Dodger

My second book review is “Dodger” by the late Terry Pratchett. Other notable works include A Blink of the Screen, Raising Steam, The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld, and many others.

Dodger starts with a storm. As the storm rages, a girl falls out of a carriage; the titular character, Dodger, hears her screams as he is moving out of the sewers from which he was toshing (toshing is a profession that was prevalent in Victorian era London, which consisted of going into to the sewers and looking for valuable things) from. He runs to the scene and sees two assailants trying to grab her. He quickly defeats these two and was noticed by Charles Dickens. This sets off a series of events that create a fun journey.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes humorous, whimsical tales. This blend of fact and fiction will keep anyone reading. If you like adventure and to laugh, this book is for you.   

Book Review by Yousif K.

The DaVinci Code

My first book is “The Da Vinci Code” By Dan Brown. Some of his other works is Angels and Demons, Deception Point, Digital Fortress, and Inferno. His works can be found at http://www.danbrown.com/. The theme of the book is religion vs. science.

The story is about Professor Robert Langdon, who gets called in to Paris to talk with the Louvre curator Jacques Sauniere. Once there, he finds that Jacques was murdered and that he is the number one suspect. He escapes with cryptologist Sophie Neveu. This leads to a long and fantastic journey across Paris and London, with a surprising twist at the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone that likes books with mystery and adventure novels. This book will keep you reading to the end with facts about famous masterpieces like the Mona Lisa.

Book Review by Yousif K.

The Maze Runner

The book I read was the Maze Runner by James Dashner. This is the first and only novel I have read by the author so I’m not sure how it differs from his other works. The story follows a young teenager, who awakes in an elevator, with amnesia, the only thing he remembers is his name Thomas. As the elevator reaches its destination he finds, another hundred boys the same age as him. The boys are living in 4 sided homestead, called the glade, it is surrounded by stone walls, what is beyond the stone walls is a maze on a time cycle, where the paths change, and at night the maze releases nightmarish creatures. He soon realizes that all he wants to do is to escape. The theme of this book revolves around “friendship can overcome anything” Thomas has to befriend many people to survive the horrors of the maze and, hopefully, escape.

Thomas is thrown into the Glade with no explanation, everyone is as confused as him. Thomas has to befriend many people in the Maze, who each have a special trait to them. Whether they have a positive attitude toward the situation or they’re a good cook Thomas has to work with them in order to escape. We get to see Thomas as a confused and scared individual, and as he eventually starts to regain memories and receive visions of his past life, he has to become strong and powerful. This evolution is very interesting to see, his growth is very substantial from the beginning book to the end.

I have to say the Maze Runner is a read I would suggest to everyone. It’s very interesting and original, with great devolved characters, and it keeps you reading for more. I would definitely suggest it to anyone if they’re looking for a book that is adventurous and suspenseful, at times. The author Dashner does a very good job at pacing the booking so it keeps you and interested and coming back for more. If you’re looking for a book with incredibly great paced heart and suspenseful action all in on, then I can’t recommend any other book then the Maze Runner.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Maze-Runner-Book-1/dp/0385737955

Book Review by Max M.

Monster

The book I read was Monster by Dean Myers. This author has written other books. A book that this author had also written is shooter. These books are similar because of the writing style on both books are similar. It is written almost like a script. The theme of this book is crime.

               

The book monster is about a teenager wrongfully accused of a crime. The main characters are Steve Harmon, James King, and Richard “Bobo” Evans. The book is Steve writing about what happens in his jail experience like a movie. He is in because he was accused of being involved in a robbery/murder.

               

I would recommend this book to others because it is really good. It keeps you interested and not want to stop reading. The type of person that would like to read this book is somebody who likes suspense and crime.

Book Review by Macayle D.

Shooter

The book I read was Shooter by Dean Myers. Dean Myers has written other books as well. Another book by dean Myers is Monster. This book compares to monster because they are written in similar styles. You read them like a script. It looks like somebody was recording or writing down everyones lines. The theme of the book shooter is bullying.

The story shooter is about a couple kids in high school that get bullied, and are just not very popular around their school because of the way they act. The main characters: Cameron, Leonard, and Carla all have weird ideas about things and speak their minds by making a group that plans events to show what they think. The book is police interviews, and entries from Leonard's journal.

I would recommend the book to people because it is interesting. It s about a topic I think everybody should know about. The type of person I would recommend this to is somebody who likes mystery, and crime.

Book Review by Macayle D.

The Hunger Games

My second book is “The Hunger Games” By Suzanne Collins. Some of her other books are Catching fire, Mocking Jay, and many more that can be found at http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/ . The theme of this book is similar to the other in the sense that when things are tough you need friends to get through them and sometimes to get over your fears you have to face them. This book is about a girl who is pitted against 23 others and in order to survive, she’s going to have to kill them.

The story is about a girl named Katniss Everdeen. She lives in Panem, a futuristic U.S.A in which everyone lives in poverty except for those who live in the capital. Panem is divided into 13 districts in which one was destroyed in a war. Since then every year each district has to send two children to fight in an arena against each other. One year Katniss gets picked. In order to survive she’s going to have to kill.

This is a good book if you want action, drama, and adventures. After reading this I went on to read the other two because it was just that amazing. It is good if you are into alternate futures. If you need a good book to read then you should defiantly go and read this book right now   

Book Review by Joaquin R.

The Last Olympian

My first book is “The Last Olympian” By Rick Riordan. Some off his other books are The Lightning Thief, Sea Of Monsters, and many more that can be found at http://www.rickriordan.com/ . The theme of this book is that no matter how hard things seem you can get through them with the help of others, and personal determination. The book is about a teenager who has godly powers has to lead his camp to war.

The story is about a boy named Percy who is the son of Poseidon. He has to help and lead his camp against a war with the Titan named Cronos and his monster army. Percy, with the help of Annabeth and Grover, has to overcome many obstacles throughout the story. There are ups and downs but in the end, he will decide the fate of the world.

This book is your kind of book if you like action and adventures. Rick Riordan is one my favorite authors because of this book. In the book he keeps the reader wanting more with mysteries around every corner. If you need a good book to read then you should defiantly go and read this book right now.

Book Review by Joaquin R.

Animal Farm

Introduction

Animal Farm is by novel by George Orwell. He wrote 1984, Down and Out in Paris and London, and many others (they can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/george-orwell). 1984 is about a "negative utopia" in which it seems it's illegal to record your own thoughts and is punishable by death. Animal Farm and 1984 are both somewhat about utopia's that don't work end up working out.  Animal Farm is, in its entirety, satire on the Russia's civil war and the uprising of the USSR. The novel's theme is leadership and power can eventually get to your head and corrupt your thoughts and emotions.

Summary

At night, all of the farm animals met in the barn at Manor Farm and were discussing their cruel owner, Mr. Jones. Old Major told them his philosophy on Animalism that night by describing his dream of animals having freedom. A few days after his speech, he died. The remaining animals plotted a rebellion, the two major planners being pigs Napoleon and Snowball.  Mr. Jones forgot to feed all of them one night after getting drunk; this is what sprung their plan into action. The animals successfully chased Mr. Jones and his men off of the farm. They renamed the Manor Farm as Animal Farm and created the 7 commandments of Animalism. The two pigs Snowball and Napoleon fought for leadership until Napoleon took a step forward and drove Snowball off of the farm and banned him from ever returning. Napoleon ruled the farm with an iron fist; does he lead the farm they worked so hard to obtain to success or to its downfall?

Analysis/Review

I recommend this book to anyone who is mature enough to enjoy a book with a deeper meaning. If you know anything about Russia’s Civil War, or the uprising of Communism in the USSR, this book would probably make a lot more sense to you than someone with no knowledge of these things; the characters are comparable to important figures and topics during those historical events. This book has a lot of mature and political ideology in it from the time period it was written in (1940’s) and has a powerful ending.

Book Review by Hailey O.

The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner was written by James Dashner in 2009.  Dashner also wrote many other books including The Scorch Trails, The Death Cure, The Kill Order, The Eye of Minds, The 13th Reality, and the Infinity Ring.  Dashner’s writings are fantasy type books and many of them are geared towards young adults.  The Maze Runner is about a boy names Thomas who wakes up with no memory of who he is and why he is in a metal box.  Thomas remembers only his name.  Thomas is taken to a place called the Glad, which is a community of young boys who live together on what seems like a farm, that’s surrounded by high walls.  Outside the Glade is a Maze that has monsters (known as Grievers).  The theme of The Maze Runner is friendship and bravery.  It shows that friends are willing to have their life taken for another friend.  The Gladers are all good friends with each other and they all pull together to make sure that all gets done as it should.  The Gladers are very brave people since they have so many weird and bizarre things that happen to them.  The boys who did not make it through to the end of the book were brave also because they gave their life to help others. There were also many brave boys who were killed during their battle of the Grievers.

Thomas learns that if a Griever stings you that you then go through a process which is very traumatic and is known the Changing.  Gally (one of the Gladers) is not sure on how to take Thomas and actually accuses him of being a spy.  The leader of the Runners is Minho.  The Runners are the Gladers who run into the maze in hopes of mapping it and then finding a way out of the maze.  Thomas meets Teresa, who is the first girl ever to be sent into the Glade.  Thomas finds that he has a bond with Teresa and he becomes obsessed with her.  Teresa goes into a coma after she tells everyone that things are about to change.  Thomas decides that he would like to become a Runner even though he has a lot to learn about the Glade as well as the Maze.  Thomas is attacked by a boy who has gone through the changing, named Ben.  Alby (the ruler of the Glade) is stung by a Griever while out in the Maze.  Minho tries to get Alby back to the Glade before the walls close but Thomas knows they are not going to make it so he went out to help the two.  He is now trapped in the Maze with Alby and Minho during the most dangerous time- night.  Minho freaks out when the Grievers approach and runs away leaving Thomas with Alby.  Somehow the three of them manage to live through the night which is something no one else has ever done.  Thomas gets in trouble for his role in the overnight Maze stay.  Alby believes that he has seen Thomas before and thinks that Thomas had some part in the design or maybe even the building of the Maze.  Thomas visits with Teresa, who is still in a coma, and Teresa communicates with Thomas telepathicly.  Thomas is scared by this and runs into the Maze just so that he doesn’t have to hear her voice in his head anymore.  Teresa tells Thomas that they were both involved in the building of the Maze.  After Thomas’ punishment for the Maze incident, involving Alby and Minho, he starts to train to be a runner with Minho’s help.  Teresa lets Thomas know that she has started the end.  Thomas figures out that the Glade is a made up place where the sky really isn’t a real sky.  Teresa drops a bombshell that to Thomas that the Maze is a code.  Teresa wakes up so that she and Thomas could meet in the Glade.  Thomas is very much attracted to Teresa although Alby is very apprehensive of her.  For the first time ever, the doors to the Maze don’t close like they should so Alby takes Teresa because he believes she has something to do with this.  A large house in the Glade is where the Gladers stay as they wait for the Grievers to do their thing at night.  All the maps of the Maze that the Runners have made throughout the years are destroyed by fire.  Thomas figures out a new way to look at the map information although he was able to find the real maps as the ones burned were just fakes.  Teresa and Thomas look at the maps together and find that there are letters hidden in maps that spell out words but the words don’t make sense together.  Thomas allows himself to get stung by the Grievers to hopefully bring back some memories.  Thomas recovers from this sting and tells everyone what he has remembered. He then tells everyone that he knows how to get out of the Maze. Many people listen to him more now that he has gone through the Changing because they know that he’s remembered things. Thomas leads the Gladers into the Maze, knowing the risk he puts himself, and his friends at.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and science fiction/ fantasy.  There were so many twists and turns to the book; putting it down became very difficult. To read this book, you don’t have to like a certain genre of books, however: when I read this, it was as a project in Language Arts and I ended up reading more of the books in that series. You’re never sure what’s going to happen next, which is the best part of the book. 

Book Review by Breanna S.

House of Hades

Heroes of Olympus: House of Hades, is a fiction book based off Greek mythology by Rick Riordan; the fourth book in the Heroes of Olympus series. This book focuses on the first person viewpoints of Seven different heroes; these heroes being half human and half gods, called half-bloods. The heroes are trying to seal the doors because if they don't then nobody will die which is causing chaos, mayhem, and destruction. This is one of the most action packed and exciting books I've ever read. 

Rick Riordan uses the first person viewpoints for seven characters yet manages to mix all of these into one coherent story that makes sense. Each of the seven main heroes get their respective spotlight and time to shine. You're going to become attached to at least one of the characters along the way. Their adventures to save the Earth from evil forces coming out of the Underworld is told intriguingly, interestingly, and coherently. It all makes sense and comes together at the end and will leave you satisfied. 

I would recommend this book to people who like Greek Mythology or fiction books in general. Rick Riordan does an amazing job mixing in seven different viewpoints and tying in a story that spans five different books throughout multiple years. The story and characters are awesome and it has a lot of humor in it. This is a great read and you should add it to your summer reading list. 

Book Review by Nasir M.

Animal Farm

The book I read was animal farm by George Orwell, also known as Eric Blair. He has published other works such as 1984, Coming up for air, and homage to Catalina. I would say this book is a tie for the best/most popular with 1984 because that is his best known work, but I personally thought animal farm was interesting because it symbolizes how the government of Russia molded pre- World War 2. The theme of this book is, when you cheat to get what you want, it will all come tumbling down.

The book takes place on manor farm filled with animals who are gathered into the big barn by old major. who Then convinced the animals to overtake the farm from Mr. Jones. Old Major soon dies  and leaves the farm in the hands of Snowball and Napoleon. Napoleon chases snowball out of the farm and takes control over it himself with the use of ruthless tactics such as his trained attack dogs. Eventually Napoleon extorts the parts of the farm and kills some of the animals who oppose him and the pigs who were the 'elite' group of the animals start to walk on two feet and be like humans even though when they all got it started they had learned that they should die before being at all like one.

I would recommend this book to any intelligent person who can make the connection to the historical past because it adds another dimension to your thinking while your reading the book and overall enhances the liking of the read.

Book Review by Ryan D.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

The Autobiography Of Malcolm X by Alex Haley is one of the most influential non fiction books of this century. Alex Haley and Malcolm X tell his life story from birth into death in an intriguing way. Malcolm X went from a inner city gangster who was sent to Prison into one of the most prominent Civil Rights Leaders along with Martin Luther King. Alex Haley tells the story beautifully, intricately, and intelligently. When Malcolm was a child his father was killed by The Black Legion, this led him into radical movements like the NOI. 

Malcolm X and Alex Haley tell Malcolm's life story from birth until death in explicit detail. You learn exactly what Malcolm is thinking and how he is feeling. My favorite sections of the book was when Malcolm was a child; this part of the book provides foreshadowing and reasons on why Malcolm turned out how he did. You see how somebody's environment can shape them into the person they are. Malcolm X went from a confused child , to a inner city gangster, to a reforming inmate, to a powerful civil rights leader for black people. You see these transformations in explicit, vivid, and interesting detail.

  

I would recommend this book for everyone to read. You see Malcolm's transformations and his ideologies throughout all the stages of his life. As Malcolm X said: "By any means necessary" you should read this book by any means necessary. It is also an important lesson in history; Malcolm X was a huge part of the Civil Rights Movement. Alex Haley and Malcolm did a beautiful job writing this book. Everyone should read this book. One of the best I've ever read. 

Book Review by Nasir M.

Little Brother

Little Brother is the first of a book series written by Cory Doctorow. He has also written Homeland, the second instalment of the series. The story is about a modern San Francisco where the government begins invading people’s privacy to the max in search of terrorists. It explores how far our government’s power will go and how the people will fight back. The overall theme is liberty and freedom.

               

In the beginning of the book San Francisco suffers from a terrorist bombing and in the rush of it all military take the main character Marcus Yallow and his friends: Vanessa, Darryl, and Jolu into custody and pretty much torture any information they know out of them as they are now suspected terrorists. After they get all the information out of Marcus and his friends that they think they need (none of which has anything to do with the terrorist attack), they are set free again but under constant surveillance. All except Darryl who was injured when they were captured and the captors say they never saw him and are going to arrest the rest of them again and make them “disappear”. When they are finally come back into society, after a week or so of capture, they find out that the government has started violating citizen’s privacy any way they can. In response Marcus joins and helps distribute a network called the Xnet where you can use the internet completely anonymously by using a hacked version of an xbox that bounces from router to router so anyone tracking or monitoring it would get lost. This and many other ways were how Marcus and others fought against the DHS and the government.

               

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who cares about the freedoms we have as Americans and would like to protect them. This book goes into detail explaining a lot of tech involved in Marcus’ fight against the DHS (Department of Human Services) so if you would like to learn about technology and the violation of American’s rights than you should read this book immediately.

Link to book: http://www.wattpad.com/story/4388430

Book Review by Mason B.

Fake I.D.

Fake ID by Walter Sorrells is a very exciting book, along with First Shot, Atlanta Graves, Fear, and Many more (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Sorrells). All of his books have a lot of action along with intense mystery. His books are actually very similar, as far as the plot goes, it involves some sort of conflict, action, and the solve of the conflict. The theme of the book is that you should do what makes you happy, tell the truth, and never abandon the ones you love.

Chasity and her mother are the main characters in this. She has been on the run with her mom for years now, her mom is wanted dead. Chas and her mom are living in a small town. One night Chas' mom goes missing and she has to live with her friend. Chas has 6 days to find her mom before she is put in a foster home or even worse, murdered by whomever wants Chas' mom dead.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes books about crime and conflict, also romance because this book is full of those things. If you are easily startled by violence then this book is not for you. If you love a good thriller with action around every page then you should definitely read this book. 

Book Review by Marcellus B.

Insomnia

Stephen King is known for writing horror books. Insomnia isn’t your normal horror story though. It revolves around the main character, a very old Ralph Roberts who starts to suffer from lack of sleep or insomnia after a tragedy happens in his life. The theme of this book is about perceiving thoughts and what is true against what isn’t.

The book centers on Ralph who experiences hallucinations he calls “auras” and eventually he can’t tell if what he saw was a dream or reality. He finds himself in some trouble after he calls the police to report that Helen Deepneau was beaten by her husband Ed who becomes the main antagonist. Ed had beaten Helen because she had signed a petition supporting the Womancare clinics right to give abortions, turns out he didn’t agree with that so much because he started a “Friends of Life” group against abortions and harasses the clinic and their employees. Ralph becomes an enemy to the organization and is in danger while dealing with practically losing his mind.

I would highly recommend this book to someone who wants to be entirely in someone else’s perspective and who can get into a long story with lots of detail as this review is only of part one out of two and a long epilogue (pages 1-307). This book faces some of the scariest real world problems combined with the aspects of losing one’s mind. Only a small portion of people will enjoy this book but if you do you will end up loving it.

Book Review by Mason B.

The Best Bad Luck I've Ever Had

Kristin Levine has written The Best Bad Luck I’ve Ever Had and two other books, The Paper Cowboy (http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/the-paper-cowboy) , and The Lions Of Little Rock. In The Lions Of Little Rock (http://www.schoolastic.com/teachers/book/lions-little-rock#cart/cleanup)  and The Best Bad Luck I’ve Ever Had, they are both about historical fictions, and have the same type of story line. In The Best Bad Luck I’ve Ever Had, it is about a boy named Dit who meets this black girl Emma, who just moved into town with her family in the early 1900’s. Blacks are highly discriminated against, and Dit becomes close friends with Emma. He and Emma go through mysteries and adventures in this discriminated time.

In this book, Dit and Emma have to face many challenges. The main characters are Dit and Emma, but a native American, who owns a store, is also a big part of the story. Emma and Dit face troubles with maintaining their friendship because of the discriminating time, and find themselves in trouble. They go on adventures and investigations to get out of the trouble they caused and save the day. “We were almost back to the jail with our second load, and I was just beggining to think we might pull this off, when Uncle Wiggens wandered into the street." (levine, 152) this is one of my favorite and one of the most exciting parts of the book in my opinion.

If you like action, mystery, and excitement,  then this is a book for you. Especially if you like historical fictions. You need to read this book if you are interested in these things. If racial comments, or the "N" word doesn’t make you feel comfortable then I don’t recommend this book for you. If you can handle the Racism then I definitely recommend this book for you, it is intriguing almost all the time, very exciting. 

Book Review by Marcellus B.

Romiette and Julio

Introduction:

I read a book named Romiette and Julio; a story about an African American girl name Romiette who meets the boy of her dreams, a Hispanic named Julio, online. Little did she know they lived in the same area and go to the same school. But come to find out their relationship might not be a good idea according to the neighborhood gang The Devildogs. The author of this book is Sharon Draper, who has also written; Out of my mind, Tears of a Tiger, Copper sun, and many more amazing titles. The theme of this story is destiny because no matter what conflicts happen in the story, they never let that come in between their relationship.

Summary:

Romiette and her friend Destiny decided to order The Scientific Soul Mate System because Romiette wanted some guidance with her love life. They never expected Romiette to actually en up with the boy that she met over a chat room website, and to add icing on the cake they go to the same school. Romiette and Julio were catching stronger feelings everyday until a neighborhood gang group approached Romi about it. Telling her she can’t date Julio because of the fact that he was Hispanic and their gangs don’t get along. After that, everything went downhill. Romi and Julio tried to avoid the gang for a while to let the situation simmer down, then decided that they were tired of hiding and wanted to do something about it. So, to catch the Devildogs in their act they set up a plan. Romi and Julio were going to walk down the street that the Devildogs threatened them not to come across, and Destiny and Julio's friend were going to drive behind them to catch the Devildogs on camera. The night of the plan was here and everything was going fine until Romi and Julio decided to sneak into the woods for a quick kiss. By the time they came out Destiny's car was no where to be found. Then, all of a sudden a black car pulled up and all four doors opened. Out came the Devildogs...

Analysis/Review:

I recommend this book to others because it's a great read and there wasn't one part that made me bored. If you're interested in destiny/drama themes with a  little bit of action, then this is the book for you. The people who would like this the most would be people who enjoy books by African American authors. You should read this book because once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down.

Book Review by Tori H.

Matched

I read the book Matched, by Ally Condie. For more information visit the following link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7735333-matched. Matched is the first book to the trilogy written by Ally. She has written other books including: Atlanta, Crossed, and Reached. For further details into those books click here, http://allycondie.com/books. I have read all three of the books in the Matched trilogy. Her writing style flows simply and is easy to follow. She’s a great author! These books are similar. I believe the theme of Matched is choices; many hard decisions are displayed throughout the book. Another common theme is family. In this book the society is much different from what is considered to be “normal.”

           

It starts out at Cassia’s (main character) birthday party. She is turning 17. It’s the day she find out who she will be “matched” or spend the rest of her life with. In this society you don’t get to choose; your match is assigned to you. She found out who her match was… a life long friend. Then each person is given a micro-card. This card contains information about their match. Cassia shows her anxiety before being given the card. As she waited, focused, and stared at the big screen something went wrong. Bizarre images flashed across the screen. This was not supposed to happen. She was told it was a glitch, and not to worry a thing about it. Everything in this society is kept secret. Her grandfather had given her something important. As the book goes on many details are laid out and then Cassia is given an important choice regarding her match. She is stuck between two options. Read the book for discover those important options and what her final decision will be!

           

I would definitely recommend this book. I could not put it down! Every chapter leaves you wanting more! This book would best suite anyone interested in fiction stories since the society is very different then the “real world.” If fiction is not your type - don’t waste your time reading this! This book makes you think about how the world would be if it was “normal” for cultures/society to follow the actions shown throughout this book. If you’re looking for a good series to read over the summer this would be a great choice! All three books are quite long but go by extremely fast since they’re so interesting. 

Book Review by Kylie S.

The Blood of Olympus

The Blood of Olympus is the last book in "The Heroes of Olympus" series by Rick Riordan, the author of the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series.

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15872.Rick_Riordan

Fortunately, The Blood of Olympus is just as good (if not better) than Riordan's previous books, and it is a great one to end the series with. Side Note: I apologize for how much of the plot and story I must leave out in this review to avoid spoilers.

The seven Greek and Roman heroes (Annabeth, Percy, Jason, Piper, Hazel, Frank and Leo) are on their way to the Acropolis in Athens, Greece to stop the evil goddess Gaea from waking and destroying the Earth and all mortals on it. All of this as 3 other heroes (Nico, Reyna, and Coach Hedge) must return to the U.S.A as fast as possible to prevent a war between the Greek and Roman camps; of course while being chased by a (literal) giant Marksman; "The hunter who never rests" (Riordan 33).  This book (and the rest of the series for that matter) is a fun adventure all the way through and never fails to hold the reader's attention. The series as a whole has a great way of expressing it's 3rd person omniscient POV by having each alternating chapter with a different view/character; this style of writing is executed wonderfully. It is easy to recommend this book to any reader who loves a sense of adventure and doesn’t mind some learning about ancient mythology (which by the way is fun to learn about from Riordan). The Blood of Olympus (and the rest of the series) deserves to be read immediately.

Book Review by Oliver C.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory written by Roald Dahl, is one of the most famous books written by Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl has also written Matilda, The BFG, James and The Giant Peach and many more famous books that have become movies. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fits in with Dahl's style of including fictional plots in real life situations. Dahl incorporates quirky ideas that keep the book interesting and exciting. Dahl displays that you should always be thankful for what you have as the theme of this book. The main character, Charlie, is a boy who is very poor and lives with his family. His family struggles to survive off of the very small amount of money his father makes. Charlie seems to be very unlucky, but not for long.

Charlie lives in the same town as the world famous Wonka Chocolate Factory. He always enjoys the smells of the chocolate factory when he walks by on his way to school. As much as Charlie loves the Wonka Chocolate Factory, his poor family can only afford only one chocolate bar a year for Charlie to enjoy on his birthday. Charlie's grandparents tell Charlie about the factory and all its mysteries. Just when Charlie's family seems to be at a big struggling point, something spectacular happens. Willy Wonka announces that he will put 5 golden tickets in 5 different chocolate bars to be shipped around the world. Only 5 lucky children will find these bars and find the tickets inside of them. This announcement makes Charlie want to eat a chocolate bar even more than he ever has before.

I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys about fictional things living inside real life worlds. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a very exciting book that may make you hungry because of how much it talks about candy. If you enjoy more serious books with darker themes, this book may not be the book for you. If you are looking for a book to read, I would recommend this book to be your next read.

Book Review by Erik I.

The Fault In Our Stars

The book I read was called The Fault in Our Stars written by, John Green. For more information or to purchase it click here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fault-in-our-stars-john-green/1104045488?ean=9780525478812. John Green has written the following books: Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, An Abundance of Katherines, and Will Grayson,Will Grayson. For more information on other books written by John Green go to the following link,https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/1406384.John_Green. This is the only book I’ve read by this author so I am not able to comment on the style of those other books in comparison to The Fault in Our Stars. The themes of this book are the struggles that life brings especially with cancer on top, as well as love coming out on top of a significant event.

           

The book is about a young girl (main character) named, Hazel. She is forced by her mother to go to a weekly support group for cancer that she dreads. Every week a new excuse is said to avoid it. Her mom said she needed to be involved in activities to keep her busy. Hazel said, “Please just let me watch America’s Next Top Model. It’s an activity” (Green 25). Her first time at support group she caught a glimpse of a very attractive boy. His name is Augustus Waters. From there they started talking. They grew to become very close friends who did almost everything together. As the book continues they grow closer together and one of their cancers starts to get in the way. Hazel and Augustus shared the interest of a book & wanted to meet the author some day. The cancer makes this wish difficult. Hazel becomes a wreck thinking about the situation she, Augustus, and her family face. She cried, listened, and worried. Augustus and Hazel have an intriguing love story; their story brings out the best of themselves. Read the book to finish the story!

I would recommend the book to anyone who likes romantic stories. If those kind of books are not you're type, I wouldn’t waste time on it since its based around their connection. I think it is good for all ages, young and old. Although it goes into detail it shows how life can effect us all and the challenges people face every day. I love the writing style of John Green, as well as the story line of this book! It’s a good read! 

Book Review by Kylie S.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

The book I read was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. This is the only series I have read by the author so I’m not sure how different in style and genre this novel is from her other work. The plot of this book follows a strange young boy named Harry Potter who is swept away from his normal life that he knows and hates, into the wonderful world of wizardry and which craft world where he finds his true power. Now I must say that this book is one of the most unique and entertaining novels I have ever read. It is truly incredible to see Harry’s transition from an awkward and strange young boy to a strong and powerful young man. The Theme of this novel actually revolves around two focuses the first being no matter how big or small someone is they can be powerful, and the second is friends are family.

Harry had always noticed something was strange about him, from his lightning bolt scar on his forehead to being able to communicate with animals. This leads him down a very strange path into the world of magic where he finds out he is a celebrity amongst them. Like I said the plot focuses around Harry but he also has a lot of friends that help him along his journey. His two best friends are Ron Weasly a quirky redhead with a huge family; and his other friend is Hermione Granger, a nosy bookworm. Although we see Harry grow and mature, we also get to see Ron and Hermione become stronger as the story progresses too.

I have to say, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s stone is an enjoyable read for everyone. This book really engrosses and captures your attention. It is a very enjoyable book that I would suggest to all. If you want an original and interesting fantasy book that will you keep you wanting more I would say look no further, this is the book for you. If you want a book full of adventure, fantasy, and very convincing and likeable characters then I highly suggest Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Sorcerers-Stone-Rowling/dp/059035342X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432844391&sr=8-1&keywords=harry+potter+and+the+sorcerer%27s+stone

Book Review by Max M.

Taming Fire

The book I read was Taming Fire by Aaron Pogue, the first of the Dragonprince’s Legacy series which you can find here: http://www.amazon.com/Taming-Fire-Dragonprince-Trilogy-Vol/dp/1936559021/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432839571&sr=8-1&keywords=Taming+Fire.          Aaron Pogue has also written the Ghost Targets series which I will soon begin in reading.

This story is that of a boy named Daven Carrickson and how he comes to be an apprentice for a Master Wizard named Claighan so that he can eventually stop a great evil from. Daven grew up a beggar on the streets of the great city with his father, who was a commonly known thief who died when Daven was still young and is now constantly ridiculed for that fact. Daven runs away out of the city until collapse and ends up a servant to this family for a long couple of years. A long time later, Master Claighan comes up to him and asks of him to become a “new type of weapon” to battle a great threat. Daven takes a lot of bumps and bruises along the way and even ends up giving a couple to others on his way to becoming the new weapon that Master Claighan has been trying to build.

I recommend this book because of its intriguing plot and story it has in it, even though it can be a bit slow at times. If you are the type of person who likes to read fantasy, sci-fi and/or fiction, I think you will really enjoy this book. 

Book Review by James M.

Maze Runner

The book I read was Maze Runner by James Dashner. This is the first book in the three part series. Other books he has written include The Scorch Trials and The Death cure. You can purchase these books on http://www.amazon.com/The-Maze-Runner-Book-1/dp/0385737955. The theme of this book is things are not always at it seems.

   

This book is about a kid names Thomas who was mysteriously put into a "maze" with about one hundred other boys. None of the boys have any memory of life before the maze but all that they know is that they need to get out of the maze. Thomas meets many people in the pace they live (the glade) but his best friend is a kid named chuck. Chuck is Thomas's "mentor" and he teaches him new stuff about the glade.

 

I would recommend this book to someone else because it is an all around good book with action, adventure, mystery, and even a little romance. This book also has a lot of lessons In it and shows that anyone and everyone is important. This book was also a New York Times best seller.

Book Review by Sam M.

Tears of a Tiger

Intro: "Tears of a Tiger" is written by Sharon M. Draper. Sharon M. Draper has written Copper Sun, Out of My Mind, Panic and November Blues. Sharon M. Draper has an amazing way of expressing the feelings and problems that teenagers experience and puts them into phenomenal books. The theme of this book is you can never blame yourself for mistakes, but you can correct them for the future.

Summary: This book is about a high-school teenager named Andy. Him and his bestfriend Robert are the most popular guys in school because they are the captain and co-captain of the basketball team. After a car accident caused by Andy kills his bestfriend Robert, it's hard for Andy to go on in life. He is full of guilt for driving in the night after drinking and partying. Now, Andy has to find out how to continue is live and focus on what's best for him.

Analysis/Review: I highly recommend this book to teenagers that have experienced hardships and problems throughout their lifetime. I feel that most teenagers should read this book because it helps you open your mind and really put yourself in other people's positions.

http://sharondraper.com/bookdetail.asp?id=6

Book Review by Kyndal W.

Woods Runner

The book Woods Runner by Gary Paulson is a good history and action book. On http://www.amazon.com/Woods-Runner-Gary-Paulsen/dp/037585908X you can buy the book for $7.99. Other books he has written include Hatchet and Tracker. They relate to each other because they all involve being in nature and having to live/ survive in it. The theme of this book is that you need to enjoy your family and appreciate them.

    

The book Woods Runner is about a 13 year old boy that lives in the time of the revolutionary war. In the book, his parents are taken by British soldiers and the young boy, Samuel sets out to find them. During his adventures, he meets new people and has a couple of setbacks to his plan. He couldn’t have done anything without the people In the book that helped him.

    

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys American history, and action and adventure books. I would recommend this book because it shows the true meaning of family and just how far you can go to save them. I also recommend this book because it shows how people can come together and make a difference.

Book Review by Sam M.

Paper Towns

The book I read was paper towns it was written by john green. john green has also written the fault in our stars which is one of his popular books he’s also written: looking for alaska, an audience of katherines,and will grayson will grayson. The theme of this book is that everyone gets a miracle make sure you find your miracle. 

This story is about a boy named Quentin Jacobsen who has been fascinating about a girl name Margo Roth Spiegelman who has been living right next door to him there whole life. in both their senior years getting ready for prom one night margo climbs into Q’s window and they do an all nighter. during this all night they torcher explore and go all around town. but the next day when Q goes to school he finds margo not there. Margo leaves clues all around to find her but Q is the only that knows what they are.

I recommend this adventures and mysterious book to everyone 10 and up because this book is good and adventurous and there could be a part in this book where you can relate to Q and margo's relationship. you could sometimes want to be like two and it could really bring out the adventurous side of you to want to go do something with yourself. you should really read this book i'm telling you you wont regret it john green is an amazing writer and he puts in words you'll learn and you will also find a good book to read while you're at it it's not to hard to read at all the most you could do during this book is jump with excitement.

Book Review by Rylin G.

Shiver

Intro: Shiver is written by Maggie Stiefvater. Maggie Stiefvater has written The Dream Thieves, Sinner and many novels. All of Maggie Stiefvater’s books have something to do with fantasy and reality, romance or teenagers. Most of her books relate to lots of movies such as Twilight, Princess and The Frog and Cinderella. The theme for Shiver is that when you’re wounded, you can always heal.

Summary: This story is about a girl named Grace. Grace has grown up watching wolves in her back yard. She always had one particular wolf that she adored. Then, there’s Sam. The boy that has lived two lives: the key to the wolf pack and the guy who’s rarely at school, but only goes because he adores Grace. Eventually, they become much acquainted and Grace finds out a lot of things about Sam.

Analysis/Review: I highly recommend this book to teenagers that love books with teen issues and teen romance. I think many teens should read this book because it really speaks to your soul. This book is also the first book of the trilogy.

http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-shiver/#gsc.tab=0

Book Review by Kyndal W.

Hallucinations

Introduction

Oliver Sacks, author of Hallucinations. Sacks is a practicing physician and author of twelve books including,  The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Musicophilia,  Awakenings, The Mind’s Eye, and more. Oliver Sacks is known for his collections of neurological case histories. Hallucinations compares to the other books he has written in a non-fiction way. The topic that draws the connection between Hallucinations and the rest of his work is that they all fall under the study of the brain and the neurological experiences. In Hallucinations, Sacks draws attention to mind-altering episodes of both his patients and himself. He explains each feature and structure of the brain and how they correspond, operate and function. The theme of this book is the idea or concept that there is a neurological reason of why people experience hallucinations. Whether it’s a visual, sound, sense of touch, or sense of smell hallucination, it can still occur to common people in common situations. This does not always mean that that person has a diagnosis of a mental disorder.

Summary

“When the word “hallucination” first came into use, in the early sixteenth century, it denoted only “a wandering mind”” (Sacks, ix). This book gives goes into depth about the causes and explanation of one of the most arguable or questionable symptoms in today’s neurological field. Sacks explores the minds’ of a variety of normal, everyday people that are open about their hallucination episodes. He gives lots of examples of different people with different stories. The book begins with a discussion on Charles Bonnet Syndrome, which is a disease that occurs in the visually impaired. People that lack sight, often substitute vision for hallucinations. Next, he talks about hallucinatory smells, some people experience pleasant or unpleasant smells that are only noticed by them and in reality do not exist. Sacks then moves into auditory hallucinations. The brain creates an illusion of voices, noises, music or any type of sound that are not actually occurring. Sacks explains that the disease Parkinson can lead to hallucinations. He transitions into hallucinations due to drugs. Other causes of hallucinations that are mentioned are epilepsy, delirium, which is hallucinations that happen due to toxic levels of chemicals or brain damage, pseudo hallucinations of near sleep, and narcolepsy. In addition, hallucinations can also happen from PTSD. He then gives intake on what may make us see ghosts or spirits, and doppelgangers. Finally the book ends in a mind-blowing cause of hallucination that is way beyond our earthly knowledge and could possibly be the explanation for the reason of a very important topic that we humans question and debate upon all the time. This book is filled with, answers to questions, explanations, lots of research studies, personal experience and technical neurological reasons of the hallucinations presented. Oliver Sacks is an important character in the book because not only is he the author of the novel and a well known scientist and doctor, but he includes himself with personal experiences. The characters in the book are actual real people because it’s a non-fictional novel. These people are patients he’s examined which have ranged from encephalitis patients, migraine patients, those with phantom limbs, and the elderly. A quote that I found particularly intriguing was points and references that stood out to me the most and made me think. “More than a hundred thousand people in the United States have amputations every year, and the vast majority of them experience phantom limbs after their amputations” (Sacks, 272). This is intriguing because it can show the complexity of the mind and almost as your own mind is playing tricks on you. The patient can feel an itch on their “leg” but in reality the feeling in not present. This to me forms a non biological dimension to the brain. The brain is more than just a physical existence to the human body.

Analysis/Review

               

I would recommend the novel, Hallucinations because through his writing of patient case studies, compassion, personal experience, and wisdom, there can always be something gained through knowledge or learned.  I have learned many fascinating facts that have opened my mind. If you’re the type of person that goes for the non-fictional, educational books that leave your mind running with thoughts and ideas then you’ll want to read this book immediately. You should read this book because once you start, you can’t put it down. 

Book Review by Sophie H.

Safe Haven

Introduction

               

Safe Haven is a novel written by Nicholas Sparks. Sparks is also the author of seventeen novels such as, The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, The Longest Ride, The Lucky One, The Last Song, The Best of Me, and many more. Safe Haven compares to these books because they all have the same theme, even though the plot can be very different. He writes romantic-drama fictional novels. Generally, Sparks sets out to write easy-to-read, entertaining, original love stories with spontaneous endings that generate genuine emotion. In terms of style, he writes with efficiency, conciseness, and originality. Safe Haven is written in third person point of view. The theme that Safe Haven focuses on is relationships. These relationships include friendships, family relationships and romantic relationships. The novel takes place in Southport, North Carolina.

Summary

               

Katie, the main and most important character, begins her new life with a fresh start in Southport, North Carolina. She has a very sensitive, touchy history with her previous husband that she ran away from in Massachusetts. She chooses to keep to herself and forget her past. Katie lives by herself in a small cabin home with only one neighbor. Her neighbor’s name is Jo and they become really good friends. The author starts by incorporating friendship at the beginning. Jo convinces and persuades Katie to get to know the owner of the convenient store in town. He is a young, single man named Alex. Alex is a father of two kids and a widower. As he gets to know her more he discovers what she has been hiding. He quickly realizes that Katie is emotionally damaged from her old, abusive husband. The two fall deeply in love with each other. The story takes a dramatic turn when Katie’s ex-husband Kevin, who is a detective for the Boston Police, is tracking her down after all this time that she’s been gone. Once Kevin reaches Southport, things start to unravel and escalate quickly. In the end, Katie receives a letter from her friend Jo that creates suspense and huge shocker. The novel ends in a plot twist that ties the whole story together and explains many details that are mentioned throughout the book. There are many quotes that I found truly intriguing and that made me want to keep reading. An example is, “Makes sense to me. Sometimes starting over is exactly what a person needs” (Sparks, 8). I feel that I can relate to this quote taken from the book. In 2012, my family and I moved states and during that process I can draw a connection because just like Katie, I had to meet new friends and live in a new home. Moving is adapting to a new lifestyle and starting over can either be difficult and upsetting, or taking on a new challenge and wiping a clean slate, just depends on how you choose to look at it.

Analysis/Review

               

I recommend Safe Haven to teens and young adults. If you’re the type of person who loves cheesy, romantic-drama novels then this book is perfect for you. This book is more than just a love story but a life experience. The story allows readers to feel connected to the characters and get in their heads. For those who enjoy Nicholas Sparks and his love based dramas, read this book immediately and you won’t be disappointed!  

Book Review by Sophie H.

Paper Towns

This is Kennedy and I just finished the book Paper Towns by John Green!  Some other books written by John Green include: The Fault in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Will Grayson, Will Grayson, Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances, This Star Won't Go Out, and more.  I have read The Fault in Our Stars and it was very good; I loved the book and it was really touching!  Most of John Green books are tragedies and have sad endings.  I am sure that all of the other books John Green has written are really good because the two books that I have read from him were awesome and I loved them both.  Paper Towns takes you on a mystery with Quentin and lets you experience the adventure that the characters go through.  Paper Towns was a really good book and the theme of the book is that people aren’t always the way they seem, everyone has other sides to them.

               

Paper Towns is about a boy named Quentin Jacobsen or Q who gets pulled into one of Margo Roth Spiegelman’s adventures and experiences things that he would never do himself.  After he goes on Margo’s adventure, Margo becomes a mystery that he has to unravel by finding clues and discovering himself along the way.  “The easiest way to solve a mystery is to decide that there is no mystery to solve.  But it seemed clear to me now that she had left the clues to a mystery behind” (Green 111).  Will Quentin be able to solve her mystery?  The characters include Quentin the main character, Margo Quentin’s crush and friend, Ben and Radar his best friends, and Lacey Ben’s girlfriend and Margo’s friend.

               

Paper Towns was a really good book; I really enjoyed reading it.  I would rate Paper Towns 8 out of 10 because the book was really good and kept me interested.  If you like adventure books, mystery books, or love stories, you would like Paper Towns.  I highly recommend reading this book.     

Book Review by Kennedy L.

If I Stay

This is Kennedy and I just finished the book If I Stay by Gayle Forman!  If I Stay has a sequel, which is called Where She Went;  I can’t wait to read it!  Some other books Gayle Forman wrote are: I Was Here, Just One Day, Just One Year, Just One Night, Sisters In Sanity, and You Can't Get There From Here.  I haven’t read any of Gayle Forman’s other books so I am not sure what they are all about, but I am sure these books are really good because If I Stay was awesome!  If I Stay takes you on a journey through Mia’s past memories and through Mia’s thoughts on how she will decide her future of whether she lives or not.  The theme for If I Stay is to enjoy your life while you have it because anything can happen that can put it to an end!

               

If I Stay is about a girl named Mia who got hit by a car and went into a coma.  However, she can see everything going on around her because she is like a ghost out of her body watching everything around her.  Later, she finds out that she has to decide whether or not she wants to live and wake up or die.  “I realize now that dying is easy.  Living is hard” (Forman 175).  Mia has many things to consider in choosing whether or not to live.  Read this book to find out what she chooses.  Some of the characters in the book include Mia the main character, Kim her best friend, Adam Mia’s boyfriend, Teddy Mia’s brother, and her parents.

               

I thought If I Stay was a really good book.  I would rate it an 8 out of 10 because the book is very interesting; it makes you wonder what you would choose if you were Mia.  If you like love stories, young-adult fiction, or tragic books, you would like If I Stay.  I recommend reading If I Stay because it is an amazing book.

Book Review by Kennedy L.

The Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseini is the author of The Kite Runner. He has also written two other books: And the Mountains Echoed and A Thousand Splendid Suns. All three books are set in Afghanistan at least for a while, and have an Afghan as the protagonist. All three are fiction, that tell incredible stories. 

The Kite Runner features many themes like the relationship of father and son, how friendship and the past intertwine, how religion and social classes can divide a people more than you'd believe. But the most important one is how your past will always come back someday, whether you like it or not. That the past always matters, and you can't change what happened in the past, but you can change how that affects your future.

Born in 1960's Afghanistan, Amir lives a happy life with his father Baba, and their family's servant Ali, and his son Hassan. Amir and Hassan become strong companions, though Amir is reluctant to call him "friend." Amir strives for his fathers attention, yet Baba doesn't seem to understand him and his love of literature so he feels that Baba gives more attention to Hassan, as if he were his son. 

On the winter of 1975, at the age of 12, him and Hassan enter a kite competition which is quite popular in Afghanistan. They strive for greatness, and succeed. He finally gains what he wants, his father's pride. Hassan goes to find the kite that they had defeated in the competition, and Amir finds him being raped by the bully/sociopath of their neighborhood, Assef. Amir hides, not doing anything to help Hassan due to his cowardice and runs, pretending he didn't see anything and act like everything is normal.  He begins avoiding Hassan out of guilt for what had happened, and how he didn't help. Hassan's father Ali finds out, and leaves Baba and Amir without telling Baba what had happened out of Hassan's begging not to. Baba and Amir later are forced to leave due to the war that had started in their country. They make the journey to America, where Baba begins to adjust to American culture and life, and Amir begins to fall in love with Soraya, an Afghan woman who works at the flea market besides him and his father. Baba gets diagnosed with a terminal illness, and later passes away. They get married, and life goes well for him. Later on, Baba's friend Rahim Khan, a close friend to Amir as well since Rahim always supported Amir with his writing dreams. He asks Amir to visit him. When Amir arrives, he learns that Hassan had lived his life and had a wife and son. Though they had later been killed, Rahim has one request. Find Hassan's son Sohrab, and bring him back to somewhere safe. This part of the book ties in how Afghanistan had changed when the Taliban were put in power, and what it had done to it's people.

I recommend this book to anyone who can handle a lengthy book that features multiple, multiple details. This book offers many details that come up in several different parts which connects the entire story, not just as a series of events; but as a true novel should connect. This book is intriguing because it creates connections to the characters involved as it searches for sympathy with the reader and shows the similarities and differences cultures have. This book may connect to the other books Khaled has written, as they all show Afghanistan but just from different perspectives. It could also connect to anyone interested in stories of pain and forgiveness.

Book Review by Thomas D.