The Perks of Being a Wallflower

            The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky, is a coming of age novel, written in the form of many letters by the teenager ‘Charlie’ (his alias), in the early 1990’s. Charlie is the ‘wallflower’ in the book. For those that don’t know, a wallflower is a shy and unpopular person who doesn't socialize with others very well.

            The story begins as Charlie is entering his freshman year in high school without any friends. His only friend Michael had committed suicide several months before. Charlie began writing letters to an anonymous stranger, which is what the book is. He doesn't feel like his parents or relatives understand him, and the only relative he had trusted was his aunt Helen, who was killed in a car crash on his seventh birthday.

The rest is just a summary with spoilers. It’s optional to read this.

            Charlie becomes friends with two other students at his school, Sam and her stepbrother Patrick. Charlie develops a crush on Sam, but he feels he has no chance with her. His two friends begin taking him to parties with some of their friends, on many adventures through Pittsburgh, and even some drug use. There was one party where Charlie had taken LSD and was found unconscious in the snow by the police.

            Even though he still likes Sam, he begins dating Mary Elizabeth, another girl in the friend group. They go on a few dates and to a school dance. At one party, everyone is playing Truth or Dare, and Charlie is dared to kiss the prettiest girl in the room. He kisses Sam, which results in Mary Elizabeth breaking up with him. Sam also begins dating Craig, who Charlie doesn't like, because he thinks that Craig doesn't really care about Sam. Sam later breaks up with Craig after she learns that he has been cheating on her with multiple other women.

            Charlie begins writing about Patrick and Brad’s relationship, the later is the school quarterback who is secretly gay. One day, Brad’s father finds the two kissing in Brad’s basement. He then beats Brad in front of Patrick. About a week later, Brad goes back to school and begins a fight with Patrick, which climaxes with both groups of friends beating each other up in the cafeteria. Charlie comes into the fight to help Patrick, seriously injuring some of Brad’s friends, ending the fight.

            After learning a frightening family secret about his aunt Helen, Charlie has a mental breakdown and is rushed to the hospital. However, his final letters give a feeling of hope, and that he will be able to move on from the past and focus on the future.

The summary is over.

            I loved this book so much; it really brought me to tears in the end. I should warn you though, there is some adult content in the book, so I don’t recommend reading it if you don’t find that suitable. It is a very challenged book, which is specifically why I decided to read it. It also reminded me greatly of The Catcher in the Rye, which I haven’t read all the way through, but I still know pretty much the gist of it. I also could greatly relate to Charlie, because in the seventh grade and about first half of eighth grade, I was a huge introvert. But I have learned not to dwell on things from the past, because it distracts me from the now (I've been watching a lot of Disney lately). It’s incredible how much this book has affected me, this is seriously one of those life changing books. One thing that greatly surprised me was that MTV had published the book, a channel whose current viewer demographics find Beavis and Butthead to be far too inquisitive and intellectual for them, which is why they canceled the reboot in less than a year. Anyway, without one second of hesitation I give this book an A+, and I highly recommend considering reading it. You won’t regret it in the slightest.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, Helen Simonson's delightful debut, might, judging by the title, seem like a war book of some kind, and I suppose that's true, in a way. In this charming novel, its retired hero, Major Ernest Pettigrew, battles his own falling in love a second time, at the age of 68, with a woman of another religion and race, and deals with many other issues along the way. When my mother handed me this book and remarked that my great-grandma had recommended it, I sort of wrote it off, but Simonson's wit, warmth and surprisingly great skill for a first novel drew me in from page 1. (Sorry, Nana, you were completely right.) I couldn't agree more with the Washington Post's review: "When depicted by the right storyteller, the thrill of falling in love is funnier and sweeter at 60 than at 16...."

Major Pettigrew, which takes place in the present day English village of Edgecombe St. Mary, has several themes, but I think the one that is most applicable to me at this point in my life, as well as so many people today, was brought up by the subplot of the Major's son Roger and his problems, of which there are more than a few: being successful is not about having a lot of money, or living in a fancy house with designer furniture, or getting in good with people of high social status. Success is about having real happiness that comes from accomplishing great things and being with the people you love. In the book, Roger's priorities are all mixed up, and the pain he causes himself and his father through this is sad to read about. One can only wonder how things might have turned out had this not been the case, as the Major would have put it. Simonson perfectly portrays the consequences of a mindset such as Roger's, and I think sends a message that is in great need of being heard in this day and age.

I also thought it was nice to get some insight on what it is like to be "advanced in years," as the Major actually DID put it. I have to admit that I am intimidated by the struggles and tests of character that come with age. The Major endures the deaths of his closest loved ones, has to accept his need to rely on others while remaining dignified and capable in his son's and others' eyes and suffers from poor health in the novel, especially toward the beginning. I don't want any of that, not at all, but there is nothing I can do to prevent those future trials except die young, which I also would like very much to avoid. Hats off to the elderly- you're pretty tough.

Overall, I absolutely adored Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, and I would recommend it to any reader with mature taste (as in you don't need constant action and passionate kissing, and you enjoy sophisticated narration and dialogue). Keep in mind that there are a few more adult topics (mostly toward the end, if this book looks interesting to you but you'd like to steer clear of that type of thing) and some instances of unpleasant language. Three loud cheers and an A+ for the Major, his wonderful story and their creator!

Of Mice and Men

       I had only ever seen the movie of this story, and thought it was a pretty good movie. Or rather, a good story line all together. Then I thought that I would go ahead and give the book a try as well. Of Mice and Men, is  a story about two very close friends, jumping from job to job on the hard road, rucksacks full of supplies, and minds full of the hope that one day they might make enough money to move to the paradise, thought up on the free time of the harsh jobs at hand. These friends are extremely close, might as well be biological brothers. This seems like it is a soon to be happy ending. Girls, riches, paradises and all. However, this is a false statement indeed. For you see, of the two travel mates, George, and Lennie, Lennie happens to have a mental retardation. He Slurs words, never remembers anything besides the paradise he has built in his head, has the mind and spirit of a young child, and he also has an unbelievable strength that he has a rather hard time controlling. This, is why they must jump from job to job. Avoiding the cleaning up of the messes Lennie creates with his strength and stupidity. No matter what the challenges of these two best buddies, they seem to slip by every problem they face. Almost.

       Of Mice and Men is a very touching story, that definitely brought me in, and attached me to the characters within the first few pages. Sadly, I happened to like the movie much more. Obviously you still have to give credit to the guy that wrote the thing in the first place, but sometimes the second making can be just a little better than the first. The movie just contained so much more detail in the story. And boy, do those little things add up. Also, Lennie was a much more interesting character to think about when his voice, and his expressions were put in my mind. It helped me really see how much trouble these two guys had to go through. Or more accurately, what George had to go through. All in all, it is a great story, movie or not. However, I am not rating the story, I am rating the book. So, i give it a b+, and would recommend any form of this story to anyone. (the movie is on Netflix, just F.Y.I)

Micheal Vey: Rise of the Elgen

 

Micheal Vey 

 Rise of the Elgen

Book by: Richard Paul Evans

Book Review by: Brendan Larsen

SPOILERS!!!

(Duh!)

         Micheal Vey seems normal, but he has Tourettes syndrome, and he is basically a human tazer. In the first book his mom got taken by the Elgen (who are the bad guys), and  Micheal found out that there are more like him. They are called the Electric Children, or Glows. Some are bad, and work for Dr. Hatch, and some are much more humane, and joined the ElectroClan (Micheal's friends, which all aren't Glows). The Elgen want to create a world in which the Electric Children rule, and everyone is electric, but that means killing a lot of people in the process. Now, the ElectroClan has to break into the most heavily guarded Elgen compuond in the world. And the rats you see on the cover are electrified rats that generate electricity, and are also very deadly. So, basically, there is going to be a ton of challenges.

         I loved the book in every aspect, and almost couldn't put it down. The only reason why I did ever put it down is because the teachers were yelling at me to pay attention. I would suggest it to anyone that likes sci-fi or action books. I got hooked on the first page of the first book (which was originally supposed to be the book for my book reveiw this month) and just couldn't stop reading it. I am really excited for the third book to come out to local libraries. So, just give this book a chance, and you will find that you won't regret it. Ever.

 

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!

Baked Alaska by: Josi S. Kilpack

      This book is a culinary mystery by Josi Kilpack. It's the last book in the series so far there are 8 books before it. The main character a lady named Sadie Hoffmiller. She is usually the one to discover the murder or mystery then she goes on through out the book helping solve it. To help her solve it is her boyfriend Pete and sometimes her kids Breanna and Shawn. 

        Sadie and the rest of her family decide to go on a relaxing five day cruise to get away from all the stress they have been through lately. Sadie and her daughter arrive first and start getting settled in by going to the buffet. When Sadie's son Shawn and her boyfriend Pete arrive she hugs Pete but then goes to find Shawn. When she finally finds him he is talking with a lady that she doesn't know. Shawn seemed upset so she got his attention and they continued on their way. Sadie could not stop thinking about this lady. Sadie wanted to know who that lady was and tried following her but lost her when she got distracted. Sadie ends up buying the picture of the lady that was taken when they got on the ship. Later that evening when Sadie and Pete were walking back to their rooms they see the lady lying in a pool chair. They think she's asleep but when they check on her she barely has a pulse. This is just the start to the most chaotic cruise.

          This is a great book and I would recommend reading it. I would recommend reading the books before it 1st.  You like mysteries you will most likely very much enjoy this book. Although you may think it is for an older audience and kind of weird. You will come to find that you very much enjoy it and want to keep reading more. A

Life of Pi By: Yann Martel Review by: Andrew Williams

This story starts out with Pi Patel telling a wonderful story about one thing that affected him most in life. His story starts in Pondicherry, India where it is controlled by the French, one day his dad said that Pondicherry could no longer support a zoo, so he decided that they needed to move the zoo to Canada, where the family animals would be sold. So they get on a Japanese Cargo Ship with the animals and then there is a storm and then the ship capsizes and he is left in a lifeboat, with an injured zebra, orangutan, a hyena and a 450-pound Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker. During the first night Pi was scared he wasn’t sure if the lifeboat could spot him in the dark. After the first night Pi wakes ups to an unpleasant sight, to see that the hyena has bit of the broken leg of the zebra and was eating it, and the Zebra was still alive. Then the hyena goes head first into the zebra and starts eating it inside out, as he is eating the orangutan steps in and the have a standoff. Blood drips down and the sharks swimming around the boat start bumping the boat and Pi gets frightened, and the standoff ends, the hyena goes back to eating the zebra. The hyena then attacks the orangutan while it’s not looking, she puts up a fight but she is no match for the hyena, as he decapitates her. As Pi is about to through himself into the hyena he sees the Tiger as he gives him a look then he has a strange feeling and just decides to fall asleep. He must try to survive to keep any hope left of being rescued.

As I really wish I could tell you so much more, I can’t you will just have to read the book. This book is about finding who you are, and finding both your personalities, (hint). This book is confusing at times but I think you should really read it no matter who you are. Just get ready for a sick and twisted journey with an unexpected ending that will leave you thinking. There may be a little gore in this great novel, so I wouldn’t read it if you can’t handle it. Overall this book rely does deserve an A++++. Just don’t drop the book at the beginning because I promise you it’s very boring, but it gets way better as this is one of my most favorite books. There are some points were I wish that he explained a little better were I was really confused. But some parts I was just amazed at how descriptive his writing was, as I could perfectly see what he wrote. All in all it was an amazing book that I suggest everyone to read. 

All The Right Stuff

All The Right Stuff is written by the celebrated author Walter Dean Myers. He is also the author of Bad Boy, Fallen Angels, Monster, and Hoops. Myers is known to write books that have complex story lines. In order to fully understand his books you really have to think about what he is trying to convey. The main topic of this book is the Social Contract. The Social Contract is the big idea in which all of the laws were based upon.

The story takes place in the very poor city of Harlem. There you will find the main character Paul. He has lots of questions but he doesn't know how to get them answered... Paul’s dad died just before the story starts and in order to make money Paul gets a job at the local soup kitchen. There he meets Elijah the old man that runs the soup kitchen. Elijah introduces the idea of the Social Contract to help Paul answer questions about his life and his father. Elijah explains to Paul that the only reason he works at the Soup Kitchen is because it is how he fulfills his part of the Social Contract.  

 Paul later meets Keisha, a young mother who is a super star basketball player but, her bad attitude is keeping her from a scholarship. Paul becomes Keisha’s friend and mentor. Paul takes the opportunity to ask Keisha about the “Social Contract”. Keisha tells Paul that there is no such thing. Then Paul meets Sly who is the big shot of his community. Sly gives Paul his own feelings on the Social Contact. Sly tells Paul that even though there is a Social Contract it doesn’t mean you can’t get yourself ahead in life and that there is nothing that says you must follow it. As Paul hears more and more about the Social Contract it leaves him wondering if the social contract is really that big of a deal.

Myer’s book is fascinating because it is not just a simple read. In has very interesting topics that you wouldn’t usually think about. It also leaves you wondering if our society could also be run on something like the Social Contract. All in all I loved this book. The new ideas about how people interact and how we can improve our conditions really interested me. A+

 

City of Fallen Angels by: Cassandra Clare was, as always, a beautifully written book. Being the fourth book of the series and having such high expectations after the third, it did not disappoint. *SPOILERS*

            This book begins a few months after where the third left off. Everything is serene. Valentine and Sebastian are dead. Clary and Jace are officially a couple, and Jocelyn and Luke are getting married. Finally. It seems as if nothing could disturb the peace. They had never been so wrong. Shadowhunters have been found dead in several territories with no known suspects. Also, Simon is being hunted by mysterious hooded figures that would go to dangerous lengths to please their master. Camille has returned to take back her place on top of Manhattan. Simon, who still struggles with his existence as a downworlder, is fighting for his life to keep out of the reach of power hungry vampires.

            But Simon is not the only one having troubles. Jace who seemed to finally be free of his past is now sucked into something even worse that he can imagine. A great and ancient power has returned with dark plans for Jace and is not going to let anyone get in their way.

            Clary, now expanding her skills and knowledge as a shadowhunter, digs deep into the secrets of the past. Clary finds that Lilith, the first demon, has returned to raise Sebastian. Clary must stop at nothing to keep her from succeeding.

            Without spoiling the ending to much, this book was amazing and came together very well. What’s a good book without a killer cliffhanger?

            This book really goes to show that no love is perfect. Every character has a story and must learn to overcome the obstacles laid out before them. All in all, life and love are not easy.

             This book is filled with tragic romance, betrayal, suspense, and of course, sarcasm. Although, it was slow in some parts, I still enjoyed it. The world of angels lies before you in this book and I definitely recommend the series. I do have to warn you that there are intense kissing scenes and mild profanity. Not to worry, it was an amazing book and if you haven’t read it yet, I highly suggest you do.

 

J.R.R. Tolkien- The Two Towers

     Welcome back to Middle Earth, folks! This right now is a really bad time to be here for there are Orcs (evil elvish like dudes), Elves, Dwarfs, Giant tree things (ENTs) and of course, Hobbits. This story takes place shortly after what happened in The Fellowship of the Ring. (By the way, if you are currently reading The Fellowship of the Ring, don't continue reading this review because I may ruin the end of it for you!) Anyway, it starts off with the Company searching high and low (mostly low) for Samwise Gamgee and Frodo. A downfall to reading what happened with Sam and Frodo is that it is over half way into the book. By then many events (good or bad) will happen to the rest of the 

Company. As the reader, you will for sure see a familiar face if you have read The Hobbit. Then later, there will be many battles and the beginning of a raging war. If you have The Lord of the Rings book with illustrations, you got lucky because it is way better with a little visual to get an image in your mind.

   I would totally recommend reading this book after the first one. If you just pick it up and start reading, absolutely none of it will make any sense to you. If you are barely starting to read The Two Towers, when it gets to the part with Saruman, go to the back and read his section of the appendix, if you have one. This book can also be very hard to comprehend in minds due to it's way of saying things. But, never give up and continue reading and you'll be glad that you did.

 Insurgent by: Veronica Roth

     Insurgent picks up right where the first book, Divergent, left off: the Abnegation compound has been taken over by the Dauntless soldiers under the attack simulation, leaving behind a broken city.  After Tris and Tobias have managed to turn off the simulation forcing people to wake up and see the blood they now have on their hands.  Some choose to join the cause they we're just fighting for and others choose to fight it.  The one's who try to fight against it must now flee to the other compounds to protect themselves, but this is officially war and no one can just say neutral.

     Veronica Roth did a great job writing this book.  The first book to the series was beautifully written and doesn't disappoint her readers with it's sequel.  Were there times when I thought the pacing was a little off and wanted the story to move a little faster, yes, but that is to be expected.  What I love about this book is the way Veronica Roth manages to develop every character in the series no matter how small they may be.  You are introduced to each character in the first book but you get to see how far they have come and who they now are.  Another thing I really like about the book is the way that after Tris and Tobias begin their relationship they don't fall into the cliche of living happily ever after.  They have problems and it is clearly shown and I love that.

     After reading this book it really makes you look at the world in a new light.  Everyone can't just fit into one category like they are trying to do in this society.  One person is not just smart, or just fearless.  We each have a little bit of everything in us.  Everyone in their own way is smart, brave, selfless, kind, and honest.  You can't just take a human being and put them in a box of what they are and what they're not.  That just limits the person, and they can't show who they really are.  If we do that what kind of person does that make us?

    Overall this book was absolutely fantastic.  Though be forewarned there are some heated kissing scenes, but it really just adds to the story.  I would recommend this series to anyone but start with the first book (the review can be found here). I give this book two thumbs up and an A+.

The Anti-prom

The Anti-prom by Abby Mcdonald, is a young adult novel about rebellion, romance, and revenge. It focuses in on three unlikely friends who all seek one thing. Revenge. Revenge is the main theme of this book along with romance.
Bliss Merino is one of the most popular girls in school. She has the perfect boyfriend, perfect friends, and a perfect life, so she expects her prom to be, well...perfect! She IS having a perfect prom, that is until she finds her boyfriend making out with her best friend in the back of their limo. She then meets up with Jolene in order to find a perfect way to destroy them. Jolene is the baddest girl in school. You cannot say no to her. No one expects to see her at prom, yet here she is! The scarriest girl in school is standing here in a pink ruffle dress and high heels. Jolene's date fails to show up and she agrees to help Bliss with her destructive plans. As they are running away from an alarm that they set off, they run into Meg Zuckerman. Meg is the ultimate wallflower. She literally has zero friends and her prom date, who was set up by her parents, stood her up. She is determined to end her life as a wallflower and go experience new things. She, Jolene, and Bliss then go on many adventures in seek of new relationships and revenge.
I am going to be straight forward with you. I hated this book. I thought it was terrible. I had 5 main issues with the book. 1: I felt like the entire book was just about a couple of stuck up brats who never stopped complaining. The story takes place in high school, which i know is full of drama, but this book made it out to be like if you aren't popular, then you aren't happy. 2: I had a couple moral issues with the book. Every single page had a swear word. I'm almost positive that I did not go through one page without seeing at least one swear word, and I had issues with that because I don't necessarily mind if one swears, but it does bother me when people swear over and over again. This did more than bother me, it drove me crazy! Also, there were a couple sexual scenes and underage smoking and drinking. 3: There were a couple main events in the story, but after a couple, they really could've ended the story. But no! It dragged on and on. It felt like a never ending story. 4: Like in the book Flipped, this story is told in the point of view of multiple first person. The story switches off between Bliss, Jolene, and Meg's point of view. It was very hard to keep track of who was speaking and it was very confusing. Lastly, 5: The characters drove me nuts. Bliss was a brat, Jolene was a jerk, and Meg let people walk all over her. I did not like any of them at all. Also, there were so many characters. Too many. They introduced more than 20 different character throughout the book. That is WAY too many! The only thing in this book that I liked was the way how Meg grew as a character. She started as a shy wallflower and grew to be more outgoing and fun.
All in all, I would give this book a generous F. It was really that horrible. There were so many issues with it. I know what you're thinking, "Why in the world would she continue to read this if it was so bad?" There is only one reason why I didn't choose a new book for my report... I didn't have time to go find a new one! Believe me, I wish I didn't read it and have chosen a diferent book. So, unless you like reading long books that are all about brats and jerks, DO NOT read this book.

The Fellowship of the Ring

      The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien is probably the best fiction book I have ever read. It has multiple themes, but one main theme is that even people who seem insignificant have a lot of potential, and there are many characters in the book that this applies to. The Fellowship of the Ring is the first book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and it starts Frodo's dangerous adventure to the evil land of Mordor. This book contains many different mythical races, including short creatures with big, hairy feet that want nothing to do with adventure, called hobbits.

    Frodo Baggins, a peaceful hobbit, is given a magical ring from his uncle, Bilbo Baggins. A wizard named Gandalf the Grey warns him about it, so Frodo, Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin (Pippin) Took, and Merry Brandybuck rush to Rivendell, a city where elves live. On the way, they encounter evil Black Riders, some helpful allies, and a mysterious man named Strider. In Rivendell, a council is held, and people from many different races attend. At the council, they must decide what to do with the magical ring. There, they form 'The Fellowship of the Ring.' A company that is made up of four hobbits, Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry; Gandalf the Grey; an elf named Legolas; Gimli the Dwarf; Aragorn the Ranger; and a mortal man named Boromir.

      This book was very epic and well-thought through. J.R.R. Tolkien created a whole world called Middle-Earth! You can feel the structure of the plot, the characters, and the settings as you read the book. Also, the author brings up many issues like racism, because of the different races. For example, the elves and the dwarves do not get along well, and they don't treat each other very well. The Fellowship of the Ring affected me, because it taught me that even if someone seems insignificant, or that they aren't good enough for something, they can make a huge difference in the world. We shouldn't judge people that are different than us.

      I absolutely loved this book. I have always loved the Lord of the Rings movies, and I finally decided to read the book. It was very well-written, and I was surprised at how many similarities there were. However, the beginning of the book is VERY SLOW. If you are a reader that gets extremely bored with slow books, than I would recommend not reading this book. J. R. R. Tolkien is a brilliant writer, and his books will continue to be read for many years.

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx

Though this book is only about 40 pages long, I found it to be as difficult to read as it is historically significant. (So please don't dock me for its length!) The book its self was written by Karl Marx mainly, but was co-written by Fredrick Engels. Throughout the book, Marx describes his thought of what would be a near-perfect government, or lack thereof. He talks about past and current forms of governments, and how they've failed or triumphed, but usually how they've failed. He writes a lot about the  bourgeoisie, which is a big, complicated word used to describe the upper-class of a capitalist society, and how communism would create an almost perfect world - where everyone is equal and there are no higher powers. As I read the book, I couldn't help but feel like his ideas of a perfect world were impossible, because in order for there to be true communism, there would have to be no physical disabilities amongst people, no crime, no social classes, and no racism, unfortunately, all these things will almost always exist in our society; so the idea of communism is really just a dream. Though I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone under the age of 18, (because it's really boring and uses words that I had to Google a lot) I think that this is a pretty important book to read, because the more people read it, the more likely our society will eventually become communist, which would actually be a great thing, because as Marx describes in this book, communism would benefit everyone by making everyone equal, and therefore would be no wars, no homeless people, and overall no problems. I personally thought the book was awesome, it taught me a lot about communism, and after reading it, I understood the book Animal Farm a lot more, and it has given me some serious advantages when I get in arguments about whether or not communism is a good thing. So, before you blame everything on communism like a lot of Americans would, read this book to give yourself a decent education of what communism originated from.

Dreamland- Sarah Dessen

     This book 'DreamLand' is a hard book to really find a main theme behind, so if I, personally had to decided I would say its probably about family, and never giving up on trying to see them even if things tear you apart.
     This book shows you "around" through Caitlin's eyes, one of the main characters. The book starts out with Caitlin's older sister running away, and the whole family ( her mom, and dad ) go absolutely bonkers. But what her mom and dad don't realize is the day Cass left ( the older sister ) they forgot it was Caitlin's birthday. The book carries on and it turns out that Cass left a note on Caitlin's bed, which read, "Caitlin, I'll see you in Dreamland". So I don't ruin the book for you all I will tell you is that Dreamland is a place where, Cass, Caitlin, and their mom all meet up. Dreamland is a land that once you fall asleep you can be with whoever else traveled their in their sleep, but its only the people you want to see there that you see. Although you can't just plan on going to sleep and going to Dreamland, you're lucky if you can make it there, it's not technically hard you just have to really want it.
     I personally didn't enjoy this book, but that's just me. The reason why is because I feel almost as if it drags on with a little to much unimportant things throughout the book, it adds way to much detail and thoughts in my opinion.. Although I would recommend it to others. Dreamland, although does sound very interesting to me. I mean if I wanted to go to another place of my dreams, and see people I didn't get to see everyday I would absolutely try and go every single day. If there were an actual Dreamland, I would be in awe.
      I suggest that if you take a long time to get into a book that you don't read this one, it took me about to the middle of the book to really get hooked on it. But if you like stories with a lot of back story then this is the perfect book. Happy reading

Wonder

Wonder, by R. J. Palacio, was wonderful to read. It is a story about August Pullman (Auggie), a new fifth grader at Beecher Prep Middle School. However, he's not like all the other new fifth graders. Auggie has what many people unkindly call a "deformed" face -- his eyes are small slants on his face that are about an inch lower than they should be, he had to get part of his hip bone implanted into his chin, and he doesn't really have regular ears, in fact, he doesn't really have ears at all. Despite all this, he has some of the most patient loving parents in the world, and an even more patient sister, Olivia, who puts up with just about everything.

     His parents want the best for him and for that reason, he has been homeschooled up until now. When his parents decide it's time for him to go to school for the first time, Auggie is really nervous. He's pretends he's used to kids averting their eyes when they see him, not playing with him on the playground and even running away from him. But at school it would be ten times worse. Finally, he agrees to go on a tour and three kids come to lead him around. One turns out to be a jerk but the other two are nice enough that Auggie decides to go to school.

     This book tells the story of Auggie's fifth grade year from six different points of view and it is amazingly well done. Most people would shy away from using six different characters to tell the story but not Palacio! These six characters change and grow with Auggie and stand up for him when society has a hard time accepting him. It was interesting and really thought provoking. The author brings up many issues in this story, mainly having to do with the phrase, "Don't judge a book by it's cover", though in this case (as the back of the book says), "Don't judge a boy by his face." Although some of the reactions caused by Auggie's face are unconcious, instinct reactions, some of them are purposefully mean and rude. I thought this was a very important issue to have because that is what everyone faces everyday, whether or not they have something wrong with their face. We are constantly being told not to judge people and this book put it into really great perspective -- especially from the bully victim's point of view. This book was very hard to put down, mainly because of how the author manages to rope you in from the very beginning and create such real emotions and relationships. It was very touching and I guarente that there will be at least one character in that book that you can relate to.

     This was an amazing read and I would recommend it to everyone. It is not very difficult and is so interesting that it is a pretty quick read. Hope all y'alls find time in your busy schedule to fit in this wonderful book! A

The Last Season

    

  
The Last season, A Team in Search of a Soul, is written by the Nine-time NBA champion coach Phil Jackson  who is known as one of the best coaches in the history of the NBA. He has been able to lead two teams to multiple NBA championships. In this auto biography of what Phil Jackson thinks will be his final season coaching. The Lakers 2003-2004 team was loaded with star talent but the question was would they have the chemistry to achieve their goal of winning another NBA championship...

The Story starts with NBA free agency where the Lakers were able to sign future Hall-of-Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton. Jackson believes these two players are the final pieces of the puzzle. Until Kobe decides to physically assault a maid in Colorado. Kobe ends up spends most of the season side tracked with court hearings. He is able though to make it to the all of the games but everyone can tell that Kobe Bryant just isn’t the same.

Phil Jackson says that he wanted to trade Kobe right when he got the news. Kobe would still have trade value and they would be able to acquire players with less "off-court" distractions in return. This though did not happen because The Owner Jerry Buss is betrayed as a real jerk. Making money is his main priority and if Kobe makes him money then he is not going to trade him. Mr. Buss makes Mitch Kupchak, the General Manager, baby Kobe because he’s a free agent and a future star that they can’t lose. Kobe with his enormous ego causes many team conflicts, fights with Shaq, and overall probably causes the season to become a fail. Jackson also gives insight on the Media circus of Shaq and Kobe. Where they seemed to never get along and took it out on each other in the media.

Jackson’s book is interesting because it tells of the drama that goes on during an NBA season. The inside accounts of games and players teach that the "NBA Life" isn't that great. It's not all fun and games like we tend to believe. If your not a fan of basketball then this book really isn't for you but... if you want to remember why you hate basketball you might just like it. Also, there is also a lot of swearing when players especially Kobe Bryant are directly quoted. Kobe seems to enjoy saying swear words when it really isn't necessary. Overall this book is a good read. Learning about the NBA from someone who experienced it first person makes it even better. A-

 

The Mortal Instruments: City of Glass by Cassandra Clare is an incredible book written for young adults. The main idea with not only this book but, most of the books in the Mortal Instrument series, is good intentions will lead to success. Many of the characters find this easier said than done.

     
          In brief, this starts out where City of Ashes left off; Valentine is currently in possession of two of the three Mortal instruments. With the Mortal Cup and the Mortal Sword he can now raise demons and plans to destroy any Nephilim, A.K.A. Shadowhunters, that have ever interacted or consorted with a Downworlder. Clary and the Lightwoods set off for Idiris to find a potion to save Jocelyn, although, Jace has other plans in mind. When Magnus opens the portal to Alicante, the Lightwoods and Simon are attacked by hordes of demons and are forced to jump through the portal without Clary. Now with no way of joining the group, Clary must use her newly found talent and create a portal rune to take her into Idiris. When Clary jumps through her makeshift portal with Luke close behind, she quickly finds that she can't get into Alicante without authorization and instead is thrown into Lake Lyn and forced to hike to the gates.

After several chapters of exploring the new city and meeting new people, Clary journeys to find the Book of White that Jocelyn has hidden in a brilliantly named book (that you will just have to read to find out) in the Wayland manor. She is now accompanied by the handsome Sebastian, who Clary seems drawn to in a way. So not only does Clary have to worry about her mixed feelings for Jace and Simon, but what has now become an odd love square between them and Sebastian.

As the Nephilim prepare for the oncoming war, Jace and Clary must journey into the past to find out their true heritage. Once Jace has gone in search of Valentine, Clary must find a way to lessen the tension between Downworlders and Shadowhunters and create an alliance rune so they can all truly fight as one.

Without spoiling too much, I have to say that the ending of this book was probably the best out of all three and I would definitely read it again. This book was my favorite so far and will always be memorable. Especially, Jace's and Simon's wise crack jokes. One of the big issues that this book brings up is that you should always know where you stand and even if you feel your intentions are good they may be looked down upon by the angels and other people and are not always for the benefit of others but for yourself instead. I am in total agreement with Cassandra that in order for change, everyone needs to come together and work as one. This book goes to show that there are people in the world like Valentine but that there are also people like Clary and Jace. One person can make a difference and change the world.

All in all, City of Glass is my new found favorite in the series. Don't worry; most of your questions from the previous books will be answered in this book. Even though this book didn't have a suspenseful cliff hanger, it is still compelling you to read the next. I do have to advise you that this book is mildly gory and will be slightly confusing during the process of tying everything together. Besides that, this book will make you want to sit in the corner with your blanket, teddy bear, and all the Jace you can handle. It's an excellent read and you should definitely consider cracking open this series.

Divergent by: Veronica Roth

     Divergent is a post apocalyptic novel that starts out as any other book of it's kind, the worst of man kind has been brought out and must be fixed.  Set in  futuristic Chicago, society has been split into five different factions, each with a different characteristic.  They are know as the Dauntless, the brave, Erudite, the intelligent, Candor, the honest, Abnegation, the selfless, and Amity, the friendly.  When you are sixteen   you take an aptitude test to decide which of these factions you belong to, and then chose which one you want to spend the rest of your life in.  Although these results are not always conclusive, as the main character, Beatrice Prior, soon finds out, these people are known as Divergent, and that can be dangerous.

      Even though these people may belong to more than one faction they  can only be part of one.  This makes Beatrice's decision very hard.  She could stay with her family in the Abnegation compound or go find a life someplace else.  The worst part is she can't even talk to family about her situation because no one must know that she is Divergent, and when she goes to the Choosing Ceremony to pick her faction her choice changes her whole life, and let's just say it's not Abnegation.  In her new faction she must learn how to adjust to her new life quickly, and along the way makes a number of friends as well as enemies, especially with a young man who is just simply known as Four.

     I find this book to be very interesting as well as one of my favorites.  At the beginning it sounds just like any other dystopian novel you may have read, but your mind shortly changes with the fact that there is not some all powerful government controlling everyone.  Everyone uses their skills and talents to work together and make a simple peaceful place to live, although it doesn't always stay that way. Also, the way the plot is developed, and the romance that happens in it is made is truly unique.  You know what the one thing is this book doesn't have that most young adult books have these days, a love triangle.  I love the way that this book doesn't have two guys fighting over a clearly confused girl, is has instant chemistry that is made between two characters that is built on through out the book.   You may feel at times that a love triangle is slowly forming but that idea is soon shot down with new events that happen, 'though the product of these events aren't always happy.

     This book makes you see how amazing humans really are and how diversity really shouldn't be taken for granted.  It's all the little things of our personality that add who we are and it is important to have a little of everything.  For example, people in Abnegation are completely selfless and that's really basically all they are.  They take the idea to selflessness to a whole new level.  Seriously, they are not allowed to eat hamburgers or chocolate cake or any thing that is truly delicious because it is considered self indulgent and is thus for selfish, but at times we do need to be a little selfish and think of our needs before others.  We shouldn't center the whole world around us but we still need to keep in mind what we want after all that is one of the many things that make us human.

     Overall this book was really fantastic.  Although, it is pretty gruesome and at times does have a few sexual comments but these parts add to the characters and the overall story line.  This book became a fast favorite of mine and would highly suggest it to any one.  I give it a big fat A+.

   

Being the second part of the Lord of The Rings Trilogy,The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkien, is an amazing novel. It follows a great wizard, a ranger of the dunadain, a wood elf, a dwarf, and four brave hobbits. Two of which, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, continue their journey to Mordor to destroy the ring of power. The first half of the book follows the story of Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Merry, and last but not least Pippin. Merry and Pippin get captured by the fierce Uru-khai and taken to the feared Fanghorn Forest. In the forest they meet Tree Beard, who is an ent, that ends up helping them defeat Sauruman the White. While Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli fight an epic battle at Helm’s Deep against the tens of thousands of Uru-khai. While they are busy battling Frodo and Sam inch closer to the Black Gates of Mordor. On their way they encounter a pitiful being called, Gollum. At first he is considered hostile by Frodo and Sam but then, Frodo begins to gain his trust, to his demise...
     This book is a great read and it also is very entertaining. If you’re into action, adventure, and fantasy then this is the book for you. It also is an amazing allegory (a story with a hidden meaning) to WWII and the Nazi party. The more you read of any of Tokien’s stories, the more you begin to realize how much of a genius he is. The book has also been made into a motion picture which is the most beautiful movie I have ever seen...all thanks to Peter Jackson of course. Overall, this book is well worth your while, although it is not for the faint-hearted!