The Reader by Traci Chee

 

The Reader by Traci Chee is a fantastic start to the new series, Sea of Ink and Gold. Sefia, the main character who has been taught survival since before she could talk, flees with her aunt Nin after her parents are cruelly murdered. After Nin is kidnapped, Sefia must do everything in her power to find her and avenge the deaths of her family. Despite living in a society where she and everyone else are illiterate, she finds a strange object - a book. She learns to use the book to help and guide herself and the mysterious stranger she rescued from equally mysterious and dark circumstances.

There is never, ever a dull moment in this book. It sets a fast pace, without missing anything that the reader needs to know. Each character has an interesting backstory that intertwines with others to create the stunning story of this novel. The overlapping stories can get confusing, but somewhere near the end they all suddenly snap into place, like finishing a puzzle and being able to see the whole picture. Reading this book was just that satisfactory, and I loved it.

Traci Chee wrote Consonant Sounds for Fish Songs, a collection of short stories. The Reader is a YA fantasy novel, complete with assassins and pirates. Those who enjoy this book would also like The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh, The Wish Granter by C. J. Redwine, and Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch.

The Angel Experiment By James Patterson

This book is about a group of kids, who were kidnapped from their families. They become scientific experiments and are genetically modified to be bird like. They have wings and can actually fly. They manage to escape from their captors but they are now being hunted down. Along the way, they find out about some other unknown and unique supernatural traits that they have..

I loved this book very much. It is a thrilling book that keeps you interested and springs surprises on you along the way. You always try to guess what is going to happen next and it is so fun to read.

This is a fiction book that has many other books in this series. If you read one, you will get caught up in the others in the series as well. I lost sleep trying to read all of them. The author James Patterson is a very well known fictional author. He is an author similar to Kiera Cass, who wrote the series The Selection, which is also about a future reality. If you like Kiera Cass, I recommend James Patterson!

Armada By Ernest Cline

Just a few short years into the future Zack Lightman is sitting in class staring out the window when he spots something that he never thought he would see. A spaceship from his favorite video game, Armada, is flying through the clouds. Zack was alarmed and thought he was having a nervous breakdown because no one else was aware of the unidentified fly object directly above them. Zack convinced himself that it was an illusion but the next day when the spaceship landed to take him away he wasn’t as sure. Zack was taken to a top secret government base for special training to prepare for an alien invasion. For years the government had been training the entire world through video games, movies and pop culture in preparation for the imminent alien invasion that only key members of the government knew about. Zack is now caught up in the fight to save Earth!

Ernest Cline’s Armada is his second novel. His first novel Ready Player One was a masterpiece of 90’s science fiction and comedic gold, but Armada is a shadow of what it could have been. Armada is worth the read if you are interested in videogames but if not, then you are better off saving your time and sticking to Ernest Cline’s first novel.

Ready Player One  
by Ernest Cline

Ready Player One is a dystopian novel about a teenage boy trying to find a hidden treasure somewhere in the Oasis, a virtual reality where much of society now functions. The Oasis employs, educates, entertains and controls many people’s lives. Ever since the Oasis had come out, the physical society had been in ruins.

The narrator of the story is Wade Watts. He lives in a tall block of stacked mobile homes and escapes to an abandoned van to enter the Oasis. He goes to school inside of the Oasis and his only friends are virtual friends he has met in the Oasis, who he hangs out with when not at school.

James Halliday was the inventor of the Oasis, and when he died every user in the Oasis received a video message invitation to James Halliday’s last will and testament. Halliday had no family to leave his fortune to, so he left the money, or as Halliday called it “the Easter Egg,” hidden somewhere inside of the Oasis. A great many egg hunters, known as “gunters” for short, do nothing but try to find Halliday’s eggs. They spend all their free time dedicated to the search for Halliday's fortune. Wade Watts, along with a couple of other hardcore gamers, goes on a fierce and dangerous quest to find Halliday's fortune. 

 Ernest Cline captures and holds your attention the entire time with his amusing jokes about 1980’s culture and classic video games. Ready Player One is a great book and I recommend it to anyone looking for a new favorite book.  

Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo

 Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo spans over six volumes and follows Kaneda Shotaro and Tetsuo Shima, members of a delinquent motorcycle gang who tear through the post-apocalyptic city of Neo-Tokyo. During a violent chase with a rival motorcycle gang, Tetsuo is injured when a young boy with psychic abilities blocks his path causing him to crash. The accident awakens Tetsuo’s psychic abilities and he is then taken in by the government for testing. The graphic novel is reminiscent of Ghost in the Shell by Masamune Shirow and Tekkon Kinkreet: Black and White by Taiyo Matsumoto.

Akira throws us into a world of industrial capitalism, represented through the neon-soaked streets, and mega-corporations scattered all over the city.  It is a manga that will resonate with you long after it’s shocking conclusion. It is a frenetic, horrific and at times grotesque look at a very vivid and brutal future. Akira is a gritty, gloomy, cyberpunk masterpiece.

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

Balram Halwai grew up as just a poor boy living in a rural Indian village with his large family but he soon grows tired of the poverty, tradition, and disease of his hometown and relocates to New Delhi where he finds work as a chauffeur for a wealthy businessman.  In his new job he experiences classism and corruption as never before and after his master forces Balram to take responsibility for a death he didn’t cause, he quickly turns bitter and disillusioned.  Balram commits a horrible crime and flees to Bangalore, where he creates a new life for himself.

The novel provides an honest and realistic view of the brutalities of the class struggle in modern-day India.  The author’s dark humor, frankness, and vivid descriptions of Balram’s adventures make this book an entertaining and enlightening read that taught me more about everyday life in India than anything else.  Though it did take a little while for the storyline to get going, once it did I quite literally could not put it down.  The White Tiger is playful and sarcastic with serious topics but overall informative and eye-opening: a must-read for anyone interested in learning about India’s role as a nation steeped in the traditional caste system while trying to find its place in a globalized world.

If you are interested about learning more about life in the poorest parts of Southeast Asia, check out Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo and Funny Boy by Shyam Selvadurai.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Imagine waking up in a world you don’t remember;  people call themselves your ‘family’ but you have no idea who they are. Who is Jenna Fox? She has only been told that that is her name and this is her life. Experience Jenna unravel clues and uncover disturbing information about the circumstances surrounding an accident. After waking up from a coma, her family shows her old home movies and tells her about her life. Things just don’t seem to add up; memories that come back in flashes seem unconnected to her present life. And the accident? Jenna’s parents aren’t too keen to discuss the details. “Car crash,” is all she knows. Logic tells her she shouldn’t have survived, so how is she standing here today?

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson is a riveting novel following Jenna’s recovery. The first book in a series titled The Jenna Fox Chronicles talks about what it’s like to completely lose your memory, trust a family who you know is keeping things from you, and regain a normal life after a devastating accident.

On the Fence by Kasie West

In On the Fence, Sixteen year old Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, is being raised by a single dad and three older brothers, which has its perks. She can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows - including her longtime neighbor and fourth brother Braden. When it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn’t know the first thing about anything feminine, so when she starts working at a boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange world. Around the same time and under false pretences, she meets Evan, who thinks she is a girly girl and who has never seen her tear it up in a football game. Charlotte really likes Evan so she is willing to go along with being another person in order to be with him.

To cope with the stress of faking her way through this new reality, Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with Braden by the fence that separates them. But their fence talks can’t solve Charlie’s biggest problems. I won’t say anymore, because you should read the book and find out whether or not Charlotte is true to herself in life and love.

Kasie West illustrates this story in a way that makes you keep on reading to find out what happens on the next page. She shows the life of a teen learning to grow up and seek responsibility. This book would fall under an adolescent love story with a mystery theme. If you liked Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty series then you will like this mysterious story much more. This book will make you wish you were Charlie and part of all the action. So grab this book in the library and figure out what Charlie’s biggest secret is.

1984 by George Orwell

WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

In George Orwell’s classic dystopian and political-commentary novel, 1984, thought is controlled and “Big Brother is watching you,” resulting in the dichotomous mottos “war is peace,” “freedom is slavery,” and “ ignorance is strength.”  The Party continually puts out propaganda to support their efforts, claiming a state of perpetual war is peace, and that being controlled is better than freedom, and accepting a false reality while ignoring the actual truth in “Doublethink” is fortitude.  In this drowning society of overzealous nationalism, we find ourselves with an unlikely hero, Winston Smith, a frail, nonthreatening member of the Outer Party attempting to break through the ideological strife and blockage of free thought.  What will become of this “thoughtcrime” perpetrator in this dramatic, but at times heart pounding and heartbreaking novel?  Will Winston succeed in this oppressive climate, or will he merely succumb to the overwhelming power of “Big Brother”?  This is a must-read.

George Orwell was one of the premier novelists, political satirists, and commentators of the 20th century, and his work continues to influence popular and political culture nearly 60 years after his death.  Even the term “Orwellian,” to describe Orwell’s work opposing totalitarian and unjust social practices, remains ubiquitous in the literary, and perhaps real, world.  I was quite familiar with Orwell before reading 1984, as I read another Orwellian classic, Animal Farm, in 10th grade, which is allegorical for the Russian Revolution and mocks Stalin, who Orwell believed turned Russia (then the Soviet Union) into a dictatorship.  Orwell’s writing mastery of political satire and commentary, and dystopian societies, is no exception in 1984, where he brilliantly constructs a future society that is beginning to resemble our own.  I found Animal Farm great, but I think 1984 elevates the meaning of “Orwellian” to a whole new level.  Orwell’s fantastic works have paved the way for other great dystopian novels, like Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, and as stated before, 1984 is a must-read.

Also discover: Animal Farm, Fahrenheit 451, and Lord of the Flies

 The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum

In The Poisoner's Handbook,  Deborah Blum guides her readers through the seething underworld, as well as the blooming forensic science team, of 1920s New York City. Each chapter contains a set of murder cases related to deadly poisons such as the famous poison cyanide and obscure (but mortally effective) chemicals like ethyl and methyl alcohol. Without turning to dry description or overly academic language, Blum digs into the science behind each poison elaborates on how Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler, heads of the New York forensic science team (then called the toxicology unit), solved each case by creating tests for each poison completely from scratch. Deborah weaves in important bits of 1920s history, further bringing the book to life as she highlights connections between the toxicology department and big historical events like Prohibition.

Deborah Blum joins the ranks of captivating forensic science writers such as Mary Roach (Packing for Mars, Stiff, and other titles) in The Poisoner's Handbook. Her vivid language brings each poison to life as the chemical's role in 1920's life unfolds. I particularly enjoyed the chapter about Radium, a (you guessed it) radioactive element that constantly decays, emitting a dim but visible light. She delved into the lives of the Radium Girls, factory workers who painted clock dials with glowing radium and frequently pointed the tips of their brushes with their mouths. They ingested tiny amounts of radium every day they worked in the clock factory and often, they would be covered in radium dust that hung in the air of the workspace. Radium decays quickly and destabilizes materials surrounding it, and it wasn't long before the radium had worked itself into the employee's bones. Their teeth glowed and by the end, they were exhaling radon gas. Blum brings these girls to life, writing of their battle against the company they worked for who refused to admit that radium was, in fact, a poison. This is just one of the fascinating chapters in  Blum's book.

For a relatively science-minded person like me, this book was a breath of fresh air compared with some of the drier types of academic nonfiction. However, anyone who can deal with morbidity and has an interest in poisons or the '20s would love this book! I also highly recommend it to kids who are looking for an interesting research topic for their chemistry classes. Blum truly brings justice to the fascinating era of the 1920s and the poisons that lay just underneath the surface.

Paper Towns by John Green

Quentin Jacobsen has spent most of his life being in love with the adventurous, and mysterious, Margo Roth Spiegelman. Even as kids, he followed her around and played along with her adventures. Now, however, he spends his time loving her from afar. When his window opens one night, and Margo climbs into his room and back into his life, beckoning him to join her on her latest adventure of revenge, he follows.  After spending all night racing around Orlando, getting people back, and breaking into Sea World, Q comes to school the next morning to see that Margo is absent. She is known for disappearing days at a time, but when they keep adding up, Q begins to worry. He soon discovers that she has left behind clues, and that they're for him. He urgently tries to piece together the unrelated clues, and the more he discovers the more he realizes he doesn't know adventurous, mysterious Margo Roth Spiegelman at all. 

John Green writes about not only a compelling tale, but a compelling character. Quentin spends all of his life looking at Margo as if she were perfect. However, when he delves deep into her personal life, he sees things that would prove otherwise. John Green uses this novel to take the "manic pixie dream girl" stereotype and destroy her. Incorporating Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass puts a beautiful poetic spin on the stories underlying themes, as well as on Margo's clues. Green also does an excellent job of using metaphors to make the reader view a topic differently and more clearly. When Q goes on his whirlwind adventures, all of which puts him completely out of his comfort zone, the reader is right there with him, feeling the anxiety of breaking into someone's house, or even into Sea World. Margo's character is unique, and beyond complex, which surprises everyone, including the reader, the more you discover about her. 

If anyone knows me and my taste in books, they know that I am a John Green fanatic, have been since day one, and will be forever. I am a strong believer that Paper Towns is John Green's most underrated novel and deserves more attention and praise. When I first read Paper Towns I automatically fell in love with it. I quickly adopted it as my favorite book and have since then, reread it often. It may, at first, seem like another Young Adult novel with a bit of twist, but it comes to be much more than that. Each time I flip through the pages, I pick up something new. There are some areas of this book that have either completely changed my outlook on certain things, or have taught me a lot about people, and how you should view them. Even if you don't want to go into a novel looking for in depth thoughts and secret meanings, you can read it and simply enjoy it. I have recommended this to anyone who will listen, and now I recommend this to you.

                                          

If You Enjoyed This Also Try: Looking for Alaska by John Green, 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson, It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, and Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

   The Fellowship of the Ring is Tolkien’s first installment in the epic fantasy trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings,” describing a classic battle between good and evil.  For centuries, the One Ring has fallen entirely from all knowledge, following the defeat of the Dark Lord Sauron.  Now two millennia later, Sauron begins to rise again, while the ring has fallen into the hands of Frodo Baggins, bequeathed to him by his uncle Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit who stole “my precious” from the creature Gollum.  All is cheery in the beloved Shire, but a darkness creeps upon the land from the South, from Mordor.  Frodo must travel to the Cracks of Doom to destroy the One Ring from whence it came to ensure the safety of all and the final destruction of the Dark Lord. A quest of innumerable proportions lies before Frodo, for such a small creature as a hobbit.  Along the way, Frodo and his companions will encounter deadly danger and excitement at every turn.  The ring has lived on, but will the world?

   Having seen Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of the Fellowship of the Ring before reading the book, I was quite familiar with the story, but I was able to glean much more from reading.  The book is incredibly descriptive and detailed, fully immersing the reader in Tolkien’s fantastical world, Middle-earth, a world he devoted most of his career to creating.  As such, Tolkien’s work is impressive: he created numerous languages, maps, species, and histories of Middle-earth.  He was a major pioneer in high fantasy writing, his name recognized nearly universally, and led the way for many fantasy writers following him, including: J.K. Rowling and her series “Harry Potter,” Christopher Paolini and his “Inheritance Cycle” series, and even “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” by Rick Riordan.  

 

    The popularity of this book is outspoken, as is the entire series as evinced by its 150 million copies sales estimate.  Overall, this book is fantastic and I greatly enjoyed it, although it is dense, somewhat difficult to start, and can take a long time to read.  As fantasy, this book is perhaps one of the best I have ever read, as it creates an amazing, quite indescribable world.  The characters and plot are deep, interconnected, with many surprises; all are developed and thought out extraordinary well, yet still leaves much to the imagination, and for readers to discover for themselves.  If you have an affinity for fantasy, this is the book for you.  If you’re interested, you’ll just have to read it.  

Also discover: The Hobbit, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, and The Silmarillion

In A Wind in the Door,  Madeline L’Engle opens her story with Charles Wallace Murry, youngest of the four Murry Children, stating matter-of-factly to his older sister Meg Murry that “‘There are dragons in the twins’ vegetable garden.’” The tale grows stranger from there, as they encounter Mr. Jenkins, the bitter principal at Charles’ elementary school, and less familiar foes, the Ecthroi who seek to “x out” people by draining out who they truly are through their farandolae, miniscule creatures that live inside every cell in the human body unbeknownst to us. Dr. Murry, Meg and Charles’ mother, soon reveals that  she has been studying farandolae and Charles’ subtly growing illness may be related to her research. With the help of an angel named Proginoskes, Meg, Mr. Jenkins, Meg’s sweetheart Calvin, and a farandola named Sporos must journey together through vast galaxies and tiny cells to save Charles Wallace as his illness grows deadly.
 

    Madeline L’Engle crafts a beautiful coming-of-age story from the perspective of Meg Murry, a teenage girl who (like many of us) is unsure of who she is. Within L’Engle’s quirky world full of fantastical biology and characters almost out of mythology, Meg not only finds herself, but finds out how each of her companions are unique and sacred. The whole host of characters act believably and their bonds with each other strike at the root of friendship and solidarity. Journeying with Meg & Co. to fantastical worlds filled me with wonder, but more importantly, L’Engles interpretation of ordinary life gave me a new way of appreciating everyday whimsy. L’Engle begins and ends the book with fantastical nonsense, but by the end of it, she’s made you fluent in her quirky language. 

     Lovers of this book will enjoy other books by Madeline L'Engle and would be interested in Neil Gaiman's writing as well, since both authors have unique and entrancing styles of narrating modern fantasy.

Native Son by Richard Wright

Personally, I found Native Son to be a little bit scary. Not in the ghost and goblins type of way, but how people will stop at nothing until they’re satisfied. This book really got you thinking about how psychotic people can get and how far people will go because of the situation they're in. At first I found it to be really boring, but later on I found myself reading page after page and losing track of time.

Richard Wright has a specific writing style which captures the essence of pure evil.
Native Son is about a black man in a white person world. It’s about discrimination and equality. It’s also based off an actual crime committed back in 1938, a man named Robert Nixon was arrested and then later (in 1939) executed for “brick bat murders”.

Jurassic Park by Michael Chrichton

 

After it is discovered that man can recreate dinosaur, a new park is being put into order. John Hammond, millionaire, mad scientist is behind the mastermind idea to make a profit off of this fantastical zoo. However, when a group of special experts come to review the island before opening, chaos breaks loose. At first, they are astonished as they watch Hammond explain how the process works and learn about the workings of the park. But, while on a tour of the park, the electricity seems to have gone out, shutting down the track as well as the electric fence in between the them and the dinosaurs. It becomes hard to trust anyone as the power outage may have not been an accident.  Stuck in the park, the group must somehow escape the island.   It comes to light that man cannot recreate something so vast and expect life to not find a way.

I know what you're thinking, you've seen this movie millions of times flipping through the channels on the TV. But, in the movie, a lot of the action is condensed. When I opened up the book, I figured that it couldn't be that much different from the book. I was wrong. It was so much better! As you read, you learn a lot more about science, chaos theory, and paleontology. In any other setting, I don't think that these topics would be particularly interesting, but when mixed with dinosaurs and the chase of a lifetime, you beg for the information. There are many twists and turns and unexpected outcomes in the novel and it's a huge page turner. Hidden behind all the rediscovered creatures and action, is an amazing insight on man and his desire for power, making it much more than just a book about dinosaurs. However, because of the all the unadulterated action and science, there doesn't seem to be enough room for powerful character development in the majority of the characters. Michael Crichton writes this novel in a way that leaves the reader almost wishing that they could experience this world, no matter how terrifying or deadly it is. If you're looking for an action-based, book to read, Jurassic Park will go above and beyond your expectations.

If You Liked This One Check Out: The Shining by Stephen King, Congo by Michael Crichton, Jaws by Peter Benchley, Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby is a story told by Nick Carraway and he tells the story sometime after 1922. As the story begins, Nick has just moved from the Midwest to West Egg, Long Island, seeking his fortune as a bond salesman. After his arrival, Nick travels across the Sound to the more fashionable East Egg to visit his cousin Daisy Buchanan and her husband, Tom. When Nick returns home that evening, he notices his neighbor, Gatsby, mysteriously standing in the dark. Gatsby is known for his outrages parties. Little does anyone know, Gatsby is in love with the lovely Daisy Buchanan and plans on being with her. 

I was not sure about the book at first; it looked like it was sappy, told over and over again, love story. I've read many books but none like The Great Gatsby. From beginning to end I was into the book 110%. Being able to immerse into a book like this one is truly amazing. Scott Fitzgerald has a way with his words and really knows how to capture the moment and put you in it. It is slow in the beginning but don't let the fool you. The Great Gatsby is about friendship, love, wealth, the past, mortality, lies, and deceit. 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Cath isn't just an average fan of the popular series, Simon Snow. For Cath, being a fan is her life. Both her and her twin sister, Wren, spent hours reading and writing their own stories about Gemma T. Leslie's characters when they were little. They were at every book event and movie opening in costume and they spent the majority of their time in Simon Snow forums. Escaping into the world of mages helped them cope with their mother leaving. But now that Cat and Wren are older, it's time for them to move on and start their lives in college. Wren has moved on from their obsession, but Cath can't seem to let go. After Wren broke the news to Cath that she would not be her roommate, Cath is on her own for the first time. She is completely out of her comfort zone always being surrounded by her surly roommate and her too friendly, always smiling boyfriend. She is overwhelmed when her writing professor tells her that fan fiction is not writing but basically plagiarizing and with a handsome boy who only ever wants to talk about words. All the while she cannot stop worrying about her workaholic dad and how alone he is. Cath has to overcome many trials in order to grow up. She may have to learn to give her twin space, learn to finally live her life, and maybe even leave Simon Snow behind.

Being a person with an avid obsession with Harry Potter and multiple other series, I really related to this story. I think anyone who really loves something can look at this story and also relate to it. Cath embodies a girl who is scared to death of the real world and would rather live in a fiction world. This novel really does a great job showing what it feels like to be a "fangirl." The novel also addresses a very popular writing style that not too many people know about, fan fiction. Throughout the novel you see Cath grow through both her actions and her writing. There's so many twists and turns throughout the story and you will feel your emotions twist and turn with it. I truly fell in love with all the characters and flew through the pages of this book in one night. 

If You Liked This One Check Out: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider, This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

As Anna looks forward to her final year of high school in Atlanta, Georgia, her father flips her world upside down and sends her away to Paris. Normally, Anna would be thrilled to go on such an amazing adventure but, she would be leaving behind a good job, her best friend and a could be boyfriend. She doesn't arrive in Paris with high hopes-until she meets Etienne St. Clair. He seems like the perfect boy, a British accent, a French-American background, and an instant connection with Anna. However, she learns that he is taken, and maybe Anna could be too if anything with the boy back home develops. She and St. Clair are in the most romantic city in the world, but can all their near-misses and almost moments add up to something more?

Don't let the girly title fool you. I was wary of checking out this book and reading it because of the title and the cover. This book truly brings meaning to the phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover." Written from Anna's point of view, you can experience Paris through her eyes. When Anna meets St. Clair and starts to fall in love with him, so do you. It's a novel that can show you what happens when you open yourself up to new experiences and adventures. I don't believe this book is completely centered around Anna's relationship with St. Clair or even with her other new friends, but it is focused on how she changes. She adjusts to a new place with foreign culture and language, and she's all on her own for the first time. Normally, I try to stay away from such romance novels, but this one felt very different. You fall in love with the characters, the setting, and the story itself.

If You Liked This One Check Out: The Statistical Probability of Falling in Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith, The Future of Us by Jay Asher, 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson, Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green *UPCOMING MMU BOOK CLUB CHOICE*

Sixteen year old Hazel Lancaster has been living with the tumors in her lungs for years. However, they never stopped her from living life. Now, when she meets Augustus Waters at her cancer support group she learns to live life to the fullest. As they grow closer, they share each other's fears (oblivion) and the things they love (books.) They bond over Hazel's favorite novel, An Imperial Affliction by Peter Van Houten. Despite Hazel's many letters addressed to Van Houten, he never replies to fan mail. Until one day, Augustus reaches the reclusive author and an invitation to Amsterdam comes in return. Hazel knows that if she goes to Amsterdam with Augustus she will have added another causality to be affected by her grenade-like terminal disease. However, she can't help but fall for Augustus and his plan when he uses his Genie Wish (a "cancer perk") not on a trip to Disney World, but one to Amsterdam, with her. What happens during and after Amsterdam will change Hazel and Augustus forever.

This is not just your typical book about cancer. I fully expected to go into this book and read about sappy stories and tragic deaths but, instead I was left with the sweetest memories and almost a happy kind of sadness. John Green has a way of stringing his words together so eloquently that you can't help but feel like you are Hazel. The relationship between Hazel and Augustus is a truly brilliant one, their dry humor and impeccable understanding of one another shows you what it's actually like to be a "cancer kid." Even with a love story, it feels much more than that. It's a story about true friendship and how short life can really be.

If you're interested in reading this fantastic book, check out the MMU Book Club! This is their first book of the year!

If You Liked This One Check Out: Paper Towns by John Green, It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, Looking for Alaska by John Green, 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Storm Front: A Novel of the Dresden Files By Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden- Wizard.

Lost Items Found, Paranormal Investigations.

Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. 

No Love Potions, Endless Purses,

 or other Entertainment

       Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he's the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange magical things.- and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a- well, whatever. 

       There's just one problem. Business  to put t mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name.And that's when things start to get... Interesting. 

     The Dresden Files are a creative twist on the classic loner detective novel.  Complete with gang leaders, magic drug deals, and dark magic, this first book sets the scene Jim Butcher's highly successful mystery series. Harry has all the trademarks of the loner detective; the intense and largely complicated love life, a wreck of a car, and the authorities breathing down his neck. Storm Front carries his strong, quirky voice all the way through. The story is compelling and fascinating as the Butcher takes us through the shady underbelly of the shady underbelly of Chicago. 

    This book may not be everyone's cut of tea.This truly is a loner detective novel with some magic thrown in. There is nothing else. It is simple and formulaic. As with many detective novels, the mood and tone is quite plodding and intense. It basically operates on one, very heavy, sarcastic level. 

    If you're looking for a fun mystery with some magic and quirkiness, this book is for you. If you're looking for a completely original , thought provoking read, this is not it.