Behind the beautiful forever's, An amazing story

 Behind the beautiful forever's is about a poor community in India living in between all of the economic growth. One will start off with a young trash collector named Abdul as his family and him start to become successful in the unforgiving slums of Annawadi. As you get deeper into the book it will take you through many different families and their hardships. One being the life of Sunil, an aspiring trash collector like Abdul. Because he does not have enough money for sufficient food his growth has been stunted which makes him depressed so he tries as hard as he can to get taller. After this you meet a woman with one leg named Fatima who has hated Abdul and his family, ever sense they started getting a little bit successful. So Fatima kills herself and blames her death on Abdul and his family. As they fight the corrupted court system in India more and more people are drawn into the fight. Which hurts many and in the end horrible things happen but they pull through.

I thought this book was extremely informative and enlightening. It made me feel the pain that these poor Indians suffered and made me feel like we can all make a difference. The book really changed the way I think about the world around me. It also made me grateful for what I have. It made me feel everything these Indians were feeling from happiness to discontent this book is one of the greatest books of the century so I would recommend this book to anyone who likes non-fiction books and I give this book an A+

Unwind

    What do you do with an unwanted pregnancy? Depending on your moral views, you would abort it. But what if that wasn't possible? What if abortion was illegal? What if the alternative was so shocking, so ghastly, so completely illogical and insane, yet it was totally ordinary and accepted in American society? Granted, most people wouldn't view it as that, because it was just so common. It's called unwinding. Unwinding is where between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, an unwanted child can retroactively be aborted by the parents. It is done so by practically dismembering the child, which all of their body parts are then given to those who need them (excluding the 'useless' body parts such as the appendix). However, since all of the parts are still alive, just with somebody else, the child is not technically 'dead', but in a 'divided state'. This shocking book tells what happens when the unthinkable is the norm, and when three teenagers scheduled to be unwound rebel.
    Connor is a sixteen year old who inadvertently discovered his unwind document in his parents' files. His parents view him as an out of control delinquent. Risa is a ward of the state, a very talented pianist, and is being unwound due to budget cuts. Lev is a tithe to his religion, being raised from birth to believe that his unwinding is a service to God. These three will accidentally cross paths (Lev under the impression that he is being kidnapped by the first two, and is probably the only one in the world that wants to be unwound) and the journey they take will forever change society as a whole.

    I absolutely loved this book, I have never been so intrigued by an idea which is absolutely mental, but everyday practice. During the first about five pages, I hated the characters of this book (I'm like that with every book). After that however, I started to gradually like him, and the others. What's interesting about the point of view in this particular novel, is every chapter, you follow another character around, it's still  told in third person, but you gain insight onto what the other characters think and feel. I actually felt terrible for Roland during his unwinding (It goes quite into detail on the process), who was one of the central antagonists of the book. It's actually pretty chilling to think about how this would actually be possible within the next couple of decades, if people were to get so uptight over a very dumb issue. For the record, I think abortion is okay up until around six weeks after conception. I do not however, condone it. Other than that, I think it's wrong to get one unless the mother's life or the baby's life were in danger. But I also believe that if you want one, get one. It's your life, not mine. I shouldn't have control over your choices. I give this book an A+ by far, it totally deserves it.

     

     

   The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins takes place in, Panem, built in the ruins of future America ruled by a controlling government. Every year each district of Panem (12 districts) sends two tributes to participate in the hunger games (one boy and one girl) to fight to the death in an arena. These tributes are chosen by a big bowl of names of all between the ages of twelve and eighteen and as you get older the more times your name is entered.  

     The book begins when Katniss Everdeen volunteers for the games when her younger sister, Prim, was chosen as a tribute. Katniss and baker's son, Peeta are the two tributes chosen from district 12 to compete in the 74th annual Hunger Games. As soon as they are chosen they have just a short amount of time before they begin their journey to the Capitol where the games will be held. The two are coached by Haymitch (a previous winner of the Hunger Games) and assistant Effie. Katniss also meets her designer Cinna and his team of stylists. Haymitch helps prepare the two tributes for the games and creates a strategy that Katniss and Peeta have to use in the arena to impress people and get extra sponsorship.  After weeks of hard training, Katniss and Peeta were ready to fight in the games. 

     In the arena there are of all sorts of challenges that these tributes are faced with created by the game makers who oversee the whole game. The lack of food, survival supplies,  knowledge of their surroundings, and who they can trust are just a few problems that the tributes face.

     I really enjoyed how the book was constantly able to hold on to my attention. I loved how detailed Collins described everything including what future America might be like. I also enjoyed how the districts were all different and each had their own characteristics. It was interesting how the environment between each district was just like how our country has separate social classes. For example rich, high class capitol people and the poor people of district 12. It was also interesting how severe the conditions were that they had to fight to the death in order to survive.

     Although, I do need to warn the reader that there is a lot of violence and should be something considered before reading the book. I would also like to suggest watching the movie to see how the story was presented differently.

Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery is a piece of realistic fiction written in the 1900's. When Matthew Cuthbert, a kind but painfully shy old man, goes to the train station to pick up the orphan boy that he and his spinster sister Marilla want to adopt, he finds Anne instead! Anne "with an e" is a eleven year old orphan who has a giant imagination and always has something to say. She is terribly excited to go and live with Matthew and Marilla at Green Gables -- their beautiful and spacious house -- but when she gets there, she finds out that there was a mistake. Matthew and Marilla wanted to adopt an orphan boy, not a girl. Marilla is determined to send Anne back but Matthew becomes attached to her and can't bear the thought of sending her away. Finally, Marilla gives in and Anne becomes Anne of Green Gables. She is smart, sassy, funny, odd, naughty, dreamy, and never stops talking! Anne of Green Gables is about Anne's adventures in Avonlea and is a fascinating book.

     I really enjoyed this book and it was hard to put down. Anne as a character is really funny and her interactions with everyone else are absolutely hilarious. One problem that people reading this book might have is that, because it was written in 1908, it uses old language and mentions things from the time period that could be a little hard to understand. Also, it is set in Prince Edward Island, Canada, so it also discusses some old Canadian politics that were a little confusing. But it was a really good book and, besides just being about Anne's adventures growing up, it had some deep stuff too. Throughout the story, Anne struggles to come to terms with her looks and peer pressure. Anne's red hair is a great trial to her. She mentions several times how she would trade all her brains to be pretty and even tries to dye her hair once (with awful results and a pretty short haircut). Also, Anne really likes to be "popular". If puffed sleeves on dresses are "in", she wants them. If frills and bows are fashionable, then by all means, restock the wardrobe. I think that this made the book relatable because, even though it is a hundred years old, these problems are still problems in the teenage girl population.

     In a nutshell, I really enjoyed this book. It was really entertaining and I plan on reading on and finishing the series. I would recommend this book to everyone! A

The Scorch Trials By James Dashner

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner is the sequel to The Maze Runner.  It is a fiction book, and like The Maze Runner, is similar to The Hunger Games.  In this book, the Gladers have escaped the Maze, and have been taken away to "safety" by people who claim to have rescued them.  The Gladers think they are safe, but in reality, they're not.  This book is about their continuing struggles.

Since escaping the Maze, the Gladers have learned many things.  First, they've learned they are under the control of a group called WICKED.  Although the Gladers viewed the Maze as an unspeakable horror, WICKED claims that all the challenges they face the Gladers with have a purpose.  Also, after escaping the Maze, the Gladers are exposed to the real world, which isn't looking too great.  The climate has become brutally hot, and with the climate has come a new disease known as the Flare.  People infected with the disease have gone completely insane, and the world looks like it is about to fall apart.

After being "rescued", the Gladers relax, thinking their troubles are over.  The next day however, things begin to go terribly wrong.  At first, they wake up to see the dead bodies of their "rescuers" hanging from the ceiling.  What's more, Teresa, the girl from the Maze, is missing.  Instead, they find a boy in her room.  The boy's name is Aris, and he explains to the Gladers that he was also from the Maze.  But his Maze had all girls and only one boy, the complete opposite of the Gladers' Maze.  Thomas and the other Gladers begin to realize that things are going to get very interesting.

A few days later, a man comes, bearing news for the Gladers.  He explains that he is from WICKED.  After reassuring them that WICKED is "good", he tells them about their next task.  They are told they must cross the Scorch, the most burned and dried-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven within two weeks.  The next day, the Gladers begin their journey.  And, right from the very beginning, Thomas knows that whatever WICKED has planned this time, it's not going to be easy.

This book was incredible.  James Dashner really knows how to make a book grab your attention from the very start and keep you on edge until the end.  There is still one more book in this series, and then a couple of prequels.  By the end of the series, I believe the question I'll be asking myself is whether or not the ends justified the means.  WICKED claims that all the challenges they inflict upon the Gladers have a purpose.  In fact, they believe they might even save the world by doing what they are.  I have no doubt that they will accomplish the ultimate goal they have set in mind.  However, by doing these things, they are putting these young boys through a lot.  They have exposed them to unthinkable horrors and have drained them both physically and mentally.  These boys will never be able to forget or fully recover from the things they have experienced.  So, by the end of the book, I'll have to determine whether or not the ends justified the means.  I'll have to decide whether or not putting these boys through all these things was really worth it in the long run.  This book has made me really excited to read the next ones and find out what happens.

In short, this book was amazing.  I encourage everyone to read it!  A

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is by far one of the best books that I have ever read in my entire life. I was slightly skeptical about reading it at first, as I've heard some say that it is a slower paced book, however I have absolutely no regrets after reading it. I highly recommend to anyone and everyone that enjoys classics.

The story begins in the summer of 1922, the start of the roaring twenties, where bootlegging and partying are habitual. Nick Carraway is just moving to the West Egg neighborhood of Long Island, New York from Minnesota. He quickly becomes aware of his neighbor, the rather mysterious Jay Gatsby, and about his grandiloquent parties which he holds every Saturday night at his gigantic Gothic mansion. Unlike most others in West Egg, Nick was educated at Yale and has a few social connections in the much more fashionable East egg. During a visit there, an old college friend and his wife, Tom Buchanan and Daisy Buchanan, introduce him to Jordan Baker, whom he begins dating. He also learns from Jordan that Tom is having an affair behind Daisy's back.

A few months into the summer, Nick receives an invitation to one of Gatsby's parties. Meeting Gatsby will forever change Nick's life in an extraordinary way, and will end another's.

I have honestly never been so engaged in a book. My love for this book is stronger than my hatred of Apple products. I did not know at all what to expect when I first started reading it, I had positively no idea what this book was about. Normally, when I don't know much about a book, I don't read it, because I feel like I might become disappointed. This was about the most fulfilling book I have ever encountered. I am glad that this book also is considered a classic. I definitely give this book an A+

Second Chance Summer

    Love... Drama... Conflict... Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson has all of these. In a heartbreaking story about a young girl who instead of facing her problems chooses to run from them. Though when her father informs her of a family issue… Taylor Edwards can't run away this time. But, she does get a second chance to repair the summer she tried to leave behind five years ago…

   Second Chance Summer takes place in the sunny Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania, where Taylor is hoping to spend one last summer while her family is still together. Matson wrote this book about a summer romance but, the story goes to a much deeper level. Taylor Edwards deals with personal conflicts, her father’s illness, her first love, and someone who used to know her better than anyone. Taylor's experiences give her many ‘second chances’ that are all telling her the same thing.

The ability to capture the reader with tender       moments and a positive outlook amazed me. Matson is able to create the most amazing characters that any teenager can relate with. Second Chance Summer takes you into each character’s life while causing you to ponder your own. Even though she has only written two novels, I am already obsessed with her writing.

    As I approached the end of the book I was nervous for how it would finish. When you read this book you will know why I felt this way. Just remember, Second Chance Summer is a heart-wrenching story that shows how to have hope in extreme adversity. It will for sure make you shed a tear or two before you reach the end. A+!



The Mysterious Benedict Society

     The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart. When Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance, take a series of puzzling tests, they are soon drawn together. The four meet Mr. Benedict who is in charge of these mysterious tests. Mr. Benedict has two "helpers" called number two and Rhonda, along with a security guard called Milligan. Mr. Benedict has asked for their help in a secret mission, because only kids can do it. These four kids are being sent to a learning institution to stop and find out about mysterious messages being sent through any from of radio and T.V making agents disappear! At the institute the kids endure many fun challenges, hard tests, Mr. Curtain (creator of institute), scary and mysterious clues, and also the waiting room. This book is very entertaining and puzzling, this book can leave you thinking for a while. Not only is it puzzling but very eye opening or shocking! When reading this book you shouldn't try to guess a head because, you are probably wrong. It's hard to predict! I think the author in this book is trying to interest you in not watching T.V and get yourself going on adventures. This author is very creative in writing this book. I would give this book an A-only because at some parts it seems slow but overall it is a great book and I would think the next book is also going to be like this one mysterious, adventurous, and puzzling! I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes adventures and mysteries!

     

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

History and reading combine…I was a little skeptical at first too, don’t worry. However, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is an amazing historical novel/fable. Written by John Boyne, this Holocaust themed book is truly an inspiration. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a story from the point of view of Bruno, a nine year old boy. It takes place in Nazi Germany during World War II near Auschwitz Concentration Camp.

Bruno lives with his mother, father, and sister (whom he refers to as the “Hopeless Case”). They live in a very nice, large home in Berlin, Germany. As Bruno comes home from school one afternoon he finds his belongings being packed in to very large crates. His family was to move to a place far, far away due to his father’s promotion.

Once they arrive at their new home, they realize at once that this home is much different than the one back in Berlin. This home was much smaller, darker, and gloomier with no one to play with. Bruno quickly explores his room being instantly drawn to the nice big window. Outside of the window, he can see a very tall fence that stretches as far as the eye can see. Being a young explorer, he decides to take a better look. Along the way, he meets a new friend with a life much different than his.  The two boys’ friendship will grow very strong and lead to devastating results.

This book was mind blowing. I couldn’t put it down; I was obsessed when I started reading it.  I can’t even describe in words how much I loved it. Talk about a memorable story that inspired me through and through. When ever I think that my life is bad, I always find a way to make it good. That’s what I was taught in the process of reading this story. There is always something good to be done. I was also taught that a person is a person no matter what. If two nine year old boys can get along as well as the two kids in this book, any two people in real life can get along with out judging each other. Not caring about what one another looks like, not caring what race they are, and not caring what religion they are, just that they can have fun and enjoy each other. That’s what really matters, right? The kids in this storey taught me a lesson that every one could use. Every one should be treated the same no matter what. I was speechless at the conclusion of this book because I could not believe that amazing lessons it taught me.

All in all, I thought this book was a must read. I would recommend that everyone reads it. You will finish a new person. -A

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

    The world as we know it is gone.  In the Host by Stephenie Meyer Aliens have now taken over.  The invasion is over and all the humans have been replaced by these centipede type aliens.  They are inserted in to your body and take over everything and just push you out.  The only identification that these "people" are not human is a thin line of silver around the pupil.  But not everyone is that easy to take over. Wanderer, one of the aliens, is put into the body of Melanie Stryder who has been fighting to stay alive for as long as the invaders have been there and insist to stay alive no matter what.  Melanie starts feeding Wanderer memories from her past life and Wanderer begins to search for that life Melanie had.  Wanderer eventually finds a group of humans in hiding and begins to fall in love with two amazing guys.  While Wanderer leans one way Melanie leans the other and it turns into an internal war.  While the real humans have a war against the aliens in the real world.

    It really puts a perspective on how quickly people are to judge but who they really are inside.  It was really entertaining to read because it had romance with just enough action to keep you interested.  I think this book is a lot better than Stephenie's previous series Twilight.  It is not completely about the love triangle though it is a major part of the book.  The antagonists are also a lot better developed and a bigger part in the book.
 
   This book brings up a really big topic that is in today's world, aliens.  You realize how big the universe really is and how much it really means to be human while reading it .  The aliens are constantly saying how unique we are from the other worlds they have taken over.  The senses we have are really remarkable and the emotions we feel throughout our lives are brilliant even though we consider them part of our daily lives.  Although it also brings up the issues humanity does have such as the violence that we consider part of our lives.

   This book could have been a lot better but it was still pretty good. It is quite slow at the beginning but picks up by the end.  The book does have violence and some heated kissing scenes.  I would recommend it to friends but it is not my favorite book ever.  Over all I would give it a B+.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." Bilbo starts out at his little house when Gandalf the wizard shows up and asks him to go on an adventure. Of course Bilbo refuses, because he's a hobbit! They like they're comfortable homes. The next day 13 dwarfs and the wizard show up, and Bilbo decides to go with them. The quest is to take help Thorin (the dwarf king) take back his home and his treasure in the Lonely Mountain which is guarded by a dragon named Smaug. 

On the way they run in to loads of obstacles. First, three trolls that want to eat them. Then they stop for advice from Elrond, an elf,  and after leaving, they are caught in a snow storm. The company seek shelter in a cave, but goblins live there! They get captured and Gandalf leads them all out... Except for Bilbo. He is in a dark cavern where he  stumbles across a ring and puts it in his pocket. However, the ring belongs to a hideous creature named Gollum. When the hobbit slips the ring on it turns him invisible and he escapes from the wrath of the creature. Gandalf then must leave the comrades to attend to some business. 

With his new ring, Bilbo helps the dwarfs escape giant spiders and elves that have captured them. Finally they make it to Lake Town, a human settlement below the lonely mountain that holds Thorin's treasure. Bilbo sneaks in and steals a golden cup from Smaug. The dragon burns Lake Town to the ground, but he is killed by an archer named Bard. Everyone heads to the mountain for treasure, which makes Thorin angry. Bilbo seeks to make peace with the humans and Thorin is even more furious. Gandalf appears and saves him from the king. Suddenly goblins and wargs come to the mountain, and the humans, wood elves, and dwarfs join to defeat the army. Bilbo returns to Hobbiton to be rejected by the home-loving hobbits, but has made great friends with dwarfs and The wizard on his journey.

I've never read any other book by Tolkien, but I am a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit movies. So I decided to read the Hobbit because, well the movie was amazing.

Now, I think Tolkein is a genius! His ability to create these vivid characters and worlds is just amazing. I felt connected to Bilbo, Gandalf, and even the 13 dwarfs. He described them so well, just in their actions, that I feel like I know them. I'm ready to move in to a hobbit hole because he describes middle earth as such a cool place!

I don't exactly know why the plot bored me, but it did. I was into it until about when Gandalf left and then it dragged on and on. I was slightly more interested when they got inside the mountain and Smaug was introduced, but that was a long time to be bored. Maybe it's because there are tons of fairy tales and other stories kind of like The Hobbit, and I've heard the old take-back-our-treasure type of thing, so when I got bored of this plot I read slowly and it made this 256 page book seem like it dragged on for-ev-er! Or it could just be that the language was hard to understand, seeing as The Hobbit has been around for 75 years.

So to sum up, The Hobbit has cool characters and takes place in a nice setting, but the plot is really long and boring for me. B

Jimmer Mania

     The Contract by Pat Forde is a very good biography of the star basketball player Jimmer Fredette. Pat Forde does an excellent job of explaining Jimmer's life from when he was a kid all the way up to the day he got drafted into the NBA. He brings you through all of the good and bad times in Jimmer's life, and goes through how much work it took for Jimmer to reach his ultimate goal of playing in the NBA.
     First of all, I love Jimmer Fredette and I very much enjoyed reading about how he made his way to the NBA. If you aren't a big fan of basketball or Jimmer you probably won't enjoy this book as much as I did, but one thing that I really liked about this book is that it isn't just all about basketball and what he had to do to get really good. It starts off explaining the mental disabilities and struggles that his brother has what a struggle it was for Jimmer and his family. It also tells how much of an influence Jimmer's  brother T.J. is on him and his basketball career. Forde helps bring you through all of the key things in their relationship and he explains all of the many things that helped Jimmer as he was growing up to aid him in reaching his goal of playing in the NBA. Also, Forde explains in detail every step of the way that Jimmer endured throughout his life up to the day he was drafted, even his home life.
     Forde really focuses on the training and the other things that Jimmer did physically to get very good at basketball. The thing that I didn't like about this is that I wished he would of gone into a little more detail about Jimmer as a kid and what kinds of things he would do in his childhood besides just playing basketball. Forde did have multiple items focused on Jimmer's home, but I felt they were still focused on just the basketball aspect of it. As well as that, Forde is sometimes a little bit too vague and doesn't go into as much detail as he should when talking about certain things in Jimmer's life. I just found myself wanting to know a little bit more when I would read a certain part. Other than those things this book was very enjoyable and filled with interesting facts and information that actually helped me learn a lot (especially some new basketball drills I can try out).
     All in all, I felt this was a very interesting book that isn't just for people who are into basketball. I would advise anyone who wants to read this to first get to know a little about Jimmer before reading, only because I know that if you already know a little about him, it makes it that much more interesting to learn more. Other than being a little bit vague and boring at a few times, Pat Forde did an excellent job of informing everyone about the life of Jimmer Fredette, and I would definitely  recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about his interesting life.

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

     Alex Rider was just a normal 14 year old living a normal life with his uncle, Ian Rider, and his uncle's housekeeper, Jack Starbright. Alex's parents died in a terrible plane crash years before and he was left mainly with Jack because Ian was always out of the country for "business".  Tragically, Ian was discovered in his car, dead. Before he knew it, Alex was picked up by MI 6 - Britain's secret intelligence agency. At their headquarters he was told that his uncle was really a secret agent who died during a mission that MI 6 wants Alex to complete. Alex reluctantly accepts and has to race against time to complete the mission his uncle started; a mission that will have catastrophic results if he fails.
      This book had me hooked from the very start. However, it got to the action a little bit too quickly--leaving little time for exposition. Throughout the entire book I was confused about exactly how to picture Alex, which was a bit of a problem for me. Also, I thought that part of the book was insignificant to the whole story, and appeared to me to just be a page filler. However, the action scenes were very well written and were very vivid.
     I would probably grade this book with an A-. Although the action scenes were vivid, they were quite short and I would have liked just a tiny little bit more. Everything else was great. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a bit of excitement. This book is an easy, but enjoyable read for most. Though I have not yet read the rest of the series, I plan to and anticipate that they will be just as entertaining as this book was.

A Book for the Biggest Suckers (Candy Pun)

      The Candy Shop War: Arcade Catastrophe by Brandon Mull is such an interesting book. In the First book of the series, The Candy Shop War is about a new kid, Nate, who moves into town and meets a group of friends. Together Nate, Trevor, Summer, and Pigeon discover that a candy shop owner, Belinda White, is a magician and makes magic candy. The catch is, the magic candy only works on children. She is searching for the fountain of Youth and will stop at nothing, death even, to reach her goal of becoming young and powerful. In the end, these kids defeat Belinda White by turning her into a child with the fountain of youth and using magic candy to erase her memory.

       In Candy Shop War 2, the new villain is Jonas White, Belinda White's brother. Lindy, Belinda White, has now become apart of their group of friends and is completely oblivious  to her former identitly. But when Lindy and her new friends are recruited to thwart Jonas White's evil plans, her risk of learning her true identity is higher. Jonas White uses something a little more complicated than magic candy. He uses stamps that allow you to fly, become super strong and like steel, become super fast, or breathe underwater. Theses friends go undercover and try to figure out his plans. He is going after Uweya, a giant model of the earth. If anything is done to Uweya, the same will happen to the earth. This kind of power could control the whole world.
     
       I really enjoyed this book. All in all, This book would have a rating of an A. It was so dramatic, detailed, and very interesting. I did not enjoy the pacing as well. I think the more time could be spent on areas where little time was spent. This book was adventurous and a new conflict occured every chapter. You couldn't wait to continue reading.

       I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Fiction, Cliffhangers, Action,  and Adventure. I would suggest reading the first book so you are not as confused.

The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins

The Story of Murder

   The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins has become one of the most popular young adult books of the century. The basic outline of the story is that this place is divided into 13 districts. Each year, every district sends one of the teenagers from the district to compete in a contest called the hunger games. The goal of the game is to survive, and kill all of the other tributes, or the other teenagers, along the way. With any kind of book like this, it has to be met with controversy, especially when the book is directed towards young adults. Some readers may find a dark plot line like that very concerning, and if you are not looking for an extra level of intensity on your reading, then this book is not for you.

   The main character in this book is a 16 year old girl named Katniss Everdeen. She comes from the 12th district, where many people starve and the area is riddled with crime. She breaks the law on a daily basis and goes outside of the barriers around the district to hunt for food for her family, and to sell at a black market. Without spoiling too much of the beginning, she ends up as tribute for her district, and has to use her skills as a hunter to survive the dreaded 74th hunger games.

   I would give this book an A- because it doesn't always stick to the perfect writing that Collins is capable of , but when it really matters, she can really blow the reader away. The story line is a very unique one, but one that I think should have been left alone, or taken in a different direction with the other books in the trilogy. As far as this book alone though, it has been one of the most memorable, and dazzling books I have read.

   I would recommend this book to anyone who loves constant action, can wait and enjoy the buildup of an epic climax, and can respect the violent setting and scenes without being shaken up by them. But, be warned, the other books in the series are, in my opinion, not as exciting as this one, and some readers may enjoy having the story end with this, and pretend that the conspiracy of the entire Hunger Games trilogy never happened. But don't get me wrong, because Suzanne Collins is a fantastic writer, and any books she writes in the future will probably end up on my shelves. This is a truly unique book, and reading it is more like an experience, than simply reading words on a page.

This Book Was SO Good, It Almost Killed Me

Wolves, Boys, and Other Things That Might Kill Me, by Kristen Chandler, is about KJ Carson, the only daughter of a widowed fishing guide and a junior in the tiny Montana town of West End, near Yellowstone. When Virgil moves in so his mom can study the local wolf packs, KJ is enchanted at first glance. Soon she and Virgil start spending a lot of time wolf-watching together, and KJ finds herself falling in love with the wolves (...and *SPOILER ALERT* one especially attractive boy whose name may or may not start with the letter "V"). The residents of West End, many of whom are ranchers whose animals occasionally supply the wolves' dinner, don't exactly feel the same way, though, and it's up to KJ to stand up for her wild friends or say good-bye to them. 

I know, I know. It sounds SO cheesy, but it's a wonderful book, and I really came to care about KJ as the story progressed. I think that was one of the things that really made Chandler's story memorable- the characterization was fantastic. The dialogue in particular, in addition to KJ's witty narration, helped me to understand and relate to the characters, and this really added to the story. I thought it was fascinating to see how ranchers and fishing guides in Montana are not really very different than anyone else; West End has brats and lunatics and grumpy teenagers just like any other town, and we all have feelings. 

The one political issue that this story brought up, though it's fiction, was whether wolves should be left in Yellowstone or taken away. The book was published only three years ago, but this was a huge controversial issue around 1997. And while her story is purely narrative, Chandler clearly sided with the wolves. I have to say that I completely agree. I totally can understand why people might have felt differently when this was an issue, but as I learned about the wolves and how similar in nature they are to humans, I couldn't help but agree with KJ. 

I should warn any boys that the narrator is a grumpy, love-sick and hormonal teenage girl, and the general public that there are a few swear words in here, though they are in places where they work and there aren't too many. Altogether, I thought this was a splendiferous book (I like big words- so sue me). KJ's wit, sarcasm and personality make it fun and readable. I look forward to Chandler's next novel, especially if it is anything like this one. A.

The Death Cure

     

        The Death Cure written by James Dashner is the third book in the Maze Runner trilogy. The Death Cure is about a boy named Thomas who is immune to The Flare, a disease that is threatening the human race. The Flare slowly makes one go crazy and basically turns him or her into a zombie. Thomas was put into a few different trials to see how his brain reacted to each so that an organization named WICKED could find a cure to The Flare. In this final book Thomas escapes from WICKED and teams up with another organization called the Right Arm, which tries to destroy WICKED. While teamed up with the Right Arm, Thomas and the Right Arm make a plan to stop WICKED once and for all. Thomas is faced with many obstacles, but is able to overcome them with the help of his friends Minho, Brenda, Newt, and Jorge.
        This book is very entertaining, and the author leaves a little cliff hangar at the end of every chapter which makes you want to keep reading, but it has a few problems that I didn't like. In this book there were many deaths that go into detail that may be a little bit disturbing to some people. Also, the people that have gotten The Flare, go crazy and are a like zombies. In one scene it talks about a person that has The Flare, that is eating another person.
        I personally, didn't like this book as much as the others in this series. I gave this book a B+ because in this book the author focused on the people with The Flare a lot and made them seem as if they were zombies, where as in the other books he didn't make them seem like zombies. Although I have made this book seem horrible, it is actually very interesting, and is a cool book. I wouldn't recommend this book, unless you like zombies, and gore, but if you've read the other two books in the series then you've got to finish the trilogy!
         

The Fellowship of The Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, is a fantasy based book being the first part of the Lord of The Rings Trilogy. The main idea of the book is to begin the journey to Mordor to destroy the one ring. It all starts in the Shire where Frodo Baggins inherits the ring from his uncle Bilbo Baggins. Then, Frodo and Samwise start their journey towards Rivendell, to form the Fellowship of The Ring, hence the title of the book. Once they have formed the Fellowship they venture into the mines of Moria where they encounter something unexpected.

     Personally, I found this book very entertaining to read but at some parts it kind of dragged across the floor, although that was a rare occurrence.  Before I had read the book I thought that Lord of The Rings was for nerdy weirdos, but now I love it. All three books were made into movies, all of which were directed by Peter Jackson who is a world famous director. This book made me a huge Lord of The Rings fanatic and now I watch the movies at least twice a month. 

     All in all, this book is absolutely awesome and it has changed my life in a very good way. I also highly recommend that you read this book sometime in your life, it will be well worth your while.

To Kill a Mockingbird, By: Harper Lee (Fiction)

To Kill a Mockingbird

Written by: Harper Lee

               

             "Kill all the Blue Jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." The title, "To Kill a Mockingbird", is a metaphor representing the slaying of innocence. Harper Lee's story represents how truly horrible it is to kill something as innocent and beautiful as a mockingbird. It comes in so many different forms. In this case, someone’s dignity, an innocent man being killed, or the shattering of a child's innocence. 

Jem and Scout Finch, live with their father in Maycomb, Alabama. Their story starts off in the summertime, right after school gets out. While playing in their oversized yard, they meet Charles Baker Harris, or as they call him, Dill. These three friends like to make up crazy plans, leading to intriguing adventures and sometimes landing them in big trouble. 

They live by a creepy, broken down house owned by Arthur Radley, sometime known as Boo. Jem, Sout and Dill have never seen Boo so they spend much of their time trying to convince him to come outside just to see if he's real. 

Their summertime fun ends when their father, Atticus, gets a case, where he has to defend Tom Robinson, an African American.  Throughout this case they learn how people in their town truly are and how some people who seem like good hearted people, and not self-centered or dangerous, are really the complete opposite. Who actually is the bad guy? Well soon Jem and Scout will find out and their troubles won’t seem as big, and they really learn what it means to killing a mockingbird. While I wouldn't call this an action packed thriller, it did have some adventure here and there. Each event added to plot and slowly built up to the climax of the story where Mr. Ewells tries to kill Jem and Scout. 

I really thought that Harper Lee had a really great point on trying to make it so meaningful when someone tries to commit a sin as tragic as killing something so virtuous. Also while something so beautiful dies, Lee shows what real pain it inflicts on someone, while once again using the symbol or an allusion of a mockingbird. This book was great and wonderful, but I will warn you it does end vague, but it does leave a little mystery that you can make up your own idea of what comes next. Really this may sound cheesy but it makes you see things from a different perspective. Truly it can make you see people 

In closing I think it's a great idea to read this book. Though a piece of advice is, it does sometimes drag. So if you’re the type of person who enjoys excitement at every part or war, this book is probably not for you. Really this book is awesome and so great, that I think most people would like it. The outcome is extremely great and will catch you by surprise. It's a very informative book that I think anybody should read, because it's truly to me one of a kind and is an A in my book. 

Maximum Ride; THe Angel Experiment by James Patterson

 Maximum Ride; The Angel Experiment by James Patterson is one of the best books I've read! It is a bit of a syfi fiction with a bit of romance. In this book, Maximum is the main charecter. However, Maximum is a mouthful so she goes by Max. Max is an avian (bird) human hybrid on the run from a place called "The School". She and her "siblings" Have to go out and rescue there littlest sibling Angel after she is kidnapped by "The School" and sent to be experimented on again.

This book is one of the most memorable I have read and led me straight to the others. It has short chapters that kept me hooked and is fast pase so you never get bored.

I think James Patterson was trying to point out that the world is getting too caught up in science and that these types of human experimentation could very well happen in the future. I belive this could very well happen, and if, or when, it does, the world will be in for a surprise.

I feel like the story lines of The Angel Experiment and the tv show Dark Angel are very similar in plot. If you enjoyed Dark Angel then I gaurentee you will enjoy this too!

I felt like this was one of the best books in the series and would recomend this to anyone. It has several scientific terms you may need to look up but besides that it was a great read! I would definitely give it an A!

The Fellowship of the Ring: J.R.R Tolkien

         The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, Is a fantasy story and the beginning  in a  epic three part series known as the Lord of the Rings. It tells the tale of Frodo Bagggins of the Shire, and his perilous quest to take the ring of power to Mount Doom.
           Frodo Baggins of the Shire, is given the great task of taking the evil ring of power to the fiery chasms of Mount Doom. The Ring was created by the Dark Lord Sauron so he could rule all of  the world of Middle Earth. Frodo is accompanied by 8 companions, Gandalf the Grey,(later to be known as Gandalf the White) Legolas the elf, Gimili the Dwarf, Boromir of Gondor, Aragorn the ranger, and three other hobbits, Peregrin Took, a.k.a. Pippin, Meriadoc Brandybuck, a.k.a. Merry, and his best friend, Samwise Gamgee. Together they make the nine members of the Fellowship of the ring. This story tells the tale of their quest as they accompany Frodo to Mount Doom, where he will eventually have to destroy the ring to end all the disaster that has fallen over Middle Earth. Through this story they will face many challenges as they try to destroy the ring of power. The fellowship will find themselves in snowy mountains, and deep in the Mines of Moria, where they will awaken a dangerous shadow beast.
             I myself think that this book was a marvelous work, and I greatly thank Tolkien for creating the world of Middle earth. This is in fact a very memorable book, and pretty much everybody has heard about the Lord of the Rings, either by watching the movie, or reading the books. Peter Jackson, a film maker, made a movie out of this book a few years back. I think he did a wonderful job of making this book into a real thing, though I would have liked it if he had showed Tom Bombadil, because I think that he is a important character in this book. Also, this book has greatly affected me. Now, I am a huge fan of Tolkien  and also the movies, and I watch them regularly.
             I think that this is a great book and I think that everybody should read it. I do understand that some of you might find this book a little boring or hard to read. And, both of those things are in some ways true. The book has long chapters where there is a lot of explaining, and I know for a fact it is a challenge to read this book. So, if your the kind of reader who relies on constant action and adventure, I would not recommend this book for you. But, if you watched the movie and liked it, I would challenge you to read the book. In closing, I think that this book deserves a A, and is one of my favorite books I have read.


         

The Lost Hero by: Rick Riordan review: by Andrew Williams

Jason woke up on a bus holding hands with a girl named Piper, and talking to a boy named Leo. Apparently Piper was his girlfriend, and Leo was his best friend. Everyone else on the bus seemed to know him too, but Jason didn't know who these people were, he didn't even remember his past life. The only person who knew Jason didn't belong here was Coach Hedge, who later they find out he's a satyr. When they get off the bus, Annabeth and Butch (son of Iris) come in a flying chariots, Hera gave her a dream that she'd find her answer to where Percy Jackson was here, but she only found Jason, Piper, and Leo. She knew they were Half-Bloods and brought them to Camp Half-Blood. Right when they arrived, Leo got claimed by Hephaestus, god of blacksmiths and fire. While Annabeth was giving Piper a tour around camp, Chiron was having a chat with Jason and found out Jason was Roman. Later at dinner, Jason finds out his dad is Zeus, or as Romans say it, Jupiter. Piper got claimed by Aphrodite, which she did not like at all. Piper has been getting weird dreams that her dad has been captured by a giant at Mount Diablo, but she didn't mention it. They find out that Hera has been captured and locked up, and Jason, Piper, and Leo were assigned to go on the quest. 

Spoiler Alert!    They freed Hera and Piper's dad. Piper has the ability to charmspeak, and Leo has the ability to create fire, and he's immune to it. When they come back to camp, they find out Percy's at the Roman camp, and he doesn't remember who he is.

I give this book an A, the first is a little slow but once it gets into the quest it is one of the best books. 

Rick Riordan also wrote the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and this is a little similar but I feel had a little more action and suspense, many times I was forced to put it down ,but I just couldn't. 

This is a wonderful book that I suggest everyone read! 

The Hobbit By J.R.R. Tolkien

         What is a hobbit? Well, a hobbit is a mythical creature created J.R.R. Tolkien. A hobbit is about half the size of an average man, and they live in a peaceful country with almost no history of war. They also like to stay in their hobbit holes were they are comfortable. If you want to know more about the hobbits go read the book, but for now this is all you need to know.
         We start in the magical land of the shire. Here is where a very special hobbit lives named Bilbo Baggins. He is one of the many respectable hobbits. One day Gandalf comes and talks to Bilbo about going on this adventure with him. And with Bilbo being a hobbit he kindly refuses for they like to stay where they are comfortable. Then on the next day 13 Dwarves show up in his house along with Gandalf, they eat almost all his food in his house, and Bilbo doesn't like it one bit. He just wants them to get out of his house. So, he lets them stay one more night and they leave him a note in the morning. He decides to go on that adventure, and runs to meet them. On there trip they have many obstacles in their way. First they go and see Elrond at The Last Homely House. He gives them horses and supplies before they go into the Misty Mountains. Then they get banged up while in the mountains, it rains and snows whole bunch, they run into some goblins. Then Gandalf has to go and save them, but not Bilbo. Bilbo gets lost where he finds a ring. He then plays a game of riddles with Gollum. Gollum is a very nasty creature. Then when Bilbo finally makes it out they are attacked by goblins and wolves, only to be saved by huge eagles.  In the end Bilbo ends up really rich and the Dwarves get back their gold and mountain.
           This book is truly amazing. It is very entertaining and exciting in my eyes. The reason why is that it just has so many obstacles the characters have to go through and it makes it exciting. And then they always go from one problem to another it's like give these guys a break already. Although they do get some breaks throughout the book it's not that many.
           If you are looking for a good book to read let this book be it. This book is very adventurous it is filled with many obstacles and many fun parts in it. A+.

The Wedsneday Wars

  Gary D. Schmidt will have you captivated in The Wednesday Wars from start to finish. In this young adult, historical fiction novel, Schmidt takes you through the school year of 1967-68 for Holling Hoodhood, during the Vietnam war. This fun, and compelling story shows how a typical seventh grader can make a big difference on his teacher, and peers by just being himself!

          Holling is just trying to get on his teacher's good side, Mrs. Baker, but for some odd reason, he does the opposite, and he doesn't know why! To make things worse, Mrs. Baker makes him stay after school every single Wednesday reading Shakespeare while the rest of his class goes to religious study. Holling is pretty positive that his teacher despises him. Maybe Mrs. Baker hates him so much because he just can't seem to stay out of trouble. With a bully demanding cream puffs, angry rats, and him having to wear yellow tights, he's going to have a rough year- he's sure of it. As trouble hits him left and right, Holling comes across Motivation- the big M- in places you would never imagine, and brings up the courage to enjoy life, and makes the best of it, in spite of himself.

          This book will keep you wanting more until you turn the last page. I absolutely loved this book from the moment I read the first page. Its words are full of humor, fun, and excitement. The book tells how, even in middle school, you can find the courage, and stand up for what you believe in, even when life is telling you otherwise. Schmidt makes you feel like you know Holling personally, and all that he goes through, until the last day of school, which might teach him a lesson, too. 

          The Wednesday Wars is definitely my favorite book ever. It will almost be impossible for someone to write a better book than this one. It will leave you wanting more of Schmidt's great stories. This amazing story gets an A+ for sure.