From the back cover: There comes a time in every ninja's training when he must put aside his morals and face the truth: ninjas are tools for killing. For Naruto, seeing Sasuke dead, that time is now. Rage awakens the nine-tailed fox spirit within Naruto, giving him the strength to overcome Haku—but can he bring himself to finish the job? As the battle for the Land of the … [Read more...] about Naruto 4 by Masashi Kishimoto: B-
Naruto 3 by Masashi Kishimoto: B-
From the back cover: Zabuza, the ninja assassin, was stopped from his first try at killing Tazuna the bridge-builder—but Zabuza still lives! While the ninjas recover from their injuries, Kakashi puts Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura on a strict training regimen to protect Tazuna's family—including Tazuna's embittered grandson Inari—and prepare for Zabuza's next attack. But the next … [Read more...] about Naruto 3 by Masashi Kishimoto: B-
The Wish House by Celia Rees: C+
From the back cover: Richard has hung out at the abandoned house in the woods during his summer vacation for as long as he can remember. But this year, he discovers that a family has moved in. The father, J. A. Dalton, is an internationally renowned artist who insists on painting Richard's portrait, while Dalton's wife draws the boy into her circle as though he were one of … [Read more...] about The Wish House by Celia Rees: C+
Lieutenant Hornblower by C. S. Forester: A
From the back cover: In this gripping tail of turmoil and triumph on the high seas, Horatio Hornblower emerges from his apprenticeship as midshipman to face new responsibilities thrust upon him by the fortunes of war between Napoleon and Spain. Enduring near-mutiny, bloody hand-to-hand combat with Spanish seamen, deck-splintering sea battles, and the violence and horror of … [Read more...] about Lieutenant Hornblower by C. S. Forester: A
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff: B+
From the front flap: This is a story about love. It's also a story about hate, which is why I left New York in the first place. You don't fly halfway across the world to live with a bunch of people you never met, just for a laugh. I guess if I'd known where it was all going to lead, I might have thought twice about stepping onto that plane. I might have worried a … [Read more...] about How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff: B+