The Maze Runner

Title:  The Maze Runner

Author:  James Dashner

Genre:  Fiction/Science Fiction

Summary:  One day, a 16 year-old boy named Thomas wakes up in a lift with no memory but his own name; he has no clue how he got there, who his parents are, or why he is there.  Thomas soon finds that he is not alone.  When the top of the lift opens, Thomas is surrounded by about sixty boys ranging in age from about mid-teen to young adult.  None of the boys know how they got there, either.  The boys live in a place called “The Glade,” a large expanse surrounded by stone walls.  Outside the stone walls is a life-size maze that the boys are convinced could show the way home, if only they could solve it.  All that the boys know is that every morning the doors to the maze open, every night the doors to the maze close, and every thirty days, a new boy shows up in the Glade.  Most of all, they know they never want to be caught in the maze after the doors close.  But, the day after Thomas's arrival, a girl shows up in the maze-the first girl ever.  All the boy are very disturbed about the message the girl brings, and the girl makes Thomas start to think that he might know some answers to the maze, if only he could unlock the secrets in his own mind.     

Rating:  5 out of 5 stars

This is a very good book!  I liked this book a lot because there was a lot of action and suspense, so it was a very exciting read.  Also, in the book, there were many unanswered questions and mysteries of why things were happening that made me want to keep reading to find out the answers.  This book takes an unrealistic and futuristic idea and makes it seem very possible and applicable to my generation.  This book keeps you turning the pages right to the end.

Audience:  I would recommend this book to teenagers who like mysteries, action, and suspense, and to teenagers who aren’t afraid of the dark.

Favorite Part:  My favorite part from this book was when Thomas got shut in the maze and had to spend the night there.  This was my favorite part because it is where some of the mysteries get answered and also where a lot of the action and suspense of the book occurs.

Series:  This is the first book of three (so far) in an unnamed series.

James Dashner's Blog

-Pseudonymous Sllim

Rumble Fish

Title: Rumble Fish

Author: S.E. Hinton

Genre: Fiction

Summary: Rumble Fish is about a teenager named Rusty-James, a tough kid who idolizes his older brother, the Motorcycle Boy.  Rusty-James really likes to fight and wishes everyone would follow the rules in a fight. Rusty fears being left alone and becomes attached to people, like Steve, his best friend, and Patty, his girlfriend. Rumble Fish takes a look at life in a gang, drug use, hero worship, and alienation.  Rusty-James is opposed to drug use, but drinks frequently.Rusty misses a lot of school, so he isn't really book smart, instead he uses his fists, not his brains.

Rating: I give Rumble Fish 4 stars because it's a very good book, but it's kind of old, so it's harder to relate to some of the characters and understand what they are facing.

Audience: I would recommend this book to teenage boys. It's exciting and a great read! It's also a fast read, very short.

Author Website: http://www.sehinton.com/

 

Max Powers

Josh Hamilton: Beyond Belief

Title: Josh Hamilton: Beyond Belief

Authors: Tim Keown and Josh Hamilton

Genre: Nonfiction

Summary:  Josh Hamilton: Beyond Belief is a book about a major league baseball player and his struggles throughout his career. The book tells about his childhood and how it revolved around baseball. It follows his playing from little league all the way to the major leagues. It is about how he fought his drug addiction. It gives the reader an inside look on what it’s like to be a drug addict.

Rating: I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars. The reason I rated this book so highly is because it taught me about perseverance and will power. It keeps you turning the pages, and it is interesting from cover to cover.

Audience Recommendation: I would recommend this book to people who like baseball, because that is what the entire book is based on.

-Douglas

The Guardian

The Guardian

By Nicholas Sparks

Genre: fiction, thriller, Romance

Summary: Julie looks like her life is perfect; newly married, great husband, comfy house, and all the love she needs, but that all changes when her husband Jim dies from cancer. He leaves her shortly before Christmas, and she spends the holidays alone thinking of him. On Christmas Eve, there was a knock at the door; she opens it to find a box with a letter from Jim and a little Great Dane puppy looking up at her…her Guardian. Fast forward five years, Singer, the Great Dane, isn’t a puppy anymore and he is Julie’s other half. Julie has decided to start to open up and go out into the dating world. She has feelings for two men, Mike, Jim’s best friend or Richard, a handsome construction manager who has all the right motives, or so she thinks. Mike and Julie have deep feelings for each other; they just ignore them because they feel it is going against Jim to be together. Julie falls head over heels for Richard, but after a few months dating she senses something shady about him, and so does Singer. Richard is so controlling of Julie, and he keeps accidentally calling her Jessica. He says he has been married before, but his ex-wife left him. Julie doesn’t think that his story makes sense, and decides to end the relationship. Richard is very unhappy; he ends up asking Angela, one of the women that Julie works with to a date. She agrees, but the day after the date, she is found brutally beaten in a ditch outside of town. Julie keeps getting the feeling someone has been watching her while she is at home; whether it be when she is sleeping, eating, or just reading. Mike tells her he will live with her to protect her, but Mike ends up getting beaten almost to death; is Julie next? Is Richard behind the beatings?

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book was one of the best books that I have ever read. It was suspenseful, but also it was a romantic story between two people who are made to be together. Nicholas Sparks knows how to make you think “Wow, what will happen next?” I absolutely loved this book, I could not put it down! I would recommend this book to girls. It’s not that it’s a sappy romance novel, but it’s just more of a book girls would like. I also would like to add that it would be a good idea to be over the age of 12 to read this book because of some of the content is gruesome and inappropriate for young people.

Favorite Part: My favorite part was the ending. I can’t tell you exactly what happens because I don’t want to give it away. I will say, it doesn’t end how you think it will.

http://www.nicholassparks.com/

-Sidney Dorr Gallagher

My Side of the Mountain

Title:  My Side of the Mountain

Author: Jean Craighead George

Genre: Fiction

Summary: This is a story about a boy named Sam Gribley that ran away from home. He ran away to the old Gribley Farm in the Catskill Mountains. He ran away because he didn’t like living in their cramped New York City apartment. This mountain range is near the town of Delhi. In the beginning of this book Sam sets out to find shelter, and he builds a home in a hemlock tree. Sam makes several friends that stumble upon him while they are hiking. Sam trains a falcon to harvest food for him. He lives off of the land. He only takes what he needs from the wilderness. Finally at the end of the book somebody important in his life comes to visit.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book deserves 5 stars because I can really relate to this story, so I couldn’t stop reading it. This is one of my favorite books, if not the best.

Series: This series contains three books: My Side of the Mountain, On the Far Side of the Mountain, and Frightful’s Mountain.

http://www.jeancraigheadgeorge.com/

-Elyk Renim

Palace of Mirrors

Title: Palace of Mirrors

Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix

Genre: Fiction

Summary: Is Cecilia a peasant or a princess? Cecilia has been told all her life that the queen and king were murdered, and that she is the true princess in hiding. Desmia is currently on the throne as a decoy to protect Cecilia. Cecilia is tired of being in hiding, so she decides to go to the palace and take over the throne, which she believes is rightfully hers. Little did she know that the people at the palace believed a totally different story about what happened to the queen and king and who the real princess is. Has what Cecilia been told all her life just a lie or is she really the princess?

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I gave this book five stars because I absolutely loved this book. I am not a very avid reader, but I couldn’t put this book down. It is full of action and suspense, and you really feel like you are in the story. I would recommend this book to readers who like a lot of mystery and suspense.

Author’s Link:

http://haddixbooks.com/home.html

-Peace Pennsylvania

Mister Monday

Title: Mister Monday

Author: Garth Nix

Genre: Fiction

Summary: Arthur Penhaligon is the new kid in town. On his first day of school he has an asthma attack. While help arrives, Mister Monday comes and gives him half of the first Key. The Keys are seven magical items that belonged to the Architect, a powerful being who made the Universe, and she later left a magical will before disappearing. Mister Monday chose Arthur as the heir to the Architect. Now Arthur is flung into a battle against Mister Monday for control of the other half of the first Key and control over the Lower House, the bottom part of the Architect’s house. With the help of the first part of the Architect’s Will and someone he meets along the way, Arthur must make his way into the House and claim the other half of the first Key and the Lower House. Arthur can only claim the Keys and parts of the house if he has that piece of the will, which are all hidden because shortly after the Architect disappeared, the Trustees tore the will into seven pieces. Each Trustee got their own part so they could hide it. Arthur is now in a race against time, as Mister Monday will do anything to stop Arthur from claiming the rest of the Key and domain of the Lower House, he’ll even release a terrible disease on Arthur’s town.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I think that this book deserves 5 stars because it was so unusual. It made me think that you never know what’s going to happen today. It could be something horribly bad or something wonderfully great. The uniqueness of the book combined with its vivid description lets you really see the story.

Favorite Part: My favorite part is when Arthur battled Mister Monday for control of the first key. Arthur has to use all his strength to be able to defeat Mister Monday. If Arthur fails, then nothing can stop the treacherous Trustees from destroying the Universe. I loved this part because of all the action and suspense. It really is the climax of the book.

Series: The Keys to the Kingdom

Website: http://www.garthnix.com/

Andy Daft

Shiver

Title: Shiver

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Romance

Summary: Grace’s backyard is a forest. In the forest, there are wolves. Every winter, Grace watches a special wolf from her deck, and he watches her. Then every summer, he disappears. One day, a teenage boy is killed. Everyone says that it is the wolves fault. Grace doesn’t believe them. One night, a hunting party descends into the forest to kill all the wolves. Grace races in to save her beloved wolf. She is stopped by a man, and he escorts her home. When she arrives home, a surprise awaits her.

Rating: 5 out of 5

It was a very good book. It was very easy to get engrossed in from the start. It kept you on the edge of your seat the whole time. It came with unexpected surprises. It is very descriptive and makes it seem as if the you are seeing it all happen.

Favorite part: I cannot tell my favorite part. It would give away all the good details and the ending.

Series: The series doesn’t have a name. Shiver does have two other books that follow it. The second book it called Linger. The third book is called Forever.

Authors homepage link: http://maggiestiefvater.com/shiver/

~Dancer

The Maze Runner

Title: The Maze Runner

Author: James Dashner

Genre: Fiction

Summary:

It all starts in an elevator. That’s where Thomas, the main character, wakes up. When the elevator opens, he finds himself in a place called The Glade. Every month for two years, a boy has come in the elevator, each one remembering only the essentials, nothing from their previous lives. Thomas means that The Glade is in the middle of a giant maze, one that the boys have been studying for the past two years and still have not found an exit for. Dangerous things live in the maze, evil, deadly things.

Days later, the first girl ever to enter The Glade comes up in the elevator and tells them that everthing is about to change. The change means that their lives depend on finding a way out of the maze. The question is, should they try to leave? Will it be any better on the outside? Will anyone be able to get out of the maze alive? Find out in The Maze Runner, the first book of The Maze Runner trilogy.

The story is told by Thomas.

Rating: I would give this book a 5/5 stars, because it was very suspenseful and I couldn’t put it down. It had a really good plot and I enjoyed it a lot. I think any kind of person could read this book.

Favorite Part: My favorite part is at the end, so I cannot tell what it is, you’ll have to see.

Series: The Maze Runner Trilogy

-The Ninja Newt

The River

Title: The River

Author: Gary Paulsen

Genre: Fiction

Summary: The book The River is when Brian Robsen, who has recently escaped from the wilderness, does not think he will ever go back into the woods. That changes when three men from a government survival school show up at his doorstep and ask him if he will do it all again. They would ask him to go back to a similar lake and shows them how he survived with only a hatchet. He surprises everyone when he says that he will go back and show one of them how he did it, only this time he will only survive with a pocket knife. The man that has been picked to go along is named Derek Holtzer, a psychologist who will document everything that they do. It all goes wrong when Derek is struck by lightning and goes into a coma. Brian has to make a life changing decision on whether to go down the river and try to find a trading post that might not even be there or to stay and wait until help arrives in a few days. Will he stay and wait to be rescued or will he travel down the river to a trading post that might not even be there?

The story is told by Brian.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I would rate this book a 3.5 out of 5. I gave it this rating because I thought it was a very interesting book but it was a little boring in some parts and could have had more descriptive. I would recommend this to people who like outdoor adventure and survival stories.

Favorite Part: My favorite part is the climax so I cannot tell it.

Gary Paulsen Website

Jimmy

The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Genre: Fiction

Summary: An area that was one, becomes divided. After a war that is fought with the capital the area is divided into thirteen sections. The thirteenth section is destroyed though. To keep all the people in line, and remind them that the Capitol is stronger they keep the Hunger Games in play. The Hunger Games itself is when two people are chosen from a district and put in an arena for the battle of death, until there is one left standing. The district of the winner gets a boost of money and a new role.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book deserves all of the stars because it created a vivid image of everything that was going on in the book. It made me sad, happy, and even mad in some parts. This book can give you the chills almost by how well it is written because some of the things make you think “why would someone ever do that?” Overall, the entire book is amazing, and if I had to recommend it to someone I would recommend to anyone that is at a sixth grade reading level since there are some difficult things to understand.

Favorite Part: My favorite part, just being the person I am, is when two of the people within the arena become almost friends which isn’t supposed to happen. The two people have each other’s backs like they are sisters. When one ends up dying the other prepares an almost like burial service for the one which is a very touching part in the book.

Series: The Hunger Games Series

Author’s Link: http://rook.suzannecollins.com/

-Faith Vermaat

Great Football Book

Book Title: Cover-up

Author: John Feinstein

Genre: Sports, Mystery

Summary: Cover-up is a great book about a teenage news reporter on TV named Stevie. He gets fired from his job with his girlfriend, Susan Carol, just before they are supposed to go to the Super Bowl to broadcast. He decides to take the offer to go to the Super Bowl with the local newspaper with a friend of the family. While at the Super Bowl, the director of a major television corporation asks Stevie to help him cover the Super Bowl. One night at a party, Susan Carol gets approached by a very drunk doctor for the Los Angeles Dreams. While he is talking to Susan Carol and trying to impress her, he suggests that the entire offensive line for the Dreams tested positive for HGH and the owner is covering it up. They seek help from one of the Dreams’ own players to figure out what to do. Will they tell the NFL about the cover-up or let the Dreams get away with it?

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I would give this book a five-star rating because I really enjoyed the mystery. I think a lot of guys would like this book, mainly because of the football. I loved how John Feinstein makes you feel as if you are in the midst of the mystery, watching it all unfold.

I would recommend this book to guys and all football fans. This is a great mystery-filled book.

This book is the third book in a trilogy with Stevie and Susan Carol. The first two books are: Last Shot and Vanishing Act.

Author’s Website:

http://www.feinsteinonthebrink.com/

Blondie

Wait Till Helen Comes

Title: Wait Till Helen Comes

Author: Mary Downing Hahn

Genre: Fiction, Horror

Summary: Wait Till Helen Comes is a book about two kids, Molly and Michael, who are living with their mother, Jean; their stepfather, Dave; and their stepsister, Heather. The family lives in Baltimore, but move out to an old church in the country. The new house has a graveyard in the backyard, and Molly is afraid that there is a ghost living out there due to Heather’s weird behavior. Molly and Michael do not get along well with Heather, as the little seven-year-old is always trying to make their life difficult and get them in trouble with Dave. When Heather starts threatening the two kids with Helen, Michael thinks it’s a joke, while Molly begins to take it seriously. As they get used to their new house, Heather’s behavior starts to get even worse. She hardly ever spends time at home, and puts herself in positions which could possibly kill her. While Molly is certain the ghost is real, she has to try to get everyone else to believe her, and try to save Heather at the same time.

Favorite Part: I am not able to tell my favorite part of the book Wait Till Helen Comes without giving away the ending.

Rating: I would rate this book as 4 stars. It took me awhile to get into it, but once I did I couldn’t very easily put it down. At times it was hard for me to follow, but I was able to catch on again very quickly. This book is full of suspense, which is what I enjoy reading about. I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys scary and suspenseful stories.

Author's Link:

http://www.hmhbooks.com/features/mdh/

Jennifer Pope

Tangled

Title: Tangled

Author: Carolyn Mackler

Genre: Fiction

Summary:  Tangled takes place in Paradise, a summer resort.  It is told from the view points of four main characters: Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen.  Jena is your average teenage girl. She is quieter, likes to read, and has some issues with self-esteem.  Dakota is a hot jock and is used to getting any girl he wants.  Skye is popular, pretty, and planning to become an actress.  Owen is a computer geek and an avid blogger.  Overall, these four teenagers couldn’t be any more different from each other than they already are.  However, over four months in Paradise their lives come together in unexpected ways.  They each grow and change as individuals as they become “tangled” in each other.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.  Tangled was a very enjoyable read.  The author did a really great job of giving each character their own distinguished voice.  As I was reading, I found myself getting pulled into the story and taking sides with my favorite character.  I would recommend this book to any teenage girl!

Author’s homepage: http://www.carolynmackler.com/Carolyn-Mackler-Home-Page.asp  

~louiejenkins03

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You

Title: I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have To Kill You

Author: Ally Carter

Genre: Fiction

Summary: Cammie Morgan is a 16-year-old girl at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. What the world doesn’t know is how exceptional the girls at the Gallagher Academy really are. The Academy is a school for young spies in training. Starting her sophomore year Cammie gets a new teacher, and a new love life. She meets an ordinary boy whom she really likes; but their relationship is forbidden. Will their relationship remain a secret? Or will they be allowed to be together in the public eye?

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to people my age (12-18 years old) because it can be relatable to what people that age are going through.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars because this book was action-packed and full of adventure and romance. I absolutely loved this book and the ending was very climatic. I could not put it down!

Favorite Passage:  “‘He’s looking for you Cam,’ Bex said, beaming as if she’d just made the first step in cracking the ultimate code. Silence washed over us. My heart pounded in my chest. Bex and Liz were staring at me, but I couldn’t pull my gaze away from what we’d found – from the hope that was spread out across our floor. I guess that’s why none of us noticed the door opening I guess that’s why we jumped when we heard Macey McHenry say, ‘So, what’s his name?’”

Series: This is the first book in the 4 book series. The other books in order are Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy, Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover, and Only the Good Spy Young.

-Hope Montana

         

           

Elephant Run

Title:  Elephant Run

Author:  Roland Smith

Genre:  Fiction

Summary:  Bombs drop in the night skies of London one night in the year 1941 and destroy the apartment fourteen year old Nick Freestone lives in with his mother.  Because of the bombings, Nick’s mother thought it would be safer for him to live with his father who is living on a teak plantation in Burma.  But trouble seems to follow Nick because as soon as he arrives the Japanese invade the plantation and take his father prisoner.  Nick finds himself in a load of trouble.  Will Nick be able to escape the wrath of the Japanese and find his imprisoned father and save him?

This story is told from Nick, but also from Mya, a girl Nick met at the teak plantation.

Rating: I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

I gave this book five stars because I really liked the setting of this story and also the theme.  There were great points of conflict in the story, which always kept me turning the pages to see how they would be resolved.  The detailed descriptions throughout the story painted pictures in my mind as I read.

Favorite Part:  My favorite part in this story I can’t tell you because it is the climax and would give away too much about how the book ties together in the end.

Book Link:

Elephant Run

-Humpback Whale

Heaven is for Real

Title:  Heaven is for Real

Author:  Todd Burpo

Genre:  Non-fiction

Summary:  A four-year old boy, Colton, undergoes surgery and lives to tell about his visit to heaven.  Colton explains how he could see the doctor operating on him while his father prayed in the waiting room.  Colton’s parents couldn’t understand or even believe the stories he was telling.  Then Colton told them about meeting his miscarried sister and described his deceased grandfather of 30 years with vivid details.  Finally, he describes “the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how ‘reaaally big’ God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit ‘shoots down power’ from heaven to help us.”

The true story is told by Colton’s father but in Colton’s words.

Rating:  5 out of 5 stars

This book deserves 5+ stars because I couldn’t put this book down.  As an avid reader, I find myself referencing this book in conversations months after reading it.  The detailed language creates vivid images and you can imagine yourself in the room or in the car.

Book Link:

Heaven is for Real