The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (review by Kshithija M. ’17)

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big DifferenceThe Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Malcolm Gladwell’s first endeavor as an author, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, is an analysis on the concept of a tipping point: why mysterious changes in levels of success and our lives occur and what factors into these changes. Using examples such as statistics on sudden changes in crime rate and the spread of diseases, an exploration into how rumors diffuse through society, and the rise in sales of a shoe company, Gladwell discusses the factors that go into the tipping points of these changes such as the content of the tipping point, the “Law of the Few”, and the environment of these tipping points. Gladwell explains tipping points with easy-to-understand analysis and pages of research and supporting facts. Full of details and explanations, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference appeals to readers of all ages and interests and changes the way people understand social epidemics. -Kshithija M. ’17

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Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (review by Kshithija M. "17)

Angels and Demons (Robert Langdon, #1)Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first of several books following the adventures of famous Harvard symbology professor Robert Langdon, Angels and Demons features a race against time as Langdon and his companions attempt to find a canister containing the explosive anti-matter before the Vatican City is destroyed. The book begins when an assassin sent by the Illuminati murders a CERN scientist researching anti-matter; the scientist’s daughter Vittoria Vetra accompanies Langdon as their investigation of the murder leads them to Vatican City. The plot thickens when anti-matter appears to have been placed at the Vatican by the Illuminati and several important cardinals are also missing. Angels & Demons leaves readers racing to keep up with the protagonists as they charge through the Vatican and questioning the truth as the plot twists and turns uncovering more details at every turn. This book is a perfect mix of a mystery and thriller, and both history buffs and action lovers will be left curious and excited for more of Robert Langdon’s adventures after reading this novel. – Kshithija M. ’17

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Goliath (Leviathan #3) by Scott Westerfield (review by Catherine H. ’17)

Goliath (Leviathan, #3)Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In the conclusion to Scott Westerfeld’s steampunk World War I series, the Leviathan is sent to pick up a mysterious inventor who plans to stop the war with his latest device (Goliath), and Deryn’s secret is finally revealed. Once the Leviathan has transported the inventor to America, Alek meets Eddie Malone, a reporter for The New York World, and the Prince’s story and secrets are finally revealed to the world. I really couldn’t put this book down, wanting to know what was to become of Alek and Deryn, and how their relationship would develop. The book’s many plot twists, cliffhangers, and near-disasters build momentum until Alek must make his final decision: his title as emperor, or Deryn. I think this series will please fans of adventure, action, steampunk, and historical fiction and is sure to make a lasting impression.

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Homeland (Little Brother #2) by Cory Doctorow (review by Catherine H. ’17)

Homeland (Little Brother, #2)Homeland by Cory Doctorow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Since Marcus started up the Xnet and exposed the government in Little Brother, everything has gone downhill. After the economy the crashes and leaves him with nothing, his former rival Masha shows up with a mysterious USB drive containing a load of dark secrets. She warns Marcus to leak the info on the drive if she ever goes missing, which she promptly does. However, in his new job as a webmaster for an independent candidate, Marcus can’t afford to let anyone know that he’s the leaker. Cory Doctorow’s brilliant book, a sort of wake-up call that shows the dark side of technology, is a thrilling read. I would recommend this series to most if not all avid readers, regardless of age or genre preference.

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House and Fire by Maria Hummel (review by Andrew R. ’17)

House and FireHouse and Fire by Maria Hummel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The poems collected in Maria Hummel’s House and Fire present emotions and dreams in their purest and least inhibited forms. Drawing from a huge variety of poetic forms, from archaic structures like the ghazal (a form of ancient Arabic verse) and the villanelle to sprawling free-verse constructions that span several pages, these pieces revolve around a single theme: the confused and frightened emotions of a mother whose infant son is slowly dying on a hospital bed. The narrative is all the more powerful because Hummel, a mother herself, has suffered through the same trying times as her narrator. With brutal self-reflection and honesty slathered unabashedly across its pages, House and Fire draws on the full potential of the poetic genre to transfer ideas straight from the writer to the reader. Even the most enigmatic and complex of Hummel’s poems will fill poets and non-poets alike with the raw emotion of the speaker and of the author herself.

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Behemoth (Leviathan #2) by Scott Westerfield (review by Catherine H. ’17)

Behemoth (Leviathan, #2)Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Leviathan, the English Darwinists’ fabricated living airship, is on its way to Istanbul to deliver one of the mysterious Dr. Nora Darwin Barlow’s fabricated eggs when it attacks two Clanker warships and is damaged by a powerful Tesla Cannon. Alek and his men are put under scrutiny and he eventually decides to escape. He does so semi-successfully but only after one of the strange beasties hatches and bonds with him. Deryn, still disguised as Dylan, is given a secret mission to destroy kraken nets in order to allow a new beast, the Behemoth, to destroy the Clanker ships and capture the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Meanwhile, in the in the bustling city of Istanbul Alek becomes entangled in a revolution that may just turn the tide of the war in his favor. Because this book is filled with amazing character development and brilliant illustrations, I greatly enjoyed reading it. This is an alternate reality Steampunk World War I novel that will capture your attention for hours on end. Scott Westerfeld develops both the plot and the characters very well, and I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an adventurous read.

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The Royal Ranger (Ranger’s Apprentice, #12) by John Flanagan (review by Catherine H. ’17)

The Royal Ranger (Ranger's Apprentice, #12)The Royal Ranger by John Flanagan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s been 18 months since Alyss’s death and Will is still obsessively searching for the man who was responsible. Far away, Cassandra and Horace desperately look for a way to straighten out their rebellious daughter, Maddie, who sneaks out of the castle to hunt. It is decided that Maddie will be mentored by Will and train to become a full-fledged Ranger’s Apprentice, and despite having trouble coping at first, falls in love with the life of a Ranger. I found the book interesting, with humor and suspense scattered throughout and was well written. John Flanagan ties this book to his first, in comparing Maddie to a young Will, nervous but eager to learn. With this book, I enjoyed catching up on the latest book the Ranger’s Apprentice series.

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Bitterblue by Kristine Cashore (review by Catherine H. ’17)

Bitterblue (Graceling Realm, #3)Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
< After letting her advisers rule the kingdom for eight years, eighteen year old Bitterblue decides to begin ruling Monsea herself. She realizes that she is too high up to see down to the commoners and then sneaks out at night, posing as a commoner girl. Her escapades only bring more confusion, trouble, and secrets to her attention and she must battle the fog left in the minds of the people by her sadistic father. The third installment in Kristin Cashore's Graceling Realm series, I found Bitterblue enthralling. There is so much character development and so many secrets revealed, it left me wanting more when I finished. – Catherine H. ’17

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Timebound by Rysa Walker (review by Catherine H. ’17)

Timebound (The Chronos Files, #1)Timebound by Rysa Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rysa Walker’s Timebound, the first installment in the Chronos Files, is a very thought provoking read. Kate’s grandmother, Katherine, comes to town and announces that she is terminally ill and would like to spend more time with her granddaughter, which seems like a reasonable request. However, Kate’s mother insists that her grandmother is selfish and that she shouldn’t go. But Kate notices a strange medallion that glows a brilliant shade of blue that her mother can’t see but her grandmother can. Upon confronting her grandmother about it, she learns that her massive headaches have been caused by shifts in the timeline and that her grandfather is stuck in a different time, trying to create a religion and change history to benefit himself. Kate also finds out that this medallion is a CHRONOS key that lets her travel back in time. Before she can start training, another shift occurs and her parents disappear from the timeline, having never met each other and never having had her. She must now carry the key with her at all times or else disappear forever. It becomes her mission to go back in time and warn her grandmother so that she can restore her timeline. This book made me think about time travel in a different way. Even though there are several timelines that are mentioned, the story is straightforward and easy to follow. I recommend this book to anyone interested in time travel. – Catherine H. ‘17

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The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore (review by Catherine H. ’17)

The Fall of Five (Lorien Legacies, #4)The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The fourth book in the Lorien Legacies series describes the events after the Garde’s unsuccessful battle with Setrákus Ra and follows their story as they regroup and try to form a coherent plan. Sam spent forever dreaming up rescue missions by the Garde and resisting Setrákus Ra’s torture sessions until he is finally rescued by two unexpected allies. John spent forever stuck, with no plans until the final member of the Garde, Five, sends a signal to them and the race begins to find Five before the Mogadorians do. Meanwhile, Ella has been having terrible nightmares and eventually ends up hurting John. The Garde try to catch up with each other and train together before the Mogadorians attack but when several people cause trouble from the inside out, the Mogadorians attack. Pittacus Lore has managed to keep the story going and provide some interesting new twists, but the constant switching of perspective can be disorienting, especially because there is usually no indication as to whose perspective we are viewing from. I would recommend this book only if you enjoyed I am Number Four. – Catherine H. ‘17

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