The Music Of Dolphins

The Music Of Dolphins
By: Karen Hesse
***** 5 Stars

Mila was born in Cuba, but one day when she was four years old her mother escaped on a plane, taking Mila with her. But as the plane was flying over the ocean, it crashed and everyone on board drowned except for Mila, she was saved by dolphins.

For ten years, Mila lived in the ocean with her dolphin family. She has scars on her body, 5 feet long hair, and she can speak their language. She loves her dolphin life in the cold salty ocean and she never wants to leave, it is the only life she has ever known. It is the only life she ever wants.
But one day, Mila is discovered and "rescued", she is taken from the ocean and put in America, where she is taught how to be human all over again. She learns about language and music. How to use her hands, how to run and laugh and play. But she learns things she does not like, about rules and expectations, about locked doors and broken promises, disappointment, betrayal and hate.
The more Mila finds out what it means to be human, the more deeply she longs to go back.

Please, please read this book if you haven't already! Karen Hesse is a genius, this book couldn't have been done better even if J.K. Rowling, or Stephanie Meyer re-wrote it.
The Music Of Dolphins was amazing, I have read it 6 times! You see, for me, re-reading a book is still awesome. Most people don't read books over again because they think "Oh, i've already read this book, why should I read it again?  whats the point?  I already know the ending". That Is true, but that is, (personally in my opinion) a lame excuse.
When you read a book over again, you read slower, your not in a rush to know the ending so you read more carefully, and you catch words and details you might have missed the first time. What usually happens for me is if there is a line in the book, or a joke I don't get, when I re-read the book I understand perfectly. So try reading some of your favorite books over again, Its actually very relaxing and you get more out of the book then you did the last time.

Anyway, back to The Music Of Dolphins. I really like how Karen Hesse makes the text really large in the beginning, and it gets smaller, and smaller as the weeks go by because she is maturing and becoming more knowledgeable and less naive. I also really like this book because her original name is Olivia, like me! (little reader-character connection). Even If your an adult I recommend this book for all ages.

To order this book, go to The Music Of Dolphins

                                                                         -Olivia

Kiki Strike Inside The Shadow City

Kiki Strike  Inside The Shadow City
By: Kirsten Miller
***** 5 Star

Life will never be the same for Ananka Fishbein after she ventures into an enormous sink hole near her New York City apartment. Ananka knows she has stumbled upon a big secret,  but she has no idea exactly how big. Not only does she discover the Shadow City beneath Manhattan's bustling streets, she meets the mysterious Kiki Strike, a black-clad, vespa-riding, cafe-au-lait-drinking girl who seems to appear and vanish like magic. Join these girls in a battle against man-eating rats, team up with delinquent Girl Scouts, and explore a underground labyrinth  in this novel about a darker side of New York City you have just begun to know about.

You are going to start seriously thinking I am a softie and don't give any books low ratings. But there are reasons. I am reviewing books from my favorite section like I told you in my profile. But once in awhile I'll review a not-so-good book.
Anyway, this novel was exceptional! I'll actually admit, that for awhile after I read the book, I was dressing all in black, but then my friends started to think I was beginning to dress on the darker side, so I stopped. Kiki Strike was my idol, I actually was hoping to ride a Vespa, (haven't gotten to it yet). Besides her hobbies and fashion sense, I also loved her confidence, how she just had that "No fear" attitude 24-7. This book is unique and it made even me wish there was a giant sink hole near my house too.
This book also got me started on other books with that discover-a-secret-city topic, like The Night Tourist, (see review on my blog). So read this book, and if you can, try an Au Lait and tell me how it tastes.
If you would like to order this book, go to Kiki Strike.com


                                                                         -Olivia

Eyes Of The Amaryllis

The Eyes Of The Amaryllis
Natalie Babbitt
***** 5 Star

 When the ship Amaryllis was swallowed in a hurricane, the captain, and all the crew were swallowed, too. For thirty years, the captain's widow, Geneva Reade, has waited, certain that her husband will send her a message from the bottom of the sea. But someone else is waiting, too, and watching her, someone called Steward, the man that made a bargain with the sea to spare his own life.
Into this haunted situation comes Jenny, the widows granddaughter.
The three of them, Geneva, Jenny, and Steward, are drawn into a kind of deadly game with one another and with the sea, a game that only the sea knows how to win.

This book was beautifully written, I couldn't stop turning the pages! This book was a haunting, gripping, and terribly romantic story. These are the kinds of books you don't see very often, (from my perspective).
My favorite character was every character! Each was done wonderfully! So please read this book.
You can buy this book a your local bookstore ~

                                                                             -Olivia

Tuck Everlasting

Tuck Everlasting
Natalie Babbitt
***** 5 Star

Winnie Foster, is a "snobby, selfish, only child,"living in a rich house filled with servants and other fancies, and she loves it all.

That is what everyone in town thinks she is like, but no one has ever seen her before, or met her in person. But Winnie Foster is just a normal ten-year-old girl, kept away from the outside world by her overprotective parents. In truth Winnie would give anything for a normal life, where she could have friends, and play till dark without worrying about getting her stockings dirty and missing piano lessons.
So one day, she decides to run away, and disappear from her families life, they would think she was kidnapped. But then she is kidnapped, after discovering a spring on her fathers property.
She is taken to the Tucks, a family who who after drinking from that very spring, now lives forever.
As Winnie spends her days at the Tucks, they tell her of their experiences watching life go by, and never growing older. But when a man discovers the Tucks secret, Winnie must help them escape before its too late. And she also must decide, whether or not to join the Tucks on their never ending journey.

This book was amazing. So much better than the movie, they always make the movies horrible compared to the books they are based on! This story is very full of emotion, and laughs, sometimes it is nice to read a non-deep book. Anyway, my favorite character was the Toad, yes the toad. He was always there just out of the characters sight, I though he was actually kind of cute, (sorry to those who are not fond of reptiles).
I like this book because it was full of funny scenes, and quirky romance. There may be some thematic elements in this book for future reference if you ever show interest in this book in the future. But this book is definitely a must read book! You can purchase this book at your local bookstore ~

                                                                 -Olivia

The Girl Who Could Fly

The Girl Who could fly
Victoria Forester
***** 5 Star

Piper McCloud can fly, just like that, jump off a roof, then a couple seconds later, up in the clouds.
And she loves to fly, it is a part of her, and she could never stop unless she could not do it at all.
But the people of Lowland County don't like Piper, because she flies.
But Piper cannot stop, even though her Mother, and Father desperately need her to. So when an opportunity arises to go to a top secret school for kids just like her, she cannot wait to begin!
School is amusing and fun at first, with tons of new friends.
But she starts to realize that something at this school is not right, and when she discovers the truth, she must get her friends and herself out of the school that was made to secure their downfall to extinction.

Five star! I loved this book, it was a heart racing novel, full of action, suspense, and danger.
This book made you feel like you were right there as she experienced the joy of flying.
The Girl Who Could Fly, could not have been made any better! Sometimes seeing a "regular" girl do the impossible, makes the mental barrier between yourself, and your own dream a step closer.
My favorite character was Piper, she was a fun, loving character full of life and faith. She was my favorite because she was always full of hope, and kept everyone happy, this book would not have been the same without Piper, even if she was a little naive, and hardheaded.
This book is a major suggestion to those in need of a little inspiration.

                                                             -Olivia

When You Reach Me

When You Reach Me

Rebecca Stead
**** 4 Star


By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend Sal, can navigate themselves through their entire New York neighborhood. They know the places that are safe and who is nice, and they know who to avoid. Like the crazy man on the corner, who yells at the sky and sleeps under a mailbox. But life begins to unravel when Sal gets punched on the street, for no reason.
After that, Sal shuts Miranda out of his life.
Then, the apartment key to Miranda's house is stolen, and she begins to get mysterious notes who's words have no meaning. As more of the notes keep coming, Miranda slowly realizes that whoever wrote these notes knows something that no one else on earth knows. As she tries to figure out the anonymous note leavers identity, she realizes someone very close to her is in danger, and that she is the only one who can stop the tragedy that is soon to happen. Until the last note makes her think she's to late.

This book was amazing! There was alot of depth, and some quirky romance in this random, yet emotional, award winning novel.
My favorite character was Colin, he is one of Miranda's best friends, he is quirky, goofy, and confident in himself. He is a very laid back person and handles any situation with ease.
The only reason I did not give it a five star, was because there was some dialogue in this book that made no sense. Some sentences just kept rambling, and rambling, going on and on about a conversation I did not even get! Also some of the conclusions for the end of the book, for example, why did Sal avoid Miranda, and shut her out of his life, when she did nothing wrong? that was a conclusion that made no sense. Besides that, When You Reach Me was a wonderful novel, and should definitely be on your list of Books To Read.


                                                                          -Olivia

Top 3 Water Based Novels That You Have Never Heard Of Before 



Water Shaper
Laura Williams McCaffrey
***** 5 Stars

Margot is a princess, but she is not beloved. Her mother died when she was very young. Passing on the unnatural longing for water and a strange book, which smells of the sea and contains strange images like nothing Margot had ever seen before in the landlocked kingdom that she lives in. One day she meets Orrin, a foreign king. Who rules a kingdom by the sea, seeing her chance, she escapes with Orrin, back to the kingdom by the sea. There she discovers the truth of the mysterious book which hides from those who seek it, and finds out who she truly is and what power she holds.

This book was amazing! All the action, betrayal, and depth to this book is outstanding! My favorite character was Margot, she fights for what she wants and can withstand anything. She starts off as a naive young woman who has no idea what the world beholds outside the walls of her fathers isolated kingdom. But as she discovers the truth, and believes in herself, when she realizes she can withstand anything, it teaches her that she is the only one who can control her own future. This is definitely not your average fairytale.
Some content in this book may not be appropriate for children, such as drinking.

                                                  



Water Steps
A. LaFaye
*****5 Star

Shape-shifting silkies, baby-stealing fairies, and spitting in water as a test for liars. Kyna's adoptive parents have an endless stream of stories to keep her amused. But no matter how hard they try, Kyna can't get over her fear of water. As a small child, a storm at sea claimed her family, and nearly took her own life. Now even seeing a glass of water makes her freeze up, while her mind goes awash with stormy waves and sees the image of her family slowly slipping away.
 When Kyna's parents rent a house on a "magical" lake, she begs to stay home. No such luck.
At the lake, Kyna resolves to hide in the woods, and stay as far away from the water as possible. As she explores the forests, she meets Tylo, a boy who is set on proving that there are silkies in the lake, where Kyna finds herself dangerously close to the water, and dangerously close to a truth she cant believe.

Water Steps was probably one of the reasons I became inspired to start photography, Kyna made it sound so wonderful (which it is). Every word was chosen exactly, and couldn't have been worded any better. My favorite character was Kyna, how she overcame her fear and accepted her parents for who they were. This book is filled with humor, emotion and everything else. This book puts a twist on a handful of your everyday celtic myths.





Seven Tears Into The Sea
Terri Farley
***** 5 Stars

At the age of ten, Gwen Cooke woke in the middle of the night and was drawn to the beach, where she encountered a strange boy with liquid dark eyes. He whispered into her ear a strange rhyme, then left, vanishing into the waves. After telling her family of her strange encounter, they shortly after move away from the ocean, to a landlocked town.

Now seventeen, Gwen is returning to her childhood home. Her nana asked her to come for the summer, But Gwen knows there are other reasons, its time to return to the thing she has not seen in seven years, the sea. Perhaps the sea is calling to her, maybe she still clings to the thought that the encounter with the strange boy, was real. Even though it was the very thing that made her family leave.  His words seem to haunt her mind, drawing her back to the place where they met. Perhaps it is time to face her destiny.

This book was moving, it is full of intense romance, the conquering of fears, and a teenage girls story of her struggle to stop running from the past, and to embrace the present and future.
This story is one of my favorites, the characters are done really well, and the story leaves an an imprint in you mind long after the last page has been turned.
My favorite character was Gwen, I always like the characters who evolve and strengthen the most in every story. I like Gwen because she was always proud, and bold, but she was fragile enough that if something too deep came along, she would break down. In the end she always knew what the right thing to do was, and was able to conquer her fears. This fiction book is one of its kind.

These three books were hard to find, you have to be a hard core book shopper to track down these stories. But it is worth it! To find rare books like these, I always go by the same rule, look in the most unlikely places. You might just find the best book! But to help, go to Amazon, that website is a treasure trove. Here are the links to order these books:  Water Shaper,  Water Steps, Seven Tears Into The Sea .

                  
                                                                    -Olive