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.