Wilmington High School English 10H discussion

The Secret Life of Bees is a radiant novel that effortlessly explores the true nature of family and what it means to be a mother. Sue Monk Kidd’s raw style of writing through the words of Lily Owens allows the reader to see an honest view of 1960’s racism and the power of human connection. A variety of archetypal characters appear in the book. Between Lily, the orphan searching for her place in the world, and August, a matronly caregiver, there are a wide range of profiles for readers to identify with.
The novel is centered on Lily Owens, who lives each day in the shadow of her mother’s death. When Lily’s black “stand-in mother”, Rosaleen, insults three of the most passionate racists in town, Lily breaks her out of jail and they run off together. The pair end up in Triburon, South Carolina, where the Lily’s mother’s past may be hidden. Lily and Rosaleen end up at the house of a black, beekeeping family of sisters who willingly takes them in. Lily is welcomed into their world of honey, bees, and the Black Madonna. Through twists and turns, Kidd exposes the true nature of what it means to love and be loved, as well as the idea of what a mother truly is.
The Secret Life of Bees constantly keeps the reader entertained. Engaging themes and evolving bee imagery combined with realistic and honest characters make this novel compelling and brilliant. Kidd has masterfully reworks the racist south into a beautiful book on divine female power and strength. By portraying fierce female characters, Kidd manages to show the reader the power of each woman’s “internal mother”. Despite the narrator’s young age, The Secret Life of Bees remains a mature and powerful novel that is sure to inspire female independent and self-love.

Loch’s father is one of many employed by Anthony Cavenger. Cavenger’s goal is to prove the existence of dinosaurs living in a lake. At first the expedition gets nowhere, seemingly pointless; but soon many lose their lives because of Cavenger’s ruthlessness and determination to catch a prehistoric creature dead or alive. The creatures thought to be violent and dangerous, are soon defended by Loch and his little sister, who find a baby dinosaur abandoned at the bottom of a waterfall. Becoming unlikely friends, Loch risks everything to defend the creatures.
This book has a good writing style, using very descriptive language and realistic dialogue. The plot is good, and could be relevant to today’s world because sometimes animals are killed just for attacking someone. Like a dog or an alligator. I would recommend this book because it is a good story, and gets to the point without dragging on, and would be a good book for people who do not like to read too much. Loch is a suspenseful book and time flies by when reading. Reading this book reveals the mysteries behind the elusive creatures living in the deep, and why if prehistoric creatures did exist in the real world, they should not be hunted to extinction. Overall, the book is exciting, descriptive, and takes a realistic situation, like people looking for a rare creature, and makes it fantastical.

The Kite Runner
By: Khaled Hosseini
The Kite Runner will put anyone on an emotional roller coaster. The novel will move the reader to tears and then to absolute joy. It’s engaging while demonstrating literary genius and life lessons. The novel follows, Amir, a boy living in Afghanistan, through his daily life and his friendship with a boy named Hassan. The novel continues to watch Amir grow up and discover a new life in America. It creates an original plot that hasn’t been seen before.
The Kite Runner is one of the best books I have ever read. It kept me turning every page to see what would happen next. The author was able to make the reader connect to the characters on a deeper level. I shared the same emotions as Amir when he found out his father’s secretive past. The book had many ups and downs that left me feeling hollow and then overjoyed. Another strong point in the novel was the unique setting. I did not understand that much about Afghanistan and this novel made me want to learn more about its culture and history. It also offered a unique perspective about a country that can often be overlooked. It reminded me that just because to America a country is a war zone, doesn’t mean it’s not someone else’s home. Any reader could relate to the novel’s powerful themes. Whether it be wanting to please a parent or trying to right a wrong. Though the novel was excellent, there were a few weak points.
Like all novels, there were some weak points in the writing. There was a lot of Farsi words which helped the reader get a feel for Afghan culture but also made the novel more difficult to understand. The novel also dealt with very mature subjects, such as rape and torture, which may disturb readers. The plot was also slow moving at points but quickly found a faster pace. Overall there wasn’t many flaws with the novel. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling and culturally unique story.
By: Eva Nesline

Anthem
By Ayn Rand
Anthem is a story that takes place in a communist dystopian future, where technology has been abandoned, love is nonexistent, and individual thought is banned. Not unlike George Orwell’s 1984, Anthem describes one man’s struggle with the oppression required to create an equal society. The hero, known only as Equality 7-2521 since no one can have a name to differentiate from one another, faces a world where everything is done collectively and “we” is the only way people can refer to themselves. Equality 7-2521 refuses to conform to this society. He is smarter than his fellow man and uses this intelligence to rediscover electricity. He is more passionate as well, and manages to find love despite all of the government’s efforts to prevent it from occurring.

I found this book to be quite interesting and unique, especially how the author used pluralization to show how there was absolute control over people’s minds. While it is similar in many ways to Orwell’s 1984, I find the differences to be noticeable enough to still enjoy reading both. Anthem was not a copy of 1984, as it was written before 1984 was even published. I actually enjoyed Anthem more than 1984 due to its unique writing style and more interesting plotline. I would recommend reading this book if you are interested in politics or philosophy. One weakness I noticed was how greatly over exaggerated the negatives of collectivism were, but this was used purposely by the author to make a point. In today’s world, most people would view this book as just a political propaganda pamphlet, but it can apply to so much more. It celebrates being different in a world where everyone is pressured to conform. Following your dreams and desires is what truly leads to happiness, not just blindly following the path society chooses for you that is supposedly better in the long run for “the common good.”
-Vincent Pietropaolo

Divergent
By Veronica Roth

Divergent is a best selling novel that is set in a dystopian future of corruption and injustice in the aftermath of a world war. In it, at age 16 each teen of a city set in present day Chicago must take a test to determine which of the 5 factions of the society that they will best fit into. These were created on the basis of personal traits to give each citizen a purpose and to limit protest. Specifically, the candor class emphasizes honesty, erudite values intelligence, dauntless with bravery, amity with peacefulness, and Abnegation with selflessness.

It focuses around the female lead, Beatrice Prior--who later renames herself Tris- as she attempts to undergo the trials of assimilating into the warrior class, named Dauntless, from her origins in Abnegation, after her test is inconclusive and she uses free will to change. All in all, 80% of the entire book is focused around Beatrice trying to persevere. However despite the fact that some of the trials Tris undergoes are absolutely breathtaking -- from massive fight scenes to simulated tests brought on by psychedelics that attack one's worst fears-- the amount of time without any real action brings the value of the story down exponentially.

Today, Divergent is viewed as almost a younger sister to The Hunger Games, because it is of the same genre with a female main character going against all odds. The latter however has much more of a robust story with more heart stomping sequences and mystic to the society in general, which Divergent does not fail in, but does not do magnificent in either. I for one had trouble relating to the main character with her struggles and other subplots. It seems as if the book is more female driven to me just in the way it was written. However, my negative review might just be tainted and full of bias with the Hunger Games obsession I had last summer, despite the amount of times I tried to get myself to stop comparing the two.

Overall, I’d give the story a 6.5/10. I’ve been told in the very recent past that I am one to go from one tv/book addiction to the next very fast (more so tv), so I am honestly surprised that I did not fall into the complete grip of the novel, aspiring to read the next two in quick time, because I am not. The love scenario Roth tried to build was not believable to me. The action sequences and timing are not up to par with those of other books and tv shows I have recently watched, such as the quarter quell of Catching Fire, the destruction of the prison of the Walking Dead, and the various encounters with the hostiles and the killer smoke monster of the island in the jungle in Lost. To me, it simply was not interesting enough, which was probably brought on by the fact that the real story of fighting back against oppressors does not come out until the very end. The overall message of being true to who one is and standing out, though sometimes seems a bit forced, has merit and in the novels strong points is brought out nicely. I would recommend this to anyone looking for something to read.
~Timmy Scalona

Girl, Interrupted
By Susanna Kaysen
In the memoir Girl, Interrupted by Susuanna Kaysen she tells the story of how she was sent to a mental institution in Cambridge called McLean Hospital. In 1967 at the age of 18 she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, put in a taxi, and sent to the hospital. She resided there for a little over a year with her roommate Georgina and her soon to be close friends, Cynthia, Lisa and Polly. McLean Hospital was the treatment center for people that could afford it at the time so she was getting the best care possible. Although each girl had a different diagnosis, they were all bonded by the fact that each one was stuck with each other not able to go anywhere without supervision. Some cases were more severe than others, but Susanna focused mostly on her own story. Susanna talked about how she overcame her diagnosis and some of the experiences that she had or that she saw other people have. She tells her story brutally honest and you can tell that she doesn't leave out any detail. It was not necessarily a happy story, but it was very well written. What I really enjoyed about the story was how she explained her view on things. She talked a lot about the difference between a normal brain and a brain with a chemical imbalance such as how she viewed things versus how a sane person would view things. She talked about the internal battles that she used to face everyday and how she came to realize that no matter what you can achieve anything. When she was able to be cleared from the hospital she told her analyst that she wanted to be a writer and he said that that was crazy and she should become a dentist. It seemed to her that nobody really cared what she wanted, but she made sure to prove them all wrong. One thing that I did not like about the book was how quickly she jumped around to each topic. For example, in one chapter she could be talking about how the brain works and in the next chapter she could skip to ten years from that point and then back again with no warning. At certain times it was a little bit hard to follow but all in all I thought that it was extremely interesting and would definitely recommend it to anyone who was looking for a good book to read.

The Blind Side
By: Michael Lewis
The Blind Side is a story that touches the hearts of many through an excellent style of writing by Michael Lewis. This rags to riches fairy tale story of a boy named Michael Oher, is a great read, if you enjoy football. The movie and the book are very closely related, but the movie producers made the story out only to be about Michael and the Tuohy’s; which is not what author Michael Lewis wanted. Lewis wanted the game of football to be portrayed more so, rather than the story of Michael Oher. And that is what he did in his book.
Michael Oher is a boy who initially lives in the projects. As his passion and talent for the sport of football grow he begins to realize how good he is and that he could possibly attend college for football, but he is not going to have the money. He is then taken in by the Tuohy family and cared for like one of their own. This story touches the heart of many people and it sure touched mine. Although it seems like every book has a family that takes in the poor and cares for them, that Lewis makes it known that the Tuohy’s aren’t one of those families. He makes the fact that the Tuohy’s took Michael in less and less crazy as you continue to read. Michael Lewis’ unique writing style is really at his best in this book and you can tell from this example. If there is a weakness in this book, I would have to say that sometimes it begins to talk in depth about football a little too much. Even though I know a lot about the game of football, I just think that for someone who isn’t really into football wouldn’t enjoy those sections of the book.
A couple of the major themes in this book are poverty, love, and determination. Michael Oher, the main character came from the projects and transformed himself into a prestigious athlete and student with the help of the Tuohy’s. The love plays a role in the fact that the Tuohy’s out of the goodness of their heart took Michael in to help get him on his feet to be successful. Lastly, determination is shown throughout all of this book, and mainly through Michael. He shows so much self-determination because of what is background was to what he transformed himself into. All three of these themes for the book relate to today’s issues because today people still deal with poverty, love is given every day by many people, and determination is a big part of being successful in life.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Like I said before it is a very touching story of a boy, Michael, who turned his life around and made it into something. I believe you would be in for a treat with The Blind Side by Michael Lewis, because of his wonderful writing and knack for keeping the reader engaged.

In the novel “A Civil Action” Jonathan Harr tells the story of local families and the struggles they went through. Eight Woburn families’ of children who became ill and died joined together to pay a newly appointed lawyer Jan Schlichtmann, to take to court companies whom they thought were polluting the local drinking water that was killing their children. They decided to sue two companies for the poisoning of their drinking water. Risking everything he has, Jan Schlichtmann took on what was first seen as a non-profitable case, an environmental issue with great potential impact. A Leather production company is possibly the cause for the many cases of leukemia in children. In and all or nothing fight Jan and these contributing families battle for closure and the end to the ongoing cancer in the city of Woburn.
“A Civil Action” was rated number 1 national bestseller and won the national book critics circle award for nonfiction. This novel addresses the issues of pollution and the casualties it can cause. A main issue in this novel is ignorance. For months locals were complaining about the filth in the public water and for months they were shut down by the town engineer who claimed it was tested and was clean. This ignorance caused the lives of the innocence. Greed plays a big part in the cause of fighting for power and then nearly losing it all. Everything in this novel relates to today’s world because this novel is today’s world. Pollution, ignorance, greed, cancer, court, everything is relevant to what goes on today. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, and people continue to die every day because of it. Seen from this novel some deaths could be prevented if people start taking things into their own hands and fighting against it. Pollution has been a continuous problem for the longest time and there’s still no change. Contamination has caused many issues to this day and is a major contribution to a lot of problems. If you are interested in a true local story of the battle in a courtroom where everything is risked for these families and the residents of Woburn, and how one man, with the help of a few colleagues can make a difference in multiple family’s lives, then I recommend this thrilling novel that will leave you enlightened.

In the novel, "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have just returned home to their district after becoming the first pair of people to win the Hunger Games together. They are able to be declared dual-winners because of Peeta's declaration of love towards Katniss. Katniss is only pretending to love Peeta for the sake of the competition, but he does not find this out until later on. In the novel, Katniss and Peeta embark on their annual Victory Tour. President Snow informs Katniss that Katniss must convince everyone that she is actually in love with Peeta or else the capital will go after their families.
Overall, "Catching Fire" was a good read. The writing style was somewhat simplistic, however it was effective and it held my attention; especially at the end of the novel. Collins pulled off one of the most effective cliff hangers I have ever read. It made the book that much more intense and left me wanting to read more.
Suzanne Collins does a phenomenal job of depicting the settings of the book. The Capitol; the arena; District 12... I can picture them all in my head, and in great detail, too.
There are many themes depicted throughout the novel including: love, control, rebellion, ignorance, and many more.
Catching fire also has many different symbols that are depicted throughout the novel. The most obvious symbol is the Mockingjay pin. The mayor's daughter gave Katniss this Mockingjay pin before the games. It represents rebellion and is worn by supporters of it. Katniss symbolizes defiance in many ways throughout the novel. Also, Katniss's bow represents both skill security.
I would definitely recommend this book to my friends. The plot is very intense and it is a book that you will have a hard time putting down! I'm sure most readers will find themselves predicting what will happen next; and I'm even more sure that their predictions will be inaccurate because of how unpredictable the plot is.

Book: Basketball Junkie
Authors: Chris Herren and Bill Reynolds

This novel is a compelling and inspiring true story about a basketball star who wastes his talent through drug abuse and alcohol. Chris Herren, a man who excelled at basketball in Fall River at Durfee High School, struggled between his career, family, and substance abuse. The novel depicts Herren as an honest man who accepts responsibility for his actions and his mistakes in life. Basketball Junkie is an excellent book because Chris Herren’s problems are real and his struggles are relatable.

Throughout his basketball career, Herren played for various teams in the NBA, including the Celtics and Fresno state. Unfortunately, his drug abuse problem inhibited his basketball skills and ultimately led to his imminent downfall. Herren does not deny what he did and expresses that he regrets his decisions. Even though Herren is given many second chances in the memoir, he denies them all and continues on his destructive path. He finally decided that enough was enough and that it was time to recover when he woke up one day on the pavement, being resuscitated by an EMT with a heroine needle in his arm and blood all over him. He was forced to go into rehab, where he received a reality check and decided that he wanted to be a father to his young children. Herren moved on with his life and established his own youth basketball program and tours the country to give speeches about his life and how to avoid making the same mistakes he made. He is now a symbol and a small-town hero, living day by day as a drug-free inspirational speaker.

I really enjoyed reading Basketball Junkie by Bill Reynolds because it was interesting and you couldn’t help but hope for Chris to make the right decisions, even if you already knew of his story. It held my attention and made me want to continue reading, even if I didn’t have time to. I loved the style of writing because it was blunt and to-the-point. Reynolds’ did not sugar-coat the truth. He wrote the memoir as realistically as possible and did not hold back information that could make Herren upset. I recommend this book strongly because it was interesting and inspiring to read.

If I Stay
By: Gayle Forman

“If I Stay” is a tragically thought provoking novel that delves into what makes life worth the agony it entails. Gayle Forman’s writing style is intense, at times it is passionate but as the plot progresses it becomes stoic, adapting to the circumstances of the narrator, seventeen-year-old Mia. Gayle’s ability to embody the voice of a teenage girl, whether it be the fervent ratings of a first love or the tormented reflections of a child who has lost everything, is sensational.

The novel hinges on a single moment; the day of the car accident. Mia wakes up from the head on collision, her only memory being the seconds before in the car with her family. She finds herself standing on the outskirts of the road, a silent bystander as her body is drawn out of the debris and her mother and father are declared dead. The plot of the novel is sophisticated, layered, and heart-achingly beautiful as it evolves from the mundane life of a teenage girl to an ethereal state in which Mia must command her destiny.

Gayle Forman effortlessly creates a world in which readers experience the bittersweet hardships of not only Mia, but those around her, as they are altered by a single moment. There is more lost than just a family, relationships are plundered in the wake of the accident. As Mia looks down on her mangled body and watches as her family and friends let go of her, she is torn by the decision to stay or leave. Readers are struck by the utter complexity of the question “what is worth living for?”

The novel is written in a unique form using times and dates to separate events rather than chapters, which is fitting since the plot progresses within a time span of a few days. Gayle Forman uses flash backs of Mia’s life to give readers a greater sense of who Mia was as a character before the accident, concentrating primarily on the evolution of Mia and Adam’s love.

The two star-crossed lovers are high school sweethearts drawn together by their spiritual connection to music. Mia is an exceptional cellist who aspires to attend Julliard while Adam is in a rock band. Both are foils of each other from their tastes in music to their demeanor, which makes their relationship intriguing and complex. Readers are drawn in by Adam’s belief in grand romantic gestures. He took Mia to the orchestra to hear the world renowned Yo Yo Ma for their first date, and when she had the flu left flowers on her windowsill every morning.

Though Adam and Mia’s relationship at first appeals is a teenage cliché it alters into something more elaborate. Mia constantly questions her place in Adam’s life while Adam’s depiction of being flawless is shattered by his brash out bursts and actions. Gayle Forman’s ability to naturally entwine a love story into the greater scheme of the novel is awe inspiring and divides the plot into Mia’s internal conflict and Adam’s determination to find his way back to Mia.

In the end readers are left with two unanswered questions to be resolved. Will Mia stay? And will Adam have to give her up to get her back?

Book: I am Malala
Authors: Malala Yousafzai, Christina Lamb

“I am Malala” is an inspiring and true story of a Pakistani teenager named Malala Yousafzai who was shot by the Taliban. In the book, Malala takes the reader back to the history of her family and the area where they live in Pakistan. Malala grew up in Swat Valley, which is a hilly and green village area where many of her fellow Pashtuns live. With a little bit of Buddhist influences, the Pashtuns are far different from other Pakistanis and they encourage peace, love, and kindness. Malala details how her father is one of the few men who believes in educating women, and he started his own school for girls. At this school, Malala is a top student and her and her father share their passion of knowledge and learning. However, Malala and her family are few and far between. Elsewhere in Pakistan, the government is killing its own people and neglecting to do its duties. The officials spend money on themselves and work with jihadi military to help to hide terrorists. After 9/11, many changes have come to Pakistan and most of the country is in a state of unrest. The Taliban has gained more and more power and is forcing its way around the country and into Malala’s village. They encourage violence and sacrifice in order to please God, but as Malala points out, no where in the Quran does it say God wants violence. On top of that, the Taliban believes girls should never go outside and should not receive an education. Malala has been taught by her remarkably sensible and outspoken father to be brave and always speak up for what is right. Malala’s bravery and passion gets her in trouble and one day on the way home from school, a group of Taliban members jumped onto her school bus and shot Malala point blank in order to send a message. Malala was saved and is now a refugee in Britain. Today, Malala travels the world encouraging people to stand up for their rights and to help those who cannot. She wants people to see what is wrong with her country and have people help her restore it to peace.

It is almost hard to describe the valuable lessons and information I learned from reading this book. It is a perfect book for anyone who is interested in nonfiction, politics, history, current events, women’s rights, travel, world religions, triumphs, justice, family, and more. From reading this book, the most eye opening thing was to see how others live around the world. From this book, I learned how important customs and religion are to Pakistanis. People in the country do crazy things for what they think their God would want. On the other hand, it crushes stereotypes about all Islamic or Muslim people are terrorists and hate Americans, because like anywhere else, there are bad and good. This book also makes me appreciate how lucky we are to live in a country without a corrupt government and military. The other key message, which was about girls and how influential they can be, inspires me. I would have never imagined that a girl my age could be going through so much and be so brave. One minute she is talking about how she listens to Justin Bieber and reads the Twilight books with her friends and I picture her as a normal teenage girl. The next minute she says how she is forced to cover her face and fears everyday she could be kidnapped or killed. The fact that she wants to be normal like everyone else but can’t because of the evil around her, puts it in perspective for me. Her stance on girl’s education makes her a hero as well. This book will have a different meaning to everyone, but none the less it is powerful and life changing.

The messages Malala has for the reader and the issues addressed in the book are innumerable and remarkable. Although it is one of my favorite books, I do have some critic for it. I felt as though the order of events was a bit odd. It was set up in sort of a vignette style but much more elaborate. She would talk about a memory and then about how it relates to a bigger issue. For example, she would start a chapter talking about where she was when a huge earthquake hit her village and how scared she was, but halfway through she would talk about how the government never came to help those without homes anymore and how a new system needs to be put in place. I understood what was going on, but she talked about when she was shot near the beginning and then after that about how she was a kid. I think I would have rather the book be written in chronological order. Also, I thought the word choice could have been stronger. Although it felt like a teenager was narrating, I would have enjoyed it more if there was a wider range of vocabulary.

Despite a few minor critics, I really enjoyed this book and I hope others can read it in their free time.

Where She Went
By:Gayle Forman

“Where She Went” is the type off book the wracks your soul and leaves you pleading for more. The emotional turmoil shifting to elation and vise versa leaves the reader in a daze of emotions. There is an air of frustration within this novel as the characters seemingly damn themselves over and over again, refuse to say what is crying out to be said, and the promise of a resolution is dangled in front of the reader, but just out of reach. The young love struck Adam from “If I Stay” has been abandoned and left in his place is a shadow of a man. His love for music has become distorted by the loss of his passion coinciding with Mia leaving. Adam has become self-destructive, egotistical, and rash. He is constantly gulping down his endless supply of anxiety pills to dull the void in his mind. He no longer sees music as his salvation; instead he refers to it as a vortex she left that threatened to consume him.

Gayle Forman manifests Adam’s voice impeccably as he narrates what has become of him three years after the accident. His band is at the top of the charts and the glamour fame had promised to be turns out to be an illusion. The tone in which Adam relates is so clearly genuine from the nervous ticks, to the irrational outbursts, right down to the “rocker-esque” use of expletives he blatantly uses. The reader can’t help but hate Adam for his wasted talent and want better for him at the same time. Good and evil aren’t given much of a face in this novel and that’s what makes the characters complex. They are all double-edged blades, one side with good intentions, the other selfish and manipulative. The thing about Gayle Forman’s ability to develop characters is that she stays true to that double-edged blade, no one really turns out perfectly alright in the end; there are always scars that never fade.

Mia’s role in this novel, unlike “If I Stay”, is to be hated for the sake of the reader’s sympathy for Adam whom she had forsaken. Though again the double-edged blade theory is again introduced. Mia left Adam to attend Julliard and never once attempted to resolve things between them. One night Adam finds himself roaming the streets of New York when he decides spontaneously to attend Mia’s concert at Carnegie Hall after seeing an advertisement by chance. The plot circulates around Mia and Adam exploring the city while also gaining closure. Mia never seems clear about her intentions at the end of the night, or if she will acknowledge everything about their relationship that has gone unanswered. The reader is not meant to understand Mia, because to Adam she is an enigma and again the question the novel hinges on is if she will stay. The artistry with which Gayle Forman paints the character of Mia, while still leaving the details of her reasons why hazy, is astonishing,

The plot of the book does not disappoint. As the two roam the city, their conversations compose the plot development. Through reckless accusations, unwitting questions, and quaint small talk, readers are able to answer the paramount question “Why?” Unlike most books the setting of “Where She Went” plays the least important role in the novel and only serves as a background to Mia and Adam’s search for closure.
“Where She Went” has proven to be a brilliant companion to “If I Stay”. Possibly even outdoing it’s predecessor. The raw emotion with which this book has been written is authentic.
Once Again we are left to wonder, “Will she stay?”.

In this second iteration of George R.R Martin’s medieval thriller, the tale continues, as the land of Westeros is torn asunder in civil war. Martin keeps the reader in deep suspense as he mercilessly eliminates characters, only adding to the power of the tale. A Clash of Kings weaves expert paintings of the settings surrounding the fantasy world as the country burns. With an ever-changing scenery and range of characters, Martin keeps the story fresh and powerful. By the end of the novel you will be deeply invested in the book, excited to pick up the next as you hope that the good will survive and that the bad will receive swift justice.
Martin is capable of providing many voices to his story as he alternates between the different viewpoints of his characters. One chapter Martin might be describing the plight of a small girl as she travels in the searing hot desert with her group of nomad companions, while in the next he will tell about a young man who stays on his post in his regiment in the blistering cold.
Martin creates conflicts between characters not only physically, but also philosophically. Martin presses the issue of what honor is and how a person can achieve and maintain it. This can be seen as the houses of Lannister, Baratheon and Stark fight bitterly for the iron throne. There also is the constant battle as characters try to find their true selves. Brandon Stark battles with himself as he struggles to come to grips with his father’s death and his new disability.
In the end, a Clash of Kings is yet another masterpiece in Martin’s fantastic series in his fantasy world. The plot thickens as new characters emerge, and the road is covered with twists and bends that will keep you on your feet. I cannot recommend Clash of Kings enough, as it is an amazing read that will leave you thinking about hours after you set the book down.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

“Thirteen Reasons Why” is an emotional novel that is bound to make you shed a few tears. The story begins when the narrator, Clay Jensen, comes home from school to find a mysterious package sitting on his front porch. When Clay opens the package, he reveals seven cassette tapes containing thirteen stories recorded by his dead classmate and crush, Hannah Baker. About two weeks prior to Clay receiving the tapes Hannah committed suicide. On each of the cassette tapes is one reason why she killed herself. In the first recording, Hannah tells the listener of the tapes that they were somehow partially responsible for her death; she then gives them instructions on what to do with the tapes when they are done listening and tells them that they must send the tapes to the next person on the list. The novel switches back and forth between Hannah’s and Clay’s thoughts and actions that keep the story interesting and make you want to keep reading.

I enjoyed reading this novel, the story kept me interested the entire time I was reading. However, I thought that it was a somewhat over exaggerated. Some of the reasons she gave for committing suicide were little, simple things that happen to most people. I feel that Hannah overreacted to most of these situations and that most of them should not be on the tapes that tell the story of why she took her life. Clay was not responsible for her death at all but she still included him in what she left as her suicide note. What made me like this story was that it was engrossing and suspenseful. Although I do not personally know anybody who has committed suicide I was able to connect to the story through the different perspectives the author provided in the different voices of Hannah and Clay.

"Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand is a novel that takes place in a not so far off reality in which greed and selfishness is damned and altruistic ideals such as putting your neighbor before yourself are placed on a pedestal. Individualism, the belief in putting yourself first, is at first something that is seen as evil and collectivism, the idea of putting society first, is seen as right and just. Rand challenges this philosophy by bringing the reader on an epic journey that portrays what the consequences are when society is held above the individual. Business fail in the name of competition and fairness, men of ability are chained to the men of burden, and technology and the march of science and progress are destroyed by the system that says to "focus on the ones without our modern advances before advancing any further."

The story features a few main protagonists, but mainly focuses on one woman, a railroad executive named Dagny Taggart, whose mission is to save her railroad, the Taggart Transcontinental, from the destruction that the government is almost assuring with every new regulation and restriction it passes in the name of fairness and equality. These measures, made in the name of "public welfare," only end up hurting honest businessmen and rewarding those with friends in Washington. As more and more rules are passed in the name of the "public good," the harder it is for businesses to survive. Measures are taken to limit the speed trains are allowed to go, limit the amount of steel one manufacturer can produce, limit the amount of industries one man can control, and limit the amount of businesses one can own. These measures, which are well in intention, are doomed to fail as it limits the amount that men of intellect and ability can own and produce, which ends up in disastrous consequences like an innumerable amount of delays in products and giving the power to the government to pick and choose who succeeds and who fails. This sort of central planning cannot work when there is so much politics and individual livelihood at stake.

The novel points out the faults of the thinking that man is his brother's keeper and that individual achievement is to be overlooked in the light of the collective, and instead points to a philosophy of objectivism, which is that profit and selfish motives are the way forward to a bright future and the only way to true individual happiness and away from enslavement to the "needs" of others. Rand makes the case that those that are weak of mind and body are not the burden of those that are capable of functioning at a high mental and physical capacity.

The most important aspect of Rand's philosophy and those most applicable to everyday life is that arguments of the heart, feeling and emotion, are void and useless, while the arguments of the mind, logic and reason, are the only way to solve problems. That is where the word objectivism stems from, to look at everything through an objective lens.

The "put yourself first" mentality used in "Atlas Shrugged" is extremely controversial and commonly seen as heartless and impractical and dismissed by most modern thinkers. Even if one does not fully agree with or comprehend the argument presented in "Atlas Shrugged," one should take away the key political arguments that are applicable to today. These are the arguments for maximum individual freedom, made commonly by those advocating for smaller government in the lives of the people, and the arguments for the collective for little individual freedom, yet a maximum amount owed to society.

"Atlas Shrugged" is a highly influential book, and gives insight to highly controversial topics that people face on a day to day basis, and may not even know it. I highly recommend it, whether you know you will disagree with it and want a differing perspective, if you already agree with the philosophy heading in and want to be reassured, if you don't know where you stand and want to be persuaded, or even if you had no idea that there was a philosophical battle being waged and want to find out why it is as important as it is. "Atlas Shrugged" has had a huge impact on my life, and if you read it, it will have one on yours too.

-Ted Veerman

"I am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak is a mysterious novel that showcases the power of the average person. The novel focuses on Ed Kennedy, a 19 year old taxi driver who lacks a future and is hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey. Ed’s life is turned upside down when he is caught in the middle of a bank robbery and ends up stopping the robber from escaping. Ed is now seen as a hero in his town. Days after the robbery, Ed receives his first “message”. An ace of diamonds playing card with three addresses written on it was left in his mail. Who the card was from remains unknown, and Ed figures out that he has tasks to complete or people to help at each address written on the card. Throughout the story, Ed continues to receive the cards. He has received 3 aces and one joker card. The last card, the joker, has his own address written on it. This card showed Ed that he is not the messenger, but he is the message himself. Ed realizes through the card that ordinary people, like himself, can rise above their expectations and make a difference in the world, just like he did during the robbery and while he was completing the tasks.

"I am the Messenger" was an exciting and mysterious book that makes you want to keep on reading. Markus Zusak does an incredible job by using his writing to capture the reader in the novel. The character of Ed was especially relatable to the average person. Ed shows that even though he becomes a hero, he is still the same average person he was from the beginning of the novel to the end. An issue addressed in this novel is the issue of not being confident in yourself. At many times in the book, Ed is not confident in his ability to help others. This issue is relevant in today’s society because many kids, especially teenagers, have difficulties believing in themselves. A theme in this novel is that nobody is worthless. Every person can make an impact in the world in one way or another. I would recommend this book to others because I believe that it is exciting, thought provoking, and teaches a valuable lesson.

"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

"The Fault in Our Stars" is a sincere novel that is guaranteed to tug on readers’ heartstrings. It tells the story of Hazel Lancaster, a sixteen-year-old girl living with stage IV thyroid cancer. She has yet to discover the purpose or meaning of life, and fails to understand how attending Cancer Kid Support Group – at her mother’s wishes – would help her in any way. Her mother is convinced that Hazel is depressed, but according to Hazel, “…depression is not a side effect of cancer. Depression is a side effect of dying” (3). It is at Support Group that she meets Augustus Waters, a teenage boy in remission from osteosarcoma. She soon realizes that he is the love of her life and the only person that genuinely understands her. In a bittersweet tangle of events, Hazel and Augustus explore what it means to be in love and what it means to be alive. They embark on a journey full of ups and down, but in the end, time is of the essence.

I found the ending to be quite predictable, but I should have known this beforehand, considering that it is a story about young love; other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed "The Fault in Our Stars". I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to read a heartfelt story. Green did an amazing job portraying cancer patients as real people because too often, their life is considered a tragic story. This novel is more than just two teenagers fighting a life-threatening disease; it is about two teenagers who – against all odds – manage to find someone that understands them when no one else does. It is about actually living and experiencing all of the joys and pains along the way. What makes this novel are the ideas, emotions, tones, symbols, and metaphors that Green incorporates into the story. One important motif is a cigarette because according to Augustus, “They don’t kill you unless you light them... You put the killing thing right between your teeth, but you don’t give it the power to do its killing” (20).

Allegiant
By Veronica Roth

Allegiant is the final book in the Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth. It is a compelling and intriguing finale to the series. It represents all the flaws and human errors in society. The book shows readers that not all things in life will be perfect. You have to be brave and sacrifice some things in your life to keep moving on. You have to show the stronger side of yourself to the ones who what to make you weak, and you have to learn to forgive and forget the past to live a better and more promising life. Throughout the book new characters are introduced and old characters are brought back into the plot and their story lines are developed upon. Tris faces a new world, one she has never encountered before. She is forced to face the truth and has to except that all she has ever known is a lie. Her parents have not told her everything she needs to know. She is now left with broken pieces of a puzzle and is told to figure the rest out by herself. She faces new people both good and evil. Tobias and Tris both narrate the novel. Readers are able to understand their thoughts more clearly and are exposed to both trains of thought.

Allegiant is centered around the lives of Tris and Tobias. They are brought outside the fence and face with a new world, operating very differently from the one they have known. A new revolution is brewing involving genetically pure and damaged people. With the tragic truth that Tobias is forced to face at the beginning of the novel really makes the plot interesting. Both learn of the reality of the city they used to live in; how and why is was created and to serve what purpose. When a decision is made to alter the city known as Chicago the revolution beings once again. The previous novel Insurgent leaves readers with a lot of questions, but Allegiant not only answers them but also build tremendously on the ideas created in the past two books.

I enjoyed reading the book, to me it was well developed and written. It was a page turner, but at the same time I was not looking forward to the ending. Knowing that the lives of these characters will end as I read the last word broke my heart. The ending surprised me but it did not ruin the book for me. Not to give anything away, but it was not a happy ending that most readers will want. It was more realistic showing that you are not able to have everything you want in life. There are tragedies and people will have to live with them. You cannot just forget them, you will have to face them and learn to move on. The book overall is a great ending to one a wonderful trilogy. I was truly able to connect with each and every character. All their qualities were common traits found in regular people. They have to cope with problems everyone faces, and so the book was able to have an impact on my life and will forever be remembered in my mind.

The Fault In Our Stars
By John Green
Reviewed by: Sammy Rideout
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is definitely a tear jerker. The book starts off with our novels main character Hazel Grace Lancaster. Hazel is diagnosed with stage IV Thyroid Cancer and has fluid leakage in her lungs. At a young age Hazel was staring right into the light, but miraculously pulled through and now goes through daily doctor check ups, medicinal updoses, and group therapy. As much as Hazel dreads group therapy, it is here she meets her best friend, who eventually becomes the love of her life, Augustus Waters. Having been a cancer survivor Augustus, 'Gus', attends group therapy with his buddy Isaac a boy who is under going surgery for his cancer that will ultimately leave him blind, poor thing.
This book takes you on a roller coaster that takes multiple twists and turns. The ending of the book, as upsetting as it is, I think appropriately ends the book. I am not one on big sappy love stories but this love story takes the cake. The love between Hazel and Gus is love that is much more than superficiality that is based on looks. Hazel and Gus's love is deeper in the sense of they challenge each other intellectually while still enjoying each others looks, but over all they are each others best friend. I love this book and would recommend this book to everyone for it is one of my favorite books.

“Up, Up, and Away: The Kid, The Hawk, Rock, Vladi, Pedro, Le Grand Orange, Youppi!, The Crazy Business of Baseball, & the Ill-fated but Unforgettable Montreal Expos,” by Jonah Keri is exactly what the title described. This book takes the reader from the year Montreal proposed an expansion team in 1969, until they’re lack of attendance plummeted all the way until it was moved to Washington D.C. in 2004. Keri introduces all the players from these years and takes the reader through the business and circumstances that owner Charles Bronfman (Seagram’s), had to deal with. He dealt with moving the original stadium, Jarry Park, to Olympic Village, in the Big O. He had at least 5 different managers from 1975-1990 and only made the playoffs once in that span. Keri was a boy at the time and he brought you through, first hand, what it was like to sit in the ballpark of Canada’s team. He mentioned star players he idolized like Rusty Staub (Le Grand Orange), Gary Carter (The Kid), Andre Dawson (The Hawk), and Tim Raines (Rock). He was a diehard fan and that showed throughout the novel. It paid excellent tribute to a team that people today don't even remember. It had its comedic moments, especially when the 7-foot Orange fuzz ball, Youppi (Expos mascot), was the first mascot ever to be ejected during a baseball game. He was tossed in the 16th inning of an Expos-Dodgers game, and the umpires let the lovable mascot back in the game in the 21st inning. And yes, it was the longest game Montreal ever played. The city never won the World Series even though they came close in ’81, and were projected to in ’82. The early nineties was the host to the greatest Expos seasons, but attendance stayed low because of a new expansion team in Toronto. They lost attendance, broadcasting rights, and the title Canada’s team. The Expos were underappreciated and this book brought that to my attention. I’m glad I read it, and advise you, even if you do not like baseball, to give it a read. It’s worth it.

Sometimes people drift away from you, until one day they come rushing back without expecting it. In the beautiful novel by Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook captures a heartfelt love story of an old man, Noah, reading a story to his wife, Allie, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Without knowing that the old man is truly her husband, Noah reads Allie the story of a lifetime- a story he hopes will bring her back to him. It is the true story of their life. Noah reads to Allie every day in her home, trying to spark something in Allie to make her remember again. As teenagers, Noah and Allie were inseparable. They loved into they could not love anymore, or until Allie’s parents decided Noah did not hold the standards for Allie as he should. Allie was ripped out of Noah’s life without even a goodbye, with so much left unsaid.
Now, fourteen years later, Noah is living in the house he and Allie always spoke and dreamed of. He fixed the old house up just the way he promised her it would look like. Noah just could not seem to forget the girl he spent that amazing summer with- the girl of his dreams. Seeing a picture of the house with Noah standing beside it, Allie was overwhelmed and felt like she needed to see Noah one last time before she was married to the successful man she met after Noah.
Noah, completely content in living through Allie’s memory, is shocked when she unexpectedly returns to his town to see him once again. Now engaged to another man, Allie soon realizes that the true love she felt for Noah has not disappeared by any means. The story of Allie and Noah is like no other. This book is so attractive to readers because of how much passion and heart that is behind the story. There is not a love that compares to Allie’s and Noah’s. Nicholas Sparks steals the hearts of many after reading this engaging and heartthrob novel that changes lives forever.

The Bell Jar
The Bell Jar is an emotionally riveting tale of a young woman named Esther Greenwood. The story begins by explaining Esther's college life, and the many accomplishments she's made so far. Unfortunately, everything goes downhill for this young adult. Follow Esther on her journey of understanding adulthood, and battling her new found depression. The reader can identify with Esther's pain when her mother questions what is wrong with her, there is often no explanation for mental illness. This novel has feminist themes, as Esther refuses to give herself up to just any man. Sylvia Plath greatly touches upon the horrors of mental illness, and how it feels to alone. This novel is heart wrenching, but also intriguing. It is almost hard to read when Esther talks about her many suicide attempts, but you feel the need to keep reading as well. Jump into the mind of Sylvia Plath, when she writes about all of Esther's ideas for suicide. Although disturbing, Esther illustrates how she wants to leave the world in so many different ways. Each way she tries, ends up not working out due to the fault of gravity or timing. This theme introduces a enlightening theme in the book, one that shows that maybe Esther should be alive.
Esther goes through time in an asylum, and gets put through the terror of electroshock therapy. This novel by Sylvia Plath will leave you wondering, "what happened to Esther Greenwood?"

Mocking Jay is the must read book to end the trilogy of the hunger games. If you’ve read the first two books, you must read the third. Mocking Jay picks up right where Catching Fire, the second book, leaves off.
It fills in details that readers never knew and keeps you guessing until the end. Catness joins the revolution and things take an unexpected turn. I would recommend this book to anyone who has read the first two books of the series. Personally the second book Catching Fire, was my favorite, and this adds on to it. Mocking Jay provides a thrilling ending that brings the reader back to district 12 where the trilogy began. The journey from start to finish is a must read.

The novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, is a coming-of-age story set in the early 1990s. The book revolves around a shy, 15 year-old freshman named Charlie. Charlie’s last name is not provided in the text of the novel and it is not actually his first name; It is an alias the narrator uses. The book is written in the form of letters that Charlie writes to himself as a doctor recommended. The protagonist is an introvert that lost his best friend to suicide and his aunt and suffers from some mental instabilities. When he becomes a freshman in high school, he is befriended by two seniors, Sam and Patrick, and his English teacher, Bill. . Charlie is drawn to the two’s company and begins hanging out with them and their friends. He begins to smoke, drink and try drugs, which actually help him deal with his traumatic past. Throughout the novel, Charlie is in love with Sam, but she is already dating another boy which causes complications. Charlie begins to realize that his two friends will be leaving after graduation and becomes depressed and anxious. At the conclusion of the novel, Charlie is admitted to a mental hospital and it is revealed that he was sexually abused by his deceased aunt, Helen.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a novel meant for mature audiences because it deals with topics that span from drugs and alcohol to sex and sexual abuse. The author, Stephen Chbosky, deals with these difficult topics well and I applaud him for it because a lot of negative reviews for this novel were centered on the dark and inappropriate aspects of high school. I admire the author because he portrayed the life of a high school student as best as one can do. I think that everyone should read this book because it gives a deep insight to the mind of a shy high school student that wants to feel like he matters.
Sometimes Chbosky would delve too deep into detail and lose sight of the story, but this was only a minor flaw. Throughout the novel, Chbosky would describe things such as Charlie’s boring day in school for too long and I would lose interest. However, Charlie’s relationship with his English teacher, Bill, is one to be treasured and respected. This is so because I admire a teacher that forms a bond with a student that helps said student forget about their personal problems.
This book is a masterpiece of modern fiction that should be read by anyone that will listen to a teenage boy describe his life. This book has qualities similar to those found in J.D. Salinger’s, The Catcher in the Rye, and will leave readers quickly turning to the next page. The Perks of Being a Wallflower depicts what high school is like nowadays and if one wants to understand the issues a teenager encounters every day, then one best pick up this book.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

The extraordinary book, Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown is a compelling and thought- provoking masterpiece to say the least. Throughout the entirety of the novel, there is never a single dull moment in Brown’s dazzling writing style and technique. This novel is full of suspense, action, and mystery for anyone out there who enjoys a good thrill. It is a story about a famous symbologist named Robert Langdon who is asked to help solve a gruesome murder case involving the use of an ancient, unidentified symbol. Langdon discovers much more than he expected in this murder and ends up on a dangerous and unpredictable mission to help stop the secret organization known as the Illuminati from destroying Vatican City in Rome – all because of an ancient religious rivalry and years of unresolved disputes and hidden secrets. Langdon must partner up with the lovely Italian scientist, Vittoria Vetra, and risk his life to solve this sacred mystery before it is too late. Many lives are at stake and time is of the essence. Reading this book will surely keep you on the edge of your seat as you delve into a world of mystery, deceit, and murder. I was very pleased with what I got out of this beautifully written novel. Brown makes ample use of intriguing imagery, amiable characters, powerful symbolism (as the book heavily involves symbols, of course!), incredible plot twists, and the incessant desire to keep reading! He is an author who deeply understands what his audience expects out of his writing – and he blows their expectations out of the water every time. As someone who has read and loved two of Brown’s novels so far, it is nothing short of obvious that he is my favorite author and unquestionably a man of outstanding talent and potential. This book has a strong psychological aspect to it as well that Brown is able to perfectly capture in his writing. As curious human beings, we are filled with awe and wonder as we meander through these pages, taking in all that we can. It is almost as though your adrenaline kicks in and you feel like you must race to the ending (as the characters race against time and circumstance in the novel). I can say with certainty that this novel contains all of the elements that we look for in a “good book” and many more. Brown’s writing style is exhilarating, vibrant, and mesmerizing. This book is far from the bland, boring writing that many associate with long novels and dread to read! Next time you stop at a book store or a library, you should give this novel a chance at changing your life. It certainly did for myself and many others, and making the choice to pick it up and begin to read is not one that you will regret!

“The Fault in Our Stars” is a book full of ups and downs by John Green. The narrator, Hazel Lancaster, suffers from stage IV thyroid cancer and knows her time on Earth is getting shorter and shorter as her lungs get weaker and weaker. Hazel’s mother fears she has no friends and forces her to go to a cancer support group to meet new people. This turns out to be great for Hazel, as she meets Augustus Walters, a boy about her age that is recovering from osteosarcoma. The two begin to spend all their time thinking about each other, liking the same books, movies, and hobbies. Hazel is comforted knowing that he can understand the pain she is going through and that she is not entirely alone in her struggle. She finds love with someone that is there for her, and the two teenagers find safety and peace in being together.

The story revolves around Hazel and Augustus finding love as they keep fighting off their illnesses. The ending was predictable, but touching. It left me sad at first, but I now realize it was a sweet way to end the book. Green’s writing was descriptive and interesting, capturing my attention and causing me to root for both characters to win their fights with cancer. The story is full of metaphors and symbols. Augustus always has an unlit cigarette between his teeth, which he explains by saying: “They don’t kill you unless you light them... You put the killing thing right between your teeth, but you don’t give it the power to do its killing” (Green, 20). Overall, I would strongly recommend the book because of its relatable story about finding hope in the darkest of times and having friends that support and help you as you are hurting the most.

Personally, I thought Allegiant, the third book in the Divergent series, had especially excellent plot development and characterization. Though the beginning of the novel is a bit slow, the plot rapidly escalates about half way through the book. I really enjoy adventure and mystery novels, so for me, this was a really great read. Veronica Roth has a very detailed style of writing; her use of visual imagery creates a vivid interpretation in the reader’s mind. The main characters, Four and Tris, are cleverly characterized, displaying real-life qualities that are truly relatable to the reader. Their strong-willed personalities make them seem real, which causes an attachment to the story’s plot.

Allegiant, which takes place in Chicago in the future, incorporates issues that are very relevant in today’s society. The struggle for power is frequently displayed in the novel, especially when Evelyn, Four’s mother, requests ultimate control over the city’s remaining inhabitants, which causes an uprising in the city’s fragile government. The need for love is also present, when Four and Tris’s relationship is tested when a surprise attack takes place at the Bureau, their temporary home while their city is in near anarchy. Tris questions Four’s honesty and loyalty when she finds out that he knew about the attack. I truly loved this book because of its addicting plot and amazing character development, and I would recommend Allegiant to anyone who loves a good adventure novel.

In The Maze Runner, unwillingly every month, one boy travels the empty elevator to Glade with no memory of their prior life. Each one comes to find that they are trapped in a field surrounded by a maze. To survive they must lock themselves in every night in order to lock out the Grievers: part machine, part animals, entirely fatal. The boys in the Glade send out Runners each day to attempt to find a way out. One day a girl comes up in the elevator- the first girl ever. She tells the boys she is the last person to ever be sent, and there will be no more deliveries of food or supplies. She has triggered The Ending. It is clear to an ambitious teenager Thomas he must solve the Maze, or face the consequences.
It is really a crazy story. If you're a fan of the Hunger Games trilogy, pick this up. It's not nearly as amazing as The Hunger Games, but it's quite good. James Dashner does a fantastic job of bringing his imagination to life. The plot is action packed and fast paced. There is never a boring moment in the Glade. The book makes the unbelievable realistic. My criticism is the book is a bit too much tell and not enough show. I was told Thomas loved Chuck like a brother, but without being told, I don't know if I would have picked it up on the connection. Reactions seemed a bit overly dramatic to me in the book. I don't think we were shown the character's emotions enough. However, Dashner knows how to write a book to keep the reader guessing. The boys in the Maze had no idea what was going on, and neither does the reader. You have to finish it to find out what is happening. Even when I finished, there were so many more questions that I needed to have answered. One other flaw is that the book was a bit too plot driven. I would have liked to see more character develop, so I could feel more connected to the boys and Teresa. I was genuinely interested in her, but she was not talked about often. I am usually good at making predictions while reading a book, but almost everything that I guessed was wrong. It was a nice surprise to read a book and find that I am not guessing what is going to happen. You cannot put this book down; you’ll find yourself losing track of time. Once you finish The Maze Runner, you’ll be dying to find out what comes next. I completely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a book you will not forget. I cannot wait for the movie to come out in September.

Eight year old Charlie McGee doesn’t have much of a choice when 10 years before she was born, her parents needed an extra $200. Vicky and Andy were struggling college students who jumped at the opportunity to make a little extra cash. All they had to do was take part in an experiment in which they were injected with a drug called Lot Six. But when reality blurs with fantasy, they aren’t sure whether the drug was sending them on a trip, or was actually killing people around them. The government convinces the two that nothing is amiss, until years later Vicky and Andy get married and have a daughter named Charlie. It turns out that the elusive Lot Six made them… different. Andy is able to “push” people to make them do whatever he wants. Vicky has a slight telekinesis ability. The government didn’t plan for their daughter to have a psi ability. But when they discover that sweet, loving Charlie McGee is able to start fires with her mind, they must get their hands on her. They will kill anyone close to her to get their hands on Charlie to do extensive testing on the special girl. Will Charlie’s father, Andy, be able to provide her with a normal life while being chased down by the government? Or will he even be able to keep her alive? Better yet, will Charlie the pyrokinetic be able to harness her powers that have the potential to develop into something deadly enough to destroy the entire world?
This book has a lot of strengths that made it so enjoyable, such as the fluid writing style of Stephen King. It also has a very fast paced plot that makes it enticing and hard to put down. However, there were a few times where the plot was too coincidental and made it hard to believe and digest. Also, the novel is told in third person omniscient, so it’s hard to follow sometimes. King will narrate as if you are inside the head of whomever is speaking, but it changes quickly and most of the time there isn’t a clear change in the speaker. This book addresses the issue of government conspiracy. Because of the fact that the government agency, nicknamed the shop, is trying to hide genetic mutations that they, themselves caused, it hints at the fact that the government isn’t always on the peoples’ side, and is keeping the population in the dark about important issues. As long as there is a government, there will be people who believe in conspiracies and the government hiding things from them. Another underlying theme I agreed with was since the book took place in the early 70’s, it included a Vietnam War veteran who was portrayed as a liar and an evil man. I assume King included this because he was against the Vietnam War, which I am as well. I would recommend this book to a friend if they particularly enjoyed Stephen King as a writer, if not, then I wouldn’t recommend it. It isn’t scary at all, which King’s novels usually are. However, it is an incredibly good story and I really enjoyed reading it.

The novel The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom has many important lessons about life, death, and finding peace. The novel starts off with the main character Eddie, an old man who works at Ruby Pier, attempting to save a little girl’s life by pushing her out of the way of a falling art on a ferris wheel. In this valiant attempt, Eddie dies and is crushed by the cart, with the last memory of his life being the touch of a little girl’s hand.
As the book continues, he travels up to heaven, where he meets many strange or obscure people who he had met at one point or another during his life. When you continue to read further, you come to realize that these people he may have just crossed paths with once or twice in his whole life were actually very meaningful, and that whatever the meeting between the two characters was it affected at least one of them very deeply. An example being a flashback to when Eddie was just an 8 year old boy playing catch with a baseball with his brother. His brother threw the ball past Eddie, and he ran into the street to get it, cause a blue man named Joseph to swerve his car and crash, eventually killing him.
This book teaches the reader that any and every small thing you do in your life has an impact and repercussion in the future, no matter how big or how small. It teaches you not to take anything in life for granted, because it could be over in the blink of an eye. The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a heartwarming novel that should be read by people of all ages. There is not one person who wouldn’t benefit from the experience in some way. I strongly recommend reading this book, it is not something you will regret.

The Perks of Being a WallflowerPerks of Being a Wallflower is an amazing coming of age novel. Charlie, a boy entering his freshmen year of high school rights notes for guidance on his way through this roller coaster we call high school. Charlie is not a popular kid, but he is also not a geek he is just different. He is unnoticed and soon meets some somewhat popular kids that are different too and take him under his wing. They introduce him to a whole new word of things he can get into.
The best part of this novel is that it is a coming of age story. You watch Charlie grow into himself and you just want him to be happy. The book has its own interesting writing style that captures you from the first sentence. The only problem i had was for a while the fact that the narrator specifically chooses the name charlie so you cant tell the gender which is weird while reading because as the reader you choose one until you catch on. I really enjoyed this book. It is similar to a lot of other books i have read that are geared toward the teenage age group but it is still a great read and i highly recommend it to anyone looking for something to read.

A Certain Slant of Light was a chilling book about where spirits go after death. This book follows the Spirit of a young girl, Helen, who commits suicide and now must find a host body to take over so that she can be with the boy she loves. In her journey to find a host she finds a girl who is also contemplating suicide, Helen must chose between her happiness and helping this stranger stay strong. This book contained a few graphic sections but other than that I truly recommend it to anyone that wants a different perspective on heaven, hell, and purgatory. This book kept me up late and even gave me chills at times, the writing style was very easy to follow and the only complaint i have is that i want to know more.

It was just an ordinary, sunny Tuesday for the students of Stuyvesant High School who were just 3 blocks away from such a traumatizing event that would change all of their lives forever. As the 2001 school year was off and running, students fluttered in to the school in New York right along the Hudson Bay. Students and Faculty felt a tremble and a harsh bang around 8:48 A.M. and word moved around quickly that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center and another at 9:03 in the morning. And with a blink of an eye, these students had a picture embedded in their brain that would bring pure disgust and trauma around with them for their whole life. That picture would be the picture of monstrous clouds of gray smoke enclosing the bright blue sky around them. The picture of the hectic streets flooded with people either trying to get closer or farther away, but all looking up in the same direction. from the scene. And the picture of what was one the World Trade Center, engulfed in flames leaping from an angry gash in the side of the North Tower.
"With Their Eyes" is a Non-Fiction account written by 12 high school students from Stuyvesant High and also two teachers. The book was edited by Annie Thoms. who also teaches at the school. The book was also transformed into a play being preformed by each writer in the book. The students depict exactly what went on at their school on September 11th, 2001, which was a day none of them will forget. Some students talked about the size of the plane, what class they were in and what they were doing,and exactly the things the saw out their window and how it is still framed in their brain. Tim Drinan recalls, a sophomore, recalls; “I remember how much sun there used to be down there, and how sunny it was on September 11th. And how easy it would be on pretty much any street to look up and see the World Trade Center,” says Drinan. The Schools Safety Agent also recalls the day he saw his terrifying event "I got this weird transmission. The strangest in my life that a plane hit the World Trade Center and I ran into the computer room to see. I still haven't gone back into that office".
Some aspects of the book that I didn't particularly like was for one, the writing. Since the stories of the students were recorded on tape, and then copied into the book.. many of the recollections were in broken English, using terms like "um", "like" and "yeah know", which made it tough for me to grasp the true emotion from some of the students.
Overall I really enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it to people (especially students)as it gives everybody a better sense of knowledge of what the people of New York went through on such a disgusting day in American History.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare was a modern fantasy fiction book that took place in New York City. This book centers around Clary Fray, who is thought to be a mundane, or human. On her fifteenth birthday Clary, along with her best friend, Simon, go to a Pandemonium Club where she meets the Shadowhunters, Jace, Alec, and Isabelle. Shadowhunters are half human, and half angel. They hunt and kill all the demons which can take any shape or form. You can’t trust anyone. After Clary’s mom is captured by the demons, Clary joins the Shadowhunters in search of her mother. On their journey, many secrets and discoveries are revealed.

This book, in my opinion, has an excellent plot, writing style, and characterization. The City of Bones is in the third person perspective, and although I usually don’t like to read books in third person, I really enjoyed reading this book. I would really recommend this book to anyone who likes a book filled with surprises, adventures, mysteries, and a little bit of romance.

Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is more than just a simple novel set in the eighteenth century. It is a romantic comedy full of witty bantering between two contrasting characters, the lovely and brilliant Elizabeth Bennet and the swoon-worthy, arrogant Mr. Darcy. Unfortunately, Elizabeth’s prejudice and Mr. Darcy’s pride both obstruct their view of the other person and prevent them from seeing how perfect they are for each other.
The novel is centers on Elizabeth and her everyday life where she must cope with the constant meddling of her nosy mother and the childish antics of her younger sisters. The arrival of Mr. Darcy adds more frustration in her life, for she believes him to be haughty and patronizing. Mr. Darcy, at first, believes Elizabeth to be “not handsome enough,” but her charm, quick-witted retorts, and expressive eyes confuse and enamor him. Throughout the novel, we see the growth and progress of both Elizabeth and Darcy as they overcome their initial prejudices.
Jane Austen addresses the issues of divisions in social class, proper manners, and the importance of women to marry a man with good fortune. She criticizes the insincere concept of “love” in the eighteenth century and her portrayal of Elizabeth and Darcy prove what real, true love is. Darcy’s pride over his higher status is what gains the contempt from not only Elizabeth but everyone else attending. Today, women do not need to marry a rich man; rather many are like Elizabeth, independent and intelligent enough to support themselves, though they would love to find a love like her and Darcy’s. There are still proper manners today and some people who act pompous due to their higher status.
Due to the different style of language, many are put off from reading Jane Austen’s classic novel. However, if one persists, he or she will see the brilliantly crafted words and will find the novel to be both vivacious and comical. From the awkwardly bumbling Mr. Collins, to the stiff and conceited Lady Catherine, to the graceful and delicate Jane Bennet, there is an abundance of characters to cheer for or wish to fail. Readers will especially be rooting for Mr. Darcy. His words “I cannot fix on the hour, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun,” asked by Elizabeth when he fell in love with her, is enough to make a girl’s heart skip a beat. Jane Austen’s classic novel captures the true essence of love and will capture the hearts of many unsuspecting readers as it is better than any fairy tale out there.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was one of my most favorite books I have ever read. Collins takes the reader through an exciting adventure of life or death through competition, teamwork and desperation. The plot was centered around the relationship of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. These two have been sent into the world of the Hunger Games which is a future-based society split into districts. These districts have to send two young people into the Hunger Games, which is revolved around survival of the fittest. Collins writing style is very descriptive and flows well with her sentence structure. She has vivid word choice which helps the reader paint a thorough picture in their mind. Collins also goes into deep detail about every character revolved around the main plot. Collins allows you to relate to these characters by the in-detail descriptions. The issues addressed in the book are how society's desire for competition can turn deadly. In today's society, completion is a main part of the world. The Hunger Games shows how a futuristic society turns competition into a deadly game. The themes of this book send a message that if competition grows any more, then it can turn for the worst. I would definitely recommend this book. It is based around a future society that revolves around teamwork in the quest for survival.

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
by Sheryl Sandberg

If you're into feminist books, this is a must-read! Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg is one of the most inspiring books a women could read, especially a businesswoman. Lean In is a book separated into several sections that give anecdotes about an experience of a woman being discriminated against in the workplace for simply being a woman. Each of these sections focuses on a common theme, whether it be sexual harassment, sexist remarks, or pregnant women in the office, each chapter makes the reader want to hear more and more.
Sandberg's Lean In is so inspirational because it empowers women. It exposes the wrongs that still exist in society today as far as sexism and male superiority, and smears the false sense of entitlement that many men have demonstrated in very high positions in extremely successful companies. If this doesn't get a girl's blood boiling, nothing will. This is the modern day feminist book, and a very hot topic at the moment. There is no reason not to read it, especially if you are interested in business. In a male-dominated world, especially the business world (70% male, 30% female), many successful women have been harassed physically and emotionally. This book gives women in the business world a voice against the sexism that so many try to believe no longer exists in the wealthiest parts of the world.
Lean In captures the essence of success being overshadowed by jealousy and ignorance. In 2013, remarks like "shouldn't you be in the kitchen" and "How do you do it all? You never have time for family so why would you even have one?" have been made, while the same question could be, but never has been, applied to males as well. Business, work, success, and leadership should see no gender, only efficiency. Lean In is the best book published within the past year or two, and opens the eyes of the reader to injustice. Take action and fight for equality in the most modern way possible; Lean In.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, this thrilling novel, the second installment of the Hunger Games series is an excellent way to continue Collins’s saga. This installment continues straight off from when the first finished, with Katniss and Peeta returning to District 12 and being greeted as champions. They won the 74th Hunger Games and now need to survive defying the Capitol’s totalitarian government. They try to live their new lives as victors and still remain the simple people they were. They cope with their traumatic experiences in the and out of the arena, the best ways they can. A fire begins to start, from the ember of hope that Katniss and Peeta created by defying the Capitol. Read this novel to continue the story of love, hope, and fighting for what is right. The novel’s excellent use of imagery, to really envelop the reader is extraordinary. She’s able to create the world Katniss lives in and the costs of being defiant. Collins uses her characterization skills to make the reader bond with the characters and make one really care for the characters in their endeavors. Suzanne Collins has given us a better novel than the first. This installment shows how a fight against a tyrannical government starts and what sets off the people to finally fight back. This relates to modern day instances of people fighting back against a government not suiting the people’s needs. I would recommend reading this book if you enjoyed the first.