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MLAlex

MLAlex

I'm a high school librarian in Dallas, TX and am currently a member of the Texas Library Association's Tayshas Reading List Committee (recommended reading for high school students).
  • Dallas, TX, USA
  • member since February 24 2009

Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 13 reviews
  • Walking from East to West: God in the Shadows
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Zavi Zacharias is one of the leading modern apologists for the Christian faith. This is his story---a rich and fascinating telling of his life's journey, growing up in India to his present work with Ravi Zacharias Ministries. He traces God's work in his life from an abused, aimless and desperate young man who attempted suicide, to God's intervening love and his conversion to Christ, and his road to finding his purpose as an evangelist and apologist for the Christian faith---who has influenced many in the intellectual and political world to accept Christ as savior because of his gift for explaining the Christian faith in terms that make philosophical and logical sense.

    A compelling and inspiring read.
    ”

    MLAlex wrote this review Tuesday, November 24 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • Along for the Ride
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Auden, recently graduated from high school, goes to live with her father in small beach town Colby during the summer and finds herself on a quest to do many of the things she missed out on while growing up. Thoroughly enjoyed this one because Dessen's characters have depth and are believable. She paints Auden's struggles in her relationships with her family and friends with realism and deep color. Also, Auden's venture into her first real romantic relationship will hook many female teen readers. Don't miss this one!”

    MLAlex wrote this review Sunday, August 30 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • Bull Rider

    Bull Rider

    by Suzanne Morgan Williams
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Cam comes from a bull-riding champion family, but would much rather be skateboarding. But when his older brother Ben, a marine, comes back from Iraq with a traumatic brain injury, Cam trades in his skateboard to compete for the $15,000 purse to ride the monstrous bull named Ugly. Author Morgan Williams has created a unique setting and storyline: Nevada ranching family dealing with repercussions of war. ”

    MLAlex wrote this review Saturday, August 15 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • Sophomore Switch

    Sophomore Switch

    by Abby McDonald
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Very creative premise and follow through. Two college sophomores, Emily from Oxford and Natasha from UC Santa Barbara, literally "change lives" by way of a college exchange program. Although Emily is majoring in pre-law and Natasha is majoring in film, both girls take the other's classes. Also, they have the opportunity to create "new identities" with the other's friends/roommates. This has both it's up and down sides. This story has alot of humor, creativity, and romance. ”

    MLAlex wrote this review Tuesday, August 11 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Boy Who Dared
    • Rated 4 stars

    “I love historical fiction because I can learn so much about real people, times, and places by reading it (my other favorite genre is biography/autobiography). This book is no exception. At first German schoolboy Helmuth Hubener was caught up in the promises and hope offered by the Nazis, but soon recognized the very dark underpinnings of it all. He saw that patriotism meant denouncing others, love meant hate, and speaking out meant treason. He decided that he couldn't keep silent, and began writing and distributing leaflets to fellow Germans, telling the truth about what was happening. Ultimately, he was betrayed and executed, but his inspiring story of courage still lives on. Bartoletti tells Helmuth's story in a series of flashbacks after he is imprisoned. Her writing is simple and will appeal to middle school students and high school age reluctant readers.”

    MLAlex wrote this review Sunday, August 2 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • Market, The
    • Rated 4 stars

    “This is the classic "try to find a way to be popular without ditching your circle of friends, but doing it anyway, and finding out at the end that you were suckered into something that isn't you at all while learning big lessons from it" story with a "stock market twist." Kate, Dev, and Callie are best friends and not in the popular crowd at school. When Kate discovers her 71 out 140 market rating on the Millbank Social Stock Market, her math smart friend Dev talks her into having their fashionista friend Calllie help her do a complete makeover so she can "move up" on the market and perhaps snag her goal of getting noticed by one of the cutest and popular guys in the senior class. What starts out as life-changing, fun, and sexy ultimately turns into a nightmare for Kate, and she wonders if she'll ever have any true friends again. Many teens will identify with the feelings of wanting to fit in and be able to change their social status, and thus sympathize with the main character. Although this book is a bit predictable, it is a good read and the social stock market idea gives it a unique twist.”

    MLAlex wrote this review Sunday, August 2 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Hanging Woods
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Scott Loring Sanders' tale is full of vivid deep South 1970's small town atmosphere and mystery. In the first part of the book he creatively builds background and fleshes out the three teenage male main characters---letting the reader in on the abuse in their lives that so influences their relationships as well as their just plain humorous antics. After establishing this foundation, Sanders main character, Walter, continues telling the story by outlining the events around his accidental killing of his friend Jimmy, which he and his other friend, Mothball, decide to keep to themselves for fear of being charged with his murder. But lies lead to more lies and pretty soon the town's people and the reader are wondering what or who to believe, especially when Mothball commits suicide. This is a gem of a mystery with a classic twist at the end.”

    MLAlex wrote this review Sunday, August 2 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • Saturday Night Dirt: A MOTOR Novel (Motor Novels)
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Even though I'm not a racing fan, I still enjoyed this book. Author Will Weaver's detailed descriptions of things like engine parts and racing moments made me really "see" the action and get into it. I also liked the way Weaver used characterization: alternating the characters by chapter, so that different points of view come through. Even the weather is a "character"! And I liked the romantic elements of the story: the main character, Mel, who manages the racetrack and whose disabled father owns it, is a teenage girl who knows lots about cars. The teen guys in the story seem to all want her attention.”

    MLAlex wrote this review Wednesday, July 22 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • War Child: A Child Soldier's Story
    • Rated 5 stars

    “A moving, difficult story of a boy who was involved in the horrors of the genocide/civil war in a Sudan. Emmanuel Jal is just a very young boy when mass killings by Arab and African muslims begin to take place near his village. His mother and other relatives are killed and the seed of hatred are planted in his heart---he joins the "Lost Boys" and trains to be a soldier despite his young age. His biggest dream is to take revenge on the Arabs who killed his family and friends. Jal's writing brings the reader right into the heart of the action and the feelings he had as a young boy. Readers will feel as though they are seeing what he saw, feel the horrors of all the he experienced and wonder at how he survived it all. The story of how he was saved out of all of it by the goodwill of aid workers who got personally involved with him, and the Jal's tenacity and perseverence despite many setbacks will inspire readers.”

    MLAlex wrote this review Tuesday, November 24 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • If the Witness Lied
    • Rated 4 stars

    “A very suspenseful murder mystery with three orphaned teenage siblings and a very young brother as main characters. Cooney does a good job of alternating the voices of the teenagers as they try to figure out why a overbearing female relative by marriage had completely taken over their lives and house after their father was killed in an accident (which she constantly blames on their little three year old brother).”

    MLAlex wrote this review Sunday, July 5 2009. ( reply | permalink )
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