The Beginning of Everything

Sarah Mlynowski definitely knew what she was talking about when she called Robyn Schneider's The Beginning of Everything "heartbreaking and hilarious," and said that "girls everywhere are going to fall madly, deeply, hopelessly in love with Ezra Faulkner." As a teenage girl, I can tell you first hand that that is absolutely true.

 

The novel, which in the UK is known by the title Severed Heads, Broken Hearts, follows Ezra through the aftermath of his tragedy- a car accident that smashed not only his knee, but his social life and the future he had planned. A car accident that threw his life upside down and right into the middle of Cassidy Thorpe's. Of course, they fall in love. She, in all her mysterious bohemian glory, shows him the world as he hadn't considered it before, teaches him not to care what people think, how to let himself be different. Of course, something goes terribly wrong.

 

The ending was so unexpected and unbelievable (yet totally convincing) that it's taking all of me not to spoil the entire book, but I won't. The great thing about The Beginning was that it was unpredictable, contrary to the norm as far as teen novels go, and I'd hate to ruin that. But this book was different in other ways, too. It alluded to classic novels, quoted poetry and actually meant something- it said something. Maybe I'm a little unconventional myself, but a call to action is so important to me in a good book. One hundred points to Schneider.

 

Another thing I really appreciated as I read this novel was that Schneider gives you a reason to give a crap. About the characters, that is, about what happens to them. I read a book recently where a girl gets kidnapped, but she was so annoying and bland that I just thought, "Kill her already! Hold her for ransom! She's not good for much else." Reading The Beginning of Everything, though, I did fall in love with Ezra Faulkner. I fell in love with Toby, and Phoebe, and Cooper. I hated Charlotte and Evan and Jimmy and Luke and sometimes Cassidy, but at the same time understood her and half-wanted to be her. I felt personally invested in Ezra's destiny. I cared. I had a reason to keep reading.

 

I could go on and on, but instead I'd better acknowledge, albeit reluctantly, the book's flaws. The thing that bothered me the most was Schneider's use of ridiculous replacements for the word "said" and, when she did use it, long adverbs after it. "Enthused," "deadpanned," "said sheepishly..." I found that sort of annoying. Also, she used a lot of phrases a bit too frequently throughout the book. Maybe those things don't irritate anyone else, but there they are, acknowledged, just in case.

 

Also, please take note of the fact that this book is full of passionate kissing, curse words, explicit references and other scenes and dialogues of that kind. Of course, that's exactly what high school is full of, so that makes the novel realistic, but if those things bother you, avoid this book.

 

Ultimately, I loved The Beginning of Everything. I encourage anyone mildly interested to indulge themselves in the fantastic reading experience it provides. A

The Brotherband Chronicles : The Outcasts

   This book is based on a group called the skandians. Many of you will not know what a skandian is but some of you might especially if you have read The Ranger Apprentice series. A skandian is one the fiercest warriors in the whole world. Their barbaric ways frighten many people. They go raiding all of the time. it is not uncommon to be raided for all the gold, silver, or/and other precious materials kept in your city. Skandians can fight and defeat any enemy even if they are outnumbered 5 to 1. The skandians mos t treasured weapon is a battle ax. when they go into battle with battle axes their enemy will will cower in fear. Their favorite tactic is to charge into battle screaming and swinging their axes around.
   This book starts with the normal skandian raid. They go and plunder the city and take everything. But in the process one skandian is killed, and another skandian vows to take care of his son and wife. About 16 years later Brotherband Training begins. The brotherband is where 16 year old boys train t become real skandians. Hal and his friends are the underdogs. All of his team mates, including him, are outcasts. On his team he has a thief, a kid that has a really bad temper, a class clown, a regular kid with nothing really special, and other kids with nothing that special to mention. Although they are nothing special Hal is. Hal is a natural born leader and inventor. he takes these kids and turns them into believers. In short they end up winning the Brotherband training course. With the winning Hal and his team are given the chance to watch over the Andomal. The Andomal is skandias most prized treasure. While they are on watch it gets stolen by pirates. Hal and his crew are now hated by all of Skandia. SO, he decides to go after the Andomal.
\    This is a very intereting book with lots of adventure and action in it. It makes the book better if you read at least some of the Ranger Apprentice series just to know what a real skandian is. This is a very exciting, interesting, suspenseful book. I would recommend it to anyone. A.

Killing Lincoln

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      History is one of my favorite subjects. If you are like me, then this book will keep you interested. Even if you don’t, there is no way this book wont catch our attention. This book is a historical novel that goes into detail about the shocking assassination that changed America forever. Written by Bill O' Reilly, and Martin Dugard. It starts off being in the middle of the civil war, and goes day by day till the day that one of our most amazing Presidents; John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln. It tells about his life, his wife, the war, the country, and the way he did things.

     The way that this book is written is so good. Their choice of wording, and the way they tell it keeps you on your toes. It seems like it would be like reading a history book, but its not at all. Its like you are actually there. In the head of the crazy person and the President. I loved that I learned so much more beyond just the assassination too. But in a way that kept me interested in actually learning them. 

      This book opens your eyes to a lot of things that has happened in history and possibly happens today. We all know that not everyone likes our current president. How on earth can we be sure something like this won't happen again? Luckily we are not going through the same things that they were back then such as the civil war. The main idea of this book was obviously Lincoln’s assassination. But it goes far beyond that and into more depth. I loved this book and highly suggest that people read it. It is one that is constant suspense, and action, and yes it does include a lot of things to learn from. But I LOVED it. A

The Sea of Monsters

    The Sea of Monsters is written by Rick Riordan. Riordan is famous for his ability to write Greek Mythology books while also relating to the teen audience. He has written The Lost Hero, The Red Pyramid, and The 39 Clues series. The Sea of Monsters is the second book in the series of Percy Jackson. There are five books in total. Reading the first book before the second would help you understand the storyline better.

   Percy Jackson is finishing his seventh grade year. This year had been weird...he hadn't had any monsters attack him . Just when he thought luck was on his side and the monsters were gone they decided to join his dodge-ball game. Percy thinks he is doomed and that the monsters have him this time… Then his best friend Tyson, turns into a Cyclops, and saves him.

   Percy knows that he needs to get to Camp Half-blood in order to be safe but he also decides it would be a good idea to bring Tyson with him. When they get to camp they learn that Thalia's tree has been poisoned, Chiron has been replaced with Mr. D, and that Tyson is actually Percy's step-brother.

   Percy tries to locate his Buddy Grover. He is told that Grover hasn’t been seen or heard from in a long time.  Percy and Grover have an empathy link that allows them to communicate even if they are not by each other. Grover tells Percy that he is trapped in The Sea of monsters. Percy wakes up and tells the leaders that Grover is trapped and just maybe the Golden Fleece that is needed to cure Thalias’s Tree could be with Grover.

   Percy sets out on a quest with Annabeth and Tyson to try and rescue Grover while also obtaining the Golden Fleece. Just like any other Rick Riordan book they run into problems. There old Camp Half-blood friend Luke tries to stop them. He believes that the Titans should be the ones to rule the world. Then they run into the six headed monster, Scylla, Tyson gets lost and Annabeth and Percy are left to believe that he has died. There are a lot more thrilling moments in this book but you will have to read the book to see if Percy can successfully finish his quest.

Overall, this book was fascination because it isn’t just a fantasy book. It is a book that has themes that even the teenagers who aren't totally into Greek Mythology would enjoy. This book also follows the Hero's Journey step by step. Therefore, even though the book was predictable it was still a good read. A.

The Son of Neptune

The Son of Neptune

   The son of Neptune is a sequel I've been waiting for ever since I flipped through the last pages of The Lost Hero. It is the second book in the series by Rick Riordan, who writes several different series involving different mythological gods from different cultures. This book stars Percy, the hero from the lightning thief, and the following books in the series, and his two new friends Hazel and Frank. Last time we saw Percy in a Rick Riordan book, he was intertwined with Greek mythology. However, Percy's memory is almost completely wiped clean. While fleeing gorgons, he wonders into a new camp, Camp Jupiter. This is a new and exciting place with more than one major twist to Percy's previous camp. This place worships Roman gods, and houses are divided in military divisions instead of different houses. Soon, however our three young heroes depart on a quest that I found to be the main enjoyment of the book. 

   I loved the Roman Mythology from The Lost Hero, and this sequel helps to really combine the two series' worlds. I'm sure most of the people who read this book would agree that the myths and gods are what help to make this series special and that, coupled with astounding characters, really make this book come alive. I highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates an author's ability to combine real history(as some believed it to be) with a fictional story line.

   One important thing to note is that if you enjoyed this book and haven't read the original series with Percy, you can't feel as attached to him as you would be if you would have read the other books. But that's just my personal opinion because this still is a great book in a standalone series that should really be loved for what it is on its own.

Review by: Alex Schneider

The Season

The Season

By Sarah MacLean

    

    This amazing book was written for all those who love Jane Austen and the entire period in history she has come to represent. The season is all about the hardships of a Season in 1815. (Season: the time when girls "came out" of the schoolroom and into society to find a suitable husband.) Although for those who are easily bored with a plot, this is not the book for you. 

    The story begins as the Season is opening and our main character, Alex, is coming out. Alex is a headstrong and witty girl with a taste for adventure. This is unfortunate for her because in London at this time, women are to be quiet and there for men to "cultivate into the bloom of their choice," as Alex says. Needless to say Alex is not thrilled about the idea of being "married off." Until she gets to know Blackmoor a little more. 

    A friend of the family, Lord Blackmoor, has just returned for the Season to London, and out of mourning the death of his father. His fathers death was said to be and accident but he thinks otherwise, and so does Alex. As she begins to find out more and more she uncovers clues as to who committed the murder, and wishes to kill Blackmoor as well. With the help of her best friends, Vivi and Ella, she must solve the mystery to save Blackmoor. Also she must keep it all a secret so she is not ruined, and unfit to be married. 

    Overall this book talks a lot about being true to yourself, not letting society change you. Alex is like a precursor to the women's rights movement, as she is often complaining that men give no notice to women's opinions. Loyalty is another big idea in this book. Alex is always loyal even if it means being ruined. Vivi and Ella are also always loyal and looking out for Alex. Over all this was a very well written book. It is perfect for those who wish they could have their own season. I give it a solid A.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

     Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the second most read book in the world, written by J.K. Rowling. It is a marvelous book telling the story of the wizarding wonder, Harry Potter. Harry Potter has lived a miserable life in Privet Drive for as long as he can remember. His aunt and uncle abuse him daily while spoiling their son Dudley. Harry has practically given up on hoping for a good life when he gets a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry. His uncle destroys the letters as they come and eventually moves away to avoid them. Then, Hagrid, a half giant and the gamekeeper of Hogwarts rescues him from the Dursleys and into the wizarding world.
      Unfortunately, the world of wizards is not a safe place. Hagrid tells Harry that his parents were killed by Voldemort, the darkest wizard there ever was. Voldemort tried to kill Harry too, but it backfired, leaving only a lightning shaped scar on Harry's forehead. Nobody knows if Voldemort is dead or just trying to regain his power. Because of this miraculous story, Harry goes to Hogwarts as a celebrity
     While at Hogwarts, he learns all about magic and plays Quiditch, a sport played on flying broomsticks. He also becomes friends with Ron Weasley, a poor but honest boy. Harry and Ron, as well as the know-it-all Hermione Granger are running from Filch, a sort of hall monitor, when they walk into a forbidden room with a three headed dog guarding a trap door. As the year goes on, Harry and Ron become suspicous of Snape, the Potions professor. On Halloween night, a troll gets into the castle, and they think that Snape let it in as a distraction. The troll ends up in the girl's bathroom while Hermione is inside. Harry and Ron end up saving her and becoming friends. Unfortunately, not all students at Hogwarts are Harry's friends. Draco Malfoy, a prideful jerk whose father was a supporter of Voldemort, becomes enemies with Harry.
     This book is definitely one of the best books I have ever read. I could not disagree with any of the themes and morals in this book. One of the biggest themes is that friendship is a key role to make it through trials. Harry relied on his friends as well as vice versa to defeat their enemies and make it out of life threatening situations. This book also taught of bravery, courage, and that hard work yields rewards. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a thrilling story that you just can't put down. A.

   

The Importance of Being Earnest

     The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde was a hilarious read. A play set in 1895, it is a comedy about two men who both pretend to be someone they're not. Jack Worthing lives in the country and has a over-imaginative, beautiful, young ward named Cecily. He also says that he has a poor sick brother named Earnest who lives in the city. He does this so that he can go to the city often, pretending to be Earnest, and court Miss Gwendolen Fairfax. He is about to propose to her when his best friend (in the city), Algernon Moncrieff (also Gwendolen's cousin), sees that his cigarrett case is labeled with the name "Jack". Algernon, being very protective over his cousin, refuses to give his permission of the proposal until Jack explains himself. When Jack reveals that his name is not actually Earnest and he has just invented his brother, Algernon gets an idea. After listening in on Gwendolen's and Jack's conversation (she does say yes), he gets Jack's country address and immediately leaves to help his "poor sick friend Bunbury".

     Confusion and comedy that follows as Algernon and Jack's ward, Cecily, fall in love (her thinking he's named Earnest), while Gwendolen comes to visit Jack (her thinking he's named Earnest), and Jack and Algernon really don't understand women at all. 

     This book/play was a really great read -- as Oscar Wilde himself put it: a trivial comedy for serious people. Since it was from the late 1800's, some of the language used is not lingo we use today, which made it a teeny bit difficult to understand. However, since it is all about love and comedy and mistakes, it really isn't that complicated of a book. There are some conversations between Jack and Algernon that would offend a really uptight feminist but it's really all just fun and games. 

     I really enjoyed this book because it was short, funny and clever. It was also pretty engaging and hard to put down. There was dramatic irony raining down over these peoples heads as they wandered around trying to find who they were proposed to. I would recommend this book to everyone and I give it an A.

This is What I Did:

     This is What I Did: by Ann Dee Ellis is about a boy named Logan who had to move to a new neighborhood just a couple blocks down from his old neighborhood. He had to move because of what happened with his friend, Zyler. It doesn't tell you until the end of the book about what happened to his friend Zyler and why he had to move away. So, Logan didn't like his new school, neighborhood, or pretty much everyone around him. Logan's neighbors weren't very nice to him and always made fun of him. Logan also talked about Zyler; how they would do a lot of fun things together, and how much he missed him. Read this book to find out what happened to Zyler and how Logan manages to live with everyone that is rude to him.
  
     This book was very entertaining and instructive. It's entertaining because the book its about a boy around the same age as me so I could relate to some of things that happened to him, or things that he did or said. For example, the event that we both attend middle school. Additionally, it made allusions about LDS topics and that I could relate to as well. This book is also instructive.  It was instructive because it said how to treat others and how not to treat others. Along with that you should treat everyone kindly, and the way you would like to be treated. For example, Bryce was extremely rude to Logan by making up names for him and bullied him all the time. Not once in the book was Bryce nice to Logan. I think the author was trying to instruct us to treat everyone kindly.
    
     The author wrote to treat everyone kindly. Not only is it not nice, it's not fun for the person that is being treated unkindly. For example, during the car ride to scout camp, Bryce was asking all of the boys in the car to think of names to call Logan. The names were all very unkind and none of them seemed to care that they were making Logan feel bad. Another thing that the author mentioned is to talk to someone when you are having a hard time. In the book, Bryce never wanted to talk to his parents, or anyone about what was going wrong. Whether it was being bullied in scouts, or what happened to his best friend Zyler, he never talked to anyone about it. From this example
 I think the author was saying that you should talk to someone about what's going on and hopefully they can help you or give advice.

     I really enjoyed this book. It's a short book and easy to understand. I thought it was entertaining because it was relatable, along with being instructive. I would recommended this book to anyone that enjoys realistic-fiction and a good book! A+  

The Boy Who Dared

I know, this is my second book review on a book that is all history. But, they are my favorite kind of books to read.  The book I read called The Boy Who Dared and is made up of all flashbacks. This true story is set during WWII in Nazi Germany. The main character Helmuth has to undergo some major challenges at a young age.
        In this book the main character Helmuth is a very young boy growing up in Germany with Nazi influences all around him. He grows up believing in what they say, until Hitler becomes in charge of the nation. Hitler starts a war and take away the simple freedoms of the people of Germany. He hates not having the things he used to before Hitler banned them. Thing as simple as books and the radio. He secretly starts listening to the radio at night and staying up late to do so. He gets his two friends involved promising not to say any names if they were caught. The printed fliers and listened to the radio often. Eventually Helmuth gets ratted out by someone who he thought he could trust.
        The gestapo come and take Helmuth to jail in Berlin. He waits there until he is eventually found guilty for his crimes.
        I loved this book! I found it amazing how much this young boy did to stand up for what he believed in. It just shows that when you believe in something to keep fighting for it. Eventually, what you're doing will make a difference in the live of others. The main character in this book teaches a wonderful lesson to everyone. Even though it meant him dying, he knew what was the right thing to do.
        I also enjoyed this book because it made many Mormon references. Being a Mormon myself, I obviously enjoyed this book more than I would if i wasn't. Keep that in mind if you are thinking about reading it.
         This book was truly amazing and worth the read. Plus, it was an easy read. I would recommend this book to everyone. I give this book an A for sure!!

Either/Or by Soren Kierkegaard

Either/Or is a highly influential book which contrasts the two different types of people, "Type A" which is the aesthetic personality, (desire, passion, etc) and "Type B" which is the more ethical personality (law and order) This book answers the question for me "How should I live my life? what should my primary opinions be on things? Understanding or knowledgeable?" Person A, who particularly sticks out to me, is one who always dwells in the past, wishing for his present to get better, and is therefore most often bored and is constantly searching for something to satisfy his hunger for entertainment. (I hate to toot my own horn here but my book review is sounding pretty good!) The second half of existence is a rather ethical person, someone who believes that a structural form of life is better than an uncertain, unhappy one. (I think my last book report was for April, and this one is for May. Just a little FYI Mrs. Jensen.) I think that maybe every person goes through different phases throughout his/her life, however maybe, as it is boldly proclaimed in this book, It is more of an Either/Or situation, in which half the people are aesthetic and the other half are more ethical. Though it sound somewhat ridiculous, I think that being an aesthetic person is a great way to live, so long as you are always affixed on the present and the future, rather than the past. If aesthetic people would be more optimistic, rather than sad and hopeful, they may to prove to be happier than ethical people claim to be. But what do I know, I'm only 14.

The Man Who Quit Money

 The Man Who Quit Money by Mark Sundeen tells the incredible true story of Daniel Suelo, who decided to live life without money. Suelo was raised as a strong fundamentalist and was the youngest of many kids. Growing up, Suelo always questioned religion, and the way we live. He was always looking deeper into things than most people would. He decided to study many different religions and break away from his fundamentalist roots. Suelo was having a hard time fitting in with the traditional American way. He didn't believe that charging money for certain things was ethical, he believed we should give without expecting payment. Suelo also faced many difficult challenges, his parents didn't accept is homosexuality, and Suelo even attempted suicide at one point. Suelo took many exciting trips in order to get a better understanding of his purpose in life including, South America, India, and Alaska. Along the way he met many interesting people and learned lots of new things and started to get a new perspective on life. Eventually he came to the conclusion that the only way he could live his life the way he believed was right, he would have to give up the use of money, and resort to living in caves and dumpster diving in the small town of Moab.

    I honestly loved this book. I feel like it gave me a new way to look at things a little bit. Although I would never go to the extreme of quitting money and living in caves, I totally agree with some of the reasons why Suelo did. The story is super fun to read and I never wanted to put the book down. Suelo's life is truly exciting and the author even compares it to the hero's journey several times, and he's right. Suelo's life almost follows the hero's journey perfectly. There are so many parts to this story that amazed me. However there seems to be a lot of unnecessary information. There are a few chapters that I feel like could be shortened, or completely taken out even because the information wasn't important to the story, and to be honest, was just plain boring. But looking at the big picture, I think the book is excellent.

      One of the best parts of the book, is the fact that the author and Suelo really question the reader on whether or not the way we live is okay. Why do we charge money and fees for every little thing? Why can't people give freely without expecting something in return? What can we do to not waste as much food and resources? Why do other countries live in poverty but still give more than we do? These are just some of the questions I found myself asking as I read. When I was reading the book, I felt that I should just give up on money too because I agreed with Suelo's message, however that is unrealistic for most people to do. So instead what this book taught me was to simply spend less, and give more.

      I would recommend this book to anyone who has an open mind. If you are not willing to accept certain beliefs, than this book is not for you. It often talks about different religions and ways of life, and if you are not able to accept other people's beliefs then you probably shouldn't read this book.

      I think this book is one of my all-time favorites because of all of the new information I learned and the amazing story of Daniel Suelo itself. I give it an A without a doubt.


Just a heads up: If you are uncomfortable with swearing, this book is not for you, because it swears quite a bit.
     
   

The 13th Reality: The Journal of Curious Letters

       The 13th Reality: The Journal of Curious Letters by James Dashner is about a boy named Tick (short for Atticus Higgenbottom.) He is the smartest kid in his class.
       One day, Tick receives a strange letter, sent by someone with the initials M.G. The letter says that "things are literally splitting apart at the seams," and, "many lives are at stake." It also states that Tick will begin to receive a series of twelve clues, which he must decipher before a certain date. However, if he doesn't want to continue, all he must do is burn this letter.
        One by one, Tick gets the letters, and tries to solve the clues contained within them. Though some of the letters seem pointless, M.G.,  the person sending the letters, says that everything is a clue.
       As Tick races to unravel the mysteries of the letters, he is faced with sinister creatures and machines, such as Tingle Wraiths and Gnat Rats. Will Tick be able to make sense of the clues before the special date? Will he figure out the identity of M.G.? Will he survive whatever's coming to him? Well, I don't want to spoil the book for you, so I guess you'll just have to read the book to find out.
       Now, for my review of the book. The book was fun to read. It had some suspense, and some adventure. I enjoyed the way the author combined science fiction with fantasy. If you like both science fiction and fantasy, like I do, then you will enjoy this book. If you like solving puzzles as well, then you will especially like the book. A.

Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer

  SPOILERS!

Okay, so before I started reading this book (which by the way, was this afternoon) I was determined to give it a bad review, mainly because judging by the title and cover picture, it looked like another twist on a fairy tale that I seriously HATE. But since I wanted to write at least one bad review, I decided to try.
  This book is centered around Cindy Ella Gold, a girl who's a tomboy, a feminist, and totally against prom. Of course, her stepmom, Clarissa (who's addicted to botox and is overly obsessed Cindy will fall into depression and begin cutting herself, which Cindy finds ridiculous) and her two annoying stepsisters Britney and Ashley (See, even their names scream "I'm a brat and an idiot."!) are obsessed with it. Since Cindy really doesn't care about Prom, she decides to write a letter to her school newspaper about how degrading she thinks prom is. She thinks she'll be the hero for unpopular kids everywhere, but it turns out, everyone hates her for it. I mean, let's face it, everyone in high school is brainwashed into prom as being their Cinderella night.
  So, as Cindy complains about Prom to her best friends India (a hippy), Malcolm (gay), and BrklynBoy (Internet buddy), she soon finds herself head over heels for her twenty three year old tutor, Noah, which isn't a very good thing because she has a little crush on BrklynBoy and the most popular guy in school, Adam Silver. Weirdest thing is, Adam is talking to Cindy more. Could he actually like her?! But then there's still Noah. So, she, India, and Malcolm all decide to makeover Cindy so that Noah will ask her out, even though she's only a sophomore. Unfortunately, she finds out that Noah is gay and Adam Silver actually has a date to prom! At least BrklynBoy asked her to his Anti-Prom, but he lives all the way across the country! You'll have to read the story to see how it all works out, because it's actually really, really surprising.
  I LOVED this book. If you're a guy, you definitely won't feel that way. But it was so true to life, because I've felt all her emotions. The only part I disliked is that Cindy wasn't unique. She was SO stereotypical. But here's the thing. It actually makes the book better too, because you can relate to Cindy for being so... teen girl. Warning though, if you're sensitive to political views and any homosexuality, STAY AWAY! This book talks about that stuff a lot.  I can easily give this book an A, considering I just loved it. Read it, it's seriously amazing.  

Serpent Tide

       Serpent Tide by K. L. Fogg is about a boy named Wesley. His mother, Imogene, is rich, and protective of Wesley. Wesley's favorite T.V. show is "The Snake Stalker," in which Jack Mackey, Wesley's hero, hunts dangerous reptiles in Australia. 

       When Wesley goes to a day long horse riding camp, which he was invited to by a vet named Maggie Scott, he finds out that the owners, including Maggie and her parents, Penny and Walter, know Jack Mackey. In fact, Jack is pretty much part of the family. His wife, Nicole, who was Maggie's twin sister, died in a storm, and their son was lost. 

       Soon after Wesley gets back from the camp, he starts to suspect that he is Jack's lost son. He runs away from Imogene and goes back to the horse ranch. Imogene comes looking for Wesley. 

       The rest of the book is about Wesley trying to stay with the Scotts on their ranch. This is a little difficult, as Imogene is persistent on keeping Wesley.

       I really enjoyed reading this book. I could barely stand putting the book down. There is a lot of suspense in this book. There are also funny parts. If you like suspense and adventure books, then this book is for you. A.

The Nanny...

The Guardian

By Gerald N. Lund

    Danni is a normal teenage girl, except for the fact her real name is Carruthers and she always has a woven old bag with her at all times. This seemingly insignificant bag ends up getting her and her entire family into great trouble. What harm could an old family heirloom do?

    It all started when Danni's grandfather gives her the pouch on her thirteenth birthday, as was the tradition for generations. Called Le Guardien, which translates to The Guardian, Danni is told to guard it by keeping it with her always. Because of this she names it Nanny. She thinks of it as simply a way to make her mother happy until one camping trip with her dad, grandfather, and best friend Rick.

    Danni's dad had found lots of rhodium in his mine. But, El Cobra, a conman and kidnapper, found out about this and wanted it for himself. So, he tries to kidnap Danni's family but Danni and her little brother manage to escape. El Cobra chases Danni all over so he can get the $20 million in randsom. With help from the magic pouch and Rick Will Danni ever free her parents and live free from El Cobra?

    This book was really a good book. One of the biggest things it talks about is not judging anything or anyone by their looks. The ways it proves this are through the pouch, seemingly insignificant but very powerful, Danni, who seems just like a small town girl ends up defeating a conman who was evading the FBI and all other government officials. It was very well written and I love all of Gerald N. Lund's books. I give it a solid A.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

     That's right, yet another Hunger Games book review! I'm sure you, Mrs.Jensen along with all the other students who actually read these reviews are pretty sick of them being on a book that sold more than 23.5 Million copies in the United States alone. (Yalsa.ala.org) I'm sick of it just as much as everyone else, but since the book is so popular I decided to give it a try, and I have got to say, it was actually pretty fun to read. Following Katniss and Peeta along their pretty cool story that took place in a bad*** arena was not only fun to read, but hard to put down. Unfortunately, all the hipsters in the world who refuse to read this book because of the fact that is is way too mainstream for them, are really missing out. It has it's cheesy parts, which are usually taken back over by something cool or witty that Katniss says, or, well, people dying. I'd give this book a solid 8.5 out of 10, only due to its sometimes cheesy paragraphs and occasional lengthy, boring chapters, though don't not read this book because of that, because even in those boring chapters there will almost certainly be at least one cool part. If you haven't read this book yet, you might as well go buy a copy because it's inevitable that you're going to read it at some point and it really isn't all that bad. Although this may be a bit irrelevant, did you know that there are currently (including this one) 657 book reports on this website? Only 9 more until there are 666, pretty exciting for those satanic people!

Heir Apparent: Vivian Vande Velde

                                                         

           Heir Apparent is an incredibly hilarious book, that will keep you up all night. It is a mix between action and comedy, and is a book that will keep you interested and not bored. It is the story of Giannini Bellisario, and her quest to save her own life. Through her adventure she will encounter a head chopping statue, an annoying dwarf, a Fierce dragon and much much more. 

           It is Giannini Bellisario Birthday, and her father has given her a gift certificate to Rasmussen Game Center. All that she gets from her dad are the occasional gifts, and other that that, she doesn't really associate with her dad. Meanwhile, Rasmussen Game Center is a place where you can play virtual video games and play them for real. Eventually Giannini decides to play Heir Apparent, a game set in medieval times and you play as the soon to be crowned king who is trying to be killed. When Giannini starts playing the game, a group called the CPOC, or Citizen to Protect our Children, attack Rasmussen Came Center, thinking that anything that is fiction is bad for children. However in the process they damage some of the equipment while she is still on the game. Now the only way for Giannini to survive all the damage that has been done by the CPOC, is to complete the game,and every time you die in the game you have to start all over. However, she only has a certain number of tries before she dies in real life. 

         Some of the issues that is brought of was making the right choice, and we all know that to be important, but in this book it is was extremely important. Every time Giannini would make a wrong choice she would get killed, or get close to it. The book also helped me learn about learning from your mistakes, Giannini was constantly having to learn from her mistakes to avoid being killed again, as she lowered her chances of surviving in doing so. Also, be prepared to laugh, all throughout the book I would giggle to myself because is was so funny.

        Well, if I were to give this book a grade, I would give it an A, because it wasn't my all-time favorite book, but it was still a good book that kept me interested, and I would recommend it for People who like funny books packed with action.  

          

                                              

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25

By: Richard Paul Evans

     Ever since Michael was born he was more than just an ordinary kid.  Not only was he born with Tourette Syndrome but he has had electric powers for as long as he can remember.  Everything changes when he finds out that a girl in his grade,Taylor Ridley, may have the same type of powers.  The weirdest part is Taylor and his birthdays are really close together and they were born in the same hospital.  They begin looking at the hospitals records to see if that may be the link to their special powers.  As soon as they start investigating a peculiar school known as the Elgen Academy takes certain interest in the two teenagers.  Every goes down hill when Taylor and Micheal's mom are kidnapped.  Micheal will do anything to get them back even if that means risking his own life.

      The book suggests that the human race needs to be improved.  There are certain aspects of the world that should be changed but this book basically says that we should knock down the whole empire we have created and start a new with human 2.0.   It shows what happens when people are brainwashed and put into seclusion for so long they just lose all humanity they might have ever had.  It also shows us that our views on society really do shape who we are.  Not only that even the way we grow up and where we grow up effects who we are as a person.  Learning everything about this really makes you take a step back and evaluate the world today and look closely at the events that made you who you are today.

     I find the book very interesting because it's really the first of it's kind to be done.  Never before has there been electric children put into literature.  It's highly entertaining because there is a lot of action.  While there might be a few dull moments, in my opinion, the story always picks back up and gets even better with twists you never saw coming.  The book leaves off at a good place but it has that suspenseful feeling that if you don't get the next book you might just die.  I personally cannot wait to get my hands on the second book.

     I really did love this book and I'd recommend it to anyone.  It's just your typical children's book of our age.  Overall I give it an A.

Nancy Drew the demon in River Height

Nancy drew by Stefan Petruch

This book is about this young girl name Nancy Drew who is known as a great detective  in the there small town River Heights. Nancy friends Ethan and Nathan are filming the in river height  when a mysterious demon ghost appears in  river heights Nancy has to start a investigation.Soon after the starts she starts the investigation her two friends Ethan and Nathan have gone missing . After they go missing she goes to investigate the place they were filming with her two friend Bees and Liz .While checking for clues they come across a bear which then starts to chasing Nancy get chased into a tree.After that a object shaped like a man starts chasing all if them out of the woods until they got to the car where then a car pulls up and a man gets out his name Mr.Angle and now he own the minding shafts in River heights.He  then ask the girl if they want a ride to town they say yes he drops the girls off at police office. after they left the police office nancy want to go and investigate at Nathan and Ethan dorm room  but there she  finds  nothing but there roommate that tell her he has not seen them in 2 day so on the drive back to river heights she runs out of gas.She tries to call her friend but there is no reception were she is stuck at.So she see a light coming out of the woods so she goes to check it out little does the know that two men are following her.Finally she see that they are following and she began to run but the falls and they catch her and takes her to a minding shaft and drops her in the shaft were she finds her friend that were missing.

This was a good book if you like mystery . It was a very interesting and very suspenseful and had a lot of good details and more.