U is for UNDERTOW by Sue Grafton

I always eagerly await the next book in Author Sue Grafton’s alphabet mysteries. This one was no different, following the same cast of characters as in the previous 21 novels. The main character, Kinsey Milhone, is investigating a decades old kidnapping. The book’s setting flips from chapter to chapter from the present (1988) back to the time of the kidnapping (1966).

In U there is again a little more of an uncovering of Kinsey Milhone’s personal past which helps the reader to understand why Kinsey reacts to situations in certain ways.

The book was good. It remained true to the series. I thought that the conclusion of the mystery was a bit abrupt and could have been developed more. When reading U, one of the things that was in the back of my mind was the fact that since the novels are in sequential order and just a few months between each, time moves very slowly. The character and time, once current, are now twenty years ago. I consider how Grafton must have to constantly fact check as she is writing as if it were the ‘80s. It must be difficult to keep that in perspective as she writes.

I look forward to the next Grafton, V (for Vendetta?) READ IT! or don't

--Carolyn Hirst-Loucks

CUT by Patricia McCormick

Have you eve felt so horrible guilty about something that you can't even tell anyone. In fact, you can't even bring yourself to talk at all. That is how ST (Silent Treatment) or Callie feels in Cut. Callie is a thirteen year old who spends her days where no 13 yr. old should, the psych ward. Scars on her arms and her refusal to talk remain a mystery at first but the reader soon finds out that Callie believes her brother is sick because of her and she is to blame for her family's problems. Imagine that weight on your shoulders at 13. READ IT! or don't

-Ms. Meldrim

SKINNY BOY by Gary Grahl

I MUST WORKOUT! I MUST LOSE WEIGHT! I AM WAY TOO FAT TO EVER BECOME THE PRO BASEBALL PLAYER EVERYONE THINKS I CAN BE. Wait...why is it so hard to swing a bat? Why can't I throw the ball all the way to first base? I'm so tired. This isn't working out quite the way I planned. Skinny Boy is the true story of Gary Grahl who at the age of 15 was trapped in his own body by a voice in his head that told him constantly that was not good enough, not skinny enough, and not strong enough. From there he fell into the black hole that is Anorexia which was accompanied by an addiction to exercise that woke him up at 4 in the morning to start his exhausting workouts. This book chronicles his path to recovery through multiple hospitalizations. This book gives readers a unique perspective on an illness that is all too common among young girls and boys. The story is told in a narrative between Gary and the voice in his head. This perspective allows readers to sympathize with Gary throughout his struggle. READ IT! or don't

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO by Stieg Larsson

Strong characters, unique setting. This is the first of a trilogy involving Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist and Lisbeth Salander, a freelance investigator. Mikael has just been convicted of libel and is at odds. Since he is tainted by his conviction, he distances himself from his magazine, The Millenium. Lisbeth Salander is a character unlike others. She displays Asperger tendencies, is incredibly intelligent, has a photographic memory and is a world-class computer hacker. She lacks most social graces, which makes getting along with others difficult. Lisbeth and Mikael take on a assignment with a family, which has huge manufacturing holdings. The task is to investigate the disapperance of a young female family member from thirty-five years before. The story rivets the reader. There are many twists and turns before the satisfying conclusion. The story is compelling and you will immediately want the second in the series so you can continue the reading pleasure. READ IT! or don't

-Carolyn Hirst-Loucks

THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeanette Walls

In my own opinion I believe that the book the glass castle is indeed a very good book if you like drama and conflicts in peoples lives and that Is exactly what I like I think that is why I really liked this book. The glass castle can actually teach you in some ways what you should do in real life like if you think about it all the drama Jeanette and her siblings went through with their parents they still grow up to be successful young adult. So the lesson here is never let anything bring you down no matter how hard you life is because you never know what life has to offer you. I'm just a high school senior but this book is probably the best book I have ever read in my own perspective. Another lesson this book kind of shows is that never let your habits get the best of you because you never know how they could hurt you in so many different ways but also hurt your loved ones even worse. READ IT! or don't.

CANDY by Kevin Brooks

The book Candy, by Kevin Brooks displays irony throughout the whole book, making you not want to put it down. One of the main characters, Joe, a quiet music lover boy, becomes deeply infatuated with a mysterious girl, Candy. Candy has a life full of secrets and not the normal everyday teenage life. Joe falls in love with Candy which turns both of their lives upside down. READ IT! or don't

--Veronica C.

BRIAN'S RETURN by Gary Paulsen

This book is a great book for someone who likes to read about true life and death situation where one boy gets rescued from living a year in the Alaska wilderness. After returning to city life he realizes he can't stand it and returns to the wilderness once more. READ IT! or don't

--Corey

BRIAN'S HUNT by Gary Paulsen

The books by Gary Paulsen are amazing tales of how one young teenager named Brian is involved in a plane crash and lives in the wild for a year. Brian learns how to hunt for food. The shelter he built even got attacked by a bear but amazingly he kills the bear by himself. READ IT!! or don't

-Corey

BRIAN'S WINTER by Gary Paulsen

This book was great if you like the outdoors. It really describes how Brian hunted and lived in the wild outdoors after the horrific plane crash. Great book for surviving what Mother Nature can throw at you. READ IT! or don't.

--Corey

THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett

The Help is a debut novel by author Kathryn Stockett. The setting is a small community in Mississippi in 1962. Each chapter in succession is told in the voice and perspective from three different women. The first, Eugenia ‘Skeeter’ Phelan, is a recent graduate of the university and has reluctantly come home to live. She doesn’t easily fit back into society as all of her closest friends have married and have children. They look upon her as an oddity and a failure because she is not married and has few prospects. She wants to be a writer. The other two women are black maids, Aibileen and Minny. To be taken seriously as a writer, Skeeter is advised to write on a topic of note. Skeeter decides to write a book each chapter of which focuses on the experiences of the community’s household maids in 1962. The book chronicles how she wins the confidence of the maids in spite of the fear of what would happen if the project were discovered. The Help describes how women, regardless of color or status, moved within the system and the restraint of time and place. Excellent book, I would highly recommend it. READ IT!or don't

-Carolyn Hirst-Loucks

THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeannette Walls

This book is a great read with an amazing story line that keeps you asking for more. It's about a 10th grade level so it reads easily. This book is about a girl that struggles through life living in poverty with her family as you read the book you question what's gonna happen next and find yourself shocked because unexpected things always happen. As I read this book I felt it hard to put down because you get so tied into you can feel all the emotions on the page as if it was yourself it was happening to. READ IT!or don't

--Michael

BRIAN'S WINTER by Gary Paulsen

I really liked the book because it described how he had to survive and what his feelings and emotions were during the seasons. I can say that anyone who likes reading about nature will love this book. READ IT!or don't

--Corey

THE NAKED ROOMMATE by Harlan Cohen

This book is a great book for any senior who is going off to college. There are over 100 tips for how to deal with the different college experiences that will occur. Along with the tips there are true stories or experiences from current college students from different locations around the globe. My favorite tip was #86-How to deal with a "naked roommate". It was a great book. It brings out reality and helps you change and adjust to a new life while entertaining you. I would recommend this book to any junior or senior planning to leave for college. READ IT!or don't

EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE by Jonathan Safran Foer

This book was an amazing read and a great story about the aftermath of 9/11 including the effects it had on the victim's families. It is a book that is hard to put down once you get into the story. A definite READ IT!or don't

--Katie

SOMEONE LIKE YOU by Sarah Dessen

I really like this book. It's a young adult book so many teens can relate to the story. There is so much conflict, including death, teen pregnancy, a car accident, and family and relationship problems. This is the type of story you are able to feel like you are there. It will make you cry numerous times. This is my absolute favorite book of all time. Sarah Dessen is my favorite author. I recommend everyone take the time to read all of her books. READ IT!or don't

--Emily

LUSH by Natasha Friend

Lush is an amazing book that shows you how hard some people really have it. Lush is about a girl named Samantha that has a drunk as a father. She tries to protect her little brother so her family doesn't fall apart. Sam starts writing to a random girl in the library for advice since her dad's drinking gets worst. It really leaves an impression on you I don't normally like reading but I really enjoyed it, and it is a good read, so anyone can enjoy it. READ IT!or don't

--Courtney

STAINED by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Stained is a great book and very interesting to how she finally told him the truth. I have gone through the problem of having friends from elementary school who not ignore me. The author really got the feelings that I had felt at the time. It is very interesting. READ IT! or don't

--Brooke M.

MARCH by Geraldine Brooks

This book was very interesting. I enjoyed reading this book. The first part of the book from the beginning was hard to set down after I began reading. There were many parts in the book that were very easy to visualize due to the incredible detail used by Geraldine Brooks. I also enjoyed the topic of the war and all the hardships that he went through. I recommend this book to anybody who is ready for a great read. READ IT! or don't

--A.J. S.

BURNED by Ellen Hopkins

This book was great. Better than CRANK. If you like to read books based on reality and life you will love this book. The way it is written is great and it is great in general. You will not want to put it down. Every page gets better and better. READ IT! or don't

--Ieysha H.

WASTED: A MEMOIR OF ANOREXIA by Marya Hornbacher

If you think of all the people in the world like her and then think that they don't have a family and friends to support them it would be upsetting. But thinking about how strong she must be is amazing. READ IT! or don't

--Brook M.

JACK AND JILL by James Patterson

The book by Mr. Patterson was a good, thrilling read about a criminal psychologist. Dr. Cross is caught in between the safety of the president and the safety of his neighbor; between a child murderer and a celebrity's stalker. This book is a suspenseful read with many unsuspected twists. The psychological thriller is good enough to be recommended by an early psych major. READ IT! or don't

-- John J.

THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown

My opinion? READ IT. Dan Brown's latest novel, The Lost Symbol takes you through a fast paced adventure in the nation's capital. The author throws fact after fact at you about the not-so-secret society of the Free Masons, which include prominent figures such as George Washington and Ben Franklin. Don't skip a line - you just might end up lost much quicker than you expected. Secret rooms, severed hands, fake death? You'll find all of these things in the text of this tale. And what good mystery book would be complete without murder and deceit? Grab this book and set aside a few afternoons to read it. You're in for a wild ride, and try not to get too lost! READ IT! or don't

--Timothy B.

MONSTER by Walter Dean Myers

This book was so cool. I couldn't believe this was about a true was so unbelievable what he had to go through. READ IT! or don't

--Brooke M.

FIGHT CLUB by Chuck Palahniuk

This is one of my favorite books. What I like about it is that it has a rather dark feel to it. I also enjoyed how it gave a really good look into an insane insomniac with split personalities. It has the type of story line that really keeps you thinking until the last page. READ IT! or don't

WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW by Sonya Sones

I hate reading anything but I liked this book! It's all about love, drama, and friends. So many people can relate to this book. Most people live this every day. READ IT! or don't

LEAVING PARADISE by Simone Elkeles

I think this is a really good book. It keeps you interested. You have to pay attention or you will get lost. I highly recommend people to read this book. READ IT! or don't


--Rachel S.

THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN by Mitch Albom

This book, I would say, would have to be in my top 5 favorites. The way the author plays on the readers' emotions is amazing. At the beginning I thought, "oh geez," then as I started reading the story got more interesting. If I could recommend this book to anyone it would be just that, ANYONE! It's an amazing book! The characters all have a special significance to the main character and as the story goes on it starts becoming easier to relate to it. You would love to read this book!! READ IT! or don't

--Jessica F.

A MILLION LITTLE PIECES by James Frey

I personally enjoyed this book because it kept me on the edge of my seat not know what was going to happen next. Even though it was a top seller on Oprah's Book Club there were many rumors and evidence saying that the book was false. I enjoyed him being a drug addict, going to rehab and becoming somewhat "sober". I feel that this book grasped my attention in the first chapter. After that chapter I couldn't put the book down. It became an every night reading fore me and I became very addicted to the book. I feel that anyone who is interested in reading about drugs, violence and abuse would be interested in this thrilling book. READ IT! or don't

--Christine D.

TWILIGHT by Stephenie Meyers

I thought this was a great book. She really uses imagination and detail to draw you in. A book that starts off as boring quickly turns into an unreal fairy tale that you want to know more about. READ IT! or don't

--Kaitlyn C.

THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeanette Walls

I thought this true-life story was great. Out of all the 11th grade books we had to read this was the most interesting and had the ability to evoke numerous emotions out of you. READ IT! or don't

--Kaitlyn C.

MARCH by Geraldine Brooks

I thought this book was dreadful as a teenager to read. It was set during the Civil War where slavery was present and its hard to relate to that. I thought it was a sappy novel and it contained few if any happy moments. Plus, Geraldine Brooks' writing wasn't always easy to understand. READ IT! or don't

--Kaitlyn C.

TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE by Mitch Albom

I started out being assigned this book for summer reading. Therefore, I started reading with the attitude and thoughts that it was just another boring English book. I had to write notes on what I read but I found it easy to slip away from the reading to write the notes. However, once I sat down to read the book for more than just a chapter, I would find myself forgetting to write notes. The story h ad me hooked and interested as I continued to read. The book was well written and was very intriguing. I was even crying by the time I reached the end of the book! I enjoyed this book because I was able to relate, it was tear-jerking, and some chapters left you thinking. I would recommend this book but only to the older crowds such as juniors and seniors in high school or freshman in college. It is an easy read and not very long but the topics of the book are more deep and mature than an average person under 16. READ IT! or don't

--Brianne M.

MARCH by Geraldine Brooks

The book March was a very interesting novel about the Civil War. Mr. March goes war supporting the Northern side. He ends up watching over a Union captured plantation run by Mr. Canning. There are many slaves working to pick all the cotton. Mr. March sets out to try to teach the slaves but is not very successful. Teaching a slave to write was seen as a crime. Later in the story, slave catchers come to over run the plantation and take the slaves back to the south. They are successful. Mr. March is then struck down with a terrible fever and ends up in the hospital. His wife, Mrs. March comes and helps him regain his health. Mr. March eventually returns home to his family and tells them of his journey. I felt that March was a good novel that gave a good perspective of a part of the war. I found it interesting and good to read. READ IT! or don't

--Steven B.

CRANK by Ellen Hopkins

This book was really good and I am looking forward to reading the whole series. I recommend anyone to read it If you are the type of kid that likes to run the streets and get high this book will open your eyes to things you probably never even thought about. The best thing is every chapter is a poem. It is written in poetry form. It is a great book. Read it!

--Ieysha H.

SOLD by Patricia McCormick

This is my favorite book of the week. What I like most about Patricia McCormick's story of thirteen year old Lakshmi is that unfortunately it happens everyday. Lakshmi is unwittingly(?) sold into a life of prostitution in a brothel in Calcutta, India. This is a heartbreaking story of a young girl who is forced to grow up way to fast. What is most interesting about this book is the research the author did. She traveled to India and Nepal to interview girls who had escaped slavery. Reading this book made me feel fortunate for the freedoms in my life. READ IT! or don't

Ms. Meldrim

GOOSEBUMPS: WHY I'M AFRAID OF BEES by R.L. Stine

I think that it was a really good book. It was scary but it could have used a little more adrenaline rush to it too. The end made me wish there was another book about it. READ IT! or don't

-Anonymous student

DEADLINE by Chris Crutcher

What if you only had one year to live and you knew it? With this question on its cover, this book grabbed my attention immediately. Ben Wolf is 18 years old, about to start one of the greatest chapters in his life, senior year. In a routine physical for cross-country he learns he is terminally ill and even with treatment has only a year to live. He makes the brave choice to deny treatment and live his last year as normal as possible. To do so he keeps his illness a secret, even from those closest to him. Its amazing how a death sentence can make you feel invincible. Ben does things he never would have had the guts to do if he didn't know he was dying. He goes out for football even though he is a self-declared little person. He goes after the girl he's had a crush on (and gets her) and he stands up to the teachers in his school, challenging the lessons they are teaching him. This is an amazing story that will make you think about the legacy you want to leave when you are gone. READ IT! or don't!

--Ms. Meldrim