I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Barry Lyga’s book, I Hunt Killers, is an action packed fiction novel. This book was a big mystery and full of puzzles and questions. 

The main character is Jazz Dent who is the son of one of the most notorious serial killers. With Jazz growing up with his dad pushing him to follow in his footsteps, Jazz has all the inside information on what serial killers look to do and why they perform some of their actions. This characteristic is important to Jazz in this book because a few years after his dad has been arrested, a new serial killer is using some of the same tactics. This is a problem for Jazz because now people think Jazz is following in his father’s footsteps. 

The only way for Jazz to stop these accusations is to help the police by using the skills he has learned from his father. He helps investigate the crime scenes and finds more clues about who the new serial killer is. Jazz is able to help the police because he sees crime scenes from a whole different viewpoint because of his past experiences with his dad.

This book is full of description and mysteries that are very interesting as they start to unravel. The author does a great job to help you picture all the scenes and really gets you interested in the book. You will want to keep reading. If you enjoy watching TV shows like CSI or Criminal Minds you will love this book. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read and it has an ending that will keep you wondering. A struggle you have is always wondering what will happen if Jazz will continue to blaze his own future or if he will decide to do what his father had planned for him. You will need to read this book to find out. Go pick it up at your local library and you will not want to put it down.

Lucas R.

Right Behind You by Gail Giles

Gail Giles’ book, Right Behind You, is a tragic story with a happy ending. It is a fictional book but I am sure this situation has happened before. What this book taught me was there is always another side to the story. Kip, the main character of the book, kills another child with fire. The book talks about his time in a mental hospital and fighting the reality of what he did. Once he does get past that, he decides to start fresh and get a new life. He then has the high school life many kids desire. He is the popular, good looking jock with the pretty girlfriend and popular friends. Yet Kip still has trouble getting beyond his past life. He feels he does not deserve this and that feeling is what I liked about the book. The author did give away his happy ending right there. She made the character really fight for his freedom and made him realize he deserved to be happy. One day he told everyone what he had done and his perfect life was gone. He then had to start again and believe what he did was in the past and it was a mistake. That made me really like this book. It is just like in the movies when you think the happy ending is coming and then something bad happens and you think everything is done. But then you see the light in the tunnel. The author took her time to show the hardships Kip’s family had and what he went through to get to that happy ending. Plus, the whole plot is great. It is a book about something we do not hear about often and it made me realize when things like this happen maybe we should be more understanding.

Elizabeth M.

Author Spotlight: James Patterson

Today's post is about one of my favorite authors. His writings are diverse, intense and not always expected.

BIO: James Patterson was born 1947 in Newburgh, NY. Graduated valedictorian of his class in 1965. He claims to be a reluctant reader while he was in high school but majored in English at Manhattan College. He never planned to be a writer, “that seemed to presumptuous of me”. After graduation from college he landed a job as a junior copywriter but quickly advanced in his career becoming a CEO of a major New York advertising firm. All the while he continued to write in his spare time.

A contributor to Publishers Weekly called Patterson "always a generous author (lots of plot and intrigue) if not a stylish one." In 2008, Patterson announced plans to develop his novels into computer games. For more information visit his website http://www.jamespatterson.com/

Among my favorites:

Alex Cross Series        

The Beach House

Maximum Ride

Link to more books by James Patterson on our shelves

Read a review by Ethan W. The Jester

"James Patterson." Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Biography In Context. Web.
          7  Mar. 2013.
James Patterson Author Biographies. Ezine Articles, Oct. 2009. Web. 7 Mar. 2013.
     <http://ezinearticles.com/ ?James-Patterson---Author-Biographies&id=3036955>.

Recommended Reading: Escape!

Stories about teenagers held against their wills trying to escape before it's too late.

F Bodeen,S 
Bodeen, S. A. The Compound.
When a nuclear war starts, Eli's billionaire father rushes his family in into their underground compound. They have everything they need to survive until it is safe to go above ground again. But when things start to go wrong, Eli realizes the real danger is not just on the surface but within his own family.

F Dashner,J
Dashner, James. The Maze Runner.
When Thomas wakes up on the lift, all he can remember is his first name. When the doors open, he finds himself in a huge maze with stone walls called the Glade. He is surrounded by a group of boys his own age who have a similar story. Every 30 days a new boy arrives, but no one has ever escaped the Glades.

F Henry,A
Henry, April. Shock Point.
When Cassie finds out that her psychiatrist stepfather Rick has been illegally prescribing an experimental drug to teen patients who have then committed suicide. To silence her, Rick commits her to a sadistic boot camp for troubled teen in Mexico called Peaceful Cove.  Even if she can escape the brutal camp, she has to get through the Mexican desert and get back to Oregon. And even then, who will believe her story?

F Smith,A
Smith, Alexander Gordon. Lockdown: Escape from Furnace.
Furnace Penitentiary is the world's most secure youth prison. It is a mile underground and its inmates are all serving life sentences. The guards and the other inmates are sadistic, but they aren't the worst things about the prison. Alex Sawyer is a criminal, but he has been falsely imprisoned for murder. Together, with a group of other innocent kids and some cold blooded killers, Alex plans a dangerous escape.

 F Strasser,T
Strasser, Todd. Boot Camp.
Harmony Lake is a boot camp for troubled teens and supposedly a godsend for desperate parents.  Like all kids at the camp, Garrett is taken in the middle of the night. He knows that some of the kids deserve there, but when he is beaten and subjected to psychological abuse, he knows he has to try to escape at all costs before it is too late.

News of a Kidnapping by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ book, “News of a Kidnapping”, is a really interesting book. This book is about Escobar’s way to pressure the government so they would not pass the laws that would extradite all the drug leaders from Colombia to the United States. In order to pressure the government, Escobar kidnaps several journalists and threatens to kill them one by one so the law won’t take effect.

The book switches from the journalist’s lives during this chaos to the government’s strategies to solve the problem. The lives of these young and old journalists are in the hands of the government. They will try to benefit the journalists yet they will also do anything to benefit themselves until Escobar gives up.

Because this book is set in Colombia, the reader must pay close attention when the writer talks about what the government is doing because it can get confusing. This book is excellent for people who like to see what people are capable of doing for power.


Janeth A.

Heart-Shaped Box

If you like ghosts, the paranormal and rock music, Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill is just the book for which you’ve been looking. This novel is a horror novel that will keep your hands clutched to the hard covers, fingers ready to turn the page and your mind fixed on crazy thoughts of ghosts.

Heart-Shaped Box starts with the introduction of Judas Coyne, a washed up rock star with a strange fetish for creepy gizmos and gadgets. This fetish is what basically tells the story. Jude and his assistant, Danny Wooten, stumble upon what seems to be a hoax on eBay but without hesitation, Jude says “buy it”. What he thought was a silly hoax actually turns out to be a suit encased with a trapped soul. This is no ordinary poltergeist either. It has murderous intensions.

When I was searching for a book to read, I couldn’t find one that particularly caught my interest. But once I read the words "Heart-Shaped Box" on the spine, I got the strange feeling this book would be good. Personally I am one who is interested in the paranormal and the unseen so this book was intensely fascinating. I would highly recommend Heart-Shaped Box for the people who want to give their imagination a thrill but I would not recommend reading this book if you are one who is afraid of things that go bump in the night.


John M.

Don't Look Behind You by Lois Duncan

Lois Duncan's “Don't Look Behind You” is a great mystery book. From the start of the story it was hard to put this book down. It is filled with so much suspense. This story begins with April, an eleventh grader at Spring Side Academy. She has a perfect life; she is good looking, has a senior boyfriend and is the best tennis player at school. Life couldn't get better but that all changes one afternoon when April's father is shot at during a trial and the family has to enter the witness protection program.

Hugo P.

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

Dan Brown's novel, “Angels & Demons”, is a work of fiction. If you have previously read “The Da Vinci Code”, then you will like “Angels & Demons”. It is actually the first of the Robert Langdon saga and it tells the story of the on going religious battle between the Catholic Church and the Illuminati. Langdon is called to Switzerland to investigate the murder of a physicist which launches him into the middle of an on going war between two ancient societies that takes him all over Europe. Eventually he goes to Vatican City to stop it from being destroyed. This book is full of twists and turns and never has a dull moment; I had trouble putting it down and I bet you will too.

Mackenzie B.

Two Badges: The Lives of Mona Ruiz by Ramona Ruiz

Wow! This book was great! There's a short story behind how it got into my hands. It was sophomore year and I was sitting in Saturday school, not really doing anything, when all of a sudden this one teacher approached me and handed me “Two Badges: The Lives of Mona Ruiz”. I pretended I was reading but really I was taking a nap. So I took it home and just threw it on top of my dresser. Ever since then it has been sitting there until Mrs. Cobbett, my Writer's Workshop teacher, gave us a reading assignment. I went home after the school day was over and came back with the book.

I started reading and right after the first chapter, I could not stop. It was so intriguing! This book is the true story of a gang banger-turned-cop. Ramona Sandoval begins with one under-cover mission at her old stomping grounds. The under-cover operation was a success but Little John appeared. It was the first time the drug junkie had appeared in front of Mona since she had left the gang scene almost a decade earlier. While in high school, Mona met Frankie at a party and after a couple of months, they moved in together. They eventually had three kids together but Frankie became abusive toward Mona and she had to get out of that situation. She needed a job so she went to the police station. While there she met many officers and sergeants willing to help her. They provided her with information and economic support. She realized her wildest dream was becoming a reality. She was now a Santa Ana Police Officer. The rest…well check out the book and you'll find out. I have so much I can say about this book but you have to read it on your own! It will be worth it! As you are reading, you feel as if you are there with Mona.

Rosa D.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult's book “Nineteen Minutes” is a fiction book and it is about a Columbine type shooting at a high school. This story tells about the struggles between two characters, Josie and Peter. During the trial you learn more about what happened in Josie's past as she has flashbacks before the shooting. At the end of the trial, you find out about one of Peter's and Josie's biggest secrets which will just blow your mind! If you need to cry, this is the book for you because it’s a very emotional book about high school and we can all relate to that. If you can't stand crying, then DO NOT read this book!

Stephanie R.

Halo: Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund

Halo: Fall of Reach takes you into a war torn universe filled with many secrets. The novel follows a young child by the name of John through his life as a Spartan. The Spartan II program headed by Dr. Halsey kidnaps special children who fit the criteria and replaces them with clones. The real children become genetically engineered super humans. But, lurking in the darkness is a genocidal foe that no one could have imagined. I personally liked this book because of the suspense and the mystery that surrounds the Halo Universe. Being a huge Halo fan, I had to read the prologue to the award winning Xbox game. Other students would prefer this book as well because of the unexpectedness it brings and the perspective of another teenager’s life as a Spartan II.



Gladius B.

First Date by R.L. Stine

This book is about a girl who plays the saxophone and is in a band and she has never been on a date. She has a best friend, Nina, who has a boyfriend and is very popular. They are best friends even though they are different. Then a guy arrives at her homeroom in school and he is so shy but has very warm eyes. She starts to like him. She works in a restaurant and she works with his dad. Then a new guy goes there; his name is Sparks and he is very cute. So she has a crush on both Sparks and Will. But one of them is a killer and you can't really tell which one. One of them is so nice and one is very mean. Then an FBI agent comes and describes a guy they are trying to catch. She thinks it is Sparks but in reality it is Will, the nice guy. She pretends to be dead and Nina comes over and Will wants to kill her because she knows the truth about him. Then Chelsea comes over and saves her friend. The FBI arrives and takes the guy. In the end, Chelsea and Sparks stay together and Nina thanks Chelsea for saving her life.

Diana (Sonia) P.

Darkest Dawn by R.L.STINE

I liked this book because it had a lot of suspense building throughout the story. This book is about a girl having connections with Angelica but in reality it is just about her father. The dad haunts the girl because they decided to destroy the house and now he wants revenge. The father is killing all of her friends because he wants to leave her alone so she will suffer. This book is mostly about how the girl suffers seeing her friends being killed and how she needs to pass her senior year. If you like books that are intense, you will like this book.

Diana P.

The Rules of Survival by: Nancy Werlin

This book is a very interesting book that everybody might enjoy. It starts when Matt is writing a letter to his little sister, Emmy. He writes everything that has happened so when Emmy grows up she will look back on how her mom was, what happened and even who Murdoch was. Something else about which he wrote were situations he had been through that maybe Emmy might not remember. The characters in this book are Matt, Callie, Emmy, their mother, Vikki and Murdoch. Vikki starts to change when Murdoch breaks up with her. Her kids realize she has changed a lot in her attitudes. Her mom (Nikki) starts to go crazy and gets out of control and later she ends up in jail. That is how Aunt Bobbie is in charge of them because Nikki is told she can't be in charge anymore because she has spent time in jail. She is so sad and angry and feels like crying but she doesn't show her emotions.

At the end of the story Matt is living with Aunt Bobbie who is his mother's sister and so is Emmy but not Callie. Callie goes with her husband because she got pregnant and also because she wanted to be with him. Right now she is really happy with her husband and she is in love. Aunt Bobbie is taking good care of Matt and Emmy because she's a really good guardian and parent for them.

Miriam F.

Sweep, #1 - "Book of Shadows" By Cate Tiernan

Morgan is just an average teenage girl, going to school and experiencing life. But she isn't the ordinary girl she believes herself to be. She lives with her mom and dad and younger sister Mary K. She has two best friends, Robbie and Bree. She meets a handsome guy named Cal Blair who is automatically drawn to her. She finds she possesses an unknown power and her life begins to change.

She begin to like Cal Blair as he is nice and friendly. But when she is invited to a circle of Wicca to celebrate the holiday Mabon, she learns she has this ability to make magic and this sparks Cal's interest in her. He ends up creating a rift between her and Bree. At the last Wicca circle, Cal forms a coven with the group, naming it Cirrus. At this Wicca circle, Morgan discovers she is a blood witch.

I recommend anyone who likes magic and romance stories to read this book. I loved it. It was suspenseful and it’s the first book of the series that includes fourteen books.

Colleen C.

Sure Fire by Jack Higgins

In this story two men infiltrate an oil factory and retrieve a sample of something. John Chance was one of the two men infiltrating that factory. Later, he gets a call telling him he has two orphan kids, products of a past relationship. The kids have to live with their father, who, at the moment is having trouble hiding what he stole. When Chance tries to take the sample to his contact, he's kidnapped in front of his children. This unleashes a search that involves the police and foreign spies, all of them trying to get their hands on the sample and the kids.
The book centers on the relationship that's developing between the kids and their father and their differences as well as adding action and suspense to the story.

Alejandro V.

Message in a Bottle by Nicolas Sparks

Message in a Bottle is the second romance novel written by Nicolas Sparks that expressed both love and grief. Theresa Osborne is a single parent. In the novel she is dealing with a divorce from her son Kevin's father. Theresa is the editor at a Boston newspaper. Theresa goes on vacation with her good friend, Deanna, and her husband. While on a walk by the ocean she found a message in a bottle written by Garret. Garret lost his wife, Catherine, in a car accident; writing letters to her was a way for him to get over her death. When Theresa found the message she immediately fell in love with Garret. She thought "whoever writes a letter like this must be something special". Soon after, Theresa publishes the letter and then begins to receive responses from people saying they found similar letters. She decides to do research on Garret. She finds out his name is Garret Blake. Later, she decides to go and visit Garret and that is a journey through life itself.

I thought this book was awesome. I highly recommend it to women and even men, who love romance but also drama. Read it, as this book will truly open your eyes.

Dana W.

I am Legend by: Richard Matheson

Who is the real Legend?



Richard Matheson, the author of the novel "I am Legend," tells a story about how the whole human population gets infected with a disease that turns people into vampire like creatures. However, there is one man who is immune to the disease and he is Dr. Robert Neville. The main purpose of the story is how the infected creatures throughout the story try to infect Neville with their disease. But, Neville's main goal in the story is to find the cause and the cure for the disease.

The story was published in 1954 by Tom Doherty Associations Inc. The book is 315 pages long. It is a science fiction story. Overall, this is a good book. It gives a lot of good detail and information. It is also very descriptive and intense.



Tony Q.

After the First Death by Robert Cormier

I enjoyed this book because it was interesting knowing what goes on through the thoughts of a young teen and the reasons why he would want to join a gang. If you have ever wondered why people want to join a gang or what drives them to do crazy things they will later regret, then this would be a book you would enjoy reading. This book shows what different people think about and how they feel experiencing the same situation. This boy later learns what he did was wrong and regrets every mistake.

Yesenia M.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Kate was diagnosed with leukemia when she was two years old. She would need a donor if she was to survive and putting her on a donors list would take too long. Once they found out her parents (Brian and Sara Fitzgerald) and her brother (Jesse) were not a match, Sara sought an alterative solution. She met with a doctor who explained they could genetically pick their next child to match Kate's DNA and that is how they got Anna. Since the minute Anna was born, she was a donor for Kate. At birth they took blood from Anna's umbilical cord. Over the course of thirteen years, Anna became a donor for Kate countless times. She donated blood and bone marrow and underwent surgeries. Now Kate's kidneys are giving out and Anna has had enough. She finds a lawyer who is willing to defender her; she wants to be medically emancipated from her parents.

"My Sister's Keeper" is a 423 page novel. The six main characters tell the story from their point of view and it switches off with each chapter. I really liked this style because it helped me understand how everyone felt about the situation. The author also didn't have a chapter from Kate's point of view until the very end so you had to piece together what you could from what the other people say. Another thing that stood out in her writing was there was never just one story going on and it comes together in the end in an unexpected way. The genre is realistic fiction with a little bit of suspense. The ideal audience would probably be female and someone with a sister or a sibling with whom they are close. Overall, I would recommend "My Sister's Keeper". It is worth reading and one book most people would find interesting.

Joslyn M.