Book Reviews - Adult Fiction

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The Five People You Meet in Heaven Title:  The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Author:  Mitch Albom
Book Category/Genre:  Fantasy
Summary:  Eddie is a a war vet and a maintenance worker at the Ruby Pier Amusement Park. When Eddie turns 83, he dies while trying to save a girl who is sitting under a falling ride. When he wakes up in his afterlife he meets five people who help him understand his life.
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  K. C., student
For One More Day Title:  For One More day
Author:  Mitch Albom
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction
Summary:  When Charley Benetto was young, he choses to worship his father. When his father leaves him, he is forced to turn to his mother who then raises him on her own. When Charley is older, he completly ruins his life beacause of alcohol and regret, and when his only daughter doesn"t invite him to her wedding he decides to take his own life. When he fails to do so, he finds himself back at home with his mother that died a long time ago.
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  K.C., student
A Spell for Chameleon

Title:  A Spell for Chameleon
Author:  Piers Anthony
Book Category/Genre:  Fantasy
Summary:  Xanth is a magical place where magic is everywhere.  Every citizen in Xanth has their own special spell that only they can use except for Bink.  Bink has no magic, and in Xanth if you have no magic you are exiled to Mundania, a land with no magic and savage people.  He has to go see the Good Magician Humpfrey to see if he can find his spell.  Bink"s journey now begins as he encounters magical beings like centaurs and dragons, some friends, and enemies.
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  D. T., student
The LHS Media Center does not own this book. Please check with the Livingston Public Library/BCCLS to check out this book.

Prelude to Foundation
Title:  Prelude to Foundation
Author:  Isaac Asimov
Book Category/Genre:  Science Fiction
Summary:  Hari Seldon comes out with a mathematical equation which may enable him to predict the future.  This book is about how he tries to perfect his theory and escape many dictators that try to use him to help their empires
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  J. R., student
The LHS Media Center does not own this book. Please check with the Livingston Public Library/BCCLS to check out this book.

The Blind Assassin

 

Title:  The Blind Assassin
Author:  Margaret Atwood
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction
Summary:  After Laura Chase, a renowned author, dies in a car crash, her older sister, Iris, is left to deal with the outcome. Iris accounts for the lives of the Chase sisters, with all the secrets, marriages and deaths that have created an especially hard life for the girls. She takes you through the whirlwind of arranged marriages, forbidden togetherness and all the secrets of a regular american family during the 1900"s.
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  F. D., student

pride and prejudice

Title:  Pride and Prejudice
Author:  Jane Austen
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Relationships, Romance
Summary: In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen depicts the Victorian values and perspectives of social class and marriage. It is seen from the point of view of Elizabeth Bennett, a witty young woman who lives at home with her kind older sister, her irresponsible parents, and her rowdy younger sisters. When a rich young gentleman named Mr. Bingley falls in love with Jane, it seems that the family's wish of improving its social status has finally come true. However, the marriage breaks off, leaving Jane despondent and Elizabeth baffled. When Elizabeth sets out to uncover the truth behind this matter, she is thrust into the world of loveless arranged marriages where ladies marry for money and class, not love.  Along the way, she examines her own biases and the biases within the social classes. Will pride, prejudice, or arranged marriages destroy Elizabeth's one chance for love?
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: A. N., student

The Spinster Sisters

Title: The Spinster Sisters
Author: Stacey Ballis
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Humor, Relationships, Romance
Summary: Two single sisters running a multi-millionare company based on one thing: being single, independent women. They have two books out, a lunchtime radio show, and all independent women clamor for the "Spinster Sister" merchandise. It seems like a done deal.
What happens when one of them decides to get married?
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: P. B., student
Planet of the Apes
Title: Planet of the Apes
Author: Pierre Boulle
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Summary: On a jouney to a far away planet, Ulysses and his companions find that the planet is inhabited by a civilization of apes with humans as their slaves. But when Ulysses becomes a slave, will he be able to get back to Earth?
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: S. H., student
Deception Point
Title: Deception Point
Author: Dan Brown
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction, Suspense/Thriller
Summary: NASA has made one of the greatest discoveries in the field. They beat Russia, Japan, and some of the other competing world powers. Still, something reeks of uncleanliness, of scams, and of cheats. Is NASA capable of cheating? Someone has got to crack.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: P. B., student
lost symbol

Title: The Lost Symbol
Author: Dan Brown
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Suspense/Thriller
Summary: Joining Dan Brown's esteemed symbologist, Robert Langdon, the reader is once again plunged into a world of drama, danger, and daring in Langdon's quest for truth in legend.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: P. B., student

lost symbol

Title: The Lost Symbol
Author: Dan Brown
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Mystery. Suspense/Thriller
Summary: In the third adventure of Robert Langdon, he is called upon to uncover "The Ancient Mysteries" by someone who has taken Robert's friend Peter Solomon hostage.  Robert is taken through Washington, D.C. with the company of Peter's sister Katherine, who is on the verge of magnificent scientific breakthroughs.  As the night progresses, Robert realizes that not only is Peter's life at stake but also the secrets of the Masonic society.  This page-turner is a must read for anyone who likes non-stop action as well as mystery.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: L. S., student

Boy Meets Girl

Title: Boy Meets Girl
Author: Meg Cabot
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Chick Lit
Summary: A story of a girl who works for the Human Resources Division in the New York Journal, under Amy Jenkins. A novel about many problems that are resolved in the midst of other problems. Humorous and fun, Meg Cabot really knows how to draw in her readers.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: A. P., student

enders game Title: Ender's Game
Author: Orson Scott Card
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Science Fiction
Summary: Ender is six years old when he leaves home to go to Battle School. The men who recommended Ender chose him because they see him as the only person on Earth who has the potential to save Earth from the Buggers, an alien race. They plan his whole life out and want Ender to be isolated at all times, leaving Ender lonely, but Ender is tired of others controlling him. On his last test, Ender purposely fails it so his isolation would end. But what will become of Earth since he is the only person who could win the Bugger War?
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: J. C., student
Shogun

Title:  Shogun

Author:  James Clavell

Book Category/Genre:  Historical Fiction

Summary:  Shogun is about an Englishman named Blackthorne in the late 1500s-early 1600s trying to circumnavigate the globe, but he ends up trapped in Japan with the Spanish and Portuguese who are at war with England. In the book he has to try to learn the Japanese language and culture while one of the lords tries to use his knowledge of the outside world to seize power and become shogun of Japan (a shogun is essentially the king).

Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.

Reviewer:  A. B., student

Fade Away

Title:  Fade Away
Author:  Harlan Coben
Book Category/Genre:  Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  Myron Bolitar was a top college basketball player but suffered a career ending injury.  He became a sports agent and briefly worked for the FBI.  Two decades later, he was approached by the team that had signed him to solve a mystery.  Their star player had vanished right before the playoffs.  As Myron searches for this player, he enters a world full of murder, kidnapping, and betrayal.  In addition, this is a fun book to read because the author lives in Livingston, and he mentions many restaurants, stores, streets, and schools in Livingston.
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  B. L., student

Gone for Good

Title:  Gone for Good

Author:  Harlan Coben

Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Mystery

Summary:  Gone for Good is a story that occurs eleven years after a brutal murder in Livingston, New Jersey.  Will Klein's brother Ken has been wanted for murder of their neighbor Julie Miller by the FBI for the past eleven years.  He has gone missing, and while virtually everyone believes the FBI, the Klein family continues to believe that Ken was a victim the same night of Julie's death and that he has been dead ever since. When Will's mother dies, new evidence emerges that his brother has in fact been alive the entire time, and Will's girlfriend goes missing.  When the truth is revealed, what will become of Will and his family?  Gone for Good is a very good novel that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.

Reviewer:  D. G., student

Hold Tight

Title:  Hold Tight
Author:  Harlan Coben
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Adventure, Humor, Fantasy, Sports, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  Hold Tight is a story that takes place in Livingston, NJ. A 17 year old boy named Adam goes missing. His family suspects that there may be a connection to this and Adam"s friend Spencer who recently commited suicide. Adam"s dad, Mike, fights his way through gangs and drug addicts to find his son. Meanwhile, Nash is trying to avenge his recently deceased wife by killing people. The people he kills are all related in a way, but you will have to read it to find out how.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  S. L., student

alchemist

Title: The Alchemist
Author: Paulo Coehlo
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Adventure
Summary: After Santiago, a young shepherd of Andalusia, has a dream about discovering his "Personal Legend", he decides to abandon his current way of life to go on a quest to find the long-lost treasure.  He sells his sheep and goes on a roller coaster of adventures to discover his fortune.  This includes working at a crystal shop, traveling through the desert, meeting an alchemist, falling in love, and finally reaching the Pyramids of Egypt where he believes the jewels can be found.  Santiago undergoes a series of misfortunes and successes, but will his long journey pay off?  Will the pyramids hold the ticket to his wealth or will the treacherous mission be for nothing?
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: J. R., student

The Concrete Blonde

Title:  The Concrete Blonde

Author:  Michael Connelly

Book Category/Genre:  Mystery, Suspense/Thriller

Summary:  A cop, Harry Bosch, is sued for killing someone he thought was a mass murderer 4 years after the crimes were committed.  Then a killer appears with the same MO (modus operandi) as the old killer, and Bosch has to work hard to find out who it is. This story takes a turn every time you think you have it figured out, and it takes you for a huge thrill ride.

Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.

Reviewer:  D. S., student

The LHS Media Center does not own this book. Please check with the Livingston Public Library/BCCLS to check out this book.

Next Title:  Next
Author:  Michael Crichton
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Science Fiction, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  Bio Genetics. Bio Engineering. Biology. All studies of ways to improve the human, improve our thought process, improve our minds. As existing Bio-Genetic companies vie to be the best, they are faced with a single factor that could tear them all down--error.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
prey

Title: Prey
Author: Michael Crichton
Book Category/Genre: Science Fiction, Suspense/Thriller
Summary: Prey by Michael Crichton is a book about an average man named Jack who gets mixed up in events that are over his head. One strange event happens after another, and Jack soon finds himself in a life-threatening situation: an experiment has gone terribly wrong and a swarm of deadly nano particles have run wild. These nano particles are adapting each day, and it is up to Jack to find a way to stop them.Filled with suspenseful moments and numerous twists, this book is sure to interest almost every science-lover.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: R. K., student

Family Tree Title: Family Tree
Author: Barbara Delinsky
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Problem Novel, Romance
Summary: A wonderful book about families getting together to solve problems. Barbara really brings people together for a heartfelt warming book.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: A. P., student
Crime and Punishment Title: Crime and Punishment
Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Suspense/Thriller
Summary: This book is about a schizophrenic young man named Rodya Raskolnikov who lives an existentialist lifestyle based on Neitsche"s Ubermensch principle. He then decides to murder his pawnbroker, Alyona, after she caused him more problems with his impoverished life to see if he will get away with this crime...
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: V. A., student
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Title: The Hound of the Baskervilles
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Book Category/Genre: Mystery
Summary: The book starts when Sherlock Holmes and Watson are called over to Baskerville Hall to solve a mystery. The mystery revolves around a curse concerning a beast as well as the death of a Sir Charles Baskerville. When Holmes and Watson arrive, they meet with many people. Some of the people are murdered and killed by a beast which Holmes believes is a fake. The clues are vague, and logical alibis are passed. Sherlock and Watson are confronted with the most difficult cases ever. Is there really a ghostly beast lurking in Baskerville Hall?
Overall, it is a great book to read. It makes you think a lot, and it has a lot of irony.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: E. H., student
Pawn of Prophecy
Title:  Pawn of Prophecy
Author:  David Eddings
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction
Summary:  This is the story of a farming boy whose life suddenly changed by prophecy and legend.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  A. D., student

The LHS Media Center does not own this book. Please check with the Livingston Public Library/BCCLS to check out this book.
Middlesex Title:  Middlesex
Author:  Jeffrey Eugenides
Book Category/Genre:   Fiction, Adventure, Relationships, Romance, Mystery
Summary:  Are you a girl? A boy? Both at the same time? Enough said.
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
Memoirs of a Geisha Title:  Memoirs of a Geisha
Author:  Arthur Golden
Book Category/Genre:  Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  Kyoto. A world in and of itself. A world that takes women for granted; that holds to the belief that women are merely trophies, men"s trophies, with not a thought of their own. Headstrong and beautiful, the geisha of Kyoto prove otherwise--they show the world that within their subtle and austere beauty, there lies a fierce prowess that men mistake for simple beauty.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
Lord of the Flies

Title:  Lord of the Flies

Author:  William Golding

Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Adventure, Suspense/Thriller

Summary:  Lord of the Flies takes place on a island where a plane crashes, leaving a group of kids stranded with no adults and fighting to survive. Lord of the Flies is an exciting adventure that takes you on a journey that shows you what human instinct can force you to do.

Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.

Reviewer:  A. C., student

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Title:  The Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night-Time
Author:  Mark Haddon
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Mystery
Summary:  When faced with a problem, you must solve it. This is what our young main character attempts to convey to us throughout his story--how having a disability does not hinder him from living the life that he wants to lead and how he is just as smart and resourceful as any other person on the face of the earth.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
A Map of the World Title: A Map of the World
Author: Jane Hamilton
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Problem Novel
Summary: A Map of the World is a great book about how everyone"s lives can spin out of control even when intact. A woman who is blamed for an unforgivable thing is locked up. Her problems take control of her life, and she feels very helpless. Only those who love her the most can help get out of her depressing stage.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: A. P., student
Catch-22
Title:  Catch-22
Author:  Joseph Heller
Book Category/Genre: 
War, Fiction, Historical Fiction
Summary:  When you"re caught in the middle, what do you do? What if you turn around and then something else is there to nab you? What if you run out of reasons in the middle of a war zone? That"s what happens to our main character as he fights to stay alive with excuses and soon finds that each excuse and/or reason he makes is voided by a single catch: Catch-22.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
The Old Man and the Sea Title:  The Old Man and the Sea
Author:  Ernest Hemingway
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction
Summary:  Fishing, it"s a way of life for some people, especially for our Old Man. What happens when your way of life doesn"t give you the means to live? What happens when it takes away from you little by little until you feel you cannot go on? Do you give up or do you persevere? Ask the Old Man.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  P. B., student

The Kite Runner

Title: The Kite Runner
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Book Category/Genre: Fiction
Summary: This book is about a boy who lives in Afghanistan and a friend who is disliked because of his kind. It is a powerful, mindboggling book that will clasp you in and you won"t want it to end.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: A. P., student
The Kite Runner

Title:  The Kite Runner
Author:  Khaled Hosseini
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction
Summary:  In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Amir starts off living in a small village with his dad, Hassan, and Ali, his hazara servants. Amir and Hassan are best friends since birth and towards the middle of the book enter a kite flying contest in which they battle several other kids to be the left kite flying in the sky. Amir and Hassan are doing it for pleasure but winning this contest means more to Amir than Hassan understands; it means gaining respect from his father. When Hassan goes  running for the 2nd place kite, something that will change the rest of his life happens as Amir watches in horror and cowardice. Eventually the tension is to great Ali and Hassan move out. Then war breaks out in Afghanistan and forces Amir and his father to flea to America. After several years in America, Amir is contacted by his father"s good friend from Afghanistan to do him a favor. When he goes back to war stricken Afghanistan, he finds himself in a situation that reflects on his entire life.

Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  R. C., student

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Title: A Thousand Splendid Suns
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Book Category/Genre: Fiction
Summary: A heart catching story that will show you what happens in a typical family. A story of two women who share a bond that will never be forgotton. Spectacular. A powerful book that will capture you in.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: A. P., student
True Evil
Title: True Evil
Author: Greg Iles
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary: A woman dies of cancer, but her death isn"t as simple as it seems. True Evil is the story of a renegade FBI Agent on a quest to avenge her sister"s murder. You have an unlikely villain, and an unsuspecting victim. Toss a few million dollars into the mix and you"ve got a scientifically researched scenario that is at once fantastical, yet frightening in its implications. Simply put: A first-rate novel
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: M. J., student
The Turn of the Screw
Title: The Turn of the Screw
Author: Henry James
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Horror
Summary: The Turn of the Screw is about a young lady that assumes the position as a caretaker for two young children and a large estate. Little does she known that the estate is haunted by several spirits and her two charges turn out to be more troublesome than she expected.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: J. N., student
Carrie Title:  Carrie
Author:  Stephen King
Book Category/Genre:  Horror
Summary:  It's about a high school senior who has telekinetic powers and seeks revenge on all who have done bad to her in the past.
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  M. W., student
dolores claiborne

Title:  Dolores Claiborne

Author:  Stephen King
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  The book begins with Dolores Claiborne in a police interrogation. She tells the investigator that she absolutely did not kill her wealthy employer, an elderly woman named Vera Donovan whom she has worked as a housekeeper for several years. However, she confesses to the murder of her husband (in a very short amount of time), Joe St. George, which she committed about 30 years before. This confession leads to Dolores telling the story of her life as an abused wife, her children, and her relationship with her Vera.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  D. B., student

Insomnia
Title:  Insomnia
Author:  Stephen King
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  In the town of Derry, there are weird things happening to Ralph Roberts. He begins to see things around normal human beings. Things that tell him the mood and health of a person. He is a Shortimer or a person that can see Aura, the life force of a human being. He and his Friend Lois Chasse must defeat the Chrimson King and stop him from his deadly plan.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  G. S., student
It Title: IT
Author: Stephen King
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Science Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary: After years of silence, the group that once joined to stop the killings in Derry, Maine, must regroup to stop the killings of the same mad murderer that they had stopped. The murderer is not just any murderer though. IT is much more dangerous, and our heros must stop IT before IT kills all the Children in Derry. Just beware of Pennywise the clown.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: G. S., student
The Shining Title:  The Shining
Author:  Steven King
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Horror, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  The Shining is about a family vacation turned upside down. The Torrence"s travel up to snowy Colorado where Jack Torrence is in search of an architectural design position on a new coming hotel. Once he gets the job, it"s all downhill from there...
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  K. L., student
A Separate Peace

Title:  A Separate Peace

Author:  John Knowles

Book Category/Genre:  Fiction

Summary:  A Separate Peace is a story about to boys, Gene and Finny, attending a boarding school in New England during World War II. Gene is a quiet, cultured teenager, while Finny on the other hand is an athletic daredevil. During their time at Devon, Gene and Finny deal with many problems that come with the war and develop a great friendship. Gene and Finny were able get away from the war and form their own separate peace.

Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.

Reviewer:  J. M., student

A Separate Peace Title: A Separate Peace
Author: John Knowles
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Problem Novel
Summary: A young man named Gene Forrester, who attends Devon School located in New Hampshire, encounters many problems during his last year at this school. It takes place during the year of 1942, the time where World War II had to be in the minds of many teenagers. Gene must think about what he wants to do in the war and what he is doing at school. His best friend, Phineas, is everything Gene wants to be, and when Gene's jealousy takes over, he does something horrible to Phineas that he will regret forever. All of the people Gene meets at Devon School all have an impact on him in his last year at the school.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: D. B., student
A Separate Peace

Title: A Separate Peace
Author: John Knowles
Book Category/Genre: Fiction
Summary: Gene, a boy visiting his old school after 15 years, is engulfed by a plethora of memories. He finds himself reminiscing about his life at the school and his friends, but there is much much more to these memories. An event happened that destroyed the world of this boy.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  R. Y., student

The Historian Title:  The Historian
Author:  Elizabeth Kostova
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  Finding herself trapped in the middle of what seemingly is her own modern medieval mystery, our main character tries her best to save relics of an ancient past and her father from a creature who has been ravaging the world for centuries.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
Life on the Refrigerator Door Title:  Life on the Refrigerator Door
Author:  Alice Kuipers
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Relationships
Summary:  A mother and daughter living alone in the world, the father separated from his family.  Each is simply too busy for the other, working in a hospital, enjoying high school, enjoying life. In this novel, we determine that the definition of "mother" and "daughter" is the same thing: "to give."
Rating;  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
To Kill a Mockingbird

Title:  To Kill a Mockingbird
Author:  Harper Lee
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Historical Fiction
Summary:  This acclaimed novel is about the childhoods of Jem and Scout Finch, two children living in Maycomb County, Alabama during the great depression.  They must deal with the repeating themes of racism, family, and morals.  Jem and Scout must deal with these problems when growing up, which drastically changes the course of their lives as they are exposed to the evils of the world at a young age.  The slow beginning leads up to the most rivetting part of the book, the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man indicted for raping a white woman.  Harper Lee leaves much to the imagination in this novel and truly shows what it means to grow up.
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  Z. L., student

I Am Legend
Title:  I Am Legend
Author:  Richard Matheson
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Adventure, Horror, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  Robert Neville lives on by himself as the last man on earth. He knows he is not alone. By day he is a hunter-gatherer. He turns scientist, and everything starts to go wrong. He has to kill and destroy the other creatures by experimentation.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  P. M., student
nanny diaries

Title: The Nanny Diaries
Author: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Relationships
Summary: Nanny whom has recently graduated college is looking for a job and winds up working with the X family as their nanny. Living in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, social status, wealth, and materialistic items are important to the X family. Mr. X is busy with business while Mrs. X spends her days treating herself to manicures, clothes, and whatever else she wants. Taking care of their son, Grayer, Nanny spends every day with him. Mr. and Mrs. X are never home, leaving Nanny to do practically everything. It is almost as if Nanny is Grayer's very own mother. Balancing school, work, and a social life, Nanny tries to get through each day one at a time.  What would happen without Nanny? Could this family start to fall apart?
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: R. H., student

widows and orphans

Title:  Widows and Orphans
Author:  Susan Meissner
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Mystery
Summary: Rachel Flynn is an attorney who lives with her husband and her 2 month old daughter in New York City.  When her mom calls to tell her that her brother, Joshua, has been arrested and has confessed to murder, Rachel is skeptical and travels back to her hometown in Minnesota to find out the truth.  Josh has never been one to do harm; he has always tried to make life better for those that were less fortunate--more specifically, widows and orphans--by giving them food, money...  She suspects that Josh knows who the real killer is and is covering for the person, but he won't tell her anything and refuses to let her represent him in court.  So what is the real story? What is he hiding and who is he covering for?
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: P. J., student

host Title: The Host
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction, Romance
Summary: Aliens have taken over the world and are inserting the souls of their kind into humans. A group of humans including Jared, Ian, and Melanie have formed a resistance group, and they struggle to survive. Wanda (a soul) is inserted into Melanie's body, and she is not accepted in the group even though Melanie's soul is still in her body. You have to read the book to find out what happens!
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: K. T., student
The Things They Carried Title:  The Things They Carried
Author:  Tim O"Brien
Book Category/Genre:  Life, Historical Fiction
Summary:  Most are under the impression that you are defined by what you say, what you do, and what you feel, but in this book of many stories, we come to realize that you are not defined by what you say or do or feel, but you are defined by what you carry, both on your back and close to your heart.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
The Things They Carried

Title:  The Things They Carried

Author:  Tim O'Brien

Book Category/Genre:  Historical Fiction

Summary:  This is a brilliant story of Vietnam that not only entertains but teaches the you about writing stories. O'Brien combines what happened and what seemed to have happened into a great story full of beautifully portrayed characters that make you believe that they are actually real. This is a book about stories. It tells them and defines them for you at the same time.  Although the intertwining stories may confuse you at times, there is always a purpose.

Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.

Reviewer:  J. W., student

1984 Title:  1984
Author:  George Orwell
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Romance
Summary:  It"s a world where the flawed are fixed, the broken are changed, and the different are eliminated. What happens...if you can"t be fixed?
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
1984
Title: 1984
Author: George Orwell
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Science Fiction, Relationships, Mystery
Summary: In the future, what "seems" to be about 1984 to the protagonist Winston, a communist dystopia, the "Party", as they like to be called, has flourished. Most of the resources of the Party is put into brainwashing their citizens, whether it be rewriting history to suit their interests (Winstons job at the "Ministry of Truth" is to do such) or to make people to who think freely "Disapear" for a while. The top leader of the Party is a man who calls himself "Big Brother", and almost nothing is free of his image, whether a cigarette pack or the "Telescreen", which is the Party"s way of spying on its citizens and allow Big Brother and friends to become a sort of "All Seeing" force. Language has slowly been dimishing by the controlled effort of the Party, becoming a whole new language deemed the name "Newspeak". A simple language meant to stop free thinking by making sure that there are no words or ways to express free thinking, it is a language of logic and not of beauty. Instead of "Horrid", or "Mischievous", one would say "ungood". As Syme would, "Newspeak is the only language where the amount of words decrease every year." There are legends, rumors, that a group calling itself the "Brotherhood", stand against the Party, as a group of rebelling individuals, although it is not known if they really exist or not, as it is often an excuss to execute. After buying and writing in a diary, Winston begins to think, rebellious, revolutionary ideas. Ideas for change. But useless are these if you should be the only one to possess these ideas, and onto a miserable search Winston goes, looking for individuals who may share his ideas of revolution, and maybe even find the Brotherhood itself.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: A. S., student
survivor

Title: Survivor
Author: Chuck Palahniuk
Book Category/Genre: Dark Comedy, Fiction
Summary: This book is about the life of Tender Branson who grew up as a part of a religious cult, but when the members of the cult begin to mysteriously die, his life takes a turn for the worse.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: M. G., student

Bel Canto Title:  Bel Canto
Author:  Ann Patchett
Book Category/Genre:  Historical Fiction, Relationships, Romance
Summary:  A story of a Japanese man, with a love for opera, his translator, with a love for languages, a young girl mixed with rebel fighters, with a love for freedom, and an opera star from a different world cast into theirs whose music brings all of them together. After all, what is music but a beautiful language that sets people free?
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I;ve read.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
Beach Road
Title: Beach Road
Author: James Patterson and Peter De Jonge
Book Category/Genre: Fiction
Summary: This story is about of a basketball star in the Hamptons who is set up for triple murder. A local lawyer and former NBA player, Tom Dunleavy, agrees to defend the star and makes an attempt to win back his ex-girlfriend.The characters in Beach Road are not described great. It is not a very involved plot, but Beach Road has all the elements of a drama, mystery, and romance. This book is a fun not complicated read. The summary of the book on the back just makes you want to read it more. Like every good book the last couple of chapters are the best part of Beach Road. This part of the book moves quickly and brings up points from the beginning of the book. Overall, I would say Beach Road is a good read. It won"t feed your mind or soul, and if you are into mysteries and solving crimes you are able to imagine the whole story going on.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: J. P., student
1st to Die
Title: 1st to Die
Author: James Patterson
Book Category/Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Summary: Four women try to stop a killer know has been stalking newlyweds in San Francisco. These women form a Women"s murder club to think outside the box and pursue the case by helping each other out. The four women create bonds as they try to capture the killer who hurts the entire city.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: A. S., student
Judge & Jury Title: Judge & Jury
Author: James Patterson
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Suspense/Thriller
Summary: Judge and Jury is a non-stop action packed book about a women named Andie. She was seleted for jury duty in a mafia case, dealing with a very powerful mafia man. As the story goes on the mafia man begins to kill people to stop Andie from putting him away forever.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: C. L., student
when the wind blows
Title: When the Wind Blows
Author: James Patterson
Book Category/Genre: Adventure, Science Fiction, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary: Those things with wings. These thoughts fly through the characters" minds as they encounter something---many somethings---both terrifyingly beautiful and heartwrenchingly innocent, and try to right the balance of the world by attempting to right the mistakes of those who committed such awful wrongs to the most innocent and forgiving--to children.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I;ve read.
Reviewer: P. B., student
You Title:  You've Been Warned
Author:  James Paterson
Book Category/Genre:  Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  Kristin Burns is an amateur photographer striving to make it into the big world, making ends by babysitting the two young children of the Turnbull family.  Nobody knows except her who she"s having an affair with. The forbidden love does not lead to a good ending.
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  M. J., student
My Sister

Title:  My Sister's Keeper
Author:  Jodi Picoult
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Problem Novel, Relationships, Romance
Summary:  This book is about a thirteen-year-old girl, Anna, who has been donating blood, bone marrow, cells, and other things to her sister, Kate. Since age three, Kate has had a rare and severe form of leukemia. When asked by her parents to donate a major part of her body, Anna decides that she is through donating her body parts to her sister. She hires a lawyer and sues her parents for rights to her body.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I"ve read.
Reviewer:  L. D., student

The Pact Title:  The Pact
Author:  Jodi Picoult
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Relationships, Romance
Summary:  The Pact is about two teenagers, Chris Harte and Emily Gold, who are even closer then soul mates. They have been together since the day Emily was born and are now 18 years old. They have a perfect realtionship up until something goes wrong and that will change their lives forever. This is a great book that shows you how far someone can go for their true love.
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  D. P., student
Picture Perfect
Title:  Picture Perfect
Author:  Jodi Picoult
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction
Summary:  Picture Perfect is a great way to title the book. The book is about a very famous movie star, Alex Rivers, who falls in love with an anthropoligist named Cassie Barrett. They meet on the set of one of his new movies and soon they fall in love over the period of months that they are on the set. After rushing a marriage in Tanzania, where the setting of the movie took place, they start their new life together in Los Angeles. Cassie was not aware that the man she married soon would turn into his worst enemy: his abusive father. To the outside world their marriage looked picture perfect, but in reality it was a typical case of a husband abusing his wife. She was so desperate for her husband to turn back into the man she fell in love with that she couldn"t decide what the right thing to do was.
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  A. G., student
The Tenth Circle
Title:  The Tenth Circle
Author:  Jodi Picoult
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Problem Novel, Relationships
Summary:  This book was about 3 different characters living in one house:  Daniel and Laura Stone and their daughter Trixie Stone. After Daniel ran away from his past in Alaska, he refers back to his violent personality after hearing that Trixie was raped. While trying to heal Trixie"s tradic event, Daniel and Laura"s relationship becomes rocky. The novel explains the story of how each character deals with their issues.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  M. P., student
The Tenth Circle

Title:  The Tenth Circle
Author:  Jodi Picoult
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  Trixie Stone seems to be an average fourteen year old girl...until someone reenters her life and threatens to destroy her childhood in a way unimaginable.  Her father"s love for Trixie propells him to protect her in desperation and anger. His love drives him to the edge of sanity while Trixie"s mother deals with a secret affair with another man.  The novel is told in vignettes from the perspective of these very different characters and yet they all manage to merge themselves together through the strength of love and protection.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  A. Y., student

Anthem Title:  Anthem
Author:  Ayn Rand
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Romance, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  In a utopian world, you can"t dare to be different, you can"t dare to be yourself. Yet, in Ayn Rand's book, entitled Anthem, we find the main character faced with profound knowledge and in the perfect world, the knowledge must not be shared.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
We the Living Title:  We the Living
Author:  Ayn Rand
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance
Summary:  On the brink of the Russian Revolution, there is no room for love until Kira is faced with the most difficult decision: To whom should she give her heart--to the man that loves her truly, or to the man that she thinks loves her? She must face the consequences.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
Survivor in Death
Title: Survivor in Death
Author: Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb
Book Category/Genre: Homcide, murder, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary: Eve Dallas fights her way through murder and crime to bring justice home for the families of the dead, also for a little girl named Nixie.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: C. L., student
Survivor in Death
Title: Survivor in Death
Author: J. D. Robb
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary: In the year 2059 two intruders break into the home of the Swisher family, killing the parents, the son, their daughter"s friend, and their nanny. The daughter Nixie had survived by mistake, as she was in the kitchen while the men were around the house. Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her partner Detective Delia Peabody decided to take young Nixie into custody for their own advantages. With many related crimes happening, Eve knew her killers were on the move. For Eve, dealing with children is hard for her, and this book shows struggles that the Lieutenant went through to find the murderers.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: M. N., student

The Catcher in the Rye

Title: The Catcher in the Rye
Author: J.D. Salinger
Book Category/Genre: Teenage Angst, Fiction
Summary: Holden Caulfield is the epitome of teenage angst. Angry at the world and everything in it, he tells us his story.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: P. B, student
The Lovely Bones
Title:  The Lovely Bones
Author:  Alice Sebold
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Relationships
Summary:  This book is about a girl, Susie Salmon, who gets raped and murdered by a man who lives down her street.  It takes place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the 1970s.  She watches over her family as they suffer through her death and trying to find out who the murderer is.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  B. M., student
The Lovely Bones Title:  The Lovely Bones
Author:  Alice Sebold
Book Category/Genre:  Horror, Mystery
Summary:  The Lovely Bones is a book about a girl who gets raped and murdered by a neighbor. She tells her story from her point of view in heaven. She watches her family and friends live their lives after she has passed away and sees how her death has taken a toll on each of them.
Rating:  Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer:  L. T., student
The Lovely Bones

Title:  The Lovely Bones

Author:  Alice Sebold

Book Category/Genre:  Fiction

Summary:  The Lovely Bones is about a 14 year old girl, Susie, who is raped and murdered by a neighbor. She watches her family and friends from heaven as they are greatly impacted by Susie's death, and they try as hard as they can to figure out who the murderer is.

Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.

Reviewer:  J. M., student

The Lovely Bones

 

Title:  The Lovely Bones
Author:  Alice Sebold

Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Suspense/Thriller
Summary: Susie Salmon, an average teenage girl, has been murdered by her neighbor, George Harvey. We see the tragedy of this incident unfold from Susie's point of view in heaven, and we see the obliviousness of her family and friends. The police eventually drop the investigation, and the Salmon family falls apart. George Harvey becomes a drifter, and desperately tries to cover up the evidence of the crime.
Rating: Good book, I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer: D. B, student

art of racing in the rain

Title: The Art of Racing in the Rain
Author: Garth Stein
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Relationships
Summary: Enzo is a dog with human wisdom and intelligence.  He forms a friendship with Denny, his owner.  They go through numerous challenges together, proving that friendship is not limited to humans only.
Rating: Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer: J. O., student

The LHS Media Center does not own this book. Please check with the Livingston Public Library/BCCLS to check out this book.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Title:  Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Author:  Robert Louis Stevenson
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Science Fiction, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  This story is filled with a labyrinth of riddles, a myriad of mazes, and a wondrous number of facts and fibs. In this book, we find out what happens when science challenges nature and most importantly, when you challenge yourself.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  P. B., student
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Title:  The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Author:  Robert Louis Stevenson
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Mystery, Suspense/Thriller
Summary:  The book takes place in olden day London.  A lawyer named Mr. G. J. Utterson tries to find out the secret that his friend Dr. Henry Jekyll is keeping to himself and why he has sudden changes of moods and personalities.  Utterson also is puzzled why Jekyll says in his will that his property is to be given to a Mr. Edward Hyde who is an evil man.  Strange events happen that lead to even more suspicion and curiosity to what is happening to Jekyll.  Read this classic to find out what happens to Jekyll, and what is the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  M. A., student

The Hobbit Title:  The Hobbit
Author:  J. R. R. Tolkien
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction, Adventure. Fantasy
Summary:  Bilbo Baggins is a well-respected hobbit who is very attached to his lifestyle. The Shire is Bilbo"s hometown (and also the opening of the story). Gandalf is a wandering wizard and a famous one at that. His intentions are to take little Bilbo on a "little" adventure. The 13 dwarves appear as strangers, awkwardly coming into Bilbo"s home to meet, eat, and drink to their fill. Their true intentions however prove to take Bilbo on an unforgettable journey. The conflicts are of survival, trust, and courage.
Rating:  Super book, one of the best books I've read.
Reviewer:  R. D., student
Cat Title:  Cat's Cradle
Author:  Kurt Vonnegut
Book Category/Genre:  Fiction
Summary:  A midget by the name of Jonah goes around asking people about a Dr. Felix Hoenikker who is one of the "First Founding Fathers" of the atomic bomb. Jonah also meets his relatives and finds out about Hoenikker"s bizarre life.
Rating:  OK book, but not great.
Reviewer:  V. A., student
sirens of titan

Title: The Sirens of Titan
Author: Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Book Category/Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction
Summary: The Sirens of Titan takes place in the 22nd century as it follows the richest man on Earth.  After traveling through space, the man accidentally goes through a chrono-synclastic infundibulum, like a blackhole, which allows him to see the future and relieve the past. The main character goes through many adventures meeting new characters as he goes along. This novel is entertaining if you are a science fiction fan.
Rating: OK book, but not great.
Reviewer: G. G.-S., student

The LHS Media Center does not own this book. Please check with the Livingston Public Library/BCCLS to check out this book.

 
Last Modified on September 7, 2011