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Friday, October 18, 2013
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Congratulations to the EIRC Creative Writing Contest winners
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| Pictured left to right: Emily Vaughan, Cheyenne Puetz, Brad Prier |
On Tuesday, March 12, Western Dubuque High
School had three first-place students present their winning creative writing
and poetry pieces in front of their families and fellow winners and teachers
from the area. This event was held in
Independence and showcased the work of one overall winner, grades K-12, in two
separate categories: creative writing and poetry. Cheyenne Puetz (10) swept both categories,
presenting her original descriptive narrative “Library Love” in the creative
writing category and her original poem “No More Goodbyes” in the poetry portion
of the contest. Brad Prier (11) also
presented in the creative writing category, reading his touching descriptive
piece “Smoky Memory.” Lastly, Emily
Vaughan (11) presented her original poetic work “Self Taught,” a piece that was
also featured in our Oct.10, 2012 issue of the Westerner. All of the first-place winners’ pieces will
move on to a contest at the state level.
Although this event was held to honor the
first-place winners of the contest, Western Dubuque also received several
second- and third-place winners as well.
In the creative writing category at the sophomore level, Megan Kemp and
Brooke Bockenstedt tied for second with their pieces “One Autumn Day” and
“Tipple Smiles.” Also in the creative
writing category, Larissa Wilming (12) placed second with her piece “Melodic
Death.” Megan Kemp (10) also placed
third at her level in the poetry contest with her poem “I Am Strong.” Congratulations to all the winners!
Art corner with Stephanie Knipper
|
PHOTOGRAPH BY HAILEY KETTERING
Pictured above: Stephanie Knipper (11)
poses with her original artwork “Water Fountain.”
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BY HAILEY KETTERING
Stephanie Knipper is a student here at
Western Dubuque High School who has a phenomenal talent that she developed at
just three years old. She is an artist. Right now, Stephanie is in an advanced
painting class and has completed a piece of
what originally looked like a regular water fountain, but she turned it
into something beautiful. When asked what inspired her to paint the fountain,
Stephanie replied, “I was walking around school taking pictures for an
assignment, and I saw the water fountain and thought the picture would look
cool with the water running.” The piece, without a doubt, turned out just the
way she expected it to.
Stephanie plans on
pursuing art in the future, but she is not quite sure of what kind. Being a
cartoonist is something she wants to try.
However, for the time being, she will continue taking art classes and
will keep at her successful work.
WDHS state bowling champion
INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY DEMAURI NEEALY
Congratulations to our very own Lisa
Schroeder—the first freshman in Western Dubuque history to win state bowling. I
interviewed Lisa to find out more about her experiences in making it to state.
My first question was: “What made you want to start bowling?”
Lisa Schroeder has
been bowling for eleven years. Lisa became interested in bowling from watching
her older brothers bowl. She started off with league bowling; she tried it for
the first time and has been bowling ever since. League bowling is different from
bowling at school because it isn’t as loud; everyone works more as a team,
whereas, in bowling at school, it’s more competitive and takes more
practice. It had to feel great becoming
a champion in only her first year in high school, and I’m sure everyone wants
to know whether Lisa will continue bowling next year. Well, yes, she will, and
she’s excited about meeting new people.
She said, “We’ll lose a lot of good bowlers, but we’ll also gain a lot
of good bowlers, so it’ll be a pretty good year!” It was my pleasure to
interview the first freshman champion of Western Dubuque, and I wish her the
best of luck for next year. Keep up the good work, Lisa!
Student film reviews
Film review of “Argo”
BY NICOLE VALENTINE
“Oz
the Great and Powerful” film review
BY
ROBYN DAUSENER
As
soon as the commercials for “Oz the Great and Powerful,” began running, I knew
that I had to go see this retelling and twist of one of the most iconic and
memorable movies ever made. With the wonderful cast of James Franco, Mila
Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams, the acting abilities in this film
are brilliantly brought out by the director of the movie, Sam Raimi. The cast
and director are able to bring L. Frank Baum’s wonderful character, Oz, to life
and tell his adventurous story.
The
story is set in the early 1900s where circus magician Oscar Diggs (James
Franco) is swept up into a tornado while in a hot air balloon. He is thrown
from the gray and dusty Kansas into the vibrant and colorful Land of Oz. As
soon as he arrives, he is caught in the lie that he is the Wizard that the
people of Oz have been waiting for. This is how he meets the three witches:
Theodora (Milla Kunis), Evanora (Rachelle Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle
Williams), who each have their own ideas
and plans for Oscar. Forced to choose between them, he must figure out who is
good or evil, who is really the Wicked Witch, and most importantly; how to save
the people of Oz from her. In this adventurous tale, the attitude of Oscar
changes and with these changes, he becomes the man he always wanted to be. He
becomes the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz.
A
review of “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher
BY
CHEYENNE PUETZ
In this fantastic
novel by Jay Asher, high school student Clay Jensen is given the shock of his
life: seven audio tapes from Hannah Baker, a girl who recently committed
suicide. On those seven tapes are the 13 reasons why she committed suicide,
leaving Clay with the agony of wondering why he is on one of the tapes.
Throughout the novel, Clay listens to Hannah’s haunting voice and follows the
map that came with the tapes, just waiting for his name to come up. Written
from Clay’s point of view, as well as Hannah’s, this novel explores the
devastating consequences of degrading rumors, misunderstandings and how one
thing you say or do can bring someone’s world crashing down. With the
combination of Clay and Hannah’s voices, Jay Asher has written a beautiful
novel that will stick with you forever and force you to think about your own
life. Rumored to be an upcoming movie starring Selena Gomez, this is a novel
that every teenager and adult should to read.
The Ruess review
BY JAYDE GARTNER
On Sunday, March 17, 2013, I had the great
pleasure of meeting with Mr. Bill Ruess, and his wife, Mrs. Vonda Ruess. We
talked over an assortment of tea and coffee in a small café in Coralville,
Iowa. As the parents of five beautiful children, Bill and Vonda have also been
blessed with multiple grandchildren to add to their growing family. Living a
small town life with a typical eastern Iowa family, the Ruess family seems like
your ordinary musically-talented assortment of aunts, uncles, cousins and
parents. If you dig a little deeper, though, you will find one nephew whose
fame has skyrocketed within the last year and a half. Being the aunt and uncle
of the lead singer, Nate Ruess, from the band FUN., they were more than happy
to oblige in giving me sneak peak inside their family. From what I had
gathered, musical talent has always run in the Ruess family. Take Grandma
Ruess, for example, a lovely 87-year-old woman, who still plays piano and sings
at her church. “She taught us all how to play the piano when we were kids,”
said Bill. The ability to sing was also passed down to her children, and her
grandchildren were blessed as well! This is where Nate must have gotten his
amazing talent. To the Ruess family, Nate is still just Nate. When asked if it
was a weird feeling to hear “just Nate” on the radio, Vonda stated, “It’s still
strange. They play him pretty much back to back now!” The Ruess’ life hasn’t
changed too much since the fame began, but they have been associated with their
nephew numerous times. The Ruess family is a great example of the bond an
eastern Iowa family can share. No matter what happens, no matter where you go,
family is forever.
Senior Survey
Senior
Survey
What are your plans after high
school?
“Being in student sections for
games.” – Lizzy Goedken
“Eventually, all the friends we have
will slowly drift away. It’s inevitable.” – Anonymous
“Everyone knowing each other and
being the oldest.” – Sam Nieman
If you could change one thing
about your senior year, what would it be?
“Get more involved and do everything!”
– Brette Correy
“I would have started scholarships
earlier.” – Ana Barrett
“I wish it would have gone slower.”
– Trevor Then
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Friday, April 5, 2013
A Main Event summary
BY JACOB BARNWELL
The Main Event is the premiere event for the WDHS Show Choirs and took
place on Feb. 23. Western Dubuque becomes a hub of amazing singing, intricate
dances and astonishing effects, including everything from props to a whole
second stage. The talent that was brought in this year was one of the best in
the six years that we have hosted. The event included groups from Cedar Rapids,
West Delaware, Dubuque, Janesville and more. The music brought us from current
hits to a coffee shop to music about war presented to us by Cedar Rapids
Jefferson, who was the Grand Champion of the event. Kirsten Anderson has hosted
Davenport West’s “West Connection” for three years, and the group made it to
finals. She had this to say, “It is exciting to feel their excitement and standing
on stage when their name was announced was a great feeling. Our event is always
so much fun. When else can I decorate a room to a “Cat in the Hat” theme and
have fish in the school and not get a weird look. I will miss this event next
year!” When 5th Avenue took the stage, Chance Ingles realized he had a tattoo he never
knew about. When the Aristocats took the stage they had special guests with
them, our very own “Ken and Barbie” with their pink Corvette. The day was
filled with excitement like no other. It was amazing to hear so many positive
comments, from the crews of others schools saying our behind-the-scenes
students and staff were the best they have ever worked with at an event to
another gentleman from Janesville saying it was the best food they have eaten
at an event. Bravo Aristocats! Bravo 5th Ave! Good luck to the rest of your season and continue to give Mrs.
Tipple and Mrs. Waterman a reason to stand a little taller.
 |
|
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACOB BARNWELL
Top photo, L to R: Dylan McClain (10), Isaac Ehlers (11), Megan
Koehn (12), Conner Mausser (10), Mary McAllister (12), Devin Watters (11),
Dakota Tell (12), Bailey Benn (12), and Trevor Then (12) perform at the Main
Event.
Middle photo: Kirsten Anderson (12) strikes a pose on
stage.
Bottom photo: Lilly Waterman, daughter of Judy Waterman,
and Vincent Recker, son of Vicki Recker,
add to the performance.
|
Prom: the biggest senior event besides graduation
BY GABI SCHANER
Since
our last update, nothing has changed, but we do have a bit more information.
This formal dance will be held on April 27, so dress to impress and dance the
night away with your friends!
A special thanks is in order for some of the prom committee that
helped make this all happen: Rachel M. Demmer, Rachel Hoeger and Regan Hoefler.
Thank you for putting things together to make this a special
night. Tickets go on sale April 15. The
prices are as follows:
$22—combo (prom & after prom)
In advance = $16—prom, $9—after prom
At the door = $20—prom, $10—after prom
After prom will include the hypnotist Bryan Imbus, and ice cream
will be provided. Note: you do not have to attend prom to go to after prom!
Want to know about the after prom prizes? They will be drawing winners for:
Senior Banner, a 3’ x 2’ class picture, tickets to a concert at the fair this
summer, cameras, kindles, a 32’’ Emerson television, printer, a DVD player and
prizes from local businesses. “Everyone should go home with a generous gift,”
said Mr. Danner, Student Council Advisor and Prom Committee Director.
Play the game!
BY BROOKE BOCKENSTEDT
This year, Western Dubuque High School will be presenting the
musical “Clue.” Performances are Friday and Saturday, April 19 and 20 at 7 p.m.
There is also a Sunday matinee at 4 p.m. “Clue” is being directed by Ms.
Jennifer Maki, a Lawther Academy teacher. When asked why she chose “Clue,” Maki
said, “It’s not done a lot around this area, and I thought it would attract an
audience. There’s a cramped timeline, and I really want to make strong
characters; we don’t really have time for a large chorus, so I want to focus on
the main eight.” The eight characters are Mr. Boddy (Devin Watters, 11),
Professor Plum (Trevor Then, 12), Mr. Green (Marcus Ingles, 11), Colonel
Mustard (Chance Ingles, 12), Mrs. White (Ali Brown, 11), Miss Scarlet (Brooke
Bockenstedt, 10), Detective (Kirsten Anderson, 12) and Mrs. Peacock (Brianna
Kennedy, 12). The musical follows the board game; the audience and Detective
must find out which of the six players killed Mr. Boddy. With its multiple
endings, “Clue” is sure to keep the audience on their toes. For a night of
passion as well as mystery, come play the game, and see if you have what it
takes to find a murderer in Western Dubuque’s showing of “Clue.”
Boys and girls track hurdling their goals for 2013
BY MADELINE
CLARK
After the
start of track practices, Western Dubuque’s teams begin to fall back into the
groove of running and field events. From sprinting the 100-meter dash and
running the 4 X 800 meter run to leaping over the high jump bar, athletes are
getting in shape and readying for this year’s round of meets. All of these
events add training for the ultimate goals: the Drake Relays and State
2013.
“These
first weeks of practice the athletes have worked hard,” says boys track coach
Ben Ressler, “We’re excited to put this hard work in the upcoming meets.”
Ressler states that the outlook for the boys this year looks good, considering
the numbers compared to other years. “Some talented seniors did leave us last
year,” admits Ressler, “but the seniors, juniors, and sophomores, as of now,
represented well at Drake and state last year, giving them the experience they
will need.” Their goals this year are to win 5 meets, qualify two events for
Drake and 12-15 events for state, place in the top three at the district meet
and medal in three of those events.
“Just like
anything, you want to put your athletes in the best spot for their success,”
says girls track coach Mark Digmann. “This year we’re looking better all
around, but there will be tougher competitors in the 4A division,” states Digman.
“We won’t be as dominant as last year, especially in the field events, where we
lost our top placers.” The girls’ goal this year is to improve their
speed. They would also like to win a
conference title and qualify for state and Drake.
For the list of all the track meets or more information, please
visit http://wdhs.wdbqschools.org/?PageName='Sports'&SportID=12751
Bobcat tennis update
BY MARIAH BALMER
The 2013 Bobcat tennis season has started off a little chilly with both the girls and boys teams being forced to practice inside, but Coach Kurt, the girls tennis coach, and Coach Stubben, the boys tennis coach, are hopeful that the snowy weather will not interfere with the season.
The 2013 Bobcat tennis season has started off a little chilly with both the girls and boys teams being forced to practice inside, but Coach Kurt, the girls tennis coach, and Coach Stubben, the boys tennis coach, are hopeful that the snowy weather will not interfere with the season.
Both coaches have high expectations for the season. Stubben is
hoping to win the WaMaC title for the first time in school history. Both teams
have many returning letter winners, including Stacy Kass, Nicki White, Nikki
Neal, Sam Niemen, Chris Dempsey, Lucas Lenz and Jordan Thompson. The girls’
first meet is scheduled for April 4 at Maquoketa, and the boys’ first meet is
scheduled for March 30 at Prairie. Both coaches are looking forward to the
season, although they get smacked by flying tennis balls everyday. Coach
Stubben is specifically looking forward to convincing opposing teams that Eagle
Point Park, where the home tennis meets are held, is also a bear preserve. All
in all, the 2013 tennis season should be a good show of fun!
Creative writing corner
Graduation Poem
BY TRISHA BLOCK
Your
time has finally come.
We
are ready to see what you become.
You’re
standing high above the ground.
Don’t
look back; don’t turn around.
Talking
with your friends about the “remember when...”
You
have grown; you’re not who you were then.
They
call your name, and the nerves set in.
You
realize this is it; you win.
This
is what you have worked hard for.
It’s
time to open that new door.
You
stand in front of a crowd.
Parents,
classmates, cameras are all around.
They
give you the paper they call a diploma.
You
shake teachers’ hands and hug your ma.
Your
high school years are done.
You
tackled this mountain and won.
Good luck to you
in
the things you will do!
Don’t Cry
BY GABI
SCHANER
Please,
Don’t cry.
Because
I’ll cry,
If
you cry.
Your
sorrow is mine,
So
please don’t cry.
I’m
here to listen.
I’m
here to hear your every word.
Don’t
let those tears fall
Because,
then, so will mine.
If
you really,
Honestly,
Need
to,
Tell
me,
Because
I’ll cry with you
Until
your tears subside.
So,
please don’t cry
Unless
you have to
Because
you’ll have me here,
And
you’re always safe with me.
Saving the Girl Scouts
BY NELLIE WELSH
The Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois are in an
uproar. The four beloved camps: Camp Little Cloud, Camp Conestoga, Camp
L-Kee-Ta and Camp Tahigwa, of this council are in danger of being sold. The
camps are losing money, but that is not all that would be lost if they close
the camps. At camp, girls learn independence and self-confidence that they can
use in the real world. The council has been told that the camps do not fit the
needs of the girls, but this is far from the truth. The camps exceed what the
girls should need for a week at summer camp. They do not need air conditioning
or flushable toilets, and not all the camps have that. Girls do not need these
things; they are a want.
Girl Scouts learn a range of things. By the time girls are 10,
they know how to start a fire and cook on that fire. Girls learn how to send
letters and keep in touch with nature. The Camp Little Cloud in Dubuque County
is used year round by troops, boy and girl, and by the Drexler Intermediate
Middle School in Farley. Camp helps girls become family oriented because
everything at camp is done in groups. By the end of the week, everyone is a
family. Not to mention, Girl Scouts looks great on a college resume. The
problem is, if the Girl Scout camps close, the closest Girl Scout camp in Iowa
is at least three hours away.
On March 7, there was a Dubuque County meeting for girls and
parents to plea their case to the council. Mariah Balmer was one of the girls
in attendance. Mariah, a camper of 11
years, was one of the girls who spoke at the meeting on her views of the sale.
“[At the meeting,] we all sat around and answered four questions and then
discussed the questions. One of the questions was ‘does the camp meet the needs
of the girls?’” Mariah then went on to tell how it does meet the needs and
more. “Girl Scouts helped me prepare for the real world,” Mariah said.
There are multiple petitions going on to save the camps. “There is
a petition to change the bylaws to give the girls a vote on the council,”
Mariah said. “The only requirements are to be a registered Girl Scout (cost is
$12) and must be over 14.” There are many other petitions and ways to help the
cause. Anyone can help by sending letters to the council, sending articles to
the paper or just following the Facebook page. There is no limit to the things
Girl Scouts can do because they are considerate, caring, courageous and strong.
WDHS blood drive: a success
BY REBECCA WEBER
The WDHS blood drive, organized by the FBLA, was held on March 13,
2013. This event was the event the club chose to sponsor as their community
service project; it will also assist them in raising money for their state
competition. During the WDHS blood drive,
there were 120 people signed up. The goal for the blood drive was to get about
100 units of blood, but WDHS was able to get 106 units. This year, the FBLA has
a state leadership conference; 24 members of the group will be able to attend. There is also another fundraiser in the
works—similar to last year’s hypnotist event—but no dates have been set
yet. Contact your student FBLA members
for more information in the near future.
Academic and Artistic Excellence Award Night scheduled
BY MORGAN
TOMAS
Epworth, Iowa—Home of the Western Dubuque Bobcats—will be hosting
an evening celebration of students’ creative and academic achievements on May
8, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. at the high school. The night will begin with an art show
and performance of the jazz band in the commons area; the awards program will
start at 7:00 p.m. in the old gymnasium. A snack bar with refreshments will be
available at the opening of the exhibit. Presentations of awards in all
academic aspects will be featured. The evening’s agenda also includes a
performance by the WDHS speech team and a vocal and instrumental piece by the
music department of Western Dubuque. Awards will be given to students excelling
in the following categories: special honors, departmental and activities.
Keepsake programs will be offered at the conclusion of the evening for
recipients of the awards and their families. Teachers and staff will make up
the committee planning the program. Invitations will be mailed to students
receiving awards and to their families. Extended family, other relatives and
WDHS alumnus are encouraged to attend the assembly, which includes members of
the current Western Dubuque student body.
RSVP is required with the number attending to the WDHS guidance office.
We at Western Dubuque look forward to your attendance of this exhilarating
night of academics and the arts.
All-State speech
BY JARRAKA
ELSNER
Laila Sahir
is the speech team’s All-State qualifier for this season. She performed a prose
piece, “The Children’s Story.” She had
to stand still and perform with voices, gestures and facial expressions of her
choosing while doing her piece. When asked how it felt to be qualified for
All-State in her first year out, she said, “Pretty awesome feeling, totally
unexpected. Shocking!” The All-State competition was held on Monday, March 25
at UNI. The best of luck to our only All-State speech qualifier!
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Senior Spotlights
BY
HANNAH MURRAY
Anna
Spoden
Senior Anna Spoden, 17, is very heavily involved in art classes. She enjoys the freedom of independent studio, and is wonderful at painting pictures and drawing. She is very proud of her artistic and band accomplishments. She has attended the WAMAC Art Show every year, and she is also the horn section leader in band. Something she’d like to say to the younger classmen is “High school really does fly by. I didn’t believe it as a freshman, but really take it all in, and take advantage of every moment and every opportunity you can.”
Kyle John Naber
Anna
SpodenSenior Anna Spoden, 17, is very heavily involved in art classes. She enjoys the freedom of independent studio, and is wonderful at painting pictures and drawing. She is very proud of her artistic and band accomplishments. She has attended the WAMAC Art Show every year, and she is also the horn section leader in band. Something she’d like to say to the younger classmen is “High school really does fly by. I didn’t believe it as a freshman, but really take it all in, and take advantage of every moment and every opportunity you can.”
Kyle John Naber
Kyle Naber, 17, loves math the most
out of all of the core subjects. He enjoys it the most because it is concrete,
not philosophical and opinionated. Two plus two will always equal four, just
how he likes it. Outside of school, Kyle enjoys video games and making videos.
Kyle likes video games because he gets to live the story rather than only
watching them. Kyle knows that although it sounds nerdy, he is most proud of
his GPA. Something Kyle would like everyone to know is he was “forced by a girl
who knows karate to do this interview.” He did not do it willingly.
Student Film Reviews
Film review of “Silver
Linings Playbook”When I first saw previews for “Silver Linings Playbook,” I knew I had to see it; there was no reason why I could miss seeing a movie with such an amazing cast. Starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawerence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver and Julia Stiles, this film, directed by David O. Russell, is a dramatic comedy that shows the fundamentals of having family, as well as friends, that love you through the good times and the bad times. With amazing performances from every actor and a great script, “Silver Linings Playbook” had me smiling the whole time.
Set in Philadelphia in 2008, recently divorced Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) has just gotten out of a mental hospital after having eight months of treatment for his bipolar disorder. When Pat gets out, he is determined to get his life back to normal, and his first step is getting his wife back. The plan does not start off smoothly though, due to the stress from his parents (Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver) and his odd meeting with a woman named Tiffany (Jennifer Lawerence), a young widow who uses dance as her therapy. The two begin to form a strange friendship and soon grow to enjoy each other’s craziness that seems to always be present in their lives.
“Silver Linings Playbook” is not the type of movie that everyone will enjoy, but it is going to be one of my favorites. Keeping me laughing and smiling throughout its entirety, the film definitely deserves its eight Oscar nominations, as well as all the praise it is currently getting.
“Les
Misérables” film review
BY
COLLEEN HOFFMANN
This musical, based on Victor Hugo’s novel, is about events taking place in France during the nineteenth century. It focuses around a man, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), who was imprisoned for nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread. When released from prison, he is chased down by Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe). As he is chased, he meets a bishop who convinces him to devote his life to God, thus leading him on the rest of his journey. The title is accurate to the story and shows a truthful portrayal of life in France during this time, which was far from perfect. There is plenty of hardship, some comic relief (provided by Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen as the Thénardiers), and amazing music. This film features an all-star cast and true-to-times scenery and costuming. Even though some performances are lacking, the rest of the cast picks up the slack. If you are a fan of musicals or historical movies, this is the film for you. Oh, and remember to bring tissues; it’s a tearjerker.
Student Book Reviews
A review of “Shiver” by MaggieStiefvateBY BRITTNEY FRIES
If you were to curl up with a copy of Maggie Stiefvater’s “Shiver,” you would have a difficult time putting it back down. Taking place in Mercy Falls, Minnesota, good-girl Grace falls for Sam, a boy with a wolfish curse that comes when cold weather strikes the town.
Stiefvater’s characters are in-depth and have excellent background stories to fit with them. Because of the characters’ distinctly separate personalities, Stiefvater has successfully been able to change the point of view from character to character when beginning a new chapter. However, because some chapters are rather short, it can seem that the point of view changes too often. Scenes are also occasionally dragged out a bit too long. The detailed description of the settings and characters, though, makes up for that. The reader can almost see what is going on in front of their eyes and hear the emotions in every word. After giving us “Lament: Faerie Queen’s Deception” and “Ballad: The Gathering of Faerie,” Stiefvater has pulled it off again with “Shiver.” The novel has won the 2010 Midwest Booksellers’ Choice Award for Children’s Literature, Amazon’s Top 10 Books for Teens, and Glamour’s Best Book to Curl Up With, as well as many others.
The
story of Grace and Sam doesn’t stop with “Shiver,” though. It is only the first
of the Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy; the other two books, the sequel,
“Linger,” and the final book, “Forever,” are also wonderful books. So, if
you’re in the mood for a story about werewolves and a relationship that is
threatened to be lost, I would recommend picking up “Shiver” today.
“Beautiful
Creatures” book reviewBY COLLEEN HOFFMANN
At
the midnight premiere of the wonderful movie “The Hobbit,” I watched a preview
for a new film called “Beautiful Creatures.” Seeing that it was based on a
book, I quickly bought a paperback copy. I was not disappointed. It all starts
in Gatlin, South Carolina: a forgotten small town where nothing exceptional
really happens. All of that changes when Lena Duchannes moves into town. Told
from the main character Ethan Wate’s point of view, this book takes you through
what happens when small-town life is interrupted by the supernatural.
“Beautiful Creatures” is a stellar young adult story, covering love, loss,
chaos, corruption and a little bit of everything else. I would highly recommend
this book to any teenager who enjoys the supernatural.
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