I have no idea where he showered...

So if you are a Neil Gaiman fan, you have probably already read this book, but if you never have before, The graveyard book is a great way to start. This was actually my first Gaiman book, so at first I wasn't really sure how much I would enjoy it. I liked it quite a bit though and the characters are interesting to read about. So the story is about Bod (short for Nobody), a little boy who as baby wandered into the local graveyard while his family was being murdered. The killer pursued him there but the graveyard (and its residents) decided to protect him and the killer left but never stopped looking for Bod. So Bod grew up in the graveyard with a ghostly mother and father and dozens of friends, none of which had been alive in the last century. Bod is a pretty naive character but learns about both of the worlds he is straddling and figures out how to make them work for him. I was a little surprised by some of the violence (the killer, Jack, is super creepy and carries a long and pointy knife) but it isn't too bad. You don't really learn too much about Jack, other then the fact that you would NOT want to meet him in a dark ally. Or a brightly lit one for that matter. Bod's guardian, Silas who gets him food and clothing from the real world, is also a great character and an interesting father figure to Bod. So to sum it all up- its a pretty quick and short read so have fun with it :) It also won the Newbery Award this year! Let me know if you liked the book in the comments!

Being "Queen" of the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds

So we’ve all been there before… You’re a sophomore at a super exclusive boarding school that has a secret society. Your boyfriend just so happens to be the “King” but he won’t tell you about it so you have to infiltrate it and take it over yourself to improve the sub par pranks that they have been pulling over the last few years. Okay, so that has never happened to any of us and it probably won’t but that doesn’t mean that we haven’t all wanted to be a part of something secret, right? That is exactly what Frankie finds out in her second year at Alabaster Prep in the Disreputable history of Frankie Landau Banks by E. Lockhart. This book is basically starred by every teen book reviewer out there and with good reason- its really fun, really smart and all the characters are fun to read about, especially Frankie and Alpha, the most well known senior on campus for all his antics and co-King of the Bassets with her boyfriend, Matthew. Frankie wants to be equal with everyone else on campus, mostly because she knows (or at least is pretty sure) that she’s smarter than all of them. So when she can’t be a member of the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, even though her father was a member, just because she is a girl, she takes matters into her own hands. She finds a way to take over and start planning all of the pranks that the Bassets usually do- and does them better than any members in the last 30 years. I really like her character even though I kind of think she gets a bad rap. She isn’t a criminal mastermind, she’s just… creative. Either way, let me know what you think in the comments!

His first two books won awards, so this one must be good, right?

I know its been awhile, but sometimes things get a little busy in Libraryland. That doesn’t mean that we haven’t all been reading. The most recent thing that I read was Paper Towns by John Green. You may remember him as the author of Looking for Alaska and an Abundance of Katherines. He also has the funniest video advertisement for this book on Amazon. Or at least I think it is. So, Paper Towns is about a semi-nerdy boy named Quentin who lives next door to Margo, who he has loved since some childhood hijinks. Needless to say, when Margo climbs through his window in the middle of the night and asks to borrow the family van, more hijinks ensue. The next morning, Margo is gone, and Quentin is left contemplating clues about where to find her, that seem to have been left by her, for him to figure out. Then, you know, more hijinks. On top of all that, he has two best friends, one of which is insane, who are more interested in Prom than finding Margo. If you liked his other books, or if you never read them, you will probably still enjoy this book. It hits all the right buttons- it’s a mystery, but bigger than that. The characters are fun. They are real. They have the same fears and aspirations that most 18 year-olds have. So read it and let me know what you thought in the comments!

Zombie is the new black...

Generation dead by Dan Waters

Generation Dead is set in a high school where the world has recently changed- teens who die come back. They aren’t quite dead but they aren’t quite alive either. They are slower and don’t show any emotion or have any of the other bodily functions that the normal teen would have. Phoebe, a goth girl has taken a different approach to accepting the “living impaired”- she gets a crush on one… One who is also trying out for the football team. One who isn’t quite as slow as the rest of them. Interestingly enough, the “differently biotic” have come up with a whole new culture, one where they have taken back the word ‘zombie’ as their own.
I really enjoyed this book- for several reasons. 1) they think that fast food and hormones might be the reason that only teenagers are coming back. 2) I thought the difference between zombies was interesting since some were so functional, and some weren’t. 3) Phoebe has a really good relationship with her friend Adam who is a jock and a good guy. I like jocks that are good guys too. 4) The cover is really good. So read it, you will probably find it interesting, especially if you are on that long holds list for a certain book about an undead boy named Edward and his girlfriend Bella and you are looking for something else to read :)

One more!

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

The second Star to the right holds many secrets. One of the most famous is that of Peter Pan, a boy who spends his time in the heavens, flying amongst the clouds. A boy who will never grow up, and who has Adventures that no other boy could ever dream of having. A boy who will be known throughout eternity. But where did the story really begin?

Peter and the Starcatchers is a story for the young and the young at heart. It is a thrill ride that will grab hold of you and never let go. You will be there as peter flies for the first time. You will be there as peter has his first encounter with the infamous pirate, Black Stache. And you will be there as Peter helps save the world with a mysterious group called the Starcatchers.

This masterpiece of a book is a great read for everyone. It is part of a two book series, and is a great addition for anyone who loves Peter pan. It has one of those endings where you look back at everything you knew before the book and that makes you go, “ooooh, I get it.” So, if you get the chance, take the time and read this book. It will be much worth your time.

More Teen Reviews!

Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz

If you are thinking of checking this book out, be prepared for adventure, romance, comedy, and edge-of-you-seat thrills. Mrs. Stolarz will take you on a trip into the boundless realm of the super-natural, as a group of teenagers explore and videotape an abandoned insane asylum.

The story begins with our main character, Derik LaPlayer LaPointe, who is destined for a job at his parent’s diner. And Derik will do anything to ensure that this is not written in the stars. Derik’s dream is to become a famous Real-TV director, and make millions in Hollywood. And when Derik’s one chance to make a movie and potentially change his future, that is his goal. Lucky for Derik, there is an abandoned insane asylum called Danvers State Penitentiary, known for its haunts and history. Inside its walls, thousands of people lived, suffered, and died. Not many people have delved into the depths of the Penitentiary, and many artifacts of its previous occupants still remain untouched for centuries.

And so, with the help of some friends, Derik delves into the depths of the asylum and braves the horrors of the place that has deemed the title: “witches castle” you will watch as the group experiences each their own horrors, feeling what it was like to live in there. But what none of them can understand is why they feel called to something inside the asylum. Who is Christine Belle, and what was her fate? What is the significance of the number 17, and will the brave teens ever see the light of day…?

Project 17 is one of the most entertaining books I have read for quite a while.
This book is a short read, and can be easily read in a day, maybe two. I can’t tell if it’s because it’s just short, or if it’s because its so darn good! I started this book just today, and I couldn’t put it down! With every page you turn, the deeper and deeper you delve into the mystery, the better it gets. The only thing I must warn you about is the language. Throughout the book, the characters are cussing, so be warned if you are sensitive to it. I normally am, but the story will make those events seem brief and unnoticeable. Although this book can be considered an horror book, rest assured that any reader will find great solace inside its pages. Trust me when I say, I think anyone could like this book!

Teen Review from North Valley!

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a book that begins in misfortune, and lives and ends in tragedy. The book’s setting is in the middle of an atomic war between England and another unknown country. Our main characters are a bunch of children ranging in ages from 6-12 stranded on an island in the middle of the pacific. One of the children, Ralph, is appointed as a “Tribe Chief”. Ralph steps up and accepts the responsibility of taking care of the rest of the children trapped on the island.

Ralph realizes early in the book that there are lots of jobs required to run the rest of the children. Therefore, he appoints Jack, another of the older children as a Hunter, whose sole responsibility is to hunt pigs for food and to take care of a fire that will act as a beacon to passing ships. Throughout the book, another character named Piggy acts as a sort of voice of reason.

As time passes on their island, their government starts to decay, and soon Jack and his hunters abandon the other children and create their own tribe. This tribe becomes savages, ignorant to rules or standards like Ralph has. Other events take place on the island, like reports of a vicious beast that wanders inside the Jungle. And soon, Tragedy befalls the island, and blood is spilt.

The Lord of the Flies is a required read for sophomores taking language Classes in Boulder Creek. This book is very depressing, and if you can help it, read little bits at a time. But then again, if it was fun to read, it wouldn’t be on the required list of books to read. But anyway, just don’t say I didn’t warn you if you are choosing to read this book for fun.