Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Delirium

Author: Lauren Oliver

Year: 2011

Genre: Science Fiction

Age: Middle school and up

Summary: Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love. (summary from Follett Titlewave)

Review: I loved this book so much, I need a cure! Really, though, this book was wonderful. I enjoyed the concept-love as a disease- and the execution. Especially interesting (in how uninteresting they are) are the ‘cured’ characters, adults who have no real emotion. They are just kind of empty presences who shuffle through their days. Lena’s romance and friendships are wonderfully written. The love story particularly grows realistically throughout the book. The plot twists nicely in places, zigging when you think it will zag. The ending is heart-stopping and gives the sequel (out next year) a lot of room to move.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants big, starcrossed romance with a twist

Matched by Ally Condie

Title: Matched

Author: Ally Condie

Year: 2010

Genre: Science Fiction

Age: Middle school and above

Summary: Cassia has always had complete trust in the Society to make decisions for her, but when she is being paired with her ideal mate, a second face flashes on the screen, and Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility as she tries to decide which man she truly loves. (Publisher’s summary)

Review: Condie builds up her weird world subtly and skillfully. This book feels more like a beautiful work of realistic fiction that happens to take place in this Sci Fi world. Cassia is sympathetic and fully rounded. I really identified with her and her plight. Once she starts questioning Society, this book is impossible to put down.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes realistic fiction, but is told they need to read Sci Fi.

Stormbreaker

Title: Stormbreaker (Book 1 of the Alex Rider Series)

Author: Anthony Horowitz

Year: 2000

Genre: Action

Age: Grade 6-10

Summary: Meet Alex Rider, the reluctant teenage spy.

When his guardian dies in suspicious circumstances, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider finds his world turned upside down.

Within days he’s gone from schoolboy to superspy. Forcibly recruited into MI6, Alex has to take part in grueling SAS training exercises. Then, armed with his own special set of secret gadgets, he’s off on his first mission.

His destination is the depths of Cornwall, where Middle Eastern multimillionahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifire Herod Sayle is producing his state-of-the-art Stormbreaker computers. Sayle’s offered to give one free to every school in the country - but MI6 think there’s more to the gift than meets the eye.

Only Alex can find out the truth. But time is running out and he soon finds himself in mortal danger. It looks as if his first assignment may well be his last...

(Description from Official Webpage)

Review: This story is action packed, and it keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. If you are looking for a quick, easy, and fun read that involves great action sequences, this is the book for you. Also, it is the perfect book to pick up if you like to read books in a series because there are 8 more novels that follow this one!

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Title: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Author: Rebecca Skloot

Year: 2010

Genre: Non-Fiction, Medical

Age: Mature High School Students (Especially students interested in medical research)

Summary: Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they’d weigh more than 50 million metric tons—as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.

Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.

(Novels Product Description)

Review: I am not usually one to read non-fiction, but this story was utterly fascinating. I was concerned that this novel would read like a medical text that I would never be able to understand. However, Skloot was able to explain all the medical information in the text in layman's terms, while telling the astonishing story of Henrietta's life and the lives of Henrietta's family. The story of how Henrietta's family was kept in the dark while her cells were changing the world is astonishing, and any person that picks this book up will find themselves pondering medical ethics in a way they probably never thought they would.

The Thirteen Reasons Why

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why

Author: Jay Asher

Year: 2007

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age: Mature 7th/8th Graders and up

Summary: Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

Review: This is a book that I have been wanting to read for a while, and I finally picked it up last week. I couldn't be happier that I did because I finished it within 48 hours. If you are looking for a book that will get your attention right away, this is that book. The 13 reasons why Hannah killed herself and Clays musing on them are hilarious, heartbreaking, intricate, and leave you deep in thought reflecting on yourself and how what you do affects others. Reading this book may make you wiser.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Title: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Author: John Green and David Levithan

Year: 2010

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age: 9th Grade and up

*Summary: This book follows the life of two teenagers both named Will Grayson. It is written in alternating chapters by the two authors.
"The first Will, whose name is always correctly capitalized, is described as trying to live his life without being noticed. This is complicated by the fact that his best friend, Tiny Cooper, described as "the world's largest person who is really, really gay" and "the world's gayest person who is really, really large", is not the type to go around unnoticed. Tiny is also, throughout the novel, trying to create an autobiographical musical, which further draws attention to himself and everyone around him.
The other will grayson, whose name is never capitalized, goes through his life without anything good to hold onto besides an online friendship with someonehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif who goes by the name Isaac. Intent on meeting up with Isaac, will grayson sets up an encounter one night in Chicago [that changes the world of both Will Graysons]."

Review: Anyone that is already a fan of John Green will love this book, and will appreciate the characters developed and skillfully woven by both authors. The twist towards the middle of this book will take almost every reader by surprise, and really kicks up the momentum of the story. This is a fast-paced page turner that readers will have trouble putting down.


*Summary from Wikipedia:
"Will Grayson, Will Grayson." Wikipedia. 2011. Web. http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Will_Grayson,_Will_Grayson.

The Dust of 100 Dogs

Title: The Dust of 100 Dogs

Author: A.S. King

Year: 2010

Genre: All of them! (historical fiction, fantasy, realistic fiction, action, PIRATES!)

Age: Mature 8th graders up

Summary: Emer Morrisey, feared pirate in the 1600s, dies on a lonely beach after witnessing her beloved die, killing his murderer, and stashing her loot. The major problem: as she died, she was cursed to live the lives of 100 dogs before she comes back as a human.

Review: My goodness, this book! This book was NUTS. I can barely even describe it. It’s part realistic fiction, set in the 1990s, part historical fiction set in the 1600s, part animal fiction (is that even a thing?!) told from Emer-as-a-dog’s point of view. I would love to pick A.S. King’s brain to see where on Earth this concept came from. If she has more ideas like this, she’ll be one to watch for upcoming YA fiction. I enjoyed it a lot, mostly for the concept, though the writing was interesting. The main character (Emer-Dogs-Saffron) really shines with layers of her former selves stacked up one on top of the other, bits and peices coming to the forefront as needed.

I recommend this book to anyone who would like their brain a bit twisted. Also, you better not mind violence as Emer has quite a passion for it.

The Last Thing I Remember

Title: The Last Thing I Remember

Author: Andrew Klavan

Year: 2010

Genre: Action/adventure

Age: 7th grade up

Summary: Charlie West wakes in pain, tied to a chair, and surrounded by torture equipment. The last thing he remembers is going to bed after a normal day at school. Luckily, Charlie studied martial arts and has a chance to escape.

Review: AMAZING BOOK! The action was fantastic, all swift kicks and terrified escapes. The mystery of how apple-pie Charlie got into this situation really moves the plot and kept me reading. Only a few things rang false, mostly the gung-ho, America-is-great arguments Charlie has with multiple people, but they’re necessary for the plot so I can excuse them. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the sequels (there’s two! hooray!) and find out what happened during Charlie’s lost year between going to bed and waking up tortured.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be taken on an unstoppable adventure.

The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda

Title: The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda

Author: Tom Angleberger

Year: 2010

Genre: fiction

Age: 4th grade - 8th grade

Summary: Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda. (summary from Follett Titlewave)Review: Tommy has a big dilemma, and only Origami Yoda can solve it.... Or can he? This book has some great humor and wit to it. I especially loved the drawings that illustrate it because they look so very middle school. The characters are true to life middle schoolers as well. And as a bonus, you can make your own Origami Yoda with the directions in the back.

I recommend this book to middle school boys.

The Poison Diaries

Title: The Poison Diaries

Author: Maryrose Wood

Year: 2010

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Age: 7th grade up

Summary: In late eighteenth-century Northumberland, England, sixteen-year-old Jessamine Luxton and the mysterious Weed uncover the horrible secrets of poisons growing in Thomas Luxton's apothecary garden. (summary from Follett Titlewave)

Review: This book struck me with its cover. I don’t know why, but I picked it up and read the entire thing within a day. I’m not sure if I liked it, though. Jessamine is an interesting character, both sheltered by her father and exposed by him to terrible danger when she tends seeds for the poison garden he uses to treat illnesses. When Weed is deposited on her doorstep, Jessamine sees him as a chance for a friend, someone other than her father to talk to. Then, it gets weird. I don’t want to give away the twist, but there is a fantasy element that skates in on Weed’s heels. I don’t think this portion of the book was handled terribly well, but the concept was interesting. I felt as though the historical and fantasy parts were askew and belonged in two different books.

I recommend this book to those who like to garden and those who like their historical fiction with a touch of the fantastic.

I am Number Four

Title: I am Number Four

Author: Pittacus Lore

Year: 2011

Genre: Science Fiction

Age: 7th grade up

Summary: In rural Ohio, friendships and a beautiful girl prove distracting to a fifteen-year-old who has hidden on Earth for ten years waiting to develop the Legacies, or powers, he will need to rejoin the other six surviving Garde members and fight the Mogadorians who destroyed their planet, Lorien. (Summary from Follett Titlewave)

Review: This book is a fantastic, quick read. I loved how fast-paced the action is, and boy is there action! This book takes the metaphor of feeling like an alien in high school literally, making our hero, Number Four, into an out-of-this-world adolescent. I particularly enjoyed the time spent on Four’s memories of his home planet and his friendship with his fellow (human) student. Four is everything you want in a hero: a brave, loyal, bully-fighting superman. This book leaves you hanging, desperately waiting for the sequel “The Power of Six” which isn’t due until August of 2011.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves action adventure with a side of science fiction. And a bit of romance, too!