Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

By James Patterson

Synopsis:

Six unforgettable kids—with no families, no homes—are running for their lives. Max Ride and her best friends have the ability to fly. And that's just the beginning of their amazing powers. But they don't know where they come from, who's hunting them, why they are different from all other humans... and if they're meant to save mankind—or destroy it.

In this book max leads her flock through the grasps of the “school”. The school is where they were created, mutated, beaten and tested on. After escaping with the help of a former white coat Jeb, they hide out in a secret estate in hopes of living normal lives. but soon after that Jeb disappears. Now the six kids are living on their own. Although they once thought they were safe they now know that they can no longer stay in one place. The Erasers- another form of experiment from the school- have found their location and are tracking them down, trying to drag them back to the school- alive or injured. Max shows just how strong she is when shes leading them across cities and countries trying to keep her ‘family’ safe. But when she gets put to the test can she be strong enough to fight for them?

My thoughts:

What i like about this book is how it starts out and talks about their previous life in the school. This is already intense and continues to rise throughout the book. It leaves you wanting to read the whole book in the first sitting, its extremely hard to put down and its just absolutely amazing. It takes the position of a girl going through her life struggles protecting her family. Only her struggles are a lot more extreme than those of an ordinary teenager. Its life or death for these kids. And their never in one place for too long.

                                                                 reviewed by A.P. Grade 10 Scona Student

The Boy In The Striped Pajamas

The Boy In The Striped Pajamas

By John Boyne

Synopsis:

Berlin 1942

When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move from their home to a new house far far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence running alongside stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people he can see in the distance.

But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different to his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences.

My thoughts:

I find the award-winning novel “The Boy In The Striped Pajamas” by John Boyne to be brilliant. The way the author finds a way to get deep inside of you as if you were in it is absolutely brilliant. Personally this book took a toll on me and really did hit me down deep, showing how much a broad topic such as jews in WWII can have a massive impact on an individual when made into a story like this. It provides an accurate historical compound to it to leave the reader a strong message from the novel. What’s interesting about this novel is the point of view. Normally a book like this would be written in first person to focus around one individual but the author wrote it in omniscient and manages to make the reader feel as connected with the main character as if it was first person which I found to be different from other books I’ve read of similar topics. Another thing the author did which was unique was his emphasis on details throughout the book and phrases he would often repeats such as when he talks about Bruno sliding down the banister on the stairs, or when he’s talking about Maria going through his closet and “the things he’d hidden at the back that belonged to him and were nobody else's business”. Simple tools like attention to detail is what makes the reader draw into the book and not be able to put it down. Overall I would give it a 9.5/10 and definitely recommend it to read.

reviewed by J.S., Grade 10 Scona student

Escape From Camp 14

Escape From Camp 14

by Blaine Harden

Synopsis:

North Korea is isolated and hungry, bankrupt and belligerent. It is also armed with nuclear weapons. Between 150,000 and 200,000 people are being held in its political prison camps, which have existed twice as long as Stalin's Soviet gulags and twelve times as long as the Nazi concentration camps. Very few born and raised in these camps have escaped. But Shin Donghyuk did.

In Escape from Camp 14, acclaimed journalist Blaine Harden tells the story of Shin Dong-hyuk and through the lens of Shin's life unlocks the secrets of the world's most repressive totalitarian state. Shin knew nothing of civilized existence-he saw his mother as a competitor for food, guards raised him to be a snitch, and he witnessed the execution of his own family. Through Harden's harrowing narrative of Shin's life and remarkable escape, he offers an unequaled inside account of one of the world's darkest nations and a riveting tale of endurance, courage, and survival.

My thoughts:

Escape From Camp 14 is a very hard book to read.  It is very well written.  It is hard to read because some events that took place were very brutal. These types of camps (that the book is set in) have been around twice as long as Stalin’s gulags and twelve times as long as the Nazi’s Concentration Camps.  The prisoners in these camps grew their own fruits, vegetables, and raised farm animals.  When they got meat, they were not allowed to eat it.  To prevent the guards from knowing that the prisoners had meat, they ate it raw, so the guards did not see or smell the meat being roasted/cooked.

reviewed by K.H., Grade 10 Scona student

Pirate Cinema

Pirate Cinema

by Cory Doctorow

Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Little Brother, Cory Doctorow, comes Pirate Cinema, a new tale of a brilliant hacker runaway who finds himself standing up to tyranny. Trent McCauley is sixteen, brilliant, and obsessed with one thing: making movies on his computer by reassembling footage from popular films he downloads from the net. In the dystopian near-future Britain where Trent is growing up, this is more illegal than ever; the punishment for being caught three times is that your entire household's access to the internet is cut off for a year, with no appeal. Trent's too clever for that too happen. Except it does, and it nearly destroys his family. Shamed and shattered, Trent runs away to London, where he slowly learns the ways of staying alive on the streets. This brings him in touch with a demimonde of artists and activists who are trying to fight a new bill that will criminalize even more harmless internet creativity, making felons of millions of British citizens at a stroke. Things look bad. Parliament is in the power of a few wealthy media conglomerates. But the powers that be haven't entirely reckoned with the power of a gripping movie to change people's minds....

My thoughts:

When I chose this novel, I was expecting to get piles of drama and adventure, but I was not expecting close friendships. It begins with a regular 16 year old boy, Trent McCauley, who downloads illegal footage from the Internet. His Internet gets cut off because of this. He was only doing it because “In [his] mind, [he] was one of [those great directors], someone who had to get the bloody film out of [his] skull”. To me this is important, because it ends up being the main theme in the novel. When Trent goes to London he becomes famous for his films. In this way, this quote has a little bit of foreshadowing.

Another little quirk in this novel is that its written in a British dialect. For example, at one point, Trent asks his girlfriend about her last boyfriend, and he asked “Was he posh?”. I didn't really understand it, and I still don’t, but words like this really made it a bit challenging to understand parts of the novel.

This novel really got me thinking about our government, and in general, governments around the world. This modern form government resembles governments from real, corrupt nations from around the world, past or present. Trent and his friends couldn’t stop the government, even if they were the majority, without help. And it’s the same in some real world nations. Even though I’m not into politics, this book was a very good read, and I think many people would agree.

reviewed by N. B., Grade 10 Scona student

The Scorch Trails

The Scorch Trails

by James Dashner

Synopsis:

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.

In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.

The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.
Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

My thoughts:

I enjoyed this novel. It met all of my standards, and surpassed some. The story moves at a perfect pace, and Dashner doesn’t spend too much time on the backstory of Maze Runner, like authors often do in sequels. He jumped straight into the action, and I like that, because if the exposition is too long in a story, readers often lose interest in the book. He made an excellent job of the character development; Everyone from the old, nose-eating crank, to Thomas himself have been developed excellently, and in such a way that the reader becomes even more interested all of the time.

Reviewed by A.C. Grade 10 Scona Student

I Hunt Killers

I HUNT KILLERS

by Barry Lyga

Synopsis:

It was a beautiful day. It was a beautiful field. Except for the body.

Jazz is a likable teenager. A charmer, some might say. But he''s also the son of the world''s most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, "Take Your Son to Work Day" was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could--from the criminals'' point of view.

And now, even though Dad has been in jail for years, bodies are piling up in the sleepy town of Lobo''s Nod. Again.

In an effort to prove murder does not run in the family, Jazz joins the police in the hunt for this new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret--could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

From acclaimed author Barry Lyga comes a riveting thriller about a teenager trying to control his own destiny in the face of overwhelming odds.

My Thoughts: 

I have been trying to branch out with my reading because I noticed I was reading a lot of the same type of story. So I decided to try I Hunt Killers; it was definitely a different genre for me and I liked the cover.  I was curious to see how the author would portray Jazz, who is the son of the most notorious serial killer in the world because frankly being raised by a serial killer is going to mess you up to some extent.  I have to say I am so incredibly happy that I did read this book; it was pure genius.   Barry has done a truly amazing job with Jazz’z character; he is likable, relatable, and consumed by the idea that he may not be able to stop himself from doing harm to others.  I loved seeing how Jazz is always questioning just about everything including himself because honestly he probably trusts himself the least.   This story will grab you and suck you in from the very first line and the best part is there is next to nothing in this story that isn’t believable.  Also Jazz is a hilarious narrator and his best friend Howie is probably one of my favorite sidekicks of all time.  While the book is told almost entirely from Jazz’s point of view there are a few very short chapters told by the killer and they do get a did graphic with the violence towards the end of the book. Overall this is one of my favorite books of the year and I have recommended it to just about everyone I know and so far every single one has liked it.

Skulduggery Pleasant

Skulduggery Pleasant

by Derek Landy

Synopsis:

Snappy Dresser
Razor-tongued Wit
Crackerjack Sorcerer
and
Walking, Talking,
Fire-throwing Skeleton
Meet Skulduggery Pleasant
Ace Detective
-as well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgley, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old.
These two alone must defeat an all-consuming ancient evil.
The end of the world?
Over his dead body.

My thoughts:

The main reason why I picked this book was that  the cover stunned me when I looked at it.  This novel portrays the perfect example of a suspenseful, action filled, creative and some horror.  The vocabulary was fairly simple for a grade six and up due to some strong language.  This type of book allows me to get into it as if I was a part of the story, for example there is a part in a library when the description is so vivid it's like I can see myself in that place.  If I were looking for a book to never put down and want to read more about it in a series, this is the book for you.  Other books include Playing With Fire, The Faceless One’s and Kingdom of the Wicked.                                       

                                                     reviewed by M.K. Grade 10 Scona Student

Freefall

Freefall

by Mindi Scott

Synopsis:

How do you come back from the point of no return?Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend, Isaac, alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time when Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn''t wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend''s death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.

Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he''s ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth soon realizes he isn''t the only one who needs saving . . .

My thoughts:

When I picked it I was expecting a mystery, thriller type of book which its definitely not, but it was still fairly enjoyable. The thing I didn’t like about the book is it had WAAAAY to much romance in it for my liking. There is nothing that I hate more than romance, lovey dovey crap but if you like that sort of stuff you’ll love this book because its also written excellently and its very engaging.  Freefall has a lot of swears in, again a little too much for my liking, so if you're sensitive to constant F- bombs this book may not be for you.  I think this book is relevant to readers in their teens because it deals with overcoming your fears and problems with friends, family, the opposite gender and peer pressure. For example in the book Seth has a hard time dealing with his brother Mikey pressuring him into dropping out of school to rejoin the band so Mikey don't have to find a replacement bassist.  Readers will most likely connect to Seths experiences in some way since every teen has had troubles with their parents or peer pressure. I liked the way the book was written because it wasn't to hard to understand and it was also written  like a teenager would talk so its almost like the character was talking to you, instead if reading a boring essay. All in all I'd recommend this book to most people.

                                         reviewed by M.K. Grade 10 Scona Student

Stolen

Stolen

by Lucy Christopher

Synopsis: 

A girl: Gemma, sixteen, at the airport, on her way to a family vacation.

A guy: Ty, rugged, tan, too old, oddly familiar, eyes blue as ice.

She steps away. For just a second. He pays for her drink. And drugs it. They talk. Their hands touch. And before Gemma knows what''s happening, Ty takes her. Steals her away. To sand and heat. To emptiness and isolation. To nowhere. And expects her to love him.

Written as a letter from a victim to her captor, Stolen is Gemma's desperate story of survival; of how she has to come to terms with her living nightmare-or die trying to fight it.

My Thoughts: 

Stolen by Lucy Christopher is a realistic novel written in the form of a letter to a man who abducted a teenage girl. He approached her at the airport coffee shop and thought she had recognized him from somewhere. He had followed her around for her  whole life. He drugged her at a coffee shop and brought her to a far away, unknown land. He never acts rude or unkind to her, and makes her feel welcome, making her intrigued by his artwork that he keeps in a large shed. They start to share a special bond with each other, leaving her wondering if she wants to be rescued.

Stolen was written in a way that was somewhat predictable, but in a way that made me want to keep reading to see if my predictions were right. It was very interesting reading about the way Ty, the abductor, treated Gemma. I felt like I was always wondering how Ty would act and react to certain things, and then either be surprised or prepared for his actions. The author made Ty a very intriguing and mysterious, but gentle character. I felt like the author created him very well because it made me really think about how I felt about Ty the more i read. In a way i wanted to dislike him for abducting a girl my age, but the way he treated her was so welcoming and kind, making him seem friendly and appealing. I was conflicted when I thought about if he were to get caught if he should be locked up forever, or if Gemma should defend him. It was very  alluring to keep up with what Gemma was thinking throughout her stay with Ty. The way she somehow admired Ty was very thought provoking. It made me wonder how she could come to enjoy the company of some stranger who ripped her away from her home and family. When she describes the good times she had with Ty, its very compelling to see how their relationship changed and grew throughout the novel. Over all Stolen is a very gripping and exciting novel to read.

            
                                                                                                 reviewed by M.C. Grade 10 Scona Student

Malice

Malice

by Chris Wooding

Synopsis:

Everyone''s heard of it...but nobody''s read it. Luke, Seth, and Kady have heard all the stories about Malice-a secret comic about a strange, awful world full of tricks and traps, and overseen by a sinister master of ceremonies, Tall Jake. But if the rumours are to be believed, the children in this comic are real...

Luke is the first to fall into this trap-and Seth and Kady are the next to follow. They have left our world and entered the sinister comic book. The question is-can they make it out alive? From acclaimed author, Chris Wooding, a novel that''s half fact, half comic-and all thrills.

My Thoughts:

In the graphic novel, Malice by Chris Wooding, Seth and Kady have been taken out of the real world and have been put into a comic book that has a Sinister Master of Ceremonies named Tall Jake. Seth and Kady end up in the other world is by saying a chant. Tall Jake put a whole bunch of deadly trials and traps for these two kids to pass. If they complete this comic they can go back to the real world but if they don’t they can end up trapped here.

I really liked the how it was part novel part comic, it was different from any book that i have read. The picture of the book really caught my eye because it says “you can’t escape” and had a picture of a magician. You get a feeling like you know what’s happening to the kids because the story has a story that tells what is happening to them as it goes on. I also like the action in the book because the two kids have to escape and get passed the traps and obstacles that Tall Jakes sets out for them. They way Seth and Kady got trapped in the city of Malice was really neat because they didn’t believe the urban legends they heard. Malice is the first of a duology, concluding with Havoc. I would recommend this book to junior high students who like transitions between comics and novels.

reviewed by D.L. Grade 10 Scona Student

YRCA 2014 Nominee #6: Ruby Red

Ruby Red 

by Kerstin Gier

Synopsis:

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon-the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the eighteenth century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed reading Ruby Red. It was entertaining, fun, and unique. However, I felt that the book was too short. I wasn't ready for the adventure to end. At times I felt that Kerstin Gier was using the first novel in the trilogy as a set- up of the story that would follow in her later novels. The story line went by so fast. It was missing an action plot that would have me on the edge of my seat or to make the story more memorable. While the book was not really memorable, it was good and it will make you want to read the next two books in the trilogy. 

Ruby Red is about time travel which can sometimes be too complicated to follow or too simple that the story line confuses you. Ruby Red is not complicated and not too simple which allows the story line to be explained beautifully and you can follow it easily. I liked the mythology and background surrounding time travel in the universe of this series. It was well thought out yet simple and I’m definite there is a lot more to discover and unveil beyond the first book.

The biggest problem with Ruby Red is that you will want to move on to the sequel right away. This may pose a problem because the final book from the trilogy does not come out until later this year (Fall, 2013). The book was basically a preview of what is to come in later books. It describes the characters and allows the reader to understand the characters, the setting, and the beginning of the story to come.

I think this book is suited for a younger audience. The story is magical and exciting even though it is lacking an epic scene that would have set off the story. It’s simple and engaging. I have high hopes for the remaining novels. 

I hope that the novels following Ruby Red (Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green) are more detailed and discuss the story line more than Ruby Red. 

Also, the German version of the movie "Ruby Red" has been released and producers are working on dubbing the movie into English! Although there is no concrete date on the release of the English dubbed movie, there has been a trailer released! If you don't like trailers or don't want to get too excited about the trailer in case the movie doesn't premiere for a while, I advise you not to watch the trailer. It's a good one! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CItuYHamRtY

YRCA 2014 Nominee #8: Karma

Karma 

by Cathy Ostlere

Synopsis:

On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi is gunned down by two Sikh bodyguards. The murder sparks riots in New Delhi and for three days Sikh men are targeted and killed in retribution for the prime minister's death. It is into this chaos that fifteen-year-old Maya and her Sikh father, Amar, arrive from their home in Canada. India's political instability is the backdrop and catalyst for Maya's awakening to the world. Karma is the story of how she straddles two cultures, endures personal loss, and ultimately learns forgiveness, acceptance, and love.

My Thoughts:

I like this story and I will definitely read it again. It is a romantic and historical fiction of two diaries following the lives of two teenagers. The novel is beautifully written in verse.

"Life is an illusion

And as it turns out, so is death.

What is real? What will remain when we all fade away?

Two things: Love. Forgiveness."

When reading this beautiful novel, you will not be able to put it down as you will want to find out what happens. At the same time, you will want to read the story slowly as to enjoy the descriptive and elegant language. The story stays with me even after I have finished reading it and I recommend it to everyone.

The friendship and the love between Maya and Sandeep provide happiness, love and acceptance instead of racism, hatred, and discrimination that surround that dark era of India.

The author, Cathy Ostlere, shows us a world of hatred and cruelty, different religions and cultures. It is a blend of how humankind is capable of very horrible things and also capable of love and forgiveness.

"We are a nation with a long history and short memories. We are a nation accustomed to pain."

Cathy Ostlere ends the story with a strong possibility of love, hope and peace. "And besides, who will show the world the possibility of love, if it isn't us?"

The book portrays the mystery and splendour of India. You will suffer from the poverty, cruelty, hatred and you will enjoy the beauty of India.

For your sake, I hurry over land and water:

For your sake, I cross the desert and split the mountain in two,

And turn my face from all things,

Until the time I reach the place

Where I am alone with you.                -Persian poet Al-Hallaj

I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced

I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced

by Nujood Ali with Delphine Minoui

Synopsis:

"I'm a simple village girl who has always obeyed the orders of my father and brothers. Since forever, I have learned to say yes to everything. Today I have decided to say no."
 
Forced by her father to marry a man three times her age, young Nujood Ali was sent away from her parents and beloved sisters and made to live with her husband and his family in an isolated village in rural Yemen. There she suffered daily from physical and emotional abuse by her mother-in-law and nightly at the rough hands of her spouse. Flouting his oath to wait to have sexual relations with Nujood until she was no longer a child, he took her virginity on their wedding night. She was only ten years old.

Unable to endure the pain and distress any longer, Nujood fled-not for home, but to the courthouse of the capital, paying for a taxi ride with a few precious coins of bread money. When a renowned Yemeni lawyer heard about the young victim, she took on Nujood's case and fought the archaic system in a country where almost half the girls are married while still under the legal age. Since their unprecedented victory in April 2008, Nujood's courageous defiance of both Yemeni customs and her own family has attracted a storm of international attention. Her story even incited change in Yemen and other Middle Eastern countries, where underage marriage laws are being increasingly enforced and other child brides have been granted divorces.

Recently honored alongside Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice as one of Glamourmagazine's women of the year, Nujood now tells her full story for the first time. As she guides us from the magical, fragrant streets of the Old City of Sana'a to the cement-block slums and rural villages of this ancient land, her unflinching look at an injustice suffered by all too many girls around the world is at once shocking, inspiring, and utterly unforgettable.

My Thoughts:

I wasn't sure what to write about this book and ended up reading quite a few book reviews to see what everyone else had to say about it thinking that maybe that would help me out.  And it did help just not in the way that I expected.  After reading all those reviews the main point I came away with is almost every reviewer didn't like how simple the language and explanations were. I guess I can understand why they would say that but I don't remotely agree with that idea.  This book tells the story of Nujood, who is 10 years old and uneducated of course the language and explanations are going to be simple.  The story actually feels as though Nujood is telling her story which is why this book is so powerful and shocking.  I think the story would lose something if it was told from an adult's perspective because for a fair bit of her story there wasn't an adult around and Nujood had to figure out what was happening on her own.  This book is heart wrenching but inspiring all at the same time.  Nujood is an inspiration to many and because of her other younger girls will hopefully be protect from underage marriages.

Prince of Thorns

Prince of Thorns

by Mark Lawrence

Synopsis:

When he was nine, he watched as his mother and brother were killed before him. At thirteen, he led a band of bloodthirsty thugs. By fifteen, he intends to be king…

It's time for Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath to return to the castle he turned his back on, to take what's rightfully his. Since the day he hung pinned on the thorns of a briar patch and watched Count Renar's men slaughter his mother and young brother, Jorg has been driven to vent his rage. Life and death are no more than a game to him-and he has nothing left to lose. But treachery awaits him in his father's castle. Treachery and dark magic. No matter how fierce his will, can one young man conquer enemies with power beyond his imagining?

My Thoughts:

I am starting to realize that I really am one of those people that picks a book based on the cover; with Prince of Thorns it was even worse. I saw the cover for book two (yes this is a series) and decided book two simply looked amazing and so in order to read it I needed to read book one hence Prince of Thorns. This book took me by surprise. The main character Jorg is 14 and quite frankly I would have never believed he was so young aside from the fact that he tells you he is 14 and Jorg is not one to lie about anything.  The author does an amazing job with Jorg.  Jorg is violent, ruthless, calculating, fearless, and full to the brim with a desire for revenge that borders on obsession but even though he is all those things and seems to have no regard for human live (aside from his own) you still are rooting for him to win and conquer the world and his own demons.  Prince of Thorns is a fairly quick read full of action, adventure, and violence with many twists and turns that leave you wanting more.  But be warned it is also a fairly dark book and if you are at all squeamish about blood or violence I do not recommend picking this book up.

Seraphina

Seraphina

by Rachel Hartman

Synopsis:

A new vision of knights, dragons, and the fair maiden caught in between . . .
 
Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty''s anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.
 
Seraphina has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered. While a sinister plot to destroy the peace is uncovered, Seraphina struggles to protect the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life. Seraphina''s tortuous journey to self-acceptance will make a magical, indelible impression on its readers.

My Thoughts:

I actually didn't pick this book myself; it was recommended to me by a coworker.  It had dragons so I couldn't turn it down.  After looking at the cover and reading the little summary I thought this would be an interesting but rather short and simple story more suited for younger audience than a high school student.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  First of all this is just the first book there will be more coming (unfortunately I haven't seen anything indicating when the next book will be available).  Second the world that Hartman has created is far more intricate than I was expecting.  The character development was quite complex and very well done.  You can clear see how each character is developed and the best part is it is completely believable.  There are so many topics discussed in this book from philosophy and art to love and religion and then there are even heavier topics just as what is means to be human (or a dragon) and how to be accepting (of others and of oneself).  This book I found was a little tough to get into but by chapter 5 I was in love with pretty much all the characters especially Seraphina and I can't wait to see what happens next in this amazingly detailed world.

Everyday

Every Day

by David Levithan

Synopsis:

In his New York Times bestselling novel, David Levithan introduces readers to what Entertainment Weekly calls a "wise, wildly unique" love story about A, a teen who wakes up every morning in a different body, living a different life.

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There's never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It's all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with-day in, day out, day after day.

With his new novel, David Levithan, bestselling co-author of Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A's world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

My Thoughts:

Imagine waking up everyday with absolutely no idea what to expect.  That is A.'s life. A. wakes up and has to figured out if he (and I use the term loosely) is a girl or a boy, if he is short or tall, where he is now living in the world, and so many more things.  This has been A.'s life and he has learned to adapt to it.  He tries to live a version of the person whose life he has for the day as close to normal as possible and most of all tries to not interfere because his biggest fears are that someone will find out about him or that he will ruin someone's live permanently.  That is until he meets Rhiannon and all the rules that he made no longer seem that important.  After a full day with Rhiannon, A. starts to really think about what he is missing out on and decides that what he wants more than anything is a relationship with Rhiannon and for her to know the truth about him.  Telling Rhiannon presents its own set of problems, mainly that it is a hard truth to believe and it takes a few days of A. in completely different bodies to finally convince her of the truth. As A. and Rhiannon grow closer they are faced with Rhiannon's difficult to see A. through the varies bodies that he inhabits.  David Levithan's Every Day makes you question so many things.  On one hand you want A. to have a real life and be able to fall in love and stay with that person but on the other hand you want A. to stick to his moral code and not take someone's life away from them.  You want Rhiannon and A. to connect and be a couple but at the same time you are right there with Rhiannon questioning how you can love a physically different person every single day.  This book doesn't try to figure out how to fix A.'s life; it's not about the how or even the why and frankly if the author had tried it would have been a very different book.  This book is about hope and the many versions of love that are out there.

Tiger Lily

Tiger Lily

by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Synopsis:

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

My Thoughts:

First of all I am a huge Peter Pan fan always have been.  So when I saw this book I simply had to read it.  To me Tiger Lily always seemed very reserved, determined, and brave and it was always a little sad to see Tiger Lily replaced so easily in Peter's heart.  With Anderson's book I wasn't really sure what to expect since Tiger Lily is by no means a major character in Peter Pan.  I guess I though it would be a love triangle - Wendy, Peter, and Tiger Lily but it's not.  This book tells the story of Neverland before Wendy showed which is a much darker place than previously told.  You see how the lost boys came to be, why Captain Hook hates Peter so very much, and how Peter and Tiger Lily met. This story is told from Tinkerbell's point of view.  It was a surprise but a very effective and unique way to tell Tiger Lily's story. According to Tinkerbell fairies have no language and so she relies on emotions and actions to tell Tiger Lily's story.  She also tells us that fairies are fiercely loyal which is why Tinkerbell stays with Tiger Lily and also falls in love with Peter.  Tiger Lily is probably one of the loneliest characters that I have ever read and it is made worse by the fact that she has lived with it for so long that she doesn't even realize it. Tiger Lily is portrayed a smart, fearless, keen eyed character. She's the type of girl who doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Her tribe treats her like an outcast, believing that she is cursed but refuses to let her leave at the same time. Is it no wonder then that when she meets Peter in the woods, a soul as lost and broken as she is, that she is drawn to him and ultimately falls in love with him. Peter on the other hand is all too aware that he is broken and will do anything to fix it - including lie.  Tiger Lily and Peter are both searching desperately for something that they just can't name and think that they have found it in each other. But this is a story where good doesn't always win and love doesn't always triumph. This book is a love story but it is also a book about loss, loneliness, and a fear of change.  

Storm Front

Storm Front

Author: Jim Butcher

Synopsis: 

Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he’s the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things — and most of them don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a — well, whatever.

There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get… interesting.

Magic. It can get a guy killed.

My Thoughts: 

A wizard named Harry who battles dark magic. I know where this story’s going, except I didn’t.

The Dresden files follow the personal accounts of the wizard Harry (after Houdini) Blackstone Copperfield Dresden as he attempts to practice his craft in the city of Chicago for the benefit of those the system can’t help. All for a nominal fee of course.

Magic is dark and gritty fueled by passion and blood described in rich and visceral detail, the lure to take it too far intoxicatingly tempting.

Harry Dresden walks the edge of a razor blade balanced above a glass of lemonade as he openly admits his talents, yet hides the actual application from those around him. All the dark things that go bump in the night know who he is, what he is, and where he is, the only things keeping him alive are his wits and his magic.

Storm Front is a hardboiled crime noir detective story with a generous helping of humor set against a paranormal background. It does not aspire to be life-changing or profound. All it does is take you on a fun and exciting ride.