Impossible



By: Nancy Werlin

Penguin Groups NY 2008

Summary:

Lucy was seventeen- high top sneakers and prom in a mini cooper. Everything was perfect, an innocent date that promised to stay sober and keep her safe. Her best friend Zach to see her off and parents who loved her.

Miranda. Glass shattered everywhere, her mother's bloody nose, Gray Spencer running away, her dress ruined. The beginning of the end for a family haunted by a Fairy Curse.

Personal Review:

This book is beautifully written and I enjoyed every Minuit of it. I liked that the author took a piece of music (that had some mystic around it anyway) that everyone knows and gave its old folk legend a story from today. I like fantasy so I loved the legend and magical fairy being woven into a modern every day story. I very much liked Lucy's Character, the author allowed Zach to have his hero's macho man thing while also allowing Lucy to be every bit the strong capable woman she can be (unlike some popular characters in not so great recent literature... Bella cough cough) They were a team, I liked that. Werlin also deals with some issues from the world today that we sometimes wish were only in novels in a very realistic way. When Lucy is raped the family supports her, she has therapy sessions and suffers from nightmares and decided what to do about her pregnancy. All of these things are very real issues that the author incorporated into her fantasy tale while making the issues remain realistic.


WARNINGS: Rape

"Welcome to the human race. Nobody controls his own life Ender. The best you can do is choose to fill the roles given you by good people, by people who love you."

Ender's Game
By Orson Scott Card


"I am not a happy man Ender. Humanity does not ask us to be happy. It merely
asks us to be brilliant on its behalf."

Young Adult Science Fiction

Tom Doherty Associates, LLC NY, NY 1977

Summary:

Ender Wiggins, a third. A genies conceived to save human kind from the buggers of another planet. But, really... I should let this book speak for itself.

"I can see you find my mysticism distasteful. I assure you that your distaste only reveals your ignorance. Soon enough Ender Wiggin will also know what I know; he will dance the graceful ghost dance through the stars, and whatever greatness there is within him will be unlocked, revealed, set forth before the universe for all to see. "

"Of course we tricked you into it. That's the whole point.. It's the bind we were in. We had to have a commander with so much empathy that he would think like buggers, understand them and anticipate them. So much compassion that he could win the love of his underlings and work wiht them like a perfect machine, as perfect as the buggers. But somebody with that much compassion could never be the killer we needed. Could never go into battle willing to win at all costs. If you knew, you couldn't do it. If you were the kind of person who would do it even if you knew, you could never have understood the buggers well enough."

Personal Review:

I hate science fictiony stuff- I had never finished reading a science fiction novel until this book and I LOVED IT! It was absolutely brilliant, the writing is interesting, the characters complex and human. I was gripped till the very end and surprised around every corner.

WARNINGS: Language, Murder... disturbing child manipulation

War Is...: Soldiers, Survivors and Storytellers Talk about War

Edited by Marc Aronson and Patty Campbell

Candlewick Press Massachusetts 2008

Summary:

War is is a compilation of articles, letters, and stories from war survivors. All of the texts come from different perspectives- reporters, male soldiers, female soldiers... attackers, victims... veterans... civilians... it is honest and as real as War Is. Anyone considering signing up to serve in the Army should read this book. Its ugly but it is a chance for many voices of humanity to be heard by a nation.

Personal Review:

I had to force myself to read this book, I found that I'd nearly rather preserve my ignorance. War is ugly. I still havn't decided what I thought about the book, think about War. Human's are warloving creatures and it gave me a lot to think about.

WARNINGS: Strong language, death, rape, murder, torture

THE CANDY SHOP WAR
By Brandon Mull

Shadow Mountain Publishing Sep 11, 2007

(Tween)



Summary:

Nate moves to a new town where he is quick to make friends... and enemy's. He and his three best friends spend their time riding bikes and running from bully's... one day they discover a candy shop run by an elderly woman who rewards small tasks they accomplish around the store with tasty treats. Soon she starts offering them powerful candy to accomplish secret missions. Dangerous missions.

Personal Review:

I loved the Fablehaven series and was excited to discover what else Mull had up his sleeve. I found The Flatman. Brandon Mull stretches the imagination, I loved reading this book. It's written for tweens but he's such a good writer and uses words I didn't know the meaning of until my third years studying psychology so... I loved it and would reccomend his books to anyone, young or old. They're just clean fun to read books! (Tween book)




Brandon Mull resides in a happy little valley near the mouth of a canyon with his wife and three children. He spent two years living in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile where he learned Spanish and juggling. He once won a pudding eating contest in the park behind his grandma’s house, earning a gold medal. Brandon is the author of the New York Times bestselling Fablehaven series and The Candy Shop War.

WARNINGS: None

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkOna6wCuiQ

La Linea

By Ann Jarmillo

Roaring Brook Press 2006 Conn.

"The mata gente. 'The people killer.' An ordinary freight train. And the only way North without paying a peso."

Summary:

Miguel has been waiting for as long as he can remember for his Father to have enough money to bring him across the boarder to live in California. When he finally secures the money and realizes his Father had the means all along had he swallowed his pride he's hurt. Despite his anger he chooses to cross La Linea... unless his little sister ruins it for him. Miguel learns to stick with his family and to love and trust those who are doing the best they can, just like his Parents.


Personal Review:
This book was an interesting quick read. I liked the Spanish in it, just enough to learn and feel like you were a part of their culture without being irritated that you were ignorant of the meaning. Miguel's character seemed a little selfish at times but I thought it was a realistic portrayal of a teenage boy and his younger sister.

WARNINGS: talk of rape, murder

I'd

Tell

You

I

LOVE

You

But

Then

I'd

Have

To

KILL

You


By ally carter

hyperion Books for Children 2006

Summary:
Cammie is a Sophomore at Gallagher Girl's Academy. Her mother is the headmistress. The tiny town the school is in thinks its a prep school for snotty little rich girls. How wrong they are. But the prejudice runs deep and leads Cammie on a wild ride to discover what she really wants to be... the secret agent chameleon? Or a normal teen with a more than normal boyfriend?

Personal Review:

This book was a very 'teenage girl' read and I had a lot of fun with it. It's basic teen boy drama with a secret spy twist. I liked the writer's sense of humor and how many ways she found to create a 'spy girl' world that connected with what most of us have seen in the James Bond movies, very entertaining.

CHRIS CRUTCHER

-RUNNING LOOSE-

1983 Greenwillow Books

HarperCollins publishing

"I looked at Madison and raised my eyebrows.

'That's the kind of smartass crap we won't tolerate Banks!' Lednecky snapped.

'What?' I said in genuine surprise.

He pointed at me threateningly. 'You know what I'm talking about!'

I looked at my knee's and made and effort to keep my smartass eyebrows still."

Summary:

Louie Banks spent months preparing for his senior year of football with his best friend Carter. He's in the best shape he's ever been and knows he'll have a fantastic season...

unless he decideds to quit.

Louie Banks is dating the hottest girl in the entire school. He'd do anything for her, follow her to college even just so they could be together, it will all work out... unless

its just not meant to be.

Chris Crutcher writes books that connect young teenage boys to the world of liturature. He writes about real life things that teenagers go through and talk about. Some of his books are a little bit edgy because... so is some of growing up.

Personal Review:
I enjoyed reading this book. My little brothers play football so I struggled with realizing that any of them could be goingthrough the exact same things as Louie Banks in a story. I think these books are not only good for YA's but also for parents. To remember what it was like to be a teenager and realize that they do go through things and can make their own decisions.

WARNINGS FOR RUNNING LOOSE: Language, Racism, Sexual content