Mockingjay By Suzanne Collins

You are the Mockingjay. You are the one who must protect everyone from the evil Capitol. You are the leader of the rebellions, fighting to the death.  Bloody gashes, paralyzed body parts, insanity, your worst fears coming alive like a fast pace action movie. This book is Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, the third novel in The Hunger Games series. Katniss Everdeen, the main character, is very fierce and witty.  She is the mockingjay. Katniss is in love with Peeta Mellark and Gale, but will her love for each of the boys and her family and the loathing for the Capitol, be enough to save the districts? 

If I had the position of leading a rebellion, I don’t think I would last to fight the battles. Yeah, I am strong, but I would probably be severely killed. I mean, running against a government; them equipped with any weapon known to man, and you with a few bundles of arrows. Add to that always wondering and worrying about the ones you love (hoping they will still be alive) and worrying about the guy you’re destined to be with. I know that Gale loves Katniss, but I think that she should keep a mutual friendship with him because if she would be with Gale, it would crash their whole friendship. Plus, she is meant to be with Peeta. The game to fight is unfair by all means, but can she win the district’s freedom? This book is an astounding novel, but can be perplexing if you don’ t understand the rules of the games and the Quarter Quell. This book is a marvelous read for boys and girls who want to find out about love, the districts, the Capitol, and the war. Who will win?

Sydney L.

Ms. Heater

The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins

Twenty-three have to die in order for you to live. Is it worth it?

            The Hunger Games is a competition of two kids (a boy and a girl tribute) from each district who have to fight to the death. Katniss, the female protagonist from District 12, has to keep herself alive by killing kids and anything else that gets in her way. She has to find food/water/shelter, make alliances, and battle The Capitol. The Capitol is like a dictatorship that governs all twelve districts. During the games, they create obstacles to eliminate competitors until there is one champion.

            The love triangle among Katniss, Peeta (the male District 12 tribute), and Gale (her best guy friend) is complicated. It adds suspense because it makes you want to know what happens and whom Katniss will choose because she develops feelings for both. The book is really good because it has action, yet it also has romance; they are engrossing to both genders.

            If you choose to read this first book in the trilogy, I want to warn you that it can be disturbing and very violently descriptive. I don’t recommend this for younger kids because it is gory, but older readers (even adults) can enjoy it. My father is the one who recommended it to me.  I have high expectations for the remaining books, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, because so far, it has been an exciting reading experience. I am curious to see how the love triangle ends up as well as see who lives and who dies.

Tara V. 

Ms. Heater 

one of those hideous books where the mother dies By Sonya Sones

Could you imagine that during your sophomore year of high school your mother dies, and you have to move to the other side of the country with your famous dad whom you’ve never met before? Well, that’s what happens with Ruby in the book, one of those hideous books where the mother dies by Sonya Sones.  Ruby thinks her dad is the most arrogant, worst guy you will ever meet. She only thinks this because he left her mother when she was pregnant to move on with his career. Ruby will never forgive him, but the father is trying really hard to make up for what he has done. She doesn’t know how she is going to make it through there.

           I would recommend this realistic fictional novel to mostly girls because it is written in a girl’s perspective. I think this book is very good, even though I didn’t finish it yet. It always keeps me wanting to read more because something new always happened in her life, whether it was good or bad. Read this book if you want to find out to see if she survives tenth grade and living with her father!

 Alyssa M.

Miss Heater

The Name of the Star By Maureen Johnson

You are the only one who knows who the murderer is.  You are the only one who knows the truth.

            In my book, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Rory Devaux starts in a new school.  We all know how hard that can be; not to mention, she is overseas in London.  When she arrives at the school, her driver warns her that strange things have been happening.  Jack the Ripper, an infamous serial killer from the late 1800’s, has awakened from the dead and is killing again.  No one knows who actually is committing the crimes, and the murderer is never caught on camera.  The terror grows in Rory when she starts to see “things” no one else can.  Nothing makes sense. But one thing is for sure, Jack the Ripper is back.

            I think this book is best fit for someone with a deviously vivid imagination.  You have to be able to follow a gruesome story that spins like a top.  I like to picture the story as a movie when I read.  It helps me remember what’s happening.  If you like to visualize the gory past mixed with the present, you would love this book.  It has powerful imagery and intriguing descriptions that make it easy to create a criminal investigation in your head.  Some points in the story are harder to picture, but with an open imagination, the story will be far more interesting.  If you like stories with a twist, The Name of the Star will keep you spinning like a merry-go-round. 

Haley M.
Miss Heater

Holes By Louis Sachar

What if you had to dig holes every day knowing death is surrounding you? What if the reason you are at a detention center digging holes every day and it is not even your fault? What if you are not even digging to construct character? These are all events that go through Stanley Yelants’s mind at Camp Green Lake in Holes by Louis Sachar. Can Stanley survive this treacherous adventure? Read Holes to find out!

If you read this book I’m sure you will be satisfied with how well it’s written. This book holds an extravagant amount of suspense you will never be able to put it down.  I have never been so interested in a book since Green Eggs and Ham. This book really inspired me to read more often! If you are like me and despise reading, this book can change your perspective.

Ben R.

Ms. Heater

The Summer I Turned Pretty By Jenny Han

What if you lived in a summer beach house with two hot guys and your family? That would be completely awesome! But it doesn't work out quite well because you fall in love with one of the roommates.

            Fifteen-year-old Belly lives in this crazy summerhouse. Things go wrong when she starts falling in love with Conrad, one of the boys she lives with. She later finds out that he is already taken. After a few weeks, she moves away.

            I think this book is magnificent, but some chapters are pointless. I feel like this book is more suited for girls. It’s a breeze if you just want to take a break from other books, or it’s a good book if you want to explore a different genre. I chose this book because I have read other books from this author, and I think that many girls will enjoy reading it. I rate this book a four out of five stars because it is a great book, but a little too easy for me. 

Nicole S.

Ms. Heater

Point Blank By Anthony Horowitz

You’re a fourteen year- old spy on a mission. You’re not able to use a weapon, and you’re trying to overcome a huge obstacle. That’s what Alex Rider goes through in the action packed book Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz.

            Michael J. Roscoe and Victor Inanov are both extremely rich and they are both murdered. The M16 military operation sent Alex Rider to Point Blanc Academy for troubled teens and the kids of the murder victim’s kids go there. So the M16 thinks the kills are linked to the school; they sent Alex to investigate the school. Alex is a reluctant teen spy, so that’s why they’re sending him because no one would think of a kid as a spy. Time is running out and he needs to find something quickly. Then he gets into a pickle with the nefarious principal, Dr. Greif. Will Alex’s luck run out?

            Overall, it is a pretty good book. It is easy to understand and it is a good read. What I like most about this novel is the action because there is lots of it. One thing I would change is that M16 could let Alex use a firearm because he wouldn’t be in as life risking challenges with a firearm. Another thing that is absurd is that they give him weird gadgets, like a CD player that turns into a saw and an earring that turns into a bomb. If I were Alex, I would rather have a firearm instead of a CD player because I could do more damage with it. I would recommend this book to teenage boys and girls who like action books. 

Kevin H.

Miss Heater