Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

          Have you ever been blamed for something that you haven't done. well in this book Joe has had that happen to him. Joe and his girlfriend Bethany where at a huge high school party. Joe and Bethany got intoxicated and were just wondering around the house where the party was at. Joe and Bethany ended up in a bed room. In the room Joe and Bethany ended up having sex After the party in the morning the police showed up at Joe's house and he was blamed for putting pictures of Bethany online. It could have been Joe or it could be someone else. Read the book and find out who posted the pictures!
         On my opinion I think that the book was very good and very interesting. I thought it was interesting because what can happen to you if you posted something on the internet. Also this book keeps you hang and keep wanting to reading the book to find out who put the pictures online and what how he did it. I also like the theme of the story. I like the theme of the story because it can show you whats can happen to your life if you make a big mistake and post inappropriate pictures like the antagonist did in this book.

Joe m.
Ms. Spicer 8,9                  

Thirteen Reason Why By: Jay Asher

     Thirteen Reasons Why is a realistic fiction book by Jay Asher.On of the main characters is Hannah. Hannah seemed like a regular 15 year old girl, but deep down inside she had many secrets waiting to burst out. But there was no way of telling anyone how she really felt. So she made seven audio tapes describing thirteen specific people that made her not want to live anymore. So Hannah sent these tape to the first person on them, and once they were sent out, Hannah killed herself. Clay Jenson was on old friend of Hannah, and one day after school, Clay found these tapes on his doorstep. He walked around his town with a Walkman listening to the tapes wondering why he received them. He wasn't sure if he was on them and he was scared to find out. But he listened anyway.
   
Thirteen Reasons Why was one of the best books I have ever read. The characters are easy to make connections with and it's easy to feel what Clay is going through listening to the tapes. Also the moral of the book is amazing. It shows not to bully someone because you have no idea what they are really going through or have been through. I would recommend this book to everyone. I wouldn't recommend this book to people that get upset or sad easily though. It may seem more of a girl book but its not because guys could relate to Clay and girls could relate to Hannah. Thirteen Reasons Why is defiantly must read.

Makayla C.     Spicer 1/3

What Happened to Cass McBride? Written by Gale Giles

           One book that i have read this year is called What Happened to Cass McBride? This mystery book is written by Gale Giles and is told from three point of views. Either Cass, the main character who get buried alive, or Kyle the boy who buries Cass. This is book takes place in modern day in an empty field. Kyle's brother had asked Cass to be his valentine but she rejected. This made Josh, the brother extremely upset, sad enough that he committed suicide. It was a devastating day for everybody, but instead of crying in his bedroom, Kyle set out to kill Cass for doing this to his brother.  He hunted her down and buried her in a wooden box 10 feet underground. The rest of the book is all about Cass sitting in the box talking to Kyle, who is sitting above her.  She of course does not want to die so she is struggling for her last breaths as she talks to Kyle trying to influence him to dig her up. You will just have to read the book in order to find out if Cass makes it out alive, and whether or not Kyle makes the right decision and allow her to survive.

          In my opinion, this book was fantastic! It was a great mystery that had an extremely unpredicted ending. This book kept me at the edge of my seat trying to guess whether or not Cass was going to make it out alive, or if he would keep her locked up. I also liked the fact that each chapter was told from a different characters point of view. This made is clear and easy to understand their feelings and thoughts of the situation going on around them. And finally, Gale Giles was able to make me fear the thought of being buried alive even worse. As she described how thirsty Cass was and how thin the air kept getting i couldn't even imagine the pain she was in. Do you think you would be able to survive days in a small box with no room to move in underground for days? You will have to read the book to find out if Cass does or not!
                  Kristen V.
                  Spicer 1/3

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

       Are you looking into reading an action-packed book? If so, why not read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The book is falls under the realistic fiction category. The book starts out in District 12 of a country called Panem, a country made from the remains of North America. The main characters are Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Katniss is a teen-age girl. Her life drastically changed when Reaping Day came Katniss and her close friend Gale felt that they had no shot to be forced into an arena with 23 other competetors fighting for their life. Sure enough, Katniss' sister Prim-rose got picked, Katniss thought Prim would have no chance in the arena so volunteered as tribute otherwise known as taking her place. She is now on the brink of life and death, will she come out on top?

     This book was very interesting mainly because all of the suspense. Another reason why it was interesting was because it was told in first person. Giving you all of Katniss' thoughts and opinions on the games. I also like the very detailed action. The action is very interesting and makes you get focused into the book.

Matt G.
Ms. Spicer
Periods 4/6

The Compound by SA Bodeen

           The book i am doing my blog on is called The Compound! S.A Bodeen is the fantastic author of this science fiction book. the main character is Eli and the secondary characters are Eli's family members. It's just Eli, his sister, mom and dad. The setting is an underground place called the compound it takes place in modern day and was built by Eli's brilliant but crazy father. The compound was built to keep him and his family safe from nuclear war. The introduction is just the building of the compound and a lot of hard times between the family because they had to leave a lot of friends and relatives behind to die. The rising action is when the father won't let Eli and his mom, and sister leave after years and years in the compound and now they have to escape. The climax is when Eli sneaks into his dad's office and finds and steals the codes to the door. Now the family has to fight off the dad to get out. The falling action is when Eli and his sister and mom need to know if it's safe to open the door and go into the world for the first time in a decade. At the end, the family finally gets the door open to see the long stretch of beach to start their new life.

                                    I loved this book The Compound. In my opinion its a book boys
One reason I love this book is because it's full of action and suspense so it makes it a page turner and that's what boys would like about this book. Another reason I love this book but think this is a boys book is beacuse its about survival and the family has to eat babys they made to survive. The last reason I love this book is because it makes you feel like your in the compound sometimes and you can feel what the characters felt. An example would be, when the father was will to kill his son to stop Eli from opening the door. This book is a 4.5 out of 5 because it is alittle gross at some parts but over all its a great book. If your a boy thats in middle school or up, you should consider reading this fantastic book.                Chris B. Miss Spicer Periods 4&6              

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

   The book I'm doing my blog is on The Enemy by Charlie Higson. If you are into zombies or awesome battles with hordes you should definitely read The Enemy.

   The plot of the book is that something happened 16 years ago that infected  everyone. It took 16 years for the infection to totally take over the human body. When it did take over it turned people who were alive during the incident into a zombie or  a "grown up". So a group of kids under 16 have to survive zombies and other kids like bandits. The main characters are Arron, the leader, Maxie, second in command, Achilles, the big fighter, and Freak, the angry kid.

   I really enjoyed this book because I'm a big fan of anything zombie and I love books that have a lot of action. This book is full of suspense and somethings are just downright creepy. Like at one point in the book a character is kidnapped by cannibals and are fatten up to be eaten. That part really kinda gave me the creeps, but other than that it's more horror and awesomely described fight scenes. Another thing I really enjoyed about this book is that Charlie Higson describes everything very well. Like when he describes what the zombies look, smell, or sound like. Such as there is one point in the book where someone in the book stumbles into where a group of zombies are sleeping. Higson did such a great job of describing everything I felt like I could smell the zombies nasty rotten flesh, hear the zombies claws scraping the floor, and I could see the zombie eating the deer carcass. I highly recommend this book to any big zombie fan or just a fan of horror books. If I had to rate this book on a scale of one to ten I would pick a 9.5 because I think Higson could have described some of the characters a little better but other than that minor flaw it was a fantastic book. Go out and pick up a copy today!

By:Gary K.

The Trouble Begins at 8 by Sid Fleischmen

                                                             

who is the man fully grown with a cheap cigar clamped between his teeth? Who is the man who made a white fence as famous as the wall of china? well ask your self this who has one of the funniest faces in American history? The answer to that riddle is Mark Twain.This book is a biography on the very same man who wrote such classics as the adventures of huckleberry Finn and the adventures of tom sawyer and his accomplishments and hard ships from 1871 to 1910. This book is also about the life of mark twain growing up in the west, experiencing some of the crazy things that he wrote about in his books.

Why am I so fond of this book? for one it has a great sense of detail in the information throughout the book. Everything said is fact like how his birth name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. another reason why i am fond of this book was reading about Marks so called tom sawyer days. Where he and his friends lived in a world of straw hats,corn-cob pipes, trout fishing,playing hooky,and watching steam boats ply the river. And probably the biggest reason is what I learned from this book and that is that life is not easy, even the most famous of people had  a difficult path in life. Mark Twain suffered many hardships to get his place in history.This book is marvelous and I would recommend it to any fan of mark twain.

Dylan.N Spicer Pd 8-9

Swindle by Gordan Korman

         How would you feel if you got something stolen from you that was worth 1,000,000$!!!  Well that's how Griffin feels in the book Swindle by Gordan Korman.  Griffin sold his old Babe ruth baseball card  for one thousand dollars to a man named S. Wendall,  then he puts it in an auction and is going to be sold for over a million dollars.  Griffin knows that he was tricked and is now determined to get his card back.  That money could solve all of his problems like moving away from his best friend Micheal, and he has the perfect plan to get it back.  Griffin must assemble the perfect team to break into S. Wendell's (or Swindles) house and get the card back before it is sold at the auction.But first he will need a person to calm the guard dogs, a person to keep watch of the house, a person that can climb the house, a person that can hack into security systems, a person that can break into safes, and lastly, a man with the plan.  But Griffin finds out that it is not that easy.
         I thought this book was great book for any kid in 7th grade.  The pages weren't too long, the book wasnt't too long, and the whole book was very clear to understand. This whole book was full off suspense from the beginning when griffin must escape a crumbling building, all the way to the end when griffin and his group must break into a house with the best security in the whole town.  Also, all of the characters had interesting skills like climbing and hacking into electrical systems, and even cracking the codes to safes.This whole book was written greatly but there is only one thing I did not really understand.  Well the cover is a picture of mostly the guard, but the guard dog isn't a very important characteer in the book.  But all in all, I would rate this book 4/5stars for its action and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Jack G. Spicer 4/6

Waves by Sharon Dogar

 In the book Waves by Sharon Dogar the main character is Hal Ditton.  Hal and his sister Charley used to tell each other everything, secrets, fears, hopes and dreams.  But there's just something you can't confide in your brother.  Well those secrets that Charley couldn't tell her brother could be the answer to what happened the night of the incident that put Charley into a coma.  Hal keeps hearing Charley's voices in his head, she talks to him and he thinks that she's trying to communticate.  Hal knows he isn't imagining this.  Hal listens to these voices as he tries to solve the mystery of why his sister is in a coma.  Is he going to solve the mystery?
       In my opinion I loved this book.  There are a few reasons why.  I love how there is flashbacks of how Hal remembers all the good time with Charley and those flashbacks also give clues to what might have happened the night of the incident.  I also love the suspense of when Hal finds out what really happened with Charley's boyfriend Pete, and Pete's ex on the night of the accident.  I was rarely confused and really enjoyed the book.

Makenzie C.
Spicer 4/6

Unwind By Neal Shusterman

Unwind By:Neal Shusterman 

     Unwind is a 335 paged science fiction book that is fantastic. Unwind has three main characters named Connor, Lev, Risa. Risa is 14 years old and always does the right thing, she is an orphan. Risa plays piano but unfortunately wasn't good enough and had no purpose in the world so she was decided to be unwound. Connor on the other hand was the total opposite of Rina. Connor is failing in school and gets into fights everyday. Of course Connor was sent to get unwound. Lev was a perfect child and so into church and praying and God no one would have ever expected for him to be sent to get unwound. Now i should probably answer the question your all asking, what is being unwound? Being unwound is when these people take you into a camp and  kids who are going to be unwound are taken into this factory and a machine take their body parts and some how keeps the nerves alive. So when someone needs a new body part they give it to them and they can still move it and it works. But unwinding wouldn't had to be needed if people were donating body parts. Even when someone died people wouldn't donate the dead persons body parts. but this story is mainly about how Risa, Lev, and Connor run and try not to get unwound although unwinds run away before they get taken away Lev, Connor, and Risa's run way was so important because they shut down a major high way and shot a police man with his own taser gun.
     Unwind is my favorite book I've read this year. the author gave an exceptional amount of detail and it helps you picture the book perfectly. Neal Shusterman also made sounds in the book come out and make it seem like real life. If you ever not know what to read choose Unwind by: Neal Shusterman I promise you won't be dissapointed once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down.
                                                                                                                        -Skyla (period 1and 3) Mrs.spicer

Shooting Stars By: Buzz Bisinger, and LeBron James

Shooting Stars By: Buzz Bisinger is one of the many books i read this year and the book i am going to write about. It as a Biography about Lebron James (The NBA superstar) and the struggles of his childhood, and his unbreakable friendship between three other kids who went through the same situation as he did. The Characters in the book are Willie McGee, Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III, Dru Joyce, and LeBron James. Willie is a very humble friendly kid who went through the hardships of Chicago, Illinois. He moved to Dayton with his brother which is where LeBron and Willie met. Sian  was a big tough guy who no one messed with, but he was a great friend. Sian grew up in Akron, Ohio. LeBron and him became friends when they were very young. Dru Joyce and his son, Dru Joyce III were the only middle class people out of the group of friends, and they grew up in a nice community somewhere in Ohio. LeBron James was a very outgoing, fun kid who grew up in the rough south side of Cleveland, Ohio. Willie, Sian, and LeBron had always struggled with money but Dru never did. The three of them would always go to Dru's house because it was the only one with two stories, and a basement. The Exposition of the story is when the four friends meet each other at a JCC basketball clinic. The Rising action is when the four of the friends decide to form a AAU basketball team and get a couple more kids because you need five players on court and a couple bench players.The Climax was when Their team went to AAU nationals and drove to Florida from Ohio, and they got to the National Semifinal, then lost. The Falling Action is when They all go to St. Vincent-St. Mary's Catholic High School for basketball. The Resolution is LeBron gets drafted in the NBA out of high school, and the rest of the four go to college.
                    Shooting Stars is one of my favorite books of all time. Its a really sad and very motivating story about the effects of close friendship. The author makes you want to cry when you hear about these four (really three) kids stories surviving the influences of drugs life and gang culture. Willie, Sian, and LeBron have inspired many kids to keep believing and never give up, no matter how bad life gets. This book is for pretty much everyone that understands basketball, gender doesnt matter. Buzz Bisinger wrote about all the possible details in the settings to make the imagery in your mind as clear as a window. The only thing i disliked about the book is when it ended, i wish it never would it was a lot of fun to read, if you dont read this book, you'll surely be missing out
             
                                                                                              By: Kyle S.
      

Smile by Raina Telegmeier

     This fun graphic novel is filled with excitement. This book is told by the authors point of view and has a long story to tell. Raina Telegmeier tells her story from being at home, to school, to the dentist, and all of the other places she had to go. It's Raina's first year of High School and she has a lot coming for her. She is told she needs braces, along with falling in love with a boy she thinks she likes. Her friends make fun of her for liking someone younger than her, but she doesn't care. On the otherhand, she was walking home one night and knocked her two frot teeth out. It took her a very long time to recover, so in the mean while, she had fake tooth retainer, caps, and a whole lot more. Raina was tired from the dentist and the rest of the teeth problems, and finally it was over. She stopped liking the boy, letting go over her mean friends, and made new friends in her brand new school. Raina was finally happy.

      I really liked this graphic novel because it was fast-paced, fun, and easy to relate to (for me). Since it was only a graphic novel, each page was like a comic book and easy to read. The author put a lot of emotion when Raina got hurt, and it also had some humor making it a fun book. It was a lot easier to relate to because when I was younger I knocked my front teeth out falling down also. I didn't have to go through as much as Raina, but I sure felt the pain of the caps, the bare space between the teeth, and a whole lot more. I recommend this book to girls because it is told by a girls point of view making some things not appealing to boys. This was a great book and hope to read more by Raina Telegmeier!

Alexa F.
Spicer 1/3

   

Change Up -John Feinstein

     Change Up by John Feinstein


     It was the World Series at the nation's capital, and Stevie was at the game. But not only to watch; he was a journalist for the newspaper. Him and his girlfriend, Susan Carol (also a journalist), went to interview the winning pitcher after the game. Stevie found out that Norbert's wife had died a few years ago in a car crash. But something else seemed strange about the new guy, so Stevie and Susan Carol decided to investigate. Stevie went to Norbert's hometown, Virginia, and found out some very suspicious facts about what really caused the death of the star's wife. At the same time, Stevie and Susan Carol went through phases of jealousy, hate , and love in their relationship. If you want to find out what really happened to Norbert's wife, read this book!
     I completely loved this thrilling mystery! It had a bunch of suspense, as well as an entertaining background of the World Series. I would recommend this mostly to boys, but anybody who likes sports and mysteries would enjoy this book. Change Up has all the attributes a great book needs. Pick up a copy of this book and you won't want to put it down! 


Michael D.
Spicer 8/9
     

Jackie's Nine By: Sharon Robinson

      Jackie's Nine. Courage, Determination, Teamwork, Persistence, Integrity, Citizenship, Justice, Commitment, and Excellence. Words that hall of famer Jacky Robinson lived by. This book was written by his very own daughter Sharon Robinson. It's based off of the very hard life she saw her dad go through to achieve greatness and show people across the country that segregation can be conquered. 
     Jacky Robinson was faced with many difficulties and obstacles to get his way but in the end it all payed off. His agent was also faced with problems for him to make it into the majors, between lawyers, judges, owners and citizens across america who believed in segregation. Some say he made it into the MLB to prove a point, but it wasn't. It was to show the world his talent, and a lot of talent did he have. MLB analysts back then said that Robinson could match up with the greats such as, Babe Ruth, Joe Dimaggio, and Stan "the man" Musial. Also they had told many he could've had the best bat speed of his generation. After years and years of playing in the negro leagues he made it in with his willpower and faith from family and friends. 
     Personally, I feel each and every one of "his nine" fit his personality perfectly. In the book his daughter stated several times that he always said "If you ever give up, you'll never make a difference." It seems like that's the words he dedicated his career to. I love the traits that spectators gave Jackie when he was one of the best. "Unstoppable", "Indestructible" , never to be beaten. This novel was nearly perfectly written, but to others who aren't baseball fanatics it may be out of your interest. It should be recommended to many people but it isn't very well known.Otherwise, my thoughts of his actions inspire me to go on in my own sports career just as he did. If there is ever something in your way move out with the strength you've built along the way. Just like Jackie, you never give up.






Ryan C
Spicer 8/9

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a wonderful novel. Ann Brashares' The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is much more than a story about a fabulous pair of blue jeans. Yes, they are kind of magical (because they seem to magically make anyone who wears them look irresistible), but the story is about a group of four best buds Lena, Tibby, Bridget and Carmen who spend their first summer apart from each other. The four friends vow to share the pants, so they mail them to each other along with notes about the adventures they have while wearing the jeans. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is also about growing up. Even though the four girls are apart and miss each other dearly, being apart takes each of them on their own adventures of love, friendship, heartache and family upsets.

I liked this book because it was easy to connect to and always kept me interested. I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars because of Ann Brashares great writing style and use of good vocabulary. I reccomend this book to girls in any grade because it was a great read and i enjoyed it very much!

Bella M.

Periods 4 and 6

Ms. Spicer

Hidden Talents by David Lubar

Do you like a great novel with tons of action and drama? I know I do for sure. This fantastic book is called Hidden Talents by David Lubar. In the beginning of the novel we meet Martin out main character. Martin gets kicked out of many schools for being disruptive and he would talk back to teachers in all of his previous schools. He is at the end of the road now, Martin's parents have no other choice then to send him to alternative school. Martin does not want to go to any school especially an alternative school filled with freaks and losers.
      Martin arrives at the school already with a bad impression on the principle by having smart gestures about the trashy alternative school and the people that are in it? Will Martin ever learn to shut his mouth or will he not be allowed to go to any school in the state? Read the book and find out more. I would describe Martin as an outgoing kid with a big ego. He can be kind at times but then again he can also be very rude to people. I can connect myself to Martin because I can be nice at times but then again I can be a total jerk at others. If you want to see what path Martin takes read the book to find out.     -Kevin W.

The Outsiders S.E. Hinton

   




The outsiders by S.E. Hinton
    Have you ever wondered what it is like to not be excepted by other people? Or wonder what it is like to actually run away from home if so then you should read The Outsiders. the author of The Outsiders is S.E. Hinton, and the genre is historical fiction. The two main characters are Pony Boy and Johnny. Pony Boy is any normal kid with very greasy hair just like all of the greasers. Johnny is the youngest greaser and has parents that abuse hi at home. The book took place in the 70's and the setting was at Pony Boy's house and at an abandoned church. One day, Pony Boy one day gets pushed by his older brother so he decided to run away with johnny to an abandoned church a little bit out of town. Then when they get back home they find out that they are going to have a big rumble (fight) with their rival gang, the socs.
   I really liked The Outsiders for three main reasons. The first reason is because it told you what it would be like to be in a gang. The second reason is that the book keeps you on the edge of your seat because of all of the action in the book. The last reason is that it is an easy read so you don't have to put a lot of thought into the book. The Outsiders is a book for really anyone and I really enjoyed reading it.
Brett B.    Spicer 8-9

Soul Surfer By:Bethany Hamiliton

       Did you ever wonder what its like to be attacked by a huge shark? Well you can ask Bethany Hamiliton. Bethany loved to surf her whole life. Growing up she always did amazing with surfing. She has a best friend named Alana. They do everything together, encluding surfing. Bethany couldn't live without surfing. It was her life, her Passion. All she ever wanted was to be a major surfer. She enterd a lot of contests and won. One day Bethany was relaxing on her surf board in the middle of the ocean. As soon as she knew it her arm had been bit off by a shark. The water around them turned red. She had ben attacked by a shark. They were soon able to get Bethany to a hospital. She had lost a lot of blood. They were able to stop the bleeding. Her arm was now just a stub. This has changed Bethany's life. All she could think about is getting in the water again. She worked really hard and was able to soon get on the surf board again. She said she didn't need easy, she needed possible.

       In the book Soul Surfer  Bethany pushes her self to get better and do what she loves. She really did something great. Most of us would just stop after being attacked by a shark. Bethany kept going and didn't let it rule her life. She showed the world that nothing was impossible. Anyone can do anything and Bethany proved that.
Mary Kate Meagher

Cut By Patrcia McCormick

       Have you ever given everyone you know the silent treatment? How long could you keep it going? Well, fifteen-year-old Callie the main character in Patricia McCormick's Cut isn't speaking to anybody, not even to her therapist at Sea Pines also known as "Sick Minds". This is the residential treatment facility where her parents and doctor sent her after discovering that she self harms. Callie isn't sure why she cuts herself, but the fact that she won't talk to anybody isn't helping. At Sea Pines there are levels 1, 2 and 3. If you are level one such as Callie and Amanda you can't be left alone, you can't walk to classes by yourself, you can't do just about anything by yourself. Level twos have a bit more freedom, just ask Becca and Tara who suffer from an eating disorder or Sydney and Tiffany. Lastly level three, level threes have as much freedom as you can get in a treatment facility! Level threes can walk around freely and they can even escort others to their classes. When Callie goes to therapy she begins to think of the day she cut herself. Callie was running a track race, when all of sudden she had run home and had a knife in her. Amanda is another girl who has been taken into the addiction of self harm, Amanda is very open about her situation and doesn't mine rolling up a sleeve for everyone to see the stories on her wrist. Sydney who has been addicted to every drug she has ever tried befriends Callie. Although Callie doesn't speak for quite sometime Sydney understands Callie. Debbie, Tara and Becca have eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia, the three of them looks out for one another and never seem to leave one anothers side. Tiffany isn't a big part of the book but her and Sydney are pretty good friends considering they deal with similar addictions. Tiffany was addicted to crack, she was sent to Sea Pines instead of jail. As the story goes on you get to see first hand the realistic struggles every girl faces with their situation. You get to understand first hand how each of the 6 girls handles themselves on the insane road to recovery! Some girls like Callie and Amanda relapse, cutting themselves once again, some such as Sydney put on a bold front and some just simply live there not knowing what to do. When "you" who is the therapist finally gets Callie to talk they make an amazing step in Callie's recovery, Callie opens up like she has never done before telling her therapist about her brother, mother, and dad. But, one thing Callie hasn't told her therapist is about her running. Callie runs to clear her head, but there's this exit sign at Sea Pines and Callie has always wondered what would happen if she were to open the exit door. When one day she decides to find out and she just starts running, not knowing were she's going or what she's going to do when she gets there. When she ends up by a highway not knowing were she is or who to call she picks up a near by payphone and calls her dad. Callie walks to the near by Dunkin Donuts when she makes friends with the waitress. When her dad gets there she feels comfort and they quickly get in their car. When Callie is asked where she wants to go, she replies Sea Pines, Callie wants to get better, she truly does.
     I really enjoyed reading Cut! I think that it makes you realize that no matter how happy someone seems you have know idea what they may be going through and how they may be dealing with it. I think that that is an important message because now and days people think that a computer screen or a cell phone screen can give them the power to say what ever they want, but what they don't realize is how much that could hurt someone. Although that is not Callie's case in the book people are quick to judge her by the stories on her wrist, when really all they know is her name. This book was my favorite because of the way Patrcia McCormick includes Callie's thoughts. I feel as if I can hear exactly what she is saying and how she is feeling. This is a bit of a gory book and when they begin to talk about the levels of Sea Pines it get a bit confusing. I'm really glad I stumbled along this book at the HMS library!

By:Sydney Woodsum (8-9/Spicer)

Brain Camp by: Susan Kim, and Laurence Klavin.

           The name of the book I blog about is called Brain Camp. This book is a graphic novel. The setting in this book takes place at a camp called Fielding Camp. In the Queens of New York were you meet Lucas. Lucas doesn't quite make the right decisions, for example the first time you meet him is when he steals a car. Then you meet Jenna who is a really nerdy, and makes up stories of elves, and fantasy creatures. But what both of there parents have in common is that they would do anything to make there child perfect. Even if it means sending them to a camp that would suck your brains out....


            Brain Camp I think is the best mix of romance, action, and suspense. But the one thing I didn't like in my book was the the graphic parts (bloody, or nasty illustrations), but if any of you like graphic. This is a thumbs up book that I think you should have. The reason that I like this book is becuase it's like a puzzle, it's not like one of those boring books that makes it easy to predict the ending,you have to actually bring together parts in the story so you can find the ending in the book. Also the one thing I liked about the ending was how it left my brain in a wow situation, and i think this book will make you think wow to, but to get this enjoy this book all you have to do is get the book.


Gavin L.
Spicer 8/9
  

Stargirl By Jerry Spinelli

      Have you ever met someone so different you didn't know what to think?In the realistic fiction book ,Star Girl by Jerry Spinelli , there is a new girl at mica high , Arizona and everyone loves her because she is so different. She, the new girl even grabbed some special attention from Leo Borlock. the girls name was Stargirl, at least at that time it was. Stargirl liked to change her name all the time, she said names are like clothes and you shouldn't wear the same clothes all the time. This is one of the many things that made Stargirl different. Stargirl had a pet rat that she brought with her to school too. Everyone thought Stargirl was so cool but fame doesn't last forever and everyone turned on her pretty soon facing Leo in a choice. see Leo wanted to fit in , Stargirl stood out. Since everyone hated Stargirl, Leo started to think being with her wasn't a good idea so he decided to change her, Leo got Stargirl to be the very thing that could ruin her , Normal.

      I really enjoyed reading Stargirl by Jerry spinelli. I liked how the author portraid stargirl as a joyful sweet caring girl who just gets misunderstood because she is different. Another reason I liked the book Stargirl is because it shows how popularity doesn't matter , friends that care about you matter way more and I think that is something more people need to realize and is a really important message. the last reason I chose Strgirl as one of my favorite books is because the struggles between Leo and Stargirl's relationship is so well woven into the story that it feels so real almost as if its happening to you. I'm so glad my friends convinced me to read Stargirl.

                                                              Aileen D.

                                                                 Spicer 1/3

Boy in The Striped pajamas by John Boyne

                       Young Bruno has been forced to move from his comfortable home in Berlin with his family to a bleak old house in the countryside of “Out With”, where his father has become the Commandant. "Out With" turns out to be a desolate place in the middle of no where and no place for a young adventurous boy to grow up. Bruno spends his days bored, watching the hundreds of people on the other side of the fence from his bedroom window. They all share one charatceristic, they all wear striped pajamas. As Bruno becomes more bored and lonely, with only his “hopeless case” older sister for company, he decides to go exploring.With brunos very adventurous personality he discovers the concentration camp. He wanders to the fence where he meets Shmuel, a boy his age also dressed in striped pajamas like all the others. Shmuel and Bruno create a very good friendship. Bruno brings Shmuel food and they form a great friendship. The two talk together from separate sides of the fence, but neither of them are completely aware of the horrors that surround them. Soon enough Bruno and Shmuel face a deal of great danger. 


            John Boyne writes a great book and shows that friendship can be found anywhere no matter what or where you come from. I loved this book! It kept me reading after every chapter. My favorite character is Shmuel, he shows the innocence of childhood and that all he wanted was to have a friend. I recommend this book to everyone. I think everyone should read this book. This genre is  historical fiction and one of the best historical fictions Ive ever read. The ending of this book is filled with sadness but the best book Ive read.




                                                                                Karrie F. periods 4-6
                                                                                       Ms. Spicer

Fake ID By Walter Sorrels

Have you ever read the book Fake ID by Walter Sorrels? If you have not I recomand this book to you.
In the book, Chasity and her mother have been on the run since Chasity was a baby. Getting new identities in every new town she moves to. She doesn't know why they are running, who they are running from and worst of all who her father is. On the night of Chasitys sixteenth birthday. her mom dissappers. The police find her abandon car, blood matching her DNA, a purse with six ID cards inside. Chasity doesnt belive her mother is dead. But what she does belive is that her mom is probly on the run again. If Chasity doesnt find her mom in six days she would be put into foster care.she is chased by people she doesnt even know and is trying to kill her while looking for her mom.
In my opinion i think Fake ID was the best book i have ever read. This mystery book is filled with alot of great characters and settings.Some reasons why i love this book is the suspense it has when Chasity is out during the night looking for her mom. Another reason why i love this book is because the flashbacks that Chasity had of her mom we presious .and sweet.I would reccomand Fake ID to mostly girls, not because the main characer is a girl but because i think it would be better for a girl to connect better with the book.


Tyra .P
Spicer: 4/6

Heart of a Champion by: Carl Deuker

       Seth is at the park, and meets his future best friend Jimmy. What he notices is Jimmy's baseball talent, everything with him is instinctful. He can catch a thrown baseball with the flick of a glove, and is a batter much above his level. Everything about Jimmy shows future superstar at the Major Leagues. Unfortunetly, Jimmy one day moves away. However, all that changes about Jimmy, when they enter high school. Seth is now on the baseball team with another star, Todd. Todd is a great player, but has a terrible attitude towards his teamates. Due to that, Seth's team is still performing at a very low level. But one day, Jimmy has moved back, is going to the same high school as Seth, and has made the baseball team after he tried out. Seth's team barely scrapes by into the playoffs, and wind up making the championship game, but Jimmy and Todd have been suspended for the game due to drinking. Could this be the big turnaround of Jimmy and Seth's lives?

       I thought this was an excellent book, for a few reasons. One of those, was that it was centered around one of my favorite sports, baseball. Plus, baseball contributes to a major piece of this story, as it would be nothing like it really is without baseball. Another reason I liked it was because it had a powerful message in it, and that is to stay away from alcohol, as that message changes the whole complexion of the story. Finally, for the last piece I'll share, the characters were very unique in themselves, as Jimmy was a tremendous sports player, although he had character issues. Sean on the other hand, was an above average high school player, although he knew how to handle himself. Overall, this was my favorite book I read this year, as it perfectly combines sports and teenager issues all in one.

 





Mert Y.
Spicer
Periods 4/6

high heat carl deuker

              Here comes the pitch....crack. High Heat is about a teen named Shane and he loves playing baseball. One day Shane was at his  baseball game and out of no where these two cops come and arrest Shane's dad in the stands. Come to find out that Shane's dad was accused of money laundering, So at school Shane got made fun of because of his dad. At baseball Shane got into a fight and almost got suspended for doing it. So one morning Shane's dad tells Shane that he's going to be late to his game, so he waits and waits and his dad never showed up. After Shane's game his coach gives him a ride home and he sees police and people standing on their lawn. Come to find out that his dad kills himself. this makes Shane do some life changing decisions if you want to know how Shane turns out read the book to find out.  

                   I like this book because it has amazing cliff hangers it keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting you to read more! Also it is a just right book if you are interested in baseball and realistic fiction.  The one thing i did not expect was when Shane came home to his dad's death. Also in the book it said that his little sister was there and she heard the gun shot! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. Read the book to keep up the status with Shane and hoe he's doing.


                                                     Khyree J-W
                                                   Spicer 8+9

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk

          Do you want to read a non-graphic murder mystery? If yes then read The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk. He is a fantastic author and his book is about a teenager, William Halpin just moved to Eastern Pennsylvania and is deaf. He soon falls to the bottom of the popularity chain and has a crush on a girl named Leigh Pennington. He meets a kid named Drew and soon both become friends. The way Drew and Will communicate is through instant-messaging. As Will's history teacher announces that they are going on a field trip, Pat, The star quarterback announces that he is hold 52 invitations to a party. When Will's class is at the field trip, the power shuts off and Pat is found dead. Who murdered Pat and why did they do it?
        I absolutely loved this book because it was realistic and suspenseful. I loved this book for its suspense because as Will and Drew go through the list of suspects, they all committed other crimes but did not kill Pat. The one person i least expected was the person who killed Pat.The way this book was realistic because it actually show events that happened in real life like love affairs between students and teachers or bus drivers caught with drugs. This book is my favorite mystery and I think you will love it to.

Sagar Desai
Periods 4&6
Ms. Spicer

Misery by Stephen king

To read this book is to experience a nightmare. Misery is a horror classic by Stephen King. Misery is about a bestselling novelist Paul Sheldon who is in a horrible car crash and has a completely shattered leg. Annie Wilkes found his body and took him to his house soon after she saw the crash. Annie then realize it is Paul, she almost has a panic attack in excitement. Annie Wilkes is now Paul's biggest fan, his nurse, and his captor.You see, Annie is obsessed Paul's "Misery" books. But she was not happy about the final book.So Annie is forcing Paul to write a final book for her and her only so she can closer for herself. And she will do anything to get it, even if she needs a axe.

This book takes the horror straight to the jugular. It keeps you on the edge of seat, more like the edge of a broken seat. I cannot think of any thing more frightening then any horror movie I have ever seen. Misery is a extremely graphic book. It's like painting a murder seen in your mind and then letting it lose in the real world. It is a amazing thriller and bone-chiller, but for older kids. If had to rate this I would give it 10-10. And if you read this book, get ready for a thrill ride.

                          
                          Jon.s  Spicer1/3  

The Serpents Shadow by Rick Riordan

The Serpents Shadow by Rick Riordan.This book is fantasy genre. This is the third book of the series. In the serpents shadow Sadie and Carter need to defeat the evil ancient Egyptian god Apophis and stop him from devouring the sun and plunging the world into eternal darkness. But the only way to destroy or cast off a god is to find its shen(shadow), bind it to a statue of the evil god of Apophis by using a binding spell, and destroy the shadow and the statue while facing the god. This all sounds pretty straight forward, but Sadie and Carter face impossible challenges along the way. In Cairo, Egypt there are two armies assembling, one of them are the rebels they are a large mass of rouge magicians that wish to destroy  Sadie and Carter. The other army, is an army full of demons and they are on Apophis' side.While they are on their journey they encounter numerous gods and more demons than you can count. Sadie and Carter also have some shocking losses and gains during their travels.

 This book is definitely a must have, it's great for all readers. I loved this book because of its thrill and suspense  waiting at every page. I also liked is because Rick Riordan is one of my favorite authors. lastly I love this book because it is apart of a trilogy. I recommend reading the first two books in this series just so you will under stand the plot better. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5, it demonstrates well written literature an an action packed book that every one will like.

Jaime T.
Spicer 4/6

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

   You are in the middle of World War 1 and all of your friends in the war have died. Then you realize you are in the middle of no mans land and your leg is barely useful. And during all of this you are a horse. This action packed historical fiction is seen through the eyes of a horse named Joey from a small farm in the middle of the country. Joeys owner, Albert, is a nice, kind boy and his father sold Joey to the army to have enough money to keep the farm going. Now Joey must survive the war to get to his loving Albert. He must survive many obstacles during the war such as cannons, disease, injuries, and over working.
   This book is an amazing book with action on every page keeping you on the edge of your seat. I love the description Michael Morpurgo uses in this book. Sometimes it felt like I was right in the book. This book is filled with more than just action it also has some sad parts like during the war. This is by far one of Michael Morpurgos best books yet. At times I never wanted to put the book down. If I had to grade this book I could honestly give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend War Horse to anyone who loves history or animal stories.
  Bryan B.
  Ms. Spicer 4/6

Gym Candy By: Carl Deuker

Mick is a teenage boy that lives in Seattle, Washington and adores the sport of football. With his friends Drew, and Deshawn. After starting running back for all his teams except for his first year of High school. Mick has started lifting weights and taking vitamins. He hires a personal trainer named Peter. Mick wasn't getting results so Peter recommended something that would change his life forever D-Bol. As Mick pays for the expensive steroids he realizes over the summer he was separating from his friends and Kaylee the love of his life.
I loved this book because it was written really well. And it also had a lot of suspense in the story, like during games and during his life. Finally, and maybe the best of all is the ending and the sadness you get but the epilogue will tie it all together in a book your sure to remember. I would recommend this book to guys, but girls can also read it as well. Mick has a decision football or his own life. Read to find out.

Nick Baugh
Spicer periods 4 and 6

Things Not Seen

        How would you react if you were invisible and nobody could see you but you could see yourself? In Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements, a typical 13 year old boy named Bobby Phillips becomes invisible to everyone else once he got out of the shower curtain and tried to see himself in the mirror. Nobody understands Bobby's situation, not doctors, or even his own parents. But, when he goes to the library, he meets a girl named Alicia Van Dorn who is blind but understands him completely. She feels invisible just like him and Alicia becomes Bobby's very close friend. Alicia and Bobby try to investigate the problem and try to solve it so Bobby can be seen by everyone again and not be invisible. Will Bobby ever be back to normal? Read this book to find out.
           I really liked this book because of the interesting plot, the characters and how the author writes. The plot is really interesting because its very original since its not a common plot for invisibility. I  loved the characters since they had a great sense of humor and always do something you don't expect. Lastly, I think the author's style is pretty good since author clearly explained who's point of view it was and he also uses great descriptive words. I recommend this book to anyone who likes action/adventure.

                                                                                                                                 By: Rachita G Spicer 1/3

Yummy by G.Neri

  Have you ever thought that you had friends that cared about you so much and never thought that they would betray you? This book I want to talk about is Yummy by Greg Neri. This book is all about a boy named Robert Sandifer also known as Yummy. People call him Yummy because he loves to eat sweets and candy. Yummy grew up in Chicago. Yummy was a nice boy but ever since he joined the gang called the black disciples, Every thing went wrong for the south side shorty. Yummy joined the gang because his brother Randy was in it But Yummy wanted to prove him self worthy so he try to shoot the bully that was picking on him in school. But when he let go of that trigger he shot a girl named Shavon Dean.Being the cause of Shavon's Dean Death attracted a lot of attention to the gang. So then one day he was waiting for his grandma to pick him up but he went to see the gangs leader named monster. After he met monster Randy decided not to join the gang and drop out before he turns out to be like Yummy. The lesson learned in the story is not to be a follower and not a leader. And don't make bad decisions or you'll regret later.

 I really thought that this book was awesome and I really liked this book because of its vivid details throughout the book. Another reason why I liked this book is because of its action through the beginning all the way to the end of the book. I also liked it because its easy to stay on topic and not be lost or confused during the story. One more thing that I liked about the story Yummy is that the book is a page turner. You'll keep on wanting to read. I think that this book is the best book I read this year. 

Cullan D

Spicer 4/6