Melissa De La Cruz. THE VAN ALEN LEGACY

This was one of those reviews that took me a while to sit down and write, because there is sooo much going on in this book. I needed time to let in sink in. I know I say this every time, but this series really does get richer and more interesting with each installment.
We join Schuyler with Oliver on the run because of the events in Rio. She is blamed for Lawrence’s death. She can’t grieve for him in peace with her family and friends, because the Conclave thinks she killed him. Schuyler and Oliver are getting worn out from changing cities every few days to escape detection.
Meanwhile, back at home, Bliss has an intriguing visitor. Not your normal run-of-the-mill visitor; no, this visitor is a spirit inside of her. Sometimes she blacks out. Other times she witnesses what he’s doing, which really freaks her out. She feels like a tourist in her own body. She’s trying to remain strong and in control to figure out what he’s trying to accomplish.
Finally, the third point of view we get is Mimi. She’s with Kingsley on a Venator hunt for Jordan Llewellyn, who disappeared during the Rio incident. As we learned at the end of the last book, Jordan was no ordinary little sister to Bliss.
And all that was only in the first 20 pages or so. We learn more about the history of the angels, as well as what the Van Alen Legacy is and Schuyler’s part in it. I can’t really say much more without spoiling it. It’s incredibly satisfying, and it left me excited about the next installment.


For the author's website, click here.

Also, let me tempt you with a book trailer:



And even cooler is this interview with the author about the book! Check it out:

Jacqueline Woodson. FEATHERS

“Hope is the thing with feathers.” Frannie becomes enamored with this section of a poem by Emily Dickinson that her 6th grade class reads. Many things going on around her cause her to ponder about hope. A mysterious new boy joins her class. It’s 1971 and her school is all African Americans, so the white boy seems very different. He’s skinny with pale white skin and long hair. He has a quiet, calm nature but also seems sad. Eager to put a label on their confusion, the kids begin calling him “Jesus boy.” Frannie’s best friend believes he really is Jesus. Frannie is confused by the boy continuing to deny that he is white. In addition to this mystery, Frannie’s mom has some news that brings back some sadness from their past. Will they be able to move past it and be hopeful again?

For such a thin book, there is a lot going on inside of this treasure. I felt like it took on a life of its own. The flow and rhythm is beautiful. There are many great issues for discussion (several types of prejudice and bully issues), but the book doesn’t feel heavy at all. It’s light and the quiet moments are the most memorable. It’s a real joy. I can see why it is a Newbery Honor book.

Michael A. Banks. ON THE WAY TO THE WEB

Yes, I rarely blog about nonfiction books. But this one really captured my attention. I’ve always been fascinated with computer and Internet history.
Especially when I found out people were online & communicating long before most of us. We tend to think the history of something begins when we encounter it for the first time (sort of egotistical of us).

Anyway, here are some cool facts that I discovered in this book:

*Many people think that the Internet was created to communicate during a nuclear strike – not so.

*People were using Internet forums in the early 80’s

*In 1980, big name newspapers went online in an experiment

*The first novel uploaded to the Internet (before the book was even published) was Ender’s Game in 1983

*Online games were in use the mid 80’s

*The first public Internet service provider opened in 1989

Wow! Can you believe all that was going on in the 80’s & more!

Most of people think of the Internet and the Web as interchangeable terms, but the World Wide Web really began with Tim Berners-Lee and his HTML, which he developed in 1990.

Anyway, there were way more people and companies involved with the evolution of the Internet than most of us realize. This book details all of the main points along the way. And it has a great foreword by Orson Scott Card.

If you are at all curious about the development & history of the Internet, you’ll love this book. There is also a timeline and glossary at the back.

It’s fascinating!

Plus, on the website there is a long list of early 80’s commercials for Internet service providers, like Prodigy and other services like DELPHI and playnet. It’s really fun watching those old videos. Don’t you love going back in time!

If you're interested in not only the history of the Internet & WWW, but also how it has looked over the years, check out some of these sites:
http://www.archive.org/web/web.php
http://www.dejavu.org/
http://www.livinginternet.com/