Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers

Richard Perry is a young man, only 17, who has joined the army at the start of the Vietnam War.  While on his first tour of duty, he meets some of the guys in his squad.  PeeWee is a quick witted, loyal, smart aleck from Chicago; Lobel a young Jewish man who is infatuated with movies and is thought to be gay; Johnson a large black man from Georgia and kind of an unsung leader; Monaco, an Italian kid from New Jersey who is loyal to his friends; Brewster (Brew) is a religious man who wants to join the ministry after his service and often provides comfort for the guys; Walowick, a soldier is who slightly racists to Perry and the others.  There are also several other characters in the book of higher ranking who make an impact on Perry's view point.  Yet, Lt Carroll who was the leader of Perry's squad and also got to really know the guys and treat them as equals had the most impact, particularly after his death.  At the start of the war, things were going well.  They were eating good food, doing as little as possible and there was even talk of them going home soon.  But things started to change.  Patrols started going out more and more and soon, their own men were starting to get killed.  It wasn't until he was in an actual "firefight" (gun fire attack) that Perry starts to really look at why he came to the army and why he wants to go back.  He wanted to make a better life for himself and his family.  He couldn't afford to go to college and he couldn't live there in Harlem anymore.  He wanted better for himself and his little brother Kenny.  While in combat, he chronically thinks about dying there and how it would effect everyone.  While in combat, Perry is injured.  Afraid that it's his knee messing up again, he was actually shot at had shrapnal go through his wrist and side.  He is saved by PeeWee and take to the hospital where they are also transporting Brewster.  However, Brewter doesn't make it.  At the hospital, Perry tries to recouperate and think about everything going on.  What will he do when he gets back to the "world?"  How far will Captain Stewart go in order to get promoted?  Does Gearheart have any idea how to lead his squad?  Are any of the other guys hurt?  When Perry is finally released, he gets a purple heart for his injuries and sent back to his squad.  There he sees exactly how the squad is coping.  And it's not that great.  No one want to talk about what happen, but rather go on doing what they do.  Dongan is now the leader of the squad since Simpson left.  Dongan is a racists and doesn't particular care who knows it.  After a terrible mission, Dongan and several other soldiers from other units are killed.  In the next mission, they are surrounded by several of the enemy and then trapped.  PeeWee and Perry are injured.  PeeWee injuries are serious enough for him to go home, but he tries to play them off.  Perry gets shot in the leg and since this is his second injury, he gets to go home as well.  PeeWee and Perry leave on the same plane and look at all the new cadets as they arrive, knowing what is in store for them.

I thought that the book was amazing.  It was a gripping way to tell about the beginnings of the Vietnam war.  I really liked how Perry didn't feel as though he should have been in the army, but unfortunately, felt as though that was his only option.  He struggled with his decision to leave his mom and his little brother, but he knew he wouldn't last long if he stayed there.  Throughout the story you can see how the media and military officals would play up how the US was winning and how the war would be over soon.  Perry also had to struggle with the fact that he had killed someone.  He had taken their life.  It was a hard reality to face and even then it can be difficult to get past.  All in all, I thought that the book was well written and told from a  perspective that is rarely seen.  Perry wasn't the hero or the bravest or the smartest soldier.  He was just an average soldier that it told of the war through his experiences.

Sandpiper by Ellen Wittlinger

Sandpiper tells the story of a young girl barely 16 by the name of Sandpiper Hallow Ragsdale.  She was named by her parents after the place they first met.  Sandpiper (who chooses to be called Piper) is a troubled young girl who seeks the attention of boys by performing oral sex with them.  She began in 8th grade at the coercion of her friends.  Once then entered high school, her friends stopped, but Piper continued.  She didn't know exactly how many times, she had done this guys, but they never lasted more than a few days to a couple of weeks in her world.  One day, after ending it with another guy, Piper meets the Walker.  He is a young man about 18 who spends all day, just walking.  Piper is intrigued by him and the fact that he doesn't ask her too many questions.  However, soon after they meet, Piper encounters an "ex-boyfriend" who is doing all he can to try and scare her. In the rest of her personal life, Piper's mother is getting married to a great guy.  Her little sister Daisy is super excited and they will be meeting their new step-sister Rachel for the first time.  While Rachel is 18, she seems to get along well with 13 year old Daisy.  Piper is of coursed left out.  She feels this way often.  She really has no friends (with the exception of the Walker), she goes from guy to guy and her once close relationship with her father is now strained due to the fact that she has become "developed."  When things in Piper's life begin to unravel, she turns to poetry as her way of escaping.  During the wedding chaos, Piper is now being threatened by her ex Derek.  He has threatened her sister (even intentionally cutting her legs) and also harmed her cat.  All the while, the mystery surrounding the Walker continues.  While he is happy to give advice, he does not open up about anything personal and can become defensive on the topic.  After a quick encounter with her father, Piper learns more about the Walker.  His name is Aiden and year or so ago, he accidently ran over and killed his nephew.  After being shunned by his family, he moves and begins his life of seclusion.  After the wedding and after the newlyweds have left, Piper is awoken by a large crash a broken window.  It's another threat from Derek.  Piper catches Aiden as he is leaving town to ask for help.  While they are walking, Derek soon finds them and attacks them both.  He nearly rapes Piper but Aiden hits him in the head.  Back at home, Piper has been beaten pretty badly along with Aiden.  Charges are pressed by Derek for assault and he also makes up a story about what happens.  But together with Piper and her extended family, they agree to help her and Aiden get through all their tragedies.

While Sandpiper wasn't a bad book to read, it seemed as though it lagged in certain parts.  Although the author tried to show how Derek's anger had escalated, it would seem as though he went from breaking a window, to nearly killing her.  While he had threaten throughout the book, it seemed as though the last attack was the first one that he actually took out on Piper.  I also feel "iffy" about the fact that the book did not have a clear ending.  We do not know if justice was served to the appropriate parties or not.  We do not know how Piper is dealing with this incident over the course of the school year and the town's reaction.  This where a second book would be good, just to simply answer some questions.  I did like how it portrays the realism in the scenario.  Many maybe in shock by Piper's young age, but the fact is, that studies and polls have determined it to be true.  Also the backlash that Piper faces from the town is also realistic of small American towns.  Piper, was actually a very likable character who was real and honest.  Her poetry reflected her thoughts and allowed the reader to see exactly how she felt.  All in all the book isn't bad.  I just wish it had a second book to follow it.

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Jellicoe Road is actually two stories that are intertwined into one.  The story begins with Taylor Markham.  She is a young spirited 17 year old girl who lives at the Academy on Jellicoe Road in Australia, who would rather be by herself than with her own house, but her best friend Raffela refuses to allow that.  She was abandoned by her mother at the age of 11 and soon picked up by a woman named Hannah who takes her to the school.  She is now the head of her house and also becomes the Head the school in the territory wars between the campus students, cadets (who come to the school for a few months out of the year for education purposes) and the townies (students who live off campus).  At times the War can get pretty hostile.  It doesn't help matters that the leader of the cadets has a history with Taylor.  At the age of 14, Taylor ran away from school in search of her mother.  At the train station, she runs into Jonah Griggs, and together they run away.  But before they get to Sydney, Griggs calls his school and they are soon picked up by the Brigadier, the overseer of the Cadets.  This year, the townies are lead by Chaz Santangelo, who seems to have a history with Raffela.  Although at first, all anyone can think about is the War, the leaders soon develop a friendship (although at times rocky) with each other.  They soon begin to unravel the mysterious disappearance of Hannah and Taylor's past.  The students, particular a smaller girl named Jessa, is obsessed with a serial killer who has been in the area for the past 11 years.  Not only does Taylor have to deal with a troubled past (her mother left and the local hermit, killed himself right in front of her), but she now also has to contend with her growing feelings for Jonah Griggs.  Throughout the story, we get glimpses of five friends who previously lived on the campus at Jellicoe Road and their significance in Taylor's life.  Soon we begin to see all the pieces come together and see how everything becomes connected.

The story of Jellicoe Road is a rather complicated and complex one.  I wish I could have been able to go through all the details possible, but the shear enormity of the book did not permit me to do so.  I'm not going to lie, the first 200 hundred pages of the book can be extremely confusing.  I would have to re-read certain sections in order to try and understand what was going on.  I wish that the story had given a little bit of background to the school and the territory wars in the beginning.  Maybe then it wouldn't have been so confusing.  However, once the pieces start to come together, the book is actually very good.  Knowing the story now, makes it much easier to read again and fully appreciate everything.  The small twists and turns make the book intriguing and keep the reader interested.  It was particularly nice to see a main character that had a lot of problems, but rather than hide or become completely messed up from them, dealt with them appropriately.  She was not at all perfect (like secluding herself and being mean at times), but she did eventually realize that the people around her were life family and that she needed them as much as they needed her.  It was extremely wonderful to see how she and Jonah played off each other.  Through out the whole book, you simply want them to start dating, but it's their little fights and random understanding of each other that make them special and different.  The book really focuses on the internal struggle of an abandoned child and how they try to find their place in the world or at least somewhere to belong.  While a majority of the book is meant to be serious, it is also interlaced with comedy.  The random quips from a teen perspective as well as the dry sarcastic remarks, help to lighten the book and keep the reader going.  All in all, the book was great.  Getting through the first time can be tough, but once read again, it becomes a fantastic favorite.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Looking for Alaska begins with the main character Miles "Pudge" Halter.  He is leaving home in order to go find the Great Perhaps of his life.  He leaves a school of no friends, to Culver Creek, a private school in Birmingham.  A private school that has a top notice education, where his father attended as well as pulled off some pretty good pranks.  His roommate, Chip "the Colonel" Martin quickly becomes one of his best friends.  Through him he is introduced to Alaska.  She acts as though she is a force of nature.  She and Chip were poor students who are extremely smart and there on scholarship.  They have a feud going with the Weekday Warriers, students who live in the Birmingham area and go home on weekends.  A great rivalry of pranks ensues.  However, one goes a bit too far.  On Pudge's first night there, he learns that two students were expelled because someone ratted them out.  It was an unspoken rule that you didn't rat on anyone, no matter what.  The Weekend Warriors suspect it was the Colonel and take revenge on him and Pudge, but peeing in the Colonel's shoes and throwing Pudge in the lake, tied up.  During the school year, Pudge develops a large crush on Alaska, who has a boyfriend.  He also seems to like Lara, a quiet Romanian girl.  They go through a great deal of pranks over the course of the semester and Pudge seems to be adapting well to his classes.  He also gets his first taste of smoking and drinking alcohol, thanks to Alaska and the Colonel.  They also begin to learn more and more about each other, including Alaska's difficult past in which she witnessed her mother die and did not call 911.  However, one night right after finals and after pulling off a huge prank, a drunk Alaska kisses Pudge.  Yet, after a phone call, she comes back running back in hysterical.  The next morning, it is revealed that Alaska was killed in a car crash.  The Colonel and Pudge set out to find out what happened that night, if it was simply an accident or if she intended to kill herself.  They don't know why she left or what exactly happened.  It can causes problems between the two friends, but in the end, they rally together and come to terms with her death.  It was revealed that the night she died was the anniversary of  her mothers death and she forgot.  She was really drunk and she could have thought that she could make it or just wished to die.  They come to the realization that Alaska was extremely messed up and had a lot of psychological problems and guilt over her mother.  They also pull off an amazing prank in honor of Alaska, who would have loved it.

The book is extremely moving.  Each chapter counts down the days before the accident and the days after.  However, the chapters simply say "ninety-eight days before" rather than detail what is it counting down to or from.  I also thought it was interesting to see the mourning perspective of teen who was in love.  He seemed to grieve as though he was simply going through the motions.  But one of the most touching aspects of the book occurred when Pudge and the Colonel simply hugged each other.  It was like the hurt could easily be felt.  The character of Alaska was a complex character.  Not only did she have moments of great genius, but also moments in which she could be rather annoying.  But nonetheless her death in the book was extremely tragic and left a large impact on those around her.  It was interesting to see how Pudge transitioned from a person with no friends, to someone who found himself as part of a small group of people.  In the end, it was nice to see how they didn't have to have Alaska's death completely figured out.  They just needed to be reminded of her life.  

StarGirl by Jerry Spinelli

Leo Borlock is your everyday average high schooler.  He goes to his bland school that has no school spirit and simply takes part in the mundane occurances of teenage life.  His only source of fun comes from a high school TV show produced and created by himself and his friend Kevin called the Hot Seat where a panel asks everyday students questions.  Leo is orginial from Pennsylvania but moved to Arizona where he started a collection of porcupine neck ties.  However, he only had one in his collection.  Yet, on his birthday, he received another.  One day a mysterious girl shows up to school.  Her name is StarGirl, or at least that what she calls herself.  She dresses oddly, strums a ukulele while singing happy birthday to everyday and carries around her pet rat, Cinnamon.  She is a non-conformist in every way.  She cheers for opposing teams, dances in the rain, and does her best to be nice and kind to everyone.  She is a wonder (and odd) and Leo is falling in love with her.  The school also notices Stargirl's enthusasium and asks her to join the cheerleading squad.  At first it is great.  However, when she helps an opposing team member when he becomes injuried, she becomes the enemy of the school.  At first StarGirl and Leo don't notice.  But they soon see that they are being ignored and StarGirl decides to change her odd ways for Leo.  She attempts to fit in everyway possible.  She even wins a state speaking competition, however, to no avail because the school treats her the same way.  She and Leo dissolve their relationship.  At the end, StarGirl goes to prom alone and is confronted by the school's "popular" girl.  But when StarGirl does not retailate, the school is in shock.  She leaves and that is the last they hear from her.  Leo reaccounts his life since then (a total of 15 years).  And one day on his birthday, he received a porupine tie and knew that StarGirl was never really out of his life. 

This book is an amazing and well written book!  The story can at first start off dull but soon develops into a story to see what StarGirl will do next, what will happen next with her and Leo and ultimately life after StarGirl.  What was so shocking about the book was the fact that she was so nice and sweet and truly cared about everyone, yet people resented her for it.  She took the time to put people ahead of herself, yet was critized for it in the end, which seems horrible but unfortunately, a true statement of how real life actually goes.  It was also interesting to see how much Leo wanted to be apart of the group, yet did not want to give up StarGirl.  This was a great conflict, but at times the reader may want to simply yell at him to "OPEN YOUR EYES!  SHE'S WAY BETTER THAN THEM!"  Yet, with teenagers, all they really want or need is to be accepted.  This is what made her so unique.  She didn't care about what others thought as long as she made one person feel better.  It was also interesting to see Leo as an adult reflect on what happened.  He knew that he made a mistake by letting her go, but he also knew that he would always love her.  This book is truly inspiring to help people realize that they need to get beyond themselves in order to be there for others.

Book a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

The book tells the story of Dashti, a simple mucker girl who has found herself in a completely different situation than when she first started.  She left her small home and went to the city singing healing songs in order to live, where she was trained to be a servant or maid in the place.  In order to do this, particularly if you were the Princess Saren's maid because she refused to read or write.  So Dashti learns these skills and then go to the palace.  There, everything happens quickly.  She meets a somber Lady Saren and witnesses the rage of the king on his daughter.  They are then taken a tower where they will spend the next seven years until Lady Saren changes her mind about marrying Lord Khasar, a terribly mean man from the next kingdom over.  However, she has also betrothed herself to Khan Tegus on the other side of her kingdom.  At first Dashti tries to make the best of the situation.  She writes in the journal, chronically the days as they go by all the while, Lady Saren remains quiet and to herself.  They have plenty of food and a place to sleep, but soon this gets old.  She gets visits from Khan Tegus.  Lady Saren orders Dashti to pretend to be her.  Dashti does and continues to fall in love with him, especially after giving her a cat.  After he leaves, the girls get another visit from the terrible Lord Khasar who tries to torture them out of the tower.  Soon all of the guards who were guarding the tower were attacked by dogs and no one else came for them.  The days drag on and the food supply gets low as the rats increase.  Finally one day, Dashti realizes that if the rats could get in, then there had to be a way for them to get out.  She searches and finds it.  She finally breaks the wall down, but Lady Saren has been so secluded that she is terrified of going out in the day.  When they do finally leave, they have been in the tower almost 1000 days.  They travel back to her father's city to find that it has been destroyed by Khasar.  So they travel to Khan Tegus's city and find work in the palace as pot scrubbers.  It's hard work and Saren (who only wants to be known as Sar) is slow.  She has opened up about what happened a little to Dashti.  She meet Lord Khasar years ago and saw him for what he really was.  Khan Tegus finds out that a mucker who knows healing songs now works in his house and calls on Dashti to help him with an old injury in his leg.  He also discovers that she can read and write and soon becomes a scribe in the house.  While he out to war, Dashti learns that he has betrothed himself to another in order to protect his kingdom and that Sar actually can do pretty good work.  Tegus is wounded terribly in battle and Dashti does what she can to help.  Once he is healed, she finds that Khasar is surrounding the city and wants Saren.  Dashti steps up and claims to be Saren and tries to stop the war from happening.  She sneaks into Khasar's camp and sings the wolf song.  Khasar transforms into a wolf and attacks his men.  They shoot him until he dies.  It's revealed that Khasar sold his soul so that he may transform into a wolf.  Saren saw this several years ago and was terrified of him.  Tegus arrives and calls off his wedding in order to marry Dashti, who he still believes is Saren.  Dashti leaves the city and is caught by Tegus former fiancee.  She wants to kill Dashti or cut off her feet.  Tegus arrives and stops and Dashti is put in prison until her judgement.  At the trial the next day, Saren stands up for Dashti.  It is decided that she will go free and Saren will marry Tegus.  She says that she will give him to her sister, Dashti to marry instead.  They do and seem to live happily ever after.

The book, while the concept is great, I felt as though it was lagging a little.  There were days and days where absolutely nothing happened at all.  Those writings were not necessarily bad, but at times, it seemed extremely repetitive.  I know that it also occurred over the course of several years, but it seemed as though the story really dragged on, particularly after the main characters were employed at Tegus' palace.  While the story does have a great touch of fantasy, the reader must be willing to sit through a rather long account.  I like the twist on the older fairy tales, but it seemed to lack something.  I'm not for sure if it's the emotion that is not conveyed in the writing or the story itself.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Jenna Fox, 17, one day wakes up and does not remember anything about her life.  She doesn't remember how to speak, how to walk or even her name.  She is told by her mother that she was in an accident and that she was in a coma for over a year.  Her grandmother Lily, a former doctor, also acts very strangely around her.Slowly but surely, bits of information begin to come back day by day.  It is mostly how to do the basic things, but nothing from her previous life she can remember.  She watches home-movies, but nothing of it seems like her or reminds her of anything.  She says that it doesn't feel real.  Finally one day, something clicks, she begins to remember that she likes hot chocolate.  She runs downstairs in an effort to make some, forgetting that she is on a special diet and can only have liquid nutrients.  After that, she begins to notice strange things.  When she is told to go to her room, she goes, even if she may not want to, she is kept indoors and does not attend school, and her mother panics over a small scrape on her knee.  She meets her "curious" neighbor Mr. Bender who alludes to the fact that there maybe more to Jenna Fox that what she even knows.  The house that they recently moved into is remodeled but still really contains nothing that can help her remember who she is.  She finds a locked room and knows instinctively where the key is hidden.  Her father works in her hometown of Boston and does not get to come out and visit much.  He is the head of a corporation that created Bio Gel, which helps people who have lost body parts or need ones by using the gel to create news and replace them.  Jenna decides she wants to go to school and meet people and have friends.  Rather than send her to public academy, they send her to a private learning center for special kids.  Other than herself, there are only 4 other students.  One of them is a shy quiet kid named Gabriel.  Allys, the only other girl, has all of her limbs replaced by prosetic ones.  Dane is a troubled young kid, who seems to be empty and "soul-less" according to Jenna.  Lastly there is Ethan.  He is a quiet young man who volunteers at the local church and has a secret of his own.  Nearly everyone who goes to the school is an outcast in one way or another, which is why Jenna feels almost like it's home there.  While in school she quickly learns that she seems to know everything about history and Walden.  But that's not the only thing she discovers.  Her memories are returning, not just ones from when she was a child, but also when she was a baby.  She remembers that she had friends, Kara and Locke.  But it doesn't stop there and she tells know one of this.  While volunteering she also finds out that she doesn't tire or feel the effects of hardwork as much as Ethan does.  When finally exploring the secret locked room, she finds three boxes.  One with her name and two others with the names of her friends, Kara and Locke.  When trying to remove the boxes, she cuts her hand open and makes a startling discovry.  She finds that below the skin and a small layer of muscles there is blue gel and synthetic bones.  After questioning her parents about this, they begin to slowly reveal the story of what happened.  Her accident left her horribly burned and near death.  They were able to recover small skin cells and scans of her brians.  Soon after they uploaded her brain into a computer.  It was only 10%.  That was all that was left of Jenna Fox.  There are laws in place so that a person can only have so much of the their body replaced with the Bio Gel.  She knows this because Allys works with the organization to help prevent the overuse of the Bio Gel.  It is extremely illegal to go over the limit.  And Jenna realizes that her being in existence is simply illegal and could cause a lot of problems for several people.  So for over a year, they rebuilt her, by using the gel to replace most of her organs, creating a primative gastrointestinal system, using her own skin samples to grow a whole skin, as well as what was left of her brain.  They imput her old memories and functions into what was left of her old mind (often the section called the Butterfly of the brain) and the new Bio Gel.  She also finds that implanted certain commands in order to keep her safe, such as Go To Your Room and then entire 10-12 grade curiculums.  Yet, she has learned to fight those commands.  Because most of her is made of the Bio Gel they do not know how long it will last.  It could be up to 2 year or 200.  They moved to a warmer climate because it helps to preserve it longer.  She also learns that in the other boxes are the uploads from Kara and Locke's minds as well as her back up.  In acts of rebellion she destroyes the back ups.  She also remembers that it was not her that caused the accident and killed her friends, but Kara.  Although she and her Grandmother have been at odds, they seem to bond over the fact that Jenna is different in many ways, but still the same in others.  This new revelation takes a toll on her friendships at school.  She tries to distance herself from Ethan, but he refuses and she tells him.  Allys figures out about Jenna and becomes extremely angry.  She doesn't come to school for several days and when Jenna visits, she finds that Allys is having system failure and dying, but not before she told her parents about Jenna.  That night, while her father is in town, they recieve a visit from Allys' parents.  They are extremely upset.  Later we see that Jenna and Ethan are still working at the church and Jenna's grandmother comes in and helps to make her feel human once again.  The book jumps forward 260 years and we see Jenna is still alive and well and in the body of a 17 year old.  She now lives with Allys, who is only 22% of herself.  She states that after they came out, people were more accepting of them.  Jenna herself became a standard by only needing 10% of the function brain to be rebuilt.  She tells that she married Ethan and they had 70 great years together.  We now find out that she has had a child with Ethan's DNA and her saved ovary.  But she knows that she could probably stay like this for a while longer, but one day will travel to Boston in the winter and finally succumb to the inevitable.

I absolutely loved the story.  You can see the internal struggle that Jenna faces everyday.  Because everything is new to her, she doesn't remember boundaries or how to sugarcoat anything.  It's also great to see her progression from a young girl who is trying to learn things about herself, to an angry teen who is utterly confused to finally accepting who she is and realizing that what is inside does not necessary make you human.  It's also an extremely thought provoking look at how far is too far with technical and medical advances.  It makes one question how far would someone go to keep another near?  Or is it even ethically right to do someone?  Jenna had no choice in the matter and couldn't express her point in the hospital.  She also questions the fact that they may have rebuilt her body, but what about her soul, her emotional state and her quirks?  Where all of those implanted too?  Over time you can see how she is able to adjust and cope with her new look on life.  While she lashes out against her parents for doing this to her and covering it up, in a way, it is simply the new Jenna coming to understand how much her parents love her and a new chance for her.  While she begins to exhibit some of the same personality traits as the old Jenna, according to her grandmother, it is hard to see how she deals with emotions and new concepts, as though she has to learn them all over again.  The struggle with her grandmother is also hard.  At first, she wants nothing to do with her, but in the end, is willing to help her when she startes to become a new Jenna.  It's a struggle with her and how to handle the balance of her new life and her old.  But she does know that no matter what, it is not what is inside of you that makes you a human.  You can have lungs and a heart, but if you don't have compassion or feel any emotions, then that doesn't make you anymore human than a bird.  She may not have all the internal structures, but she does realize that in the end, you are whoever you choose to be.         

Feed by MT Anderson

Feed follows the story of Titus.  He is your typical teenage boy with his typical teenage friends.  If you consider typical being set sometime in the far distant future where babies have the "FeedNet" implanted into their brians so that they can uplink to our version of the internet, children are created in a lab with the specific features that they requested, they can travel to other planets and moons, the idea of privacy has completely gone away, pop-up ads appear before your eyes and where the Earth is on the verge of death.  While on spring break to the moon, Titus and his friends meet a girl named Violet.  They all decide that rather than getting drunk or going into "mal" (allowing malfunctions to occur to simulate the effects of drugs), they go to a party, where a man simply touches them and they all go blank.  It shuts down their Feed temporarily.  Many of the teens cannot copy with it and find it extremely hard to live without it.  However, it is revealed that most people can even read because there is no need.  Violet is one of the rare few because her father was a professor and though that the Feed lead to the degredation of society.  While Titus and Violet date, we learn several different things.  That you can instantly chat a person or send them an e-mail no matter where you are through the Feed.  We also find out that School is now privatized and that children don't actually get any sort of education because everything to know is available through the Feed.  Air is no longer made naturally but manufactured as well as Clouds.  The water is so polluted that no one can be allowed in it anymore.  There are tons of riots and wars occuring all around the world.  Random skin leisons also appear on the humans.  The book does not detail the cause or if they can heal.  Over the course of their relationship, Violet and Titus have differing opinions on the consumerism overtaking their culture.  Titus is fine with it, while Violet is not.  But that's not the only problem, Violet's Feed is starting to malfunction.  Not just cause her not to access the Feed, but also not move certain parts of her body.  As time progresses, not only does Violet's body deteriorate, but also her relationship with Titus.  He begins to distance himself from her by deleting the memories she sent him, not responding and turning down her advances.  Violet is also struggling with her Feed repairs.  It is not cheap and unfortunately, because she is not a valued customers, the large corporations do not feel as though she is important enough to help.  Near the end of the book, we see that Violet is near death and will not survive much longer.  Along with her, the rest of the world is also going down.  People are also starting to experience limb failure, increasing lesions and more natural disasters. 

The concpet of the book is an excellent and scary thought.  Not only does it force people to think about their future consequences and how much we can use technology to hurt as well as "help" but also how far people are willing to go to be apart of the popular culture.  It's a grim look at how what we do today can really effect and change tomorrow, which makes it extremely educational in some aspects.  I do also find it extremely saddening to see how education is not considered relevent anymore.  Many of the students do not even know how to read, let alone have an original thought.  And Violet, one girl who does like to think freely rather than blend into the crowd is considered an outcast and fairly weird among her peers.  It's a sad realization to know that she is one of the few who think that corporations have too much control.  It's also a little disturbing to see how far people will go in order to fit in.  They are willing to purchase mountains and mountains of clothing that they will wear for only one week then discard them or how they will intentionally get lesions because it's considered to be "cool."  I shared the view point of Violet, that just because something is considered to be popular doesn't mean that everyone should do it, especially if they are causing harm to themselves.  I really found the concept of the book to be very though-provoking and almost in a sense forewarning.  However, there were some aspect of the book that I did not enjoy.  While the language may have been something that a typical teenage would say, their sentences were no more developed than that of an 8 year old.  Using the word "like" in every other sentence or improper grammer.  I know that the language was specifically choosen in order to demonstrate the lack of education, however, it can be tiresome to read.  Also, the main character seemed to be extremely static throughout the course of the book.  It wasn't until the very end that he showed any bit of emotion or concern.  He appeared to be very self-absorbed in what was happening in his world or only to him, not in the world around him or to others.  He is callous towards Violet even when she is the process of shutting down because she is bold enough to say exactly what she means.  Although the story was extremely intriguing and sad in many ways, I did find parts of it iritating, mostly with the mindset and development of the characters.  It's a very good book to help consider future dilemmas, however, not to ready for enjoyment.   

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher

The story begins with Eric Calhoune who is a typical teenage boy who is a little overweight.  Over the years he has lost a lot of weight, but for one whole year, he tried to hide it and stay fat.  He didn't do it for himself, but for his best friend Sarah Byrnes who was covered in horrible burn scars all over her face and hands.  They had been best friends since middle school when they realized that they were outcasts.  But currently, Sarah Byrnes is struggling.  She has gone into a catatonic state and refuses to speak by staying in the mental ward of the local hospital.  Eric visits everyday in an attempt to help her.  He becomes aggravated because no one else seems to understand and he is pestered by the local "perfect guy" named Mark Brittian.  They fight with each other verbally in their classes and against each other in the pool.  Mark in his extreme devotion to religion takes their tole on everyone he surrounds, but he has the support of the vice-principal who seems to hate Eric.  While all the typical high school drama goes on, they mystery surrounding Sarah Byrnes continues to grow.  Eric soon discovers that Sarah actually can speak but is choosing not to because her life is in danger due to her father.  Her father is the one her who burned her at the age of 3 and is starting to threaten her again. She needs to get away  but can only trust Eric.  So he and Mrs. Lemry (his swim coach), plan to help Sarah escape and find her mother who can put Mr. Byrnes away.  But Mr. Byrnes isn't giving up without a fight.  She tracks down Eric and attacks him to find out info on Sarah.  Finally, the police show up but Mr. Byrnes gets away.  He is tracked down by Eric's father figure and brought in.  In the end, Sarah is adopted by Mrs. Lemry, Mr. Byrnes goes away to prison for a long time and Eric gets a swimming scholarship.  Things end well for everyone and gives hope for the future.

While the story is good and well written, there are times in which the story begins to lag.  In the beginning, it was difficult to really get into the story because Eric (the narrator) kept jumping back and forth between past and present.  There are moments in which it would have been easier for Eric to simply tell the whole story of the past rather than skipping around telling one part here and another part here.  The story progressed very well and did manage to keep me interested.  However, there seemed to be a great many details that did not pertain to the story.  While the side story of Mark Brittian was important to the turn of other events, it would seem to try and compete with the Sarah Byrnes part of the story for attention.  However, the story was well done and does manage to keep the reader's attention for a good majority of it.

The Perks of Being a WallFlower by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower focus on the life of Charlie and his perspective as told through personal letters written to an anonymous person.  The letters mention extremely personal details and even quoting what people say.  The story begins as he details his best friend, Michael's suicide.  He soon after begins high school and at first starts off alone, looking to his English teacher who keeps him occupied with extra reading.  But Charlie soon makes a friend named Patrick who is a senior along with his step-sister, Sam.  They are not considered popular or jocks, but they do have a close group of friends.  Charlie chronicles his first experience with drugs as well as memories from his childhood.  He had a favorite aunt who died in a car accident on his birthday which left Charlie with a great deal of guilt and emotionally unstable.  Since that time he has very sensitive feelings and can cry extremely easily.  He has his first girlfriend, which causes problems in the group dynamic.  He often mentions his dysfunctional family and how they are prone to drinking, but can also showcase their closeness as he helps his sister with a difficult time.  As time progresses and his friendships become constrained, he delves further into an abusive lifestyle by continually taking drugs, crying often and struggling with depression.  He also expriments with homosexuality in order to help his friend Patrick, deal with the hard break-up with his secret boyfriend, Brad.  Soon he accepted by his friends again and things begin to normalize.  However, upon his first sexual encounter, Charlie has a terrible realization of childhood molestation at the hands of his aunt that leads to an emotional break-down.  Finally at the end of the book, Charlie is getting ready to start his sophomore year and although his friends have all graduated, he excited to start actually trying to live his life.

The book is written from the perspective of Charlie in a series of letters.  Although he does not really know the recipient very well, he acts as though they are the closest of friends.  This only speaks to the longing for friendship that Charlie desires and pursues over the course of the book.  There are several different deep and difficult issues addressed in the book.  There is the prevent use of drugs by Charlie, almost on an addiction basis.  There are also several different instances of sex used through out the book.  Charlie has witnessed a couple of them as well as experienced them.  He also has dealt with homosexuality.  His best friend Patrick was gay, had a difficult break.  Charlie was there and helped him by going to places to meet guys as well as kiss him when he needed it.  While Charlie wasn't comfortable with it, he allowed it to happen because "it's what friends do."  Throughout the course of the book, Charlie strives to be honest as well as have friends, which from the letters, appears to be at odds.  He can at times be brutally honest and end up hurting others feelings.  Charlie deals with depression at different times over the course of the book, but can also see great moments of happiness and joy.  The book is extremely well written told from an honest and blunt perspective that doesn't sugarcoat situations.  However, Charlie who can be full of emotion at one minute then is completely devoid of it in in the next, which make it seem as though he is at odds with himself.  I think that most teens and young adults would find that the book may find the book intriguing and to an extent, honest within their own lives.

Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff

Make Lemonade is the story of a young girl by the name of LaVaughn.  She has previously mentioned going to college someday to her mother and since then, it has been her mother's dream her to go.  But she'll have to make the grades and try to get the money to do.  In order for her to make a little money, LaVaughn decides to take a babysitting job she sees a posting for.  When she arrives at the house, she finds that the girl in need, Jolly, is no more that a few years older than she is and has two small children, both under the age of 3, Jeremy and Jilly.  Even though her mother is skeptical, she takes the job.  After a few days of working, it turns out to be a harder task than first thought.  The apartment is filthy and the kids are always a mess.  To try and help Jeremy, he and LaVaughn plant some lemon seeds in the hopes they will grow into a lemon tree.  Trying to help, she attempts to clean and take care of the kids, all the while still trying to maintain good grades in school.  However, after Jolly loses her job because no one believes that she was sexually harassed by her boss, she is starting to hit hard times.  She is hesitant to go back to school, but she makes the sacrifice for her children. In the end, it's her new education of health training that allows Jolly to save the life of her daughter after she swallows and spits up a spider.  After that incident, Jolly has a new sort of confidence in herself and her new education.  While the friendship between LaVaughn and Jolly dissolves it is extremely sad to see that they cannot continue to be on the same path.  LaVaughn misses the kids and the small moments with Jolly.  But she still has a new part time job to help pay for college.  And a small moment between Jolly and LaVaughn is revealed when Jolly lets her know that the seeds are now a small plant.  

It's a very touching and moving story of a young girl learning about the harsh aspects of reality.  She takes a job to help babysit so that she can get her own education and not live the same standards she grew up in.  Every time a difficult occurs with the babysit, it comes as a harsh reminder of why she is there:  she babysits now, so that it won't become her future.  Once Jolly looses her job and her ability to pay for babysitting, LaVaughn decides to help her by working for free.  It's heartbreaking to see how much Jolly doesn't want to go to school or get help because she has had difficult dealings with those institutions in the past.  It's also difficult to see how in the end of the book Jolly and LaVaughn have grown apart.  But in a way, it's a good thing because Jolly has grown up in a lot of ways and because of that has also left that part of her past behind which includes her friendship with LaVaughn. While the book does deal with the hardships of life as a single teenage mom, it also helps that the book does have a positive ending with Jolly being able to use her education and also wanting to go farther with it.  It is really an amazing story with a great ending that leaves the reader on a positive note.