21
Movie Review

If you like black jack, las vegas, Jim Sturgess or MIT, you'll like 21.
Ben is about to graduate MIT and has been accepted into Harvard Medical School. But there's one thing missing, the money for tuition. In desperation to acquire the $300,000 he needs, Ben joins a covert card-counting team run by his math Professor. But the lure of the money can overcome even the most level-headed people and lead them down a path to destruction.
4 out of 5 stars
Rated PG13
Recommended to everyone 13+

Speak
by Laurie Halse Anderson

Melinda Sordino used to be happy. She had great friends, and school was good. But after she called the cops at a party, she's the most hated girl in school. What they don't know is the real reason she called the cops, and it's something Melinda's never told anyone.
This is a wonderful, moving book. The writing style is different, but very interesting. Melinda is a wonderful narrator, the characters are very vivid. I highly recommend it to teenage girls. 5 out of 5 stars!

A Countess Below Stairs, by Eva Ibbotson

This book is your typical romance, with a lot of history thrown in. The book starts off a little slow, leading the reader to wonder when something is actually going to happen. Nonetheless, it is a sweet romance, with vivid imagery. My only complaint is the writing style. Ibbotson seemed to be trying so hard to sound sophisticated, that I got lost in the verbose writing style.
Anna is young countess whose family fled Russia after the start of WWI. With no money, she has no choice but to work at the Westerholme Estate. It is there that she meets the young Earl of Westerholme, Rupert, who is engaged to woman who appears kind on the surface, put is in reality something far more evil.
Despite its weaknesses, A Countess Below Stairs is a nice read for teen girls. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.