Thirty Seconds at a Time by Tracy Bilen

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult Mystery

Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Kate didn't understand why her father was packing her clothes. She told him that there were two weeks until Christmas break. As she was trying to unpack the suitcase, he was hurrying to pack; she heard gunshots. She ran down the stairs only to find her father in a pool of blood. She tries to stop the bleeding but can't. He hands her a piece of paper and tells her to burn it and tell no one. Kate's mom finds her at the hospital where she learns of her husband's death. Once allowed to return to the house to get some of their things, Kate discovers her guitar case full of money. This is the beginning of a great mystery. Kate and her mother move away. Her mother takes a teaching job at a private school where Kate will learn to ski. However, she can't let her father's murder go.

Kate meets Ryan, who always seems to be in trouble. He inadvertently gets pulled in to all of this mess. Can Kate extricate herself before someone else gets hurt? What is she to do with the money? Who keeps leaving her cryptic messages? What is with the address her father gave her before he died?

All of these questions lead to one of the most fulfilling mysteries I have read in a long time. Throw in a snarky roommate, a good looking young man and a lot of twists and turns in this wonderful book. One my students will definitely love as much as I did.

Student Saturday: The Lost by Natasha Preston

 

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Student Reviewer:  Benjamin T.

This book is about Piper and Hazel, two teenagers with Hazel having curly hair and usually being a strong person, and with Piper, the main character and which the point of view is from. Piper has dark hair and learns to become hard-minded and is the most rational out of them. Teens in their neighborhood have been going missing and everyone says that they are just runaway teens, as their area is small and there is a bigger city a bit far from there. One day, Piper and Hazel get kidnapped, and they are led to a big old building that was renovated and has a lot of doors and confusing pathways. It has 6 rooms for different physical and mental challenges. As well as other rooms for the group to stay in, with a bathroom and sleeping area. Room 0 puts two people up against each other and there is water, sound, temperature, sleep deprivation room etc. There are some other people there, Theo, Lucia, and Priya, who Theo has been in there the longest, tall, and calm while Lucia has just been put in for a few days and is short and blonde. She also has a temper. Priya is the one who comforts everyone and has been in there for a few weeks. The main antagonists are three people, Matt, Caleb, and Owen who love twisted games and seeing people suffer. They lure in people by trying to be their friends or showing interest. The story follows as Piper goes through the rooms and they plan to break out. Will they escape? What will happen in room 0? Will the three masterminds get caught? If i were in their situation, I would immediately try to create a plan to escape, instead of waiting a bit, but their plan was very thought out and is what I would’ve done in that situation.

Overall, I was not expecting anything from this book, but as I read it more, it became increasingly interesting to me. In all, I liked this book, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes Mystery or psychological thrillers. The ending was surprising, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Student Saturday: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

 

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction
Student Reviewer: Kinsley C.

 

The book "The Summer I Turned Pretty" is a very interesting book about Belly's summer with her mom’s good friends’ kids; Conrad, Jerimiah, and her brother Steven. The story takes place at a nice house on the beach in Cousins Beach, NC.  Where love is all ways twisting. The plot of the story is filled with many crazy turns and surprises. I would recommend this book to people who like you love stories and drama. 

Student Saturday: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

 

Genre:  Young Adult, Historical Fiction

Student Reviewer: Sophia G.

If you are looking for a classic book to read, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is for you. Although it might seem like an old and boring book, this is a story that can appeal to many different people. This book tells the story of sisters Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth grow up together amidst the Civil War and have many experiences that shape them into young women. I enjoyed this book because it was older and therefore different from other books that I have read. I think many people will be able to relate to the relationships that these sisters have with each other despite their hardships and differences. So, for anyone who is looking to switch up their reading, I encourage you to give this classic a try.

Student Saturday: Rules for Vanishing - Kate Alice Marshall

 

Genre: Young Adult, Horror

Student Reviewer: Philip H.

"Rules for Vanishing" is an eerie mind-bending horror book that I had the opportunity to enjoy. Sara is a highschooler who is a loner, and her sister has been gone for a year. Her sister, Becca, has been missing for over a year because she went with her boyfriend to find Lucy Gallows. Lucy Gallows is a girl who vanished in the 50's and to find her, you must walk on a road and pass the gates. Lucy is a ghost. Sara goes on the road with a bunch of friends and strangers, and goes through a series of trials. The book also includes different audio recordings of interviews, videos, and is basically a documentary written as a book. Ashford is the person documenting these files. I would recommend this book to an adult or a very mature highschooler.

Student Saturday: Captured: An American Prisoner of War in North Vietnam by Alvin Townley

 

Genre: Young Adult, Biography
Student Reviewer: Anna H.

“Captured” by Alvin Townley is a taste of reality that most people do not ever experience. The book is an account of an American prisoner of war, Jeremiah (Jerry) Denton, in North Vietnam during the Vietnamese war. Jerry Denton was a commander and a husband to a women named Jane as well as a father to seven children. Denton and his bombardier-navigator, Bill Tschudy, had boarded the aircraft called Independence in June,1965.Soon after takeoff, the ship had crashed in a river in North Vietnam where the Vietnamese Soldiers took them away to a prison which the American soldiers called Hanoi Hilton. Jerry and many other soldiers at the prison began finding ways to communicate using a secret code for letters. They would use a communication method of tapping through the walls and sending messages through the latrine. This went on for some time and then the Vietnamese soldiers wanted the POWs (prisoners of war) to give them as much information as possible. The Americans refused and were only allowed to give their name, rank, service number, and date of birth, as the code of conduct had permitted them to say. The Vietnamese soldiers did not respect their answers and went against the Geneva Convention, an agreement between Vietnam and America that does not allow for cruel, inhumane punishment. They tortured the American soldiers until they couldn't take anymore and forced them to write biographies or give information about America’s army to them. This went on for about six years. During that time the most uncooperative American men, including Jerry and 10 others, were sent to an isolation camp with extremely small cells yet they still found ways to communicate. Back home their wives founded a National league of POW-MIA families which got them out of solitary confinement and closer to returning home. They were no longer tortured and were given a proper amount of food. In February 1973 the war ended, and the American soldiers finally went home to their families after eight long years of misery. Most men made it out alive and with honor because of Jerry Denton's leadership and commanding order. He was a legend to America. 

“Captured” explains the eight hard years that Jeremiah Denton and other Americans experienced while being cut off from the world because of the love for their country and the fight in them. The Biography is a piece of what it is really like to fight for your country even when you must sacrifice time. Some American Soldiers missed the chance to watch their kids grow up and miss important events during the eight years they spent in prison. When I read “Captured” I made a connection with the many families there are in today's world who have loved ones in the army that they may not see often or at all. I am not one for biographies but this one was very good and made me see that we should never take our loved ones for granted. I recommend this book to anyone from ages 13-100. 

The Forest of Hands and Teeth By Carrie Ryan

Genre: Young Adult, Horror
Source: Purchased

This is actually a reread for me. I read this book the first time in 2009. However, it has remained one of my favorites all these years. Yesterday I reviewed three short stories that are all like prequels to this book. This book at its very basic is about hope. Hope that things will get better in a society filled with the “unconsecrated”, or what we know as Zombies. There is no real telling of how whatever happened began. What was it that started turning people into zombies? One thing is for sure. If bitten by one you have two choices. You can ask to be killed or wait and be turned into a zombie as well.

Mary is one of the main characters in the story. She is in love with a boy named Travis. Henry is Travis’ brother and is in love with Mary. He is helping her one day as she goes to the river to wash her family’s clothes. The alarms begin to go off. Since Henry’s dad is in charge of the alarms and there was not a drill scheduled, they know it is serious. Mary realizes her mother has gotten too close to the fence looking for her husband and she has been bitten. She is isolated until she dies and Mary is held in a cell for a week to make sure she isn’t infected. The next time they hear the alarm go off it is because the infected have managed to break through the fences. Mary, her brother and his wife and Travis and Henry all escape into the woods. However, things don’t go the way they want. All Mary wants is to see if what her mother told her is true, that there is really is an ocean out there somewhere.

This is a book about hope, love, survival and reaching for your dreams. It is one I am glad I reread. I still have these books on my shelves at school ready for me to recommend to all of my students this next year.

Three Short Stories by Carrie Ryan

Genre: Young Adult Horror
Source: Purchased

I first read The Forest of Hands and Teeth in 2009.  I loved it then and decided to reread it. As I was pulling it up I came across three short stories the author had written as part of the series. I decided to read these three short ones before I delve back into the series.

 

Hare Moon was published in 2011.

Tabitha feels there is so much more in the world than what is tucked away in her little village. She sees the unconsecrated outside the fence, she hears them at night. One day she can’t stand it anymore and she sneaks out into the forest. It is here she meets Patrick and learns there are other villages outside the fence. Why would the sisterhood lie to everyone.  When she is caught she realizes her life is changed forever. She knows that no one will ever marry her. She is doomed to a life in the sisterhood. But what about what lies outside the fences.  This was a quick short read that gives us an idea of why the sisterhood exists and the reason for many lies.  I definitely recommend this.

 

Scenic Route was published in 2013.

Margie and Sally are on their own. They have been that way since their parents were killed.  They have found a secluded cabin up in the mountains. Margie is always on alert. She know that there is no such thing as total safety. For some reason she has felt that there is someone out there watching them. She has perimeter alarms. They live life as normal as possible. She and Sally spend time with maps and tour books planning the next route they will take. Then the book they were looking at the night before goes missing. The next day Margie sees boot prints on the porch. Pretending nothing is wrong she checks the perimeters and then sits and waits. What she finds will change lives forever. I really enjoyed this short story. We have a story of two young survivors after the return. This one is told from the perspective of dealing with the other undesirables in the world. Those who are survivors like themselves with their own type of evil inside.

 

What Once We Feared was published in 2023

For me this was strange, yet beautiful. After the “infection” began, the government told people that they shouldn’t panic. They had everything under control including the infection. They were told to go about their normal lives. That is why a group of high school kids found themselves on a field trip when their world went haywire. They are standing outside of a building when bodies begin to fall. They see the chaos in the streets and decide to head across town to the most fortified apartment building. It is the building where Nicky’s father has an apartment. The story goes on to tell about their hopeless survival as the world turns upside down. It is told from one person’s point of view. It is his perspective on the events and their chances of survival and how the world will end.  This was quite an intriguing read.

Anchored by Bridget E. Baker

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Source: I purchased a copy

Alora and Jessie have been on the run for several years. They survived the car accident that took their parents’ lives. Sent to live with their aunt, and then to a group home, live went from bad to worse. Every night when Alora, who goes by the name Alice, goes to sleep she is transported to Terra. It is a world where men are healers and lifters. Unlike other girls, she can do what others cannot. No girl has ever been a lifter. Her mother in the world of Terra has hidden her with a performing troupe. Not that her mother is gone, they protect her. One slip of her ability is all it took to get the wrong people after her. She leaves the troupe to protect them. When events in her life on Earth and events in Terra begin to cross over, she needs to figure out who, and or what she truly is.

The two worlds the author has created are awesome. We have two girls hiding from a case worker who wants to do them harm, in the Earth realm. As they try to form relationships in this world things get tougher. At the same time the world the author has created, where there are two main groups of people; the Amun and the Isis is just as delicious. Add to it a prophecy and the young girl who seems to be fulfilling it and you have one ripping adventure after another. This is a wonderful book. It is the first in the Anchored series and I can’t wait to read the rest of them.

Student Saturday: What Waits in the Water by Kieran Scott

 

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Horror
Student Reviewer: Alyssa O.

The story What Waits in the Water written by Kieran Scott is a scary and breath-taking book. This book makes you want to keep reading. The setting of this book takes place at an older lake house. The main character Hannah is spending a weekend at the lake house. The lake next to the house starts to seem creepy. I relate to this story by being scared to go somewhere. Although the places I had to go are not actually scary this story is scary. I would read this story many more times again. I recommend this to middle schoolers or older. 

They Came For Utopia by Christopher Francis

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Source: I received a copy from StoryOrigin. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This series has come a long way. We start the series with aliens invading the earth. The main character, Sheldon Hickory is infected and must fight to remain human.  Jump ahead to this final book and we have another infected person called the Queen. She is taking people like Sheldon and those who are pure humans and trying to infect them to follow her rules alone.  We have gone from a setting of a normal earth at the beginning of the series, to a world ravaged by war and destruction. Area 32 is trying to rebuild life on earth, underground. They are hoping they will one day be able to live above ground. In this book Sheldon is married with a baby on the way.  His humanity is grounded in that relationship.

We take a journey with him and his colleagues as they look for carbon for the air filters in Area 32. From there the tension and danger just keeps going up.  You read a bit and wonder who will survive and how. Then you have that temporary relief only to find the danger more intense.  It pulls you along and a quick pace.  This is another book I read in one sitting, because I couldn't put it down.

Once again  we have themes of survival, family, forgiveness, cherishing life.  The story leaves the reader feeling that whether in that world or our own, we can count on the good in humanity to provide us with hope.  I have loved all of this author's books.  I look forward to seeing what he comes up with next.  Who knows, maybe one day we will see this series in the movies. I would definitely buy tickets.

 

The Return by Laurie Stevens

 

Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I loved this book for so many personal reasons and connections. The author has created a future world that is pretty much run by AI.  From the minute a child is born they are implanted with a device that links them to DAPHNE, the AI that runs the country. One day the impossible happens. DAPHNE is hacked. World War breaks out and to save everyone, DAPHNE and the other AIs around the world shut themselves completely off. Imagine a world where every decision is made for you by an AI. Things like whether you should get mental health for your child, or take someone to the doctor.  When this very scenario happens one person is able to find the help they need. Aiden, hates the way this technology has taken over everyone’s life.  He enjoys spending time outside with nature. He is constantly in trouble at school and at home because he questions everything.

He borrows physical books from Chris, a man who is called a grid-skipper.  Think of homeless people living in one area receiving a stipend from the government because they refuse to have a device implanted into their head.  Most of these people were in high paying tech positions who lost their job when they refused the implant. These are the very people who must teach the others how to survive when their world goes silent.  As I read I kept telling my husband that we would be in that group who could survive off the land. My husband is a beekeeper and we have recently gotten it using bees wax and other products from the bees to make other items.  I do a lot of work with fabric and yarns and recently started using plants to dye them.  The author of this book did so much research because there is so much info within the book.  As a teacher I give my students a scenario to write about every year. It is a survival scenario. I am so surprised how many of them just give up, not because they don’t want to write. They give up because they said they feel there is no hope.

This book has something for everyone. I am hoping there will be a sequel to this one. I want to know so much more.  I would love to spend a day discussing her research techniques and other writerly things with her. This is an author I definitely need to keep an eye on.

 

The Snow Games by Darren Greninger

 

Genre:  Middle Grade, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Source:  I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I absolutely loved the premise of this story and the characters.  Francesca’s school has sent out a message they are going to vote on having year-round school to battle the learning slump. Francesca and her friends decide to find a way to keep this from happening. When her brother Liam tells her about the Snow Games, she sees a way she may be able to save the day.

Tyler Young is the billionaire creator of the games.  Using snowballs and their wits, the contestants must capture a flag and then cross the finish lines.  In exchange he will provided support for the teams school.  Unfortunately, no school has ever won. That doesn’t deter Francesca. She agrees to be on her brother’s team. The team consists of her brother Liam, who suffers from severe asthma. Then there is Priya, her best friend. The only way she can get Ethan, the school’s hockey player, and who she’s had a crush on forever to join the team is to convince the new girl Lindsay to join. Each member has their own reason for being on this team and working to win. Their chaperone on this televised event is none other than Claire, the school psychologist.  Throughout the book we get a deeper look at each of these characters, their motives, and what truly drives them.

This book is a book of hope, of going for the brass ring, and not listening to those who would put you down. Most importantly it is about believing in yourself and your strengths and learning that sometimes what you think you know about yourself and what you think you want is just a small part of what you actually want and who you are. 

The Fairy of the Enchanted Lake by Kris Nedy

 

Genre: Young Adult, Middle Grade Fantasy
Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

This was an absolutely wonderful book. I read it in about four hours. We start off with a young girl who has no friends. Michaela is constantly taunted about her size and appearance.  One day while playing outside she runs into the woods and gets lost. She keeps walking until she finds a lake. She meets the fairy in the lake and she meets a talking beaver. He givers her a stick that will take her home. He also tells her that it can bring her back if she only says some magic words. She buries the stick until the day she can no longer take the taunting. She takes the stick, says the magic word and is brought back to the lake. She makes a wish to be beautiful like the fairy in the lake. The fairy tries to talk her out of it, but she insists.  Michaela becomes beautiful on the outside. Unfortunately, something else happens to her and her insides begin to turn dark. 

This is a wonderful story of consequences of our actions. It is a story of Good versus evil, light versus darkness.  The characters are all very well developed. The world building, although fantasy is so well written the reader is made to feel like they have entered the world as they are reading. This is a brand new author to me. However, I love reading stories that are allegorical and I am sure I will be reading more of this author’s work.  I highly recommend this book to young and old alike.

They Came From the Shadows by Christopher Francis

 

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is book four in the series. Unlike a lot of prequels, this one serves two purposes. For those who have read the first book in the series, you will understand the characters better.  We open once again with the alien's first visit.  We are shown a glimpse of what happened before the second wave came.  We still see the same bubbly, smart, and talkative Margaret, her best friend Bailey and Sheldon who has always been their protector.  This book not only tells us what happened with the first wave of aliens, but what happened after. We learn about area thirty-two and how those who were infected are now surviving and where they are today.  We learn so much, yet at the same time this book is written in a manner that the author could continue the story. Consider it a flashback in time with benefits. The benefits of learning something we didn't in the first book. Like all of this author's other books, it draws you in and holds you, forcing you to continue reading until the last page. But that isn't all it does. It leaves you craving more.  So I say, we all beg the author to add more to this story.  I would love to see this series made into a movie.  I believe it would be a blockbuster.  Well done Christopher Francis.

Student Saturday: Cold Hearted by Serena Valentino

 

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fairytales

Student Reviewer: Jaiden W.  

In this captivating retelling, we are immersed in the life of Lady Tremaine, the iconic stepmother from the Cinderella story. Widowed and raising her two headstrong daughters, Anastasia and Drizella, alone, Lady Tremaine unexpectedly encounters Sir Richard, a dashing knight seeking a stepmother for his own young daughter. Their paths intertwine, leading to a marriage that takes Lady Tremaine to the shabby chateau of Cinderella and her father. However, all is not as it seems. Sir Richard harbors ulterior motives—he married Lady Tremaine solely for her fortune. Deep in debt, he expects her and her daughters to serve as cooks and cleaners. I recommend this book to anyone who knows the story of Cinderella and her wicked stepmother. This captivating retelling sheds light on the origins of her cruel treatment of Cinderella. I always loved the story of Cinderella so when I found this book I was instantly intrigued. 

Student Saturday: The Lost by Natasha Preston

 

Genre: Young Adult, Thriller/Mystery

Student Reviewer: Benjamin T.   

This book is about Piper and Hazel, two teenagers with Hazel having curly hair and usually being a strong person, and with Piper, the main character and which the point of view is from. Piper has dark hair and learns to become hard-minded and is the most rational out of them. Teens in their neighborhood have been going missing and everyone says that they are just runaway teens, as their area is small and there is a bigger city a bit far from there. One day, Piper and Hazel get kidnapped, and they are led to a big old building that was renovated and has a lot of doors and confusing pathways. It has 6 rooms for different physical and mental challenges. As well as other rooms for the group to stay in, with a bathroom and sleeping area. Room 0 puts two people up against each other and there is water, sound, temperature, sleep deprivation room etc. There are some other people there, Theo, Lucia, and Priya, who Theo has been in there the longest, tall, and calm while Lucia has just been put in for a few days and is short and blonde. She also has a temper. Priya is the one who comforts everyone and has been in there for a few weeks. The main antagonists are three people, Matt, Caleb, and Owen who love twisted games and seeing people suffer. They lure in people by trying to be their friends or showing interest. The story follows as Piper goes through the rooms and they plan to break out. Will they escape? What will happen in room 0? Will the three masterminds get caught? If i were in their situation, I would immediately try to create a plan to escape, instead of waiting a bit, but their plan was very thought out and is what I would’ve done in that situation.

Overall, I was not expecting anything from this book, but as I read it more, it became increasingly interesting to me. In all, I liked this book, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes Mystery or psychological thrillers. The ending was surprising, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Student Saturday: “Captured by Alvin Townley

 

Genre:  Young Adult, Biography

Student Reviewer:  Camden P.  

The book, “Captured”, by Alvin Townley, is a true story about the main character named Jeremiah Denton, who tells about his experience during the Vietnam War. The story takes place in a prison in North Vietnam. I can connect this book to other true stories I have heard from my friends and family members about peoples’ experiences during the war. I would recommend this book to my dad, or anyone who likes learning about wars and history, since he watches movies based on true stories from soldiers in the war. I enjoyed reading this book and it exceeded my expectations greatly.

Eddie's War by carol Fisher Saller

 

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Lately it seems I am reading a lot of books about World War II.  Maybe it is because I teach literature that deals with it.  The first thing I like was that this book was written in verse. This story covers ten years. Eddie is a young boy who befriends Jozef Mirga, a Polish Gypsy. He reads the newspaper at the local library looking for information about the Nazis and Poland. This is where Jozef’s wife and son are. When Eddie’s brother goes off to war he is very proud of him. The story is full of life lessons Eddie learns as he grows up.  I highly recommend this book. It has quickly become one of my favorites of the year.

Student Saturday: The Circus of Stolen Dreams by Lorelei Savaryn

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Mystery, Fantasy
Student Reviewer Olivia S.

In the book “The Circus of Stolen Dreams” Andrea is a 12-year-old girl that has suffered many losses, such as her parents divorcing, but she has always had her little brother to stay by her side and to comfort, until he mysteriously disappears one night. Three years later and they still find no trace of him. Andrea has hardened her heart and has shut herself down for three long years struggling with the loss of her shadow, until she smells sweets and popcorn in the air along with a chance of relief. Andrea is given a chance to go into the magical world of Reverie in exchange for a memory, dream, or nightmare, and she knows exactly what she wants to forget. What Andrea does not know is Reverie is not all that it seems and entering the magical world of Reverie means a chance at finding her brother. Willz Andrea find her brother before it’s too late, or will she fall prey to the trap that is Reverie, like so many children before her?

Andrea is a 12-year-old girl from Ohio who during most of the story feels guilty and sad. Throughout the story, Andrea is shown as brave and resilient. She is not afraid to face her fears to find answers. This book reminds me of “Percy Jackson the lightning thief,” since Percy loses his mother and blames himself, while Andrea loses her brother and blames herself. They both lose their loved ones and go through trials to find them. I would recommend this book to nine-year-olds through fourteen-year-olds since this book does not have many plot twists and you can predict what is going to happen before it happens. This book met my expectations, and even though the book was mostly predictable, it was still nice to see Andrea's healing process throughout the story and to see her love for her brother.