At first Sight by: Nicholas Sparks

      At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks is about a man named Jeremy who falls in love with a girl he barely knows named Lexie. When they just met they became friends right away and then they became more than friends about a few weeks after they met. Then after they have been together for three weeks they are already planning their wedding.
       I think this book is an excellent book for people that like romance and drama. At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks has a lot of conflicts dealing with relationships and who to trust.

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

If you like dramatic stories of love hate relationships then this is the book for you. The Last Song is about a rebellious teen girl who finds she has been closing herself off from the things she loves the most. Ronnie used to be all about music and playing piano, but she has a change of heart when her life gets turned upside down. After many years together her mom and dad decide to spit up. Ronnie's mother realizes her daughter is having a difficult time adapting to the new way of life without her father. By her mother forcing her to do something she doesn't want to, it helps her to be more open to the things shes been missing out on. Ronnies mom sends her to her dads where along with becoming more open she meets a boy that she quickly falls in love with. In some ways the story is predictable, but it also keeps you guessing. This is an interesting book that i would reccomend.

VM

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

      The Notebook is an outstanding book, that makes you not want to put it down. It is a tearjerker. Allie Nelson and Noah Calhoun are the main characters, they fall in love the summer before Allie has to leave town. Allie is a smart, upperclass girl, who is 15 while Noah doesn't have much money and is 17. Allie leaves after the summer and Noah writes her letters, but they don't speak until 14 years later. When they end up seeing eachother, Allie is engaged to Lon, a wealthy, handsome lawyer. Her and Noah realize they are still in love and Allie is put in the situation to chose the love of her life, Noah, or her fiance, Lon, who her parents love.    
        I liked the book, it has sad parts but in the end it leaves you happy. I like that the man telling the story is really Noah trying to get Allie to remember the past because she has Alzhimers and is in a nuhsing home. She ends up remembering him. It makes you think and it really kept me reading it. I really liked the book and i reccomend it to anyone who loves a love story.
JD 5/20

The Old Man And The Sea By Ernest Hemingway

The Old Man And The Sea is an American literature classic that stood through the tests of time literally and metaphorically and in a way told people of the interesting life of Ernest Hemingway but it also taught people about the struggles of life and simplicities behind it.The story revolves around a man named Santiago who relys on fishing for living and Meditation.In the novel he struggles to catch the great Marlin he's been trying to catch for years.In his struggles he manages to catch the great fish.But in process of all this the antagonists,the sharks,take away his great catch.In a sense, his dream comes true, he catches the fish and looses his dream as quickly as he catches it.In the end he is tired and beaten, but not defeated the next day he will go and do the same thing he did the previous day.Go fish.

ZB

"finding jack" by Crocker, Gareth

Finding Jack is about a very deeply depressed man who tried killing himself and failed. then he decided to throw his life away in the vietnam war. he was put in part of a unit called "The Fat Lady" unit. his lieutenant was lieutenant Rogan with point guard Mitchel pilot Peterson infantry man Travis and medic Edgar. they were on a really bad recon mission heading back when suddenly a dog wonders out of no where right in front of them. It was Jack. At first Lieutenant Rogan thought he was a threat so Rogan ordered him to be shot, and Fletcher the main character didn't want him shot so he tried to get in between them. he was shot anyways so Fletcher picked him up and carried him all the way back to the military base. he also punched Rogan in the face and got into a fight with him. he then decided to try and save the dog with an emergency surgery to remove the bullet. he also called Wallace, leader of the k-9 unit and asked for a shipment of supplies. Mitchel, Peterson and Travis and Egar all helped out Fletcher on his side mission to save the dog and Fletcher immediately fell in love with his new best friend Jack. they stuck by each other to the end.
I loved this book because it was full of a lot of valuable info and my insight on the vietnam war has changed. I highly recomend this book to anyone and everyone I know.
 B.L.H.                                                                                                                            may/20th/2011

Emerald Windows by Terri Blackstock

   Emerald Windows is about a girl named Brooke Martins who left her hometown right after high school because of a scandal that brought shame to her family. Brooke's old teacher Nick Marcello was helping design windows for a historic church and he offered Brooke, who is now a experienced skilled stained glass artist, the job of helping him design the windows. This would mean that Brooke would have to move back home to help which will bring all the rumors and stories of the scandal back and shame her family more.  Also moving back home brings new rumors and scandals to be seen by the small town.
   I love this book it kept me up several nights trying to finish the book as quickly as possible because the book was so great.  The book was a very enjoyable read and is a splendid book to read for a report or just for fun, either way it is a very good book. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a romantic suspense-filled book that is also based off of the religious point of view of the author.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

  The Perks of Being Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is a coming-of-age novel, much like The Catcher in the Rye. The novel is written in the form of letters from a boy named Charlie to an anonymous reader. After Charlie's friend commits suicide his life seems to spiral, but not necessarily downward or upward, and he needs someone to talk to, whether they care to listen or not. Charlie tells this anonymous person about everything he does and how he feels; indulging in drugs, falling in love, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Like the title insinuates, Charlie is a wallflower. Charlie always puts his friends before himself, and never does anything for himself, ignoring his feelings.
   With an epic twist of an ending to a novel, The Perks of Being A Wallflower is arguably the best coming-of-age reads of all time. Both heart warming and wrenching, exciting, suspenseful, and often humorous, The Perks of Being A Wallflower will forever hold a place in your heart.

J.K.

The Shining By: Stephen King

    A man moves him and his family out to Colorado for his work. The family begins to experience strange things and begin to realize that this is not a ordinary hotel. Soon Jack is developed with a case of cabin fever and is pushed to do something that he could regret. Insanity begins to take its place and Jack could be left with no family if his insanity gets the best of him.
    I would recommend this book to people who like a good long layered book and is ready to read and remember every detail. At some points this book is confusing and may throw some people off. All though there is a couple movies out of The Shining, I recommend reading it first and if your still confused after you finish then to see the movie.
-SP 5/20/2011

Lost In Red Hawk Woods by Megan Stine

    Lost In Red Hawk Woods is a book about two fun loving kids who find themselves in a difficult situation. The main character Laura and her cousin Parker, had built a time machine that no one knew about and had wanted to test it. Unfortunately when the initial test was started, they had an unexpected event.
    I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fiction or suspense books. The turn of events at every turn keeps you interested throughout the whole book, no matter your reading style. this book was a great read, it's not the most interesting book out there but it was cool.
-CQ 5/20/2011

The Vast Fields fo Ordinary by Nick Burd

    This novel was about a fun summer after graduation, that has this kid Dade coming out gay.Throughout the book he goes to parties and hangs out with his new best friend from California who is also gay. He has problems with the high school football star who hes been sleeping with Pablo, Dade told Pablo that he loved him then Pablo told him that he never wants to see him again. Dade meets someone new who's a drug dealer, and doesn't know if he's gay or not but one thing he knows for sure is that he wants to get to know this guy more. The summer ends when a girl is found after months of being missing, a boy moving on, a boy dieing, and someone staying behind.
    It was nice to find a book about someone coming out and knowing there would be people that would accept him. Even when he thought love was just a word people threw around while he was with Pablo he realized it was an emotion when he was with Alex. these were many event that any teenager around our age goes through in a summer not perticulary the comming out, but the trouble, parties, drugs, and basic teenage drama. This novel was easy to understand, and easy to follow, and gave good details that helpped you feel like you were in the book.
                                                                                                                                   -KS

Black Hole Sun by: David Macinnis Gill

Black Hole Sun is an interesting book. It takes place on a futuristic Mars, a mercenary for hire by the name of Durrango takes his small band of warriors on various missions. One mission which takes them to a nearly abandoned mine being attacked by monstrous cannibals. His crew's loyalty is tested and his life is put on the line, and through it all he continues to make jokes. The book is full of action, the last chapters consisting of a massive final battle. Thought the writing style tends to be rather weak, the story is still a fun one to follow.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction. It is a fun book and it does not go too in-depth with things, trying not to over explain every little thing in life. It's easy to get in to, but if you're looking for a challenging book I would suggest avoiding it.

-ADM    May, 20 2011

Toys by James Patterson

    Toys was a very weird but interesting novel. This book was about two agents named Hayes Baker and Lucy. Hayes got into an accident and they found out that he was not what they think he was. Than after they figure that out they chase him to try and kill him. But Hayes won't let that happen without him figuring out what he did to become an alias from his friends and family.
     The book was a very good book. I would recommend  reading. It was a very supenseful novel and a book that you couldn't put down after you started it.

MT 5/20/11

The 21 Mine by Jeffrey Kelly

     The 21 Mine was a very interesting novel. It is about two hardened criminals that plot an escape from an adirondack prison. The prison is set in the heart of the adirondacks near champlain. The two main characters of the book areWallace Klocks and Damian Houser. Both imates spent time together in the jail digging holes and planning there escape. They heard about an old mine underneath the prison that the two could use to run away and use for cover. Both of their goals were to escape the prison and try to start a new life.
     Over all I thought the book was very interesting and suspenseful. There were points in the book that were a bit boring because it was more like a documentary however it made it seem more realistic at the same time. The book is based on true facts however it is a fiction novel. I would recomend it to anybody who enjoys reading novels based on true facts. It was a great book.

                                                                            -DH

For Another Day by Mitch Albom

   For Another Day is one of Albom's latest novels, in which Albom writes in detail about the story of one man and his internal struggle with morality, self-worth, and responsibility. Chick Bennetto, the main character of the novel, has reached an all time low and after his estranged daughter gets married without consulting him, he resorts to a permenant alcholic state and attempted suicide as his escape. After a tragic car crash Chick returns home to find his deceased mother is once again walking among the living. Chick finally gets a chance to spend one more day with his mother and discover what his purpose in life is.
  Personally I don't find this to be one of Albom's bettter books. Although there is a well-developed storyline it is difficult to pick out one continous underlying theme or a climax to the story. However the books layout is easy to understand as Albom writes back and forth between present time and past memories. The ending reveals all and leaves nothing to ask questions about later, which to many readers may seem like a good ending. On the other hand there is little left to wonder about or question. Overall For Another Day is an easy and enjoyable read about the unbreakable love between mother and child.
  Albom's writing is very detailed which allows the reader to fully immerse themselves and become a part of the story. It allows Albom's novels to have a light enjoyable feel while still discussing somewhat solemn topics, such as death, divorce, and regret.

100% B.S.

Flames Of The Tiger : John Wilson

      The book Flames Of The Tiger by John Wilson is about a young boy Dieter, and his family growing up in Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany. The story falls around as Dieter was a young boy witnessing first hand accounts of the violence and the terror of Hitler's rise to power in Germany and the struggle to survive in Hitler's third rich, and the struggle to get out alive by the end of the war to the dream of escaping to Canada.
      This book is a great read with a over-all interesting and gripping story of a first hand account of what life was like in side Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany. This is also proof that not only for the Jews, and other minorities, but also hard for the German citizens living inside Germany at this time too.
                                                                                                                                         AGS.    5/20/11

The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins

            This book is the first of The Hunger Games series. 74 years ago, there was a revolution started by all the destricts. The Capitol put down the revolution and to make sure there wouldn't be another one, they bombed District 13 until there was nothing left. Now every year the Capitol has the leftover districts put up 2 tributes, one boy and one girl, to fight to the death in an event called The Hunger Games. A girl named Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12 which is a very poor district where people usually starve to death and their one material they are forced to make for the Capitol is coal. Throughout her life, Katniss had to fight for her family's survival ever since she lost her dad in a mining accident. When her little 12 year old sister is chosen to be the tribute for the games, she volunteers and takes her place. Now she has to participate in these gruesome games against 23 other tributes trying to keep herself alive from starvation, dehydration, and from being killed.
             I believed this had to be one of the best books ever published. Once i started reading it I had to force myself to put it down. I strongly recommending this book to everyone. The other two books of the series are Catching Fire and Mockingjay which are both really good books themselves. I've read all three books and loved them. They are currently casting to make the movie and is planned to be ready next year.

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

The Truth About Forever is a story about a girl named Macy Queen who is devastated after her father dies. She recently finished eleventh grade, she is quiet and doesn't like to socialize. After her father's death Macy encountered a good way to keep herself occupied; she spends her nights studying for her SAT. Macy's mom Deborah Queen is a hard working person (business woman who sells houses) who barely pays attention to her daughters Macy and Caroline.

It is summer and Macy's boyfriend Jason, goes away to Brian Camp and leaves her to do his library job. Jason and Macy quickly go "on a break", so Macy goes out to find the Wish Catering Crew, a catering company she met at one of her mother's fundraisers. Here she meets many new people: loving Kristy; quiet Monica, kind Delia; sweet, and sometimes weird, Bert; and Wes. Wes is the one who shows Macy who she can be and helps her get past her father's death and also shows her how without trying to be perfect she can still be the person she wants to be. Meeting Wes changed Macy's life, she started to express her feelings and show the outside world that she wasn't the girl who had been present when her father died, and hadn't done anything.

By the time Jason comes back home, he finds out that Macy has found true love with Wes. Wes is totaly the opposite of Jason (except that he is also talented) he doesn't ask for perfection or "a list."

Alt Ed by Catherine Atkins

In the novel Alt Ed written by Catherine Atkins, a heavy set, obese girl and five other students are forced to attend an alternative education class. This heavy set girl, whose name is Susan Callaway, is constantly being bullied throughout her school life. Susan struggles with an internal conflict of what to do. If these students do not attend this alternative education class, they will fail. Throughout the novel, there are several students being harassed. The author, Catherine Atkins, is a very consistent writer. Her writing style is unique and it's easy to read and understand. This novel was very good. There was suspense throughout the whole novel. I would recommend reading this novel, if you're into suspense. It was a fairly detailed novel, and it was also well written.

KG

SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater

This young adult novel is full of love, action, and burrowing sadness.  It was winter, that's when the young Grace was taken off her swings by wolves and dragged to the edge of the woods.  Her yellow eyed wolf Sam saved her life and that's when they fell into a deep love.  Grace didn't know yet but Sam was a shapeshifter who changed to a human when it was warm and into a wolf when it turned cold.  Years later on a cool wintery day Sam was shot and went to Grace for help.  From then on they spent every moment together because they both knew this was his last year as a human.  They go through many obstacles to keep Sam human and to make sure the secret of the wolves doesn't come out.  Grace made new friends and changed throughout the novel.  It's a very good book to read and I deffinetly recommend it more for girls than boys.  When I was reading it I didn't want to put it down, I just wanted to keep reading.  I loved that Sam loved Grace so much.  It was really cute especially since he wrote a song about her.  There is a sequal to the book called Linger that I plan on reading because this book was really good and I'm hoping the second one will top it off.

Dear John By Nicholas Sparks

If you like sappy love stories then this would be a great book for you. This book focuses mainly on two characters who fall in love within two weeks. This love story starts when they meet on a beach. John jumps into the water and grabs Savanah's purse for her which held her whole entire life in it. Savanah feels that she has to re-pay him for saving her purse so she invites him back to her house for a cook out. After that night they start hanging out and end up falling in love with each other. Their relationship becomes tested when John goes to war and they end up having to be separated for 12 months. They write letters to each often explaining what they feel for each other and what they have been doing while not being together. While John is away their love is tested  when Savanah does something that could potentially ruin there relationship. I really enjoyed this book but the movie that this book was made into is much better than the book is I thought. The book and the movie are completely different from each other.

Flight by Sherman Alexie

I think this is a good book because Zit is an Indain kid that was in an out of foster homes and jail. he meets a kid in jail that teaches him how to shoot guns. after he learned how to shoot the gun he was going to shoot up a bank. when he got in the bank he thinks he shoot up the bank and gets shot in the face. his mind goes back in time to other peoples body's. i think the book was good because it never tells what happen to him till the end of the book.

zc

Dreamcatcher by Stephen King

Dreamcatcher, the novel by Stephen King is a suspense filled sci-fi thriller about four thirty-something childhood best friends who encounter other worldly creatures and witness horrific events perpetrated by mankind. Fighting losing odds and trying to escape from an immanent doom the secret to saving themselves lies within the distant past of their fondly remembered childhood.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who loves high strung suspense filled novels and reading for hours on end. This is a book that will drag you into its plot and keep you there until the book is finished. While reading it feels like talking to a best friend, it relates to everyday subconscious thoughts other authors never incorporate into their stories. This element makes the book much deeper in character development and connection to the reader. I personally could not put this book down at times and will be reading more Stephen King in the future because of it. 
E.K.

Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Lovely Bones is based in a small town near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1973 to 1981, a fourteen year old girl watches life on Earth from high above in Heaven. She sees the world beneath her in many moods; depressing, yet in a humorous way to deal with what happened. She feels the pain her family goes through for eight years of trying to find and catch the murderer and bring them to justice. The painful part is, Susie, the victim, sees where the murderer is and she can't tell her loved ones who are thirsty for revenge and closure.
Eventually, life goes on and the Salmon family find out that Susie's dead and everyone , even Susie, accepts and moves on.
This novel has a lot of different emotions; suspense, depression, and even anger, especially towards the murderer of Susie. The book is very touching emotionally and very intense. The way that Sebold writes is very passionate, yet humorous and there is a sense of realness in each of the characters and they each have different personalities. The chapters aren't too long or too short and it flows along with perfection and deep thought and understanding. - by AH.

The Angel Experiment by: James Patterson

The book The Angel Experiment from the Maximum Ride series is a very suspenseful book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is about a 14 year old girl named Maximum and her siblings that live together with no parents. Jeb, their step father, disappeared 3 years ago and they have been living on their own ever since. Maximum and her siblings are also experiments or test tube babies and were tested on. The end result is that they all developed wings.So they can fly! Even though this may seem like a fun life, there are obstacles included in it. They have enemies. Their enemies are the erasers, wolf- like creatures that can transform into anything they want to fit in with their surroundings so they don't look so noticeable. The erasers are after Maximum and her siblings. They are specifically after one of the siblings which is Angel. She is a sweet little 7 year old and to Maximum is the most precious thing alive and she would die if she ever lost her. One day, Maximum and her siblings get an unexpected visit from the erasers and the end up kidnapping Angel. It is now up to Maximum and her sibings to go out and find the laboratory or "school" as maximum calls it so that they can rescue Angel before the erasers do any harm to Angel.I would reccomend this book to teenagers in the age group of 14 and up. The books are long, but have very short chapters. This is a great book and i would reccomend it to anybody who likes suspense or action.

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

         The Last Song is an extraordinary novel that you won't want to put down. Ronnie, the main character is sent to live with her father for the summer after being estranged from him for years. Throughout the summer Ronnie's character develops and she becomes the girl she used to be. She finds love for the first time and remembers her love for music, the one thing she shares with her father. When Ronnie is faced with adversity, she is strong enough to make the right decisions and perservere through struggles.
         This is a book that will leave you feeling happy, sad, and inspired. The characters were real and easy to relate to. In the end the book left us with an important life lesson to remember how life causes people to change and adapt and eventually growif they are willing to take chances and try. Reading this novel will inspire you to be more open to ourselves and others.
AM 5/20

Superhuman by Michael Carroll

Superhuman is a riveting novel which is action packed all the way through. There are three main characters, Lance Mckendrick, Roz Dalton, and Abigail De Luyando and two of them have superpowers. The helotry which is an elite group of supervillians combined with civilians are trying to bring back Krodin, the first superhuman who is more powerful than everyone. They are forced to work together to bring down the helotry and their plans. This is also the 5th book in a 6 book series which I did not know when I started it so it would be crucial to read the other 4 first.
                 I thought Superhuman was a fantastic book that was a real thought provoker. The characters are very relatable and heroic. It is a well written book and i recommend it to anyone who likes to read. 



T.H. 5/20

Gold Dust by Chris Lynch

This book is about a young boy named Richard that loves baseball and has dreams of one day becoming pro. When a new boy named Napoleon comes to his town, Richard takes him under his wing and helps him around. While becoming friends with him he teaches him how to play baseball. Richard now has a new dream about him and Napoleon becoming the next Gold Dust twins who are the new rookie sensations for the Red Sox. While Richard tries to make Napoleon as good as him, Napoleon has his mind on other things. When it comes to baseball season and Richard is ready to play Napoleon tells himt that hes not going to play. Richard is upset that his dreams of him and Napoleon being the next Gold Dust twins. Richard asys hes going to be great on his own.

i think this book was good on a sport side and on a side of showing racial unequality. i would recommend this book to any one who likes sports.
AK 5/20/2011

The Cathcher and The Rye by J.D. Salinger

This book is about a boy named Holden Caulfield. He got kicked out of prep school in Pennsylvania. Holden goes to New York City on adventures and returns home after a few before his Christmas break. I thought the book got boring in some parts.It kind of dragged on in the end. I personally disliked the book. In my opinion it was the worst book I have ever read in my life. I will never read this book again.




KqS






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One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is tells the story of Randle Mcmurphy, a loud, free spirited, rebellious, man that is sent to an Oregon psychiatric hospital for rehab. He is the opposite of the ward which demands comformity under the control of the Big Nurse. The novel Is told from a half indian, half white man that explains McMurphy's redemption tragedy. Ken Kesey utilizes symbolistic events and describes McMurphy almost as a Jesus like figure to the ward. Kesey uses a reaslistic, detailed style of writing that develop the characters well. The plot of the novel is well drawn out and for most is clear. I recommend the book to 15 and up as it displays more adult themes and language.
by- ZK

Crackback by John Coy

The book Crackback is about a teenage boy who is a sophmore named Miles Manning who plays football at Confluence High School. Miles is one of the star players on his team and is the starting cornerback. Football is very important activity in Miles life. Miles doesnt really have a good relationship with his father. Miles causes him team to lose a game. This cause Miles to lose his starting position. Most of Miles friends play on his football team and some of his good friends try to do steroids and Miles says he doesnt wanna do them. Even though Miles is very small for his age he still doesnt wanna do steroids because it will ruin his whole life. Miles also meets a girl named Lucia and becomes very close to her. I would recommend this book for students in grades 6th through 11.

The Omicrom Legion by: Jon Land

  This book is the fourth in the Blaine McCracken series. The primary story of which there are many is about Blaine McCracken and his friend Johnny Wareagle trying to defeat the Omicron legion. This group of modified humans has been sent by a mysterious group of people to destroy modern America in order to recreate it in an image of themselves and their beliefs.
  I highly recommend this book if you are a high-schooler or older due to some of the content and profanity used. Other than that I found this book very interesting and once it really got rolling the book was very hard to put down and I found myself looking forward to reading it. So if you do decide to read this book don't get discouraged if you don't get it right away I didn't see it really come together until maybe the eighth chapter or so.

EH

Cupcake by Rachel Cohn

The novel Cupcake  by Rachel Cohn is a the third book in the her series about a young girl named Cyd Charisse a punky girl from San Fransisco. In this book CC moves to New York City with her half  brother Danny. Here she was to build a new life without her long time boyfriend, Shrimp. This seems to be an impossibility but she works through it. When she finally is doing well and like where she's at in her life Shrimp shows up and they have to decide how they are going to incorporate themselves into each others now changed lives.
Personally  I liked the writing style but did not like the lack of action the plot was thin and was lacking climax. It is a good read but not an easy book to write about. I would recommend this book to teenage girls with a good sense of humor. This would be especially good for girls who are going to graduate soon because it teaches valuable lessons for girls who are on there way to live on there own.
 M.O.

Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood

    Charlie St. Cloud was about a relationship between two brothers named Charlie and Sam. The two of them got into a car accident and unfortunately, Sam passed away. After Sam dies, Charlie still has the ability to talk to, see, and play catch with his little brother, Sam.
    I enjoyed seeing how close their relationship truly was. Some parts of this book were quite suspensful, which made the book interesting. Charlie St. Cloud showed me that family love never dies even when the person does. This book was a very good book, and enjoyable to read.

                                                       -KS

The Thousand Orcs by R. A. Salvatore

       To any avid fantasy reader, The Thousand Orcs is a must-read. This is the first book in The Hunter's Blades trilogy. The story follows a band of adventurers, Drizzt Do'Urden, the drow who denied his race's dark heritage, Bruenor Battlehammer, the dwarven king of Clan Battlehammer, Cattie-brie, his adopted human daughter, the barbarian giant Wulfgar, and the stout halfling Regis, as they travel to the fabled Mithral Hall, along the way becoming afoul of an army of orcs and frost giants.
       This book was a joy to read, and is suggested for any high school student who is looking for an adventure that will keep them on the edge of their seat. R. A. Salvatore's excellent recipe of mixing together just the right amount of suspense, action, adventure, and psychological and moral inquisition will keep any reader glued to the pages until the story is done.

                                                                                                                               -CM

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

In the novel Lock and Key, written by Sarah Dessen, the protagonist, Ruby has a hard life and doesn't want anyone to know. She is embarassed by what she has hidden from the world. Ruby moved in with her sister Cora and Jamie, Cora's husband.  Her new nieghbor is a complete cutie, a swimmer, and a jock. Nate has always been the center of attention and now that Ruby is hanging around with him they are both the talk of the school. Something Ruby is not used to. Nate started to take Ruby to school so she didnt have to walk or take the bus. She wasnt thrilled about it but it was better than the bus. She soon let Nate in too far but she hooped he did the same. When he did she was surprised to what was going on. Nate was afraid to accept help just like Ruby was. Its is a book for teens and everyone should be exposed to it. This book is a great book to read and if you want to find out what happens with Ruby's mom or Nate and Ruby then check out the book.
KR

Little Brother By Cory Doctorow

Little Brother is about a group of teenage high schoolers that end up in the wrong place at the wrong time in San Fransisco. This novel continuoulsy keeps the reader in suspense, causing the reader to have the urge to read-on. Much of the feeling of suspense lies within Doctorows careful use of detail and in describing each character and all of  their special, technological skills. This book is a great choice to read for anyone , but would be more likely to interest people who understand computers, and are interested in the idea of a technilogical rebellion.The story revolves around Marcus Yallow who is a student that is a very skilled hacker. Marcus was just and ordinary kid playing a game with his friends when a terrorist attack took place  around him and his friends making him a suspect for the attack and causing him to live his life in fear, changing his life forever. When Marcus is captured by the District of Homeland Security(DHS), he is treated as a terrorist and tortured. When he is finally released he is under constant surveillance. He then makes it his "mission" to bring down the DHS, not only because they are suspending the constitutional rights of the people, but because they hae yet to release his best friend from theri custody. In my opinion, this was a fantastic book. The continuous suspense and never-ending thrill ride are more than enough to keep the reader interested and entertained throughout the entire book.

Glass by Ellen Hopkins

        Glass is the second installment of the Crank series written by Ellen Hopkins. In her first novel, Crank, Hopkins tells the story of Kristina, a straight-A student, who after a court-ordered visit to her father's, has a fall from grace that lands her on a downward spiral. Kristina gets involved with a Adam, a guy from down the hall, and tries meth amphetamine for the first time. She soon becomes addicted and transforms into Bree, her alter ego. She returns home but continues to use. One bad decision leads to another and Kristina ends up pregnant at the end of the book.
        Glass begins as Kristina is caring for her three month old son Hunter. She is trying to be a good mother and seems to be on the right track since she has been off drugs for a while and is working towards her GED. The stress of being a teen mother forces her back into the clutches of "the monster". She begins making connections and is again trapped in the cycle of drug addiction. Her home life explodes when her dad and his new girlfriend show up and take Kristina out for a night on the town right before Hunter's baptism. Eventually her mother confronts her about her abuse and kicks her out of her house. Kristina moves in with Brad, Trey(her botfriend)'s cousin. He has two young daughters and his wife left him so he hires Kristina as a nanny so she can earn her keep without paying rent. A love triangle emerges between Kristina, Trey, Brad, and his wife Angela. Kristina and Trey attempt to make it on their own but soon find living in such close quarters with the anxiety from using, isn't easy. They get involved with the Mexican Mofia, making matters worse. Kristina is practically disowned by her family and does not know where her life is headed. The book concludes leaving the reader with a few cliffhangers, wondering how Kristina's actions will imapct her.
        It is difficult at first to adjust to Hopkin's style of writing; the entire book is written in verse. However, once you get into it, the book is a quick read that you won't want to put down. Each page leaves you curious as to what happens next. Will Kristina ever break her addiction? The originality of the writing is interesting and a fresh way to read a novel. The tone of the book is quite dark. There are scarcely any positive moments, however something aout Kristina's attitude leaves the reader with hope that things will get better. This first person account is an intriguing look into the world of drug addiction that is ever present in the world, yet rarely discussed this in depth. There are several mature themes in this book and at times Kristina's world can consume you. Her transformation from Kristina to Bree is frightening because of the reality of how easily someone can slide downhill after so few wrong choices. It is somewhat disturbing but oddly fascinating. The book does not give any suggestion of how to break addiction but it clearly reveals several of the incredibly negative consequences of using. Overall this is a good book and I would recommend it to any teenager who wants a book with a deep tone and only topnotes of romance and American life.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment is a thrilling novel full of action and adventure. The characters are young but act mature for their age. They live by themselves with no adults. I know what you're thinking, but it's really not that awesome. These kids, collectively known as the Flock, have wings. They were genetically engineered in a laboratory they know as the School. Luckily for them, they escaped a long time ago. Unluckily, they are constantly being hunted by lupine-human hybrids, who were also genetically engineered in the lab. James Patterson does a great job in writing this novel. Every chapter was fast-paced with non-stop action on every page. Also, every time a question was answered, more popped up. The novel is the first in a series of six books with another on the way. This means that the central conflict was not completely resolved by the end of the book. In actuality, the ending was a cliff hanger. If you chose to read this book, you will not be able to put it down.

                                                                                                                                   C.P.   

Four Blind Mice by James Patterson

        When you first look at this title, you may be thinking, "There's only three blind mice, not four." But this is not a story about mice lacking eyesight, in actuality, this is a novel that encompasses action, suspense, love and an unpredictable plot. Despite the insultingly simple vocabulary, the book does an excellent job of capturing an audience's attention. No one really wants to read a boring book, no offense Fareed Zakaria (take into consideration I am a high school student). The first thing I noticed was how well each character's persona was developed. Each person had at least one or two distinct traits that one could easily pick out of a crowd. Alex Cross, the main character, seems to be struggling with many issues in the book. These include, his super-attractive love interest, Jamilla; three obscene killers that he can't seem to get any information on; his grandmother's health (she's one of those "super-grandmas"); and his plans following the end of this case, his "last" case. This fine work of literature holds a storyline based on a Washington D.C. detective on the verge of retirement who decides to help his best friend take on a case involving a military man with a clean record being framed for murder. All across the country Vietnam veterans were being sentenced to death for murders they all claim they did not commit. No real correlation could be found other than they were all part of an operation in the An Lao Valley. There were only three men that hadn't had any incidents: Thomas Starkey, Brownley Harris, and Warren Griffin; the Three Blind Mice. With the help of a mystery e-mailer, Foot Solider, and an imprisoned Vietnamese gang member, Tran Van Luu. Alex Cross and John Sampson are able to hunt down the killers and bring them to justice, each maintaining a love interest on the side.
        Throughout the whole book, each short chapter encompasses a certain event that not only is important to the plot, but keeps the reader involved and thinking. There are multiple twists and turns with a surprise ending that one would never expect. Four Blind Mice is a perfect book for someone looking for an easy read, but an intense one. I highly recommend.

TM

Black and White by Paul Volponi

Black and White was a rather interesting book. The plot was very well developed and flowed rather well considering it was written from two different points of view. The two main characters Eddie and Marcus have been best friends for many years and have been able to get over the obvious fact that Eddie is white and Marcus is black. However, when they find themselves in a whole heap of trouble, their friendship will be tested in ways it has never been before and they will finally have to overcome the issue of race that has plagued them for their whole lives. I found the book interesting, but was not overly impressed by the style of writing. At some points it was difficult to follow whose point of view the story was being told from, but overall it was a rather sweet book. I would recommend it to anyone who likes suspenseful books set in urban areas.

--a concerned citizen--

Friday Night Lights by H.G Bissinger

Friday Night lights is a true story based on the winninest team in Texas High school football. Football in Texas is ranked third behind God and Family. This novel is about how a town comes together with the same aspiration to win a state championship and be immortalized forever. The author H.G Bissinger did a wonderful job describing in great detail about how each player was looked at and how they acted. He used proper vocabulary for high school students and was a great read. I personally enjoyed every page of this novel and would recommend it to anybody who is a high school sports fan.

                                                                                                                   by  W.K

The Things They Carried by Timmy O'Brien

           This book was very intriguing. The topic and plot was very relevant to my interests.My favorite part of the book is when the platoon is very devoted to finding their friend in a sh-t field. It was very inspiring.I really enjoyed this book up until the author got very emotional. It was rather dry at some points but it was a good read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a book with a lot of action and a good personal, true and accurate story.

                                         ,
                                          T.M.

The Five People You Meet In Heaven

This book is the story of a man who thinks his life was a waste. Eddie, the protagonist, finds out otherwise after his life ends tragically. Read this book if you enjoy a beautifully crafted story of life, death, love and sacrifice.