Review of Cinder by Sulphia Iqbal

Book Review of Cinder

By Sulphia Iqbal

Author of Cinder : Marissa Meyers

Book One of the Lunar Chronicles

Every book has a unique way of changing something original to something ...new and intriguing. When I read Cinder,I was amazed how well Marissa Meyers pulled that off in this book. Cinder is an interesting combination of a Cinderella Classic and Science-Fiction, which, to my amusement , worked out awesomely. And don’t worry, you don’t have to be a princess-lover or something of that sort to like this book. This is coming from someone who absolutely hates Fairy Tales. :)

Cinder, a cyborg mechanic, lives in a dystopian world filled with androids and humans. She operates a mechanic stall at a street market in New Beijing and lives with her evil stepmother ( Sound familiar? ). She meets Prince Kai, who is the heir to the throne. He becomes dependable friend and soon, changes her life. When Cinder’s stepsister get the savage plague that has been killing millions, her stepmother naturally blames it on her,who, to her stepmother’s belief, is a irresponsible robot human freak . When the Emperor dies, Kai takes the throne and the Lunar Queen comes to form an alliance. No one on earth trusts Lunars, but if peace is wanted, the Emperor must do everything in their power to stop war. No one except Cinder knows for sure that the Lunar Queen has other motives and when Cinder learns an impossible truth,she realizes that she alone must make many choices that will either bring peace or the wrath of Queen Levana upon Earth. The fate of both Earth and Luna rests on her shoulders.

Intrigued? Check out Cinder in the Library today!

Book review of Heart of a Champion By Carl Dueker By Tej Ramaiah

Book review of Heart of a Champion By Carl Dueker By Tej Ramaiah

After Seth Barham’s father died of a stroke, he felt lost. He was just wandering around one day at the school, and that’s where he met Jimmy Winter. Jimmy was practicing baseball with his dad. Seth never really liked baseball- he thought nothing ever happened. But the way Jimmy played, it made Seth see baseball in a whole new way. The way he smoothly glided over ground balls, his speed when running to fly balls, and how he simply caught the ball vastly impressed Seth. But what stood out to Seth the most was the passion Jimmy played with, how he did everything again and again until he got it right. Then when Jimmy saw Seth, he said the words that changed both of their lives forever- “I got an extra glove. You want to play?” Soon Seth was practicing with Jimmy every weekend, and they became best friends.

As a baseball player, I really liked this book because I could relate to it. But it is a lot more than just baseball. This book is about the adventures they go through, and how there are always ups and downs in life. But most importantly, it’s about friendship, loyalty, and about truly having the heart of a champion.

Review of Inside Out by Ananya Swaminathan

Review of “Inside Out”

Eleven-year-old Riley has it all: loving parents, an awesome best friend, and a supportive hockey team. When her father receives a job offer in San Francisco, Riley is forced to leave behind her happy life in Minnesota and embrace a new home, despite the fact it is nothing like she hoped it would be. In the headquarters of her mind, Riley’s emotions (Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust) attempt to help her cope with the move, each in his/her own way. Eventually, Joy manages to regain control of Riley’s mind, and all seems well, except for Sadness’s occasional need to touch happy memories. During a disastrous first day of school, however, Joy and Sadness are accidentally transported out of headquarters to long-term memory. Left to Anger, Disgust, and Fear, Riley quickly develops a pessimistic outlook on her situation, causing her to make a series of bad decisions. Joy and Sadness must find their way back to headquarters before Riley’s personality completely falls apart.

“Inside Out” is an outstanding movie that explores the mind and delivers some thought-provoking messages. It manages to present concepts such as dreams, abstract thought, and the subconscious in a way that appeals to all audiences. (The abstract thought scene was my personal favorite.) Additionally, most teenagers will probably be able to relate to the movie. “Inside Out”, like most Pixar movies, appeals to the audience’s emotions; it has humorous moments, but it’s the more poignant, tear-jerking scenes that make the movie as brilliant as it is. There are, however, a few minor flaws; for instance, Disgust and Fear are not as developed as Joy, Sadness, and Anger. (Also, why is Riley the only character who has emotions of different genders?) These flaws, although rather annoying, barely detract from the movie’s powerful moments and messages that deal with loss, sadness, and growing up. Overall, “Inside Out” is an enjoyable movie for all ages that encourages people not only to consider others’ emotions but also to understand and connect with their own.

~Ananya Swaminathan

Book Review of the False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen by Sulphia Iqbal

Book Review of the False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen

Book one of the Ascendance Trilogy .

The book, False Prince ,  is the start of a whole journey in Sage’s world. This book is filled with danger, action, and most importantly, using wits. When one chapter was over, I was literally craving for more and staying up very late to finish the book.

The Kingdom of Carthya will soon be involved in a Civil War. Sage is fourteen year old orphan with only plans to steal roast from a local butcher. Conner, a patriot and nobleman of the court , is retrieving orphans from different orphanages who resemble the long-lost Prince of Carthya, with plans to save the kingdom. Conner retrieves Sage along with other boys, including Tobias and Roden. Conner alone knows that the Royal Family has been murdered and fears that when the news spreads afar, his enemy Prime Regent Vandergraaf will find out and take power. To prevent this, he plans to put a fraud on the throne who looks exactly like the long-lost Prince Jaron, who is the rightful heir to the throne and has been missing for years after a pirate attack. For the next few weeks, Sage,Roden, and Tobias fight for the position as Conner choice . Unlike Tobias with his brains and Roden with his strength , Sage fails at every test. The only thing he has in common with Jaron is his appearance.  So who will the False Prince be? Will it be Sage with his vague similarity in appearance, Roden with his strength, or Tobias with brains? You can read the rest in the False Prince.

Sulphia Iqbal

Fast and Furious 2 Movie Review by Josh Liao

Fast and Furious 2 Movie Review

                While waiting for the newest edition of the series to come out on DVD, I recently went back and watched one of the original installments of the series. This movie is where the roots of the series was developed. When Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson are added to the cast during later movies, the themes of the movie plots shift from the high octane races that made the series famous to more of a GI Joe heroic type. That is why I recommend this movie. Brian O'Connor, a good cop who made a bad decision, is on the run from authorities after assisting a criminal. To survive, he travels across the United States, entering in races and winning them for their money. However, one night after a race, he is finally caught. Brian is then offered a deal: go to prison or help the FBI take down one of Miami's biggest millionaires in exchange for a clean record and a new start. Brian takes the latter and goes undercover with one of his childhood friends, both posing as couriers for millionaire Carter Verone to deliver money. This is when the fun begins. Brian and his partner Roman Pierce are pressured by FBI to take down Carter as he makes a million-dollar dollar delivery across the country. The only problem is, they are the ones supposed to make the delivery in their newly acquired jobs as couriers. The FBI cannot take down Carter unless they have proof that he transferred the money across the country. If Brian and Roman stay, the FBI will send them for prison for not helping them take down Carter. If they make the drive, they find out that Carter will kill them as soon as they arrive with the money. The film is most hilarious while in its most serious moments. A couple of incredible car stunts are pulled off that will make your draw absolutely drop. Brian and Roman develop a trust in each other that survives numerous life-threatening situations and is the basis for story's climax. It's an exciting film with nonstop action that I recommend for others to watch.         

Josh Liao

Spirit by Ananya Swaminathan

Spirit

I am the sparkling crest of an ocean wave,

The first breath of a newborn babe,

The fiery colors that light the sky,

As the sun sinks and the day dies.

I am the scent that lingers after rain,

The vast expanse of an open plain,

The warmth of a refreshing breeze,

That weaves its way through leafless trees.

I am the proud cry of a red-tailed hawk,

The flower that grows between the rocks.

Although, to you, I am gone,

Through nature, I will always live on.

- Ananya Swaminathan

Dandelion by Ananya Swaminathan

Dandelion

Puffy white spheres sit amid blades of grass

Bending and swaying in a fickle breeze

Parachutes tugged by the wind pull away

And float against the bold, blue sky

A giggling child with mischievous eyes

Pulls her hand out of her mother’s

And runs towards the field of white puffs

She stops, bends down, and plucks one

Grasping the stem between her tiny fingers

She blows gently, making a few seeds

Take flight but noticing that not all have left,

She twirls, still holding the stem until

Inverted umbrellas fill the air

And are carried away by the gentle breeze

She then drops the drooping head

And skips back to her amused mother

Her laughter

f   a    D    I    N    G

into a whisper

Coming to Pass By: Harrison Chiu

Coming to Pass

By: Harrison Chiu

When I come to pass,

I wish for flowers

To be borne upon my death

Fresh buds pushing through

The worn earth

Life coming on passed life

Old life replaced by new life

The gentle slope of an arching stem

Leaning upon the hard edges of tombstones

Unfurling crimson petals

Affronting black handkerchiefs

And when petals fade

And final memories flutter, drop

Even my wish shall fade to dust

And all shall come to pass

Deflategate by Joshua Liao

Deflategate

                If you have been in America over the past year and have turned on the TV to Sports Center, ESPN, or Yahoo news, the most overrated and over discussed about topic is the deflagategate. To give some background, during a conferences championship game last season, the Patriots beat the Colts 45-7 in a rain soaked, lopsided game. After the game was over, the Colts came out and reported that they had caught one of the Patriot's footballs and noticed that it was slightly deflated. In case you have never thrown a wet football, it is much easier to grip and throw slightly deflated wet ball than a fully inflated one. Officials later reported that all of the Patriot's football were slightly deflated, about 1 or 2 psi under the regulated mark.  From then on, countless news reports and articles have been written about this topic. At home, I thought that this incident would blow over and people would stop talking about if after the season. It's been 8 months and new reports are still coming out, especially after the Patriots superstar quarterback Tom Brady was suspended for 4 games. I really don't see what the point is. It was a lopsided game. Sure throwing a deflated ball might have been easier, but the Colts lost by 5 scores. The game was clearly a mismatch and the ball had nothing to do with it. The Patriots scored about half of their points running the ball. People blame Brady for cheating, but its most likely that most quarterbacks in the NFL have done what he did. Former USC Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback Matt Leinart said that "Every team tampers with footballs, just ask any quarterback in the league, this is ridiculous." This is coming from a guy who actually played in the NFL! You know when that the whole situation is blown so out of proportion when Bill Nye the Science Guy has appeared on Sports Center to discuss psi. The whole thing and all the court cases should just be dropped. People should really look forward to watching the game for its excitement and intensity, not whether deflated footballs helped a team to win a game.