On Sparrow Hill

By Maureen Lang

This is a very good book that I enjoyed reading. It's well-written and moves nicely. Rebecca is a commercial manager for an estate in Britain and used to have a crush on the owners' son, Quentin. When he returns and they become friends, she must once again contend with these feelings. When he becomes interested and involved in the work that she does at his home, she feels a bond with him that will be painful to break. Worked throughout the story are the stories of the past and a genetic gene in Quentin's family that is very rare and is difficult to deal with. Through helping her friends, Rebecca finds the answer to her own problems with Quentin. A good, quick read with a Christian values that aren't overkill.

Review by Beckyelsie

The Invisible Man

“The Invisible Man” By: H.G. Wells is a haunting book about what happens when science is used without moderation, moral, ethics, or any thought to humanity. The theme of ignorance is very evident in this book and the mood is very fearful and dark. This book was skillfully written and as the plotline unravels you find out many new mysteries that keep you engaged and interested.

This book opens on a dark and snowy evening in February. In the first chapter you are introduced to a mysteriously bandaged man. The plot unravels as strange things begin to happen around the town of Iping, West Sussex. The townspeople become increasingly frightened and curious of this abnormal man as robberies and shadowy murders ensue. Fingers are instantly pointed towards the unwelcome new stranger. The people demand that the man, Griffin, show himself and explain all of the bizarre occurrences that seem to be connected with his presence. Griffin confesses that he is invisible and flees when the police try to arrest him.

As he is fleeing from the law Griffin meets unsuspecting, Mr. Marvel at a railroad station. He threatens Mr. Marvel and coerces him into helping him take revenge against the townspeople of Iping. The next few chapters are focused on Griffin as Mr. Marvel describes how low Griffin sinks. Griffin is revealed as the evil killer that he truly is. He commits many horrendous acts and even confesses to murdering his own father just to get the potion that made him invisible. The word of the infamous Invisible Man spreads and fear strikes every heart; especially those of the small town of Iping. Griffin made it clear that he would take his revenge on the ignorant, fearful townspeople. Many events come to pass and eventually Griffin is hunted down and killed by a mob.
This book is a perfect example of what fear can do to people. Griffin was a very disturbed and insane scientist. He was driven mad by a terrible, powerful invention gone horribly wrong. H.G. Wells uses the third person so we, thankfully, don’t have to delve into Griffin’s mind. This book is so well crafted and it teaches so many good things not to mention it’s quite a thrilling read. I would highly recommend it for anyone. Even though it is very impossible and fantastical in nature it is truly one of a kind. Bravo H.G. Wells.

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

By Judith Kerr

This book follows Anna, a young nine-year old living in Berlin at the time of the War. Anna's father is a well known author, but he is also Jewish.

Anna's Father is concerned that he won't be able to write in germany anymore. So he moves his family to Switzerland.

But he can not find work in Switzerland so the family moves to Paris and then to London where they finally settle down.

I  enjoyed this book. It is a semi-autobiography. Judith Kerr was a young girl living in Berlin at the time of the War. She and her family moved all over Europe before residing in England.

I enjoyed this book. It is not so much a depressing war book, then a book about a little girl and her family.

Review By Sweetie Pie

The Wave

By Todd Strasser

The book is about the incident that happened during the 1960's when a history professor tried an experiment on his students.

Ben Ross teaches History, and on of his senior classes, he tries an experiment on them. He introduces him to a kind of discipline that most people don't see or know. In his class, everyone must sit up straight, stand when answering a question, end each sentence with 'Mr. Ross'.

The experiment progress until a group is formed called The Wave. By the end of the week almost the whole school is a part of it. People are paying better attention in school because of The Wave. But is the Wave a good thing or a bad thing? That is the question Ben Ross must ask himself.

Something of this sort happened around 1966 in a highschool, the seniors were studying WW 2, and one of the students asked why the Nazis did all those horrible things when it was obviously wrong.

That question has never been truly answered. But this book was a depiction of something similar occurring in a highschool.

I enjoyed this book, it gave me insight to what exactly happened during the war. I would suggest  this book to everyone. It is not a happy book, it is actually rather depressing, but good.

North to South

By Elizabeth Gaskell
I want to begin by saying that this book is not about the Civil War and is in fact set in England during the Victorian Age. Elizabeth Gaskell was most famous for her biography of Charlotte Bronte, who was also a friend. If you ever felt like me when you read Pride and Prejudice, that the characters don't seem to ever do anything of substance, you will be relived to find that North and South is Pride and Prejudice's less glamorous and more gritty friend. By gritty I mean that the hero is a self made man with a northern accent. Margaret Hale is the heroine and she is the daughter of a Vicar in the south of England. At the start of the story her cousin Edith gets married and Margaret who has been living with her Aunt goes back to the south to live with her parents.Then her Father makes a very shocking decision to quit his job and move to the north as a private tutor. Her Father can no longer follow the Church of England's doctrines. So Margaret and her family move to the town of Milton, a manufacturing town based on the town of Manchester.

  Her father's first student is a Mr. John Thorton, owner of a textile mill. Margaret takes an instant and rather unreasonable dislike to him on the account of him being shockingly a "tradesman." Margaret at first hates Milton and everyone in it but she befriends a girl named Bessie Higgins and her father Nicholas. Nicholas works in the local cotton mills and is a leader in the union.

  Margaret and Mr. Thorton have rather frequent debates over his workers and how they should be treated. Things are so coming to a head and it is likely that there will be a strike. Well, there is a stike and things between Margaret and John Thorton come to a head.

  After risking her life to save him from some violent strikers he realizes that he loves her. But she is so not into him. It is really cute to see how crazy he is about her.

Please Note this report was not finished. 

Maid to Match

By Deeanne Gist

I loved this book! It has romance, history, honor, respect, and hard work all wrapped into an entrancing story.

Tillie is a hardworking maid working her way up the heirarchy of the Vanderbilt's servants. One day Mack gets hired and turns her world upside down. She endeavors to keep her attraction to him under control but he is struggling as well. They become friends and though her emotions are a mess, she misses him terribly once he leaves. Together, they have the potential to change their society for the better, but is Tillie willing to give up on all her hard work at the Vanderbilts? Is Mack the right man for her, and what secrets are the local officials hiding?

Gist's writing style was enjoyable, and reading about what it would have been like as a maid in those days was a very interesting perspective to have.

This book was a joy to read, but there is a lot of romance in the book, which is mostly descriptions of the chemistry between Tillie and Mack.

Review by Beckyelsie

Inheritance

By Christopher Paolini

So the long journey has finally come to an end. Eragon must finish his quests as the readers must finish this series.

It started with Eragon, it continued with Eldest then progressed in Brisingr. And it ends with Inheritance.

Around two years have passed since Eragon found a strange stone in the Spine. Eragon has had to cope with the deaths of several friends. He has had to learn the ancient language in a short amount of time.
The only question is will his training pay off. Will it be enough to defeat the evil king Galbatorix.

It was bittersweet to read this book. I have been a part of this adventure for over six years. I read Eragon right after the movie, I read Eldest soon after that, I waited for Brisingr to come out. And then I waited three years to finish the series. Though I felt sad about leaving Alagaesia, I must say that this book did an amazing wrap up of the story.

Christopher Paolini's writing has improved since he wrote Brisingr. I was enchanted once more by the story of Eragon and his friends.

This series is one of my favorites.

Review by Sweetie Pie