English 9 Book Reviews
April 2013
Second Hour:
City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare is the first book in a Sci-fi/ Fantasy series. Clary, a fifteen year old,
believes she is just an ordinary, below average girl. But, all of a sudden odd things start to happen to her and she
sees things that aren't normal. Clary then meets Jace, a gorgeous sixteen year old boy, who comes from a
different world than hers. She starts to realize that her mom wasn’t telling her the truth about who they really
are and her life isn’t at all what she thought it is. Trying to uncover the truth is just the beginning as she finds an
unlikely companion in Jace, while her best friend, Simon, is unceremoniously dragged into her new life
also. Clary must find out who she should believe, befriend, and fight throughout the epic series of The Mortal
Instruments. This adventurous and amazing book has demons, humor, shadowhunters, romance, and unexpected
twists. City of Bones is a great book for guys and girls and is a definite must- read.
-Emily Shilts
The book Finale, by Becca Fitzpatrick, is the fourth of the chilling Hush, Hush saga. This is the last
book following Patch and Nora’s love story and battle between life and death. Just when Nora Grey, a formally
quiet and innocent girl, and her mysterious boyfriend Path, a fallen angel, think all their troubles have ended
they are forced to make a life or death decision. Nora has to lead a band of Nephilim that her deceased,
biological father left behind against a band of rouge fallen angels, which means destroying Patch. Trying to
avoid a war and the rebirth of black magic they hatch a plan that involves double crossing their own sides. After
the two fake a breakup and meet in secret with any newfound information, Nora finds herself enjoying her new
power more than she should. Nora also finds herself drawn to her new Nephilim trainer, Dante, which forcing
Patch to intervene. After Nora learns to control her thirst for power and repairs a fight with Patch, the inevitable
happens; the two sides go to war. When the Archangels, the highest ranking of angels, come down to break off
the fight, they threaten to chain Patch in hell for dating a Nephil. Will Patch and Nora be torn apart forever or
will they get the surprise of a lifetime in the end? Discover the mysteries of the future in this wonderful fantasy
book.
-Lizz Suo
Imagine “seeing” people or events without physically being there. If anyone found out you could, your
life, just as it was getting interesting, would come crumbling down. This is the life of Karen Connors, a teenage
physic. It is her final year of high school and she is dating the most popular guy in school, Tim, nothing could
be better. Sadly, every time she closes her eyes, visions appear. She is able to see missing kids, which turns out
to be a very good thing later in the book when the daycare she works at is robbed and the infants are taken. A
young cop who doesn’t take no for an answer, Ronald Wilson, persuades her into helping him find the missing
children, one of whom is his nephew. As she digs deeper and deeper into the physic world, her “real” world
starts falling apart. She breaks up with her boyfriend, runs into wicked criminals, and fights with her parents
more than ever, and loses her “friends” at school. The only thing that keeps her going is a vision she keeps
having of a little girl. The Third Eye by Lois Duncan is exactly a mystery lover’s cup of tea.
-Beth Duncan
The book Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck is an exciting adventure and thrilling romance. Kelsey Hayes
is a young and endearing young woman looking to get a summer job to hopefully earn her a little extra
cash. After getting an unexpected temporary job at a circus that happens to be in town, she befriending a
gorgeous white Bengal tiger who she nicknames "Ren" after his original name Dhiren. When Mr. Kadam, a
man from India interested in Kelsey's tiger Ren, wants to take Ren to a conservatory and wants Kelsey to travel
with him she can’t help but to except. But after landing in India she gets deserted with nothing but her bags and
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her tiger Ren. When Ren runs off into the forest Kelsey feels she has no choice but to follow, and what she's
greeted with comes as a great surprise to her. Standing in front of her is a gorgeous Indian man, who happens to
call himself Ren. What Ren has to tell Kelsey is chilling. She's torn. She doesn't know whether to stay and help
and possibly fall in love with this gorgeous man, or to run and get as far away as possible. In this exciting
series, Ren and Kelsey are faced with tasks they couldn't even imagine possible. Throughout the whole book
Kelsey battles with herself over her strong and prominent feelings for Ren. This enchanting novel will capture
your attention and your heart. So beware you may just fall in love.
-Sarah Sylte
Unwind, by Neil Shusterman, is an exciting, thought provoking read. It is a science fiction book about
the United States in the future when life is protected until the age 13, and then the teenager can be unwound, a
technique where their bodies are taken apart, and every part is then given to someone who needs it so the teen
doesn’t technically die. There are three main characters, Lev, Connor, and Risa. They each were going to be
unwound for different reasons but escaped. Lev is from a family whose religion requires them to give up one
child to be unwound, Connor has some behavior problems, and Risa lives in a state-run orphanage that is too
full. Completely by coincidence, they run into each other as they are escaping on their way to the unwinding
camps, and they decide they would have a better chance of surviving if they stuck together. Staying away from
police officers and others who might hurt them proves to be difficult as the book continues, but they find safety
in surprising places. Captured by the police, the protagonists are taken to an unwinding camp during the climax.
Nobody has ever come out of there alive. Read the book to find out if they will be the first.
-Emma Burns
Lisbeth Salander, a fierce fighting, mousy, tattooed girl takes on yet another adventure of a lifetime
alongside ‘friend’ Mikael Blomkvist. Hiding her deepest secrets will finally come back to bite her. Stieg
Larsson’s creation The Girl Who Played with Fire, the second book in the Crime Fiction Millennium Trilogy,
is certainly not something you want to miss. This eye-opening, thrilling, heart-stopping adventure will engulf
you with suspense every time you turn the page.
Millennium magazine hires freelance journalist Svensson, who is working on the story of the year; sex
trafficking. Just days before the book is to be published, horror strikes and Svensson and his partner,
Johansson, are killed in their home. Fingers point towards Blomkvists past lover of whom he hasn’t spoken with
in over a year, Lisbeth Salander. Salander, fleeing to hiding, does nothing to suggest her innocence. She
enforces the mentally deficient, threat to public safety girl plastered all over town. Blomkvist however refuses
to believe Lisbeth’s accusation, alone he will conduct his own investigation and he will uncover the one thing
he has been searching for since meeting Lisbeth. Buckle in for the ride as readers finally find out that long
awaited question from book one; what really is ‘all the evil’?
-Libby Blattner
Living in pre-World War II Japan, future famed geisha, Chiyo, is just a fisherman’s daughter. Chiyo,
always categorized as different with her stormy gray eyes, shares a house with her parents and older sister
Satsu. Soon though, her mother falls ill and passes away, leaving the entire family not only devastated, but
poverty stricken as well. Chiyo’s father then makes the decision to sell her and her sister to local businessman,
Mr. Tanaka. With Mr. Tanaka, they travel to the great city, Kyoto, to find their new lives. It isn’t what they
we’re hoping for. The two sisters are separated, Chiyo going to a geisha house, and Satsu’s whereabouts
unbeknownst to younger sister. Chiyo quickly realizes this life is the same as her old, just a different struggle.
She finds herself lost in an uphill battle, torn between two dreams. One part of her longs to see her sister again,
find her somewhere in the city and run off together, homeward bound. Yet another part of her admiringly looks
upon the beautifully painted faces of the famous geisha, noticing the intricate stitches on their kimonos, wanting
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that glamorous life. Living with one of the top geisha of the time, Chiyo sees just how perfect that life can be,
yet she refuses to forget Satsu. We follow Chiyo as she strives at her dream of becoming a great geisha, luck
against her, yet never believing it can’t be done. Memoirs of a Geisha is a consuming tale of family and fame,
hardships and glamour, and what it takes for a young Japanese girl to get through it all.
-Emily Miller
A truly exciting and extremely thrilling novel, Burned, is all about making new friends and learning to
deal with the past, no matter how hard and painful it is to forget. All Aria, Spencer, Emily, and Hannah want to
do is find a way to escape their malicious and revenge seeking stalker. It's spring break in Rosewood,
Pennsylvania and the Pretty Little Liars are very much looking forward to a well needed vacation. Taking a
cruise to the Caribbean is all they could ever imagine, until they find out their stalker is on board too, watching
their every move and waiting for the perfect moment to strike again. The girls attend their volunteer classes and
make plenty of new friends, all while their saucy little stalker keeps a close eye on them. Throughout the book,
the four girls learn new clues as to who their stalker could be. Receiving texts that are always signed with a little
letter ~A, they begin to think it's their old best friend Ali. Only Ali would know about the terrible things they
have done. The only thing is.... it can't be Ali because she died last year. But what the girls don't know, is killing
them. They want so bad to forget the memories of what they did the past summers. But A doesn't want them to
forget. She wants them to rot miserably in hell. And she won't give up until they have been punished for all they
have done. The events and thrilling adventures in Burned kept me reading, and I couldn't bring myself to put
the book down!
-Alexis Alexander
Delirium is a suspenseful dystopian romance that takes place in the future. It was written by Lauren
Oliver and has a Lexile level of 920. It is also the first book in the Delirium trilogy. In the book, love is a
disease. At age 18 everyone gets “cured” of this retched disease that they refer to as the deliria. The main
character, Lena finds herself counting down the days to her procedure, all she wants is to be cured; until now.
When she was being examined to find out who her match would be, something unexpected happens. Alex
happens. Alex is the security guard who has more secrets than he should. He and Lena end up meeting more
than a few times, and in very unexpected places, like government-banned parties. One night at one of these
parties, the regulators came and raided the place leaving Lena hurt and no one to help her but Alex. After that
party they kept meeting up more and more, infecting each other and falling in...Love. But the days to Lena's
procedure are lurking around the corner. She and Alex hatch a devious plan to escape from the terrible place
that Lena has learned to call home. In the end, Alex has to make a choice that could be life or death. What
would you do for love? After all, “Love: it will kill you and save you both.”
-Hallie Kaczmarski
Animal Farm is a book written by Eric Blair, with pen name George Orwell, in 1946. After his
experiences in the Spanish Civil War, he wrote many stories openly opposing both capitalism and communism.
Orwell wrote this book based on the negative aspects and results of Totalitarianism. The genre of Animal
Farm can be described as fiction, due to the events never actually occurring, and satire, by the close connection
to Communist Russia. Throughout the book, farm animals realize the cause of their harsh treatment and rebel
against their human owners. After running out the farmer, the animals are left to themselves to run the farm and
stay alive, and quickly form a new government, Animalism. A strong dispute between two dominant characters
hinders the advances and success of the animals. Bringing their new government closer and closer to the
recently escaped Totalitarianism, the intelligent leaders of Animal Farm, the pigs, become more and more like
humans as the story progresses. Many political figures and groups from Russian history are portrayed through
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the animals and their actions. The comedy of an animal run farm and the play on a failed government make
Animal Farm an interesting book to read.
-Bailey Wilson
A roller-coaster of events and emotions, Strange Angels is a fun, wild adventure. Dru Anderson, a fierce
and independent teenage girl, has the ability of what her grandmother calls the “touch.” Living with her father,
Dru has a very unique, yet strange task. Both she and her father hunts down and kills zombies, ghosts and other
creatures from the Real World. But when her father gets killed and turns into a walking zombie after going on a
task alone, Dru is forced to find out how special she really is and to figure out who, or what, is hunting her.
Along the way she comes face to face with two guys who are hungry for her affection. Now Dru will have to
battle her way and hopefully make it out alive. Throughout the beginning I was a bit unsure about this book, if I
wanted to continue reading it or not. But with the plot starting to thicken it was hard to put this book down.
Dealing with everyday problems of being a teenage girl, especially since Dru feels awkward in her body, it
relates well to some girls out there. A suspenseful, thrilling book, Strange Angels will have you on the edge of
your seats.
-Ali Feneis
Graceling by Kristin Cashore is an enrapturing book that tells the story of Katsa, a resilient 18-year-old
girl who is the niece of the king, Randa. The story is a classic fantasy, in a world that consists of seven different
kingdoms, each with a ruling monarch. While the realm seems similar to our own, some of the humans have
different colored eyes, which mark them as a Graceling. These people have a special talent, anything from
climbing trees and talking backward to mind reading. Unfortunately, Katsa is graced with killing, so the king
forces her to be the champion and frighten the townspeople. To resist Randa for making her commit crimes,
Katsa creates a council to aid people throughout the nations that are oppressed by the kings.
While running a secret errand for the council, she encounters an eccentric man with the trademark
multicolored eyes. He has eyes of silver and gold, and is always wearing gold earrings and rings. Prince
Greening Grandemalion (known as Po) is thought to possess the grace of hand fighting. Fighting each other in
practice room connects the two royals, though Katsa is suspicious about Po’s true grace. Completed by his
arrival in court, life in the kingdom turns tumultuous. The prince’s grandfather was captured, and the culprit
must be found. With little to guide them on the way, Po and Katsa embark on a treacherous journey to discover
and destroy the kidnapper.
-Victoria Johnson
The book Delirium, written by Lauren Oliver, has a lexile level of 920, is the first book in the Delirium
trilogy. This future story is about a dystopian society that has a strong belief about love and how it is a hideous
disease that must be ridden of. Lena is a 17 year old girl who cannot wait for her procedure that will leave her
generally emotionless to love. It took many years for the society to perfect the art of the surgery that leaves you
with no love for even your own children and a three pronged scar on your neck. She cannot think more highly
of the procedure until she meets Alex. Feelings start growing that Lena had only secretly felt for her mother
who was dead. Alex’s and Lena’s love begins to rise and they both don’t mind that they are infecting each
other. She and Alex meet at banned teenage parties with loud music that many teens had never heard before.
Police raid these parties and cause suspenseful action. Summer seems to go by faster and faster as Lena’s
procedure nears with hands outstretched, beckoning her to end the pain of love. As Lena gets matched with a
guy far from her perfect match she becomes desperate to make her and Alex’s relationship last. But, in a heart
stopping moment it can all be washed away, leaving Lena with nothing but decisions that will change her life
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forever. The danger of romance draws the reader in as the story of Alex and Lena goes on. “Now I'd rather be
infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.”
-Sophie Littfin
Lindsey, a San Francisco homicide inspector, gets assigned to a horrific case. Two newlyweds have
been brutally murdered in their hotel suite right after their wedding. As Leslie struggles to figure out who
committed these crimes more couples begin to die. Getting to the bottom of this will require help from her
closest friends and her new partner. To add to the difficult case, she gets distracted by her love life and a life
threatening illness. The book, First to Die, by James Patterson will keep you on the edge of your seat with all
the twists and turns till the very end. It’s a superb mystery novel with a little touch of romance. First to Die is
even better than other books James Patterson wrote. It still amazes me how he can put himself in the mind of a
women. I recommend this book for any of you crime show loving readers. It is worth12 AR points and has a
lexile level of 750. I will warn you once you pick it up you’ll never put it down till you’ve read every page.
-Sydney Sattler
The Book Thief was written by Markus Zusak. This book is written simple enough for a teenager to
read, but the story is deep enough for all ages. The story takes places in Germany during World War II, and
offers a different look at the Holocaust than most books. A poor German girl, named Liesel, loses all her joy,
brother and mother. She luckily got taken in by a very poor elderly couple who tries to supply her with the best
they can, including the ability to read. Liesel’s love of learning to read and what she will do to continue lead her
on many adventures. While adventuring, she meets a new friend who makes a very big impact on her life.
Liesel’s neighbor’s father and her adopted father get drafted to the war cause. While they are gone, she realizes
the power that words unleash and how to use it. Before the war ends, Liesel must decide where her talents and
feelings are needed.
-Sammy Struss
The book, Eragon, written by Christopher Paolini is a book for people who aren’t afraid to let their
thoughts and imaginations flow. This book will envelop you with all the adventure and action that is packed
inside this small yet fulfilling book. It is about the wonders of a boy named Eragon, and how one simple blue
stone changed his life from being a poor farm boy to a life of exploring who he is and what he will become.
Learning about the ancient language and unlocking the wonders brought unto Eragon, chisels away his past
identity and Eragon realizes his destiny and place in the world. Eragon will take you into a land of wonder and
unknown that will keep you entertained throughout this novel. The story itself will take your consciousness into
thoughts and feelings we do not normally relate to and bring out the inner warrior in you. For me, this book has
sparked the curiosity inside of me and has caused me to ponder what it would be like living in place of the
characters in this astonishing novel. This book has lexile level of 710 but I feel this book can satisfy almost
anyone with a bright imagination. This book fits into the fiction category, but almost becomes real as it lures
you deep into the lives and challenges the characters face throughout their journey. Reading this story, I have
realized the journeys in life and wonders that we can all explore if we just let our inner thoughts take over and
open our eyes to a little change. After reading Eragon, I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and it never ceased
to keep me reading not only this book, but the three others in its series. I would highly recommend this book to
anyone who enjoys a little wonder in their life and Eragon will truly fulfill your interests and keep you reading
on.
-Sam Charbonneau
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A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron is truly a heartwarming book. It starts by introducing us to
Toby, a stray mutt trying to learn about life on the streets. Sadly, Toby’s life is quite short, and he finds himself
thinking about the only purpose in his life before he passes. Suddenly, Toby is no longer Toby. He has been
reborn and is now a Golden Retriever puppy. This little pup finds himself in a doozy when he runs off.
Wandering the streets again, he is eventually brought to a new home with a child to love him. He is name
Bailey, and he goes on many adventures with “his boy”, Ethan. Bailey and Ethan are two peas in a pod;
wherever Ethan goes, Bailey wants to go too. Bailey helps Ethan through tough times in his life, like any best
friend does. But everything must come to an end at some point. Loved for many years, Bailey peacefully passes
again. He is very startled and confused when he finds he has, again, been reborn. It leaves him wondering why,
and we are asking the same question. The rest of the book follows Bailey (this time as a new dog) in his search
to find his purpose. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially dog lovers.
-Madeline Kestner
The book I read most recently and enjoyed was Jane Eyre. It was written by Charlotte Bronte. This
would be any enjoyable book for someone who likes romance, mystery, or classics. The story starts with a
young girl named Jane who lives with her Aunt Reed and her three cousins, who are near her age. Jane’s parents
died when she was young so she went to live with her rich uncle and his wife but when he died Jane was left
with Mrs. Reed never forgetting that she was below her cousins. After befriending one of the servants, Bessie,
who became Jane’s only friend in the Reed house, she was sent off to a boarding school for girls from poor
families. At school Jane becomes a top student and years later becomes a teacher there. She later advertised for
a job as a tutor and was hired by Mr. Rochester, who is rarely at the large manor house, to tutor a girl named
Adel. After teaching Adel for some time Mr. Rochester throws a party at his house, which lasts for weeks, Jane
sees that Mr. Rochester, while not particularly good looking, was liked by high society women. Realizing this
made Jane jealous and she noticed that she was starting to fall in love with Mr. Rochester. She felt like it would
never do her any good because Mr. Rochester only saw her as a friend and confident not a lover. After Jane gets
back from visiting her dying Aunt Reed Jane finds that Mr. Rochester is about to get married. This was
apparently a ploy to see if Jane will care but when she does Mr. Rochester proposes they get married. On the
day of the wedding Jane finds out that Mr. Rochester was previously married and while his wife is insane she is
still alive and it goes against all of her principles if she marries him.
-Melissa Graham
Vince Flynn masterminds an unbelievably brilliant Political Thriller in Term Limits (1998), keeping the
reader’s hearts pounding and mind stimulating beyond the text. Three of Washington’s most dynamic
politicians are terminated in one dark, unforgiving night, with the professional killers disappearing without a
trace. An appalling message is sent to the already rattled American government: set aside petty, partisan politics
and make changes to the national budget that is based off minimizing the national debt or face the
consequences, for nobody is out of their reach- not even the president. The ultimatum leaves the government in
turmoil, but ending the lives of American leaders does not come without retaliation. A joint CIA-FBI task force
is immediately dispatched to conduct an investigation and find the people responsible. Scrambling to get
answers, the joint task force is only able to conclude that the assassins are elite military commandos, but are not
quite sure who these people are exactly and when they are planning to make their next move. However,
freshmen congressman and former U.S. Marine, Michael O’Rourke, may hold some insight into who these
assassins are and their motivation behind the killings. But could this be the big push the American government
needs to be sent in the right direction? Could these assassins lead the corrupt government to making reforms for
the well-being of the American nation over selfish desires? Rollercoaster-like twist and turns pave the way for a
jaw-dropping conclusion that you can’t miss.
Personal comments:
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After reading this book, you’ll never think of the American government the same way again.
The diversity of characters that Flynn incorporates into the book will keep readers of all kinds
entertained throughout the story.
The collage of subplots mixed in tinkers with the reader’s mind through the duration of the book. When
one subplot is resolved another one is just getting electrifying.
Additional information:
612 pages
7.1 reading level
Genre: Political Thriller
Recommended Audience: 13+
Note: This book contains some graphic depictions and appeals to more traditional male interests over
female. (That doesn’t mean that females won’t like the book.)
-Grant Momchilovich
In the thrilling fourth book of the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare there is an
accumulation of new problems for the secret society of thought-to-be-myths. Clary, one of the main characters,
has a multitude of distractions brewing around her as she attempts to focus on her training, as a Shadowhunter,
to kill demons. Her mother is marrying a werewolf, her best friend is adjusting to being a vampire, and her
boyfriend has started avoiding her. The City of Fallen Angels is a book packed with action and romance as it
reveals secrets and threats that were thought dead.
Adding the suspenseful mystery of the fight against ancient evils, there have been mutilated killings of
Shadowhunters. Clary, at birth, had been injected with Angel blood by her now-deceased father, who had been
looking to make a sort of super soldier, giving her have powerful and righteous powers. Her brother, on the
other hand, had been injected with blood from a Greater Demon, the Mother of all Demons. He had been cold
and cruel, but died in battle, though they never found the body. Now the demon that had given him her blood
has come to seek vengeance on those who killed him and bring him back, but she needs two very important
people to help her. The only way to get to these people is through Clary. Demons crawling around the world
have so far been suppressed by the Shadowhunters from accomplishing their evil plans. Now with everything
spiraling out of hand demons, a pure force of evil, have the advantage and are about to take it. Will the good
guys win this battle or will the earth turn into the bloody darkening battleground between the true forces of
good and evil?
-Anna Denucci
The Da Vinci Code is written by Dan Brown and is of the mystery-detective genre. This book will draw
the reader in even if mystery isn’t your favorite genre. The story takes place in the twenty-first century staring
symbologist Robert Langdon who one night receives a phone call about a murder. He quickly joins forces with
Sophie Neveu the granddaughter of the murdered man. This man, Jacques Saunière has left for them a series of
clues to uncover the secret of the Holy Grail. Along the way they get help from Langdon’s friends as well as
confront Jacques Saunière murder along the way. A different group is also looking for the Grail and Langdon
and Sofia must hurry to save the grail, and their lives. However it would be a shame to wreck the rest of the
novel as the twists and turns in code solving and puzzle breaking are interesting. This book loves altering
certain points of history to fit its standards but they are minor and don’t stop the enjoyment of the book. Also if
you enjoy this book there are two more in the series to read at the moment. While it is the second book within
the series a reading of the first is not needed which really helps if you are just starting the series, as I consider it
the best of the three. The book, encouraging reading on its own, also has a movie adaptation as well as another
for the first book in the series as well. So if reading isn’t a fun thing for you go watch one of the movies to see
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what the story is all about. However the movie is not nearly as good as the book and missing some key parts. So
if you’re looking for an interesting mystery book, or just some AR points that won’t bore you to death while
reading check out The Da Vinci Code.
-Austin Haseleu
Beth Revis knows how to capture a reader’s attention. She writes about subjects that appeal to everyone;
whether they know it or not. Science fiction, rebellion, and overthrowing the government are popular genres in
the world of teen readers. In Revis’ Across the Universe, she harnesses all of these in one astonishing book. It
takes the reader on a journey through the perspective of a girl, Amy, hundreds of years in the future. She was
cryogenically frozen along with one hundred other specifically picked humans (including her mother and
father). Earth was running out of life, and the government needed people to start the new generations on the
new planet. They are loaded on a ship called Godspeed, and their journey will take all but 300 years. Through a
mysterious murder attempt, Amy is unfrozen many years too early and nearly killed. Everyone she knows is
still frozen, and the ship’s people are all from the same ethnicity. She is not looked upon lightly with her blazing
red hair and pale skin, while everyone else is tan with brown hair. Through her stay she meets Eldest, the
tyrannical leader of the ship, and his heir Elder, who is rebellious. She tries to find a balance in this new world
of naive citizens whom all participate in wild mating frenzies, and the society that knowingly misleads them.
This is all while more people are being unfrozen. In this story of breaking from society, Amy needs to know if
she can trust Elder, and if she will ever live to see her loved ones again.
-Mya Ennis
The book I read was called L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad. The genre of this book is young adult and it's
perfect for those teenage girls who like to read about drama. L.A. Candy is about a 19-year-old named Jane and
her best friend, Scarlett. After they graduate high school, they move to LA so Jane and intern at an event
planner's office and Scarlett can attend USC. One night at a club, Jane and Scarlett get approached by a reality
T.V. producer for a show called L.A. Candy. Once on the show, they meet to other girls Gaby and Madison,
who are also part of the “reality”. Filming for the show overtakes the lives of the four girls, and soon they are
the most known stars in America. Jane becomes known as “America's Sweetheart”. Annoyed by Jane's fame,
Madison, who believes she is the star, starts to have a hatred towards Jane. Soon, Madison starts plotting ways
that she can get rid of Jane and take over the main character role for herself. Because of Jane being so gullible,
Madison is able to hide her hated and becomes Jane's best friend, just so she can dig up some dirt on her and
sell her stories to Gossip magazine. Once Jane makes a horrible mistake and her life in turned upside down,
Madison has the perfect plan to really make Jane believe that she is always there for her. To find out what
happens, read L.A. Candy and the other two books in the series: Sweet Little Lies and Sugar and Spice.
-Lexi Mulcahy
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Title: Shiver
Genre: fantasy/fiction
Hook: TOMORROW
Base plot: a girl has this thing with wolves-whatever-and she notices one and always look for him -yadda yadda
yadda- then he magically turns into a human and crawls upon her doorstep for help and of course she realizes
it's him because of his eyes, and things go wrong, problems arise, and in the end it leads up to the next book.
wha-lah. Now I know I should probably include something about "THIS IS GREAT" but, I will just quote it
cause, well, I can. "Told in alternating points of view, the novel recounts the story of teenagers Grace and Sam.
Grace has always had a strange relationship with the wolves outside her Minnesota home, ever since being
attacked by them as a child. They both scare her and fascinate her, and one in particular draws her interest. He is
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her yellow-eyed wolf, and he intrigues her. Sam is a boy with a secret. In the warmth of the summer, he is a
human, a thin boy with floppy hair and a love of reading. In the cold of winter, he turns into a black wolf with
yellow eyes that roams the forest near Grace’s house. Sam feels a sense of belonging in his pack of fellow
wolves, but he yearns to remain human. When Sam is shot as a wolf, the shock turns him back into a human,
and he crawls to Grace’s door for help. Grace cares for him, provides him with a place to stay, and keeps his
secret. Together, they share their insecurities, support each other, and fall in love. They are opposites: Grace is
strong and practical, whereas Sam is sensitive and creative. They both have dark pasts, however. Sam’s parents
tried to kill him when they discovered he was a werewolf, and Grace’s parents are emotionally neglectful.
These experiences leave the teens insecure and lonely. Both Grace and Sam have always yearned for real love,
and they find it in each other." (http://www.enotes.com/shiver) Bear with me, it's not a full plot but it is more of
what you read and take in than what you count it for. Well, when I was first introduced to this series, I was like,
"great, another book like twilight."(1) But, as I got into it, I got into it.(2) As she was telling the story, I couldn't
turn the pages fast enough, and when I wanted to go onto the next book it's like every day was a year.(3) And,
the added bonus-the book fonts are colored. Like, the whole book.(4) Now, about the book...The reason why I
think you (whoever you are) should read this book is because it is a good read.(5) Maggie Stiefvater is a good
writer so you don't have to stumble page to page re-reading about what just happened. (6) Now, you may be like
"Ohhhhhh that’s so like twilight" or "werewolves. yuck." whatever your preference is, you should just pick up
the book to see if you like it.(7) The main character is someone who you can relate to very easily because
everybody has at least one problem and she has a ton.(8) From friends, to parents, and even boy troubles it goes
through the whole spectrum of moods and colors.(9) (see that's ironic because not only is the books moody, as
in different themes, but the books themselves are colored. you see, you would be laughing if you have read the
books. so, go pick them up. laughing is good for you, live a little.) Plus, this is such a good book it became a
series so you don't just end a good book and have to journey to London and back to find another one.(10)
-Amanda Fredrick
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, is an amazing historical fiction book. It is 16 AR points and has a lexile
of 840. I highly recommend this book about the life of a man named Amir. Amir's mother died while giving
birth to him in the 1960s in Afghanistan. As he grows up, he feels his father doesn't want him as a son and
would much rather take in the servant's son and Amir's best friend, Hassan. When the Russians invade
Afghanistan in 1979, Amir and his father leave all that they know behind and go to America. The rest of the
book is about the struggle between life and death and the attempt to adopt overseas. I give this book a ten and
think that anyone out there who needs a book needs to try this one out.
-Austin Preece
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky follows the story of Charlie, a shy Pennsylvania
teen, during his puzzling and eventful freshman year. As an outsider, Charlie is desperate to feel accepted after
having to deal with the suicide of his friend, Michael, as well as a haunting family secret. With all these
emotions he becomes overwhelmed with feelings of anxiety. Hoping to ease this burden of beginning a new
school alone, he starts writing letters. Being anonymous, Charlie tells the unknown receiver of the letter some of
his most personal stories regarding his confusing teenage years, which are filled with love, relationships and the
Rocky Horror Picture Show. The letters document Charlie's thoughts and feelings that he can't express any other
way. Soon he befriends two seniors, Sam, a free spirit, and Patrick her step-brother. The two show Charlie how
to participate in life and to enjoy it versus pass it by. He learns to live life to his full potential, instead of being
deemed a “wallflower”. Charlie discovers the highs and lows of being a teen along the way, struggling to find
where he belongs in this coming-of-age narrative.
-Emily Kling
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Seraphina, the title character in Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina, shared, “I felt a hot blast against my skin,
smelled sulfur, and opened my eyes to see my grandfather in all his hideous reptilian hugeness” (Hartman 260).
This is only one extreme inconvenience Seraphina has to deal with in this fantasy novel with a fluent and
narrative style which is a relatively easy read, possessing a reading level of 6.0 and an AR point value of 18.0. It
is a compelling story set in the capital city of the land Goredd, leading kingdom of a coalition of nations with an
uneasy truce with the (you guessed it!) dragons. These dragons learned to adopt human form, but are coldly
logical and widely suspected to have no souls. With the dragon leaders arriving in days, Seraphina, the assistant
music mistress of the palace, must organize the concert of all concerts and stop young dragons from being
persecuted in the streets. Seraphina, our charming heroine, is secretly a half dragon and human hybrid. Of
course, this makes her life a bit harder because there is a rebel faction in this country, called the Sons of St.
Ogdo, who would brutally murder her if they found out. In addition to this, Seraphina’s grandfather is a rogue
dragon bent on destroying the hard-won peace between the two peoples. Seraphina must hide her true nature
from all but her scholarly dragon uncle, fight enemies of peace on both fronts (and in her own mind), and hide
her growing love for the Princess’ fiancé. In a race for time before the treaty is successfully renewed and the
dragon ruler leaves, can Seraphina ensure the continuing of peace and maybe find true love along the way?
-Breelyn Karno
Do you like Dragons? The giant lizards that breath fire and horde beautiful women and treasures? Well
then have I got a book for you, Eragon, The book I am reviewing is filled to the brim and over flowing onto the
carper with dragons. The book received much praise from critics and was the third bestselling young adult
book in 2003 and the second best in 2005, so it The book itself follows the tale of Eragon, a young farmer of a
small town in the mythical land of Alegaesia. Alegaesia is ruled over by the Evil King Galbatorix and his black
dragon, Shruikan. The story begins by taking us to Eragon, a normal 16 year old boy who lives the dull life of a
farmer. However, his world is soon changed forever when an egg appears in the forest near his home. The egg
would soon hatch to reveal a dragon and his soon to be companion, whom he names Saphirra. Rumors spread,
and Eragon is forced to flee from his home for both his sake and the towns. Traveling across the nation, Eragon
and Saphirra would soon be caught up in a great struggle to free the land from the clutches of the powerful King
Galbatorix. Eragon was written specifically with the cliché and basic fantasy story in mind. A hero, an villain,
magic, monsters, betrayal, and romance. Inspired heavily from numerous other classics such as Star Wars and
The Lord of the Rings, this series is a powerful, compelling narrative that will capture your interest
immediately. If reading is a thing you enjoy, then this is a must have purely for the sake of saying that you have
read it. Over all, the series is one of the best I have ever read. With over 400 pages for each book, it is sure to
last you quite a while. And the best part is: after you are done, it won’t feel like you have wasted several weeks
of your life.
-Max Haeny
Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is a fantasy/romance novel about a mortal
boy and a Caster girl (similar to a witch) who are fighting for their chance to love. This book is the fourth in the
series, so reading the first three is highly recommended. The first three books (entitled Beautiful Creatures,
Beautiful Darkness, and Beautiful Chaos) are about Ethan and Lena’s struggles to overcome the laws of both
worlds that keep them apart. Dying in the third book, this story features Ethan’s determination and battles to
return to Lena amongst the living world. The story begins when he first learns that there is a way that he can
return to the living. Then, he meets The Greats who help and guide him along his journey to return. After a
trying time waiting for Lena to respond to one of his messages, Ethan gains access to the Far Keep. There, he
faces his toughest battle yet with her deceased mother. Once she is defeated he must face Angelus, the Keeper
who believes all mortals should be destroyed. Battling with Angelus is the most demanding task that he must
face. Like all good stories, the protagonist must win; thus, Ethan manages to return to the living and live the rest
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of his young life with Lena. The Beautiful Creatures series is a series that I highly recommend if you are
interested in forbidden love stories. The book is a great read and very hard to put down.
-Tamarah Clemmens
Fourth Hour:
My book is called Eragon, its part of the Inheritance series a fantasy fiction series. This book, written by
Christopher Paolini, is one of my favorites. Now personally I hated reading before this, but Eragon changed
that, now I love reading. Reading this book was a great choice. This book is about a young farm boy whose life
is turned upside-down. He finds a sapphire colored rock whilst on a hunting trip, takes it home and about a day
or two later, to his and my surprise, it hatches. Now the thing that comes out of it is even more shocking it was a
creature that no one’s seen in centuries, a Dragon. Which Eragon nurtures and becomes forever bonded with.
This story takes place in a mystical land called Alagasia that’s filled with lots of awesome creatures, but is ruled
by an evil dictator named Galbatorix. The only hope for the land to ever be free again is Eragon. This book and
actually the entire series is about him finding out who he is, who he is supposed to be, and what his destiny
really is. I recommend this book to you (my peers) because it is not just a book or a story, it is an adventure!
-Landon Maier
Safe Haven is a romance book with a little bit of mystery. It’s about a woman named Erin who changed
her name to Katie. Leaving her horrible life behind, she moves to Southport, North Carolina. She lives in a
small, fixer-upper cottage that has one neighboring cottage near it. Her soon to be friend, Jo, lives in that
cottage, but Jo isn’t who she seems to be. Katie falls in love with Alex and his family, but is frightened to be in
the relationship. Alex is a widowed man with two small children. He owns a store, but the store is soon to be
gone. Frightening her all the time, her past haunts her and she can’t get away from it until it is completely gone.
Alex and Jo help her through it. She has a long, hard journey, but it is worth it in the end. You may have many
questions, but you will have to read Safe Haven to answer them.
-Emma Kaufman
I read Car Trouble by Jeanne DuPrau because I am really interested in cars and when I seen the there
was a book called car trouble I just had to read it. Pretty soon after I read the book I wanted to buy it at the book
fair in 7th grade. Since then I have read the book 3 times. This book is travel fiction and it is based on a cross
country road trip. This book is about a kid named Duff Pringle and he is a nerd at his school in Virginia. He
saves up 600 dollars and buys an old Ford Escort from his friend. Later he finds a job making computer games
in California for a good amount of money. So he tells his parents that he is going there to find his true calling.
30 miles out of town his car throws a rod and he is stuck in a little town in the middle of nowhere. As Duff hitch
hikes his way across the country he meets his best friend and the girl of his dreams. They overcome some pretty
scary things along the way. They even get to drive a pretty cool car to that they have to deliver for a guy off of
Craigslist. And let me tell you that car really turned some heads. He eventually makes it and there to his “Job”
in California.
-Gavin Blaze Bottolfson
Lone Survivor Marcus Luttrell is a nonfiction book about Marcus’s deployment in Afghanistan and the
story of Operation Red Wing, which was the largest loss of life in United States SEAL history. And it all began
on one night when Marcus’s team was dropped off into the heart of the mountains. Their mission was to find
one of the Taliban leaders that helped train and control the Taliban from up in the mountains. After they were
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dropped off they had a long walk ahead of them to get to the village they need to get to. Many days passed as
they made their way up to the village. After they made it to the village it was time to set about a good
reconnaissance area above the village. As they all got saddled into their positions they were disturbed be three
angry goat herders that did not want anything to do with America. That’s when a heated discussion on whether
or not to spear their lives. The discussion was made and the tribes men were saved, which is what Marcus refers
to as his greatest mistake of his life. After they let the tribes men go they were force to move to a different spot,
well the tribes men warned the Taliban of their location in the mountains. Time pasted from when the tribes
men had left and that’s when the Taliban came crashing down the mountain slope looking for the SEALs. As
Marcus lay motionless in a bush a Taliban member slowly raised his gun with all the hate of the world in his
eyes to were Marcus was laying. BOOM! A sharp crack run through the mountain as a gun was fired; now the
fight begins, thought Marcus as his team mates open fired on the Taliban. The SEALs were outnumbered by,
there were only four of them but there was hundreds of Taliban. A plan was quickly devised to jump of the side
of the ridge. Marcus and his team mates flopped down the side of the cliff hopping not to break anything or to
loss their guns. This happed over and over again as the Taliban tried the surrounded them. On the second jump
only three came down, then after a few minutes the fourth SEAL fell face first of the side landing hard. A few
hours later all but one of the SEALs were dead. Marcus was slowly climbing the side of a cliff when a gun
shoot rang out. Marcus was hit and now to make matters worse he was falling off the cliff.
-Jackson Moeller
Waiting for Normal
By Leslie Connor
Plot: Addie has moved many times in her short life span. And her mom is not the best mom, and her dad
died when she was only three. Addie is 12 and in 6th grade, she loves to play flute. Her mother Dennis had on
and off jobs and wasn’t a very clean or a happy person. Her first husband died and she remarried a man named
Dwight, he was very nice and caring. But sadly she asked for a divorce. But Dwight cared to much about Addie
(even though she wasn’t his child) and stuck around after the divorce with Addie’s two little sisters. Dwight
found a place for Addie and her mom, it was a trailer in a small town not far from where they use to live. But of
course Dennis did not like the trailer, Addie did, she thought it was homely. Addie started going to the mini
market across the street, and made friend with the two owners, Soula and Rick. They are very sweet to Addie
and help her out. Dennis finally gets a job and starts dating her boss. Addie’s mom would leave for up to 5 days
without warning Addie. So Addie had to fend for herself because while Dennis got her job, Dwight got another
job offer farther away, it paid good so he took it. So that meant leaving Addie, but he called every chance he got
and brought her to where he worked sometimes. But while she was there he told Addie interesting news... what
could it be, find out by reading the book!
-Shawnee Gremore
A girl named Puck lives with her two brothers on the island of Thisby where at the start of every
November The Scorpio races start, she is the first girl ever to participate. There is also Sean, a regular for The
Scorpio Races. He works for a man who owns stables and is a four-time champion of the race. When the time
for practicing starts the capaill uisce (copple ooshka) start coming out of the water. The capaill uisce are
mythological horses that feed off of blood so they are extremely hard to tame and kill many people, but many
riders will try to catch then ride in them in the race. Sean and Puck have helped each other throughout the
practicing, they both know what the other wants and needs. When the race begins the shouting from the crowd
could be heard all around the island as they cheered on their favorites. Many people are fond of the races but are
afraid of all that comes with it. The riders are usually afraid of the racing. The riders attempt to keep their water
horses under their control long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders will live, others will die. The
book is fiction and is also a bit of science fiction. It is a good book if you like suspense, the beginning of the
book starts off slow but as you read you learn the secrets of the island and its people.
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-Kayla Mork
What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell is about a regular family of three from New York. Once
the main characters dad, Evie's dad, returns from World War II. Joe, Evie's dad, brought back more than just
military stories but a mystery. The whole mystery first starts off as when a random number calls the family's
home phone to discuss unsettled matters with Joe. Then all of a sudden Joe has the idea to go on a family
vacation. They check into a beautiful hotel where Evie meets the guy of her dreams. When Evie tells her
parents about the guy her father doesn't agree at all and says she is way too young to be dating. Her mother went
behind her dads back and told them they were allowed to date but there was a catch. The guy was everything to
Evie, and she thought she was his everything also but later realized that she meant nothing to him and was just
his cover story. When a bad storm approaches the family decides to go out on a bout but Evie wasn't invited.
When only two out of the three of them return, the other killed by the storm the family was put on trial, and
Evie had to make the people believe her and no one else. The family goes back home to New York to try to live
their normal life again but they never will because "Some truths are never meant to be revealed."
-Kjrsten Faaren
In Lucky by Alice Sebold, a rape takes place. The rapist is an unknown man and the victim is the young
author, Alice Sebold as a freshman in college. While in college, she enjoyed writing from the start. After a few
months of looking for the rapist, Sebold attends a line-up, and fails. After she fails, she explains to the court that
she wasn’t sure. Weeks of on-going trials make her very well known around campus. A year later, after a rough
path and traveling across the country, Sebold finally settles down and turns to writing. I really enjoyed this
book. Sebold goes through so much in four years of college. Her story is inspiring and rough. She gives such
detail into her life after collage, and life after. She goes into detail of growing up. Her parents didn’t show
affection towards one-another and it changed her views on love and relationships. The way she remembers
conversations and makes you feel as if you are in the court room first hand is beyond incredible. She is such an
inspiring women and she is truly Lucky.
-Bre Wilson
My favorite book that I read a couple of weeks ago is called Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks. It is a
fairly easy book to read with the Lexile range at 5.3 even though the selected range for reader is between 9th and
12th grades. Throughout this book, readers will develop the fear of living in the present and running from the
past as relationships form strong bonds of love, romance, and family. Katie, the main character, is controlled by
her husband leading her to buy a bus ticket to a small southern town. Unable to be able to get away from her
husband without him finding out, she steals another person’s identity. Staying for a short time in this new town
no longer became an option when she finds herself falling in love with a single father of two children. With
falling in love, she is forced to tell her deepest secrets of her past because not only is she in danger but the
single father and his children are also in great danger. In the end, Katie has formed several tight bounds with
really amazing people. Just as she starts to express her feelings about the one she loves to her hard to understand
neighbor, she notices her neighbor she told everything to was her imagination the whole time. This book is great
for a person who likes romance with a twist of intensity and fear.
-Samantha Lindberg
The Lovely Bones
By: Alice Sebold
Genre: Murder/ Mystery
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Hook: “My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on
December 6, 1973.”
Baseline Plot: Susie Salmon is the main character in The Lovely Bones and she was murdered walking
through the cornfield on her way back from school. She got stopped by her neighbor, Mr. Harvey, he is a serial
killer of all women and all of different ages. Susie got stopped by him and he just simply said, “Susie do you
want to see the fort I made for the neighbor kids?” That is what drawled her to the fort and in there she got
raped and then got killed and chopped up into pieces and brought to a dump in a garbage bag. In heaven Susie
can see people and she sees her family and she misses them very much. Her father gets very close to figuring
out who his daughter’s killer is and he is assuming Mr. Harvey. Going to the next step in telling Len, Susie’s
detective, that he knows the killer gets them to finding her charm bracelet and Susie’s sister brakes into Mr.
Harvey’s house to get more clues and finds a sketch of the fort. And the team is on it and they find Susie’s
elbow in the cornfield. As the story goes on she tells about her life in heaven and finding her grandpa in heaven
and how life ends up on earth with her family. Susie wishes you all a long and happy life.
-Hailie Schultz
Do you like crime suspense and blood curtailing action? Well then I have the book for you. Kiss the
Girls by James Patterson will satisfy the pickiest of readers. The book begins with a detective named Alex
Cross a detective from Washington in the ghetto and he finds out that his niece Scootchy has been kidnapped!
He goes to begin his investigation in LA where she was attending college. He begins to work with the Durham
police on an investigation on a series of kidnappings and rapes followed by murder. The only problem is there is
no evidence at the crime scenes of who is behind it. To add another twist Alex finds out that there is actually
two and he calls himself Casanova. When Dr. Kate Mcternian escapes his house of horror where Casanova
pleasures himself with the women she helps Alex try and solve the unsolvable chain of crimes. Do they catch
the killers? Does Alex find Scootchy?
-Michael Steel
The title of this book is The Rise of Nine. The author is Pittacus Lore. This is the third book in the
series. The Rise of Nine is a scientific fiction. This book is about an alien race that is from a planet in another
solar system in are galaxy. There planet went to war with another planet and they escaped on a ship. Now their
enemy planet is trying to hunt down these 15 year old aliens. They all have unique powers to defend
themselves. The first three have already been killed now its number 4’s turn. The only way the can survive is if
they run from the enemy. They will also have to jump through many obstacles. This is a great book and I
recommend it.
-Dylan Ulesich
Seventh Hour:
I recommend the book series The A-List by Zoey Dean, starting with the first book titled, The A-List.
The genre of this novel is a romantic drama and is intended for a young female audience (ages 13 and up).
Starting off the book, the main character, Anna Percy, a wealthy 17-year-old girl living the privileged life in
Manhattan, New York, with her divorced mother, is an Upper Side, East Coast preppy girl in envy of her best
friend, Cyn, who is the risk-taking bad girl. Taking risks has always been the hardest thing for Anna. She wants
desperately to reinvent herself and move to Los Angeles, California, with her father, Johnathan Percy. On the
flight to L.A., Anna is stuck next to an awful seatmate, Rick Resnick. A handsome young gentleman sitting
nearby named Ben Birnbaum, whom Anna has a strong connection with right away, becomes her night-inshining-armor as he rescues her from Rick and invites her to the wedding of actor and film director, Jackson
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Sharpe. At the wedding, Anna meets Ben's friends, Sam Sharpe, the smart but insecure daughter of Jackson
Sharpe; Cammie Sheppard, the skinny, sexy, and daring ex-girlfriend of Ben; and Dee Young, the spacey but
sweet and innocent girl. After the wedding, Ben takes Anna to his father's boat to “have some fun”. Unwilling
to hook up with Ben, Anna is abandoned while she is asleep. This book has an exciting plot line, with lots of
twists and turns that will keep you engaged for hours on end. What will happen with Anna's new life, new love,
new friends, and the want to fit in? Will her willingness to risk it all pay off? You'll just have to read the series
to find out what happens next!
-Harley Leavens
“-I was morphing into my greatest enemy without my own permission.”
Maximum Ride is a fictional story about six kids; Max, who is the leader of the group, fang, Iggy,
Gasman, and Angel. All of these kids have wings, and one mission, besides Max. Everyone except Max is just
trying to survive. Max has many Missions, including something that will always make her question what she is
about to do. These bird-like kids are running from erasers, and the school. Flying through the air inside the
misty arms of the dark is uplifting for them. Running off cliffs and feeling the strength of their wings catch their
fall is thrilling. Having to run their bird-like bodies around the world just to say safe is a big thing for Max.
Soon she will uncover more than just that obstacle.
Meeting new people, making friends and enemies, new discoveries good and bad, developing new skills
and learning new things. On not only their survival, but something bigger than that. Can Max do it?
-Mari Wold
The book that I have read this year that I think was about the "best" I have read all year would have to
be... The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This book was exiting from the very beginning. Introducing all
the main characters right away so you were able to have a strong feeling about who and what they are doing
throughout the whole story. This book caught my attention from just looking at the front cover, but the real
thing that hooked me, was the action about midway through the book, when Katnis was just brought into the
fighting arena and was sent up a cylinder and saw all the other kids that were about to fight for their life even
though they were randomly picked from a glass bowl. so that is what really got my attention to make me read
even more... this book is obviously a fictional action. and to me is one of the best to me. with the amount of
pages and AR points, it’s really worth it to pick up and read. like I said this was about the best fiction book I’ve
read so I would highly recommend this book to any age or grade above 7th grade.
-Jackson Bones
This year I read the Bourne Identity written by Robert Ludlum. It is an action packed, realistic fiction
novel designed to keep you at the edge of your seat wanting more. Robert Ludlum does this magnificently by
putting the reader in Jason Bourne's shoes. Waking up in an unfamiliar room and an unfamiliar body, the story
starts out with a man who can't remember who he is or what happened to him. The reader, knowing no more
than he does, must follow along on his journey learning about him as he does. But when he discovers he has
access to a bank account containing more money than more money than most people know what to do with and
strange men attempt to kill him Bourne realizes he had a dark and confusing past. This is a wonderful book for
anyone intrigued by the effects of amnesia and will keep you guessing until the very end.
-Brandon Scab
Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford is kind of a romance/ drama type of book. The book starts with
the main character, Jeff, waking up in a Psych Ward of a hospital. At first he is confused about where he is and
why he is there but then he meets the other patients and realizes he's on some pill that, 'new patients' get when
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they get to the ward. After a few days he starts to meet with Doctor Katzrupus who Jeff decides to give a clever
nickname of Cat Poop. At first Jeff is cocky and makes jokes of everything but later in the story he opens up to
him. After the first couple of days Jeff starts to mingle with the other patients and starts to find out why
everybody else is there. Some have been sexually abused, some have tried to drown themselves, and others
killed their family members. Jeff remembers what he did to himself and tells Sadie, another patient, about it and
she opens up to him about her experience. After hanging out pretty much every day, they start to develop
feelings for one another. Jeff starts becoming friends with this one guy named Rankin and Jeff starts to develop
unusual feelings for him also. Jeff doesn’t want to face the decision between the two but he will have to! Who
will he chose? Sadie or Rankin? And what events will happen that might influence his decision, dramatically?
-James Elkin
My book I read is called Stormbreaker. It was written by Anthony Horowitz. To me I think the genre of
this book is fiction/ action adventure. The plot is that Alex Rider’s uncle was killed. Alex is working for M16
which is the British CIA, to try to find out who killed his uncle. During the trip they found out that the bad guy
made new computers and put a virus in them so people would get sick and die. The hook of the book is that the
guy that killed Alex’s uncle didn’t kill Alex. He let him go. The reason why I choose this book was because it
has some good action. It told the story about a kid trying to find out why his uncle was killed. The reason why I
am going to read the next book is because it will be action packed and it will be mind blowing. Alex had to give
up his school and friends to go on the mission. He went through a lot during the whole book. But in the end the
bad guy that was going to kill people was taken down.
-Kyle Elkin
My book Perfect by Ellen Hopkins is a big teen drama! It is about four 17 year old seniors Cara,
Kendra, Sean, and Andre Trying to live their lives but have some problems along the way. Cara is dating San
she thinks she may be in love with him but now she is having doubts about her feelings, and she has met a new
person in her life. Sean knows that he is in love with Cara, he has planned out his whole life with her but he
feels she is becoming distant. Kendra is Beautiful, model pretty, But the mirror is her enemy. When she looks at
it all she sees is the bad. She is beyond skinny but still starves herself to weigh as little as possible. Andre loves
to dance but his parents tell him how to live his life or they will hate him. He meets jean who is 16 and
Kendra’s sister. And instantly falls in love with her, There is only one problem she is a slut. She flirts with
every guy to get what she wants but yet he still loves her. Will Sean and Cara stay together forever like they
planned, Will Kendra start eating so she can live, and will Andre see the real Jenna as herself?
-Megan Lundin
The AR novel that I read this year and enjoyed the most was The View From the Top by Hillary Frank.
This book is a romance novel and is mostly directed towards girls. In this novel the main character, Annabelle
lives in a town called Normal with her boyfriend Matt, her secret crush Jonah and the boy who is
unconditionally in love with her, Tobin. At the beginning it seems like her and Matt have the perfect
relationship. Until he goes on a vacation with his dad. When he is gone Annabelle hangs out with Jonah a
couple of times and realizes that she has feelings for him too. Throughout the summer she begins to realize that
Matt is not the right guy for her and ends things with him. Sad and lonely she runs to Jonah, only to realize that
he has found an older girl, which turns out to be Matt, Annabelle's ex-boyfriend’s mom. Devastated by the news
she decides to go to the fair with her dad and face her fear of riding the Ferris Wheel. At the face she runs into
Tobin and rides the Ferris Wheel with him all night. That is where she realizes that she is also in love with
Tobin. This novel was very good and definitely kept me interested.
-Tarra VerBunker
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Into the Wild
Based on a true story
In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the
wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. After graduating from
Emory University as top student and athlete he had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and
most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Four months later,
his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter. How McCandless died is still a mystery. Chris had a tough
life as a child with his parents always arguing and fighting. Some say this is the reason why Chris left and
decided to never speak to them again. He faced many obstacles on his way but kept his mind set on his goal.
You could say that he has been through it all, at one point living as a hobo and the next kayaking down a river
into Mexico with no experience at all. He met a lot of people on his journey and if each one had to describe him
in one word they would either say he was psycho or really intelligent. Once he got to Alaska he was very
unprepared with only rubber boots, one pair of clothes, and a 22 caliber rifle. he survived in Alaska by eating
edible berries and killing large and small game animals. But on the 100th day the unspeakable happened. After
his body was found they also found the journal that he kept and from that day on Chris's story spread around the
world. I hope you enjoy INTO THE WILD as much as I did and really put yourself into Chris's shoes and see if
you could accomplish what he did in his life. “I read somewhere... how important it is in life not necessarily to
be strong, but to feel strong... to measure yourself at least once” quote from Christopher McCandless in INTO
THE WILD.
-Jacob Link
The name of the AR novel that I most enjoyed this year was entitled, Sarah’s Key. The author of this
intriguing novel was named Tatiana de Rosnay. The genre of the story is a deep historical fiction novel that
causes great impact on the reader and their life. The main character is name Sarah, an innocent ten-year-old girl.
Sarah’s normal childhood takes a turn for the worst when French police go around door-to-door arresting
Jewish families, much like Sarah’s. In desperation to protect her brother, Sarah locks him in a bedroom
cupboard, their secret hiding place. Sarah promises to come back as soon as she can and release him from the
cupboard, but she has no idea of how drastic her life will change. Sixty years later Sarah’s story gets intertwined
with a young wife and mother of one named, Julia Jarmond. Julia is an American journalist. Investigating the
roundup, Julia stumbled onto a trail of secrets that link her to Sarah, and to questions about her own romantic
life. This book will make you wonder and weep, not only that, but this book will stay in your mind long after its
back on the shelf.
-Gabby Cruz
Are you interested in reading romantic novels? If so I recommend you reading the novel Safe Haven, by
Nicholas Sparks. It’s a romantic yet suspenseful novel. It’s about this young woman, Katie, who has a fearful
past. Suddenly Katie moves to a small North Carolina town called Southport. She’s determined to avoid
forming any personal relationships with anyone, until a series of events draws her into relationships. One with
her neighbor Jo and one with a widow store owner Alex. As these relationships grow she slowly begins to relax
and let down her guard. Soon enough she finds herself falling in love with Alex. With the support of Jo she
realizes she has two lives to choose from, either the riskier one or the one with complete safety. As the story
continues you follow Katie through life as her fearful past soon confronts her.
-Sara Hall
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My book is titled Halt’s Peril by John Flanagan. Genre of the book is fantasy/adventure. This is the
ninth book of the Rangers Apprentice series. Rangers are a group of people who live secretive lives, are master
archers and protect their kingdoms. Halt, a grey bearded Ranger. Will Halt’s former apprentice, and Horace a
knight who is Will and Halt’s friend. Halt, Horace and Will are on the case of Tennyson and his evil cult. What
gets you to read the book is when the book describes Halt getting shot by one of Tennyson’s genovesan
bodyguards. Little did Will and Horace know the arrow was poisoned with something to slowly kill Halt. Does
Halt live or die well you have to read the Rangers apprentice series to find out. A gerund phrase to go along
with the book is Shooting with a bow and arrow is part of Will and Halt’s lives. For a Participle phrase it would
be The killing Genovesans thought they could outsmart the genius Rangers. This book’s style is expository.
Ratings I would give for this book is 5 stars because I’ve been hooked on this series for over a year and a half.
If you’re looking for a good series I strongly suggest reading this series.
-Ali Zeimer
Tuesday's with Morrie is a nonfiction book written by Mitch Albom. This story takes place in Morrie's
house. Some quotes from Morrie are "people are only mean when they are threatened.","Death ends a life, not a
relationship." Tuesdays with Morrie is about a college professor who is diagnosed with A.L.S. a disease that
destroys the nervous system. It attacks your lungs until you can't breathe and pass away. Morrie being a college
professor documents his process. Then nightlife with David Letterman finds out about Morrie and wants to do
an episode on him. When the episode is aired one of Morrie’s favorite students sees it and decides to come for a
visit. His name is Mitch. (the author of the book) Who happens to be a journalist and writes down Morrie’s
progression towards death. Mitch comes to visit every Tuesday. That's why the book is called Tuesdays with
Morrie. Destroying the nervous system is how the disease does its job. Morrie’s favorite activity was dancing.
-Brandon Wachter
The City of Bones by Cassandra Clare is the first book of the series, The Mortal Instruments. It is a
book for all teenagers in my opinion, it has plenty of action, romance, humor, mystery, and shocking moments
that will just beg you to keep reading. I never found myself bored while I was reading it and could never get my
mind off it when I wasn’t reading it. It wasn’t hard to get into and it has great descriptive detail on every
characters appearance, emotion, and action throughout the book. One of the best series I have ever read.
Baseline Plot: Clary always felt like she had a piece of herself missing that she lost, or possibly, never
had. Once she meets Jace, a highly trained Shadowhunter (demon killer), everything she thought she knew,
turned out to be a lie. Now when she has seen a whole new life that was only whispered about in campfire
stories that involves killing demons, marking runes, and negotiating with Downworlders. So now, when she
needs her mother most, her mom has disappeared with information that only she knows and is nowhere to be
found. Clary has to do whatever it takes to get her mom back, but who can she trust to help? Are Jace and his
friends really what they say they are? Why do they want to help? How could there be so much about her mother
that she didn’t know?
Hook/ quote:...SPOILER ALERT!
“I know what you said! My mother would never have belonged to something like that. Some kind of—
some kind of hate group .”
“it wasn’t—,” Jace began, but Hodge cut him off.
“I doubt,” he said slowly, as if the words pained him, “that she had much choice.”
Clary stared. “What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t she have had a choice?”
“Because,”said Hodge, “she was Valentine’s wife.”
-Maya Dadez
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“Valentine was dipping the bloody Sword over and over
In the water of the lake now, chanting low and fast.
The water of the lake was rippling, as if a giant hand were
stroking fingers lightly across its surface” -- pg.345
The City of Glass by Cassandra Clare is the 3rd book in the Mortal Instruments series (#1 City of
bones, #2 City of Ashes, #3 City of Glass, #4 City of Fallen Angles and #5 City of Lost Souls). This book
could go under a bunch of different genres fantasy, action, suspense, mystery, and romance.
Clary, a red-headed, new found shadowhunter, whose mother Jocelyn put herself in an induced coma, to
make sure she doesn’t tell Valentine anything. Clary went to Alicante, the ancestral home for shadowhunters, to
find the one person who can take the spell off of her mother. She Portales to the city with Luke, a former
shadowhunter that got bitten by a ware-wolf so was banished of all his runes (marks drawn by a stele that give
shadowhunters special powers), but ends up taking a four hour journey just to reach the city because the portal
brought them to the poisonous Lake Lynn. Once they finally got settled in the city horrid things, which people
struggled to understand, started to happen all over again and all of a sudden there are demons invading the city,
under the control of Valentine. Jace, a shadowhunter who is deeply in love with Clary, has to go and fight
Valentine and Valentine’s demon son, Sebastian. Killing the man who he once called his father and the
“brother” he knew he had but never met be more difficult than he realized? When things take a turn for the
worst will Clary’s ability to make new ruins be enough to win the raging war between Shadowhunters and
Valentines army of demons. Or will the plan to have Downworlders and Shadowhunters be joined together by
the ruin that could save them, despite the fact that they are eternal enemies, turn into an even bigger mess. Can
Clary’s newfound powers be enough to save the City of Galss?
I personally think this is the best book I have ever read. Not just the book but the best series, you almost
wish the things that happen were actually real but then again maybe not!
-Miah Olson
The book I have read is called FANG, by James Patterson. This is one of many great books that James
Patterson has written. This book is called Fang because he is one of 5 other bird kids between ages 7-15 in the
story, but this book specifically focuses on Fang. Fang comes out to be this gothic mysterious guy who is in a
deep love connection with Maximum, another girl part of their flock. This book I would say is a fantasy, and
anyone and anybody could read this. Max is the leader of the flock and has been trying to save the world ever
sense the broke out of an evil institute. An evil institute with evil scientist who created them with wings.
-Brady Maus
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-Cameron Hausman