By Chris Crutcher
Ben Wolf goes in for a routine physical exam and comes out knowing that he has only one year to live. Instead of alerting his family and starting treatment, Ben decides to refuse treatment and hide it from everyone. He wants to make the best out of hsi last year, so he goes out for football, defies his teachers, and tries to get up the nerve to talk to Dallas Suzuki. And it all seems to be going great, untill he starts thinking. How will he explain to everyone that he knew he was dying and didn't tell them? That he refused treatment? That he lied to them all?
This is a very... interesting read. At points you might question the main character's sanity, but other than that, the book is pretty okay. Though, I did enjoy the story line. A very different take on the over used "cancer-patient" story. It also has a good message about the truth.
I Am the Messenger
By: Marcus Zusak
Ed, an underaged cabdriver leading a pointless life, is given the chance to become something more. After he stops a bank robbery, he starts receiving playing cards in the mail. With these cards in hand, he makes his way through town, helping others. He becomes... the messenger.
I have just recently read this book, and I absolutely loved it. The author did such a brilliant job of showing the main character's soul. You could understand what he did and why he did it perfectly. It also has a great measage. I highly recommend it.
Ed, an underaged cabdriver leading a pointless life, is given the chance to become something more. After he stops a bank robbery, he starts receiving playing cards in the mail. With these cards in hand, he makes his way through town, helping others. He becomes... the messenger.
I have just recently read this book, and I absolutely loved it. The author did such a brilliant job of showing the main character's soul. You could understand what he did and why he did it perfectly. It also has a great measage. I highly recommend it.
Scattered Mirror
By: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Being a vampire-hunting witch isn't easy, but Sarah Tigress Vida had learned from the best. She is a fifth-generation Vida, the most powerful family throughout centuries of hunting the undead. Sarah is proud of her heritage and the last thing she would want to do is disobey her family's rules. However, when she transfers to her new high school, she meets two vampires posing as studnets. At first she keeps her distance, because befriending the enemy could cost Sarah her life. But she is drawn to their kindness and charm. Sarsh begins to care for the vampires, untill she discovers that they are related to Nikolas, infamous for carving his name into the flesh of his victims, the most hunted and hated vampire.
This author takes a more violent approach at vampirism than others, but she also uses a lot of traditioinal ideas. I liked the way she played off how "not everything is black and white", though Sarah's thoughts seemed almost too black and white, in the beginning. I would of liked to read more about the possible "brain washing" that went on during her childhood that caused her to think that way. There are more books by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes that have Sarah in them I hear, so perhaps those will answer some of the unanswered questions in this book.
Being a vampire-hunting witch isn't easy, but Sarah Tigress Vida had learned from the best. She is a fifth-generation Vida, the most powerful family throughout centuries of hunting the undead. Sarah is proud of her heritage and the last thing she would want to do is disobey her family's rules. However, when she transfers to her new high school, she meets two vampires posing as studnets. At first she keeps her distance, because befriending the enemy could cost Sarah her life. But she is drawn to their kindness and charm. Sarsh begins to care for the vampires, untill she discovers that they are related to Nikolas, infamous for carving his name into the flesh of his victims, the most hunted and hated vampire.
This author takes a more violent approach at vampirism than others, but she also uses a lot of traditioinal ideas. I liked the way she played off how "not everything is black and white", though Sarah's thoughts seemed almost too black and white, in the beginning. I would of liked to read more about the possible "brain washing" that went on during her childhood that caused her to think that way. There are more books by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes that have Sarah in them I hear, so perhaps those will answer some of the unanswered questions in this book.
Tantalize
By: Cynthia Leitich Smith
Quincie Morris had never fely more alone. With both of her parents dead and her werewolf boyfriend leaving her to join a pack, she is left with only her uncle and the family resturant. Quincie and her uncle try to reopen the restarurant, adding a vampire theme to attract more quests. However, when a brutal murder takes te life of their cook only a month before the grand opening, Quincie has to scramble to find a replacment. Can she transform the new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Will he wow the crowd with his fake fangs, cheap cape and red contacts? Can Quincie pull it off?
All throughout the book, you can pretty easily guess what will happen next. Most of the characters are very unoriginal and none of them show much depth. It also drags on and on during the middle of the book, repeating basically the same situation over and over again. The story reminds me of Stephanie Meyer's book, Twilight, in the way that she mixes vampires and werewolfs, though not as well. Overall, a decent book, though probably not worth your time.
Quincie Morris had never fely more alone. With both of her parents dead and her werewolf boyfriend leaving her to join a pack, she is left with only her uncle and the family resturant. Quincie and her uncle try to reopen the restarurant, adding a vampire theme to attract more quests. However, when a brutal murder takes te life of their cook only a month before the grand opening, Quincie has to scramble to find a replacment. Can she transform the new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Will he wow the crowd with his fake fangs, cheap cape and red contacts? Can Quincie pull it off?
All throughout the book, you can pretty easily guess what will happen next. Most of the characters are very unoriginal and none of them show much depth. It also drags on and on during the middle of the book, repeating basically the same situation over and over again. The story reminds me of Stephanie Meyer's book, Twilight, in the way that she mixes vampires and werewolfs, though not as well. Overall, a decent book, though probably not worth your time.
The Midnighters Series
By: Scott Westerfeld
Includes:
-The Secret Hour
-Touching Darkness
-Blue Noon
In Bixby, Oklahoma, strange things happen at midnight. Time freezes. Nobody moves. To normal people, the secret hour is non-existent. It goes by in a second, so quickly that you can't even tell it's there. The only people who can enter this extra hour are a group of teenagers whose birth at the stroke of midnight gave them the ability to roam through the mysterious 25th hour. They call themselves the Midnighters. But they are not alone. Dark creatues haunt the shadows of the secret hour, carefully watching the Midnighters. And they lived in harmony... until Jessica Day moved to town.
Written by one of my favorite authors, Scott Westerfeld, this series is definitely worth reading. As in all of his books, there is just the right blend of action and suspense, with a little comedy and some romance. With compelling characters and a totally unique story line, all three books will have you wanting more.
Includes:
-The Secret Hour
-Touching Darkness
-Blue Noon
In Bixby, Oklahoma, strange things happen at midnight. Time freezes. Nobody moves. To normal people, the secret hour is non-existent. It goes by in a second, so quickly that you can't even tell it's there. The only people who can enter this extra hour are a group of teenagers whose birth at the stroke of midnight gave them the ability to roam through the mysterious 25th hour. They call themselves the Midnighters. But they are not alone. Dark creatues haunt the shadows of the secret hour, carefully watching the Midnighters. And they lived in harmony... until Jessica Day moved to town.
Written by one of my favorite authors, Scott Westerfeld, this series is definitely worth reading. As in all of his books, there is just the right blend of action and suspense, with a little comedy and some romance. With compelling characters and a totally unique story line, all three books will have you wanting more.
Peeps
By: Scott Westerfeld
Cal Thompson is parasite positive, also known as a Peep. Unlick most Peeps who are insane cannibals lurking in the darkness, he just has night vision, superhuman strength, and cravings for red meat. Unfortunately, there is also another side effect. He can never be with a girl. Even one kiss could turn her into a Peep as well. So instead, he spends his time working at the Night Watch, a secret branch of the city goverment that is dedicated to tracking and capturing other Peeps. But something hidden underground for centuries is beginning to bubble up to the streets of New York. Some ancient thing has been awakened. And it's not happy.
Peeps is one of my favorite books, which is saying a lot because I read a ton of books. I love how every other chapter the author stops the story to tell you about real parasites living in our world. What makes the story absolutely fascinating is that it is almost completely possible. Every detail of the plot is reasonable and it actually makes sense, unlike other vampire novels I have read. The end will leave you hanging, but I don't recomment that you read the sequel, because it is a different story altogether. This book breaks the vampire novel mold, and I strongly encourage you to read it.
Cal Thompson is parasite positive, also known as a Peep. Unlick most Peeps who are insane cannibals lurking in the darkness, he just has night vision, superhuman strength, and cravings for red meat. Unfortunately, there is also another side effect. He can never be with a girl. Even one kiss could turn her into a Peep as well. So instead, he spends his time working at the Night Watch, a secret branch of the city goverment that is dedicated to tracking and capturing other Peeps. But something hidden underground for centuries is beginning to bubble up to the streets of New York. Some ancient thing has been awakened. And it's not happy.
Peeps is one of my favorite books, which is saying a lot because I read a ton of books. I love how every other chapter the author stops the story to tell you about real parasites living in our world. What makes the story absolutely fascinating is that it is almost completely possible. Every detail of the plot is reasonable and it actually makes sense, unlike other vampire novels I have read. The end will leave you hanging, but I don't recomment that you read the sequel, because it is a different story altogether. This book breaks the vampire novel mold, and I strongly encourage you to read it.
The Time Trippers Series
By: Stefan Petrucha
Includes:
-Yestermorrow
-Inrage
-Blindsighted
-FutureImperfect
Ever since Harry Keller's dad dies, everyone thinks he's crazy. But Harry's mind hasn't collapsed, it's expanded. He has begun to see what no one else can see. He has begun to see time itself. In a place he call A-Time, every moment co-exists. People's lives are twisting trails, unwinding before him. Upon entering a trail, Harry can see the person's past, feeling what they have fely, almost as if he were living their life. But as he tries to untangle the mysteries of A-Time, her must stay connected to the "real" world. Or he could be sent away... again.
As soon as I picked up the first book, I was hooked. I couldn't put it down. The story line was so abstract and intense, it quickly drew you in. I was also suprised how well the author jumped from Siara's innocent, questioning mind to Harry's slightly frazzled, but determined mind. A great series that really makes you think.
Includes:
-Yestermorrow
-Inrage
-Blindsighted
-FutureImperfect
Ever since Harry Keller's dad dies, everyone thinks he's crazy. But Harry's mind hasn't collapsed, it's expanded. He has begun to see what no one else can see. He has begun to see time itself. In a place he call A-Time, every moment co-exists. People's lives are twisting trails, unwinding before him. Upon entering a trail, Harry can see the person's past, feeling what they have fely, almost as if he were living their life. But as he tries to untangle the mysteries of A-Time, her must stay connected to the "real" world. Or he could be sent away... again.
As soon as I picked up the first book, I was hooked. I couldn't put it down. The story line was so abstract and intense, it quickly drew you in. I was also suprised how well the author jumped from Siara's innocent, questioning mind to Harry's slightly frazzled, but determined mind. A great series that really makes you think.
Books I Have Read Recently (Good & Bad)
Firegirl By: Tondy Abbott
The Diary of Pelly D By: L.J. Adlington
Gilda Joyce: Psychic Investigator By: Jennifer Allison
Peaches By: Jodi Lynn Anderson
Feed By: M.T. Anderson
Speak By: Laurie Halse Anderson
Twisted By: Laurie Halse Anderson
Catalyst By: Laurie Halse Anderson
The Death of Jayson Porter By: Jamie Adoff
Demon in My View By: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Shattered Mirror By: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Midnight Predator By: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
In the Forests of the Night By: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Tangerine By: Edward Bloor
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants By: Ann Brashares
Tangerine By: Edward Bloor
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants By: Ann Brashares
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood By: Ann Brashares
Girls in Pants By: Ann Brashares
Being By: Kevin Brooks
The Prophecy of the Stones By: Flavia Bujor
How to be Popular By: Meg Cabot
Glass Houses By: Rachel Caine
The Dead Girls' Dance By: Rachel Caine
Midnight Alley By: Rachel Caine
The Nature of Jade By: Deb Caletti
Boy Proof By: Cecil Castellucci
Things Not Seen By: Andrew Clements
Gingerbread By: Rachel Cohn
Shrimp By: Rachel Cohn
Cupcake By: Rachel Cohn
Take Me There By: Susane Colasanti
Take Me There By: Susane Colasanti
When It Happens By: Susane Colasanti
The Face on the Milk Carton By: Caroline B. Cooney
The Voice on the Radio By: Caroline B. Cooney
Whatever Happened to Janie By: Caroline B. Cooney
What Janie Found By: Caroline B. Cooney
If the Witness Lied By: Caroline B. Cooney
Ordinary Ghosts By: Eireann Corrigan
The Monsters of Morely Manner By: Bruce Coville
Whale Talk By: Chris Crutcher
Deadline By: Chris Crutcher
Deadline By: Chris Crutcher
The Sledding Hill By: Chris Crutcher
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes By: Chris Crutcher
The Crazy Horse Electric Game By: Chris Crutcher
Ironman By: Chris Crutcher
Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories By: Chris Crutcher
Stotan! By: Chris Crutcher
Chinese Handcuffs By: Chris Crutcher
Skin and other stories By: Roald Dahl
3 NBs of Julian Drew By: James Deem
Someone Like You By: Sarah Dessen
Because of Winn-Dixie By: Kate Dicamillo
This is What I Did By: Ann Dee Ellis
Sister Spider Knows All By: Adrian Fogelin
I Can't Tell You By: Hillary Frank
Head Games By: Mariah Fredericks
Crunch Time By: Mariah Fredericks
Lush By: Natasha Friend
Inkheart By: Cornelia Funke
Pictures of Hollis Woods By: Patricia Reilly Giff
Right Behind You By: Gail Giles
An Abundence of Katherines By: John Green
Looking for Alaska By: John Green
Paper Towns By: John Green
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time By: Mark Haddon
Just Ella By: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey By: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Double Identity By: Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Goose Girl By: Shannon Hale
The Princess Academy By: Shannon Hale
Get Well Soon By: Julie Halpern
The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney By: Suzanne Harper
The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney By: Suzanne Harper
Geography Club By: Brent Hartinger
Order of the Poison Oak By: Brent Hartinger
Grand & Humble By: Brent Hartinger
Rash By: Pete Hautman
Shock Point By: April Henry
Green Angel By: Alice Hoffman
The Misfits By: James Howe
Lemonade Mouth By: Mark Peter Hughes
Perfect World By: Brian James
Zombie Blondes By: Brain James
Repossessed By: A. M. Jenkins
Evil Genius By: Catherine Jinks
Cheated By: Patrick Jones
Phantom By: Susan Kay
The Woman in the Wall By: Patrice Kindl
The Silver Kiss By: Annette Curtis Klause
Blood and Chocolate By: Annette Curtis Klause
Lessons From A Dead Girl By: Jo Knowles
Son of the Mob By: Gordon Korman
Son of the Mob: Hollywood Hustle By: Gordon Korman
The Girls By: Amy Goldman Koss
The Cheat By: Amy Goldman Koss
Skulduggery Pleasent By: Derek Landy
Absolutely Positively Not By: David LaRochelle
Absolutely Positively Not By: David LaRochelle
Absolute Brightness By: James Lecesne
The Realm of Possibility By: David Levithan
How They Met And Other Stories By: David Levithan
How They Met And Other Stories By: David Levithan
Ely and Naomi's No-Kiss List By: Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist By: Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Dramarama By: E. Lockhart
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks By: E. Lockhart
Gathering Blue By: Lois Lowry
Rules By: Cynthia Lord
The Declaration By: Gemma Malley
The Declaration By: Gemma Malley
Letters from the Inside By: John Marsden
Leap Day By: Wendy Mass
The Girl Death Left Behind By: Lurlene McDaniel
The Decoding of Lana Morris By: Laura and Tom McNeal
The Decoding of Lana Morris By: Laura and Tom McNeal
Twilight By: Stephenie Meyer
New Moon By: Stephenie Meyer
Inside the Mind of Gideon Rayburn By: Sarah Miller
Echo By: Kate Morgenroth
Jude By: Kate Morgenroth
The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie By: Jaclyn Moriarty
The Year of Secret Assignments By: Jaclyn Moriarty
The Heights, the Depths, and Everything In Between By: Sally Nemeth
Hatchet By: Gary Paulsen
All of the Above By: Shelley Pearsall
The Adoration of Jenna Fox By: Mary E. Pearson
Timetripper: Yestermorrow By: Stefan Petrucha
Timetripper: InRage By: Stefan Petrucha
Timetripper: Blindsighted By: Stefan Petrucha
Timetripper: Future Imperfect By: Stefan Petrucha
The World as We Knew It By: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Dead Connection By: Charlie Price
After By: Francine Prose
Cures for Heartbreak By: Margo Rabb
Harmless By: Dana Reinhardt
Surface Tension: A Novel in Four Summers By: Brent Runyon
Becoming Naomi Leon By: Pam Munoz Ryan
Esperanza Rising By: Pam Munoz Ryan
Holes By: Louis Sachar
Holes By: Louis Sachar
Perfect You By: Elizabeth Scott
Black Eyed Suzie By: Susan Shaw
Safe By: Susan Shaw
Safe By: Susan Shaw
Elsewhere By: Will Shetterly
Nevernever By: Will Shetterly
Everlost By: Neal Shusterman
Unwind By: Neal Shusterman
Tantalize By: Cynthia Leitich Smith
Tantalize By: Cynthia Leitich Smith
One of those Hideous Books where the Mother Dies By: Sonya Sones
What My Mother Doesn't Know By: Sonya Sones
The Mysterious Matter of I.M. Fine By: Diane Stanley
The Taker By: J.M. Steele
The Taker By: J.M. Steele
The Market By: J.M. Steele
Cracked Up To Be By: Courtney Summers
My Mother Is A French Fry and Further Proof of My Fuzzed-Up Life By: Colleen Sydor
Summer Spell By: Sean Thesman
Heir Apparent By: Vivian Vande Velde
User Unfriendly By: Vivian Vande Velde
Flipped By: Wendelin VanDraanen
Runaway By: Wendelin VanDraanen
Click Here By: Denise Vega
Sight By: Adrienne Maris Vrettos
Pop! By: Aury Wallington
So B. It By: Sarah Weeks
So B. It By: Sarah Weeks
The Rules of Survival By: Nancy Werlin
Double Helix By: Nancy Werlin
So Yesterday By: Scott Westerfeld
Uglies By: Scott Westerfeld
Pretties By: Scott Westerfeld
Specials By: Scott Westerfeld
Peeps By: Scott Westerfeld
The Bar-Code Tattoo By: Suzane Weyn
Such a Pretty Girl By: Laura Wiess
Such a Pretty Girl By: Laura Wiess
Leftovers By: Laura Wiess
One Night By: Margaret Wild
Zig Zag By: Ellen Wittlinger
Elsewhere By: Gabrielle Zevin
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac By: Gabrielle Zevin
How Not To Be Popular By: Jennifer Ziegler
The Book Theif By: Markus Zusak
I Am the Messenger By: Markus Zusak
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