Tag Archives: Lavinia D. ’17

The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan (review by Lavinia D. ’17)

August 23, 2013 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Will is about to make the biggest choice of his life: what Craft he will choose as his profession for the rest of his life. He has always wanted to go to Battleschool and be a mighty soldier, riding a sleek horse and wielding a jeweled sword. However, when Choosing Day comes, he is rejected because he is too small. A man named Halt informs him that he as other skills; skills that would be useful for a Ranger, the kingdom’s legendary archers that are rumored to be black magicians. Finally, Will agrees to begin training as a Ranger, but the kingdom of Araluen is in grave danger, threatening his life. The epic start to The Ranger’s Apprentice series, I recommend The Ruins of Gorlan to anyone who enjoys action and adventure filled with humor along the way. What I particularly appreciate about the book is that Flanagan takes great care in developing the character’s personalities while illustrating the tale along the way. – Lavinia D. ‘17

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City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (review by Lavinia D. ’17)

August 20, 2013 mspelmanlibrarian 1 Comment

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When Brooklyn teenager Clary Fray goes with her best friend Simon Lewis to a nightclub, the last thing she expects is to witness a murder – and to be the only one who sees it. Seeking answers, she meets Jace Wayland at the club, but suddenly, she is thrown into an unknown world fraught with danger, followed up with the news that her mother, Jocelyn, has been kidnapped by a man named Valentine in his search to find an object known as the Mortal Cup. Along with Jace and his adoptive siblings, Alec and Isabelle Lightwood, Clary starts to search for her mother and uncovers the truth about herself: she, along with Jace, Alec, and Isabelle, are part of a race called Shadowhunters – half-angel and half-human. In order to save her mother from Valentine’s evil clutches and retrieve the Mortal Cup, Clary must master her powers before it is too late. City of Bones was extremely riveting and had comedy thrown in at the perfect time. However, an overwhelming number of characters introduced in a short amount of time, made following along a bit difficult in the beginning. – Lavinia D. ‘17

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No Place Like Home by Mary Higgins Clark (review by Lavinia D. ’17)

August 11, 2013 mspelmanlibrarian Leave a comment

No Place Like Home by Mary Higgins Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At the tender age of ten, Liza Barton accidentally shoots and kills her mother during an attempt to protect her from her abusive stepfather. The story picks up twenty-four years later, with Liza having changed her name to Celia Foster Nolan and happily married to Alex Nolan, who, unaware of her traumatic past, gives her a horrifying birthday gift: the keys to her old home. Celia tries desperately to hide her true identity while simultaneously trying to obtain more details of the events that led to that night. Unfortunately, there are signs that someone in the neighborhood knows who she really is, and she suddenly finds her life in mortal danger. The surprising plot twists of this horror mystery novel will keep readers guessing until the very end and unable to put it down. – Lavinia D. ‘17

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