The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay
By: Suzanne Collins
Published By: Scholastic Books
390 pages


The last book of the trilogy series known as The Hunger Games series holds a surprising differential to the last two previous novels, Book 1: The Hunger Games, Book 2: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.  The girl known as Katniss Everdeen, the girl we all came to seemingly love and adore and know, has unexpectedly disappeared, while her past self is thrown away.  Throughout the book, Katniss appears as though she is and was a defeated woman, as though one who took all she had held in the previous two novels, and just tossed those things aside, while forgetting all of her past ambition.  It seems that she has become depressed with the inability to control any of her stressful memories of what had happened inside of the walls of the Capital.  If you are finishing the second Hunger Games book, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, or anticipating to starting the series; read all three of the books: Book 1: The Hunger Games, Book 2: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Book 3: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay.  You will not be disappointed!!!  This series is a great series for all ages, also highly recommended by many loving readers, even with the untold and unforeseen ending to the great adventurous and totally epic trilogy.

Perfect

Reviewed By: Raven
By: Ellen Hopkins
622 pages



I recall watching a friend read this and being intrigued by the cover.  The book intrigued me, and Ellen Hopkins did a great job of keeping my intrigue peaked.  This story revolves around four different people, all connected in the same, but quite unique way.  These four teenagers are seniors in high school and face different adversities in life, and yet all strive to be one thing: Perfect.

Cara is a girl who has a messed up twin brother and faces twice the pressure to get the perfect grades and tries to have the perfect social life.

Sean's whole life revolves around planning and being in control.  Steroid usage seems like the only obvious helper to get him into Stanford, but when Cara dumps him, his perfectly planned life starts spiraling towards anything but perfect.

All that Kendra has ever wanted to be was perfectly pretty, and being perfectly pretty did not mean wearing a size four.  Kendra starts trying to cut more and more out of her life to fit that "perfect model" mold.

All that Andre has ever wanted to do was to please his parents, but when the perfect opportunity arises for him to live his dream and dance, her can't.

Perfect is a great book addressing the problems more and more people seem to face.  This book is a perfect read for people sixteen and up, and of any gender that is in any type of situation, no matter how big or small.  Perfect can be summed up in just about one word: PERFECT!!!!!

Scorch Trials

Scorch Trials
Reviewed By: Chris
By: James Dashner
Published By: Delacorte Press
361 pages



The Scorch Trials is the second book in The Maze Runner series and it begins with Thomas, the main character, and his friends being picked up by people after escaping the maze.  They are brought to a dormitory where they think they are safe.  Thomas soon realizes that they need to leave they place in which they are staying, but the only problem with that is that there is nowhere to go, except maybe out in The Scorch.  The Scorch is a city that has been ruined do to the change in the climate and the sun causing everything to be extremely hot.  It is a very harsh environment along with zombie-like creatures that are very deadly and roam the city.

I would recommend this thrilling book to any reader that enjoys adventures, and to anyone who has read the first book in the series.

Michael Vey

Michael Vey
Reviewed By: Ben
By: Richard Paul Evans
Published By: Glenn Beck
326 pages


This book is about a young boy called Michael Vey.  He has been diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome and he has a secret hidden ability.  Only his mom and his best friend knew, until one day, he found out that he was not the only one.  He found out that a girl that went to his school had hidden abilities too.  Michael's mother ended up getting kidnapped by some group of people that wanted to use and control Michael's powers.  So Michael used his powers to try and rescue his mother so that he could have her back.

If you like a book that is full of adventure and is thrilling, then you should read the Michael Vey book(s) because it is a very exciting book.

Maze Runner

Reviewed by: Brooklynn Campbell
Delacorte Press
By James Dashner
374 pages

The Maze Runner is about a teenage boy who wakes up in an elevator with no memory of his past, or who he even is. All he could remember was his name, Thomas. When he gets out of the elevator, he walks into a glade of strangers and other teenage boys with no memory either. Thomas later discovers that the Glade is run by two boys, named Alby and Newt, who maintain order by enforcing strict rules and keeping all of the boys busy harvesting food. This is important because outside the Glade is the Maze, is horrifying and is covered with huge walls. The creatures are known as Grievers.

The boys are stuck trying to stay alive as well as "solving" the Maze by running through it as fast as they can while tracking movements of the walls and trying to find an exit. No one has survived yet, and they hope they can be the first ones to solve it. I recommend this book to anyone, it was my first time reading it and I enjoyed it a lot. I watched the movie but the book was still better, in my opinion.

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream

Reviewed by: Joshua
Written By: David Platt
Publisher: Multnomah Books
Pages: 240

This book isn't like most books. It's not something to take you on a journey or feed your imagination. It's life goals and instruction for people of the faith or believers in God. This book will teach you how to step out of the ordinary and not be like the world--corrupt. It will teach you to be what God wants you to be. I don't suggest this book to non-believers or people looking for an action packed adventure; but if you're looking to change your life for God and grow your faith or take that next step then this book is great for you, Go check it out.

Divergent

Veronica Roth
Reviewed by: Isaiah
487 pages
Katherine Tegen Books

     Join Tris as she embarks on a difficult journey, but going through this will help her realize who she truly is; and she will also meet some new friends that help her on the way. In the world she lives in there are five factions and at the right age, she will be able to choose for herself what faction she will choose. So when the day comes she chose Dauntless. She loves the adventure and how free they are just like the birds flying in the sky.
     An audience that would like this book would be people who like adventure and excitement there is a bit romance between Tris and Four. Overall I would say it was an outstanding book; and I hope you appreciate it as well.

Toughness

By: Jay Bilas
Reviewed By: Cayden
Published By: New American Library
254 pages


Jay Bilas was an old basketball player from the University of Duke.  Jay wasn't always the most athletic or even the most talented but he knew how to outwork other players on his team and that's how he earned his spot.  In this book, it talks about "Toughness" in basketball.  Now maybe when you first hear this, you might think maybe being physically tough. However, Jay Bilas teaches in his book that basketball is all about the mental side of the game.  He says in the book, "you always have to move onto the next play no matter how bad the play was before."  He teaches that you have to keep your head in the game if you want to succeed in basketball.  He also talks about past experiences when he played for the University of Duke when he played for Coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Airborn

By: Kenneth Oppel
Reviewed By: Jacob
Published By: HarperCollins
321 pages


Airborn, written by Kenneth Oppel, takes place in a nineteenth century alternative history with airships rather than airplanes.  Our protagonist, a fourteen-year-old named Matt Cruse, who works aboard a continental cruise-liner airship named the Aurora.  Working to support his widowed mother and his sisters, Matt just wanted to advance from cabin boy to eventually even the captain of the ship, but was shocked when, one day, the ship Aurora was attacked by pirates.  Crash landing on an island, he, along with the ambitious Kate De'Vries, they find themselves caught up in a life-threatening adventure.  I would recommend this book to anyone interested in steam-punk type books or anyone who is interested in semi-realistic young-adult novels.  The plot of the book is very interesting because the major events in the book intertwine with the personal thoughts and feelings of the characters, which makes cause for an intriguing book through and through.

Epic

Reviewed By: Kizer
By: Conor Kostick
Published By: Puffin
384 pages


In a world where reality is virtual and surviving is hard, especially for a boy named Erik.  He lives in a small village with a small group of friends, but also instead of going to school, all they do is play video games.  Erik's parents are very poor and farm, so everyday, Erik practices to one day the government of the "New Earth."  If Erik and all of his friends do win, then they would have a chance of a lifetime.  They would be able to get to have the chance to go to a top notch university and earn some-more supplies for their village, however the consequences of failing are brutal.

This book is a book full of suspense.  It was probably even the fastest that I have ever even read a book.  I would recommend this book to anyone-person who has a dream.  I would also recommend this book for teenage boys who love video games.

The Blind Side

Reviewed By: Kaiden
By: Michael Lewis
Published By: W. W. Norton & Company
339 pages


Michael Oher is a boy from a family of 13 children and a mom who is addicted to crack.  Michael does not know his real name, nor his real birthday, his father's name, and he doesn't even know how to read or how to write.  Oher looks up to his sports, his school, and his rich white family that had picked him up from off of the streets.  The family adopted him into their family because he was under the age of 18 and because he really did not have any other place to go to.  He had taken up the sport of playing football because of his size, his strength, and also because of his agility.  I would recommend this book for anyone that is looking for a modern society, ancient virtues, and the power of love.