Hero Type by Barry Lyga

Name: Caitlin

Grade: 12+

Book: Hero Type

Author: Barry Lyga

What does it mean to be a hero? I consider myself and my peers to be part of a superhero generation, but even that doesn't make the question any simpler. For Kevin Ross (Kross to his friends) the question is even more complicated. Kross is a hero; he saved a girl, Leah, from being raped by a notorious criminal. That makes him a hero, right? Unfortunately for Kross, it's definitely not that simple. Admired by everyone in his small town, Kross finds himself in a tricky situation; his father never speaks because of a mysterious war accident, his friends are the biggest pranksters in town and to top it all off, the entire town is turning on him because his father took the "support our troops" stickers off of the car awarded to him for saving Leah. As the dark secrets of his father's past, as well as his own, emerge, Kross starts to question if he ever really was a hero. Kross has to learn to accept his life for what it is and learn to stand up and do the right thing in the face of complete opposition before he can ever ask himself what it means to be a hero.

Barry Lyga is one of my favorite authors. I've read all of his books except one, but out of all of them Hero Type is definitely my favorite. Lyga has a way of binding the weirder, darker side of real life with the things that people actually feel when they're experiencing. Kross is put into a very, very difficult position when his father takes the "support our troops," stickers off his car, made even more difficult when he has to face the most popular kid in school to stand up for why his father did it. This book has so many controversial issues in it, which makes it difficult to write a review; there's too much to talk about. The complexity of the story and characters, however, make this book more than amazing.
By the end of the book, I was totally rooting for Kross to win and for everyone to love him again, but Lyga also has a way with focusing on the reality of the story. Nothing about this book is sugar coated; Kross is extremely unlikeable and creepy in many parts of the book, but for all of these major flaws, Kross is extremely human. All of the characters are flawed and confused enough for me to actually believe them and all of this makes the book totally convincing. The lives that Lyga built for the people in this small town are remarkable and fantastic. Not everything is resolved by the end of the book, but it's obvious that Lyga planned for it to be that way and it only adds to the reality of the entire story. The reality and humanity Lyga wrote into this book are definitely what made it so utterly great.

Why I picked up this book: It sounded interesting and I love Barry Lyga.

Why I finished it: I totally couldn't put it down.

I'd give this books to: Speech kids. Definitely speech kids. But, honestly, I think everyone should read this book.

My rating for this book: *****

Stay by Deb Caletti

Name: Krystiana Graham

Grade: 12th grade +

Title: Stay

Author: Deb Caletti

Review: From everyone I've talked to, I've heard amazing words about Deb Caletti, and I must say, she does not disappoint. Stay is only the first book of hers that I have read, but it's a book worth reading. It's a wonderful story, with a twisted plot, that will literally leave you clinging to the edge of your seat. The story travels between two different time periods, the past and the present. In the present you meet Clara, the main character - who is suffering from an obsessive boyfriend, and has gone on a vacation of sorts, in an attempt to get away from him, but it is the short chapters between the chapters of Clara's life now, that you get to meet Christian, her obsessive, possessive ex-boyfriend.

Christian came into her life by pure conciounsedence, and has stayed in it because of Clara not wanting to hurt him by leaving. You learn that Christian holds Clara captive by his obsession with her, as well as his low self esteem that makes it to where she feels it is her job to be close to him, and to stand by him. Unfortunately, it also leaves Clara stuck between a rock and a hard place. Eventually, Clara is able to send him away - and to get further away her father takes her to a remote place by the sea in hopes of putting some distance between Clara and Christian. And to keep up this 'distance' no one is to know where she is.

Clara welcomes a new, but simple life with the change of scenary, as well as a new crush in the form of a local sailor. Clara finds a job at the light house, her father finds a girl friend in her boss, and she's beginning to get used to things, until her crush turns into her boyfriend, and she calls up her best friend to tell her about it. Clara tells her friend where she is, and in turn her friend tells her mother. And then Christian learns of where Clara is that way. And suddenly, Clara's heaven isn't so heavenly anymore. Her haven turns into a nightmare the night Christian shows up, and it leads to a chase that ends as she's cornered out at sea, with Christian approaching. And from there . . . well, you'll have to read the story yourself to find out.

Why I picked this book up: I'm not sure why I picked up Stay. I didn't hear any good remarks about the author, until others had already seen me reading it. It was just a book I had found on a whim. To be honest, it was one of those random 'Oh what's this' moments. And after I read the inside cover, I knew it was a book I'd have to read.

Why I finished it: This is a book I'd happily call hypnotic. Caletti definitely knows how to hold a girl captive, from my perspective. This book kept you wanting to read more, curious as what would happen next, and dying for the information in between chapters, that were like the secrets of Clara's past. The more you read, the more you wanted to read. However, Caletti also did a wonderful job pulling the book together at the end, finishing it up in a delicate way, and leaving you with a feeling of peace. An ending worthy of the book.

I'd give this book to: I'd give this book to anyone - though I've already suggested it to a friend who has similar problems as Clara. It's a book that is almost informative at just how dangerous relationships can be, as well as a good book for anyone who wants a realistic modern, relationship based fiction book. This is a book I'd happily hand to people down the street, because it's an interesting story, and I don't think there is anyone who wouldn't like at least one section of it.

Rating: Four out of Five; I'd give it a higher rating, but I do hate giving a book a five. So maybe it's more of a four and three quarters. Yes. that sounds more likely, more appropriate. This book was wonderful. Cleverly written, designed to capture attention and hold it. It was very consistent, as well. And over all. It's an amazing story, worthy of being noticed.

The Saga of Larten Crepsley: Ocean of Blood

Name: Serina

Grade: College

Title: The Saga of Larten Crepsley: Ocean of Blood

Author: Darren Shan

Larten Crepsley is a young vampire with great aspirations. After leaving his mentor Seba Nile for a period of time that all Pups (as young vampires are called) take to find themselves, Larten is living the high life with his companion Wester. The two of them gamble, drink ale, consort with women, and follow along behind battles to feed on the fallen humans. It truly is paradise, but Larten still feels like he is missing something. So, even though his current life is so appealing, he and Wester return to their master to complete their vampire training. Seba then takes them to vampire mountain to participate in the council. While there, Seba is given the job of quarter master and asks if his two apprentices would like to stay. Wester is eager to remain in the mountain, but Larten is far less certain. Regardless, he agrees to train and become a vampire general. Eventually, after years of training, Larten becomes fed up with the hierarchy system of generals and princes, and after becoming angered by his master's words telling him to go, he leaves vampire mountain. Larten then falls back into old habits, drinking ale until he passes out and flirting with women. He is still not pleased with his life, and runs into the rowdy and rude vampire Vancha March, who he accompanies until Vancha is called back to vampire mountain. When Larten is alone again and missing any form of company, he decides to seek out the sorceress Evanna, who he had previously met and been dazzled by while still in the service of his master. Fate takes things from there, and the hands of destiny lead Larten into some very unsavory situations that he may end up paying the ultimate price for in blood. And it is not necessarily his own...

I picked this book up because I love Darren Shan.

I finished this book in one night because it was exciting as well as easy t read.

I would give this book to anyone who likes the Cirque Du Freak series, or to anyone who is sick of vampires that glitter in the sunlight rather than burn.

Rating: **** I really liked it!

Choke by Chuck Palahniuk

Name: Cailtin

Book: Choke

Author: Chuck Palahinuk

Victor Mancini's mother is in a home; a home that costs 3,000 bucks a month, a price that medical school dropout Victor can't afford. His solution to this is simple- he forces himself to choke in restaurants. Victor spends his nights choking and his days coping with (sort of, but not really) his sex addiction; every Saturday he visits his mother. It's while he's visiting his mother that he meets the beautiful Paige Marshall, one of the resident doctors that cars for his mother. As Victor delves deeper into his mother's past and his own, he is drawn into an insane world where the people who save your life are responsible for you forever, his best friend is collecting boulders and rocks to stave off his sex addiction, and Victor himself has to separate fact from crazy as his mother suggests that his father might be divine.
Choke was very, very typical Palahniuk. The story is funny in it's absurdity, but also encompasses the dark and bleak worlds that Palahniuk's characters always find themselves in. this book, like most other books by this author, was very theatrical, with a corrupted main character and a very unique writing style. The story itself was also really interesting. Palahinuk put a spin on the typical "parent in a home, child can't afford, con people into giving them money so they can keep their parent alive" plot. He makes it ultimately stripped down the the core of what the bleak, dirty side of humanity is.
The only complaints I have with this books is that it is so similar to all of the other works Palahinuk has done. His writing style seems to be very set-in-stone. This books is also depressing, insulting and infuriating at times, so it's not a good read for a sunny day.
The whole book is filled with twists and the reader is forced to fall into the insanity of the characters. This books is ultimately disgusting and horrible and insulting (I think it might actually need a warning label) and I honestly could not put it down.

Why I picked up this book: I generally like Palahinuk's books and this one has been in my to-read pile forEVER.

Why I finished it: I couldn't really put it down. It's disgustingly fascinating.

I'd give this book to: Anyone who is looking for a truly bleak and unique read.

I would NOT recommend this books to: People who are sensitive to generally horrible things and people who have parents who are very sick or in homes. This is NOT a feel-good read...unless it makes you feel better about yourself.

My Rating for this book: ****

Rules of Attraction

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles
Briana, 12th grade

Just like Elkeles novel- Perfect Chemistry, we are introduced to Carlos, the middle Fuentes brother. A rough, tough, and egotistical Mexican who's got a problem with everyone is forced to leave Mexico to live in Colorado with his oldest brother, Alex. Carlos is reluctant to do anything, much less live with his brother's professor and his annoying daughter. Kiara- a level headed, recently confident girl is immediately drawn to Carlos. It might be his love for cars, one she shares, or maybe it's the hidden depths that Carlos rarely shows. Either way, they are forced to test the boundaries of love as Carlos gets tied up in a gang- something Alex tried to prevent from happening by shipping Carlos to Colorado. As this story unfolds, many secrets are revealed in this action/ romance novel.

Why I picked up this novel:
I had read Perfect Chemistry and obviously loved it, so I grabbed Rules of Attraction to see what it would be like.

Why I finished the book:
Well lets just say that it was incredibly hard to put this novel down! I loved it- maybe it was the forbidden romance, or the tall, dark, and handsome Fuentes brothers that keep me intrigued. Either way it was a great book.

Who I'd recommend this novel to:
I think this is a book that would appeal to girls more than guys because we are looking for these forbidden romances and love stories that leave us astounded. There is action- the gang affiliations and fights, but I think it's more of a "coming of age" novel. It's really worth reading is all I can say!

Rating: *****
Really good!

The Road

Cormac McCarthy's masterpiece is the story of an unnamed man and his boy as they travel across a post-apocalyptic United States. There are no animals to be seen anywhere, the entire land is burnt and covered with ash, corpses are lying everywhere, and survival is very unlikely. The man and boy are no exception. They travel south in the hopes of finding food and protection from the dangers of the outside, the worst being the people. Starvation has driven them mad with hunger turning them in cannibals. A true horror story. The man does everything to keep his son safe and the boy will always remain loyal to his father. All they have is each-other and whatever supply they carry. I read this book and couldn't put it down because of all the horror and suspense. It will keep you guessing and you will be shocked at all the horror McCarthy sends into you mind. I give it a 4.5/5 and recommend it to anyone over the age of sixteen. Anyone younger might not be able to handle it. The question is can you?

Marcelo In The Real World by Francisco X. Stork

Marcelo likes his world just the way it is. He lives in a tree house, attends a special school called Paterson where he helps with the horses and is accepted regardless of his differences. He hears music in his mind and remembers Bible verses. Marcelo is 17 years old and has a form of autism called Aspergers.

Marcelo's father Arturo decides that Marcelo needs to spend the summer before his senior year working in "the real world". Although Marcelo already had a job caring for and training the ponies at Paterson, it has been decided that Marcelo will work in the mail room at Arturo's law office. Arturo wants Marcelo to learn how to interact with people outside of Paterson and how to live by the rules of the real world.

The real world might have more in store for Marcelo than even Arturo imagined. Right & wrong, good & bad, trust, jealously, love, honesty. How will the real world change Marcelo? How will Marcelo change the real world?

Why I picked up the book: I've heard many positive things about the book and I was looking for something different (not supernatural, sci-fi, or abuse) for our teen book club.

Why I'm finishing it: Makes me think about how we treat people who are different. Is anyone really normal? Seeing the "real world" through Marcelo's eyes makes me wonder if we would all be better off not being "normal".

I'd give it to: high school students, parents, teachers, librarians. Right now I think it would be good for graduating seniors trying to find their place in the world.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Name: Krystiana Graham

Grade: 12th grade

Title: I am Number Four

Author: Pittacus Lore

Review: This is a story that is showing up everywhere. A new motion picture, a new book, and a fantastic read, if you ask me. I am Number Four is about a boy, similar to the youth of today - yet different in many ways as well. The first thing you learn about John, is there are a few things that make him special. One. He's one of the nine. Number Four to be exact (cue title here), and he's one of the nine surviving Garde, a subsection of a race of humanoids on the planet Lorien. Along with these nine Garde came nine guardians, the other subspecies of humanoids called Cêpan. Sent to earth after their planet was attacked by another, much more foul race of creatures the surviving 18 Loric must split up into groups of two. One Garde, one guardian. And they must survive on earth - blending in; and wait for the Garde's legacies to appear so that they might be able to fight back against the aliens that destroyed their planet. Legacies are part of the Garde, which make them special. Super powers given to them by their planet, do to the Loric's desire to keep the planet alive and safe. These Legacies help the Garde fight, to protect Lorien. And until the Legacies develop, the nine young Gardes are in serious trouble.

At the beginning of the book, however, you learn that the nine Garde have actually been lowered to only six remaining, one, two, and three having already met their fate. Now it's John who is fighting for his life - because he is in danger. He is number four. He is next. If they find him, he is dead. You follow the story, seeing it from John's general perspective, watching as he experiences the difficulties of being a Garde fighting for his life, trying to fit in with the humans, and discovering just who he is. You see the strength with in him, the courage, and selfless-ness he fights with. And you can easily find a connection with this one of a kind hero. And no one else but Lore could have portrayed an idea to such an excellent extent. This book is worth reading. Who knows, maybe the movie's not that half bad either.

Why I picked this book up: My mother was the one who actually picked this book out, for herself none the less. When she had finished it in one day, I knew it was a book worth looking into. That, and my mother basically pushed it into my hands.

Why I finished it: Many have asked me, since I finished the book 'Is it a good book, or a good author?' This is a question I stumble over, because i have no answer for it. I absolutely love the story, I shan't lie about that. I've never read anything like it. It keeps you pinned in, and fawning over the idea of what will happen next. I finished it, not because you have to finish every book that you come across, or be left unsatisfied, but because I constantly had to know 'What is going to happen next.' And I hope, one day soon, I'll be able to figure out the answer to the question. Is it a good book, or a good author. Maybe it's both. I'm still not sure.

I'd give this book to: I'd give this book to anyone who loves to read, merely for the fact that it's an interesting, and captivating book. But beyond that - I'd give it to those interested in the extraterrestrial. Because, this book has MORE then enough of that. and yet, it is still far from 'Sci-fi.' Really, this is a book anyone can sink their teeth into, and be left asking for more.

Rating: Five out of Five; Hello wonderful. This book has it all. Awesome characters, a plot that keeps you hooked, and a story line that flows perfectly. I hate giving fives, because many take it as a sign of no need for improvement, but for this one, it has all the makes of a five, and I won't degrade it to anything less.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Name: Caitlin

Grade: 12 (soon to be 12+! :])

Book: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Authors: John Green and David Levithan

Will Grayson is just an ordinary guy; he lives under the radar and follows the rules of not making a scene or speaking up. For such a cowardly and shy character, Will's best friend is surprising. Tiny is anything but tiny; in fact, Tiny is one of the biggest people Will had ever met. Along with being a huge football player, Tiny is also very, very homosexual. He's larger than life and definitely the heart of the book; if they were to make a movie of this book, no one would ever be able to live up to how amazing Tiny is. This book follows Will Grayson to the most unlikely place, a shady porn shop, where Will Grayson meets Will Grayson.

The second Will is a completely different character; in love with a guy he met online and fighting his way through depression, his parent's divorce, and living in the lower bracket of the middle class. He has few friends and a dark outlook on life. As these characters collide, their lives are changed by Tiny and through Tiny they change each other.
Not to mention the underlying plot of one big, gay musical authored by none other than Tiny himself, a girlfriend, several boyfriends and lots of characters learning a thing about life.
This book was brilliant in so many ways. For one thing, John Green is one of my favorite authors; when he joined with Levithan, who wrote Boy Meets Boy, the book was destined to be a success in my eyes. John Green's lough-out-loud humor and unique viewpoints for characters paired with David Levithan's unique perspectives into how people are as well as his knack for bringing light and happiness into the predominantly angst-riddled subject of homosexuality gives this book a depth I rarely see. The best thing about this book, however, is that it tricks you into thinking the book is about the Graysons, then it's about Tiny, and then it's back to the Graysons again. Even after I've finished it, the book was about all three of them separately, but by the ending it was about all three.
The only downsides to this book for me was that in all collaborative books, the authors always miss some small things that could have been followed through, but were missed; another fault I saw was that depressive Grayson didn't use any capitalization and, being a grammar nazi, it bothered me, even if I did understand why they did it.
Overall, this book was wonderful and human and masterfully written. It was everything I like in books: funny, heartbreaking, beautiful, and everyone figures out how stupid they were in the beginning.

Why I picked up the book: I've been on a John Green kick and it also had a pretty cover :)

Why I finished this book: I really could not put it down

I'd give this books to: Anyone looking for a really, really, great-growing up story.

My Rating for this book: *****

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not read "If I Stay", do not read this review. Go to your nearest library, check it out and then return!




Three years ago, the love of Adam's life, Mia, was the sole survivor of a horrific car accident that robbed her of both parents and her younger brother. Mia spent four days in a coma and Adam asked, begged, her to stay and made her a promise he never thought he’d have to keep. But when Mia left for Julliard in the fall, she walked out of his life and never came back.

Now Adam is officially a rock star complete with addictions, anger issues, and depression. Even writing two albums full of award-winning hit songs hasn’t provided him any closure. After causing a scene during an interview, Adam's manager suggests he take an evening in NYC to relax and “get away from it all” before flying to London to start the tour. Little does Adam know that this chance to breathe will allow him to walk by Carnegie Hall and see a poster announcing the concert of the night: Mia Hall. The chance to watch Mia play, even from a distance, is enough for Adam, but then Mia invites him backstage after the show. Have you ever wondered what if and why? If you had the chance to come face to face with your lost love, what would you say? Adam is about to find out Where She Went.


Why I picked up the book: It takes place three years after "If I Stay", which I loved. Interestingly enough, this book is from Adam's point of view.

Why I finished the book: I needed closure, just like Adam. While it never occurred to me that "If I Stay" needed a sequel, I couldn't put the book down. The author has an amazing way with words and I was hooked on her sentences. It was also nice to finally read a great YA story that wasn't 300-700 pages long.

I'd give it to: fans of "If I Stay", romantics, anyone who has ever wondered what if in terms of their first love.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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