Travel Team

This book called Travel Team is on a boy named Danny. He is the shortest kid in the school. He is only 55 inches tall. His dad was a basketball player for the Washington Wizards. His dad is only 6 foot 2, and was an amazing basketball player. Danny tries out for a travel team and does not make it because the coach says he is too small. So he and his dad start their own basketball team, at first the aren't very good at all. But later on the get really good. Read this book and find out if the underdog Wizards can beat their rivals the Vikings to make a spot in the playoffs.

 You will really like this book if you are a big sports fan and love a good sports book. My favorite quote form this book was "1 if you are open shoot it, 2 if you are not open pass it somebody who is, 3 have fun." Richie Walker.

Time Travel Novels

Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Michele Windsor's life suddenly changes when her mother is killed in a car accident, and she goes to live with her previously unknown, wealthy grandparents in New York City. Michele gets a box with items her mother kept in a safe deposit box at a bank. Enclosed is a old skeleton key that she had seen previously in a dream. Another day she notices a locked drawer in an old desk found in her room. She uses the key to open it and finds a diary written by her ancestor Clara. Suddenly she is pulled back in time to 1910. Clara is the only one who can see her though. Michele returns to the present after a few minutes, but later travels back in time with the help of the diary and key.

While back again in 1910 she sees something strangely familiar about a boy at the Windsor Ball. "Michele saw that behind the mask was a sparkling deep blue. Sapphire eyes. His eyes...the boy from her dream." Michele has dreamed about this boy with vivid detail for as long as she can remember and now she will be able to meet him. However if they are meant to be together, how come they were born in different time periods?

This story is perfect for those looking for a little romance. However I felt Michele and Phillip's relationship needed a little more development. I especially liked the author's note at the end where the author writes about research and shares the books she used in the process.

Warped by Maurissa Guibord

Michele's father own a bookstore in Portland, Maine. She attends an estate auction with him where he buys several boxes of books. In the wooden crates is a very old book with a mysterious tapestry. Michele puts the tapestry in her room and strange things begin to happen. One day Michele pulls out a silver thread. The unicorn that was in the tapestry disappears and William de Chaucy from the 16th century suddenly appears instead.

"'What is it like?' she asked. 'Inside there?' Will de Chaucy regarded her gravely. 'As you can see. A forest.' he answered, 'Exquisitely beautiful. And deadly. And endless.'"

Michele learns that a witch has learned to suspend her life by trapping mortals in the tapestry. Together Michele and William must defeat the witch and restore what she has changed.

Those who enjoy fantasy with a little romance will enjoy this novel.

The Alchemyst

Josh caught a glimpse of his sister just as Dee tossed the crystal. He was partially shielded by Nick and Perry, both of whom were battered to the floor by the light. Josh's vision became a kaleidoscope of black -and-white still images as the light seared the rods and cones at the back of his eyes. He saw Nick drop the metal-bound book onto the floor ... saw two black-clad shapes surround Perry and vaguely heard her scream ... saw Dee snatch the book with a grunt of triumph while Nick groped blindly on the floor.

"You lose, Nicholas," Dee hissed, "as you have always lost. Now I get to take those things most precious to you: your beloved Perenelle and your book."

The Alchemyst is a book full of mystery and legend. Michael Scott turnes history and true facts into fantacy in a really cool way. I could not stop reading this book.

I would reccomend this mostly to kids who like fantasy or adventure.

Leviathan

Leviathan is a book by Scott Westerfeld. It is a Historical fiction with some fantasy in it because of the mythical creatures in it. It is about a Serbian prince named Alecxandar, and his story of on the run because he is a fugitive from the "Clankers" who are the enemies of the Darwinists. A quote by Alec is "How can you live with these crazy beasts every day?"

I would recommend this book to all who like fanstasy and those who like a page turner, there is a second book in this series, called Behemoth. I loved it and cannot wait for the next one to come out.

I was able to read the book Saving Kristen. It is about a small town girl from Idaho who moves to California to start college. She keeps to herself most of the time until she meets a boy named Chad. Chad becomes Kristen's good friend and she has total trust in him. What Kristen doesn't know is what he does with his buddies when he is not with her. He is able to keep such a big secret away from her but at the same time he is able to make her fall head over heels for him!
In the book I noticed something said by chad, he said, "... if you wait long enough, there's always an opportunity." I like the meaning behind this and how it will be helpful!

This book is definitely one of my favorites which is saying something because I am not a big reader. I would not put this book down especially the farther I got towards the end. I loved loved loved this book and I would definitely read it over and over again. Five stars for sure!

Uglies

"In a world of extreme beauty, anyone who is normal is Ugly"
I have been reading this book called Uglies. It is about a girl named Tally who lives in Uglyville. When Uglies turn 16, they get an operation that makes them "Pretty". They live in Prettytown and play all day. Tally meets a girl named Shay that doesn't want to be pretty. Shay runs away to a place called The Smoke. Tally can't decide if she wants to turn pretty or stay an ugly for the rest of her life. What does she do next? Well you will have to read the book to find out!

I highly recommend this book. 5 stars!

Christmas break reads

I was able to read three great YA adult books over the Christmas break. Earlier in December I started reading Dark Life. Ty lives with his parents and sister in an underwater colony. Because of global warming and the rising sea levels there is not a lot of land left. Ty meets Gemma, who has come from the "topside, to find her brother. When they meet, Gemma thinks Ty is a ghost. "You're glowing." she accused. "I'm not glowing. It's called a shine. It comes from eating bioluminescent fish". Together they embark on an adventure and run into outlaws that used to just rob the government shipments, but now have begun terrorizing the locals. Ty discovers that the outlaws have special undersea abilities and wonders what Gemma would think if she discovered he has some of his own.

Don't let the cover deceive you, this is a great read that combines a dystopian novel (such as Hunger Games) with elements similar to the Wild West.


Next I read Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (a graduate of Lone Peak).
Evie is a teenager who works for the Paranormal Containment Agency because she can see through the "glamours" of other paranormals. Now someone is killing the paranormals, and Evie may be connected somehow because of a mysterious fairy prophecy. Amidst these problems she is falling in love with a shape-shifter who broke into the agency while trying to figure out who is behind the killings. Evie finally gets her wish to attend a normal high school with Lend, the shape-shifter. "So, is it everything you imagined?" he asked. "Seriously, this whole place--it's incredible! I can't believe you get to do this every day!"

Evie is a strong character who reminds me a little of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This story is unique and highly recommended for those who enjoy the paranormal genre.

Lastly I read Matched by Ally Condie, a local author.


The Officials of the Society decide everything what to eat, how long to work out, when you can enjoy recreational activities, and even who you'll be matched with or marry. Cassia is thrilled when he friend Xander is chosen as her match, but then when she is reviewing the info on her screen at home another face appears--that of Ky Markham, a boy who came to town from the Outer Provinces. Cassia has to decide is she is going to take the path chosen for her and forge a new one and accept the consequences of defying the Society.

"Lying in bed, my body and soul bruised and tired, I realize that the Officials are right. Once you want something, everything changes. Now I want everything. More and more and more. I want to pick my work position. Marry who I choose. Eat pie for breakfast and run down a real street instead of on a tracker. Go fast when I want and slow when I want. Decide which poems I want to read and what words I want to write. There is so much that I want. I feel it so much that I am water, a river of want, pooled in the shape of a girl named Cassia."

I loved the book and am anxiously awaiting the next in the series. (It's planned to be a trilogy). If you love dystopian novels with a little mystery and romance this is the book for you.