The Replacement

The book that I read for my independent reading assignment was The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff. This book was written for a teenage audience; the themes presented are something that teenagers can relate to. This book is about fairies, but as you can infer from the cover, they are not the sugary and kind ones. The protagonist of this book is a high school boy named Mackie Doyle. He lives a seemingly ordinary life in the modern day town of Gentry. That is, until you dig deeper. Mackie is a changeling, a fairy child who was exchanged for a human one. He can't stand the smell and presence of blood or iron near him. He can't step on consecrated ground, which is a bit of a problem because his father is a minister. But his biggest hardship is trying to fit in and seem like a normal high school boy. If the townspeople notice that he is different, they might beat and lynch him like they did to the last changeling during the Great Depression. His world is rocked when a little girl disappears from the town and comes back....changed. The Replacement is about Mackie's journey in discovering the other part of himself and the dangerous fey world beneath Gentry. This book is sort of like a dark modern day fairytale. There's wicked fairies and dangerous tasks, and of course, the timeless fight of good against evil. This may not be the best book ever, but it's definately worth a try.

The Da Vinci Code

The Da Vinci Code, By Dan Brown, is a very interesting and intriguing mystery novel. It starts out as any other mystery book, with a death(the death takes place in Paris, France). But according to police this is not a normal murder, there are all types of religious symbols over the dead man's body. So the police decide to call an expert in Religious symbols, a man named Robert Langdon, a professer from Harvard. Robert Langdon has already helped other countries police forces and is very well known as one of the best reilgious experts in the world. As he goes throughout this muder he meets various number of people and places and he actually traces Jesus Christ's bloodline back to present day and the murder basically is an act by a religious cult but that is all I can say without giving it away. It is an very intriguing and an action pacted book. I feel it would appeal more to guys because of the volience but the girls would like the history. I would recomend this book to all levels of highschool and all adults. It is a very good book and i enjoyed it very much. PS. This is not the first book in the series. The first book is Angels and Demons. I believe both are in the library.

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

The Chocolate War is a fantastic book for teenagers! Teens can really relate to the problems in the book to their everyday life. Robert Cormier does an amazing job with description, but he doesn't bore you with too much of it. It is the perfect amount to paint a picture in your mind and still keep you on the edge of you seat with thrilling suspense. The word choice and description make it easy to read quickly!

The plot is also incredible! It is perfect for high schoolers because the conflicts are the same in reality. The main character, Jerry, is new to an all boy private high school. Many of the kids at the school are involved in alchohal, drugs, violence, etc. Jerry is having trouble with teachers and the other kids, just like one might be at Fremd.

The ending is very thrilling and unexpected. Cormier does a great job resolving the book. Right when you think you know what is going to happen, he throws a twist your way. This helps you read more and more. It is impossible to put this book down until you force yourself to.

The book is not too long and not too short. It is a perferfect in length, so it does not get too boring. There is non stop action the whole book!

Go buy this book and i garuntee you will love it and will not be able to put the book down!

The City of Ember

The City of Ember
Jeanne DuPrau

In a small isolated town, the people of Ember live in darkness even during the day. But all their lights are slowly going out and soon the town will be in complete darkness. Two twelve year-old students, Lina and Doon, figure out that the city is in much danger and need to escape. The two find an important document assuming that they are instructions to escape from the City of Ember. Unfortunately, Lina's little sister, Poppy, ruins them and Lina and Doon have to decipher the passage.

If you have read the Giver by Lois Lowry, you might enjoy this book. Both have young children whose jobs are assigned to them which lead to an understanding of their society. Unhappy with their town and the way it functions, the main characters all plan ahead for their escape.

With the captivating plot, DuPrau keeps this novel simple and easy to read while still capturing the attention of the reader.

The City of Ember is an interesting read. It differs from the original love, drug, abuse, friendship, and family stories and tells of a not so perfect society. This book is very short and an easy read so be prepared to finish the book in a single day.

Glimpse

Glimpse, by Carol Williams. is a story in blank verse about the struggles a young girl faces in the aftermath of her sister's attempted suicide. This Crank-like novel is the book I so adamantly encouraged to the class, and I was, I admit, a little caught up in the moment as I told you about this book. While Glimpse is really good, no doubt, the reason I was so excited to share this novel is that I had never read one of the same genera before. Let me explain. This novel is aimed at pre-teenage to teenage girls, I got that as I was reading the book. But this being the first female young adult novel I had read, I got... caught up in the moment. I had never experienced this kind of writing before, and with the new diction and types of tension. Therefore, I had gotten way too excited about talking about what wasn't new, or what didn't have an original plot.

This doesn't mean that this isn't a good book, no way. I still hold by the compliments I gave to the book. Blank verse, especially, was something I think the book hit dead on. The idea of blank verse is to give the writing a more uneducated feel to it, that the writing almost comes purely from the heart and soul of the writer. However, a lot of books take too many liberties in writing in blank verse, assuming that the originality points for the style would make up for poor writing. You need to get the timing of the writing just right, and then drop down to the next line.

For example:

I talked to my sister

and she said

that I was taking too long

on the computer.

While this was a simplistic example, and probably not a very good one, the idea is that the poetry tell the story, and the story supplements the poetry. They build on one another. And this is the best thing in the novel, in my opinion. But, to quote a cheesy 80's reading program, you don't have to take my word for it.

Prey

Prey, a science fiction novel by Michael Crichton, tells the story of what is probably the most eventful week in the life of Jack Forman, the story’s protagonist. Jack is a programmer that has worked for many start-up companies in Silicon Valley, but a corrupt boss from his last job has made it extremely difficult for Jack to find a job; he has become a stay-at-home dad. On the other hand, his wife Julia has begun working for Xymos Technologies, a company specializing in nanotechnology.

Jack is very pleased that his wife has a solid job, and he enjoys his time with the kids. However, his wife develops strange behaviors, and seems to even be changing in her physical appearance. Jack soon becomes suspicious of his wife’s actions, and even those of Xymos. Before he has time to act on these suspicions, he is called out to be a programming consultant at a remote Xymos plant in the middle of the desert. Seeing this as an opportunity to answer his questions, he accepts the offer.

As soon as Jack arrives, he finds that the Xymos plant is not what it seems to be. There is a sense of tension in the air, and Jack is having a hard time figuring out just who he should trust. Little does he know that he has gotten involved in something bigger than he ever expected. Jack will have to be extremely careful around the Xymos plant, as his life could very well be in danger.



I really enjoyed this book, as the sci-fi element was a big appeal to me. As the story is narrated, Jack occasionally goes into a quick explanation of a technical concept that drives the story. Most of this deals with genetic programming and distributed intelligence, which are topics that I am personally interested by.

However, there is a large psychological element to this book as well. As Jack learns more about Xymos and what their motives are, he soon begins to regard close friends of his as potential enemies. I loved trying to figure out the motives behind each characters actions and what their future actions may be; a few of my predicitons actually came true!

Prey is a wonderful book for those who enjoy sci-fi or a mild psychological thriller. However, be warned that the author chooses to use strong language in some sections. The book is not completely filled with profanities, but it does make each scene tenser and more powerful. Crichton really knows how to bring out the intensity in a written piece.

19 minutes

19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult is a novel that depicts the lives of 5 people who's lives change dramatically due to an unexpected act of violence; A student shooting and killing 10 people at Sterling High School. Josie Cormier is a senior at Sterling High, whose boyfriend of 4 years was killed by the shooter. she has an especially hard time getting back on her feet after the shooting because of her previous friendship with the shooter. Alex Cormier, Josie's single mother, is the most respected judge in town. She feels that she can handle being the judge on the Sterling High shooting, but the emotional toll that it takes on her and Josie is too unexpected and heavy for her to make an accurate decision. She is a better judge than a mother, which doesn't bother her as much as Josie feels it should. To throw her life even more off balance, she finds herself falling for a cop/detective on the same case. Patrick is the cop who is investigating the shooting. He can't help but think that he's not "detecting" anything, but rather the crime has already happened and the people have already been hurt, even before he gets there. His relationship with Alex Cormier throws him through a loop as he begins to uncover the truth and history behind Josie and the shooter. Lacy Houghton is a midwife and has a student at Sterling High. She can't help but ask herself, "What did I do wrong?" as she deals with the emotional turmoil and the social rejection of having a murderer for a son. Peter Houghton has been bullied and socially rejected his entire life. He finds a way out through programming computer games, his favorite being Revenge of the Nerds, where outcasts try to kill the jocks of the school (AKA their tormenters). In the computer game, he always won; her never took into consideration what would happen after he shot and killed 10 students at Sterling High School. This book is fantastic because it leaves you thinking about it even after you're done reading.

In Harm's Way is a horrifying true story describing the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, a WWII battleship, on its way to an island called Leyte. The ship had just finished a mission delivering the parts of the bomb "Little Boy", an atomic bomb that would later be dropped on Hiroshima. This particular story is not just an ordinary sinking however, its what happened to those that survived the torpedoeing that had it the worst. 300 American soldiers instantly died from 2 Japanese torpedoes and the remaining 900 soldiers made a fast escape from the ship. What ensued could only be described as hell. Lost in the Pacific, the soldiers suffered from thirst, starvation, sun exposure, and, worst of all...sharks. Being constantly challenged by the sharks, they also had the looming enemy, insanity. Many went crazy from the lack of water. Of the 900 that went into the ocean, 317 got out after the 4 day battle for survival. If you are into gripping survival stories and general horror, read the book In Harm's Way by Doug Stanton.

The Sky is Everywhere

The Sky is Everywhere is a really well written novel by Jandy Nelson. In the beginning Lennie Walker appears to be an average seventeen-year-old high school music student. Until you got a peek into her personal life. She doesn't exactly have any parents to start out with. She has never known her dad and her mom left when she was two. Her Grandmother and her uncle take care of her aling with her older sister, Bailey. Of these people she was definitely closest with Bailey. Bailey was the social butterfly, while Lennie was kinda quieter and hid in Bailey's shadow. Bailey dies though, suddenly and unexpectedly. In this novel is a great story of how a high shcool girl grows into her own person and deals with the first couple of months without her sister. She learns to juggle drama with her best friend, a boyfriend, and her sisters' fiancee, and becomes a really admirable girl. All in all, even with a busy story line, I was really a fan of this book. =]

A Walk to Remember

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks is a story about young love and change. Landon is a high school bad boy, and Jamie is the good girl, the minister's daughter. When Landon realizes that he need to get some credits in if he wants to go to college, he joins Drama Club. Jamie and him meet, and after a while they grow close. Jamie shows him things about the world and himself that he's never known. Soon Landon is becoming a better person and is falling in love with Jamie. Unfortunately, there's something wrong with Jamie that she believes Landon can't love her. If you like The Notebook or Dear John, you'll love this book! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes romance novels or Nicholas Sparks. A Walk to Remember is a very good and fast read!

How To Ruin a Summer Vacation

How To Ruin a Summer Vacation

--Simone Eckeles

Do you often find yourself looking for books of the realistic fiction genre? If so, then I highly recommend that you make a beeline for the 'E' section next time you are in the library to find How To Ruin a Summer Vacation.

Amy is a typical high school student making plans for her summer vacation just like everyone else. However, all of those plans are about to change when her mother informs her that her dad, who has never even been in the picture, is going to take her to Israel this summer to visit his side of the family...the family that doesn't know she even exists. She has a hard time adjusting to life in Israel, let alone the people. Although, everything changes when she meets Avi. Avi is everything she could ever ask for and more.

You're going to have to read How To Ruin a Summer Vacation to find out what makes Amy such a great dynamic character and to discover how she makes the most of her trip to Israel. But let me warn you, once you start this book, it's not going to leave your hands until you've read to the very end!

Peter and the Starcatchers by Barry and Pearson

This book is the story before the Disney movie, Peter Pan. It explains Peter's youth and his meeting with Tinkerbell, as well as bringing you into a whole other magical adventure. You'll meet familiar characters like Captain Hook, Mr. Smee, the crocodile, and the lost boys.

The story starts off with Peter and four other orphans being sent across the sea to their new home in Rundoon. They travel in the Neverland, and another ship, the Wasp, sails for Rundoon as well. On the ship, Peter meets Molly who is apart of a secret society called the Starcatchers. Unknowingly, the magic substance, starstuff, has fallen in their hands and they must protect it. Chased by pirates, they stumble upon Mollusk Island where unwelcoming Indians live. Peculiar things happen around the trunk of starstuff and soon there are five parties pursuing it. Find out who gets the prize!

I don't think this is the best book for young children, since some of the fights are more graphic. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it very much. It may be an easy read but it was very entertaining and descriptive.

Book Talk: Empire by Orson Scott Card

I'd like to begin by saying that this book was not the best book I've ever read. In my opinion, the plotline was too basic and there weren't enough cliffhangers to keep me fully engaged. However, there was the occasional twist, which made me want to read deeper into the book. The book came to a sudden halt though. Once the problem had been resolved, there was a short chapter at the end, and nothing else. There wasn't even an epilogue to wrap things up, which I look forward to.

The reason I picked this book out in the first place was because of the premise. The plot gets rolling about a year into the future, so it still feels current with the technology. It presents an odd scenario for the reader to think about: a second civil war. As things in general have been headed downhill for this country, a group of extremists that call themselves "The Progressive Restoration" comes into the picture. They are a seperate, unknown political party, hiding out in the mountains of Washington State. They eventually plan to overthrow the government and set things on a more stable course. They want to instill the ideals of politicians that lived over 30 years ago, because that is what they believe is right for this country. So, they hire terrorist assassins to kill the president and vice president to distract the country while they stage the overthrowing of New York City in order to gain power. Major Rueben Malich and his new right-hand man Bartholomew Coleman (both ex-special ops) get involved in this mess. Our main characters run back and forth, chasing down secrets about what is really going on, while getting chased by the troops of the Progressive Restoration.

That was the basic summary of the book I read, and it doesn't get anywhere close to how deep this book actually goes. I really enjoyed the twists when I encountered them, but there weren't enough to keep me completely satisfied. Overall, I would give this book a 7 out of 10 because I liked the premise of the book, but the substance just didn't do it for me. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read about dystopian societies, or future events.

The Glass Castle by: Jeannete Walls

The Glass Castle is a memoir of Jeannette Walls by Jeannette Walls of her dysfunctional but uniquely vivacious family. Her father who when is usually drunk is a corrupt and harsh man. Yet when sober he is brilliant, alive, charming, and expands his children’s imaginations not only teaching them stuff school can educate but way beyond like taking on life courageously. Her mother does not like the “burden” of motherly responsibilities and would rather live independently. Yet had such a loving, free spirit, and loathing the idea of a domestic life. Growing up constantly moving around, the Walls children constantly had to mature on their own. They were truly independent, only taking care of each other with necessities, as siblings would do, but parents should be doing. Each kid had to go through such tough and disturbing times that no child should have to go through. In addition to Mr. and Mrs. Walls struggling to feed, cloth, bathe, and educate their children on a regular basis. Once they grew up, the children found a way to make a living out of themselves, without being stuck with the homeless and constantly on the run lifestyle. Even though the Walls children moved on into the city, the parents did follow them, but choosing to stay homeless. From Jeannette’s hard told adventures growing up, to the situations put after living on her own, her masterpiece of a memoir can truly relate to many families out there. Even if they are not in as severe situations as the Walls had it, the basic family story remains the same throughout everyone’s life. Reading this book not only makes one appreciate his or her own family, but see that there is always hope for anyone no matter what situation.

Book Response

Whip It
By Shauna Cross

From the get go, it's evident that sixteen year-old Bliss Cavendar is not happy with her situation in Bodeen, Texas; home of the Bluebonnet Ice Cream Factory. In fact, the book begins with Bliss writing a letter to her "real parents", because she is convinced that there is no way Brooke could be her mother.

As different as night and day, Brooke's agenda for Bliss consists of winning small pageants, then going on to be Miss Bluebonnet.

While on a disastrous shopping trip to Austin, Bliss sees something that will inspire her to come up with her own plans: an advertisement for a roller derby bout. After attending, Bliss is convinced to tryout for one of the teams in the leagues, The Hurl Scouts, where she discovers her talent as a jammer (point scorer). Plus, she even meets a guy who isn't like the mullet wearers she's come to (unfortunately) be familiar with at Bodeen High.

Sooner or later, though, life is going to put a tear in your fishnets, as our narrator discovers. When her life blows up in her face, it isn't just the fact that her boyfriend and his band are leaving for a three week tour ("[A] word of advice, [Bliss], never date a boy in a band, or a Leo--they're totally toxic"), nor is it that the derby girls have discovered she's been lying about her age, that has her terrified. Brooke taking away her skates and is dragging her to the dreaded Miss Bluebonnet Pageant (which happens to be the same day The Hurl Scouts are going to the derby championships) might have something to do with it, too.

What's a caustic misfit who's desperately itching to get out of Bodeen to do?



I enjoyed this book because of the narrator's biting humor and the way that it was similar to It's Kind of a Funny Story in how it was just like a teenager talking normally. Bliss shows that you don't have to live your life according to other people's expectations and that it'll only make you miserable in the end if you try to.

One thing that kind of gets annoying, though, is how she constantly condemns everything that is the least bit mainstream. It made me think something along the lines of, "Okay, we get that you're 'fighting the system', but you're being so non-conformist, that you're beginning to conform".

Also, yes, there is a movie of the same name, based off the book, starring Ellen Page as Bliss Cavendar.