Jennifer M. Parsick

Jennifer M. Parsick's picture

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Teen Services Librarian

Osceola Public Library

211 E. Dakin Ave

Kissimmee, FL  34741

407-742-8825

History

Member for
1 year 43 weeks
  • Book review: "Shadowcry" by Jenna Burtenshaw - Posted Sunday, May 1, 2011

    Kate Winters ekes out a living with her uncle.  But when their bookstore is burned to the ground, Kate is told she will now be working for the very people who stole her parents from her when she was a child.  Escorted by the dangerous and fear-inspiring Silas, Kate tries to escape before they reach the Council, knowing that once she is in their clutches, she'll never make it out alive and whole.

    Why I picked it up: Dystopian fantasy is really popular right now, and this sounded like a book my teens would like.

    Why I finished it: to see who survives the big battle at the end

    I would recommend it to: those who like truly dark fantasy.  There weren't enough hopeful moments for me, and I found the whole thing rather bleak and depressing.

  • Book review: Rise of the Huntress (Last Apprentice) - Posted Friday, February 25, 2011

    Tom Ward and the Spook have returned to the County to find it overcome with enemy troops and the Spook's home and library destroyed.  Fleeing to the nearby island of Mona, they must face an old enemy, who has grown incredibly powerful.  Certain death faces Tom at every turn - can he overcome the odds?

    Why I picked it up: because it was sent to me.  I never start a series in the middle, and this is book seven in The Last Apprentice series

    Why I finished it: The war with the old enemy takes the entire book - I wanted to see how/if Tom and the Spook would destroy her

    I would recommend it to: fans of the series only.  Too much has happened for someone to pick it up in the middle.  Also, it was more gruesome than I anticipated (there's a scene where Alice's lips are literally sewn together to prevent her from casting a spell).

  • "Flash Burnout" by L.K. Madigan - Posted Tuesday, January 11, 2011

    Blake’s life is pretty great – his parents are still married and love each other, his older brother isn’t too mean, and he’s got a really pretty girlfriend he’s crazy about, Shannon.  Blake is also getting into photography, thanks to his class, where he has a friend named Marissa.  Marissa has some serious problems, and Blake wants to help solve them.  But how far will he go to keep Marissa safe?

    Why I picked it up: A lot of my teens are interested in photography as a way to experience the world, and I thought this would be a great way to see why they love it so much.

    Why I finished it: I wanted to see what happened to Marissa

    I would recommend it to: those interested in relationships, photography, and problems, and those who don't mind an ambiguous ending

  • Book review: Storm Mountain by Tom Birdseye - Posted Monday, October 25, 2010

    Cat was looking forward to an evening with her homemade pesto pizza and her dog Mugs, when her cousin Ty shows up.  Ty has decided that it's important to scatter his father's ashes on Storm Mountain, the very place that he died, and he wants Cat to come with him.  Determined to say no, Cat awakens the next morning to find her father's ashes gone - stolen by Ty.  She chases him up the mountain and manages to keep her father together, but then the weather turns nasty - and it's up to Cat to keep them alive.

    Why I picked it up: because I received it to review.  I'm not really into survival stories personally.

    Why I finished it: I had to know if Cat and Ty made it.

    I would recommend it to: fans of survival stories, reluctant readers, and fans of mountain climbing.  Birdseye puts in enough detail to educate non-climbers, but not so much that they get bored.

  • Book review: Wildwing by Emily Whitman - Posted Monday, October 25, 2010

    Addy, fatherless and poor, lives in a small English village in 1913. When she is forced to leave school and take a place at a local man’s house, cooking and cleaning for him, she is distraught. She is not happy with her place in life, and when the opportunity to time travel reveals itself, she takes her chance with hardly a second thought and travels to 1340. She takes over the identity of Lady Matilda, engaged to Sir Hugh who lives in the local castle. Addy loves living the life of a grand lady, until she falls in love with the falconer, William,and  her fiancée comes home. She realizes that her life will have no more freedom than the one she left. With one last chance to return to 1913, will Addy take it? Or will she stay to be near her love William?

    Why I picked it up: There is a young woman on the cover coming through a picture frame.  The background is dark and stormy, but she looks wistful

    Why I finished it: I had to know how it ended.  Addy was a little annoying at first, but she grew into a better character fairly quickly and I wanted to know how she would choose to live her life.

    I would recommend it to: those who love chaste romances, historical fiction, and those who don't mind a little historical inaccuracy for a good story

  • Book review: “The White Horse Trick” by Kate Thompson - Posted Monday, August 23, 2010

    This final book in a trilogy starts at the end and ends at the beginning. The world is literally coming to an end, and the people in Ireland are just trying to hang on. The Liddys know of another place where they can be safe, but Donal can’t leave all the rest of the world behind to suffer. The only hope for saving civilization is to help people across the border into the fairy world of Tir na n’Og.

    Why I picked it up: Because it was sent to me. I never start a book in the middle of a series.

    Why I finished it: I wanted to see how Thompson would end with the beginning

  • Book review: "The Ivy" by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur - Posted Tuesday, August 17, 2010

    There are lots of fiction books about teens trying to get into college, but what happens once those teens attend college?  This is a look into the average life of fictional Harvard student Callie from California, who's just trying to fit in with her new roommates and their social scene.

    Why I picked it up: I was interested to see what the authors considered an average life for a Harvard student (their bio says they both attended Harvard)

    Why I finished it: Because I had to write this review.  Seriously, the book was awful.

    I would recommend it to: no one.  There was poor characterization, changing POV when not intended, too many characters, varying levels of language and sophistication (I counted 7 f-words on one page, then 2 fake curse words on the next), and no mention of the academic side of college life.  There was also a 20 page (yes, I counted) scene of drug use that had no bearing on the story at all.  Pass on this one.

  • Book review: "Most Wanted" by Kate Thompson - Posted Monday, August 2, 2010

    Marcus is a baker's son in ancient Rome.  When he is handed the reins to the emperor's horse, he doesn't know what else to do with it but take it home.  However, the emperor has made his horse a consul of Rome, and the soldiers are looking for him.  Marcus must decide if he will let his family take the fall for "stealing" Consul Incitatus, or if he will save his family and sacrifice himself to the wrath of the emperor.

    Why I picked it up: I enjoy reading about ancient Rome.

    Why I finished it: I wanted to know if Marcus would be able to return Incitatus safely.

    I would recommend it to: elementary school readers who like horses, or who like reading about ancient Rome.  The vocabulary is simple, the concepts are easy to understand, and Marcus is relatable.

  • Book review: “Sir Charlie: Chaplin, the Funniest Man in the World” by Sid Fleischman - Posted Friday, June 11, 2010

    This is a biography of Charlie Chaplin. It is marketed as a children’s book, but when I was reading, it felt more like a mature teen biography than a children’s biography due to the language (“histrionically”, “decommissioned” “[filtered word]” and “pretensions” are just some of the words found in the first 35 pages). Chaplin’s life was interesting and Fleischman’s writing kept the story moving along.

    Why I picked it up: I’m not a big biography reader, but I like reading about film stars.

    Why I finished it: Because of the photographs. There’s a picture of FDR standing next to Charlie, a photo with Einstein and Charlie, and numerous stills from Chaplin’s movies.

    I would recommend it to: Fans of Chaplin’s work, teens who have to write a report, or adults looking for a quick biography.

  • Book review: “The Goodbye Season” by Marian Hale - Posted Thursday, June 10, 2010

    Mercy Kaplan has high hopes for her life – she doesn’t want to be saddled with kids and endless housework. All she knows is that she wants to strike out on her own, away from her family. When the Kaplans fall on hard times, Mercy gets just that – a chance to make it on her own. But the Spanish Influenza is sweeping the nation, and when tragedy strikes, Mercy must dig deep to find courage she never knew she had as she moves along from place to place. When she finally finds a family to love, will the mysteries surrounding them cause Mercy to lose more than just her job?

    Why I picked it up: Honestly, if it hadn’t been sent to me, I can’t say I would have picked it up. A small Texas town in the early 1900s isn’t really my favorite time period to read about.

    Why I finished it: Mercy is such a strong character. She manages to get up, time and time again, after horrible things happen to her. Also, the small town where everyone tries to take care of everyone else was really nice.

    I would recommend it to: Teens who like reading about strong characters, fans of historical fiction, and those who don’t mind reading a little deeper to really enjoy a story.