The Hunger Games

May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor
The teen movie of 2012. Katniss refuses to go down without a fight. This phenomenal movie and book trilogy has critics, readers, and movie lovers raving about The Hunger Games. And I am Team Gale all the way :)
Review
I absolutely love The Hunger Games! It is definitely the best teen movie of 2012 in my opinion. I went on March 23 to see it and the theater was packed! I was just amazed by the whole movie all together. The cast and crew did such a phenomenal job capturing the essence of the book and transforming it on the screen. Everything looked like it was brought to life. The actors and actresses fit the characters in the book perfectly.  Personally, the people's personalities in the Capitol and the way they dressed was the most mind blowing to me. Their hair, clothes, and make up just took my breath away. Hats off to the make up stylists for that! The setting in the arena was spot on. I really liked how the Gamemakers could just drag whatever they wanted into the arena and it magically burst into existence. I wish that type of technology existed in real life. I honestly can't give the book justice with words, because I'm speechless. You could really sympathize with Katniss because of the heart breaking predicament she is placed in when she volunteers as tribute to save her 12 year old sister, Prim. Katniss as a character and person is very likable. She is bold, brave, caring, and lives by her set own set of rules to protect her family. One thing I like about her: Katniss doesn't pretend to believe the lies they are fed from Peacekeepers and the President, because at the end of the day, she and her family don't have enough food to eat and scrape by with bare essentials. Katniss fends for herself and sticks up for what she believes in. I rate The Hunger Games 5/5 stars!
Summary
Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen hates the world she is forced to live in. Panem basically exists of 12 districts-The Capitol, and 11 other districts that each specialize in something. In district 12, one of the poorest districts, everyone makes do with what little they have. Katniss' dad passed away during a coal mine accident and her mom is still in depression. Katniss is a very talented archer and goes every day into the woods and hunts food for her family to eat with her best friend Gale. Together, they somehow manage to get a little food to run their family. Annually, one male tribute and one female tribute between the age of 12-18 is taken from every district to participate in the Hunger Games. Every year, one slip is entered for each child between the age of 12-18. With the exception that the names can be entered multiple times in exchange for portions of food. The 24 participants are placed in an arena to kill each other and only one winner comes out. A series of obstacles and challenges are thrown at the contestants by the Gamemakers, who design the arena. This merciless competition shows people the price to living in Panem and makes sure that everyone stays under the Presidents control. The day of the Reaping, or when the contestants are chosen for each district, Prim nervously gets ready for her first Hunger Games. Katniss reassures her because Prim's name is only entered once. When Effie, the Capital's representative, reads out four letters for district 12's girl, Katniss' heart stops beating. Prim. Katniss immediately volunteers as tribute to save her little sister. Will she be able to survive? Watch the movie to find out! It is already on DVD :)!
Lessons Learned
The Hunger Games has many lessons behind it, but this is one that I learned. This movie taught me to be responsible with the stuff I use in everyday life that most people take for granted; because somewhere else in a poorer place people had to work to provide the resources. For example, paper towels. I know for a fact that in many households, kids and adults unknowingly go through a lot of paper towels in one day. Especially in the United States. Honestly, I'm one of them. To make that paper towel that people use so effortlessly, somewhere else in the world someone had to cut down a tree for the buyer to wipe their hands once and throw it into the dustbin. How does this relate to The Hunger Games? Well, to understand that you have to think a little deeper. All of the 12 districts specialize in something: medicine, technology, fishing, scientific research, lumber, textiles, transportation, power, livestock, grain, agriculture, and coal mining. Because of all of these items and facilities provided, the people who live in the Capitol have a comfortable life filled of luxury. This is similar to how our world works. The job that one person does is taken for granted by someone with more money. We can stop this by cutting back, using an alternative resource that is more abundant, and give back to the environment. For every paper towel that a person uses, they can plant two trees. All of these baby steps will add up and make a change.
-Sneha

                     

     

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

My Review
After reading and falling in love with Delirium, I thought that Pandemonium would never be able to top the first book. Lauren Oliver most certainly exceeded my expectations! Delirium had such a dramatic ending that got readers hanging on to each and every last word, so Pandemonium was full of action, drama, and suspense from the beginning to end. I personally think that the way Lauren Oliver writes is amazing. I love reading dystopian books because I'm always puzzled and simply in awe by how authors have the imagination and creativity to create another world with such dynamic characters that rebel against society and fight for what they believe in. Lauren Oliver is one of my favorite authors and I admire her because she brought Delirium and Pandemonium, two mind blowing books, to life. The whole "now" and "then" style was a great way to write the book because it gave readers information like clues, in pieces, that is part of a bigger picture. In Pandemonium, a lot of new characters are introduced and a fierce Lena who fights for what she believes in is born. The ending of Pandemonium was very shocking and suspenseful. I am eagerly awaiting Requiem, the third book in the Delirium trilogy, that is releasing in February 2013. I rate Pandemonium 5/5 stars because there's always new, exciting twists that you would would never see coming.
Summary
Lena is half-dead and stranded in the Wilds. It was always her dream to be in the Wilds, but a big part of her picture perfect dream is missing. Alex. She doesn't know whether he is dead or alive. Lena just does what Alex told her before he was shot...Run. She runs and runs, past the border and into the Wilds until she collapses. Nothing matters anymore, because Alex is nowhere to be found. Raven finds Lena passed out and generously takes her in at the homestead. Love makes life  beautiful, but it also makes it painful. Life at the homestead with the Invalids is worlds apart from the perfect, neat life inside the borders. Everything is scarce and rationed here. There is barely any food- not nearly enough with the hard labor everyone does. After a week of resting and recovering, Lena starts learning the hard ways of the Wilds. She does the chores Raven tells her to do and tries to keep herself occupied, so she doesn't think about Alex. Lena forgets the life she had before and just focuses on surviving. After finally getting an assignment to watch the DFA (Deliria-Free America) for the Resistance from Raven and Tack, Lena goes undercover as Lena Morgan Jones and watches Julian Fineman, the youth president of the DFA. She does her job-watches, observes, and blends. One day at a DFA rally, Scavengers, uncureds who want the world to be destroyed, attack and capture Julian. Lena goes after Julian, so they capture her too. Now Julian and Lena are stuck together, but Lena's mission was to watch Julian under any circumstance. They fight together and try to escape. Along the way, Lena and Julian fall in love. But what if the whole thing was planned by people you trust? Read the book to find out!
-Sneha                                      
I love the Book Summary at the back of Pandemonium, so I had to include it in my review because it goes so well with the story. :)

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,                                                                   behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Between The Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Summary!
Delilah is a teenager in high school, and just like everyone else, she's trying to discover herself. In Delilah's case though, things are a little hard- considering that every time she tries to fit in, she just ends up being picked on and hated even more. Her social life pretty much consists of one friend and a bunch of people who hate her for various reasons (including an incident where she broke the head cheerleader's kneecap). Delilah is the type of girl who spends lunch in the library with her head buried in a book. One day, she stumbles upon Between The Lines, a children's fairy-tale by Jessamyn Jacobs. Delilah immediately falls in love with the concept of happily ever after and is obsessed with the fairy-tale. She also falls in love with Oliver, the flawless, brave prince she has always wanted to be with. Delilah knows that this is impossible, but she secretly wishes that, for once, it could be true. What happens when your wishes come true? Turns out that there is more to a book than just words. One book, particularly. In Between The Lines, all of the characters are alive. Every time a Reader opens a book, they are compelled to play the same story and roles over and over again. All of the characters are trapped in a fairy-tale world. Everyone is happy, but Oliver. It makes no sense, as he is the prince and has a royal life with a beautiful princess who loves him very much. Oliver always wishes that he could have the opportunity to live in the Otherworld and explore things the people take for granted. For years, Oliver has been screaming for help to all of the Readers, but no one can hear him. Until he meets Delilah, the most beautiful girl with honey colored eyes. Oliver falls in love with her, because she's different. Delilah can hear him! But what extent will Delilah go to to get a make believe prince out of a fairy-tale? Read the book to find out!
My Review!
I think the idea of Between The Lines is really innovative and fresh. It is definitely different and caught my eye when I was desperately looking for a new book to read. I personally can relate to Delilah's character because she's so down to earth and just wants to fit in like everyone else. The book is written alternating between Delilah's and Oliver's perspective every chapter. That is something that I really love about Jodi Picoult. She writes her books in such a perfect, mind blowing way so you can get a sample of how all of the characters think and feel. Between The Lines appeals to a younger crowd, which is nice because most of her other books revolve around adult topics. I really liked it because I'm 12, but I don't think that teenagers will enjoy it as much. Samantha Van Leer should be congratulated for co-writing a book at such a young age. I would probably rate it 4/5 stars, because at times it seemed childish and boring.
-Sneha :)

Housefull 2

My Review!

Omg, this is the first time I have had trouble writing a review. Normally words just flow out of my mouth, but I seriously don't know what to say about Housefull 2. I usually like watching simple, easy to understand chick flicks, like Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, and here is why I had to settle for Housefull 2. I finally got a hold of the Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahaani DVD and sat down to watch it with very high expectations (because I really like the songs). So...at first the DVD wasn't working and then when I finally got it to play, it freezes halfway :(. The only other interesting movie I had to watch was Housefull 2. I put the DVD in, disappointed that Ajap Prem Ki Ghazab Kahaani wasn't working, and in less than 2 minutes my mood turned around and I was rolling with laughter. Housefull 2 was a very good pass time movie to watch. 

I really enjoyed it because:

-The movie was hilarious

-All of the actors and actresses did a really good job getting into character with their humorous roles

-The movie makes you feel like you know are being trusted to keep the real truth safe, so when the other character's who are being deceived into thinking something else fall for the fake story that they are going to have the richest son-in-law, it makes you want to yell into the tv screen :). 

-I could still understand the story, although I haven't seen the first Housefull movie.

-It was a fun, happy movie with a happily ever after ending

-Housefull 2 is a type of movie that any type if person of any age would enjoy

I rate Housefull 2 4/5 stars because I liked it a lot and it was definitely a good way to pass time.

Summary!

Housefull 2 is a story of 2 brothers who hate each other and have to share everything-including their house, which is divided into two parts. Mr. Kapoor, and Mr. Real Kapoor. The brothers fight about which one of them is illegitimate and legitimate. Their rivalry dates back to when they were both kids, so genuinely each of their families hate each other. Both the wives fight over who is more beautiful and both daughters despise each other. Each father want his daughter to marry the richest son-in-law. They get a proposal from a very rich family, but when the boy's parents go to meet Mr. Real Kapoor things turn into a disaster. Jai's kind father has a heart condition which requires the people around him to talk a little softer. So when Mr. Real Kapoor starts yelling in anger, Jai's dad winds up in the  hospital. Before he had a heart attack, Jai's dad told Jai to agree to marriage. Jai, who has never disobeyed his dad, agrees, although he loves someone else. When Jai finds out about Mr. Real Kapoor and what he did to his dad, he forms a plan. Mr. Real Kapoor now wants his daughter to marry JD's son, who just turns out to be Jai's childhood friend. What started as revenge turns into something way more complicated. This is only the first part of a long, complicated, hilarious story including tons of people...thus the name Housefull 2! :)

-Sneha :o)

"a house full of four beautiful brides, four badmaash grooms, and four bustling fathers."

Directed by: Sajid Khan
Produced by: Sajid Nadiadwala
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Asin Thottumkal, Jacqueline Fernandez, John Abraham, Ritesh Deshmukh, Zarine Khan, Shreyas Talpade, Shazahn Padamsee, Rishi Kapoor, Mithun Chakraborty, Randhir Kapoor, Boman Irani

Step Up Revolution

Summary!
Emily is working her way down the hard path to becoming a professional dancer and arrives in Miami to fulfill her dreams. Although Emily's father, a successful business man, despises the idea of Emily becoming a dancer, Emily doesn't give up. At the beach club in her father's restaurant, Emily meets Sean, who challenges her to dance with him. Emily agrees, stunned by his loose, cool swagger. Both of them steal the show and dance phenomenally together. Sean is the leader of the MOB, which is made up of dancers who want to be heard. They are tired of being invisible in the big beach city, Miami, and start doing amazing flash mobs which make people stop, stare, and listen. After meeting at the beach club, Sean knows there's something special about Emily from their connection and the way she danced. Sean invites Emily to one of the flash mobs. She is immediately amazed and wants to join. Eddie, the MOB's co-leader, gives Emily lead at the next flash mob. After seeing Emily perform, everyone is the group genuinely likes Emily as a dancer and person. Sean helps Emily loosen up and just enjoy dance from a different perspective. Everything's fine until the MOB's neighborhood is going to be destroyed so a hotel can be built in place. Along with hundreds of people's homes, the MOB will loose their practice places which are filled with precious memories. Emily's dad is the project leader and when Emily gets to know about this plan, she has an idea to stop him. Instead of just pleasure dancing flash mobs, the MOB can be the voice for the community and stand up through their dancing. Everyone is on board, until the MOB members get to know Emily's dad is the project manager. Sean and Emily kept this fact from them to avoid complications, but the secret had to be revealed someday. What will happen next???
My Review!
Step Up Revolution was an okay movie, definitely one that isn't so special to be a favorite, in my opinion. I think that teenage dance lovers would enjoy it if they haven't watched Step Up, Step Up 2, and Step Up 3D.  Since I've seen the first three Step Up movies, Step Up Revolution seemed like a repeat. The concept was practically the same, just executed with a different cast. On the positive side, I really enjoyed watching the dances. They were very innovative, fresh, and unique. I think my favorite dance was the art museum one where the dancers camouflaged with the paintings/statues and then mysteriously emerged on cue when the music started. I really liked the glow in the dark ballerinas because the costumes were awesome and they were all very synchronized. The art was also very cool. How the artist could write the MOB so quickly and turn the letters into a masterpiece was just astounding. All of the dancers were amazing and should be commended for their hard work and practice because they successfully brought the dance pieces to life. I rate Step Up Revolution 3.5 stars.
-Sneha :)                                                                                

Directed by: Scott Speer
Produced by: Jon M. Chu
Starring: Kathryn McCormick 
               Ryan Guzman
               Adam Sevani
               Misha Gabriel 
               Peter Gallagher 







                                 

Crossed by Ally Condie

Summary

Cassia has finally managed to escape from the torturous work camps that she has been enduring in search of Ky, but now what? After realizing Ky was nowhere to be found in these work camps the society supposedly sent him to, Cassia becomes anxious and decides to run away. With Indie, another girl from camp, as a companion, both of them escape. With a parched mouth, sore legs, and adrenaline pumping through her veins,Cassia runs as fast as she can through the carving looking for signs of Ky, determined not to let her determination falter. Ky has also been working in camps and has waiting for a change to escape and reunite with his true love, Cassia. Ky takes Eli, the youngest boy in camp, and Vick, the camp head who has been there the longest, the night of a firing from the Enemy and all of them flee. Ky regrets not taking the rest of the work boys along, but he had no choice.
*SPOILER ALERT*
In the carving, both Cassia and Ky cross paths.They discover the abandoned settlement of the Anomalies where they find amazing paintings and piles of ancient books filled with information about the Rising. Will Cassia be able to convince Ky to join the Rising with her? Sweet, predictable Xander has a dangerous secret. What will it be? Read the book to find out!
My Review
Crossed was filled with lots of adventure. A lot of secrets were revealed about Ky's past so you got to know his character better. Innocent, perfect Xander has a game-changing secret. I personally think that the first part of Crossed was a drag on. It's like yeah Cassia and Xander are looking for each other blah blah blah...star-crossed lovers...they can hear each other's heart's beating and thoughts and what not. I mean they're like stranded in the desert trying to find each other. That's fine for a few chapters but how much sappiness? It becomes crazy in real life and boring/nonsensical to read. This drama doesn't end for the first 200 pages and then the endless info about the Rising starts. Crossed by Ally Condie was okay...I didn't really like it cuz it was very boring. At times the book was good, no doubt that, but i don't know...the rest didn't really strike a cord and say like 'wow this book is amazing'. Ally Condie should definitely be commended for writing this book and thinking of this whole other world-The Society. The writing style was amazing again and the book was written with each chapter alternating between the perspective of Ky and Cassia. I really liked that fact and am eagerly waiting for the third book, Reached, to release. I rate Crossed 3/5 stars.
-Sneha   (Reached is releasing 11/13/12                                                                                                

                                                         

Matched by Ally Condie

Summary
"In the society, Ofiicials decide. The person you love. Where you work. When you die."
Cassia has always believed them until her matching ceremony. The day where she would get paired with the person the society thinks would be a good life partner. To Cassia's fortune, her match just turns out to be Xander Carrow, her best friend and the perfect guy-intelligent, good looking, and safe. Cassia has a good, secured future and all the girls envy her for having Xander as her match. Cassia's happy, obviously, with this perfect life she gets to spend with her best friend and is relieved that she wasn't matched to some stranger like all the other girls. This match was unique. Cassia already knows everything about Xander so there is nothing to learn. When Cassia inserts the microcard that every matchee receives with information about their match, something strange happens that will drastically change her life.
*SPOILER ALERT*
Ky's picture flashes for a minute on the microcard, but that moment was enough to capture Cassia's heart. In that moment, Cassia's world turned upside down and her heart did a flip. A matching Official tells Cassia that it was just a malfunction and assures her that Xander is still her match, but Cassia can't believe her. The society doesn't make mistakes. The Official also tells Cassia that Ky is an Abberation, so he can never be entered for real in the matching pool. Abberations are people who have a status below Citizens; they disobeyed the society somehow. Wondering why Ky's face was really on her microcard, Cassia rushes to her grandfather for help. Cassia's wise grandfather is about to turn 80, the day where all citizens die. On the day her grandfather is going to die, his 80th birthday, he gives Cassia a poem that is not included in the 100 poems. Puzzled, Cassia starts to doubt the society. Xander and Ky are friends, so when Cassia goes to hang out with Xander, her future match, she often sees Ky. Intrigued by his sad, troubled demeanor, Cassia is surprised to see his softer side. Every new thing she learns about Ky makes her want to know more. Ky is different. He knows how to write and paint, a skill no one else knows how to do. In the society, citizens are only allowed to use ports, scribes, and readers and view the Hundred paintings, stories, and poems. Ky and Cassia fall in love. But who does Cassia choose: Ky or Xander?
My Review
I really liked Matched by Ally Condie. The writing style was so captivating and vivid. I was hooked on the concept of the story and practically devoured the book. I think that Matched was amazing until the last 20 pages where things started to get confusing. I would rate Matched 4/5 stars because the ending could be improved.
-Sneha =)

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Summary!
Imagine a world where love was a disease. A world where "They" choose your husband for you. A world where you are forced to get cured when you turn 18 from this disgusting, infectious, deadly disease, forced to let scientists give you the cure and change you into a totally different person. Ever since the United States closed the country borders and perfected the cure, the county and its people have been safer and happier. Seventeen-year-old Lena Haloway has been counting down days and eagerly waiting until her eighteenth birthday when she would get the cure; finally be cleared of this infectious disease coursing through her blood. Everyone says the cure makes you wise and sensible. Lena has blindly believed them until she met Alex, who opened her eyes to another world just waiting to be explored outside of the borders. There are people who live outside of the borders in the Wild, invalids. Everyone has been taught to look down upon the invalids. Invalids are used to scare everyone into believing the foundation of lies that the society is built upon. Invalids, resisters, and sympathizers scorn the cure and simply refuse to let their lives be taken in someone else's hands when they just stand and witness it. Lena, a typical goodie goodie, does something out of the ordinary: she falls in love.
*SPOILER ALERT* DO NOT PROCEED READING IF U DON'T LIKE SPOILERS! :)
After meeting Alex, an Invalid, Lena realizes how many lies "They" have told society to make everyone accept the cure. The cure leaves a three pronged scar on your neck. Alex goes back in forth from the Wild and into the states. He simply forged the scar with something sharp. This thought has never even occurred to Lena because her mind along with many others' has been poisoned with lies. Alex amazes Lena and both of them fall in love. Lena's mother committed suicide (or so Lena thinks) when Lena was 6, because she was crazy with deliria when her husband died from cancer. Lena can deal with the looks of pity people give her, but she can't believe the fact that her own mother sacrificed her. As days quickly fly by, it's almost time for Lena's cure. Alex and Lena decide to escape to the Wild where they can live live on their own record.
My Review!
I loved Delirium by Lauren Oliver!!! It was superb! I devoured the book in less than three hours! The writing  style was so descriptive and I just think that Lauren Oliver simply did a beautiful job capturing the story. I was a little disappointed by the ending, I thought that the book would end on a better note, but it was very sad...I won't spoil the whole ending but the book is definitively worth reading. It is just the last chapter that let my high hopes drop a little bit. I rate Delirium 4/5 stars and recommend it to all tweens and teens.
-Sneha

Vacation Time!

Hi! I'm going to India for a month, so I might be a little slow at posting book and movie reviews, but I will try my best! I'm probably going to watch some new movies so I will definitely try to post reviews as soon as I can! If you have any suggestions on some good Hindi/English movies feel free to email me at sparklesneha@yahoo.com! I know that they have a lot of awesome bookstores, so I will try to look for some good dystopian books :)! I can't wait to go to India and shop till I drop! <3 Thanks for the consideration!
-Sneha

Ishaqzaade

Summary
Ishaqzaade is a romantic drama about Parma and Zoya, a story about two opposites that attract. This isn't your classic sappy love story, it's a love story with a fight. Parma is the rowdy grandson of Chauhan, a violent, rude man running for a poltitical position in Almore, a small town. His father died and Chauhan always tries to put Parma down, saying he's not capable of doing anything because he is the son of a widow. Zoya, on the other hand, is the sweet, adorable daughter of the Qureshis who is loved by everyone in the joyful household of protective, loving men. Both Parma and Zoya have grown up hating each other's families. The Chauhans and Qureshis are always trying to ruin each other. Their strong rivalry dates back generations. Both political families have the same goal- to win the public's support, love, and trust. After humiliating Zoya in public at a Diwali party by pointing a gun at her head, Parma narrowly escapes from audacious Zoya and her strong brothers. At a public speaking when Zoya is giving a speech, Parma stoops very low in his attempt to defame the Chauhans and pees on Chauhan's picture. Zoya slaps Parma in public and this is where his master plan starts... After realizing his mistake, Parma begs for forgiveness from Zoya and both of them fall in love with each other. They secretly meet and get married. 
*SPOILER ALERT* 
Now this is where the story gets interesting and complicated. Parma doesn't really love Zoya. All of this was a cheap act to humiliate Zoya and disgrace her family. Zoya is heartbroken and can't believe that she was decieved. Parma took advantage of her true love and took it as an opportunity for their family to win the elections- by getting revenge for one slap, Parma ruined Zoya's life. Zoya's sadness turns into anger and revenge and she sets out to kill Parma. She is stopped by Parma's mom who comforts and talks sense into Zoya, disgusted by her son's cheap act unlike Chauhan and the rest of the family who are celebrating Zoya's destruction and their defeat. When Chauhan realizes Parma's mom is hiding Parma and Zoya, he kills her in anger. Parma's mom's last wish was for her son to repent for his mistake. Parma who loved his mother very much accepts and flees with Zoya to protect them. Parma finally sees how much he has hurt Zoya and falls in love with her, this time for real. After seeing how much Parma regrets his actions, and forgives him. They encounter several hardships and difficulties, but still get through them with their strong love. The Chauhans and Qureshis join forces to kill Zoya and Parma. Not only because both of them were dishonest with their families, but because their political careers are ruined because a Muslim and Hindu were married. In the end,  when Parma and Zoya are highly outnumbered with at least 50 armed men to two, they kill each other, saying that they would rather die by love instead of hatred. 
My Review :)
I loved Ishaqzqaade! It was sooooooooo good! <3! I think it was a really good modern take of Romeo and Juliet. Everyone acted really well and the story was breathtaking. Ishaqzaade is the debut film of actress Parineeti Chopra. For her first film, she did an amazing job. It was also a tribute to all of the young people who died when they married out of their religion and caste. I think that the idea is so noble itself. I rate this movie 5/5 stars and recommend it to everyone.
-Sneha :)

Starring: Arjun Kapoor
             Parineeti Chopra
             Gauhar Khan

Directed by: Habib Faisal

Produced by: Aditya Chopra

Written by: Aditya Chopra & Habib Faisal

Perfect by Sara Shepard (Mini Review)

My Review
I am not a big fan of the Pretty Little Liars book series and did not enjoy reading Perfect by Sara Shepard. Here's why:

*I found it extremely boring- I fell asleep twice while reading this book! That's a first! I am the type of person that never naps in the day and always finishes a book before sleeping- i hate leaving a book halfway. But something about Perfect got me really disinterested and yeah...

*To me, I personally felt like the book kept dragging on and on. There was nothing really exciting...

*It was very sleazy and inappropriate, and even if u ignore that part, its not worth just reading it for the suspense because no secrets were revealed!
I really did not like Perfect at all. Sara Shepard should be congratulated for writing a series that is so unique, but for me it didn't work. I think that the idea is great and it could be a whole lot better if their was more mystery and they gradually revealed more secrets. I picked up the first Pretty Little Liars book because I was hooked on the abc family show and really wanted to know who A was. That didn't happen and I was very disappointed. The book is totally different than TV show. The series started going downhill from the first book. The first book, Pretty Little Liars, really good and captured my interest, so I kept on reading. Flawless, the second book, was alright and I thought slowly that the books would get better and follow the TV show storyline. Unfortunately, that's not what happened. I was really disappointed by Perfect and am not going to continue reading the next book of the PLL series. :( I rate Perfect by Sara Shepard 1/5 stars and would not recommend it to anyone.
-Sneha

Flawless by Sara Shepard

Summary
Everyone is a suspect. In the expensive, luxury town of Rosewood where people strut around in the latest Gucci and Prada fashions, own huge mansions, and lead perfect, fun lives, who could be troubling Aria, Hannah, Emily, and Spencer as A? As if these four girls don't have enough to deal with, A is blackmailing them using their deepest, darkest secrets. The question is, how is that possible if they only told Ali these secrets and she's dead? Everywhere they go, someone's watching. And that someone is dangerous, they murdered Alison De Laurentiis. Who knows what A is capable of doing to these four girls who danced to Ali's tunes on command. One secret is haunting them all: The Jenna Thing. In Flawless, more secrets are unearthed about the night that Jenna was blinded. Someone wanted revenge on Ali for doing that and all of the girls think it's Toby Cavanaugh. Toby came back to Rosewood at the same time they started receiving mysterious texts and it can't help but seem suspicious. But, Aria, Hannah, Emily, and Spencer have caught the wrong culprit. If only they realized before wasting their time when the real person is roaming free with their secrets.
My Review
I really liked Flawless because:

• It was very mysterious and filled with lots of suspense
• It took lots of twists and turns that filled the book with lots of excitement
• The chapters were alternating between the perspectives of Aria, Spencer, Emily, and Hannah which was nice because you could see every character's personality and hear their thought
• More secrets were revealed :)

Overall, Flawless by Sara Shepard was really good. It continued from where the first book of the Pretty Little Liars series left off and was mainly about "The Jenna Thing". I would recommend Flawless to any teens into young adult mystery. I rate it 4/5 stars, because there it always room to improve and it wasn't like "omg, this is the best book ever <3" so yeah!
-Sneha =)

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Summary
Suspense. One day, three years ago, Alison De Laurentiis mysteriously disappeared. She left the other four girls in their popular posse to fend for themselves in high school. She left her too-good-to-be-true popular life which all girls dreamed about. She left her family. She left behind shocking secrets.  For years Aria, Spencer, Emily, and Hannah have been trying to move past their best friend's tragic disappearance. Of course they grieved for Ali, but inside, all four girls were relieved. The girl who criticized your outfits, called you fat or uncool, made you do everything she wanted to do, made fun of your crush, was the most popular, the prettiest...and so on, was gone. It's strange. In middle school, when Ali, Aria, Spencer, Emily, and Hannah became friends, all of them were dying for Ali's attention. She made them feel special and loved. All four girls obviously miss obsessing over the latest name brand fashions and ruling the school, but now they were trying to discover themselves. Just when they thought their lives were becoming somewhat "normal" Aria, Spencer, Emily, and Hannah start receiving random texts with their deepest secrets from A. After Ali's disappearance, these four friends who stuck together like glue, started drifting apart. Hannah started hurting herself to become thinner and was now one of the prettiest girls. Aria tried to deal with her parent's divorce and her complicated relationship with her English teacher, Ezra. Emily tries to deal with her competitive swimming life and her confusing interest in girls. Spencer tried to match and outdo her perfect sister, Mellisa, in academics and extra-curricular activities. Ali's dead body is found buried under the concrete of her backyard. At Ali's memorial, all of them tell each other about their texts and together try to find out who A is.
My Review

• I <3 Pretty Little Liars:
• The story was really interesting
• From the first word to the last, the detailed writing was very captivating
• I could visualize the whole story, and it felt like the story was playing out in front of me like a movie
• You could feel each character's personality and relate to their stories

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard was filled with lots of suspense. I absolutely loved it! <3 The book's concept is very unique and captured my interest. I love the show Pretty Little Liars on abc family which airs once a week at 8 pm on Tuesdays. It is addicting! I would recommend this book to any teenagers. I rate Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard 4/5 stars because it was good but not like "WOW!".
-Sneha :)

The Amazing Spider-Man

My Review!
Hilarious! The Amazing Spider-Man was anything but disappointing. When I went to see it on opening night, I had very low expectations and thought it would be some stupid action movie for guys, but I was most certainly proved wrong. Every five minutes in the movie theater, the whole audience would burst into laughter together, or gaze intently at the screen, wondering what's going to happen next. It was a really fun experience! The movie was a modern teenage take on the classic Spider-man. I rate it 5/5 stars. It was a sit back and relax movie, which is definitely my type (I hate confusing mystery movies where u hve to think a lot) of movie and it still was cool and fresh. I can't wait for the next movie to release! :)
Why I liked it: =)

• Really funny :D LOL!
• Guy and Girl made a good couple :)
• Lots of Action
• Very Dramatic
• The movie left you hanging at the end with lots of suspense!

Summary!
Peter Parker has a quirky charm. He's the cute bad boy character that your parents tell u to stay away from, yet he's super intelligent and pulls excellent grades. Gwen Stacy, his high school crush, is the perfect gal for him: she's pretty, funny, and is an excellent student, typical good girl. Peter has had to face a lot of difficulties in life at a young age; his parent's were forced to leave him with his aunt and uncle due to some mysterious emergency, and they never came back. Peter's dad was a very famous scientist who was a brilliant genius. Not being raised by your parents definitely has to have some toll on your life. Peter was an outcast at school and was always picked on. Gwen supports him and makes him feel more accepted. One day while going through the garage, Peter discovered his dad's briefcase and starts a journey to find the reason for his parent's disappearance. The trail of information online leads him to Oscorp company and Dr. Connors, his dad's previous partner. At the Oscorp company lab, Peter gets bitten by a spider that gives his supernatural powers. Unlike someone else, Peter chooses to use his powers to help catch criminals and make the world a better place. Unfortunately, the police misunderstood him and thought her was helping the criminals or something. Gwen's dad, the police commissioner, is bent upon catching Peter until her realizes his true intentions. Will Peter be able to save New York City and possibly the world from deadly danger involving ginormous lizards? Watch the movie to find out!
-Sneha

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Summary!
Anna Whitt is the daughter of a gaurdian angel and a fallen one. Her mother died in childbirth, like all mothers of Nephilims, or the children of demons. Anna's demon dad is in jail. Anna is very unique and has the ability to see and feel other people's emotions. Unfortunately, she can't tell anyone about her powers. Anna obviously knew she was special when her abilities started to develop, but she doesn't know why or how she can do this...until she meets the intriguing Kaidan, a drummer in the band Lascivious. Anna falls for Kaidan, along with the other hundreds of teenage girls, but here's the catch: he is also the son of a demon. Kaidan instantly realizes who Anna is with his special abilities and helps her unearth her past and discover who she is. All the children of demon's, of Nephilim's, have to work for their dads. In other words, they train in what their dad is the demon for. Anna's dad, Belial, is the demon of substance abuse, or drugs and alcohol. She has always felt attracted to alcohol, but uses the goodness angel half of her to stop herself. The story goes on and on with more complications and twists. To me, Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins felt like a re-make of Twilight with half angels and demons that could sense everyone's emotions. 
My Review!
I really did not enjoy reading it because:

• The book kept dragging on and on pointlessly
• Story was extremely boring!
• The concept was not written well and it was kinda confusing at times
• Too much sappy romance :( ugh!
• The ending was terrible, it didn't tie the book together at all
• The book just abruptly ended with nothing resolved. 
• It was a total waste of time!

I would not recommend Sweet Evil to anyone. Judging by the cover and summary on the back, I thought it would be a really good book, but turns out it was the total opposite. If u are into heavy romance, then u might want to try this book, but i am warning u it is terrible. Even Twilight by Stephenie Meyer was a thousand times better, and that's still an understatement. Anyways...I rate this Sweet Evil 2/5 stars.

-Sneha

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Summary
Phenomenal.....that pretty much sums up Incarnation by Jodi Meadows in a nutshell! It was breathtaking and the concept was really innovative. Ana is a lonely outlier in Range. Why? Because she doesn't have a soul, unlike the other million souls in Range that are continuously reincarnated and born into a different body. She lacks the knowledge. She lacks the life-long relationships with everyone. She lacks experience. Ana was a mistake and replacement, but no one knows why. Society scorns her existence. Even Li, Ana's mother, thinks she is a nosoul and blames Ana for all the shame she has to bear and for Menehem's, Ana's father's, disappearance. Li hates Ana and treats her very bad. Ana, eager to get away from cruel Li, goes on a quest to find the reason to her existence. Along the way, she runs into some difficulties. Well, difficulties would be an understatement...you'll find out, I don't want to ruin it so that's all I'm gonna say. But, on the positive side, Ana meets Sam and both of them fall in love. Will they be able to fulfill Ana's quest, change everyone's view on Ana, and stay alive? 
My Review
Personally, I really loved Incarnation! As I said before, just the concept captured you. You can connect with Ana's personality and her bold, unique character. She's fighting to discover herself. Everyone rejects Anna, but still her flame of persistence never dies down even when tested by the strongest winds. Every chapter, you're left  hanging wondering oh my gosh, what's gonna happen next? Jodi Meadow should definitely be congratulated for thinking of such a story. Her writing took the book to a whole nother level. It seriously felt like the book was a movie playing out in front of you like a movie! I rate it 4/5 because it had kind of an open-ending and I wish it had a better closing to tie the whole story together, so yeah. But that's only my opinion. I know a lot of people who love open endings, but to me they are just annoying both in movies and books. It feels like the story ended too abruptly. Anyways, the book was amazing and I would recommend it to all tweens and teens. If you're into soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger, this book was meant for u! I love the cover! <3 It ties into the story really well! :)
-Sneha

Bunheads by Sophia Flack

Summary
She slips on her shimmery sequin covered costume, dabs a heavy layer of make-up on her face, and sweeps her lush blond hair into a bun. Now she was ready to hit the stage! After that transformation, Hannah Ward wasn't a regular girl you could find strolling the bustling streets of New York in jeans and a tee, she was a sophisticated bunhead who was representing and showcasing the talent of the Manhattan Ballet Company, one of the most respected, competitive ballet schools in the world. Hannah breathes and sleeps ballet, it's literally her life. She hasn't been to high school, had a boyfriend, or stressed about SATs. Everything Hannah did was focused on ballet. She moved to New York alone when she was 14 to pursue her dream as a dancer. Obviously, it was hard for Hannah to leave her parents, but this was her goal in life. That ten minutes on stage and reaction from the audience paid for the blistered feet, throbbing muscles, harsh corrections, and grueling practices. What she experienced on stage couldn't be explained in words, she was a beautiful ballerina. One night, Hannah met Jacob in her uncle's restaurant, and she suddenly starts to see life from a different perspective. Hannah realizes that there was a whole other world of happiness outside of the Manhattan Dance Company. She questions the company's slogan "Don't think, just dance" and starts to discover who she really is. Zoe, Daisy, Bea, and Hannah have relied on each other to get through the intense training. Apart from being best friends, they were each other's competition- the opportunity that prevented one girl from getting a solo, another girl got. That's just how the dance world is, everyone's replaceable. From a young age, Hannah was taught to dance as if each step was her last. Otto, the casting director, was starting to look for performers to dance in his new ballet. This was an amazing opportunity and  Otto chose Hannah and Zoe, a spoiled, rich, obnoxious girl, to learn the part-but only one of them could perform it. 
My Review
Overall, I really liked Bunheads! Sophie Flack did an excellent job capturing her amazing experience in 291 pages and should be commended for doing this. I would recommend Bunheads to any girl who had an interest in dance or who is a dancer. I think I could really relate to the story, because I am a dancer and know the stress and stuff, obviously not at Hanna's level, but I liked it. I rate it 3/5 stars! :)
-Sneha

Mod

My Summary!
Mod is a heartfelt movie about Aranya, a watchkeeper, who falls in love with Andy, her classmate from 10B. Aranya's life was very boring before she met Andy; her dad who was addicted to alcohol loves her, but can't stop drinking ever since her mom left them. Aranya also works part-time at her Aunt Gigi's restaurant and slaves hard to pay off their loans. One day Andy showed up at Aranya's doorstep with a wet watch. Every day since then, Andy dunks his poor watch in water, brings it to Aranya for repair without saying anything, and folds the 100 Rs in an origami swan. Intrigued by Andy's unique personality, Aranya and Andy start hanging out together and fall in love with each other. One day Aranya spots Andy in a market and calls out to him, but he keeps on walking, ignoring her. Wondering what happened, Aranya follows Andy only to see him walk into a mental asylum. 
*SPOLIER ALERT*
Here comes the twist... Aranya finds out that Andy is really Abhay. Abhay has a mental identity disorder-his brain doesn't know if he is Abhay or Andy. Abhay got this disorder from the shock of his best friend, Andy's death. Andy was really in love with Aranya and one day Abhay, who was also in love with Aranya, jokingly called Andy a coward. Andy said he wasn't a coward and tried to jump from a rock into a stream to prove it. He couldn't muster up the courage and slipped on his way down from the rock. He was killed on impact of the fall. Abhay, who was just joking, blamed himself for Andy's death and his brain couldn't handle the trauma. All of this was hard for Aranya to handle. What was her fault? She just fell in love. After listening to Gigi's advice with a calm mind, she decides she still loves Abhay and determinedly decides to cure him.
My Review!
I did not enjoy Mod. It was creepy and just plain weird. The first half of the movie, is a total drag on and the second half was just weird and did not make any sense to me. I would not recommend Mod to anyone. I rate Mod 2/5 stars.
-Sneha =)

                                                                             

Director: Nagesh Kukunoor
Music: Tapas Relia                                                                        
Starring: Rannvijay Singh, Ayesha Takia Azmi, Raghuveer Yadav, Tanzi Azmi, and Anant Mahadevan                      

                                             

Brave

Summary!
Audacity. That pretty much sums up Princess Merida's character into one word. Ever since she has born, her mother, Queen Elinor, has been training Merida to become queen. Sick of doing what everyone tells her to, Merida is determined to create her own future and become what she wants to be. Merida is a talented archer and has had an interest in archery since childhood when her father, King Fergus, gifted her a mini bow and arrow. Merida can't tolerate it anymore when it is time for the Highland Games, an old custom in which the first born sons of all the other three clans compete for her hand. She picks archery as the challenge and courageously does something out of the ordinary. Merida shoots for her freedom, representing the first-born of DunBroch. This was something never heard of in all 4 clans and everyone disapproves. As commotion and chaos broke loose, King Fergus entertains the other 3 clans while Queen Elinor has a stern talk with Merida. In a fit of rage, Merida makes an incision in a family quilt with a knife, separating her mother from the rest of the family. Queen Elinor burns Merida's bow. Both haven't realized the consequences of their actions. Merida retreats to the forest, the only place she can be herself, when she runs into a will-o'-the-wisp, or a magical light that is said to lead you to your destiny. The trail of will-o'-the-wasps lead her to the cottage of a witch where she gets a magical cake to change her mother's personality and decisions. When Merida gives the cake to her mother, it transforms her into a bear. This is only the start of an long, exciting adventure in which relationships are tested. 
My Review!
Overall I liked Brave. It was really sweet and the animation was amazing! =) I fell in love with Merida's character; she is really brave and is willing to do anything for her freedom which is really sweet. This movie captured the essence of a mother/daughter bond really well and taught me to listen to my parents, even when you don't agree   with them because they only want the best for you. I rate Brave 4/5 because I am not really a fan of Disney movies anymore, but for kids between the ages of 7-10 this movie would be perfect! :D
-Sneha        
                                                       

                                     

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Summary!
Die For Me is all about finding your true love. Kate Mercier is still devastated from the recent loss of her parents when she and her sister Georgia move to France to live with their grandparents. Just when Kate thought she would never be able to move on, she meets drop dead gorgeous Vincent Delacroix. Both of them love each other a lot, but there is a slight problem. Well...more than just slight. Vincent is not human, he is a revenant, or undead and immortal. Vincent and his "family" of revenents- Charles, Charlotte, Jules, Ambrose, Jean-Bapiste, and Gasprel- can have multiple deaths but they won't really die. But unlike vampires or werewolves, revenants use this special ability to save human beings in danger. Because when they die, revenants can come back to life as good as new in the short time of three days whereas human beings can't. Charles, Charlotte, Jules, Ambrose, JB, Gasprel, and Vincent have all been human, but after their first death they came back to life. So all of them are hundreds of years old, although they don't look like it. No one knows why certain people are relevants and others aren't, you are just chosen. Only a few humans know about the relevants. The immortal clan made an exception and told Kate the truth upon Vincent's insistence. Kate didn't mind what Vincent was, she loved him. They all become really good friends and can trust and rely on each other. But this isn't the happy ending for Kate and Vincent. There are two types of revenants- the good kind that go out of their way to protect people and the Numa clan who kill people. Throughout the book, secrets about Vincent's past and human life are revealed. Both Vincent and Lucien had a bitter relationship in their human life and are still seeking revenge on each other. Lucien is the head of the evil Numa clan and both the good relevants and Numas are bent upon destroying each other. There is only one way to destroy a relevant, kill them and then burn the body. In this fight, Lucien sees Kate as Vincent's weakness. Will these star crossed lovers be able to survive the battle together? 
My Review!
OMG! I devoured this book in two days! It was amazing! Amy Plum's writing style makes you feel like you are really there or watching the book play out as a movie. Her writing is descriptive, emotional, and dramatic. She did a fabulous job with this book. It was something new to read after all of the twilight vampires and werewolves. I would recommend this book to all tweens and teens. I rate this book 4/5 stars, because it was good but not great.
-Sneha =)

A Thousand Words

My Review!
Jack McCall, a rich, famous agent, doesn't understand the value of relationships until a sacred Bhoddhi tree turns his whole life around. With every word he says, a leaf falls off the tree. Dr. Sinja, a spiritual guru, who was Jack's client, has heard a story similar to the problem he was facing and told Jack that when the all the tree's leaves are gone, he will die-or so he thinks. Silence is golden. Unfortunately Jack learns this lesson the hard way. With hand gestures, wind up dolls, and expressions, Jack tries to convey what he feels or wants to say. People obviously don't understand and start mistaking his actions. Jack's life spirals out of control as he looses his job, his family, everything. There is only one solution to his problem: to mend all relationships with only a thousand words, which is nearly impossible. Jack tries everything. He donates to charities, feeds the poor, and is nice to everyone, but there is one relationship that is very important and holds the answer to everything. Forgiveness. Jack forgives his dead father for leaving him and realizes that there is no point being mad over anything because you should make the most out of life and fill it with happiness.
Summary!
I enjoyed watching this comedy because it definitely taught me a lesson and was really funny. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone 8 years +, because anyone younger won't really understand the movie. I rate this movie 3/5 stars, it is a great family movie and only 1:30 hours, that's why my review's short =) Words may be important, but actions are more important.
-Sneha

    Directed by Brian Robbins
    Starring: Eddie Murphy
    & Kerry Washington

                                                                   

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Summary!
Unruly suspense. That's all I can possibly say about Clarity without revealing anything, so if you hate spoilers, don't read on! Clare Fern has the ability to see visions when she touches an object, she can see your deepest secrets. You might think that's crazy, but unlike most of the frauds that claim to have abnormal powers, Clare and her family actually do. Her mother, Starla, can read your thoughts and Clare's brother, Perry, can communicate with the dead. Obviously, everyone thinks the Fern family is a bunch of freaks and torture Clare at school. But on the inside Clare is a regular teenage girl. She's treated like an untouchable and loner by everyone except her mom, Justin, Perry, and Perry's best friend, Nate. Justin, her ex, brought a ray of sunshine into Clare's life and was the love of her life, until he cheated on her with Tiffany Desposito, your usual popular snob, when he was drunk. Justin persistently begs Clare for forgiveness because he loved her and it was an accident, but tough Clare doesn't give in. The Fern family business was to do readings, or tell someone about their past with the powers they behold.  Naturally, tourist love us! <3 When Gabriel Toscano, the detective's son, comes to town, both he and Clare fall in love, it was love at first sight. Victoria Happel, a  tourist, was murdered. The first murder in Eastport for years. Dumbo Justin, coincidentally the mayor's son, is asked by his dad to take up the case. He asks Clare for help to crack the case because he knows she actually has a gift. Clare agrees, because it's the right thing to do. She was so excited to work with Justin and Gabriel, until Gabriel comes to know she was a physic. Gabriel asks Clare to prove she's not a fake by cracking the case. He becomes a total meanie, but still can't stop loving her. What was the reason behind all of this? Everyone becomes a prime suspect, including her innocent brother, who asked Victoria out the night of the murder. What extent can she go to save Perry? Everyone are pawns in a bigger game of chess. In the end, the story takes a twisting turn and reveals the killer. Clare figures out who the killer, but to Gabriel it doesn't matter anymore. He is already in love with her and was only mean in the beginning because his sister was abducted and his mom had gone to several physics, mediums, and telepaths, but they were all frauds. 
Summary!
I think that Clarity was pretty good. It wasn't put of this world, but it was ok...I would recommend it to teens (12 ans up). I rate it 3/5 stars because it was a good mystery and I liked it. Surprisingly, it wasn't confusing. You get sucked into the book and can't put it down. 
-Sneha