Ms. Brems' Book Blog

The best thing I did this summer

2010-09-09T08:31:00.001-06:00

I went to Portland, Oregon.

Twilight A3

2010-05-24T23:11:00.002-06:00

Name: Rodolfo Rodriguez
Class:A3
Book: twilight
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Pages:498
Rating: *

Recommendation: This book I would recommened it to girls. I say this because it about lots of love and drama. lastly because its just a chick book.

Summary: So its about a girl named Bella fallen in love with a vampire and his name is Edward. first Bella moves in with her father and starts school. the soon after that she meets Edward who saves her life. They start going out like boyfriend and girlfriend. Then they go on a date with his family to play baseball and some trouble came up. other vampires that like to drink human blood want Bella's blood. Then take Bella home and they help her out. At the end Bella is safe from danger and they killed the bad vampire.

Explanation of Rating: I just didnt like it. I also had a hard time reading becasue its just not my type of book. Also because it has lots of drama and love in it. Next because its like a chick flick of love. Also i had a hard time foucsing on reading it. lastly because it was a long book.

Favorite Passage:Can't i go back to school was my favorite passage because it sounds like she likes her studies and wants to see Edward.

Eclipse A2

2010-05-24T11:57:00.002-06:00

Tia Liddle
A2
Eclipse, the twilight saga
Stephanie Meyer
629
Rating: **** Really Liked it!

Recommendation: I recommend this book to every girl. It’s a good book!

Summary: In this book Eclipse it starts out talking about how people in Seattle keep being murdered. Edward guesses its newborn vampires. Bella and Edward fill out collage applications. Bella wants to see Jacob and be friends with him but Edward doesn’t allow her to because he feels that Jacob and his brothers might harm her. After Bella "sneaks" away from school to hang out with Jacob, Edward can see that he won't harm Bella. Alice see's Victoria in town. Victoria got together an army of newborn vampires to destroy Bella. The wolves and vampires fight together and save Bella’s life. They kill Victoria and the army. Edward proposes to Bella officially. Bella and Edward agree on her changing to a vampire. Jacob is very unhappy about Bella’s decision to become a vampire and he runs away in his wolf form to escape the pain.

Explanation Rating: I gave this book 5 star because it was really good. It has romance, action, fiction ECT. Overall it’s a really good book. A lot of things happen in this book it keeps you interested. As your reading the book, you find yourself in another world. It is really believable.

Favorite passage: "If I had been able to take your place last night, it would not have made the top ten "best" nights of my life. Dream about that." I think it’s funny because Jacob thinks he's all cool because he can keep Bella warm and Edward just puts him in his place. I think its hilarious.

The Out Law (A-Four)

2010-05-24T09:46:00.002-06:00

Shaunece Despain
A-Four
The Out Law
Forrest Carrter
283
Two Star

(Recommendation) I rate this book as a two. it was not a book that kept me introested but has a good plot to it. Id recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading thrills. Also some of an older age whom can relate to the book much more than a young teen would.

(Summery) This book is about a man whom lost his family in a terrible house fire. He becomes mad at the world and has nothing to live for. He begins his journey alone. He comes across a man he became close to witch died while in his presents. He goes on to meet a family whom took him in and loves him like he is one of there own. ont he way he meets an Indian friend witch was a smart man that not only helped him survive but was a great teacher. While they ran from the law after killing a few men they come across a Indian women whom is the women that he will later marry. The main character also meet people that understand him and can relate to his state of being.

(Favorite Passge)I wanna be your kin, and protect the one who need me. There r' many things I have to learn, but Ill do what it takes. Chapter 23 pg. 276
I like this passage because i can see that he is willing to try instead of giving up after the he has been through.

Indispensable by Monday A4

2010-05-23T23:43:00.002-06:00

Name:David Eldridge
Class Period:A4
Book Title:Indispensable by Monday
Author: Larry Myler
Pages: 163
Rating: Liked It

Recommendation:
I would say that people who are looking for a job should definately read this book. This book gives many different ways on how to increase productivity and how to become needed in the company where you work. This book gives great advice on how do make yourself indispensable and has lots of great examples on ways to be the best in your job.
Summary:
This book wasn't really a story as much as it was an informative book. It is a great book on the importance of being valuable for your company so that you will be able to advance and become of more worth in the real world. It was good for me to read while coming out of high school because I am in need of a job and this book helped give me ideas on how to be the best candidate for a job. It said a lot on how to make your application stick out from the others. Wording in the application is so important in the process. You have to credit yourself on past experience in the work place, often times, this can make or break a job application. This book pointed out that there are always ways to cut costs and increase a net profit. It is great to know these simple rules and facts that will help forever in the future to make one more valuable and an indispensable employee for their job.

Explanation:
Not the everyday book the people expect to read but this book was very informational and very useful. I liked it because of the important information that will come to be useful in my career and in becoming the best candidate when it comes to applying and working with new jobs. I am not a great reader, but this interested me from the beginning. It caught my attention with the importance of knowing what and how to become valuable. I am going to start having to work for everything and it is going to be a little easier with the information I learned from this book.

Favorite passage:
You will come across countless lists of things to do, including wearing nice shoes and having a bright smile. But what you really need to do is help the company earn more money than it spends and spend less thatn it earns - period.
This passage points out that all of that mumbo jumbo hints on how to get raises and to gain a higher status in the workplace, but the way to become indispensable is to help the company improve profits and to become the best employee possible.

Escape From Germany A2

2010-05-23T22:57:00.001-06:00

Name: Rodrigo Sanchez
Class Period: B1
Book Title: Escape From Germany
Aurthor: Sian Bessey
Pages: 183
Rating: It's okay

Recommendation: Yes i would recommen this book to does people out their that like to read mysteries books its kind fun to read them.because you get excited when something good or bad is about to happen in the next chapter.

Summary:It all stated when Matt Williams best friend moved out of his neighborhood. He began to play soocer every day one day he kicked the ball over his back yard wall where it separated his backyard from the Missionary Training Center in Prov, Utah He'd climbed it oten to retrive a ball, or a Frisbee. He and his best frien Jon had sometimes climbed it just to sit and watch the missionaries. Matt and his sister saw a light coming out of a door shed and they jumped over the wall to go see what was going on in the shed and their was some Missionary and they told Matt and his sister that they were going to give them a mission to go to Germany so the y send them over their i guess they were the futer guys something like that.they went to Germany to get Missionarys out of there, but they didnt know how they were going to get them out if they had an American accent. Some Holy gost started to scare Matt and his sister, and the missionarys some how they found their way out of Germany and went back to Utah Matt and Emily were had because they had helped some nice people.

Explanation of Rating: This a book of Mysterie its king of fun, but at the same time it could get exciting reading it the Author does a good job on keeping the book entertaining. When your reading this book you could even picture it in your head and just thinking about. I think man would enjoy reading this book.

Favorite passage: "Matt Williams had been playing soccer." -Chapter 1

I like this passage because it shows how much people like playing soccer and thats just me I like playing too and watching it on live that my passage.

Nights in Rodanthe A2

2010-05-21T23:04:00.002-06:00

Name: Maria Gomez
Class: A2
Book: Nights in Rodanthe
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 212
Rating: ***

Recommendations: This book is about a strong relationship drama, and is also fun to read. It is also full of love and sacrifice. I recommend this book for those who love drama and who are truly in love. It is a very romantic story.
Summary: This is the story of a sixty- year-old women whose name is Adrienne Willis. She decides to tell her daughter the story about how she rebounded from losing her spouse. Fifteen years ago, Adrienne’s husband and father of their three children left her for a younger women and she felt her world had ended. Adrienne is trying to help Amy, her daughter, handle with the death of her husband. Amy’s mom starts telling her the story by saying that her story began at an inn in Rodanthe, North Carolina where she met Paul Flanner. Paul was a surgeon with no time for his wife and son because work was everything for him. His world buckled when a patient died. When Adrienne gets to Rodanthe, searching for tranquility, she meets Paul and in one weekend, a romance sets that will vibrate throughout the rest of their lives. Paul and Adrienne found comfort with each other.
Explanation of Rating: This was an interesting story for me, but I think it was a little too dramatic. I would have preferred that Adrienne’s husband wouldn’t have left her. It would have been a more romantic story. Other than that, I really enjoyed reading this book because it was also interesting how Adrienne was helping her daughter handle the death of her spouse. It was okay in the way that she met Paul and started a romance, but I think that the story shouldn’t have ended like that. I think it would have been a better ending if Adrienne’s husband wouldn’t have left her so that at the end both would have helped Amy with her problem.
Favorite passage: “It was funny that you could know someone for years but still discover something you never noticed before.”
I love this passage because it concludes that you can never finish knowing someone perfectly. Its saying that whenever you feel like you know someone perfectly just because you’ve known that person for a long time, out of no one comes something new that you’ve never noticed before. That’s when you see that you can never get to know someone perfectly enough to know exactly how they are.

Cirque Du Freak Sons of Destiny

2010-05-21T15:50:00.002-06:00

Alex Madrigal
A3
Sons of Destiny
Darren Shan
256
****
Recommendation: This book is awesome for action and horror fans. it has fighting from beggining till pretty much the end. It is also great for horror fans because its about vapires and monsters. this book will have you turning its pages for hours.

Summary: This is the final book in the Cirque Du Freak series. it starts out with darren and his brother steve fighting in the sewer where book 11 left off. darren stabs steven then steven stabs darren through the heart then they both fall into the water and there they die. darren then ends up in the lake of souls where he is reincarnated by his father Mr.Destiny he then goes back to the past to prevent the whole disaster from happening and makes diaries of his life so that everyone could know the truth about him even though people would just consider it a set of fiction books. he then looks at the sun set while his body starts to fade away now that his mission was complete his body faded away and he died.

Explanation of rating:i gave it this raing because this book is amazing in almost every way but the sad ending kinda bugs me.

Favorite part: where he makes diaries after returning to the past and preventing the whole disasterbut he leaves themm there as books so everyone will now the truth, and since the authors name is the same as the main characters it kinda makes the series seem like it really happened.

Tuesday with morrie

2010-05-21T14:30:00.002-06:00

Kevin Martins
a4
Tuesdays with morrie
Mitch albom
191 pages
****1/2

I recommend this book for about anybody. There are so many life lessons that come out of the text. The way morrie tells the things he does make it very easy to understand.

This book is an autobiography by Mitch albom. That tells about his life in college and about his life as a sports writer. He became a very successful sports writer in his career. But he got caught up in business a lot and forgot about the important things in life. Then he saw his favorite professor morrie on nightline once and that he was about to die. So he flew over to his teacher’s house and was astonished by how much he had changed since he used to live by there. He visits with morrie and they talk about life lessons. Mitch returns every Tuesday to talk with morrie. Every week morrie gets sicker. When will these important meetings end?

I gave it a four and a half star because there are a lot of things to learn from this book ... maybe if I finished it all the way it would be 5 but I still don’t know how it ends.

Favorite passage: "I will lose the battle when someone else will start wiping my @#$%^)(*&^.."

Even though morrie know he is going to die he still jokes about little things that he won’t be able to do any more and to keep a good attitude.

New Moon A2

2010-05-21T14:01:00.003-06:00

Name: Viviana Carballo
Class: A2
Book: New Moon
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Pages: 563
Rating: ****
Recommendation: This book is great for anyone that likes young adult fiction. It’s about a romance between a vampire and a young girl whose desire is to become a vampire so she can be with him forever. Ones you start reading this book you cant put it down.

Summary: This book is the second book of the series of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. In this book Bella is turning 18 and Edward’s family is throwing her a birthday party but when Bella get a paper cut jasper cant help but to attack her. Edward feels that he’s putting Bella in danger by being with her so him and the Cullens move away. Months pass by and Bella still can’t get over him. She looks for thrill seeking activities because she realizes that when she puts her life in danger she “hears” Edwards voice. She becomes best friends with Jacob Black and discovers a secrete about him, he is a werewolf. Edward thinks Bella is dead so he tries to kill himself and Bella goes after him to try to stop him. Edward proposes to her and she says yes, with the condition that she will turn her into a vampire.

Explanation of Rating: I rated this book four stars because it was a very thrill seeking to read. Also because I liked the chemistry between Jacob and Bella, they are really cute together.

Favorite Passage: "I felt like I was trapped in one of those terrifying nightmares, the one where you have to run, run till your lungs burst, but you can’t make your body move fast enough." –Bella

I love this quote because it’s descriptive and I think a lot of people can relate to that feeling sometimes.

Scarecrow A4

2010-05-21T13:36:00.009-06:00

Jacob Eichler
A4
Scarecrow
Matthew Reilly
457
*****

This is a really good book for older teens to old people. I wouldn't recommend children and very young teens to read this. It has some language and some other not really bad stuff but stuff not for children.

The main character in the book is a guy named Schofield. He and his Special Forces squad are in Russia trying to terminate some terrorists. While they are there, he discovers he and 17 other people are on a bounty hunt hit list for $18.6 million dollars a head. He and these 17 other people are the only people with reflexes fast enough to disarm America's missiles when they're launched. This super secret organization gets rich off of war. They want to get rich again so they put Schofield and these other 17 people on this hit list so they can launch these missiles and not worry if they'll get disabled. So Schofield and some of his men have to survive 4 days and try to figure out what's going on and survive.

I have given this book a 4 1/2 to 5 star rating. I gave it this rating because it is fast and action packed. It doesn't stay way to long on one scene or subject for to long like other books do. It's very interesting. Another reason why I rated what I did was it was just the right length for a story like that. It also didn't have to few characters and it also didn't have to many characters.

Scarecrow A4

2010-05-21T13:36:00.000-06:00

Jacob Eichler

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows A4

2010-05-21T13:35:00.002-06:00

Samuel Lopez
A4
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
759
****

Recommendation: This book is great for readers currently reading the Harry Potter Series. It’s a book about magic and the adventures of a wizard and his friends trying to save the wizarding world. It’s a story of contention and intense moments. It’s a page turner; every moment will keep you guessing.

Summary: A boy named Harry Potter was attacked by a sorcerer, Lord Voldemort, when he was just a baby. In the attempt, Voldemort was trumped for some odd reason, and transferred powers to Harry Potter. Harry at age 11 attended Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry and through the years he trumped Voldemort’s attempts to come back to power. Finally, in the fourth book Voldemort finally returned… the last 3 books have been about the chaos and near death experiences that are the doings of Voldemort. This book is about the war and finally defeating Voldemort.

Explanation of Rating: 4 stars… this rating is completely adequate. The book keeps you reading until finally you’re at the end. It is filled with intense moments that kept me flipping the pages. I enjoyed the character development, and I became attached to them.

Favorite Passage:

Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real? – Albus Dumbledore

Just because we have dreams doesn’t mean we can’t make them into a reality.

Raising an All American - A3

2010-05-21T13:31:00.001-06:00

Bennett Maxwell
A2
Raising an All American
Devin Durrant
202
****
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to anyone who has any love for sports. Although it may seem like it is directed to parents who are raising athletes, it has things in it to help high school athletes succeed. It goes through countless examples of how to raise yourself to be an All-American.

Summary:
This book starts off by talking about his family. He and his wife were both extremely successful athletes. They attended BYU together while participating in sports. They now have 5 kids and all of which are really big into sports. Through out the book he gives you advice on how to be the best athlete and all around person you can be. He does this by taking you through his life and analyzing it. He breaks down all the events in his life and teaches you from it. Reading this book you will learn by his example how to do things right. I also learned from his many mistakes on what not to do. This book truly does show you how to a better athlete and an all around successful person.

Explanation of Rating:
This is a must read book. It is not a book just read for entertainment, you will gain very useful, everyday knowledge about sports. It will help you in your life along with the right way to raise your kids. Even though I am not close to having kids, I believe that after reading this book, I have a better understanding about how to teach my future kids lives crucial lessons. This is a very easy read book. It is straight forward and extremely easy to understand. It isn’t too long but at the same time not to short. I believe it is the perfect length to be entertained without any boredom.

Favorite passage:
“It is better to have a bad coach that the athletes trust then to have a good coach that the athletes don’t trust.”

I really like this passage because it shows the importance of being a team. A team doesn’t just include the players, it includes the whole program, with the coach included. As long as the team are all on the same page and trust each other, they will be more successful than a team with a hall of fame coach that the players don’t are not completely with.

2010-05-21T13:15:00.006-06:00

Matt Benson
A4
The Cry of the icemark
Stuart Hill
472pgs.
****

Recommendation: If you like adventure and fantasy this book is for you. It is packed with action and has all sorts of suprises for you. It is and enthralling story.

Summary: Thirrin is 15 her dad just died and she inherited the throne to a tiny northern country called the Icemark. The biggest empire in the known world, The Polypontian empire, is attacking from the south. Luckily though the snows have stopped the advancing army for the winter. Thirrin as a short few months to accomplish the impossible. She has to form alliances with hostile neighbors and get an army formed before the snows melt. After finding allies in the unlikliest of places the snows melt, and the Polypontous are again on the move. Will Thirin's army be enough to stop the Polypontous from taking over her proud country? Will the alliances she made see her to victory?

Explanation of Rating: This book is incredible. It pulls you in and you can't put it down. There are no lags in the plot. It is adventurous, enthralling, enchanting and heroic. It is superbly written to keep you entertained from the start. I would recommend this book to everyone.

Favorite Passage: Spurred on by desperation the polypontian charge was a mealstrom of disciplined fury. They smashed against the shield wall, bearing the soldiers of the Icemark until their line was bent like a bow. But at the center stood the burning figure of Thirin Freer Storg-in-the-arm Lindinshield, Wild Cat of the North, and she held her housecarls with a will that grew in strengththe more she demanded of it. Her high pitched voice rose like the cry of a hawk above the din of battle, and her soldiers rallied again and again as she called them to hold the line.

Da Vinci Code A4

2010-05-21T13:15:00.005-06:00

Kevin Nielsen
A4
Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown
489
Rating:****

The people that would like this book are those that like mysteries. There is a lot of action in this book as well. If you like a fast paced read this book is for you.

The Da Vinci Code is about a college professor, Robert Langdon. Robert is a specialist on the legend of the holy grail. When he gets a call from a detective in France about a murder he goes to help investigate. He arrives to find his name scrawled in blood on the floor and a clue about the holy grail. The detective suspects him, but he escapes with a decoder who believes that he was innocent. They follow the clue that the dead man left behind, to another clue. They continue to face challenges and great puzzles. They begin to unravel a great mystery and a shocking surprise.

I rated this book the way I did for several reasons. It is a great mystery and I like mystery books. There is a lot of action and intense moments in the book. Dan Brown has a great writing style and it really drags you in. He does a really good job developing the characters. The only reason I wouldn't give it a 5/5 is because he doesn't expound on some things enough.

"The ancient male symbol was the blade, it's a basic phallus. It's still used today on military uniforms" Robert Langdon

Chosen

2010-05-21T13:11:00.003-06:00

Name: Jessie Brown
Period: A4
Title: Chosen
Author: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Pages: 307
Rating: ****

Recommendation: I think that girls about sixteen should read The House Of Night series. They are really good but have some inappropriate parts. These are the only books I have actually read. They are really good.

Summary: This book starts out a couple months after Zoey's best friend Stevie Rae dies. (she doesn't make it through "the change" of becoming a vampire.) Zoey and her human boyfriend Heath find out that all the people who don't make it through "the change" become undead creatures that live in tunnels under a building. Throughout this book it is mostly Zoey trying to save Stevie Rae and help her become a fledging again but things are really hard because people from her step-dads church killed one of the vampire teachers so they have a lot of officer vamps there to do some research. This makes it hard for Zoey to sneak off campus to take Stevie Rae blood.

Explanation of rating: I gave this book 4 stars because I liked it a lot. This whole series is amazing. The authors do a really good job on making it intense and makes me want to keep reading. They have really good intense chapters and end them in the right place to make you want to keep reading. Most books end the chapters so you have to keep reading. In these books they have the chapters cut off so you can stop reading if you want to. It is just REALLY good.

2010-05-21T13:10:00.003-06:00

Caleb Worthen
A4
Lightning Thief
375 pages
Rick Riordan
Rating:***
Recommendation: This book is great for people who like fantasy. This is a book that shows how an ordinary kid can become something spectacular in just a few weeks. If you like greek mythology then this book is for you.

Summary: This story is about a kid named percy jackson. At the begining of the book percy is seen as a trouble maker. As the book progresses you find you that he is actually someone special. Percy Jackson is a son of one of the greek gods. Percy finnaly realizes that he is this gods son and is sent on a quest to find a lightning bolt that percy's dad supposedly stole from zues. Percy is trying to find this bolt and also get to the under world to save his mom who was killed by a beast. As he is trying to find his mom and this bolt he encounters many mythical creatures that he has to fight.

Explanation of rating: I gave this book three stars because I don't usually like fantasy or science fiction, but this book was pretty good for being a fantasy. One of the things I liked about this book is that you really get an image of whats going on. One of the things that bothers me about this book is that it is so predictable. I could predict just about anything that was about to happen and my prediction was usually right.

Eragon A4

2010-05-21T13:05:00.002-06:00

Staci Rasmussen
A4
Eragon
Christopher Paolini
509
Rating:*****

Recommendation:I think that anyone can and should read this book. I really enjoyed reading it. Not everyone will like this book, but it is a really good book, if you like types of books that are tense. Maybe really young kids should not read this book, but older kids and adults should read it.

Summary: Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters. Eragon thinks that the egg is a rock at first, then he goes into the barn where he had the egg, and it was cracked then that is when he realized that it was not a rock but an egg. He hears a noise in the barn and tries to find what it is and a baby dragon comes out of its hiding place. The dragon grows up in the care of Eragon. Evil people want to take the dragon from him so they can have her. So Eragon is trying to keep her safe and fight for what is right. In his journey he comes upon a elderly man named Brom that was a dragon trainer. Brom teaches Eragon sword fighting, and the ways of the Dragon Riders, as well as many other things he needs to know as a Dragon Rider. Eragon has to fight these evil guys, who are trying to kill him. Eragon also has to fight and kill the Shadow, which there is only one way to kill a Shadow.

Explanation of Rating: The reason for my rating is because Eragon is a really good book. I like tense edge of you seat kind of books and this book is like that. It has lots of parts in it that make you want to continue reading, instead of putting it down. So you just keep reading the book, and then before you know it you are finished with it and want to read the next book.

Out of the silent planet

2010-05-21T12:51:00.001-06:00

Tanner Lundskog
A-3
Out of the Silent Planet
C.S. Lewis
160 Pgs.
****
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to people who like logical books that have out there plots. This book has lots of big words so I would recommend it to people about 16 and older. It’s an okay book with a pretty good plot. In order to like this you have to be okay with impossible things happening, because nothing in this book could happen.

Summary:
Dr. Elwin Ransom, a great linguist was an average man except for his mastery of languages. One day he was just going for a walk when he was knocked unconscious and kidnapped. When he woke up he wasn’t on earth, he was in space with two men ha had never met before. One was a rich well to do man with an adventurous mind; the other was an extremely smart physicist. He had been the one who made the spaceship that was carrying them away from earth. Once they arrived the indigenous aliens that inhabit mars are having problems. He realizes the only way to get home is to comply with the aliens and help them solve their problems. He decides to help so he can get home.

Explanation of Rating:
It was good but some of the plot is so ‘out their’ that it’s hard to comply with. The characters in it are pretty well introduced. The dialogue in some parts can confuse you. It has a little to keep up with but most people can do it. Most people will probably like this book.

Passage:
"These things are not strange, Small One, though they are beyond our senses."
It seems a little like something I would say. It makes it more real.

Eclipse by stephenie Meyer A-4

2010-05-21T12:50:00.002-06:00

David Lopez
A-4
Eclipse
By: Stephenie Meyer
630 pgs.
i rate this book:***

I recommend this book mainly to girls or women.Or people into love,action and vampires. It has a strong love story behind it and would be really good for someone whos into to love and action.

Its Bella's senior year in highschool and Edward Cullen really wants to marry her. Bella really is hesitant about it because her father and mother married at a young age and later on divorced. So Bella makes Edward wait. Meanwhile later on geraduation is near and Bella goes to visit her mom. Her mom is really worried about her and sees that her and Edward are too intimate. Her mother thinks the realtionship is too unhealthy for them at a young age. so while Bella is staying for her mom she realizes that her some of her clothes are missing. Bella thinks its alice but really its a other vampire. Alice trys to figure out who it is but ther vampire avoids Alice purposly so she cant see who it is. Killings are going on in Seattle and the Cullens thin k its another vampire. So they go out to handle it before the Vulturi come and maybe even find out Bella stilll isnt a vampire yet.Little did the Cullens and Bella know that the killings and Bellas missing clothes are connected so victoria can track Bella down and kill her.Victoria get an army of vampires to go kill Bella and destroy the Cullens. The cullens and the wolves make a truce for just this one time to defeat victoria and her evil army of vampires. so they do.Victoria not knowing the wolves clicked up wwith them made them basically get slaughtered and victoria getting killed.Later on after they fight the Vulturi come and the Cullens dont want them to find out they called a truce with the wolve. so they dont find out Bella has to make a desicion between Edward and Jacob. And at the end of the story she agrees to marry edward.

I rated this book a three because it was like it. But not as much as other people.Im not really into to all that love stuff and vampires so it was alright. But it wasnt a bad book not going to lie.

My favorite passage was when the wolves and the Cullens clicked up and fought off the evil vampires. It had a lot of action and im into that. So i found that connection with that part.

The Last Song A3

2010-05-21T12:30:00.000-06:00

Name: Cynthia Sueldo
Period: A3
Book Title: The Last Song
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 463
Rating: *****

Recommendation: If you enjoy a modern day story about young love and a fathers dream to re-gain the relationship he once had with his children. The Last Song is definitely the book for you. Nicholas Sparks sure knows how to touch a human beings heart, and he does it smoothly. This Book will lead you with tears dripping from your eyes as you experience more and more about the simple word called love.

Summary: The Last Song is about two children going to visit their father for the whole summer. It’s been almost three years since the last time they have seen their dad. Ronnie the rebellious teenage daughter who hates her father and immediately assumes that her summer is going to be the worst. When she suddenly meets this charming, kind beach boy named Will. At first she gives him attitude and gives him a rough time to let him into her life, but when she does she knows it was the right thing to do. They fall in love and spend every minute together. Ronnie learns how much one person can mean to her and how one boy can change her life forever. Her relationship with her dad grows and she finally realizes how special her dad is. She learns appreciate for him and most importantly her family.

Explanation for Rating: I have always enjoyed Nicolas Sparks books but I definitely loved the last song. It teaches you so much about life and how much a father’s love can really mean to his daughter. I have always been a sucker for romance so when Will and Ronnie’s young love starts I immediately fell for the book. I loved it! And could read it all over again!

Favorite Passage: “No sweetie. Just the opposite, I asked you to come so I could watch you live.” Chapter 31

This passage absolutely touched my heart because, during this part of the book her father is very ill and Ronnie expresses her feelings to him and he simply reply’s by saying that. By just that little sentence it really showed her and me as being the reader how much her father really loves and cares about her.

Storm Breaker

2010-05-21T12:22:00.000-06:00

Braden Thompson
A3
StormBreaker
Anthony Horowitz
260
***

Recommendation: anyone and everyone who enjoys a good action packed book with no swearing or crude words should read this book. This is the first book in the series and it hooked me so now I am reading the rest of the series and I love it.

Summary: StormBreaker is about a boy named Alex Rider and in this book Alex is trying to find answers about his uncle and his mysterious death. This curiosity led him into the line of spy work. He gets put right into the thick of things. He gets sent to a billionaire’s house that is suspected of killing his uncle. Young Alex has to find out as much about this billionaire as he can and keep himself alive. Throughout the book he is dodging suspicions of the billionaire and his henchmen but in every good book the good guy’s messes up and has to get himself out of trouble.

Explanation of rating: I rated my book a 3 because I don’t like when books start out slow and you have to wait for it all to develop. This is the first book in this series and the series just gets better and better after this book. This is a stepping stone book and I like when series start out and develop quickly and you don’t have to read one book to get what’s happening in the next.

Favorite passage: If this is what you do to the winner, I'd hate to see how you treat the runner up.

I like this passage because it shows that he is a winner and that if he loses than he could possibly die. Plus it shows that he is quick on his feet and that he is developing quickly into a fully blown spy.

Work and the Glory 4 and 5. A3

2010-05-21T11:31:00.000-06:00

Bryndi Hellewell
A3
Work and the Glory 4 and 5
Gerald N. Lund
605, 575
Rating: *****

Recommendations: These books are great for anyone who likes to hear good, inspiring stories. Also, it is really good for those who like to learn and have personal growth. Overall, this is for anyone who likes great books.

Summary: These books are the continued story of the Steed family and their journey's through life. In the first three books Joshua, Benjamin and Mary Ann's oldest son, rebelled and turned away from his family. Well, he returns and his family forgives him. Tragic happens to the saints in Far West and Haun's Mill and the saints are forced to leave. Joshua surprises his family and helps them get out of Far West. The saints go to Nauvoo and build up a community. There, malaria swept through the saints, many died, but many were also healed. Through these books there are many trials and triumphs. Also through these books the whole Steed family is brought together again.

Explanation of Rating: I really enjoyed these books. I have always enjoyed learning about history, but these books made me feel apart of that history. I really liked how I learned from the book but I also really liked it. It showed me how valuable life is. These books drew me in and taught me. They were great books and I will probably read them again sometime.

Dear John A3

2010-05-21T11:28:00.002-06:00

Name: Nicole Ferron
Class Period: A3
Book Title: Dear John
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 288
Rating: ****

Recommendation: I recommended this book to everyone. This book has the love romance that girls loves, and it has action that guys love.

Summary: John mom lefted him and his father after he was born, so John grow up without a mother. Him and his dad barley talk, the only thing that they would talk about is coins. His dad is a coin collected. John was a trouble marker growing up so after high school he signed up for the army. On one of his leaves he went to visit his dad thats when he met Savannah on the beach. They fell in love in the week and a half they had togther. When he had to go back to the army, would write letters to each other.

Rating: I gave it four stars because I really liked it, I really got into the book. It even made me cry, but I watched the movei before I read the boook. So, I was kind of expecting the book to end like the movie did but it didn't. And that really disappointed me, because I really liked the ending of the movie.

Favorite Passage: My favorite passage would probably have to be the part when his dad died, so he decided to go see Savannah after not seeing or talking to her in years. I would love that to happen to me, if I haven't seen the love of my life in years. I would want him to comr find me, that's why I enjoyed it.

The Count of Monte Cristo. A-3

2010-05-21T11:24:00.002-06:00

Courtney Kennard
A-3
The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre Dumas
509
5 Stars

I would recommend this book to everyone! Anyone who read's this book, will love it! The suspense will keep you reading to the very end! Alexandre Dumas keeps you entertained the entire way through.

Edmond Dantes had the perfect life. The perfect job, the perfect family, and the love of his life. But that will all change when Dantes is sent to jail because he was accused of helping Napoleon Bonaparte. While in jail, he meets Abbe Faria, who eventually helps him escape prison. Once he escapes, Dantes finds a hidden treasure on the Island of Monte Cristo. Now, Edmond is back, now as the Count of Monte Cristo, to get revenge on the one's who ruined his life.
Get ready for suspense, love... and revenge!

The reason I gave this book 5 stars is because it is a timeless book. At the beginning of the book, Alexandra Dumas pulls you into the book, and doesn't let go until the very end. This book has and will continue to go down in history as one of the greatest revenge stories of all time.

"The man you see before you is as tender a father and as respectful a friend as could ever appear to you." -Chapter 61
In this chapter, The count is looking over a dear fried of his who has grown ill. He comforts her, and lets her know that he's there for her. This passage shows the true character of the Count of Monte Cristo.

Hatchet A3

2010-05-21T11:23:00.000-06:00

Name: Josue Cisneros
Class: A2
Book: Hatchet
Author: Gary Paulson
Pages: 192
Rating: ****

Recommendation: I recommend this book to anybody. It’s an easy book to read and it’s not a very long book. This is a great book to read. It is adventurous and thrilling.

Summary: Brian Robeson, 13 years old, survives alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing to assist him but a small hatchet. Brian was the only passenger on a small Cessna 406 plane when the pilot died of a heart attack and the plane crashed into a small lake. Left with only a hatchet he received as a gift from his mother, Brian then has to survive and he has to build a shelter, he has to hunt for his food, fight off wild animals, big and small. While facing the outside wilderness, Brian also has thinks about his parents' breakup and what he conceived as his mother's unfaithfulness. After nearly two months of resourcefulness adventures, Brian is rescued, but while he was trying to survive in the wilderness he had grown and changed to become a new person.

Explanation:
Favorite Passage: The pilot says this to brain about flying. “All flying is easy. Just takes learning. Like everything else. Like everything else.” Chapter 1 pg 5.

I like this passage because it is saying that you can accomplish pretty much anything which I think it is true. If work hard and practice you can accomplish anything.

2010-05-21T11:18:00.001-06:00

Alex Sueldo
A3
New Moon
Stephenie Meyer
563
****
Recommendation:(I recommend this book to everyone even guys who think this book wont be good.I was surprised with how good it was. Its better then the movie for sure.
The description and details on everything is written amazing.

Summary:(It starts of with Bella celebrating her 18th birthday with Edward and his family. Accidentally when she is opening one of her gifts she gets a paper cut which causes jasper to want to kill Bella but Edward jumps in front of Bella and saves her from Jasper.After That incident Edward tells Bella that he cant see her again because he doesn't want that to ever happen again, because she could die. Bella goes on an adrenaline rush and tries to kill her self. She attempts to kill her self by jumping off a ridge into the lake but Edward doesn't save her Jacob does. Edward thinks she is dead so he goes to out in public in the sun in front of people and if your a vampire you cant let anyone find out or else you will die.

Explanation of rating:(I have the book a 4 out of 5 because its a really good book, but i got really confused at some parts. Making it hard for those don't have a huge vocabulary. I still recommend it to a lot of people because you'll enjoy the suspense and action.

Favorite Passage:( i wont ever leave you. Edward says that to Bella but he doesn't keep that promise he leaves her and leaves her in danger. I love that passage because it can really connect to me,because i have had a lot of people that say they will be there for me but they turn out not.

Hunger Games A3

2010-05-21T11:16:00.004-06:00

Stephen Serrano
A3
Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
374 pages
Rating:*****

This book is a great book for everyone who loves action. This book has suspense, violence, and the controversy of a controlling government. I would recommend this book to anyone.

In the Hunger Games there are 12 different districts in what used to be America. Each district must choose two representatives to compete in the annual hunger games, a deadly competition that requires competitors to fight to the death. All to bring glory and fame to their district. The main character isn't chosen but takes the place of her twelve year old sister. She know what she's getting into, because every district is required to watch the carnage. She soons finds herself in the thick of it dodging fireballs and fighting the elements to stay alive and win. Even though all odds seem to be against her.

I gave this book five stars because the author does a great job of keeping the reader interested and hooked in this amazing book. Once I started I could barely stop reading. Often when I just couldn't keep my eyes open. It shows how important life is and how people are controlled by a government. It's just plain perfect.

Time to say thank you and farwell. pg 84

I like this quote because it shows that even though everyone is trying to kill each other there can still be kindness. Amidst chaos there can be friendships.

Anne of Green Gables A3

2010-05-21T11:15:00.006-06:00

Name: Tiffany Lee
Class Period: A3
Book Title: Anne of Green Gables
Author Lucy Maud Montgomery
Pages: 297
Rating: ****

Recommendation: I recommend this book to anyone who loves classic American Novel.
Also for those who wants to know more about Anne Shirley, who makes everyone's day better!

Summary: It is about a orphan girl name Anne Shirley. Matthew and Marila cuthbert wanted to adopt a boy who can help them with house work, but something goes wrong and instead of a boy, Anne ends up living in their house. Marila didn't think she would be a good help in anyways but later in her life, she learns to love her because
of her wonderful personality that makes everyone happy.

Explanation of Rating: I've never liked the main character in my life. As I read the book, I totally fell in love with her just as much as other people in the book.
There is no magical creatures, dramatic changes, or even the most romantic love story. It is just about this normal red headed girl who is fun, loving, smart, and caring. I gurantee you that as you read this book, you will fall in love with her as much as I am.

Favorite Passage: "Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?"

I absolutely love this passage in the book because it totally shows Anne's curiosity and 'wild imagination and a talent for getting into trouble'. She makes everyone feel better and almost everyone in her life eventually learn to lve her.

Hunger Games A3

2010-05-21T11:10:00.002-06:00

Name: Blu Haws
Class: A3
Book: Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages: 374
Rating: ****

Recommendation: This book would be great for most anyone but the age group that it would be best for is teens or any age around there. It was a well written book that kept me reading til the wee hours in the morn'.

Summary: This book is about a girl named Katniss. She lives in district 12 and has a mom and a little sister Prim. Prim gets chosen for the hunger games so Katniss volunteers to go. Peeta goes with her. The have to go to the hunger games and it is a great challenge for them and they both end up winning because they outsmart the capital.

Explanation of Rating: Hunger Games is a great book that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The book also has a little bit of romance to add some more drama to it. Although it has some romance it does not cross the line with it. In the book there are a lot of interesting characters that keep you wanting to read.

Favorite Passage: We're going to be thrown into an arena to fight to the death. Exactly how am I supposed to work in a thank-you in there? Somehow it just won't seem sincere if I'm trying to slit his throat. (32)

This passage was my favorite because it shows the irony that the capital had towards the games. The games were a matter of life or death but for some people it was just fun or for their enjoyment.

The Thief Lord A3

2010-05-21T11:07:00.002-06:00

Name:McKell Salmon
Class Period: A3
Book Title: The Thief Lord
Author: Cornelia Funke
Pages: 352
Rathing: ****

Recomendation: The Thief Lord is a great book fro all ages, there is a lot of fun and adventure. It's a famous fantasy novel with a target audience for children but still keeps adults amused.

Summary: When prosper and Bo's parents died they were sent to live with their Aunt and Uncle. There was only one problem, tehy only wanted Bo, and tehy didnt want Prosper. Prosper knew that hew ould be sent off to boarding school, leaving his younger brother with his Aunt Esther, so he and Bo ran away to Venice, Italy, the enchanting city his mother had told them so many tales of, unfortunately, Venice was not exactly the wonderland that Prosper and Bo were expecting. But soon they meet The Thief Lord. The Thief Lord was very clever and charming, but no one knew who he really was and all of teh children feared him a little bit. Prosper worried that Bo idolized him too much and would turn to a life of crime but they had no wehre else to go. But when The Thief Lord accepts a job from the mysterious Duke Prosper fins himself thrust into a magical adventure full of suprises and discovers more about The Thief Lord.

Explanation of Rating: I would give this book 4 stars. I really enjoyed reading it, there was never a dull moment and it really connects you with teh characters in the book, its shows that tehse kkids really had to learn to grow up even though tehy weren't ready for it. I thinkt that everyone can relate to having to grow up even though they might not be ready for it yet.

Favorite Passage: I love when Bo says: Prop's very brave and im good at cheering him up, so we make a good team.

I love this passage because Bo looks up to Prosper so much and they really do make a great team.

NIght Hoops A-3

2010-05-21T11:04:00.002-06:00

Billy Enkhbaatar
A-3
Night Hoops
Carl Deuker
Pages: 175
Rating: ***

Recommendation: This is book is great for anyone that likes sports and basketball. This is a classic sports story. The author will keep you on the edge of your sit.

Summary: The main characters in this story seem so real when you are reading. Nick Abbott is a good basketball player but not as good as Trent Dawson. Nick reminds me of myself because he can improve on his game, but he's a pretty good player. On the other hand, nothing is right in Trent Damson's life. Everything goes wrong and his life at home is unfair. The two become friends and see the inner part of one another. It is an inspirational story. This book is really good and I would defiantly recommend it to people who like basketball and are interested in the hard times of other people's life.

Explanation of Rating: I gave this book a 3 because this book was very good and it kept me interested. I thought it could of had more details on the basketball stuff but it didn't. But i do recommend to people who love sports and basketball.

Favorite passage: "I could hear him breathing, long deep breaths of relief, the gray-white vapor showing against the darkness of the night" Chapter 3

I like this passage because this shows how close they got and became really good friends. Also the title is night hoops and in this part they were playing basketball.

Magyk A2

2010-05-21T10:52:00.001-06:00

Matt Liljenquist
A3
Magyk
Angie Sage
576
**** Really Liked it!

I would recommend this book to people who like magic and adventurous books. It is based around magic and different types. It is an easy book to read, that both boys and girls would like.

It is about a boy that is put into the young boy army because no one knows who his parents are. But has a natural ability to work with magic because he is the seventh son of a seventh son. He is sent on an assignment to get a young queen that has been captured by someone who is trying to take over the throne. He finds out that she has been taken by his real parents and they are just protecting her. He was working for the wrong side. His parents start teaching him magic and different spells. They then continue to go and fight the guy that took over the throne and defeat him.

I like these kinds of books. They are cool to read and look at what kind of spells they can come up with. They are very suspenseful and keep you hooked. I have read other books like these but this one has to be my favorite. It has all the right elements to make an interesting book.

"The legend says that Hotep-ra, the first ExtraOrdinary Wizard, was being pursued by people planning to kill him. Therefore, the dragon became a boat to save her mastser and before Hotep-Ra died he put the boat in his hidden temple." I like this passage because it shows how the story uses different time periods. It also shows a good example of how most of the book is.

Dear John A3

2010-05-21T10:33:00.002-06:00

Name: Rachel Stay
Class period: A3
Pages: 276
Rating: ****
Recommendations: I recommend this book to teens or college students over adults. They would enjoy it too, but I think that the younger will relate to this book more. But really I think anyone who likes love stories and enjoys sappy romantic stories would really enjoy this book.
Summary: the stories starts in North Carolina where John Tyree is back from serving in the army from Germany. He is relaxing there and enjoying the beaches. At the beach he meets a girl names Savanna Lynn Curtis who is there for a summer mission for habitat for humanitary. John and savannah start talking and hanging out a lot. They just can’t keep apart. He than gets drafted back to Germany and she writes him and tells him that she wants to marry him. He wants to get married. He comes back and gets to know her family and spend more time with him. Than 9/11 happens. He has to leave. It’s hard because he was so ready. They don’t know if this can work. He comes home and makes tuff decisions.
Explanation of rating: I rated these book 4 stars because I really enjoy it a lot. I like how it all went and the things that went on. The book really caught my attention. I really liked that even though things were hard, he went through them. And what ever happened, life still goes on!
Favorite Passage: my favorite passage was he makes the view that through harsh and complex, love transforms us. And I like that because it is true through any hard thing that’s going on we can be transformed!

The Well of Accension A3

2010-05-21T10:32:00.002-06:00

Gabe Greer
A3
The Well of Accension
Brandon Sanderson
600+
*****

This book is great for poeople that love books and have a great imagination. This book is a intense thriller. It is a great book for people that like battle cool battle scences and a good laugh.

This book is actually the second in the seris. This book is about a girl named Vin and she has a very wonderful power. She is a mistborn. Somebody that can swallow metal and it will give her powers. She is in a crew and they have over thrown the lord ruler and they are tyring to make peace with the land and the people that are in it. Many armis are coming for the land and they have to defend the land and the people. But there is someone in the land that is a great foe. Somebody that they will never expect to be bad.

This book has a lot of action and it is a very good book for so many reasons. The author is so good at descriptions of battles and describing there wonderful power. It has action all over it, its got love, and heartbreak. Also instead of a man being the hero, its a girl saving the day. This seris is a great seris because it is non stop action and a wonderful style of the book.

"I swallowed the metal in the vial. I burned pewter and I felt the power in my muscles. I can do anything".

I love this passage because i love the power the authour has created for the charcters. It shows that you can take power out of the metal and it will give you a wonderful power.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

2010-05-21T10:10:00.000-06:00

Name: Danny Ryan
Class Period: A-3
Author: Roald Dahl
Pages: 160
Rating ****

Recommendation: This book is great for basically anyone, as long as you have a great imagination. There really is no age limit. No matter how young or old you are, you can still be amused from page to page by Roald Dahls humor and his imagination. Charlie and the chocolate factory is a great book to read if you just want to be entertained by a fun story.

Summary: A sweet little kid named Charlie Bucket lived in the worst of circumstances, until he was given the opportunity of a lifetime: A chance to visit Willy Wonka's wonderful, top-secret chocolate factory. Five lucky people who find a Golden Ticket wrapped in one of Willy Wonka's delicious candy bars win a visit to his mysterious chocolate factory. Charlie Bucket is too poor to buy more than one candy bar a year, so when he wins a ticket, his whole family celebrates. The four other lucky children are not as nice as Charlie, and they're punished for their bad behavior. Greedy Augustus Gloop falls into the chocolate river he's trying to drink from and gets sucked up a pipe. Chewing-gum addict Violet Beauregarde grabs a stick of gum that blows her up into a giant blueberry. Spoiled Veruca Salt is deemed a "bad nut" by Wonka's trained squirrels and thrown in the garbage. And Mike Teavee demands to be "sent by television" and gets shrunk in the process. But there's a wonderful surprise waiting for Charlie at the end of the tour.

Explanation of Rating: This book was definitely entertaining. It was a good enough story to make a movie about it. I was never bored when reading it and I liked it so much that I read other books that the author wrote. It was fun to read and I enjoyed all of it.

Favorite Passage: "Oh, my sainted aunt! Don't mention that disgusting stuff in front of me! Do you know what breakfast cereal is made of? It's made of all those little curly wooden shavings you find in pencil sharpeners!"

I like this passage because it is funny and I have thought that before

The Hunger Games

2010-05-21T09:39:00.003-06:00

Jess Larson
A-2
The Hunger Games
Suzane Collins
400+
**** Really Liked it!

I would recommend this book. It was good for maybe a teenager or a preteen. There was a lot of action and suspense. It would be a good read for a boy or a girl.

We start out following a girl named Catniss. We immediately see that she is a bit of a tom boy with some outdoor skills. Her and her friend illegally poach animals. We learn that two children must be chosen from every distcict to participate in a battle to the death. Winning brings glory and riches to a starving nation, losing brings shame. Catniss' little sister is chosen but Catniss bravely voulenteers to take her place. She goes to the nations capital city to be prepared for the trials to come. She trains and goes to public appearances but nothing will delay the inevitable trial she must face...

I liked this book because of the action it possesed. I couldn't put the book down. Suzanne Collins can really bring you into the story. It feels like you are really there. This book was so suspensfull in a good way. I felt like i could relate with the characters. The book had just enough of all the elements to make it a great book.

My favorite passage is when Peeta comes back to save Catniss and we realize that he is not trying to kill her but protect her. This part just brought an emotional impact to the story that i enjoyed.

Rivals

2010-05-21T09:34:00.010-06:00

name:Edgar Martin Del Campo
Author:Tim Green
pages:272
Rating:***1/2

Recomendation:This book is great for anyone who is into sports and who is a very competetive person. This book is a classical jock that plays baseball and is really into his game, this is a very intense book and it becomes more intense as you go!

Summary: Josh a midle school teen that him and his buddys are in a very well known and intense baseball team and find themselfs in the Baseball Hall of Fame Tournament,in which many people consider to be even more prestigious than the Little League World Series. But not everything is well for them in their home town Cooperstown in New York: Josh and his friends start to suspect one team of cheating their way into wining the tournament, and there’s a star pitcher who threatens to steal more from Josh than just the trophy!, so they are trying to investigate what they are up to and get them kicked out of the tournament.

Edplanation of Rating:well i give this book 3 1/2 stars because it was pretty good over all but i think it could be much better. it is a very well written book in the way that they keep your attention the whole time but they could have made the end little better tho.

Favorite Passage: when hes about to fight the other player!

I love this passage because its way funny. hahahahaha

The Last Song A2

2010-05-21T09:34:00.004-06:00

Name: Ashlie Jenkins
Class: A2
Book Title: The Last Song
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 390
Rating:****

Recommendation: This book is great for those who like a romance and crying. This is a book full of love, hate, and sadness. Sparks is very good at making you feel how the character is feeling. He brings out the soft side in you.

Summary: In this book, Ronnie and her little brother, Jonah, go to their dads house for the summer to spend time with him. Ever since their parents divorced, Ronnie hasn't been able to forgive her dad, since he left them. When she was younger, Ronnie and her dad used to play the piano and write songs together. Her dad was a professor at Juliard and could play really well, along with Ronnie. She hasn't played the piano ever since then. She has been dreading this 'vacation' and really didn't want to go. For the first part of the summer she didn't talk to her dad, and when she did, it wasn't talking...it was yelling. She especially hated when he would sit there and play the piano while she was in the house. As the summer proceeds, Ronnie meets a guy that she falls in love with and spends most of her time with him. The summer just starts to get better when the bad news sets in.

Explanation of Rating: Nicholas Sparks is an amazing writer and has written many books that have been top sellers. This book however, was not one of his greatest books. Although, they did make a movie out of it. It was really good but some things could have been better. Sparks has a great talent of bringing out the emotions of the characters and making you feel what they feel and it really shows in this book.

Favorite Passage: In this part of the book, Jonah is talking to his dad about Ronnie.
"Mom says its because she has PMS."
Dad: "Do you even know what that means?"
Jonah: "Im not a little kid anymore. It means pissed-at-men syndrome."

This is my favorite part in the book because for one, its funny, and for another, it just shows how this book has some humor. Its not all about love and hate.

The Last Song A2

2010-05-21T09:19:00.002-06:00

Name: Rebecca Knell
Class Period: A2
Book Title: The Last Song
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 405
Rating: *****

Recommendation: This is a really good book for any teenage girl who likes a little romance, rebellion, and humor. It leaves you wanting more.

Summary: The book starts out with Ronnie and her little brother Jonah. Ronnie is a young rebellious teenage girl who is being sent to stay with her father for the summer. Ronnie hasn't spoken to her father for over three years. So she is not excited for this summer. When she gets there she doesn't say hi. She just goes to explore the small town's fair. There she meets this girl named Blaze. Blaze doesn't hang around the best people and is very rebellious like Ronnie. Blaze and Ronnie become pretty good friends. Later Ronnie meets Will. A handsome, tall, volleyball player. They fall in love and she learns that her family is everything to her. She spends more time with her dad and realizes that he isn't really that bad. That summer brought her closer to her father and helped her find who she really is. This book does have very teary moments in it. But you won’t be able to put it down; it draws you in so fast.

Rating: I thought this book deserved five stars. It is one of my favorite books and has such a great story line. It had a cute romance that I loved and made me understand that you shouldn't waste your time being angry, because you'll be missing out on a lot of great experiences. I would read it again any day.

Favorite Passage: "Sometimes you have to be a part from people you love, but that doesn't make you love them any less." I thought this was super sweet that her dad her said this to her about Will. I thought they had a sweet relationship between each other.

Arch Enemy A2

2010-05-21T09:15:00.003-06:00

Nikolas Kalkbrenner
A2
Title:Arch Enemy
Pg. 218
Rating *

Recommendation: this book is enjoyable to all you like Wonderland stuff. the book has a lot of the old characters from Wonderland.

Summery: the queen of hearts is at the brink of war with King Arch. The king sent a trap for the queen and succeeded in taking her imagination, and the fall of her kingdom. The queens counsel have started to create the perfect heart soldier to go and get her imagination back and kill the king, so they name him Arch Enemy. In the end...well, you have to read it yourself.

Explanation of Rating: the reason for this rating is that the book was good, but not something I'm into reading. Other than that the book might be good for others.

Favorite passage: do not have one.

Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Theif A-3

2010-05-21T09:07:00.003-06:00

Name: Joseph Van Duren
Class: A-3
Book Title: Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 375
Rating: ***

Recommendation: Anyone could read this book and enjoy it. However, those in their early teens would probably enjoy it the most, especially if they are into mythology. It is an easy read with characters the age of early tees.

Summary: Percy Jackson is the son of Poseidon, the sea god. He is raised by his mother who is married to a man Percy calls Smelly Gabe. She married him in order to cover up Percy’s demigod sent in order to protect him from the monsters that seek to kill heroes. Percy is sent off to boarding school every year, and he really struggles thinking that some of his special gifts are really just learning disabilities that he must cope with. His best friend Grover turns out to not be an awkward cripple but a satire. His favorite teacher who is always encouraging him turns out to be a centaur. They help him get out of harm’s way from the monsters and receive proper training at Camp Half-blood. His mother gets captured by a Minotaur on the way. He and his friends are awarded a quest that takes them on a whirlwind of adventures that takes them all the way to and from the underworld and to the top of Mount Olympus, now the Empire State Building, as they fight deception and try to unravel the mystery behind Zeus’s missing master thunderbolt before Zeus and Poseidon go to war with one another. Read the story of how it all pans out.

Explanation of Rating: I enjoyed this book; however, it was not the best book I have ever read. I am sure I would have enjoyed it more a few years ago when the book would have been more on my level. It would have helped if I knew a little more about mythology. I was never the best at knowing the mythological history. However, you do not have to know that much to still be able to enjoy the book and the ability of the author to capture human nature at its best and worst as the heroes battle their way through seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Favorite Passage: “What I did next was so impulsive and dangerous I should’ve been named ADHD poster child of the year.”

I like this quote because it captures Percy’s personality very well. He is always getting down on himself and his inadequacies despite his unordinary courage and talent.

The Last Song-A4

2010-05-21T08:44:00.003-06:00

Name: Brianna Tello
Class period: A4
Book title: The Last song
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 405
Rating: ****

recommendation: This is a very good book for any teenage girl who loves any romance book. Really anybody who likes a good romance will just adore this book. One of the best Romances of all time!

Summary: It starts out with a rebelious seven-teen year old girl, named Ronnie, and her brother being sent to their fathers house for the summer. Ronnie has not spoken to her father in three years, so this summer is going to be very awkward. As soon as they got to their fathers house Ronnie just walks off without so much as a hello to her father or a goodbye to her mother. She meets a girl named Blaze at a fair later that night, Blaze does not hang out with the greatest group of people either so ronnie is sucked into the life that her mother was trying to get her out of by sending her to her fathers house. later on in the book Ronnie meets a boy and they fall in love with eachother. Ronnie ends up growing closer to her family and growing out of the rebelious teenage girl stage. I can not give the ending away,but lets just say it will make you cry like a baby! there are many complications and heart wrenching parts in this book, but you will not be able to put it down!

explination of rating: i gave it four stars because i just loved the book. it is one of the best book i have read in a while! there were some dull parts in it though like most books. i would deffinantaly recomend it to anybody who just likes to curl up in a blanket and read a good romance novel! the beginging wasn't very attention grabing but by the middle i could not put it down!

favorite passage: "Their fingers seemed to fit together in just the right way- effortlessly clasped, like perfect complents."

i love this passage because it just shows how much they really love each other and how they are so connected to eachother. It showed how they were just ment to be together in every way!

2010-05-21T08:19:00.006-06:00

Addison C. Shurtz
A3
Surround Yourself with Greatness
Chad Lewis
400
*****

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to anyone in the world who just needs some motivation in life. This book not only teaches what happiness is, it also teaches you how to achieve it. That's something I think we all could use a few tips on.

Summary: Chad Lewis was a large in stature high school student. He grew up right here in Orem, Ut. He attended Orem High School where he picks his story up. When Chad was a teen his father developed a very painful "tumor like" problem in his head. He was rushed to the hospital where the doctors told them he had a 25% chance of living if surgery was preformed right then. The Lewis family prayed so hard for there dad just hoping the lord would spare his life. After quite a few hours of waiting the doctor came out to announce there father was still alive. The surgery had been successful, but the doctor said he's never walk again. After a few months Chad's dad put 100% effort into retraining his legs. Chad explained how he always tried to help his father on every occasion he could, he even had decided to sacrifice his Mormon Mission to stay and help his father. His father was not happy holding Chad back, so he motivated Chad to leave. Chad served in a Taiwanese Mission where he learned his Mission Companion was going to play football at BYU. Chad had played throughout High School and was an all state player, but BYU was a tough team to walk on at. This however motivated him. He walked on at BYU where after years of hard work became a starter. His next role was an all conference performer, and from there he joined the NFL. He was undrafted, but put some hard work into joining the Philadelphia Eagles where he played for several years before getting hurt. His career ended early, but he explained so well on how it was a success, and he taught all the things he learned on his journey through life.

Explanation of Rating: This book was fantastic. I have become fascinated in these motivational sports books. They keep me always interested, and teach me so much about myself and how to better my life. I not only thought Chad's book was a great tool for getting me through this last term, but it also has taught me things that i will remember for a lifetime. Things in which I can teach my children one day. I loved this book, one if not the best book I've ever read.

Passage: "I had never realized how fast life could be gone until I was caught in the moment."- Chapter 3

I was just talking about this with my Mother the other night. This is truly such a true statement. Life can end so quickly, so we need to learn to make the best of it. Not waste our time on worthless matters.

Last Song A4 Sheri Millard

2010-05-21T08:19:00.004-06:00

Sheri Millard
A4
Last Song
Nicholas Sparks
463
****

Recommendation: This book is extremely entertaining for teenage girls. It is easy to relate to Ronnies emotions and thoughts because they are so similar to the ones us girls often have. There is one major factor that really entrigues teenage girls, and that is the fact that there a a very cute boy in the story.

Summary: Ronnie is a rebelious teenage girl, that is all there is to it. After she is forced to go spend her summer in a tiny little town with her father, she feels there is no hope left for her. Just when she feels things could not get worse, she gets plowed down by an annoying volleyball player that just so happened to be very attractive. From there (after some stiff headedness and time) everything changes. Will and Ronnie start spending more and more time with eachother, each moment falling more in love. Suddenly the summer she dreaded so much was a sumemr that she wanted to have last for an eternity. As we all know perfection rarely last forever. Ronnie will now have to face her hardest challenge yet.

Explination: I really loved this book. I really did feel like I could connect to the characters. I found myself getting really into it and i feel like that is one sign of a good book. If you enjoy cheesy love stories like me you will also love this book. I gave it a four star because it was very enjoyable. The only reason it was not a five star was because it was not life changing for me.

Favorite Passage: "For a long time, all he could do was stare at her." I do not know why, but i thought this was so cute. He was so overtaken by how beautiful she looked that he could not even find words to describe it. This is every girls dream.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. A-4

2010-05-21T00:34:00.003-06:00

Name: Camilo Vasquez
Class Period: A-4
Book Title: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The lightning Thief
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 375
Rating: *****

Recommendation: Personally, I would recommend this book series to everyone. All of the books in this series are amazing, to tell you that this is now one of my favorite books! This book not only was filled with fantasy, fighting, "magic", and monsters, but it is also filled with mythological people. I had not known as much about Greek Gods before as I do now.

Summary: This book is about a kid named Percy Jackson. He has ADHD and is dyslexic, but does not now why. Also, he has never known his father. One day he and his mom go to the beach, and while they are there his friend grove, who he finds out is a satyr, comes to warn him that he is in danger. Percy finds out he is a demigod, and loses his mother on the way to half-blood camp, where they train demigods (children of the gods). The problem is, the only way to find out who your parent could be is if they claim you, and to many people's surprise, Percy turned out to be a son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. The thing is, though, that Zeus lost his master bolt, his ultimate weapon, and thinks that the person responsible is Percy. In order to clear his name, and also save his mom, Percy decides to go on a quest to the Underworld because he suspects that Hades, the god of the underworld, took Zeus' bolt. As he goes through his adventure he meets with Ares, God of war, and Ares "helps" Percy out by giving him a backpack full of things that he might need for his trip. But it was all a trap, inside of the backpack was Zeus' master bolt, Ares had set him up. Percy fights Ares, returns the bolt to Zeus, and returns to camp. When he is in camp, he talks to one of his friends, Luke, and finds out that he was the person who had stolen the master bolt, Luke had betrayed the Gods. But the scariest part is not that his friend was a traitor, but that his friend is being controlled by a bigger threat, a Titan who is extremely powerful, Kronos, The father of the Gods, and this is where one of the biggest wars in the history of the world begins.

Explanation of Rating: This book is so intense. It is literally impossible to put down once you started to read it. The book is written in such a way that you are always wondering what will happen next. It also has very detailed way of describing things, so that the story fells life-like. You get sucked into the book. The stories are creative, and in all the books in the series, there are unexpected twists, which makes it all the more exciting, because things do not turn out the way that you expect them to, adding to the mystery.

Favorite Passage: "You shall go west, and face the god who has turned...You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned...You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend...And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end."

The reason why I like this passage a lot is because is is the prophesy that the Oracle tells Percy when he leaves for his quest. i love the prophesies because they seem pretty clear, but they turn out much different then what you expect. It is pretty crazy, and it leaves you wondering what it is that it is really trying to say.

The Lovely Bones A4

2010-05-20T23:57:00.002-06:00

Annie Lewis
A4
The Lovely Bones
Alice Sebold
325 pages
**

Recommendation: This book would be good for all those dreamers out there. Personally i like realistic books. For people who like books that are made up this is definately the book for you. It's for people with wide imaginations. Also i would reccomend this to people over 16. People with open minds will truly enjoy this.

Summary: This book is pretty much about this girl Susie. Susie gets murdered and her family is extremly devistated. They have a lot of hope they don't won't to let go and say Susie is gone. She is in her after life. It's like real life but she's dead. In the book she has to overcome a fear that she has there is a box that she cannot comfront. Later on in the book we come to find out that the box are the bones of susie. She had to overcome her fear in order for after life and real life to meet again. She had to overcome the fear of her murderer. In her after life she sees her loved ones. The family kept holding on they new Susie wasn't gone..

Explanation of Rating: I rated this book at two. I didn't hate the book. This book was well written and it did keep my attention. The only reason why i rated so low is because this book isn't a book i would reccomend all my friends to read. It is not is my most interest. Although it was a well written book. I did enjoy it to a certain degree.

Favorite passage: "Nothing is ever certain" (Pg.21)

I like this because it shows Susie isn't gone forever... She is living in an afterlife and all hope shouldn't be wasted.

Fablehaven: Keys to the Demon Prison

2010-05-20T23:14:00.004-06:00

Name: Lance Barnes
Class: A3
Book Title: Fablehaven: Keys to the Demon Prison
Author: Brandon Mull
Pages: 588
Rating: ****

Recommendation: This is a pretty good read for a somewhat younger audience that enjoy fantasy novels. I say younger because the two main characters are children. This may seem lame but the children are surrounded by adults that make things interesting.

Summary: Keys to the Demon Prison is about exactly what the title entails. There are five keys required to open the prison containing thousands of demons. This series takes place in the normal world, except the fact that theirs magic and such. There are preserves all over the world that house mythical and magical creatures. At some of these preserves are house "artifacts" which are the keys to the demon prison. These artifacts were hidden to make the demon prison as impregnable as possible. A man named the Sphinx is trying to open the prison and make his own terms with the Demons so he has power. He almost succeeds but is thwarted when one of the main characters, Seth. Seth foolishly heals a demon named Graulus to ease his passing, but Graulus fully recovers and ends up siding with one of The Sphinx's demon allies and takes over the operation to completely obliterate Earth by opening Zzyzx.

Explanation of Rating: Brandon Mull did a great job with this series, it just wasn't very appealing to me. It's worthy of a 5 star for sure, but maybe having the main characters be children wasn't the best of ideas. The way he unravels the plot is done well, but the book seems to cover far too much. I think he easily could have made this into two books so that this doesn't seem to jump around too quickly. The way he involves the reader in certain moments makes the book interesting all the way through, this book may be long but is a definite read for most ages.

Favorite Passage: The dim blade flashed to life, shedding a brilliant white radiance. Kendra immediately felt galvanized, her senses sharpened, as if her whole life had been spent half asleep, and only now had she truly awakened.

This was probably me favorite because of the dire situation they were in and when Kendra's brother, Seth, handed her the legendary sword Vasilis and the way Mull describes the empowerment infused from this sword gave me chills for some reason.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde A-4

2010-05-20T22:51:00.005-06:00

Rick Smith
A-4
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson
238
Rating:****

Recommendations: This book is for those who love their good old classic mystery. It might also interest people who feel like they have two alter personalities. It shows the conflict of a man who can't decide whether to lead a respectful life, or to submit to his evil indulgences. Meanwhile, a lawyer and some friends of Jekyll's try to figure out the mysterious connection between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Summary: The story enters on two men, Mr. Utterson and his cousin Mr. Enfield. They are on their Sunday stroll when Enfield tell him a story of what happened on a familiar corner. He tells of a young girl skipping down the street and a dark creature emerging to the same corner going opposite directions, not aware of each other. The two collide at the corner and after the initial collision, the dark creature proceeds to stomp on the young girl. They come to find the dark creature is Mr. Hyde, and is somehow connected to their friend Dr. Jekyll. Utterson finds that in the event of Jekyll's death, Hyde would inherit everything. Utterson never knowing Hyde, was confused at why Jekyll would choose to do that. A while later, Hyde murders a member of parliament which now brings attention back to him. We find that this member of parliament has had conflicts with Jekyll. Utterson goes to talk with Jekyll, but he his not allowing any visitors. After the death of Dr. Lanyon, another friend. Utterson now has non wavering motivation to get to the bottom of this. He goes to visit Jekyll again who is still not wanting visitors. After talking to Jekyll through the wall, he realizes that it is not Jekyll speaking back to him. Utterson and Jekyll's butler Mr. Poole break down the laboratory doors to find Mr. Hyde, who had not been seen since the murder, lying on the ground appearing dead. Utterson finds a letter on the desk addressed to him. He opens to find a letter from Lanyon, and Dr. Jekyll. He reads Lanyons letter that says he has seen Mr. Hyde transfrom back to Dr. Jekyll. He died not too long after. Utterson now knows that Jekyll and Hyde are one in the same. He then reads Jykell's letter that says that from his birth he has had two alter personalities. Through his scientific work, he was able to split the two, living the respectable Dr. Jekyll lifestyle, and also being able to live as Mr. Hyde, where he could do the sinister things he has always desired to do. After he changes to Mr. Hyde without the potion and kills the parliament member, Jekyll realizes he can become Hyde no more. Unfortunately, Jekyll has run out of the salt that can keep him from becoming Hyde spontaneously. Knowing that, he writes one final letter to Utterson, and creates a potion that will kill himself.

Explanation of Rating: I gave this book 4 stars, because I thought it was a very interesting and grabbing book. I had been told the story of Jekyll and Hyde many times before, but had never read the book. I liked the book just as much as I liked to story I had been told over and over. The conflict Dr. Jekyll has with releasing Mr. Hyde is very interesting to read. Everyone has been faced with this conflict of whether to choose good or evil, and readers who have been in that situation can see how Dr. Jekyll handles it, which really isn't very good, but they can still see. It is also a great mystery. Those who don't know the story, and don't know that Jekyll and Hyde are the same will be questioning themselves throughout the entire book.

Favorite Passage: "...there stood Henry Jekyll." This is part of Lanyon's letter that Utterson reads. Lanyon tell about how he saw Mr. Hyde tranform into Dr. Jekyll. We as readers, and Utterson finally find out that Jekyll and Hyde are the same person.

Hunger Games A4

2010-05-20T22:51:00.004-06:00

Name: Taylor Fernandez
Class: A4
Book: Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages: 374
Rating: *****

Reccomendation: This book is great for people who are looking for a new type of adventure. This book has excitement, fear, and a couple of good laughs. Hunger Games is light reading so you get through it fast and it keeps your attention the whole time.

Summary: Katniss Everdeen lives in the land of Panen which is a great big capitol with 12 different districts. Katniss, her mother, and beloved sister Prim (age 12) live in the most poor district of them all: District 12. In Panen the government is really cruel and keeps all the districts in line by drawing the names of 2 children from each district(ages 12-18) to participate in the "Hunger Games", a battle to the death on live television. Whichever district has the last child standing gets food for the rest of the year and will not go hungry. On the day of the drawing for the Hunger Games Katniss's little sister gets her name drawn. Katniss is willing to do anything it takes to save her sister so volunteers to take Prim's place in the Hunger Games. So she and a baker's son named Peeta are the 2 representatives from District 12. Together Katniss and Peeta go into the Hunger Games willing to try to win, but expecting to get killed in the process...

Explanation of Rating: Hunger Games is the most intense and exciting book I have read in 2010 (so far). It has adventure, a little romance, some sci-fi, and new twists around every corner. This book got me to look at the human race as barbaric in sense. Because these children go into the Hunger Games and just kill total strangers and while reading I did not even think much of it. I also liked this book because it was not another Twilight love story with some monsters. It has a whole story that many people could get interested in, not just all the teenage girls. Another reason I like this book is because I think it could be turned into a really great movie! It would not be very hard to do and it really is such a cool story that I think a lot of people would get into it.

Favorite Passage: "Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death."

The Dead Girlfriend A2

2010-05-20T22:26:00.005-06:00

Name: Sisqo Monterroza
Class Period: A2
Book Title: The Dead Girlfriend
Author: R.L. Stine
Pages: 176
Rating: ****
Recommendation: The people who should read this book are people who like horror books. The people who shouldn't are people who like happy endings or who don't believe in
scary stuff. If you like intense moments and death in books, you should read this book.
Summary: A teenage boy named chris has been dating Jacky for almost two years. Chris's Dad finds a job in Washington, which is far from Massachussetts where they currently live. Chris has to go to a new school so he is forced to end the relationship. Jacky gets upset and goes driving to try to calm down but ends up dying in a car accident. 1 year passes and Chris is dating a new girl named Jessica. Chris keeps having dreams about Jacky coming back and killing Jessica. One night he gets a phone call from Jackys old phone, and Jessica is the one that answers. Chris ends up going crazy and ends up getting arrested. His life changeds ever since the night of the phonecall.

Explanation of rating I rated it 4 stars because it was one of the books that I have really liked. It didn't bore me or seem confusing. I didn't give it 5 stars because it wasn't the best book i've read. It Is not cheesy like a lot of books now days. It also had some really intense parts that makes you not want to keep reading. I read this book all night and I felt accomplished. It gets interesting by the chapter.

Favorite passage: "Now the cool wind is blowing, so I can't stay here while you disappear."- Chapter 7
I enjoyed it because "here" and "disappear" rhymed and it is a deep thought at first. This is also in the middle of the climax and the cool wind refers to
the spirit of Jacky.

The Greatest Generation A2

2010-05-20T21:56:00.003-06:00

Jared Frost
A2
The Greatest Generation
Tom Brokaw
390
****

I would recommend this book to people who like history and who like to learn about other generation.

In this book Tom Brokaw tells the stories of men and women who were born during the great depression and World War II. This Generation was united by a common bond of the war, but also by common values--duty, honor, economy, courage, service, love of family and country. then went on to create interesting and useful lives and the America we have today. This generation shaped the community into what it is today

The reason I gave it the four stars is because this book showed me that I dont have to fallow the social norms of the generation. The book shows you what the generation did to make them great and united. It also helped me look at the traits that i need to work on and be less narcissistic. I loved the book it helped me change.

my favorite quote from the book is by Andy Roony he said " no man is above the law".

Interview with a Vampire A3

2010-05-20T21:55:00.002-06:00

Mika Pinner
A3
Interview with a Vampire
Anne Rice
342
***
People who would like this book would be those who have liked the twilight series because of the vampires. Also anyone who likes adventure or mystery would like this book because it is never ending supply of those characteristics. If you didn't like twilight you might still like this because this isn't a "Love" story.

Summary:
It starts out where the vampire is being interviewed by a young man then Louis the vampire goes into the story of how he came to be a vampire. He lived on a plantation with his family. On their plantation Point De Luc they grow cotton. Later on Louis' brother dies and he thinks its his fault so he just wants to die because he can't live with the guilt any longer. One night he wanders into a dark ally where he runs into Lestat who is the vampire who changes him. Lestat teaches him the tricks of the trade and Louis doesn't like killing innocent people. Later on they meet a young girl named Claudia who they change into a vampire, who begins learning from Lestat but she doesn't like him. Claudia decides its time to get rid of lestat so she brings him two people to kill after the first he realizes something is wrong and figures out she has poisoned him. Claudia and Louis back their bags and head off to Europe where they run into some vampires who don't think like them, Claudia senses danger in Paris but they get kidnapped and locked up in a cell. Later on Louis returns to New Orleans and wants revenge on the french vampires!

I liked this book it was very interesting but at times it seamed to drag on. the reason it is so long is because it is an in detail description of Louis' life before and after his transformation. At times you forget that it is meant to be an interview. Ms. Rice is a good writer she tells the story very well making you feel like you are a part of it.

Favorite Passage:
"The vampire was utterly white and smooth, as if he were sculpted from bleached bone, and his face was as seemingly inanimate as a statue, except for two brilliant green eyes that looked down at the boy intently like flames in a skull."
(Page 4)
you can just picture the description. all the adjectives make you feel like your in it.

The Last Song A2

2010-05-20T21:38:00.002-06:00

Emily Lewis
A2
The Last Song
Nicholas Sparks
463
*****

Recommendation: I recommend this book for anyone who likes romantic novels. The author writes the book in a way that the reader can picture it. Guys would not love this book because it's very deep.

Summary: This is the story of a teenage girl named Ronnie, who lives in New York City with her mother and her younger brother, Jonah. Ronnie's mom thinks that her and Jonah should spend the summer with their father, Steve, who lives in North Carolina by himself. Ronnie was once a concert pianist, composing music with her father, and being invited to attend Juliard, but when her parents separate, she stops playing, and stops talking to her dad. When she arrives in North Carolina, things are rocky between her and her dad, but Jonah loves it there. One day, Ronnie is at the beach watching a volleyball tournament and gets run over by Will, one of the players. She blows him off, but he can't get her out of his mind. They start seeing each other more and more, and eventually they end up dating. Will comes from a very wealthy family, something that Ronnie is not used to. Will introduces her to a whole new way of looking at life, and through him, she develops a better relationship with her father and younger brother.

Explanation of Rating: I gave this book five stars because it is so well written. Nicholas Sparks knows exactly how to manipulate peoples emotions and get them to fall in love with the characters. He writes in a way that is easy to understand. The book starts off a bit slow, since Ronnie doesn't meet Will right away, but once the book picks up pace, it's totally worth the wait. This is by far one of the most touching books I have ever read. I couldn't put the book down, and I cried through about a third of it. I am incredibly excited to see the movie that was recently made based on the book!

Favorite Passage: "With that, she sighed. "Shouldn't you be with your friends, staring at yourselves in the mirror?""
I love this passage because it's exactly how I would describe someone like Will, if I hadn't known him. Reading this made me laugh out loud. It's just good, clean, humor.

Eldest, A-2

2010-05-20T21:07:00.002-06:00

Derek Bradshaw

A-2

Eldest

Christopher Paolini

681

*****

This book is for anyone who is looking for and action packed adventure. If you like books about magic and dragons this is the book for you! You’ll get so into this book you will never want to stop reading.

This is the second book of the trilogy of Eragon. This book starts off after the battle in Farthen Dur. After defeating the shade he decides he has a lot more to learn and travels to the land of the elves. There he begins his training magic, fighting and Dragon riding. After living there for a while the give him a celebration, during this celebration he goes through an amazing transformation. The transformation changes his appearance and body. This transformation will make him as fast, strong, cunning, and have the endurance of the elves. Meanwhile Roran, Eragon’s cousin was returning home to marry the butcher’s daughter, only to find that the village was taken over by the evil king’s soldiers. In a plan to capture Eragon, king Galbatorix captures Rorans fiancée, Katrina. Roran will do anything to get her back. So Roran fought his way to Katrina.

Page # 361
Live in the present, remember the past, and fear not the future, for it doesn’t exist and never shall. There is only now.

I like this passage because it says that you should live your life as it comes and be prepared for what comes.

The Lost Symbol A4

2010-05-20T20:16:00.003-06:00

Name: Ryan Hull
Class Period: A4
Book Title: The Lost Symbol
Author: Dan Brown
Pages: 509
Rating: *****

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action/thriller type books. If you are not a fan of fast-paced or intense books then you probably wouldn't enjoy it as much but i highly recommend that you read this book.

Summary: This book is another classic of Dan Brown's. The main character is symbologist Robert Langdon, who has been in other books of his as well. Langdon is asked to give a speech at the U.S. capitol building, but when he shows up, there is no meeting and instead he discovers an intriguing but very disturbing object. He then is informed that his mentor, Peter Solomon, has been kidnapped and is being held hostage. Soon he is being chased all over washington and trying to find out what is going on. Not only does he have to avoid the mysterious man who has kidnapped his friend and will stop at nothing to get what he wants, he also has to run from the CIA. Dan Brown also gives interesting facts and bits of info throughout that make the book even more interesting.

Explanation of Rating: I really enjoyed this book and all of the twists and turns that it throws at you throughout. There is never a dull moment or a time where you want to skip pages to get to the 'exciting part' like you do with other books. The facts about washington d.c and bits about history and technology and all were very interesting to me as well. Overall it was just a really good book to read, and one that you couldn't put down once you started reading it because of its fast pace and crazy storyline. It definitely hits the high end of the five stars.

Favorite Passage: "What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal." I just like that quote and think its good one.

Fablehaven 2: Rise of the Evening Star (A4)

2010-05-20T20:12:00.002-06:00

Name: Tucker Hardy
Class: A4
Book: Fablehaven 2: Rise of the Evening Star
Author: Brandon Mull
Pages: 431
Rating:*****

Recommendation: This was such an incredible book! Rise of the Evening Star is a spectacular squeal that has action, adventure, randomness, and it keeps you begging for more. It's funny and somewhat feels childish, but is very much for anybody!

Summary: This book is about 2 siblings, Kendra and Seth, who have recently discovered a world of magic and fantasy! An evil group called the "Society of the Evening Star" (thought to have disappeared) is on the move again. Kendra and Seth are primary targets, especially Kendra who is "Fairystruck". She can recharge ancient magical artifacts to work again and that's exactly what the Society needs to accomplish their goal of opening a prison filled with the most powerful demons on the planet. The Society will do anything to fulfill their goals, betrayal, stealing, even killing. Kendra and Seth must remain safe, so the Society cannot achieve their goals. So protectors were sent in to help! But a spy is among the new arrivals. Can Seth and Kendra find out who the spy is and save their family and the world from the Society?

Explanation of Rating: This was such a fantastic book! It has absolutely everything, action, adventure, humor, wit, and so much more. It teaches amazing lessons about our choices, trust, friendship, and family. Mull is a very talented writer, he keeps you hooked and always leaves you at some twist or completely leaves you hanging. It's always thrilling and is wonderfully random. It can appeal to absolutely everyone. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a very off the wall book, in which anything can happen!

Favorite Passage: "Had one of the people eating breakfast with her just tried to kill Vanessa? Certainly not her or Grandpa or Grandma or Seth! Tanu? Coulter? She didn't want to make eye contact with anyone" - Chapter 7

I like this passage because it shows the betrayal aspect of the book, and how it's extremely hard to know who is right to trust. It shows a major theme in this book.

The Last Song

2010-05-20T20:07:00.003-06:00

Melissa Littlefield
A3
The Last Song
Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 405
Rating:*****It was Amazing!

If I had to recommend this book to someone it would have to be Teens and Adults. This book is told from several perspectives and the main two are a teen and an adult. I would not recommend this book for younger kids because it has a certain maturity level about it.

This book takes place in Wrightsville Beach, NC. This book is about a girl named Ronnie who is forced to spend the summer with her dad, and her little brother. Ronnie at first despises her dad, after he left their family and moved away. Ronnie had always been an amazing piano player as well as her dad, but she refused to play after her dad left. After spending a couple days with her dad she starts to talk to him again and she finds herself not hating him. She meets a boy names Will who she thinks would be the last person she would end up with. Will finds Ronnie very interesting and they start to fall in love. Throughout the book many events happen sad, and lifechanging. Ronnie builds an amazing relationship with her dad again. Later in the story Ronnie, and her brother find out their dad has cancer and he only has a little bit longer to live. Ronnie stays by her dad side, and Will tries to stay by hers but they get seperated when will goes to school. Ronnie finds herself playing one Last Song before her dad passes. In the end of the book Nicholas Sparks creates a touching ending that will make you fall in love with his books!

I gave this book a 5 star rating. So far out of the many books I read this has to be my favorite. This books is full of everything you can think of. It is told from several perpectives so well! This book is an amazing story that Nicholas Sparks tells so well. I loved this book because I could connect with it so well. This book has great morals and principles. If you love touching, heartfelt, and romance this book is perfect!

"What did you wish for?" she asked, her voice a whisper. But he couldn't answer. Instead, he raised her hand and slipped his other arm around her back. He stared at her, knowing with certainty that he was falling in love. He pulled her close and kissed her beneath a blanket of stars, wondering how on earth he'd been lucky enough to find her.(pg. 202 The Last Song)

I read this passage again and again because just in the circumstances the two people are in the book, and how they end up together is amazing! I also had it underline in my book because I thought it was a super cute passage!

Catching Fire A3

2010-05-20T19:53:00.002-06:00

Name:Sarah Kessler
Class:A3
Book Title:Catching Fire
Author:Suzanne Collins
Pages:391
Rating:*****

Recommendation: Five stars, it was amazing. If you have read the first book in this series, The Hunger Games, then you will love this book just as much, or even more! Its suspenseful, filled with intense action and a little bit of romance. It's a great read.

Summary: Katniss returned home from the hunger games, after sticking it the the capitol, and expected a pretty easy life after that. Then she got an unexpected visit from the president who pretty much threatened her because she started a small upraising within other districts against the capitol. He said she needs to make people believe that the capitol didn't fall for her trick that she pulled to win the games. She doesn't do very well and districts start forming rebellions. Theres rumor the the 13th district, that was destroyed because of a rebellion, was a refuge to capitol haters. Well we don't find that out and the 3rd book comes out in August.

Explanation or Rating: I gave it 5 stars because I was enticed the entire time. There were no parts that seemed boring to me, or a drag to read. Everything about this book was very well put together and very well written.

Favorite Passage: "As I drift off, I try to imagine that world, somewhere in the future, with no Games, no Capitol. A place like the meadow in the song I sang to Rue as she died. Where Peeta's child would be safe." -Ch. 24

I love this because it shows how Katniss really would sacrifice herself for Peeta. It shows she loved him, even if it't not in a romantic way, but she honestly cares for him.

Numbering the crime A2

2010-05-20T19:04:00.004-06:00

Name: Fabiola Barragan
Period: A2
Title: Numbering the crime
Author: Forensic Mathematics
pages: 154

I thought this book was kind of boring, but at the same time it was dumb in some ways because it tells you when teenagers start drinking and the consequences they have after.
this book was about how teenager have fun and what they do when they have parties at there friends and their own house. Jessa was the one who usually did the parties at her house and the one who sold and had all kinds of drugs. All of her friends had all kinds of weapons like guns, knifes, bats etc.. It wasn't as safe because they have been caught carrying them with them everywhere. And Jerald was the guys that buys and sells the crews, ans the ones that run the crew is Bonnie and Dylan. They do all kinds of things they kill steel and fight for their things and friends.
I don't really know how long this book has been out or the generation its been through buts its all about aggression, selling drugs, and girls getting abused by all kinds of guys.Both guys and girls do the same girls act the same as a guys i thought it was weird to read those things about a girl.
I didn't have a favorite passage because i didn't like the book it was just to boring it wasn't the type of books i like to read so i didn't get so into reading it.

The Book Thief - A3

2010-05-20T16:32:00.002-06:00

Name: Angela Sotelo
Class: A3
Book: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
550 pages
Rating: *****

Recommendation: The Book Thief can be read by anyone who enjoys reading. This book gives you a Nazi point of view of World War II. Once you start reading it, it will be hard to stop.

Summary: This is a story about Liesel Meminger a girl that has to deal with the traumatizing death of her brother (that causes her terrible nightmares), poverty, cruelty, and hope. The day her brother die was when she stole her first book. Once her foster father taught her how to read and write. She began stealing more books to console her during the tough times of the war. She spends most of her time with Rudy, her best friend. Together they tried to improve their life’s quality by stealing food and did many crazy things, they were inseparable. She witnessed many things that helped shape who she is and her attitudes.

Explanation: This book has a variety of characters that have different personalities and attitudes and I can really connect with some of the characters. Besides you get to learn about what the Nazi's went through, which is not that much different from the Jews. It teaches you great things such as courage and to do the right thing, regardless of what may happen. Plus, Rudy is quite humorous at times and he tries really hard to get a kiss from Liesel. Overall, the book great and you get to learn a few German words.

Favorite Passage: "The parade of Jewish prisoners continues through town." Part Ten: The Book Thief.
This part really touches me because I can picture it on my mind. I chose this passage because it shows how inhuman we are.

Daemons Are Forever - A4 (Wiscombe)

2010-05-20T16:29:00.000-06:00

Gentry Wiscombe

Daemons Are Forever

Simon R. Green

416 pages

Rating: *****

Outside Reading Report:

Recommendation: I recommend this book to anyone who likes the kind of books where you never want to put the book down. This book is a killer for intensity. You can feel your heart beating as you turn the pages. There are so many twists and turns that it will leave you yearning for more. I definitely recommend this book to anybody that loves action, intensity and a great imagination.

Summary: This is the 2^nd book in the series. In the last book Eddie Drood brought down his family because they were controlling the world instead of protecting it. In, “Daemons are Forever” Eddie is attempting to rebuild the family. He becomes the new head of the Drood family, and seeks to bring them back to full potential, but this time keeping the world safe, not controlling it. He groups every drood and trains them to be warriors. They plan on striking The Loathly Ones as a target very first just to show the world they are still a threat. The Loathly Ones have had a conspiracy going for bringing a higher power into this world to destroy it, The Hungry Gods. Eddie and his new army go out in a quest to destroy the Loathly Ones and help bring down the destructive forces they bring.

Explanation of Rating: The first book was very good, but this book tops it. I read this book in 2 days simply because I could not put the book down. I was constantly trying to predict what would happen next, but to no avail. There are too many twists and turns to attempt at guessing what this book has to offer. It is supremely well written and I encourage everybody to read this series.

Favorite Passage: I read this book so long ago that I can’t necessarily remember any quotes, but my favorite part in this book would have to be when Eddie and Molly take the Time Train to the future in search of Giles Deathstalker. He is a relative in the distant future that is a supreme fighter. This creates so much drama within the book that leaves you hungry for more.

Percy Jackson and the Olympian: The Lightning Thief

2010-05-20T16:01:00.005-06:00

Name: Ben Maeda
Class: A4
Book: Percy Jackson and the Olympian: The Lightning Thief
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 375
Rating:****

Recommendations: I would recommend this book to those who likes Mythology. This book contains mostly true information about the Greek Gods such as Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. It was entertaining and interesting at the same time!

Summary: This book is a fantasy/adventure novel based on Greek Mythology. It's based on this Character who is a Half-god Half-human (demigod). Percy Jackson is a twelve year old boy diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, who has been expelled from several schools. He goes on a Percy goes on a trip with his mother Sally, and his friend Grover. On the way Grover insists that Sally takes Percy to a certain camp for protection. As they drive towards camp, they are attacked by a Minotaur which grabs Percy's mother by her throat. She dissolves into a golden shower of light, while Grover and Percy narrowly escape. After he escapes they discovers that he has arrived in Camp Half-Blood, a secretive training ground for demigods. And shortly after that he learns that he is the Son of Poseidon. He also learns that his mother is still alive so basically he goes and saves her.

Explanation of Rating: I gave this book a 4 star because I have been learning Greek mythology in my Mythology class. I thought it was cool to be able to connect what I learned and what I was reading. Also, I enjoyed the book because I like to read about adventure stuff. And I thought it was clever to make up characters like Percy Jackson as a son of a God. Over all, I enjoyed the book.

Favorite Quote: "I liked you better as my math teacher" - near the beginning of the book

I like this quote because it was in the middle of fighting and all he says is "I liked you better as my math teacher." I thought it was funny.

Left To Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust A3

2010-05-20T12:24:00.002-06:00

Name: Kekai Folaumahina
Class: A3
Book: Left To Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust
Pages:204
Rating: *****

Recommendation: This book is great for anyone that wants to read about an extraordinary woman in the middle of disaster. It's a great example of what people can achieve if they believe they can do it. Immaculee Ilibagiza's honest, and descriptive story will keep you reading, wondering what horror she will overcome next.

Summary: This is the story of Immaculee Ilibagiza, a young woman in Rwanda. She is one of the lucky, educated women of Rwanda. Eventually the Rawandan genocide erupts in her beloved country. She was then in college, in the middle of the big city. They were murdering Tutsi's, it was some dillusional plan the Hutu's had come up with to get revenge for their years of unfair treatment. she made her way home, where her family were all dead. She eventually found a place to stay in a pastor's bathroom. She was there wigh 8 other women. No one but the pastor knew, and there were raids every couple of weeks, where they would pray, and pray, until they were gone. Immaculee read the bible several times in the bathroom, and learned more of God. When the genocide ended, she stayed rreligious, and forgave the man that murdered her family.

Explanation of Rating: This is an easy read. But the message behind it will stay with you forever. This story of forgiveness, and perseverence is a great example of what humans are capable of, if they have a chance to show it. She tells her story with such description and suspense, that you're rooting for her by the end, and she doesn't disappoint. She didn't keep this story to herself, but let the world know what was happening, and what we need to do to help where help is needed. Everyone needing an uplifting story, but doesn't like to read, will enjoy this book.

Favorite Passage: Felicien was sobbing. I could feel his shame. He looked up at me for only a moment, but our eyes met. I reached out, touched his hands lightly, and quietly said what I'd come to say. "I forgive you."

I like this passage because after all that had happened to her, and her parents, and brother dying, from this man, she forgived him. It would take such strength, and faith to just forgive and forget, even when that man is a murderer. She encouraged me to forgive others. Because if she can forgive a murderer, I can forgive someone for doing something little.

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon A3

2010-05-19T19:31:00.002-06:00

Name: Saige Avilla
Class: A3
Book: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Author: Stephen King
Pages:262
Rating:*****

Recommendation: This book is good for people who like a little mystery and science fiction. This is a book about a girl learning lessons of life and how to stay alive. Anyone could relate to this book and every page will keep you in suspense on what will happen next.

Summary: This is a story about a nine-year-old girl named Trisha (Patricia) who get's lost on a hike in the New Hampshire branch of the Appalachian Trail, she stumbles through the forest trying to find her way back to the trail, back to people. The only company she has is the vision of her favorite player on the Boston Red Sox team, Tom Gordon. Soon night falls and she has to fight for her life to survive through the cold, dark night. She fights for her life and learns what life is about and what her life means to herself. She fights until the end...

Explanation of Rating: I absolutely love Stephen King, and this book just kept me captivated the whole time. I can relate to that little girl going through the woods. And I know that it would be terrifying to get lost in a forest or anywhere for that fact. She goes through the woods and remembers things that her mom had taught her about the forest and uses those skills to her advantage.

Favorite Passage: "I killed the deer. I watched you, and drew my circle around you. Run from me. Worship me with your feet and I may let you live." - chap 9 pg. 246

This is my favorite part because the way it's written is absolutely amazing, the detail in the sentences before and after just make that passage even better. It's talking about a bear and that if you don't respect it for what it has done you wont survive.

The Murder Artist-A4

2010-05-19T17:27:00.003-06:00

Name: Megan Jacques
Class Period: A4
Book Title: The Murder Artist
Author: John Case
Pages: 454
Rating: *****

Recommendation: This book is for intense thrill seekers. It's a mystery that is really intense and keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's pretty graphic, definately not PG. The violence gets a little intense, but it's not too awful. This book is for people who love murder mysteries and suspense stories.

Summary: This book is about a reporter named Alex Callahan. He is constantly in the middle of death and crime because of his job. Nothing could ever prepare him for the terrifying expirence of having his two 6 year old twins being kidnapped. He takes the matter into his own hands and discovers frightening clues that lead to a insane predator. He is the only one that can save his sons and knows that time is running out soon.

Explanation of Rating: I totally loved this book. I thought it was so amazing. I couldn't put it down! The suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat, and there are tons of twists to the plot. John Case knows how to write in a way that you feel like you are right there. All the emotions Alex Callahan feels, you have a suprisingly good idea of what it's like. It was an awesome book.

Favorite Passage: "The boys are wired. They're bored. They're excited again. They really go crazy when a man who identifies himself as a Groveler hurls himself at my feet, beseeching "milord" for "a bit of silver". Seizing an ankle, the mad actor sends the boys into a delirium of grossed-out laughter when he actually licks one of my dusty Tevas. Then smacks his lips, as if savoring the grit". (pg. 13)

I like this passage because it shows the human side of emotions and just the happy times before his children go missing. You see a real-ness in both the kids and the father. It's understandable because of the beginning of this book why he is so desperate to find them. As a reader, you totally get attached to these cute kids which is important when reading the book. If you didn't care about the twins, the book would mean nothing.

Love and Laughter A3

2010-05-19T17:03:00.002-06:00

Name: Janet Taufa
Class: A3
Book: Love and Laughter
Author:none really: publisher=Dorchester Media, LLC
Pages:350
Rating ***

Recommendations: This book is great for thosw who really want a romance feeling but also laughing sensation, this is for you. Those who are married or in a relationship may love this book as well because there may be great similiarities in the relationships. Anyone who really just wants to hear many great stories of relationship would be great to read this passage as well.

Summary: There are eleven stories in this book and they all are about relationships. However, all of them are very different kinds of situations. Some start of married, engaged, or even single to begin with. There is this one story of a married couple who have already had kids and the mother has a hard time. She is continously stressed and over whelmed when she tries to spend time with her husband. Because once she does the kids seem to be in the picture. She then learns to become content with her situation. Another story of a married couple is at the edge. The wife begins to find clues that lead her to thinking her husband is cheating one her. She tries to cop with it for some while and does many things in the process. She eventually finds out the solution to all. No one in there right mind wants to be cheated on, or even ignored. If you read the Ugly duckling won my heart you'll see that there are to types of men that this lady meets while running. She begins to like one more than the other. In the end, she ends up liking the other because of knowledge she finds out about both of them. Such a great abundant of stories to read, share, and even maybe relate to in a way.

Explanation of Rating: I'm not exactly married or engaged, as you know. However, I don have parents and other family members that I know of who may have the same situations or similar ones. That is why I didn't give it a four or even a five star, I'm just not quite old enough I think to really understand.

Favorite Passage: "Someday soon, with God's help, I know our family will get back on the right track. We got people who care about us looking out for us.

I love this passage because it shows me all the different meanings in life and life to come. I realize all that may happen and that even though things, bad things, may happen that it will all still be okay in the end. And it will all work out well.

The Last Song A4

2010-05-19T13:23:00.002-06:00

Name: Ciera McKinley
Class Period: A4
Book Title: The Last song
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 463
Rating: *****It was Amazing!
Recommendation: I think this book is mainly for girls but I also think girls and boys would enjoy this book. The reason I would mainly recommend this to girls is because its a love story and girls appreciate love stories more then boys do I think. I would recommend this to anyone that has ever been in a summer romance because there are so many story about how the romance just ends and in this one there is a future between them. I would also recommend this to any boy that wants to know how to treat a girls!
Summary: This story starts with a girl that comes to live with her dad for the summer. She hates her dad because she thinks that he cheated on her mom and left their family. They start off the summer with her getting in trouble and hanging out with the wrong crowd. The first day and is in town she meets Will and then kind of forgets about him. Then after sometime of bonding with her dad they begin to finally connect. Then she meets Will again while they are both trying to protect a sea turtles nest. They end up falling in love but one problem is he is going away to school and she is going back to New York. Then after a while of them getting in big fights over a church that burnt down because of his friend they stopped talking and she learned that her dad had cancer and was suppose to die soon and that was the reason he wanted to spend the summer with her. She finds out that her mom was the one that cheated on her dad. She stays with her dad until he dies and then she goes back and applies for Julliard. She is playing the piano and Will walks in and says he is going to school in New York just to be with her. Its a love story!
Explanation of Rating: I rated this a five because it was very well written. I loved this book because is it the exact thing that ever teenage girl wants to happen in her summer..Besides the fact that her father dies. I liked it because even though there were hard things that happened to her she was still able to find peace and happiness in the end. This shows that even though bad things happen in our lives there can always be a happy ending. I also loved it because it was so realistic. This could really happen in real life.
Favorite Passage: My favorite passage is long. But it is at the very end were he surprises her in New York and says he wants to be with her. I love it because it is around the last five pages and its right when you don't think that anything is going to happen and then he comes out of now where. This is a true love story.

Hunt for Red October A2

2010-05-19T11:07:00.007-06:00

Chris Merrick
A2
The Hunt for Red October
Tom Clancy
408
***Liked It

It's a must have for war fans. Breathtaking, amazing, and suspenseful. It was believed that the author was briefed by the White House.

It's about a Russian named Marko Alexandrovich Ramius, who became commander of the Red October, a "boomer" with the latest technology, including a silent engine. He and the main officers are in an alliance together against the Rodina, or homeland. They are supposed to be testing the detection capabilites of the Catterpillar (the engine), to see if sonar can hear it. They intend to go to America. Also, the Americans and the British know this, and they are looking for it so they can aide it's journey. Meanwhile, the Russians are in hot pursuit, attempting to destroy it, as it is not only a Nuclear submarine, but a missle sub as well.

It was a good book, but it had some immorality in it. It was all mostly just swearing, but there were some major words, including the worst. However, It really had a lot of time and thinking put into it. It was also written during the Cold War, which probably aided it's creation. They also have a few good jokes in it. It is very in-depth.

Stormrage A2

2010-05-19T10:32:00.002-06:00

Tyler Mitchell
A2
Stormrage
Richard A. Knaak
Pages: 402
*****

This book was full of action, fantasy, mystery, it was a really good book. I recommend this book to people that love these kind of books. Trust me, if people like these kind of books, they will get a kick out of this one.

Tyrande Whisperwind's lover, Malfurion Stormrage, starts dying. When druids(nature based Nightelves) reach a certain age, they have the "Emerald Dream". In the dream, they go through a "right of passage", but the dream has been getting darker. The great tree, Teldrassil, has gotten sick from the dark dream, they find out that Malfurion is the only one that can heal Teldrassil. With Malfurion dying, he has dreams about his demonic twin brother, Illidan Stormrage. He finds out Illidan is ruining the Emerald dream. I don't want to ruin the ending, so you have to find out what happens.

I rated this book with five stars because I love this storyline. In my opinion, this is the best storyline i have seen, because its very complex, and there are tons of other stories off of the same storyline. Plus, they have games off of these stories.

Favorite passage: "The journey was uneventful, if oddly quiet." I like it because when you think of journeys, you think of a huge adventure.

The Truth About Forever B3

2009-10-24T17:04:00.005-06:00

Michele Hill
B3
The Truth About Forever
Sarah Dessen
400 pages
Rating: ****Really liked
Recommendation: This book is for teenagers, most likely for girls, who like a little romance. Whoever gets uncomfortable with swearing and alcohol shouldn't read it.

Summary: This is about a girl named Macy. She witnessed her father's death, and she reacts by keeping perfect grades and a perfect boyfriend. He ends up breaking up with her. So then her mom threw a big party, and the caterers she hires need some help, so Macey helps. She really enjoyed it, and they offered her a job, so she took it, and ends up working for Wish Catering. She works with a very pregnant lady named Delia, who is always forgetting something, and her nephews, Bert and Wes, and Kristy and Monica. It basically talks about how they become her best friends, and she and Wes play a game of Truth together, and fall in love. Her Mom freaks out about her change in personality, and makes her quit her job with Wish Catering. She is grounded, so all she is allowed to do is work and do homework. She sees Wes once, sitting on a curb with a girl that just got back from some kind of detention center who was his girlfriend, so she thinks they are still going out, and she's heartbroken, and she starts avoiding him and never sees her other friends. Her mom throws another party, and Wish Catering is there again, so she finds out from Kristy that Wes was really breaking up with that girl. She talks to her mom and gets her to understand everything, so she gets back with Wish and her and Wes end up being together.

Explanation of Rating: I liked it because it was just a simple story, a cool story about a girl, and the only thing I didn't like was the swearing.

Favorite Passage: I don't have the book, and I didn't memorize it, so I can't give a good passage.

Sniper A4

2009-10-23T12:10:00.003-06:00

Name: Caleb Worthen
Class Period: A4
Book Title: Sniper
Author: Theodore Taylor
Pages: 227
Rating:***

This book is for people who like animals or have strong relationships with other people. It is not for people who can't stand animals being killed and who don't like reading about relationships that are developing.

This book is about a kid named Ben whose parents are famous for the documentaries that they have done on lions and other wild cats. He thinks that parents don't care about him because they had him before they were married and his mom seems to always be disappointed with him. They live in southern California on a preserve for big cats. At the beginning of the book his parents leave California to go do a documentary in Africa about lions and they give Ben the responsibility of taking care of the preserve while they are gone. While ben is alone one night someone shoots two of ben's favorite lions. The killer later returns to kill another one of ben's favorite lions. The rest of the book is about how he trys to find out who the killer is and what his motive is. He has the help of many of his close friends and co-workers on the preserve.

I chose to give this book a three star rating. This book can be pretty exciting at times. It is also a very easy read. The author is a well known author of many great books. some of the plot is missing I think, and it is pretty cheesy.

"The animals were quiet. Maybe in there own way they knew the danger was over"
This passage is interesting because it shows that animals have a sense of when they are in danger and when they are safe.

The Child Called "It" A4

2009-10-23T10:19:00.003-06:00

Name: Alejandra Velasco
Class: A4
Book: The Child Called It
Author: David Pelzer
Pages:175
Rating: *****

Recommendation: This book is great for anyone who does not agree with child abuse. This book explains the different kinds of abuse the mother can give their child. This will show you that you are to not hurt a child like this. It hurts them to, and it could damage them for the rest of their lives.

Summary: This book is about a boy named David. At first, he had the perfect family. The loving mother, the super hero dad. Mom started to drink more and more often and started isolating poor David. She would beat him like no other because he was a "bad boy" when everyone pretty much knew he was like any other kid. This started to get way out of hand, and after time he was not called by his name but as The Boy, time after that, called "it." The mother would beat David in front of David's dad, and he would just stand there and watch. David hated him so much because he thought his dad was a super hero, being a fireman and all.She would starve him for straight days with out caring. Left him to sleep in the basement while they had dinner and family time. David had to do the chores that were not suppose to be for him. He would get beat like you would an older person. His own mother stabbed him because he was not finishing the chores in the time limit that his mother gave him. She was just cruel and acting upon her drunkness.

Explanation of Rating: I rated this book a five because this book is perfect for a woman to see that you should never treat one of your kids like this. It's a good explanation of many kids out there being abused this very moment. If you don't want to hurt anyone out there, don't hurt your own kids.

Favorite Passage: "I can't hold back but still love mother. I hate her when she beats me, but deap inside I know she still loves me. Dad once my superhero he was, is now hated more then my own hurting mother."

I love this passage, because it shows that even though they are being hurt by their mother or father, they will still love them no matter what. They may have some hate, but they can't help but keep those kinds of feelings deep in their hearts.

Shiver B4

2009-10-23T01:42:00.004-06:00

Name: Abhilasha Manandhar
Period: B4
Title: Shiver
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Pages: 390
Rating: ** (it's okay)

Recommendation: I recommend this book to anyone who needs a good sense of suspense, romance and adventure. This book truely delivers all three discriptions in a interesting way. It's a book worth reading.

Summary:
A girl named Grace who watches wolves in the forest notices a wolf with yellow eyes. She watches this wolf everyday,and strangely the wolf also watches her. An incident happen, where the wolves were said to have killed a neighbourhood boy. This caused controversy. So the people of the town decided to kill the wolves, all of them. Grace knew that if the hunters killed the wolves she would never see her yellow-eyed wolf again so she makes an attempt to stop them. But its too late, a shot was fired at a wolf. When Grace returned home, she found a person severely injuried in her back yard. This person was shot by some kind of gun, and this person had yellow eyes...
Explanation of Rating:
I gave this book two stars because I'm not crazy for romance, I just randomly picked it up because it had a interesting title. The main plots in this book are interesting but some parts are not as interesting.
Favorite passage:
When Grace debates by herself on who that person in her yard was.

Plum Lucky A3

2009-10-22T22:43:00.003-06:00

Name: Janet Taufa
Class Period: A3
Book: Plum Lucky
Author: Janet Evanovich
Pages: 288
Rating: ****

Recommendation: Plum Lucky was an enjoyable but interesting book. My opinion, people (mainly women) who love a comedy, like some adventure, and enjoy a kind of mystery then you should check out this book. It's one of the most funniest and funnest books I've ever read. However, it does have some profanities and vulgar kind of words and behavior. I suggest that kids and those who can't handle these things, don't get the book.

Summary: It starts with a young age women named Stephanie Plum. She works in sort of a detective work and gets into alot of danger and bad luck in general. She has many men in her life but they're all her X boyfriends that usually come and go, like Diesel, he is one of them and he comes and goes when ever he pleases and he asks her for help. He's in search of a small man in green pants, a little man that thinks he is a leprachaun, who has lost a big bag of money. The money actuall was stollen by Stephanie's Grandma Mazur. Grandma has tooken it to Atlantic City to gamble and get away. Lula and Connie( Stephanie's coworkers and friends) and Stephanie try to bring Grandma home, but get stuck in problems: Lula has found a job modeling, Connie's found a guy, Diesel's found Stephani, and Stephanie has found herself in with a bigger problem with the stollen money, a racing horse, and a pyscho Italian gangster man with a gun, very intense.

Explanation of Rating: I give this book four stars because I like it and it was good, but it wasn't the best. Things like the vulgar things bugged me a little, and the ending was a little dissapointing. However, I enjoyed laughing at all the things they had to say. Especially the things Grandma had to say. Stephanie's thoughts were also pretty funny. I enjoyed alot of the book and that's why I gave it four stars.

Favorite Passage: "Grandma hit the little man again, the man grabbed Grandma, and the two of them went down to the ground, locked together, rolling around kicking and slapping." - Ch 1

Like I've said, I love the grandma. She's the funniest thing in this book. And this little passage goes to show what kind of grandma she really is. She's halarious, and she makes the book!

2009-10-22T20:29:00.002-06:00

Name: Lance Barnes
Class Period: A3
Book Title: The Spine of the World
Author: R.A. Salvatore
Pages: 381
Rating: *****

Recommendation: I rated this book a 5 mainly because this is my favorite series and so far nothing has topped them for my desires. It's an excellent book if you're interested in fantasy (wizards, mideival swordplay, magics, dragons, etc.). R. A. Salvatore brings you a touch of everything with very detailed war battles and 1 on 1 battles. The main legendary character Drizzt makes the book what it is, great.

Summary: The setting of this book is in a world just like earth, except for there being magic and there being other world-like places, such as the abyss where demons lie. This particular book leads off from the previous book, where Wulfgar, a savage barbarian, is rescued by his trusted companions from the demon Errtu. He has been imprisoned for 6 horrible torteours years. The book starts with him in the town of Luskan, where he abandoned his friends from a previous confrontation. Now in Luskan, he as befriended a rogue named Morik. The Barbarian works in a bar for Arumn Gardpeck, so that he can aquire as much booze as possible, to dull the terrible pain put upon him by Errtu. The two friends are then framed for the attempted murder of a former friend of Wulfgar, Captain Deudermont. They are banished from the city where they take up the roles of Highwaymen (people who steal from merchants crossing the roads), an idea of Morik's. The book also has a side plot, in another town far away named Auckney. The lord of Auckney sees the most beautiful girl in the town, a peasent. Although his sister says no, he is love-stricken and cannot hold back. The girl, Meralda, is invited to his castle. She is in love with another though but does it for her sick mother and family. These two plots get mixed together when Wulfgar and Morik mug a caravan that is taking Meralda home from Lord Auckney's castle. The girl was inpregnated by the one she loved but found out it to be only lust on the peasants boy part. She then marries Lord Auckney but it is too late for her to name the baby his. So, she uses the Barbarian as an excuse, saying he raped her. They then imprison Wulfgar, who is released secretly by Meralda. Once release, Wulfgar, despite his own evil afflictions, realizes he must help the girl. He then returns and takes the baby as his own. He goes back to Luskan in disguise and apologizes to Aurumn for his terrible behavior. A girl working in the tavern joins him on his trek to wherever he might go. This is an excellent book and I pretty much just told you the entire thing haha.

Explanation of Rating: This book, like i said above, is apart of my favorite genre and series. R. A. Salvatore is great at creating epic battle scenes but also mixing all elements that make a fantasy book great. He uses romances of the girl Meralda to help keep the book very interesting. Also, he uses Wulfgar's turmoil as a way of life for him, and something that the Barbarian slowly works on. This genre is definitely meant only for those who like suspense and danger. I reccomend it to all though.

Favorite Passage: "You see?" Wulgar said with a triumphant grin. "No trouble at all. Now we have a home."
Morik looked past his friend to the gruesome remains of the half-eaten dwarves and the two dead giants oozing blood throughout the chamber. "Such as it is," he answered dryly.

The awesome visual display this passage gives is why I chose it. I could find a passage that is very funny, or romantic, but this is gave a bit of laughter with a groosome detail.

Vibes A4

2009-10-22T20:20:00.002-06:00

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Name: Ciera McKinley
Class Period: A4
Book Title: Vibes
Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan
Pages: 249
Rating: ***Liked it

Recommendation: This book should probably be read by s and I would defiantly recommend it to all teen age s. I think teens would for sure like it because its a book mainly about daily life. There is also a twist to it that keeps things interesting. This book is fun and I think it is just a light read that most s would like.

Summary: The plot of this book is mainly about a struggling through high school. But there is a little difference between her life and the lives of her classmates. Kristi can read the minds of all those around her. This book just tells about her difficult times in high school and being able to hear all that her classmates think they are hiding from her. This story just like every other has love in it, although she is always the one in love but the boy of her dreams wont give her the time of day. She is forced to do projects with him and deal with his thoughts about her all day, everyday. But what makes it worst is he is her best friends older brother. She is also dealing with problems at home throughout the whole book. In the end I think she becomes a more confidante person and feels a whole lot better in her skin.

Explanation of rating: The reason i gave the book only 3 stars is because it wasn't completely horrible but it also wasn't my favorite book ever. I liked that it was an easy read and i felt like i could get through it pretty quickly but i feel like the story line could have been a whole lot better. I just think it wasn't super realistic and so i couldn't relate to the characters at all. I liked that at person you felt like they were describing my high school and the kids in it but one thing i d about it was that i had nothing in common with the main character. I loved that the book showed emotion and that although she came of so tough you were able to see her soften through out the book. Altogether this nook was a fun book to read just to pass the time away but i would not recommend it if your looking to read the best book of you life.

Favorite passage: Gusty sees Mallory and Eva staring at us, and this makes him even madder. "I didn't write anything!" he says, so i have no choice but to lunge at him and rip the paper out of his hands. I get only half of it, but i got the half with number ten and i unfold it to see that he wrote, "beautiful." This was my favorite because it showed so mystery. Does he like her or does he her? That was what i loved so much about this passage.

2009-10-22T20:00:00.003-06:00

Name:Matt Benson
Class:A4
Title:The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Author:Brian Selznick
Pages:530
Rating:***

Recommendation:I recommend this book to all who like a good story and enjoy it told through a combination of words and pictures. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is told through a system of drawings and words. This form of writing really makes for a compelling and interesting story.

Summary:Hugo Cabret lives alone in the walls of the train station, surviving off of stealing and the few coins he finds laying around on the ground of the station, while cunningly avoiding the station inspector. Ever since he was a small child Hugo loved working with his hands and fixing clocks. Hugo's father was a clock maker but tragically died in a fire. But before he died he entrusted Hugo with a project of fixing an automaton (a mechanical man that can do something spectacular such as write a message, or do a dance, etc.). After his fathers death Hugo took it upon himself to fix the automaton. Hugo was caught later stealing some parts needed for the project. Though he didn't know this yet, Hugo had found the solution to many of his problems, but it will take some risks, sacrifices, and changing ofthe history books for it to come about. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is an interesting and touching story everybody can appreciate.

Explanation of Rating:The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a facinating story told in a unique way. The story will keep you on your toes and keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning. The tale is very touching and heart rendering. The plot will keep you engaged and interested. The level of reading isn't very high dispite the size of the book but is still a good read. Although it is big you will be able to read it pretty quick.

Favorite Passage:"I address you all tonight as you really are:wizards, mermaids, travelers, adventurers, and magicians. You are the true dreamers."
I like this passage because it spells out what this bok is really about: dreaming, and reaching for those dreams and making them real.

Holes A2

2009-10-22T19:47:00.002-06:00

Name:Rodolfo Rodriguez
Class Period: A2
Book title: Holes
Author:Louis Sachar
Pages: 223
Rating: Really liked it
recommendation: I will like to recommend it to my fellow classmates. Also for any one who hasn't read the book. lastly to my fellow teacher who likes to read books.
Summary: There was a kid named stanley yelnats who gets in trouble by the law. When this happen the grandpa thought that it was becasue of a family curse. He was given a choice to got to jail or to camp Green Lake. He ended up going to camp Green Lake where it use to be a lake now its just a desert for mile and miles. Like all the other boys he had to dig holes. The leaders of the camp said "that this will help you to build charater". There was a kid named Zero that was stanley's best friend. when zero runs away stanley goes after him. Stanley finds him and they decided to dig one last hole. They found a box full of terasure that they get to keep. at the end Stanley and Zero get to go home.

Explanation of rating: I like it becasue it shows how you can make friends with any one if you give them a chance. also it shows you that you can break the family curse. How it shows if you are a ture friend you will do any thing for them. He also teaches me a lesson on friends ship how you should get along and not fight. How you shouldn't let jerks get into your head or it makes it worse. lastly how zero never gives up on finding his mom.

Favorite passage: I don't have one i liked it all.

New Moon B3

2009-10-22T18:18:00.001-06:00

Chelsey Strong

New Moon Stephanie Meyer

563

*****

I would recommend this book to anyone! it is a very good love story between a normal human girl named Bella Swan, and a vampire, Edward Cullen. Edward leaves Bella because he thinks that is is not safe for her to be around him. Bella is left heart broken, but when she had lost hope, an old friend came into the picture, Jacob Black.

New Moon is the sequel of the book Twilight and Bella and edward are in love. The book start out with Bella's eighth birthday. Alice, Edward's sister, is throwing Bella a birthday party at the Cullens house. Bella was opening one of her birthday presents when she got a paper cut. Jasper Cullen, Edward's brother, who was recently added to the family is not used to the smell of blood and he tried to kill Bella. Edward thought that is was not safe to be with each other so he and his family left. Edward was everything to Bella. When he left her she had no reason to go on with life except for her farther, Charlie. One day she went down to a indian reservation named La Push. She had an old friend dow there his name was Jacob Black. Jacob and Bella became really good friends. Bella was starting to be more lie herself, when one day Jacob said that they could not be friends with any more and would not give her an explanation why. She figured out that Jacob was a werewolf! Everything was going perfectly fine until Edward thought that Bella was dead and tried to kill himself by going to Italy and asking the Volturi to end his life. Bella went to Italy and stopped Edward, ad they ended back up together.

The reason i gave it five stars is because Stephanie Meyer is very good at writing. She describes vivid pictures so well that you think you are in the book with the other characters New Moon makes you want to keep reading! There is action and lobe and betrayal. There are weird and funny twists too. Also the Characters have there own distinct characteristics that make you want to know more about them.

“I felt like I was trapped in one of these terrifying nightmares, the one where you have to run, run till your lungs burst, but you can’t make your body move fast enough.”

-Bella Swan

Percy Jackson, Battle of the Labyrinth, A2

2009-10-22T17:55:00.003-06:00

Matt Liljenquist
A2
Percy Jackson Battle of the Labyrinth
Rick Riordan
361
****

I would recommend this book if you are in to action books. This book is a fighting type book but it is with swards and shields instead of guns and bullet proof vests. The book will give you some history about Greek mythology like Icarus and the Labyrinth. It also teaches who the Greek Gods are and what they are gods of. I would recommend reading the first book before you read this one.

This is the fourth book of the Percy Jackson series. In this book an old Titan Lord is having a servant create a new body for him to inhabit. The Titan army is planning on destroying Percys army and then going to war with the gods. But to get to Percys army they must go through the Labyrinth, which is a maze that is constantly changing shape and trying to kill you. To get through the maze the Titans need to get a magical device. It is the only thing that will guide you through the Labyrinth without getting you killed. Percy is sent on a "quest" to see if he can prevent this. But to prevent it he has to go to the very middle of the Labyrinth and get the device before the Titans do, and not get lost or killed.

I like this book because I like learning about the different Greek myths. I have had an interest in them before but this is cool because it adds them to a regular story. I also like the Greek Gods. They have a lot of different ones. In this book they have the god of wine Dionysus, and it tells you some of his powers and what he is believed to look like. The book puts Greek Mythology and facts into a story.

"People don't show up on the beach unless they're demigods or lost pizza guys." That is one of my favorite passages because the beach that it is talking about is along the coast and only "demigods" or gods can get to it. The beach has a magical border that will keep unwanted creatures or people out. The only people that can get past the borders are "demigods", half god half human, or actual gods.

The Tail of Despereaux B4

2009-10-22T17:37:00.004-06:00

Name: Kirsten Fowler
Class period: B4
Book Title: The Tail of Despereaux (: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread)
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Pages: 272
Rating: *****

Recommendation: I would recommend this to anyone who is into fantasy novel. It’s a very good book for someone who is younger and who is very board. It’s very easy to read and it is very captivating for a intensive reader like myself. I would really recommend this book to all readers. I love this book.

Summary: 1st: Despereaux Tillings is a very small mouse born in the castle. But he has really, really, really big ears and doesn’t do ‘mousy’ things. He ends up falling in love with a princess, the Princess Pea. Despereaux allows Princess Pea to kiss his nose and he talks to her, there-by breaking a mouse law, and set to the dungeons were lives the rats. 2ed: A couple days or months before Despereaux was born a rat named Chiaroscuro, Roscuro, who “killed” the queen by accidentally fell into her bowl of soup. Princess Pea hates Roscuro. 3ed: Miggery Sow, Mig, was sold as a baby to a man that she calls “Uncle” and receives “cloughts to the ear” a lot. But is discovered by a guard and taken to the castle and works for the princess. 4th: Mig and Roscuro meet and they kidnap Princess Pea, when Despereaux learns of this he ventures back to the dungeon to rescue her, and being a knight. He saves Pea and Mig cuts off Roscuro’s tail.

Explanation of the rating: I really liked it; I read it more than once I loved it so much. I really liked the story line and I really enjoyed how the writer spoke to you through the pages and with the way she wrote I felt as though I was really there, it was like being in a movie. As the book was so captivating I couldn’t put it down. I felt glued to the pages, I didn’t even stop to eat because I got addicted to reading that book until it was over I carried it everywhere. And I couldn’t help but read it a second time.

Favorite Passage: "Cripes!"~Furlough / "Gor!"~Mig / “There are those hearts, reader, that never mend again once they are broken. Or if they do mend, they heal themselves in a crooked and lopsided way, as if sewn together by a careless craftsman. Such was the fate of Chiaroscuro.”

Twilight A3 Kaitlyn Kato

2009-10-22T12:28:00.005-06:00

Kaitlyn Kato
Period A3
Stephanie Meyer
349 pages
Rating *****

Recommendation: You should read this book if you love romance. As well as fantasy with fictional characters. Don't read it if you hate romance. Then this book is not for you.

Summary: Bella is a human teenager. That moves to Forks Washington with her dad Charlie. She leaves her mom Rene behind. She doesn't like the cold and wet weather. She surrounded by forest and makes a lot of friends at school. But one day she meets a vampire named Edward. He resists her because he thirsts for her blood. But he falls in love with her. They end up being together. But she's in danger because other vampires want to kill her. Can she stay safe and still be with him. Or will she die in the process.

Explanation of rating: This is a great novel. Because it has a lot of descrpition in it. Bella says what is on her mind. Edward has a really strong personality. So it is more of a problem. But they are so in love with eachother. That they can't help but take the risk. It's a story of true young love. That can happen to anybody at any age. Love does not have a number. That's why I gave it a five.

Favorite Passage: "I had a adrenaline rush. You can google it." Edward Chapter 15

Twilight A3

2009-10-22T12:28:00.004-06:00

Kaitlyn Kato
Period A3
Twilight
Stephanie Meyer
498 pages

Rating: *****
Recommendation: This book is for anyone who loves romance books. It is the dos and donts of being with a vampire. Especailly if you are a human girl. Don't read this book if you hate fantasy.

Summary: This is a story about a teenager named Bella. She lives in Forks Washington. A town that has little people and always rains. She meets a lot of friends at her school. She lives with her dad Charlie. But she meets a mysterious guy named Edward Cullen. The whole Cullen Family is strange and not normal. Bella finds out that Edward is a vamopire. But she ends up falling in love with him. Putting her in danger with other vampires wanting to kill her.

Explanation: I gave it five stars.Because it's very interesting and not boring. It's full of description and imagination. Of other life besides humans. It takes you into the world of vampires. The way that they are different and powerful. As well as beautiful and tempting.

Favorite Passage: "I had a adreanline rush. You can google it." Edward Chapter 15

I love this passage because Edward is trying to act innocent. So that his secret doesn't come out. But Bella of course isn't fooled. She won't let it go.

Republic Command: Triple Zero A2

2009-10-22T10:33:00.009-06:00

Chris Merrick
A2
Triple Zero
Karen Traviss
330 pages

**** really liked it.

Like it's prequel, Hard Contact, It is a great book. It also takes place during the Clone wars, and has all the things that make Star Wars great. Plus it has even more explosions, humor, and romance than Hard Contact did.

It takes place primarily on Coruscant, which is called triple zero. It has the clone squad and Etain back, plus two other squads, and their training sergeants. Their mission is to destroy a Separatist terrorist cell that's hidden on Coruscant. Along the way, they get three new Allies: a GAR treasury officer named Bessany, a Twi'lek cook named Laseema, and a clone trooper called Corr. They end up retrieving a large amount of explosive to "sell" to the terrorists, make it unstable, kill the terrorists, and make some extra money on the side, and all at the same time!

Like Hard Contact, there's a lot involved. It can be easy to get lost, especially since you want to look ahead to see what happens. A lot happens, so it keeps you hooked. You just never want to put it down. It's a really good book.

' Fi strode up to Atin and grabbed the datapad from his hand.
" A strange blue woman with no taste in men wants to see you," he said. "Go on, Laseema's complaining you haven't said hello to her today."' -chapter 15
' The line of the shoulder looked unnaturally square where the ball of the humerus had shifted out of the socket and was pushing the deltoid muscle up and out of shape. This was going to hurt.
"Ok, on the count of four," Fi said. He took Sev's wrist in his right hand, stretching out the arm, and braced his left hand against the man's chest. Then he paused and looked him in the eye in his most reassuring I-know-what-I'm-doing way. "See, when you get a dislocation like this, you have to do what they call reducing it by- Four!"
Sev yelped. The joint made a wet shhhlick sound as it slipped back into the socket.
"Sorry, Ner Vod," Fi folded Sev's arm back against his chestand held it there while he struggled to get the sleeve section reattached. He could almost feel the torn ligaments and muscle fibers screaming. Sev's face was white, his lips compressed. "Nothing worse than bracing for it, though.
"For a moron, you're not a bad medic."' -chapter16

The reason that I liked these parts is because they are funny. Fi, one of the clones, loves to joke, even if it could get him beat up. Like I said before, this book has a lot of humor in it. There's lots more, but these are my favorites.

City of Bones A4

2009-10-22T10:03:00.003-06:00

Name: Ashlie Jenkins
Class: A4
Book: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Pages:442
Rating: ****

Recommendation: This is great for teenagers who like the fantasy world. This includes demons, vampires, shadowhunters, and fairies. Also, it is a good book who enjoys adventure, mystery, and suspense. This is a teen fiction that explores the world of shadowhunting. You get to look through someones eyes who has never been introduced to the unknown world and know the suspense that comes with it.

Summary: In this book, it takes place in New York. It is a story about a girl, Clary, who has the ability to see shadowhunters but nobody else can, and her mother never told her about her abilities. She figures out about the whole world that has been hidden for years and falls in love with this shadowhunter named Jace Wayland. She also finds out that her father, Valentine, is the most dreaded one of all. He has control over the demons and kills anyone who tries to go against him. The whole book is about them running into all sorts of troubles including vampires. They try to beat valentine and try to save the world of shadowhunters.

Explanation of Rating: This book is fairly new. Adventure, betrayal, romance, mystery, and suspense are all a good combination of this brilliant fictional story. Cassandra Clare creatively analyzes the unknown world of shadowhunting through someone elses eyes and thoughts. It is a good balance of your not everyday experiences.

Favorite Passage: "...Have you fallen in love with the wrong person yet?'
Jace said, "Unfortunately, Lady of the Haven, my one true love remains myself."
..."At least," she said, "you don't have to worry about rejection, Jace Wayland."
"Not necessarily. I turn myself down occasionally, just to keep it interesting."

I like this passage because it totally relates to the reality of the real world. But it also gives you a glance of Jace Waylands personality in just a few sentences. He takes pride in himself and doesn't love anyone except himself.

The Giver, B1

2009-10-21T23:54:00.000-06:00

Name: Aaron Brown
Period: B1
Book Title: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
Pages: 180
Rating: **

Recommendation: I’d say this book is really wacky, but has some really important points to learn. If you like the sense of a really thought out science fiction then you’ll love this book. It’s an easy book to read. If you like easy books to read this is the book for you! This is a very clever book…. It had me thinking about the logic of what they are saying or of what is going on.

Summary: A confused hidden community where the leaders take all possible steps to eliminate pain and confusion. This society is clueless of the “real” world, thinking that they are the only ones, and the creators of the community want to keep it that way. Each 12 year old human is assigned a job according to their skills, and personality for a future wives/husbands. There are no technologies, other than speaker phones to talk throughout the community. Most people ride bikes or walk.

It becomes clear that the society has lost contact with the ideas of family and love. Each family unit can only have 2 children in the family Unit., A boy and a girl. Jonas (the main character) turns of the age of 12. He is eager to know what his job was going to be. Jonas lives in a standard family unit with his mother a judge, his father a Nurturer and his seven later becomes eight year old sister. He is selected to be Receiver of Memory as in (The Giver). Their can only be one Giver at a period of time. They receive messages threw memories; this is where he is able to feel sadness, happiness, violence, and love. Jonas try’s to escape the community to try to get out the other “world’s” so that his community can know of what is happening.

Explanation of Rating: This book gets really slow at parts. It was hard for me to keep reading because nothing was really happening… (in some parts of the book). I liked the fact that in the book, the author was putting in concepts that were meaningful, but not to hard to understand. I also liked the plot of the whole story. It was very well thought out. I simply thought this was an “Okay book” because it was too slow at times, and was easy to read.

Favorite passage: "Our people made that choice, the choice to go to Sameness. Before my time, before the previous time, back and back and back. We relinquished color when we relinquished sunshine and did away with difference. We gained control of many things. But we had to let go of others." -Chapter 12

I like this passage because, in life you always are wanting to gain or get something better, but in order to gain them you have to let go to other things.

2009-10-21T23:21:00.001-06:00

Judyth Meza
B1
Away Laughing on a Fast Camel
Louis Renninson
****
Recommendation: This book is great for teens, especially girls. It's a good laugh and it's a diary of a teenage girl who lives in England. You won’t want to stop reading it until you are done.

Summary: Georgia The main person writes about everything that goes on in her life, everything she thinks of and everything that happens to her in this diary. She has a best friend named Jas that she tells everything to. She thinks her family is a bunch of loons and her cat is half wild. Her boyfriend’s name is Robbie who she nicknamed, "Sex god". Robbie moves to Switzerland so they break up. Robbie is the lead singer of a band called," The Stiff Dylan’s". Since he moved to Switzerland the band needs to find a need lead singer, so they ask a need guy in school to join the band. The new lead singer is Italian, his name is Masimo. Georgia finds him very georgey. Then the new band member decides to go on a vacation to hamburger-a-gogo-land (America). Georgia really liked him so when she finds out he is going on a vacation she gets very upset. Next thing you know Georgia’s father tells her that they are going to hamburger-a-gogo-land!

Explanation of rating: This book will make you laugh. She explains her thoughts very well about boys. She loves them one minute and she hates them the other. She also has a nickname for everything from people to places. If a guy reads this book he will understand girls better.

Favorite passage: No longer have the book.

The Hobbit A-3

2009-10-21T23:19:00.003-06:00

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Name: Camilo Vasquez
Class Period: A-3
Book Title: The Hobbit
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Pages: 305
Rating:****

Recommendation: This book is great for people who love adventures. It is a classic fiction book about fairy tale creatures such as dragons, elves, dwarves, wizards, and hobbits. I would not recommend it to people who do not enjoy unrealistic tales and who do not like adventure stories.

Summery: The story is about a little hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. Hobbits never go on adventures, but in this story, Bilbo gets in an adventure that will change his life forever. He meets a wizard who was friends with his parents, and soon finds out that the wizard (Gandalf) was planning on having Bilbo join a group of dwarves who are heading of to a place full of strange creatures to fight of a dragon that had taken over the dwarves' treasures and drove the dwarves away from their land. This is when the journy begins. They fought trolls, met elves who give them hospitality, They go through mountains, in which they get captured by Goblins. The goblins take them inside their cave, but luckily Gandolf saves them with his magic and they run off. Bilbo gets lost inside the cave and end up in the hidding place of a creature called Gollum. On the way there he finds a mistirious ring which makes him invisable, which he uses many times to get out of trouble. On his way to the mountain in which the dragon is at, they meet many other creatures and also fight many. They fight wolves, escape from wood-elves, but also meet Beorn who is part bear and helpes them, and they go inside a lake-town which also help them with materials needed to move on. Once they get to the mountain where the dragon is at, they try to find the secret entrance which they learned about, and once they do, they go to fight the dragon and at last recover their land and their treasure back.

Explanation of Rating:I think the book was pretty good. I liked all the things that they do in order to go to their destination and fight the dragon. The tale is a classic and is very enjoyable. One of the only reasons why I did not give it five stars is because I do not like the way the auther goes about in the story. He goes from one week to another and does not make the transitions very smooth. other than that the book was terrific.

Favorite Passage: "Where iss it? Where iss it? Losst it is, my precious, lost, lost! Curse us and crush us, my precious is lost!"

I don't know why but I love the way the author made Gollum sound. The way he expresses himself allows me to really get into the story!

Lovely Bones B1

2009-10-21T21:44:00.001-06:00

Name: Jessica Perl

Class period: B1

Book Title: Lovely Bones

Author: Alice Sebold

Pages: 498

Rating: ***

Recommendation: This book begins with more horror than you could imagine or think possible of, but in closes with more beauty than you could hope for or dream of. This book is great for anyone to read. But, if you start reading you have to read it the entire way through are you are going to miss out on a lot good things. This book builds out of grief that makes hopeful moments in life become, well then what they are. The character Susie dies at the begging of the book and the whole time she is watching everything from heaven, the worst things of the family’s grief and pain of Susie dyeing transformers into a suspenseful and even funny novel about love, memory, joy, heaven, and healing.

Summary: Susie Salmon gets raped and murdered in 1973 and is know in heaven. Through the whole book she is able to be in heaven and see everyone and everything people do that have touched her life and in death. She is not able to grow up but, she does get the joy of watching and witnessing the changes of her family and friends. The story does not have to do with death; it has to do with moving on not only for those she left behind on earth but also for herself. Throw the whole story you see the joy of Susie in heaven and the sadness of her family, friends and boy friend. As months pass without leads of where she is, Susie sees her parents' marriage being destroyed, her sister hardening herself in an effort to stay strong even when she looks just like Susie, and her little brother trying to grasp the meaning of the word gone which does not make sense to him. While she is in heaven everything she ever wants arrears as soon as she thinks of it except for some really important wants that she can’t get is to be back on earth with her boyfriend and the people she loves and misses. Throw all of this her family is not doing well and her boy friend is moving on. But lucky for her boyfriend he finds himself at the center of a miraculous, when things come to end really cool things happen, but I can’t tell you. You will have to read it to find out what happens.

Explanation of the rating: This is a really good book that you should consideration reading. But the reason it is not rated as a three not a five is because when Susie gets murdered it goes into a little too much detail with the murdering and when her mom makes love with the police officer and when Susie makes love with her boy friend. That is why I highly recommend that you whoever decides to read this book be older and make sure it is oaky with your parents and her boy friend. Make sure that they are fine with you reading a book that had that much making out and descriptions in it that make it kind of a nasty so ask first before you read the book. That is why I have rated it the way I did.

Favorite Passage: In chapter Twelve in says, "Like snowflakes," Fanny said, "none of them the same and yet each one, from where we stand, exactly like the one before." This sums up the nature of souls and lives from heaven's perspective. I love how it has great significant to the book because it is true for Susie. Another one I like, “Stones and bones; snow and frost; seeds and beans and polliwogs. Paths and twigs, assorted kisses, we all know who Susie misses . . .” (p. 278) Susie recites a poem her father always said to her when she was small. It comforts her now that she knows she will soon be able to let go of Earth. Even when it is the hardest thing she will every do in her life. Throw out the whole book there is more and more good pomes or quotes. The one thing that makes the book so great is that the author keeps you wonting to read it with the fullness of light and life throws all the hard things in the book!

The Scarlet Pimpernel B4

2009-10-21T20:58:00.002-06:00

Name: Aaron Wise
Class: B4
Book: The Scarlet Pimpernel
Pages:271
Rating:****

Recommendation: This book is good for anyone who likes a little adventure. It has daring and some mysterious parts involved. It also has a little bit of romance put in it.

Summary: This book takes place during the French Revolution. A French actress named Marguerite St just marries Percy Blakeney a wealthy Englishman. When he finds out that she sold out someone to the guillotine and their marriage becomes estranged. Marguerite is visited by a old acquaintance Chauvelin, who tries to talk her into finding out who the Scarlet Pimpernel is. Who goes into Paris and frees hundreds of aristocrats from the guillotine. She resists, and as she is in an opera, Chauvelin comes to her and tells her that they have found her brother to be in league with the scarlet pimpernel. He tells her that if she can find out who the scarlet pimpernel is. She gives in, and finds a note to be given to the scarlet pimpernel.

Explanation of Rating: I enjoy reading historical books, so I liked it anyway. This book was fun to read, and it kept you wanting to read more. I felt like i was involved in the book. It built up to the ending really nicely. The climax was really well put together, and made for a good ending. I also thought that it was well written, and not confusing.

Favorite Passage: "She had sinned; now she must repay, not by empty remorse, but by prompt and useful action."

I like this just because this is the right way to repay something, you can't do it just by sitting there and saying your sorry, but by actually doing something so repay it.

Perfect You B1

2009-10-21T20:57:00.003-06:00

Mandy Kielar
Class: B1
Book: Perfect You
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Pages: 282
Rating: ****Really Liked it!

Recommendation: This book is definitely the type of book you don't want to put down until you're finished. The book is probably more of a girls book, because girls will be able to relate to this teenage girls drama filled life. It's a love story, but also a tragedy at the same time. There was never a moment where something interesting or exciting isn't happening.

Summary: Perfect You is a story about a teenage girl named Kate. Her best friend Anna moved away for the summary and they still kept in touch, but the somehow stopped talking to eachother. Kate misses her so much, but when she goes to school Anna's a competely different person, she's beautiful, skinny, popular, and has the boyfriend that every girl wants... and worst of all, she acts as if kate doesn't exist. And to make things worse, Kate's dad decided to quit his job and start selling "Perfect You" vitamins and the mall and he's making Kate work for him, which is extremely embarassing for Kate because everyone thinks her dad is crazy. Kate know's a boy named Will that's known for hooking up with half the school. One day when Kate is taking out some trash to the dumpsters during work, Will happens to be there and ends up kisses her. And their somewhat secret after work hook up relationship continues to get jucier from there on out. Another battle Kate is going through is her family is really low on money so that creates a lot of problems for her family. Then Anna decides to talk to her again, but only when they're alone. Kate is having one of the worst years of her life, but it's also one of the best.

Explanation of Rating: I gave this this book 4 stars because it was so exciting and touching at the same time. I really liked this book because stories like this do happen in real life. It really caught the perspective on how a teenage girl in high school feels, and i could realate to a few things in this book. The author was very descriptive on Kate's feelings and I felt like the author over did it a couple times, but by the end of the book I felt like i'd known Kate all my life! There are multiple lessons you can learn from this book. It's funny, romantic, and sad all at the same time. And it has a great ending, it gave me goosebumps!

Favorite Passage:
"I guess I'm not the kind of girl guys want to be with, okay?"
I waited for Grandma to say something, but she just looked at me for a long moment.
"I want to tell you something," she finally said, her voice quiet. "You tell yourself that you aren't something or that you can't be something, and you know what? It will become true. You have to decide who you are and what you can do and then go after what you want. Because believe me, no one is going to give it to you."
"Grandma..."
She patted my arm. "Think about it, darling, all right? The world will knock you down plenty. You dont need to be doing it to yourself."

- I really liked this passage because i thought it was excellent advice and it's so true!

Ranger's Apprentice Book One A3

2009-10-21T20:54:00.002-06:00

Name: Tucker Hardy
Class Period: A3
Book Title: Ranger's Apprentice Book One: The Ruins of Gorlan
Author: John Flanagan
Pages: 249
Rating: ****

Recommendation: If you like knights, assassins, and monsters, then this book is for you! This is a fantasy tale with a good amount of action and some imaginative characters. It has a little bit of everything to get the interest of many, mostly directed towards teens.

Summary: This is a story about a boy named Will. He was abandoned on the door step of the Ward (an orphanage for kids who's parents were killed in war). Growing up he made a few friends and met a bully from his same age group. They all awaited the highly anticipated the "Choosing Day" that happens when they turn 15. On this day they would get chosen by Craftmasters to become apprentices of that certain craft, like cooks, scribes, diplomats, and warriors. Will wasn't tall enough or strong enough for Battleschool and the rest weren't his strong points either. He was a good climber and he had a natural ability to go unseen by people, this caught the interest of man named Halt. Halt is a Ranger and he saw potential in this boy, so he made Will his apprentice. Will goes through special training in archery, animal tracking, knifes, and being able blend into his surroundings. He then uses these skills and the help of Halt to take down a ancient threat that has been killing off important people.

Explanation of Rating: This book gets you captured Will's life. It shows the many special bonds that people create with their friends, their mentors (which become like parents to these kids), and even the bond between humans and their animals. It's really fun to read how these relationships grow and develop and how unique each is. It has many emotions throughout it. It has a good balance of humor throughout to make it feel real. John Flanagan has a great imagination when it comes to the action parts, they are intense and interesting. Teens and adults can both enjoy this fantasy greatly!

Favorite passage: "Can you cook boy?"
"Cook sir?" Will asked uncertainly. Halt raised his eyes to some unseen superior being.
"Why do young people invariably answer a question with another question?"... -Chapter 8

This is my favorite passage because it starts to show Halt's funny, sarcastic, side. And it's actually really true, young people do answer questions with questions!

Breaking Dawn A4

2009-10-21T20:44:00.003-06:00

Name: Viviana Carballo
Class Period: A4
Book title: Breaking Dawn
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Pages: 754
Rating: ****
Recommendations: This book is great for all teenagers and even adults too. This is a classic romance the only difference is that it’s between a human and a vampire. It’s about romance, love, and tragedy all put together in one book.

Summary: Breaking Dawn is split into three different books. The first book is called Bella she talks about her marriage and her honeymoon with Edward Cullen. That they spend in a private island. Bella gets pregnant and puts her life in danger by going through with her pregnancy. Edward thinks she should have an abortion so the baby won’t kill her. The second book is written by Jacob’s point of view. He leaves the pack because they decide to kill Bella’s baby but in order to do that they have to kill Bella too, so he protects her from danger. Bella gives birth to a baby girl whose name is Renesmee and Jacob imprints on the baby. Bella is turned into a vampire. In the third book it goes back to Bella’s point of view, she talks about her changes from a woman to a vampire. The Volturi tries to kill the Cullens because they think Renesmee is dangerous.

Explanation of Rating: this is a great book about what seems an imposable love between a human girl and a vampire as they much fight for their love. In order to be together as they come across many dangerous obstacles along the way these stories are thrilling as well as a bit mysterious. It was very intense, I couldn’t seem to close the book just wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. I didn’t give this book a five star rating because I was somewhat disappointed at the end because they didn’t give enough details on Jacob and Renesmee.

Favorite passage: “I was abruptly overwhelmed by the truth of my own words. This moment was so perfect, so right. There was no way to doubt it. His arms wrapped around me, holding me against him...It felt like every nerve ending in my body was a live wire."Forever” he agreed. “chapter 5 page 85

I love this passage because she describes it so good you can picture it in your mind.

The spellbinders gift B-1

2009-10-21T19:51:00.002-06:00

Emily Murdock
B-1
The spellbinders gift
Og Mandino
[no longer have the book]
Rating: *** [Liked it]

This book would be great for somebody who already likes to read. The reason for this is that it's considerably hard to really get into, but it makes great points and teaches you a few things. People who don't already enjoy reading shouldn't read this book for one reason: it's not exciting.

The main character in this book is an elderly man named Bart Manning. Bart is retired, but used to have his own complany which was an agency for talented motivational speakers. His wife and him are going on cruises, vacations, and pretty much doing whatever they feel like being retired. However, Bart is unhappy with doing nothing at all, and one day while jogging a man started screaming, "this is your day!!". Bart turned to avoid the man, and ended up going straight to his old office. He decided to start working again, and went to a speakers convention to find someone to book. A man named Patrick Donne won best motivational speaker in the world at the convention, and deserved it. Patrick decided to work with Bart, and they do exceedingly well dispite several strange things that people are beginning to see in Patrick Donne.

The book is rated three stars because it's not 1, and it's not 5. Meaning, the book isn't great, but it isn't bad either. It's not bad because it makes good points. You are literally shown several things to do in order to have an extremely successful life, which should be useful to everybody! However, it's not great because the book is extremely hard to get into. I must admit that the only reason I kept reading was for credit, and although I'm glad I did, it wasn't an exciting book at all.

"Someone once told me that life is like playing chess with god. You each take turns...", and later in the book, "I made my move, now it's god's turn". Bart Manning said each of these phrases, and I really like the whole concept of this, because I can apply it to life [because god may not be appropriate for school]. We all make choices, and consequences are handed back to us. We then make choices based on the previous consequences, and so on and so forth.

Exinct B4

2009-10-21T19:17:00.003-06:00

Name: Javier Dominguez
Class Period: B4
Book Title: Extinct
Author: Charles Wilson
Pages:310
Rating: ***

Recommendation:I recommend this book to all who like big under sea predators, drama and action. This book has suspense that will make you think what will happen next. In some parts of the book character express their feelings.

Summary: A boy watches as his two friends go under water of the coastal river for a while. All of sudden his dog starts barking. His friends never come to the the surface. This is how this story starts. A beginning that will capture your attention immediately. That's how starts, this book can relate to many movies, for example the famous movie "Jaws". This book can teach you allot about sharks. Fans will notice that this giant shark will act like some other sharks. This will make you wonder if it actually exists or if it is being confused with a wail shark or great white shark.

Rating Explanation: I rated this book a three. I gave this book this rating because it was good just not that good. it might be very interesting to many shark fanatics. Knowing that the creature under the sea may be their is the best feeling ever. The start was very interesting but it kept switching the situations just like a soap operas. this book really amazed me in the final 100 pages. I would give it a four but it some chapters were just not interesting.

Favorite Passage: Dustin said "You stay here and I'll let you take a drag of a cigarette". I liked this passage because it relates with what kids now do.

Cirque Du Freak A3

2009-10-21T19:07:00.002-06:00

Alex Madrigal
A3
Cirque Du Freak
Darren Shan
183
****

I highly recomend this book to anyone who enjoys reading vampire books. It has a interesting plot and is also full of fast paced action and excitment. I also recomend for people like suspense, mystery and horror.

Darren Shan is just an ordinary boy Who loves to play soccer and hang out with his friends. However he also has an unusual love and fascination for spiders. One regular day darren and his friends are hanging out and having fun playing soccer when one of his friends takes out a flyer for a freak show called cirque du freak. even though all four of them wanted to go to the freak show only two managed to actually get tickets to it and they would be darren and his best friend steve leopard. they go to the freak show and see many incredible things but darrrens favorite performance was that of a man and his performing spider. After the show steve tells darren to go ahead and leave without him darren pretends to leave but when he hears steve and the owner of the performing spider he hides and eavesdrops on them darren hears Steve call the man a vampire and says that he wants to become his assistant and vampire the man tastes steves blood and and falls back in disgust and says that he has evil blood and would never turn him into a vampire. Darren runs home freaked out and scared and tries to forget what steve said but the only thing that took his mind off what steve said was that performing spider, darren goes and steals it brings it home and keeps it hidden in his closet he would play with it almost everyday and one day he decides to show it to steve but it bites him and invenomates him darren and his parents take him to the doctor, as he is on the brink of death darren decides to go back and talk to the vampire and decides to become his assistant for an antivenom darren becomes a half vampire and fakes his own death in order to leave home without anyone coming after him, he is even buried alive, after that he meets steve who swears revenge on him for taking his place as the vampires assistant and leaves, after that darren and his mentor mr.crepsley head off into the night.

I enjoyed this book cause it is full of lots of plot twists and excitment. You also get a chance to connect to the main character. This book is also full of plenty of irony. You get the chance to see how an ordinary boy goes from homework to sucking blood. this book is very unique. It even has a little humor in it. So as you can see there is a litlle someting for everyone.

My favorite part in the book is when they are at the graveyard and steve swears revenge on darren, Two best friends now turned enemies and you know that there will be some epic battle between them in the future.

Fake ID B4

2009-10-21T19:01:00.005-06:00

Brooke Jacques
B4
Fake ID
Walter Sorrells
313 pgs
It was amazing!
Recommendation: Anyone who wants to read a mystery with lots of action should read this book. It has to do with friendships, murder, family, and other things. You will not be able to stop until you reach the end.

Summary: Chass and her mom have been moving around her whole life. She has always been ready to pack up and move away again at a moment's notice. She and her mother change their names every place they go. It's normal for her. But she doesn't know why. When her mom disappears, she's on her own and there are people after her. They believe she has something that they are willing to kill for. Can she survive long enough to learn the truth?

Explanation for rating: I gave it five stars for a few reasons. First, it had a great plot. It sucked me in and I really wanted to finish it. Also, the story is told first person. You're inside the main character's mind, so you can really relate. This book was really well-written and interesting.

Favorite passage: "Sometimes you want to do a thing because the other girls at school do it. Sometimes you want to do a thing because it pisses your mother off. Sometimes you want to do a thing because you've seen people doing it on TV and it seems all glamorous and cool. But sometimes you just want to do something because, bone deep, you know it's right."
I just really like that quote. It's about her love for music, which you will learn about if you read the book.

Nineteen Minutes B1

2009-10-21T18:49:00.002-06:00

Name: Dakota Tschinderle
Period: B1
Title: Nineteen Minutes
Author: Jodi Picoult
Pages: 451
Rating: *****

Recommendation:I would recomend. this book to those between the ages of 15 and up. This age group are usually those still in high school and facing the struggle of trying to fit in. This book shows what so much teasing and bullying can push a person to do and the heartache the others go through as a result. This is the kind of book that you just keep turning the page to find out what happens.

Summary: When Peter loses his best childhood friend to the effect of fitting in, his views on life change. Peter does not fit in with those at school and the people that do talk to him get teased for it so people just keep their distance. When Peter gets sick of the teasing and bullying he goes on a shooting spree. This turns his life around completely. As the case unfolds to the police and court system and witnesses begin to come forward with what they know, Peter begins to give up on the point of life. Josie has a hard time dealing with life after because her boyfriend was one of those shot and killed. She does not know how the person she had known as a child could now be a murderer. Josie and Peter both struggle through the trial as they give reasons for actions and also learn things not known to other people. In the end, it shows what bullying and not fitting in can push people to do and how it affects everyones life.

Explanation of Rating: I gave this book 5 stars because it shows how life truly is. I think that we all need to stop and think about how we treat other people because not being accepted by anyone can push them to do shocking things. The book keeps you very interested and you go from page to page wondering what will happen next. It is written in a way that you can picture what is happening right in front of you. You get to know the characters and their personality and what they are capable of. This book is simply an enjoyable book and a life lesson well taught.

Favorite passage: "Nobody wants to admit to this, but bad things will keep on happening. Maybe that's because it's all a chain, and a long time ago someone did the first bad thing, and that led someone else to do another bad thing, and so on. You know, like that game where you whisper a sentence into someone's ear, and that person whispers it to someone else, and it all comes out wrong in the end.
But then again, maybe bad things happen because it's the only way we can keep remembering what good is supposed to look like."

I love this passage because it shows EXACTLY how life really is, the bad things start coming about when we forget all the good that we have been blessed with in our lives. Then we get so stuck up on the bad, that we let the good pass right by.