goals is that they don't understand that achievement is tough for everyone. They look around them perhaps at people who seem to get what they want so easily, and conclude that achievers are somehow different. This then causes them to give up, or lose their willpower when confronted with difficulty. But here is the truth: every single person who achieves something of value struggles and at times thinks about quitting. The person who succeeds is most simply the one who does not quit." (43) This taught me that your willpower is strictly controlled by you. Not the people around you. Not the people that think that they can get around things the easy way (because they are the ones that mostly quit.) It is entirely up to you whether you want to proceed and succeed, and be proud of yourself because you know that you powered through it or you can choose to quit when the going gets tough. One of the other reasons that I would recommend this book to any adult or teen is because it teaches you that it is your decision to be strong or weak. It is your decision to be heard or to be ignored. And it is your decision to believe in yourself.

I thought this was a great book! It was definitely a huge page turner. The author makes you feel like you are in the story. He talks directly to you. The tone of the author's voice is calm and nice, and it can also be happy and excited at times but is never angry or sad because it focuses on willpower. There are basically three main characters: Jim, Beth and Billy. Jim acts like the narrator and does most of the talking. Beth and Billy are a married couple and they are only in the comics and pictures. The author is great because he achieved and succeeded his purpose to build my willpower in this book. The writing is very effective, powerful, and touching. This is one of those books that I would definitely recommend to those adults and teens that may need to boost up there self confidence and have faith in themselves.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Overland Park, Kansas USA

Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein

Lady Catherine Archer, the heroine of Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein, is an orphan without a cent to her name until she is called by Queen Elizabeth to be one of her maids of honor. At Queen Elizabeth’s court she soon catches the eye of Sir Walter Ralegh, a man with ambitions to establish a colony in wild, unexplored Virginia. Unfortunately, the queen also has her heart set on Ralegh, and banishes Catherine to the colony of Roanoke in Virginia when she hears of their romance.

Catherine, now called Cate, embarks on the dangerous voyage, filled with hope and eager to start a new life. When she reaches Roanoke, she and the other settlers find that life is harder than they imagined, and must deal with hostile natives, hunger, and poor leadership. Cate befriends an Indian named Manteo, who aids the colony and helps them survive. Eventually, Cate and the remaining colonists live with the natives because of near starvation and dwindling numbers. Back in England, Sir Ralegh longs to be reunited with his Lady Catherine and convinces the queen to let him go back to Roanoke to reclaim her. Cate must decide whether to embrace her new identity and make a new life with Manteo, or go back to England with Sir Ralegh.

Cate of the Last Colony is a historical fiction novel that, through the eyes of Catherine Archer, tells the story of what happened to the colony of Roanoke. Cate of the Last Colony was an engaging, fast-paced book that wove historical details with fictional material. The heroine, Catherine Archer, was a lively, spirited young woman who was both sincere and relatable to the reader. The setting of bleary, rugged Virginia was made clear by the descriptive language found in the book. I enjoyed how the narrators changed from Sir Ralegh to Manteo to Cate throughout the book, and thought it provided more information to all sides of the story. The characters were, for the most part, strongly supported, and I found myself relating to brave, quick-witted Cate. I was pleased with the higher level of vocabulary and found the content appropriate for the age level the book was written for. I liked this book better than the other I read by the same author. I enjoyed the ending, even though it was a bit predictable. I thought it was an excellent example of historical fiction, and I would recommend it to girls interested in the Elizabethan era and the colonization of America.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Bayside, WI U.S.

Full Metal Jackie: Certified by Jackie Kajzer

Full Metal Jackie Certified: 50 Most Influential Metal Songs of the 80's is a very informative and enjoyable book. This book discusses the lyrics of some amazing songs of the 1980's. It contains 32 artists/bands and 50 songs with deep backgrounds. Some of these include: Ozzy Osborne, Metallica, Slayer, Black Sabbath, and Judas Priest. If you like metal music or even punk, you will be very pleased with this book.

I thought that this book was very interesting, especially since it was about the lyrics of the songs and not the music. So, even if you don't really like metal music you can still appreciate this book. I am happy to say though that I have many more songs to put on my iPod. There were only a few things I didn't like about this book; I thought that the chapters were a little long for just one song and that the book didn't really tell you what the lyrics to that song were. So, in the beginning of the book when it says to print out the lyrics, do so. But, overall if you like music then you should definitely read this book to help you brush up on your rock history.

Sexual,drug, and alcohal refrences and use. Explicit language

 Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hopkins, Michigan United States of America

Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund

Astrid is back in the mind-consuming book, Ascendant. When one of her friends gets hurt while on a unicorn hunt, Astrid is given the option to leave and watch over the girl or stay and continue hunting with the other girls. Upon leaving, she faces another opportunity; to work in a lab and help the unicorns. Once she gets she gets there, she finds out that her ex-boyfriend is under employment there, and she ends up realizing she isn't sure if she can hold onto her new long-distance relationship. To add on to the troubles, she also isn't sure if unicorn hunting is the job for her anymore. Confused and troubled, Astrid moves on through the whole book making different lives for her self. Which one will she choose, or will one be chosen for her?


This was an amazing sequel to Diana Peterfreund's first book, Rampant. Astrid is here again with even more flair and determination than before. When I was reading the book, it felt like the book was turning its own pages for me. It had everything from being realistic to having lots of action. It even had some romance scenes. I can't wait to see what Diana brings up next if and when she makes another companion to Ascendant.
 
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson

In this stunning sequel to the National Book Award Finalist Chains, Isabel and Curzon are once again faced with a trial of survival and must continue their fight for freedom amid the backdrop of our country’s War for Independence. As the tale unfolds this time from Curzon’s perspective, Anderson takes us on a journey to the Revolution’s most famous battle of will, Valley Forge. Enduring the harsh winter as an escaped slave, Curzon must learn to fight his fears and find the strength to hope.

Following events and important figures throughout America’s Revolutionary War, the thrilling story of two young, runaway slaves is not the only thing that makes Forge a unique book. Readers will marvel at how Anderson has brought history to life and has shown us little known facts about our nation’s beginnings.

In the first novel, our heroine Isabel takes us to the streets of New York City where some of the first battles for freedom began. In Forge however, Anderson lets us follow the events through a new set of eyes. Curzon is an interesting character voice that differs from Isabel not only because it’s from a young man’s point of view, but from a solider’s as well. In this second installation to the Seeds of America series, Curzon gives us an even more gruesome and realistic look into the time period, war, and  the hardships of a slave. As a big fan of historical fiction, I absolutely loved reading both Chains and Forge; I believe Anderson gives great insight on what was going on (rather than just the war) during 1777-78. Anderson is truly a gifted writer.

Readers of all ages will become absorbed in Anderson’s captivating and well researched novel of early American life and slavery. Living up to its expectations, Forge will not disappoint. 

Recommend to ages 12 and up.

Reviewer Age:18

Reviewer City, State and Country: , NM USA

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Nine of them came here. They have powers we could dream of having. They are far stronger and faster than we are. They live among us and look just like us. They are the Loric, aliens from another planet that was destroyed by power hungry,war obsessed other species of aliens called the Mogadorians. The nine Loric children were lucky to escape the total annihilation of their planet, along with nine adult Loric. All were sent to Earth to live, train and become stronger to fight against the Mogadorians. But to survive as long as they can and not be noticed by the Mogadorians they must split up. With the help of a protection charm that was cast before they left Lorian which only allows the Loric children to be killed in order of their number, Number Four and the adult Lorian in charge of him (Henri), have survived by being cautious and only staying for a few months in each town they have lived in. But now after ten years Number Three is dead and the Mogadores are coming for Number Four! After actually making a few friends in Paradise, Ohio John (alias of Number Four) doesn’t want to leave. Does he listen to the advice of Henri to get up and move somewhere else? Or will the Mogadorians find him and kill the people he loves?

This book was very well written and will make a very good movie when it comes out in February 2011. The book has a good ending but still has some questions to be answered because of the cliffhanger-ish ending. It’s interesting how the author mentions his name a few times in the book. The question is how did he know about John’s life in Paradise since he wasn’t there? Since the ending doesn’t really have a conclusion other than a death of a character, death of some Mogadorians and a “the rode off into the sunset” feel, it has some things that will tie it into the sequel. I definitely recommend this book especially to people who like some alien action!

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Loves Park, Illinois United States

Matched

Matched, by Ally Condie, is about a 17-year-old girl named Cassia Reyes. Cassia lives in a futuristic society where choices are made for you – what you eat, what you wear, what your job is, even who you marry and when you die. During the Matching Ceremony, girls are shown the picture of their future spouse. At first, Xander, her best friend, appears on the screen. And then something unexpected happens. Another picture appears; another possible match. Cassia, once having no choices at all, is forced to decide between Xander and Ky, between obedience and rebellion. She must choose a perfect life or one she writes for herself.


Matched was an amazing book. The characters were well developed and unique. They showed realistic emotion and reacted to situations in ways that worked with their individual personalities. The plot kept me on my toes, because the controlling government was always there in the background watching the characters' every move. The tension between having a perfect life but wanting the right to make your own decisions is one that relates to the world now. Governments make laws, and the people are expected to follow them, regardless. Matched really made me question authority and why some people are in charge and able to make choices for everyone else. Along with the great characters and plot, I loved how Condie offered insight into memories and background information through Cassia's thoughts. Those, along with the little details about Grandfather, her parents, and Bram made the Society and story seem very real. I would recommend Matched to fans of The Hunger Games and the Uglies series, and to any teenager who is starting to question their world and how much freedom people should have.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Lederach, Pennsylvania, United States

Hope in Patience by Beth Fehlbaum

Ashley Asher is fifteen years old, and is sent to live with her father and his family, after being sexually abused by her stepfather for four years. She seems to be making progress, with the help of her therapist and her new family, but she still struggles with trying to forget the abuse she'd endured for years. With her guard built up, she starts school in her new hometown of Patience, Texas, where she meets all of these new people including her soon to best friend, ZZ. She joins the cross country team with her new friends, when a special boy catches her eye. Josh is cute, funny, and attractive, but Ashley has no confidence in things working out with him. Will she soon learn that forgetting about her past isn't an option anymore? Will Ashley see that there is still hope for her in Patience? Or will she end up losing herself, the progress she's made, and Josh to something that never should've happened to begin with?

I thought that 'Hope in Patience' was a great story about a girls struggle with sexual abuse. Once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down. I was so anxious to see whether Ashley would make it through all the craziness of what was happening in her life, or if she would end up giving up. I loved that Beth Fehlbaum was also a victim of abuse, because she could write from what she knew, and you as a reader, would know that what Ashley was feeling in the book were what real people who've went through this actually felt. I loved the way it let you see into her mind; the whole story was really tremendous. I would definitely recommend this book to any young adult reader, or victim of sexual abuse.

This book has some material that may be considered inappropriate for young readers.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Enon, Ohio United Sates

The Ruby Notebook by Laura Resau

Zeeta and her mother are wanderers; they travel across the world from a list that Zeeta's mother created whenever her mother feels too tied down. This time, they live in Aix-en-Provence, France, the supposed home of the sacred waters that are rumored to bring immortality. While in France, Zeeta's boyfriend, Wendell is to come join her for the summer. However, they have a small quarrel when it seems as though Zeeta may have fallen for the roaming troubadour who flirts with her. Zeeta makes many new friends and solves the mysteries pervading the ancient country.
The Ruby Notebook is a lovely tale of a girl who is lost in her own world, as most of us are. The reader follows Zeeta on her path to finding herself, perhaps learning more about themselves as well. The concept of the book lies in the mysteries of the fountain of eternal youth, which I find interesting. It was very easy for me to get immersed in the book and not want to stop reading. There were many plots and subplots that were all very well tied up by the end of the novel, but they kept you guessing the entire way through. I would recommend it to anyone who loves both mystery and romance genres.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, PA USA

Summer Sleep-Away by Ofer Aronskind

Mattie Kleinfeld had a typical life. He went to school and had friends, but his parents would constantly fight. Their fighting results in their sending Mattie away to summer camp so they can work out their problems. At camp, Mattie's only bragging right comes from his name, which he inherited from his relative, a famous baseball player...too bad no one believes him! Mattie hates it at camp. He doesn't know anyone and things just aren't going right. But then, he makes friends, falls in love, and finds clues that send him on a wild search through the remnants of the old decaying camp. Could this dreaded summer turn in his favor?
 I think that Summer Sleep-Away has a good plot. It starts slow but gets better. The characters are unique and well developed. The writing style is a little different; the author includes side notes, but they don't add anything to the story and make it seem a bit scattered.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Oakville, Pennsylvania United States

The Absolute Valve of-1 by Steve Brezenoff

Remember the days of simple math. Remember the term "absolute value?" Those straight and serious bars meant the distance between the number and zero on the number line. Three kids start on different places in the number line. Lily starts on zero. Lily has an ok life. Her mother is going out with a proctologist who Lily doesn't particularly like, but on the plus side, Lily excels in higher placement math. Lily has two best friends, Noah and Simon. Lily's life revolves around Simon. Lily flirts and eventually she and Simon have a positive relationship. Like math though, Lily sees the positives and negatives of life and wonders how far she really is away from going to back to zero on the number line.
Lily's friend, Noah, starts on negative two on the number line. Noah has loved Lily. He sees Lily go after Simon and just wants to be sick. Simon tries all he can to get Lily to like him, but sees that maybe even the absolute values of his success will always stay negative.
Simon starts his story on positive three on the number line of life. Simon has a good relationship with his parents and the only bad thing about them is they nag about him smoking, but he can quit if he wants to. Simon loves his sister. His sister means the world to him. Simon even has a great relationship with Lily. All of a sudden, shocking news come out about his father. Simon learns that the absolute value to friendship and love isn't always set in stone by those bars. He learns that the distance can change for the better of for the worse in a matter of seconds.

The Absolute value of -1 is a book like no other because of the writing style. The book is broken down into three main kid's point of view. The points of view are usually short except for Simon's point of view is the longest and what the book is mostly about. Also, Simon's view is the very end point of view so it does leave you with some questions as to why he was acting so strange in the other kid's points of view. Although, the good thing about having his end is that all questions are answered. This type of writing style really brings out the characters and helps you understand them much more. Most all of the characters talk about the same events, so it helps to understand why one character did something and how it affected the other character. I would recommend this book only to mature readers because of language and the use of drugs. The characters often smoking and there are a few sex scenes.

Language, use of drugs, and sex

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States

They Carry Their Own Water by Nancy Milakovic McGann

The author, Nancy Milakovic McGann, reveals her experience in Ecuador, a country in South America that borders Peru and Colombia. In particular, she writes about her one-hundred-mile journey to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. What was supposed to be a smooth two-hour car ride turned into hours of hitchhiking and walking; the people of Ecuador have placed multiple roadblocks throughout the main highway, preventing any vehicles from passing through, protesting the country’s free trade talks with the United States. As a result, Nancy and her friend must travel through the Ecuadorian countryside on foot, receiving rides between roadblocks from strangers. The book is told through a narrative and a series of full-page photos.


I have to say that this story definitely captivated me. Before reading this book, I did not have much of an idea of life in Ecuador, let alone the issues facing the country. Through this book, the author is able to give us a glimpse into the country’s daily routine, while informing us of an important national issue. The author tells the story in an informal fashion, letting the readers know exactly what she is thinking. Furthermore, I really enjoyed the vivid pictures, which gave me the opportunity to experience this journey through the author’s eyes. I can see exactly what is happening, and this is not something that an average book can claim. That being said, I believe that the book could be improved by giving a more detailed background regarding the issue of free trade. Throughout the whole story, I wondered why the people of Ecuador are blocking their own highway as a sign of protest. Although I later found out the reason to be the US free trade talks, I am still unsure of whom the road blockade is addressed towards, and was left with many unanswered questions. Throughout the whole book, I saw the story from only one viewpoint: the author’s. The story would be much more complete had the author interviewed some of the local people to give us an idea of some of the prevailing opinions in the region. Although this book describes a genuine experience in a remote country, it does not provoke any deep thoughts or answer some fundamental questions. I feel that if a deeper issue is addressed, then this book would be a much more interesting read.

Content: 1
Rating: 6
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Palo Alto, CA USA