Moccasin Thunder

This is a book of modern Native Americans. It is a collection of stories from ten different people's lives. Some of the stories are ok while others are completely boring and hard to understand. I didn't really like this book all that well. Unless you are just really into Indian books I don't think you'll like this book very well either.

Review/Description
The young people's experiences in these 10 short stories will resonate with Native readers and inform and affect non-Natives as well. Joy Harjo writes about a boarding-school experience. Sherman Alexie talks about the slow painful separation and divorce of parents, and the needs of a boy to be seen/heard/taught by his father. Cynthia Leitich Smith shows an example of the everyday struggles Native people have with stereotypes, and the pain it causes on all sides. Richard Van Camp offers a glimpse into a life of addiction, loss, and the struggle to overcome poverty. Linda Hogan demonstrates the pride, generosity, and determination of an elder living on the reservation selling eggs and grain to make ends meet. Lee Francis shares a story of self-realization, oral tradition, and ways things are passed from one generation to the next. This distinguished anthology offers powerful, beautifully written stories that are thoughtful and important for teens to hear

All that Glitters

This book was pretty good, it wasn't that interesting though. The characters lack personality in my opinion. The ending fits the story pretty well I don't really know how I would change it. It's not a necessary book to read, but it's ok if your bored. I don't really like books that a guy is the main character and narrator. It just lacks the emotion I guess you could say. Except for the narrator in twisted, he had plenty of emotion.

Review/Description
Brian, 16, is not looking forward to spending an entire summer with his divorced, uncommunicative, and seemingly uninterested father. Almost as soon as he arrives at Leo's place in the Florida Keys, he discovers that Leo; his friend Nathan; and a beautiful but sullen teenage girl, Tia, are going to help an eccentric underwater archaeologist dive for sunken treasure. As the summer wears on, Brian becomes adept at scuba diving and develops a stormy friendship, then a tentative romance with the enigmatic Tia. He is unable to understand his father, and finds more in common with Nathan and the archaeologist. The plot gains momentum when the group begins to suspect that thieves are raiding a site that they believe holds a sunken Spanish galleon. A hurricane provides the climactic confrontation between Brian and Leo, which finally clarifies the man's behavior toward his son. Several major issues drive this story. Nathan and Tia are black and are forthright in talking about racism and its effect on their lives. Nathan also articulates the need in our society for strong male role modes, or as he puts it, "good men." Clearly Brian doesn't think his father fills this bill, but learns that people are not always what they seem.

Both Sides of Time

I liked this book it was really good up until the end. The end really really sucked, and I mean really bad. I was so mad after I finished. I was like all that for nothing. The characters were ok. Their personalities weren't that brought out since a specific character wasn't the narrator the whole time. It kind of bounces around a little bit. Overall it was a good book. though. It is set in two different time periods which is cool. Oh and I just found out that it has three sequels which I'll have to read.

Review/Description
Disturbed by her parents' marital discord and completely taken for granted by Sean, her mechanically inclined boyfriend, Annie Lockwood is ripe for romance. And where better to find it than in the past--a past epitomized by the once elegant mansion about to be razed in her hometown. At the mansion during a storm, Annie finds herself falling 100 years back in time to a point, where she encounters the romantic idyll she has yearned for and where she alters the lives of several people when she and Hiram Stratton Jr. fall in love. But she realizes that the 1890s are not her time and makes the transition back to the present, only to realize that she has to return to prevent a miscarriage of justice because a ladies' maid has been wrongfully accused of murder. Life among the wealthy in the 1890s is nicely rendered, as are Annie's bittersweet experiences. However, after the first time, Annie's time shifting loses credibility, and her ready acceptance by the Strattons is forced.

Yay!

It makes me very happyful that all my friends are joining my blog now just to recruit a few more peoples and we'll be set!!!

It's Kayla.

Hey it's Kayla (Pleasant_Nightmare...call me Night for short)

Some other really good books are the Riley Jenson Guardian Series by Keri Aurthur...at least I think that's her name :P. They're about a woman who's half vamp, half werewolf...theyre a bit...um..sexful...but theyre pretty good.


also. Hawksong is wonderful. It's by the same person who wrote Shattered Mirror. Dont read the sequels...except for maybe Snakecharm...they'll disappoint you.


Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is pretty good too... the ending is blah though....


quick about me section: I too am in band. I play in the percussion section on mallets, chimes, and bells. I have a strange obsession with Papa Roach... And I love kittehs ^_^.

I'll post more later. It's Friday. School has drained me of sanity.

My Life in Dog Years

I read this book a few years ago so my memory of it is kind of vague. It is just a short collection of stories but the stories are touching. They are all based on his experiences with his dogs through the years. It is amazing how he came to be acquainted with some of them and how close he got to them. If you really like dog stories you should read this book.

Review/Description
Paulsen reveals bits and pieces of his own life story through his experiences with eight of his dogs. After a heartfelt dedication to Cookie, the sled dog who saved his life, the author introduces readers first to Snowball, the puppy he acquired when he was seven years old and living in the Philippines, and then follows chronologically with profiles of other canine companions. He concludes with tales about Josh, the border collie with whom he currently shares a home. Paulsen is a master storyteller with a dry wit. His description of his dog Fred, whom he claimed was actually "nuclear in his capacity for destruction," and his account of his Great Dane Caesar, who was so petrified of trick-or-treaters that he would hide in the bedroom closet every Halloween with a housecoat over his eyes, are sure to elicit smiles. Paulsen can also make readers sigh when he relates how Snowball saved him from being bitten by a poisonous snake and how Cookie pulled him out of the water when he fell through the ice while trapping beaver. The statement, "Josh...is a person. I do not think in my heart that he is a dog," gives youngsters a real sense of how the man looks at these animals. An attractive pen-and-ink sketch of the profiled animal opens each chapter.

Crooked River

This book is about a girl who has to decide what's right and what's wrong. She has to choose between being on her family's side or choosing the side of an Indian of all people. It is set back in time when the white people and Indian's were still fighting. I of course sided with the Indian right away. In the end it shows I picked the right side. I liked the ending I thought it was very fitting. This was a decent book and if you have time you should read it.

Review/Description
Thirteen-year-old Rebecca Carver gets a front-row seat on frontier justice in Pearsall's second historical novel. She and her older sisters return to their 1812 Ohio home and find, in addition to many chores, a Native American chained upstairs. Her father, a widowed farmer, is keeping "Indian John" there to await trial for killing a trapper. Rebecca is the primary narrator here, but the Indian, whose Ojibwe name is Amik, is given a voice through a scattering of spare story-poems. His is a gentle soul, and Rebecca, who is routinely ignored or mistreated by her father, soon finds sympathy for him. Before long, a young lawyer turns up to defend Amik, telling Rebecca about the kindness Amik's family had shown years before. The scenes leading up to the trial are compelling, if not surprising, and Pearsall wonderfully captures the language of the time as well as Rebecca's growing awareness for what passes for truth and justice in her community.

Captivating

I actually like this book and I figured it would be a little boring. I knew it was a spiritual, finding god book, and I don't really like to read those because I'm not a real spiritual person. This book though was really interesting. It showed me that I'm not alone in my thoughts. It showed that every woman has a purpose and what kind of woman to be. Well not exactly what kind of woman to be but the different types of women not to be. I think every girl, woman should read this book even if they aren't active in church.

Review/Description
John Eldredge became the Robert Bly of evangelicalism with his blockbuster Wild at Heart. Now he teams up with his wife, Stasi, to encourage women to connect with their deepest desires. To facilitate this, the Eldredges reveal in the first chapter what every woman's three core desires are: to be romanced, to play a role in her own adventures and to display beauty. The rest of the book is an extended reflection on these three impulses. Drawing heavily on popular films to prove their points, the Eldredges warn that most women tend to become either controlling or needy. Godly women, in contrast, should see God as the ultimate lover, and look to Eve (and not, say, J. Lo) as their model. Also, women should form close, intimate friendships with one another, à la Ruth and Naomi or the ladies in Fried Green Tomatoes. These are all unoriginal themes, which evangelical women's writers have been recycling for years.

Peaches

I really like this book, and I know I say that about alot of books. The characters are interesting and it's about the friendship of three really different teenagers. I actually like the ending of this book because it rapped everything up. You should really read this book I'm sure pretty much everyone will like it. It kind of reminds me of the Sisterhood of Traveleing Pants even though I never read the books and only saw the movie.

Review/Description
Shy, awkward Birdie, the homeschooled daughter of the Darlington Orchard's owners; Leeda, Birdie's gorgeous, wealthy, "kind of cold and uptight" cousin; and restless, rebellious Murphy discover in one another a strong, unlikely friendship that helps each girl move past her own limitations and open herself to thrilling possibilities. The Darlington's financial troubles, overtures from a sleazy developer, and several dreamy romantic interests add tension and intrigue to the friendship story. Interspersed vignettes of momentous scenes from the orchard's past add to the setting's mysterious aura, and Anderson's vivid descriptions of the scented rows of trees, buzzing with heat and life, echo the restlessness of her well-drawn teen characters.

White Fang

I really liked this book and it's one of my favs. I read it in fifth grade and it took me like a month. I really nedd to reread it now and refresh my memory. I like Jack London's story's probably because alot of them involve wolves or dogs two of my favorite subjects. I also think the movie White Fang is really good too. You should definitely read White Fang and other stories by Jack London.

Review/Description
This is the story of a wolf named White Fang, but it actually starts before he is born. The first part of the story tells about how animals survive in the harsh wilderness, where every animal is prey or predator; every victory for one means a defeat for another, and victory means to survive, and defeat means death.

Then, White Fang is captured by men. He endures more harshness, only now it makes even less sense, as not all of the cruelty of man is required by life-and-death decisions. At times, it appears to be cruelty for cruelty's sake.

Jack London knew and loved this harsh wilderness, and wrote of it eloquently and with style and clarity. He doesn't excuse or sugar-coat anything, but still manages to convey its hard but magnificent beauty. London also seemed to know dogs and wolves fairly well, as the animals, while definitely somewhat anthropomorphized, still retain realism. An excellent adventure novel.

My Friend Flicka

Ok I hope TAD is happyI finally posted this book.It is a story about a boy and his horse.In the movie Flicka, the main character is a girl. The movie is some what similar to the book,but it's also different in alot of aspects. It was a good book. In some parts I almost cried, but I also cried in old yeller.I always cry over sad animal stories.It has a happy ending though.

Review/Description

This classic story about a boy and his horse still stands strong. It's more an inspiring account of growing up and gaining self-assurance than it is a horse story. Wells is a surprising choice for narrating this book. His voice is urban and sophisticated, with no hint of soft edges that might be more suitable for a novel set in a simpler time in the American West. Fortunately, Wells deftly handles the life lessons discovered by 9-year-old Ken.A daydreamer and a time waster, young Ken McLaughlin spends his days on his family's Wyoming ranch with his head in the clouds, surrounded by endless blue skies, wide-open spaces, and beautiful horses. To his brusque, practical father, the boy is an enigma and a disappointment. Then one day, Ken's life is filled with new purpose when he finds Flicka, a magnificent filly as wild as she is fast. Though the strong bond between boy and horse only fuels his father's disdain, Ken's growing love for his friend Flicka is changing him -- leading a once-aimless young man down the path to responsible adulthood, forging a new respect and understanding between father and son, and inspiring a fierce loyalty that nearly costs Ken his life.

Twisted

My alarm clock went off at five the next morning.
First thought: It was a bad dream.
Second thought: No, it wasn't.
Third thought: Crap.

I just finished this book. It was good, pretty much written like speak. Except this time the narrator was a teenage boy. There wasn't really alot of action. It was basically just the story of his senior year in highschool and the problems he has to face. The ending leaves some things unanswered that made me bad , but it did resolve some things. I would recommend you read this book. The narrator reminds me of me in the way he thinks sometimes.

Review/Description
Socially inept Tyler Miller thinks his senior year of high school is going to be a year like no other. After being sentenced to a summer of character building physical labor following a graffiti prank, his reputation at school receives a boost, as do his muscles. Enter super-popular Bethany Milbury, sister of his tormentor, Chip, and daughter of his father's boss. Tyler's newfound physique has attracted her interest and infuriated Chip, leading to ongoing conflicts at school. Likewise, Tyler's inability to meet his volatile father's demands to be an asset, not a liability adds increasing tension. All too quickly, Tyler's life spirals out of control. In the wake of an incident at a wild party that Bethany has invited him to attend, he is left feeling completely isolated at school and alienated at home, a victim of twisted perception. Tyler must tackle the complex issues of integrity, personal responsibility, and identity on his own as he struggles to understand what it means to be a man. His once humorous voice now only conveys naked vulnerability. With gripping scenes and a rousing ending, Anderson authentically portrays Tyler's emotional instability as he contemplates darker and darker solutions to his situation. Readers will rejoice in Tyler's proclamation, I'm not the problem here…I'm tired of feeling like I am.


More quotes from the book

"Your average piece of drywall who spent too much time playing computer games"

"I was a zit on the butt of the student body"

Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison

This book was ok, I mean it wasn't really action packed or anything. It is kind of like historic facts about the Indians and the white people. I really lean toward the Indian side, but I'm kind of bias since I'm Indian. This book was really touching though how the Indians took care of her like one of their own. I really didn't like how it didn't give much information on what happened to the narrator after her teen years. I mean in told what happened , but not in full detail.

Review/Description
Mary (Molly) Jemison lived a normal life on her farm in Pennsylvania where her family harvested corn. Her father didn't believe that Indians would ever come to their home as their neighbors said, but one day that is exactly what happened. Molly was having a normal day when a band of Indians came. Everyone in Molly's family was captured. Molly and her family had to walk for miles on end. Finally they stopped at a place where Molly was separated from her family and was being taken with the Indians to become one of them. It was hard for Molly to adapt to her surroundings and she missed her family greatly. The Indians gave Molly the name, Corn Tassel, because of her long yellow hair. Molly was depressed at first and tried to run away a multiple of times. After awhile though she began to love her new home.

Side Effects

This book was kind of interesting. It's about a teenage girls struggle with cancer. These kinds of books always make people think about how lucky they are not to be in the position the characters in the book are in. The narrator is a girl who was just normal. Until she gets cancer and this book describes what goes on in extreme detail. I learned stuff about the process of recovery from cancer that I didn't even know.

Review/Description
Ultra-normal teenager Izzy learns that she has stage IV Hodgkins lymphoma. She undergoes standard treatments, withstands her newfound pity-popularity at school, leans on her best friend, and grows in her understanding of her mother. She narrates with a relatively light, joke-cracking tone as her ballpoint pen doodles cartoon jibes at the things making her uncomfortable. Throughout, readers see how the teens condition affects her loving family and supportive best friend. Reassured by the preface, they will have no fear of Izzys recovery. Rather, the story focuses in great detail on her treatments and how she gets through them, holding out for a future in which she will have long, braided hair and a boyfriend who can deal with serious stuff like cancer.

Devil on My Heels

I really liked this book. The story was great and the characters were so life like. It deals with racial separation and what people dealt with during the Ku Klux Klan days. I really liked the narrator she was just an average kind of different teenage girl. It makes you realize the struggles some people face just because of what color their skin is.

Review/Description
This suspenseful story is set in the Florida orange groves of the 1950s. Dove, 15, is increasingly aware of the tensions between the white grove owners and the black migrant workers who pick the fruit. She has a budding romance with Chase Tully, and is concerned about Gator, a black friend who works in her father's grove and is increasingly angry about the conditions. When fires break out in the area, suspicion falls on the orange pickers. Dove begins to question many things, which leads her to discover a Klan meeting in progress. Not only does she see Chase Tully there, she also sees her father. This eventually leads to an exciting, violent but overly melodramatic confrontation between the young people and the Klansmen. Except for Delia, the Alderman family's black housekeeper, the adults in this story do not have a lot to offer. Dove's father weakly goes along with the crowd because he has known these people all his life. The old-boy network that runs the town is full of stereotypical racists. But make no mistake, this well-written story conveys the simmering racial hatred and bigotry of the times. Gator is a strong, admirable character who is tempting fate by having a white girlfriend and by actively advocating for the workers. Chase and Dove are earnest young people trying to make the best of a bad situation. Period details about movies, cars, hairdos, and the like add authenticity. This is certainly a page-turner and it will give readers insight into a difficult and shameful part of American history.

Wait for Me

This was a pretty good book. The book is narrated by Mina and her sister Suna. So every chapter they alternate narrating. That really just makes the book more interesting. There were of course characters I really hated even to the end they were still just so creepy in some cases and mean in the others. The ending (I know I say this every time) could have been better, but it turned out pretty well. I do recommend you read this book.

Review/Description
Mina has a lot to cope with during the summer before her senior year in high school in this novel by An Na (Putnam, 2006). Her Korean-American family needs her help in their small dry cleaning business, her hearing-impaired younger sister depends on her for the nurturing their mother doesn't offer, and she's getting unwanted physical attention from a longtime family friend. But most of all, Mina has promulgated some whopping lies about her academic prowess that has put her in several tight spots. She's led her mother to believe that she's head of the Honor Society and en route to Harvard when, in fact, Jonathan, a family friend, has covered for her and taught her about stealing from the family's business. Complicating matters is Mina's new love interest, Ysrael, a young man from Mexico who comes to work at the family's dry cleaners, who urges her to follow her dreams—and him

The Darkangel Trilogy

These books were ok, they were about vampires,but a different kind of vampires than usual. There is a romance in the book,but it goes back and forth throughout the three books. The first book is the DarkAngel, the second is A Gathering of Gargoyles, third is The Pearl of the Soul of the World. The series ends ok, but like every other book I didn't really like the ending. It could have ended better anyway.

Review/Description
Aeriel is a slave, a foreigner in Avarra, the country of her mistress, Eoduin. A marriage is to take place in their village and, as customary, Aeriel and Eoduin are out gathering nectar-flowers for the wedding. Without warning, Darkangel, the dark-winged vampyre, sweeps down upon them and carries off the lovely Eoduin to be his 13th bride. The young slave is blamed by Eoduin's parents for the kidnapping. Now, alone, bereft, without her lady, who has also been her beloved companion since infancy, Aeriel seeks to be taken by the same Darkangel in order to find and avenge her mistress. Returning to the scene of the kidnapping, she sees the face of the Darkangel for the first time when he comes to take her to care for his thirteen wraithlike wives, including Eoduin. Aeriel is awed. "Then he opened his wings, and Aeriel found she could not move for wonder. Before her stood the most beautiful youth she had seen. His skin was pale and white as lightning, with a radiance that faintly lit the air. His eyes were clear and colorless as ice. His hair was long and silver, and about his throat he wore a chain: on fourteen of the links hung little vials of lead."

Darkangel flies Aeriel to his gargoyle guarded castle. Her task is to weave clothes for the thirteen wraiths. Although once beautiful young women, as each becomes the Darkangel's bride, she, overnight, turns into a withered creature with no blood, no heart, and no soul. All their souls hang around their husband's neck in vials of lead, to be given to the Water Witch, a lorelei, after he collects just one more. In only twelve months, the last bride will be taken and he will become the true seventh vampyre son.

Aeriel's dilemma is whether to destroy her vampyre master for his evil deeds or to save him for the sake of his beauty. She has seen a spark of greatness through the ugliness of his spirit. The miserable wraiths and Talb, a dwarf-like man who lives underground, convince Aeriel to kill him. They have been victims for a long and terrible time. So, she sets off on a dangerous quest, (aren't they all?), to find what is necessary to rid the world of the monster.

Filled with faery legends and lore, this is both a fascinating myth-like tale and a dark romance. The icarus vampire shines here as dark goth hero. He himself has been cursed by the Water Witch to live with a heart of lead

The Unseen

I don't remember a whole lot about this book since I read it like a year ago. I do remember it was good and I liked it. Its about a girl who is able to see an unseen world, with the aid of a feather from a magic egret. She finds a friend who knows about her ability and she gets to understand it better.

Review/Description
Xandra Hobson likes to escape from her family, where she feels like a complete failure in the company of geniuses, and to embark on imaginary adventures involving magic. One day, while in the woods, she encounters real magic when she rescues a bird from some hunters; the next day, it is gone, leaving a feather in its place. A classmate, Belinda, sees it and realizes that it is a key to the unseen world and that with it, Xandra can enter a reality no one else can see. The girls become friends as Belinda and her grandfather attempt to explain the mystical world of the unseen to her. Xandra is terrified by the horrible creatures that surround her and the physical wounds that they inflict on her, unaware that they are of her own making and fed by her anger and hostility. When she breaks her ankle and is stranded in the woods, her family comes to her rescue and she realizes that her siblings aren't perfect and that she is loved. This book is a wonderful ride into fantasy, with a lot of realistic touches to think about and relationships to ponder. Readers will see, even though Xandra does not, that her perceptions about her family are all wrong. They'll also see that being so wrapped up in yourself can cause you to miss what's right in front of you. This perceptive story is not to be missed.

Summer of My German Soldier

I actually liked this book fairly well. The story was good, but of course the ending could have been better in my opinion. The ending was kind of sad I'm not going to say why though. It was a romance that wasn't allowed and of course that always make for an interesting story.

Review/Description
Minutes before the train pulled into the station in Jenkinsville, Arkansas, Patty Bergen knew something exciting was going to happen. But she never could have imagined that her summer would be so memorable. German prisoners of war have arrived to make their new home in the prison camp in Jenkinsville. To the rest of her town, these prisoners are only Nazis. But to Patty, a young Jewish girl with a turbulent home life, one boy in particular becomes an unlikely friend. Anton relates to Patty in ways that her mother and father never can. But when their forbidden relationship is discovered, will Patty risk her family and town for the understanding and love of one boy?

The Sacrifice

This book is about the Salem Witch Trials it is about a girl and her family who live in a town where if you don't accuse someone else of being a witch your thought to be one yourself. It was an ok book, the ending was kind of a let down , but if your interested in the witch trials it's a good book to read.

Review/Description
Set in Andover in the late 17th century, this novel describes one family's experiences with the Salem witchcraft hysteria. As the story opens, 10-year-old Abigail is sitting in the stocks wearing a sign that says Sinner. She constantly questions the limits placed on her by her community and does not regret her crime–racing her male cousin, which is considered inappropriate for girls. Expecting her preacher grandfather to condemn her actions from the pulpit on Sunday, she is surprised when he speaks instead on bearing false witness–comments targeted to those who were accusing others of being witches. The madness spreads and before long, Abigail's Aunt Elizabeth is charged and jailed. Eventually, Abigail and her sister are also denounced and imprisoned, sharing her filthy, rat-infested cell. After their aunt dies, the girls' pregnant mother, believing that her condition will protect her, asks her daughters to claim that she is really the witch so that she can take their place in jail. In the end, Abigail speaks up about the evil of false accusations and helps bring the insanity to an end. Based in part on family history, Duble's narrative clearly captures the sweeping effects of community fear and shows how one youngster's bravery can bring about change.

Touching Spirit Bear

This was a really good book. It was really eye opening in a sense or at least it makes you thing, or it did me anyway. It involves Indian beliefs a little bit, maybe that's why I like it because it reminds me of my heritage. A person could think about things a lot if they were in the situation the character in this story was in. It made me think about if I was stuck on an island what would I do? Do you know what you would do?

Review/Description
Cole Matthews is a violent teen offender convicted of viciously beating a classmate, Peter, causing neurological and psychological problems. Cole elects to participate in Circle Justice, an alternative sentencing program based on traditional Native American practices that results in his being banished to a remote Alaskan Island where he is left to survive for a year. Cynical and street smart, he expects to fake his way through the preliminaries, escape by swimming off the island, and beat the system, again. But his encounter with the Spirit Bear of the title leaves him desperately wounded and gives him six months of hospitalization to reconsider his options. Mikaelsen's portrayal of this angry, manipulative, damaged teen is dead on. Cole's gradual transformation into a human kind of being happens in fits and starts. He realizes he must accept responsibility for what he has done, but his pride, pain, and conditioning continue to interfere. He learns that his anger may never be gone, but that he can learn to control it. The author concedes in a note that the culminating plot element, in which Peter joins Cole on the island so that both can learn to heal, is unlikely. But it sure works well as an adventure story with strong moral underpinnings. Gross details about Cole eating raw worms, a mouse, and worse will appeal to fans of the outdoor adventure/survival genre, while the truth of the Japanese proverb cited in the frontispiece, "Fall seven times, stand up eight" is fully and effectively realized.

Girl in Blue

This book is one of the older based books back in the civil war. I'm not really into those kinds of books but this one was pretty good by my standers. It's not really got very much romance or anything in it. It's more historical than anything else. it is a good book if you like civil war stories.

Review/Description

Inspired by the war fever of 1861, and tired of her father's mistreatment, 15-year-old Sarah Wheelock determines to run away and join the Union forces to fight the Confederacy. The last straw comes when her father promises her hand in marriage to a man who is twice her age and has the manners of a bear. After she cuts her hair, changes clothes, and lowers her voice, Sarah has few problems passing as a boy: years of hard farm labor have toughened her physically, and she has a natural talent for impersonation. Soon, young Private "Neddy Compton" is on the road to Washington, DC, with the 2nd Michigan Infantry. Despite being a model enlisted "man," Sarah is unmasked, and is transferred into the Secret Service, part of Allan Pinkerton's network of spies. Her acting skills are tested in a new and dangerous disguise, as a servant to notorious Rose Greenhow and other Southern sympathizers who are being held under house arrest. Here, the young woman's patriotism, loyalty, and intelligence will be tested beyond anything she experienced as a soldier. While Sarah and the other characters lack depth, Rinaldi's novel offers an exciting plot based on solid historical research

The Wishlist

This book as ok it was kinda boring though. It deals with heaven and hell and being stuck in between. So if this is a touchy subject for you I wouldn't read this book. In the end it turns out good for the characters and it's actually kind of sad. It is based in Ireland I think. I never quite figured it out.

Review/Description
kicked out of her house by her stepfather after her mother dies, becomes a troublemaker. When she and her friend Belch attempt to rob Lowrie McCall, an elderly neighbor, a nearby gas tank inadvertently explodes and she finds herself in a tunnel, hurtling toward the beyond. Meanwhile, Saint Peter and Beelzebub argue over Meg's soul-she is not really a bad kid but neither is she a very good one. In order to decide her fate, they send her back to Earth, where she must try to patch things up with Lowrie. After a rough beginning, she and the dying man embark on a quest to help him right the mistakes that he made during his life. Their adventures are both humorous and poignant, as Lowrie confronts his regrets and Meg strives to attain salvation. Whether the events are set in Ireland or in a hereafter complete with computer technology, Colfer concocts a delightful novel that is written in a much lighter vein than his "Artemis Fowl" books (Hyperion). He brings together several unforgettable characters, including an irascible old man, a mouthy heroine, and a malevolent spirit that attempts to stop Meg from completing her mission. The interaction of the heavenly-and not so heavenly-beings adds an unexpected dimension to the novel.

Shattered Mirror

This book was pretty good and involves two awesome subjects, witches and vampires. The only bad thing is the witches hunt the vampires, which if your a Twilight fan like me you don't like vampire killers very much. The characters were pretty cool. The ending wasn't too favorable inn my opinion,but it was decent. It left the story kind of open. I would suggest you read it though if you like vampires and witches.

Review/Description

It's not easy being a vampire-hunting witch, but Sarah Tigress Vida has learned from the best. The witches of the Vida family line have been successfully stalking and staking the undead for centuries, and Sarah is immensely proud of her ancestry. So, the last thing she would ever do is befriend one of the enemy. She has always faithfully followed the golden Vida rule of vampire hunting: "Knowing your prey can cause hesitation, and when one is a vampire hunter, hesitation ends in death." Then she meets artistic, sweet Christopher. A benign vampire, Christopher lives off of animal blood or the blood of willing human donors, and begins to gently woo Sarah with his poetry and drawings. Completely against her slayer instincts, Sarah reluctantly begins to care for Christopher... until she discovers that his twin is the vampire Nikolas, infamous for his habit of carving his name into the flesh of his victims. Sarah has always sworn to be the Vida to take Nikolas out, but her feelings for Christopher have allowed her to hesitate--a hesitation that may cost her not only her family's sterling reputation, but her mortal soul.

The Kiesha'ra Series

For starters there are five books in the series. I'll start off by telling you only read Hawksong the first one. It ruins the story if you read the rest. Hawksong is really good, but the rest are really boring. The second one is Snakecharm, third Falcon Dance, fourth is Wolfcry, and fifth is Wyvrnhail i haven't read it though. I stopped with the fifth one that was a little weird because the lead character turns lesbian in the end. Sorry if I ruined the story for you but I thought I should warn you beforehand.

Review/Description
, Danica Shardae is an avian shapeshifter. She is a princess of her people who, like the birds they become, is reserved and disciplined, yet full of passion. Her people have been at war with the serpiente, a people who shapeshift into serpent forms, for so many years that no one remembers how it all started. The hatred and bloodshed have taken a heavy toll on both sides, and Danica and Zane Cobriana, a prince among the serpiente, are determined to stop it, at any cost. He is the last of his line as is Danica and so he proposes that the avian and serpiente royalty meet at a neutral place and seek mediation to end the war. The mediator proposal-that Danica and Zane marry-is so crazy and repugnant a plan that both parties leave immediately. The young people, however, consider it in spite of the apparent lunacy, for it would mean an end to the fighting. But can they pull it off? And can they keep the dissenters among them from destroying this shred of a chance for peace? This book takes the Romeo and Juliet angle to new heights and is dealt with in a completely original way. It's a love story and a plea for peace, and an intriguing look at a world that is teeming with tension and danger and beauty

Cut

This book deals with cutting, which is a given by the name of it. I understood the main character and could relate because I had an experience with cutting. It may be hard to understand this book for someone who hasn't. Or maybe it would help you better understand the reason behind why people cut themselves. Either way I suggest to you to read this book because it is a very good and powerful book. It has a good story and describes a character that seems very real.

Review/Description

Callie faces some difficult emotional hurdles as a "guest" at the residential treatment center where she has been sent because she cuts herself with sharp objects. In a flat, unaffected tone, befitting someone unhappy with her situation, Lewis's Callie explains the daily routines and schedules at Sea Pines, the facility dubbed "Sick Minds" by Callie's roommate. Though she doesn't speak to her fellow guests, or even her doctors at first, listeners are always privy to Callie's feelings and her impressions of her surroundings, be it what the anorexic guests don't eat or how the substance abuse guests cope. Details of her stressful, dysfunctional home life trickle out along the way; it's at these points that Lewis's vulnerable voice invites listeners to feel compassion for Callie. As Callie makes breakthroughs with her therapists and comes to better understand her behavior and its causes, Lewis meets the challenge of tearful scenes. Lewis never sounds phony, though, and conveys the hope in McCormick's ending, which suggests Callie's eventual recovery.

Speak

I just read this book today, and I mean literally I read it in one day. It was a good read though even if it didn't take long. I definitely recommend it! Mostly its just about this girl's struggle through her high school freshman year. It;s not like action packed or anything but it was better than I expected it to be. It does include rape but the details aren't explicit or anything.

Review/Description

"This is a story about silence--the causes and effects, the costs and benefits, but mostly the breaching of it. Late summer before her freshman year in high school, Melinda calls 911 ending a party and becoming a pariah. The first day of class a few weeks later, she is left to talk with Heather, a new girl, while everyone else snickers or ignores her. Melinda's parents are not getting along, Heather deserts her for the Martha's, girls who dress, act, and try to think as one, and it appears in Melinda's dreams and around every corner. When day-to-day existence becomes too much to bear she takes refuge in a janitor's closet, to which she adds some posters and a comforter. But even there she's not safe from Andy Evans, the boy who raped her at the party and who is now dating the girl who used to be her best friend. Anderson provides the reader with hints of what happened at the party throughout the text, as Melinda attempts to break her silence and explain why she had to call 911."

East

Then the white bear was at the door. And before any of us could move, rose had crossed to him.She reached behind a large wooden trunk and drew out
a small knapsack.She must have hidden it there earlier."I will go with you",Rose said to the bear,and I watched,unbelieving,as the animal's great paws flashed and Rose as suddenly astrid the bear's back as if he were some enormous horse.
The white bear turned and disappeared through the doorway. Neddy let out a cry and ran after them, grabbing his coat as he went.
I started after them as well,but Eugenia blocked my way."She must go. It is her direction.Her choice."I looked to the empty doorway. I had lost everything I held dear. And there would be no reclaining it.

East was an amazing book. I hadn't expected to like it so well when I checked it out. It was the kind of touchingly romantic story. Kind of like the frog prince because in the end the girl and hidden prince I guess you could call him fall in love. I really can't describe it appropriately to the standards I wish so I'll just leave it at that. I really recommend this book to everyone though. It is narrated by three different people, but that's really not a problem.

Review/Description
In the rural villages of Norway, there is an ancient belief that children inherit the qualities of the direction in which they are born. Nymah Rose, the last daughter of eight siblings born to a poor mapmaker and his superstitious wife, was a North-born baby. It is said that North-born babies are wild, unpredictable, intelligent, and destined to break their mothers' hearts because they all leave hearth and home to travel to the far ends of the earth. To keep her close, Rose’s mother lied and told her she had been born of the obedient and pliable East. But destiny cannot be denied. One day, a great white bear comes to the mapmaker’s door to claim Rose’s birthright. Everything that comes after, as richly imagined by author Edith Pattou, is the basis for one of the most epic romantic fantasies ever told. East is a deftly woven tapestry that melds traditional fairy tale motifs of both Beauty and the Beast and East of the Sun and West of the Moon, with the haunting icy lore of medieval northern lands. Told in a changing chorus of voices, including that of Rose, her hopeful brother Neddy, her regretful father, the charmed white bear, and the Troll Queen whose selfish wish is the catalyst that seals Rose’s fate, East will enchant any and all who venture within its pages. It is a tale for the Ages, and for all ages. Highly recommended.

Anne of Green Gables

This was a quaint book. A nice change from the usual sad, depressing, vampire books I read. It was full of detailed descriptions of scenery. Anne's story is heartwarming and will interest everyone who reads it. The second book wasn't as good, semi boring in fact. There are around seven books in the series which I eventually hope to finish reading some day. It ws a true classic and even made me want to visit Prince-Edward Island.

Review/Description
The way in which LM Montgomery portrayed the character of Anne within the novel was the literary equivalent of a large slice of chocolate fudge cake. Without being too large or overly sweet, it was delicious in its warmth. It was not unusual for Anne to begin a speech that would eventually last for two or even three pages. Far from being dull or tedious however, I found myself being drawn in to Anne's vivid world of fun and eccentricity. All too often in children's books central characters are two-dimensional or lacking a certain oomph necessary to bring the story to life. This book is quite the opposite. It is true that the other characters had great difficulty getting a word in edgewise when Anne launched into one of her frequent monologues, but still I felt a longing to have had a friend like her during my own childhood. I think a lot of readers (particularly children) would easily be able to relate to Anne, as the awe and enchantment she feels towards her surroundings is a pleasure to behold, and her tendency to rename the landmarks around her home is captivating (the dull-sounding `Barry's Pond' for example, becomes `The Lake of Shining Waters'). Anne has a habit of looking at the romantic aspects of her life and exaggerating them beautifully. Another feature of the book I enjoyed enormously was the humour value the author introduced into situations: "Anne, are you killed?" shrieked Diana. "No Diana, I am not killed but I think I am rendered unconscious." A lot of entertainment comes from Anne's loathing of her classmate Gilbert, the origin of such bad feeling stemmed from the time he took advantage of our heroines insecurity about her long red locks, and addressed her as `Carrots.' I felt that too many characters were introduced as Anne's school friends however, and it was often difficult to distinguish between the personalities of Jane, Josie, Ruby and Diana. Nevertheless, this was more than made up for by Anne's individuality, which as I mentioned previously is exceptionally warm-hearted.

The Phantom of the Opera

This wasn't exactly the book I expected to read. I've never seen the movis so I was kind of expecting something a little more romantic. It was a ok book all in all not a lot of action and I was kind of confused through out the book until the end. I wasn't really sure if the opera ghost was really a ghost or a man. I still need to watch the movie and see if it's actually one of the rare occasions where the movie is better than the book.

Review/Description
More than a love story, "The Phantom of the Opera" is a gothic tale of obsession --leading to madness. The Paris Opera House and its hidden rooms, and underground are perfect place to develop a horror story. Leroux noticed this potential. His descriptions of the place are creepy and in the end we start wondering if it is not a true story indeed.

Leroux was very smart, writing a novel like he was only reporting something --and not creating a work of fiction. Therefore there are police reports, newspapers' scraps, witness interviews. More than a narrator, the person who is telling the story is only gathering useful information for the reader.

His characters are real human beings --even the `ghost', than throughout the narrative we realize that he is the one with most human characteristics. Sometimes, Christine is a little stereotypical, mostly when she says she wants to be `the mistress of her faith' or something like it. And so is Raoul --but that doesn't diminish the qualities of this engaging novel.

The House of Night Series

These books are awesome!. They come in really close to Twilight. These books are about vampires of coarse being The House of Night Series its kind of a given. The first book Marked I really hadn't planned on reading. My friend had picked it up by chance at a book store and decide to read it. After she read it she said it was really good and that I had to read it. I did and I fell in love with it. There are only two books out right now. Marked and Betrayed, but Chosen come out Mar. 4th. You have to pretty much read these books in order of else be confused. Betrayed's ending kind of sets the third book up to be really exciting so I guess I'll have to wait to see what happens.

Review/Description
Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres not only exist but are also tolerated by humans. Those whom the creatures "mark" as special enter the House of Night school where they will either become vampyres themselves, or, if their body rejects the change, die. To Zoey, being marked is truly a blessing, though she's scared at first. She has never fit into the human world and has always felt she is destined for something else. Her grandmother, a descendant of the Cherokee, has always supported her emotionally, and it is she who takes the girl to her new school. But even there the teen stands apart from the others. Her mark from the Goddess Nyx is a special one, showing that her powers are very strong for one so young. At the House of Night, Zoey finds true friendship, loyalty, and romance as well as mistrust and deception. She realizes that all is not right in the vampyre world and that the problems she thought she left behind exist there as well. Readers will identify with many of the characters, especially the protagonist.

The Inheritance Series

So far The Inheritance Series includes Eragon and Eldest with a 3rd and final book being released in September. I read these books a good two years ago. Yes, I read them before the movie came out, which the movie turned out to be nothing like the book and if they were compared the movie really sucked. Eragon and Eldest were both mildly interesting some of my friends could hardly read them though because they thought they were boring, so I guess you'd have to make your own opinion about it.

Review/Description
Fifteen-year-old Eragon believes that he is merely a poor farm boy—until his destiny as a Dragon Rider is revealed. Gifted with only an ancient sword, a loyal dragon, and sage advice from an old storyteller, Eragon is soon swept into a dangerous tapestry of magic, glory, and power. Now his choices could save—or destroy—the Empire.

“An authentic work of great talent.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Christopher Paolini make[s] literary magic with his precocious debut.”—People

“Unusual, powerful, fresh, and fluid.”—Booklist, Starred

“An auspicious beginning to both career and series.”—Publishers Weekly

A New York Times Bestseller

A USA Today Bestseller

A Wall Street Journal Bestseller

A Book Sense Bestseller

Peeps

OK so Peeps wasn't that great especially if you read it after you read Twilight. The vampires depicted are really dumb to me and vampirism is depicted as a parasite, a sex parasite besically. Every other chapter talks about pretty cool parasites though. I used my knowledge of parasites (after reading the book) to freak out my mom. This book is something I really don't recommend unless your really bored. The sequel to Peeps, The Last Days is even worse than Peeps, a total waste of my time.These were some of Scott Westerfeld's worse books.

Review/Description
Vampire stories are a staple of the publishing industry. They are usually romantic and sexy, steeped in a dreamy magic. Peeps is none of those–well, maybe a little sexy. Nineteen-year-old Cal, a Texas transplant, lost his virginity–and a lot more–when he first arrived in New York City. He became a parasite-positive, or peep–he prefers not to use the v-word. Now he works for the Night Watch, a secret branch of city government dedicated to tracking others of his kind. Unlike the rare natural carriers like Cal, who has acquired night vision, superhuman strength, and a craving for lots of protein, most peeps are insane cannibals lurking in darkness. But now the teen has found the young woman who infected him–and learns that something worse than peeps is threatening the city, and he is on the front lines. Cal's voice is genuine–he's a little geeky, as evidenced by the intermittent discussions on parasites, and he laces a dry humor through this immensely reasonable biological vampire story. The evocation of NYC is exactly right, so that even the most fantastic elements of the plot feel believable. Much of the story is concerned with Cal's detective work and growing relationship with Lace, his Major Revelation Incident (he tells her his secret); toward the end, the action picks up in a race to reveal the horrors to come.

The Ugly Series

Ok so i read these books awhile ago they were pretty good I must say some of Scott Westerfeld's better books compared to Peeps. This is technically a three book trilogy, but a fourth book has come put that still includes some of the main characters and the ending it gives is more definite than the ending to Specials. The first book is Uglies, the second Pretties, third is Specials, and finally the fourth one is Extras. If you want some ooks to fill up your time they are definitely some you should read.

Review/Description
Scott Westerfeld projects a future world in which a compulsory operation at sixteen wipes out physical differences and makes everyone pretty by conforming to an ideal standard of beauty. The "New Pretties" are then free to play and party, while the younger "Uglies" look on enviously and spend the time before their own transformations in plotting mischievous tricks against their elders. Tally Youngblood is one of the most daring of the Uglies, and her imaginative tricks have gotten her in trouble with the menacing department of Special Circumstances. She has yearned to be pretty, but since her best friend Shay ran away to the rumored rebel settlement of recalcitrant Uglies called The Smoke, Tally has been troubled. The authorities give her an impossible choice: either she follows Shay’s cryptic directions to The Smoke with the purpose of betraying the rebels, or she will never be allowed to become pretty. Hoping to rescue Shay, Tally sets off on the dangerous journey as a spy. But after finally reaching The Smoke she has a change of heart when her new lover David reveals to her the sinister secret behind becoming pretty. The fast-moving story is enlivened by many action sequences in the style of videogames, using intriguing inventions like hoverboards that use the rider’s skateboard skills to skim through the air, and bungee jackets that make wild downward plunges survivable -- and fun. Behind all the commotion is the disturbing vision of our own society -- the Rusties -- visible only in rusting ruins after a virus destroyed all petroleum.

Seven Tears Into The Sea

OK so I'm not usually into these kinds of books,but man this one changed my opinion. It was an awesome romance. The ending could have been better in my opinion,but i guess in a since it ended the way it was set up to end.

From School Library Journal
Gwen, 17, has returned to a small beach community seven years after the scandal that forced her family to flee. Now she's spending the summer working at her grandmother's inn and hoping to put the past behind her. The very first morning she's there, however, she meets Jesse, a boy who claims he already knows her, and knows what happened all those years ago. Overcome by her attraction to him, Gwen spends more and more time with him and realizes that he has secrets he isn't telling her. Her grandmother's tales of selkies foreshadow what is to come, and readers will probably guess the outcome long before Gwen does. If they can get past the sentimental title that belies the real story, the romance and mystery will keep them reading until the very end.

The Twilight Series

"Softly he brushed my cheek, then held my face between his marble hands. 'Be very still,' he whispered, as if I wasn't already frozen. Slowly, never moving his eyes from mine, he leaned toward me. Then abruptly, but very gently, he rested his cold cheek against the hollow at the base of my throat."

This is an awesome series which is technically about vampires. Before everyone freaks (all non-vampire people anyway) it isn't all gore or anything. I love vampire books but a lot of people are a little scared from all the stupid vampire myths which Stephenie Meyer totally gets rid of in her books. Now I'm a pro-vamp fan and in love with vampire books. Twilight is the first in the series and is followed by New Moon and Eclipse. The fourth and final book Breaking Dawn is due to release on Aug. 1st at Midnight.you should definitely pre-order now.

Description

sun-loving, 17-year-old Bella declines her mom's invitation to move to Florida, and instead reluctantly opts to move to her dad's in the dreary, rainy town of Forks, WA. She becomes intrigued with Edward Cullen, a distant, stylish, and disarmingly handsome senior, who is also a vampire. When he reveals that his specific clan hunts wildlife instead of humans, Bella deduces that she is safe from his blood-sucking instincts and therefore free to fall hopelessly in love with him. The feeling is mutual, and the resulting volatile romance smolders as they attempt to hide Edward's identity from her family and the rest of the school. Meyer adds an eerie new twist to the mismatched, star-crossed lovers theme: predator falls for prey, human falls for vampire. This tension strips away any pretense readers may have about the everyday teen romance novel, and kissing, touching, and talking take on an entirely new meaning when one small mistake could be life-threatening. Bella and Edward's struggle to make their relationship work becomes a struggle for survival, especially when vampires from an outside clan infiltrate the Cullen territory and head straight for her.

Getting Started

I've always loves reading. In fact it's one of my favorite activities. Since I'm now in 9th grade when I think about it I can't remember every single book I've read. I remember the ones I really like ,but thats it. So, about two years ago I started writing down every time I read a book. You know the title, author, and time I read it.

My friends and I at school also have this process where someone reads a book then if they like it everyone else reads it. This has lead me to read a lot of really good books. I decided to start a blog about the books we have read so that we'll remember and other people have a source to find interesting books.

The list of books are only going to be the books I've already read. So give me a break until i get really used to the sight and get everything up and running and if you have any suggestions let me know. Especially if you have any really good books I should read.