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by C.S Lewis

3 Stars

In an effort to rid his kingdom of a tyrant and usurper (who happens to be his uncle), the young Prince Caspian (who happens to be the rightful heir to the throne) organizes an army of creatures-in-hiding.  

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Meanwhile, the Pevensie children are preparing to head back to school when they are suddenly whisked away to a deserted island. They have returned to Narnia, but it doesn’t look the same as it did when they left it. While only a year has passed in their time, the country, they once ruled as kings and queens, has aged hundreds. As they join Prince Caspian in his quest for power, they will make new friends—and a few enemies—and reconnect with old ones.  

*** 

I rated this book three stars. The first few chapters really pulled me in, but I quickly grew tired of C.S. Lewis’ lengthy descriptions of trees, rivers, and rocks. It could be pretty boring at times, and although things do pick up toward the end, I had to take away a star for lack of excitement. As for the other star, I didn’t find King Miraz to be as intriguing a villain as the White Witch. I think he had potential, he just didn’t get enough “page time.” I should also mention that I had mixed feelings about the time jump. While I missed some of the characters from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I liked getting to enter the world of Narnia as if for the first time

If you, like me, weren’t all that impressed with ‘Prince Caspian,’ I urge you to keep reading! The other books in the series (minus ‘The Last Battle’) are really good.  

Catey F.

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Aurora Rising

By: Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

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Get ready for a spaceship ride of a lifetime! Together, in Aurora Rising, Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman set the scene for an epic space adventure.

In the year 2380, the cadets at Aurora Academy are trained, pushed hard and expected to achieve greatness. Nothing less is expected of Tyler Jones and the crew he decides to choose on draft day. However, on the day of the draft, Tyler makes a decision that will change the course of his life, and of his career. This decision: rescusing a girl named Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, and she’s hundreds of years old. Now, Tyler is stuck with the dregs of Aurora Academy, the cadets no other team wanted. Tyler’s biggest problem is wrangling his team and forcing them to get along, until they realize that something much bigger is brewing in space. There is a war approaching and the answer may lie with Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, and once she joins their crew, everything changes. Can the crew find a way to overcome their differences? Together they must discover the secrets of the universe and unearth secrets bigger than any black hole.

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by C.S Lewis

5 Stars

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During the Second World War, four children go to live with an old professor in the English countryside. They find many strange things in their new home, but the strangest of all is a wardrobe. This unsuspecting piece of furniture transports them to the land of Narnia: where talking animals roam, where mythical creatures dwell, and which suffers from a terrible curse. So begins the Pevensies’ quest to defeat the curse’s caster, the White Witch, and put an end to a never-ending winter. They might have Aslan on their side, but when one of their own betrays them, they will have to prepare for a great battle—and an even greater sacrifice.   

***  

Whether because this is a children’s book or the fact that I’ve been reading too much Shakespeare, I found C.S. Lewis’ writing very refreshing. He doesn’t try to be poetic or quote-worthy, and he doesn’t use words you have to remind yourself to look up later. He tells a story in its purest form, stripped of all unnecessary baggage.   

Of course, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is full of references to Christianity. I certainly didn’t pick up on them all, but I don’t think my reading experience was any less enjoyable. And I don’t think non-Christians should be discouraged. This book is packed with vibrant characters, humour, just the right amounts of action and drama, and some beautiful illustrations! I would definitely recommend it. 

P.S. If you decide to read the Chronicles of Narnia, read them in the order they were published. Chronological order puts The Magician’s Nephew first, but I think this one offers much better introductions to Narnia and Aslan. 

Catey F.

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The Rise of Kyoshi

By F.C Yee

Fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender rejoice, a prequel is here! In this gripping story, F.C Yee takes readers on an extraordinary adventure through the Avatar universe.

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Kyoshi’s world is about to change, but is it for the better? Deserted in the Earth Kingdom by her parents at a young age, Kyoshi is taken in by a generous man and given a job at the manor of the Avatar. As Kyoshi ages and becomes close friends with the Avatar, she will learn that life is not always as it seems. Through horrible circumstances Kyoshi discovers that she is the Avatar. This discovery puts Kyoshi’s life in danger, forcing her to flee. Follow Kyoshi as she makes new friends, new enemies, and discovers what her destiny truly is.

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By Daniel Keyes

5 Stars

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Flowers for Algernon is an amazing novel written by Daniel Keyes. It’s about a man named Charlie who has been chosen by researchers to be used as a subject for an experimental surgery to increase the intelligence on a human with a lower IQ. Before researchers could do the experimental surgery on Charlie, they first had to test it on a mouse by the name of Algernon. Throughout the process, researchers had many tests done on both Charlie and Algernon to see if they would be good candidates for the surgery. Along the way, Charlie became very fond of Algernon, and they quickly became friends. Algernon had the surgery; first, it seemed to have gone very well, which gave everyone hope that Charlie’s surgery would be just as successful. After Charlie’s surgery, his intelligence and IQ increased at a large rate, so much so that Charlie’s IQ had surpassed his doctor’s IQ. With Charlie not remembering much about his family, he was overwhelmed when he started getting his memories back after the surgery and decided that he wanted to learn more about his childhood.  

Flowers for Algernon is a great novel that I believe everyone should read at least once. This novel shows you that you should never judge a book by its cover, and that anyone can surprise you. Charlie is a man that shows great interest in anything and everything. He’s very eager to learn new things and work hard to get to where he wants to be. With Algernon by Charlie’s side, he feels he can accomplish anything.   

Ashleigh O.

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