BAIT by Alex Sanchez

Bait was about a boy named Diego who was suffering with a horrible secret. The secret was he was raped and abused when he was younger by his stepfather. This caused him to worry he'd be gay or even turn gay. Than one day a boy at school who was gay was staring at Diego, Diego told him to stop and he wouldn't so Diego punched him in the face. This is when he met his PO (Parole Officer) Mr. Vidas. As he began to open up with Mr. Vidas we found out that Diego had tried to tell his mom that this was happening but when he brought it up she slapped him across the face, she wouldn't listen to him. Diego started to feel more and more comfortable with Mr. Vidas but once this happened he felt like he was being taken away because Mr. Vidas decided against having him be on Parole. Diego felt betrayed and worried Mr. Vidas was the only male figure Diego had in his life and he wasn't about to lose that. So Diego requested to have probation so he could talk more to Mr. Vidas. Mr. Vidas had no idea Diego was cutting him self and soon found out. After this, all Diego's secrets began spilling out eventually leading to Mr. Vidas' secret also being found out. Mr. Vidas is gay. Diego immediately felt betrayed and decided he was going into the ocean to fight the shark that appeared in his dreams so often. After almost drowning Diego made it back to shore and decided to talk to Mr. Vidas about what he had learned. Mr. Vidas confirmed to him that he was in fact gay and told Diego that he'd never hurt him, and Diego soon trusted him again. Eventually Mr. Vidas sent up a meeting with Diego's mom & himself and Diego told her about the abuse. Soon after opening up their relationship got better, and Mr. V tried an activity asking Diego to imagine that he could say what he always wanted to say to his stepfather (Mac). After this activity Diego began to feel like a weight was lifted off his shoulders, everything from then on out got much better.

I learned a lot about the struggle people go through when their abused and how it can really effect their lives if they don't talk about it. Also i learned how much impact not having a father figure in someones life can be.

An excellent book really draws you in and you can feel the pain Diego is suffering. And how desperate he is for a male figure in his life.

Recommended for grades 9-12 and adults


KH in Greenville

RESPONSE by Paul Volponi

This Book is about a young African American male named Noah who is 17 yrs old and lives in the time when things were a bit hectic about racism. He was a teen father of a daughter named Destiny and loved her severely. One night him and his friends decided they needed money so they decided to go into the white town to steal a car and instead got caught up in and beaten. His friends ran off and he tripped and got severely jumped by the white gang and got a bat struck on the side of his head which went to his skull. This accident changed his life. He had the trouble of going through the court because they considered it a hate crime because the boys just jumped him because he was black. He realized then that if anything worse could have happened his daughter would not have a dad anymore and it made him feel even worse. In the end he figured out what he had to do to change his life and become a man and he did it successfully.

This book was probably one of the books I loved. Reading this book just was such an inspiration because it's all true facts on how the world really is. It shows hatred amongst others and social impact on racism. It hits you a lot when reading this book. What I gained from it is that even though you might hate someone so badly with your heart and mind that in the end you shouldn't react on your anger because it will get you nowhere. Instead take the time to relax, let your mind wonder and do the right thing by forgiving the one who did wrong, because in the end the person who did you wrong is the one who wants the anger back at them. That's what makes them keep going. Show them that you are stronger than you think and you can rise above and be a better person.

Just read it because honestly it will change you. It will show you how much brighter your future will be without being so angry.

Recommended for grades 11-12.


AH in Howland

BREATHING UNDERWATER by Alexandra Flinn

Nick is popular and wealthy and claims to be in love with Caitlin. The relationship they share is fine in the first few months, but then Nick begins to display his true colors. He becomes controlling and jealous and tries to run Caitlin's life, such as telling her to not sing in the talent show because she is a terrible singer. He treats his girlfriend inappropriately and when things get out of hand, Caitlin gets a restraining order and Nick is forced by the court to attend anger management. For the first time he sees that he has become his father, and he eventually realizes the seriousness of his actions and how much he hurt Caitlin.

Breathing Underwater teaches that not all relationships are healthy and how serious abuse really is. A person's home life could determine the potential they have to be an abuser, just as Nick's home life. Also, that there are consequences for all your actions.

I would recommend this book because of the valuable lessons it contains about teenage dating and abuse.

Recommended for all teens.


VG in Howland

EVERYTHING IS FINE by Ann Dee Ellis

Independent and stubborn, Mazzy lives in a quiet house where her mother refuses to get out of bed. Her father is miles away working for a T.V. channel - neglecting his young daughter and depressed wife. She feels she is losing everything - she has already lost too much - and continues to push away the people who love her most (her father, her BFF, her friendly neighbor) in the subconscious effort to find herself. Analyzing her world in her creative, quirky way, Mazzy tells her touching yet sometimes humorous story of discovering herself and searching for her family.

Covering such topics as grief, depression, loss, growing up, and the search for identity, this book made me more fully aware of the difficulties teens face. The whole story and the presentation of these problems were very believable and touching - I felt I was able to understand Mazzy's experiences and tribulations.

I felt pulled into a story mixed with the humor of a creative, unique teen and the difficult, bitter realities she bravely faced. The references to recognizable television shows and people, such as Oprah and Bill Gates, grabbed my attention and made me more able to relate to the main character, Mazzy. The characters were also well developed, likable, and innovative and were an essential part of the story. However, the book's ending seemed abrupt; the story was finished before I felt satisfied with how the characters' lives would play out.

Recommended for grades 9-12.

SA in Greenville

DEADVILLE by Ron Koertge

Ryan has been spending his life getting baked with his friend Andy and listening to music ever since his sister Molly died. But than Charlotte Silano falls off her horse and lands herself into a coma. Ryan begins to drift away from Andy and feels himself drawn to Charlotte's hospital bed. He spends his days now visiting Charlotte in the hospital talking to her asking her to get up. One of the times there he meets a girl named Betty who was Charlotte's volleyball teammate. Something sparks and a relationship grows between them. They go to the hospital now on a very regular basis and as he goes to the hospital he begins to face memories of Molly (who died from cancer) which he struggles to cope with throughout the book. At the hospital Ryan meets a little boy named Thad who tells him about a place named Deadville. Thad describes Deadville as a place where people who have been in horrible accidents or operations can somewhat float outside there bodies and look down on them, almost like an out of body experience. Ryan struggles to believe him until one day Ryan has a dream were Charlotte comes to his bed and says "I'm on my way back, Ryan come to the hospital. I want you there." Then he rushes to the hospital to Charlotte's room were Charlotte begins coughing and wakes up! As days go by her body still needs rehab but her personality still goes back to the same old Charlotte. Ryan has finally coped with Molly's death and begins moving on through his life.

I learned that dealing with tough things in life might take awhile but you can do it.

Excellent book, has you wondering will Charlotte wake up? Will Ryan ever cope with Molly's death? Will Ryan and Charlotte become a couple? Keeps you guessing till the very end.

Recommended for grades 9-12.

KH in Greenville

YOU DON'T KNOW ME by David Klass

John goes through his life thinking noone truly knows him. He calls everyone he knows by different names because he thinks that truly they don't know him. John never met his real father (which he calls the man who named him after a toilet) but the man his mother brought into his house, (the man who is not my father) beats him. John doesn't have many friends but when hanging out with Billy Breezer he gets the idea to ask out a girl he calls Glory Hallelujia to the basketball game. Glory says yes and they go to the game, then back to her house. She invites him in the basement and practically makes him take off his shoes and shirt once this happens her father tries to get into the basement which is locked. Her father starts freaking out and screaming, telling Glory she better be alone she yells at him to bust down the door you. He does just that he busts down the door forcing John to find an escape route, and quick. He eventually leaves but now he is hated by anyone he ever knew. Once John gets home he gets beaten, and when he goes back to school he gets suspended for calling his teacher Mrs. Moonface. One of the days John was suspended, a girl from school called Violent Hayes shows up at John's door she eventually asks him to the Semiformal and he ends up going. But when John gets home he gets beaten worse than he's ever been beaten before. He tries to fight back, and he stabs his father in the cheek but this doesn't faze him. His stepfather then punches him in the mouth breaking teeth and cutting his lip. Then they both collide causing them to land outside where his not father punches him in the nose breaking it but just when John thinks he's going to die, Mr. Steenwilly appears and breaks it up. John is now safe and this is were John's mother finds out what's really going on and John realizes his mother really knows him after all.

I learned that there's always help when your getting abused, Mr. Steenwilly suspected something was wrong from day one and he stuck with it, saving John's life. Abuse is a very serious issue and you can help keeping it from happening or help someone who is being abused get help.

I found this book to be very interesting and I liked the character Violent Hayes.

Recommended for grades 9-12.

KH in Greenville

WISH YOU WERE DEAD by Todd Strasser

Lucy had just gotten dropped off by the Safe Rides Crew, refusing to go into her house so she can smoke. Suddenly a person puts a rag with halothane over her face and she isdragged away. This all happened the day after the blogger Str-S-d wished Lucy would just die, IaMnEmEsIs kept hinting perhaps it would come true and now Lucy was gone and things didn't end there. After Lucy's disappearance Str-S-d typed another blog this one wishing Adam would die the same type of comments came from IaMnEmEsIs. The Safe Rides office gets a call Adam's drunk and he needs a ride home but when they get there he's not there. Adam had the same rag put over his mouth and was dragged away. Now things were getting even worse, everyone Str-S-d wishes would die was now gone. Next wishing Courtney would die and than Courtney mysteriously vanishes. IaMnEmEsIs starts talking to Str-S-d (Who was actually Maura) now telling her you're involved and to see what they've done for her she refuses, and the next day they all see what they've done. Lucy's body was found at the school with her eyes gouged out, everyone was in panic. The next day after the Lucy accident Madison was left home alone and a man named Ethan broke into Madison's house telling her he wrote the napkin notes telling her he knew what was going on but she just had to trust him, she did and Ethan (with directions from Maura) led her to who was doing all of these murders. It was Ms. Skelling who seemed insane, she was having conversations with herself and had dog shock collars around Courtney and Adam's necks. Ethan and Madison tried being heros trying to save Courtney and Adam but only ended up being attacked by Ms. Skelling and now locked in the kennels themselves. But then Tyler was brought, Ms. Skelling had caught him too and he had a plan. He kicked and kicked until Madison's gate could be opened, almost causing his life because Ms. S shocked him every time she heard. Madison finally broke out and ran, and Ms. S's hayfork came so close to killing her but realizing she couldn't do it. Ms. S told her it was okay and she wouldn't hurt them but she ended up turning against her and ended up with a hay fork in her stomach. Madison called 911 and broke everyone out... but Adam had died. Madison eventually figured out that Tyler wasn't really who he said he was, he graduated 2 years ago and was out to get Ethan because he thought he was the one who killed his sister Megan, but really it was Ms Skelling.

Scary but true, be careful what you wish for.

The story really sucks you in, makes you wonder whose next and whose doing it. Read this book in one sitting couldn't put it down.

Recommended for grades 9-12 and adults.

KH in Greenville

INSIDE OUT by Terry Trueman

Zach was misunderstood. He was attacked by many voices in his head, he had schizophrenia. Zach was just waiting in the coffee shop like he does everyday for his Mom to meet him and give him his medicine. But today was different, 2 robbers came in and had Zach and everyone at the coffee shop hostage. Alan and Joey (the robbers, also called Frosty and Stormy) don't want to hurt anyone but Zach, who's going through problems without his medication is losing time. The situation at the coffee shop gets worse, and cops and tanks arrive. Zach says he really needs his medicine and tells Alan and Joey that Dr. Curt helps him. Joey and Alan are trying to steal this money to pay for their Mom's hospital bills since she has cancer. They come up with a plan to have Dr. Curt come and read the agreement the police made with Alan and Joey. All goes well and they give up the hostages but Zach volunteers to stay behind until Dr. Curt arrives. They realize there is a back door and try to escape but it ends up failing and causes Alan to get shot. Dr. Curt arrives and they give up. Alan and Joey now face 9 months in Juvy and 2 years probation and Zach ended up committing suicide.

I learned how schizophrenia messes up your brain & effects your life.

I found the ending to be a let down, I didn't want Zach to die.

Recommended for grades 11-12.

KH in Greenville.

WHEN SHE HOLLERS by Cynthia Voigt

Tish is hiding a secret, a secret that is running her life and making her ashamed. Tish is being raped by her stepfather (sometimes called her father). Tish's stepfather taunts her and her mother just blocks it out. Tish finally gets fed up and gets a survival knife, the only thing that makes her feel safe. She threatens her stepfather with the knife but he just laughs it off. Finally after battling with her stepfather she heads off to school where all the talk is about the girl named Miranda (they call her Randy) who committed suicide. Miranda was 6 months pregnant. After Tish and her friends talk about this she heads off to gym, with the survival knife still in her Docs. Her coach tells her she'll have to take off her Docs and she refuses, this means she'll have to give up her protection. She refuses which leads into the coach trying to take off Tish's shoes causing Tish to scream and freak out scaring her entire gym class. Also it sends her to the nurse & eventually to the office. This is where she gets told her stepfather is on his way to get her, she can't have this. She asks to go the the bathroom and runs, fighting off Chrissie & Kipper, and ending up in Chrissie's fathers office (he is a lawyer). She ends up telling him what he did to her and he tells her he'll testify and he'll protect her. Tish now goes home and must face her stepfather Tonnie, but she still has her protection, her knife.

There is always help & you don't need to face these types of things alone, all Tish needed was Chrissie's Dad's help.

I wouldn't really recommend this book. Tish had me really confused all throughout the book. I wasn't sure what was going on most of the time. Half the time it had me thinking that Tish was pregnant herself, plus the ending didn't really explain much, it had you wanting more.

Recommended for all teens.


KH in Greenville

THE BOY BOOK by E. Lockhart

Ruby now has her license and is ready for her junior year at her school, Tate Prep--but last year's drama isn't over. Nora, Cricket and Kim who used to be her best friends are no longer her best friends. These were the girls she wrote 'the boy book' with. Jackson, who is Ruby's ex-boyfriend, is still seeing Kim (who is far away in Tokyo). Ruby starts getting panic attacks when her life begins getting very hectic. So her parents get her a shrink, Dr Z. Ruby's topless photos leak, and Nora begins finally to talk to Ruby again. Ruby's life is starting to come together. Jackson leaves a note in Ruby's cubby at her job at the zoo which leaves her puzzled. As November week creeps up, her parents finally allow Ruby to choose a more expensive trip. Ruby chooses Canoe island which is conveniently the same island her ex-best friend is going to. Although things between Kim and Ruby stay the same as ex-best friends, Ruby's life begins to come back together with her other best friends coming into her life.

I learned that everything happens for a reason.

Good interesting book from start to finish, great book for teens.

Recommended for grades 6-8.


KH in Greenville

LOCK AND KEY by Sarah Dessen

Her mother abandoned her. She hasn't seen her father since she was a small girl. She is stuck between her old world of lies and poverty and the new one of questions and unfamiliarity. She can't rely on trusting her old or new friends, her troubled mother, or her loving sister and brother-in-law. Not even charming, sweet Nate Cross who lives behind her elaborate new home. Her hand falls to her old house's, the yellow house's, battered key, which she has strung on its delicate chain as a necklace -her sole comfort in her life of building a new Ruby Cooper.

The book contained a wide range of topics including and focusing on friendship, relationships, abandonment, and discovering oneself as a teen. It familiarized me with these topics and enforced powerful messages throughout the book.

Although about three-quarters through it the book got more engrossing, this book was very slow going and didn't have many strong conflicts - I wasn't exactly sure where it was going until the last few chapters. In some places, the book's messages were a little confusing and unclear, although overall they were powerful and the most beautiful part of the book. All in all, it was an okay book.

Recommended for grades 11-12.


SA in Greenville

TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (EX) BOYFRIEND by Carrie Jones.

"Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend," is a humorous book on how a teenage girl named Belle has to deal with the fact that her boyfriend broke up with her because he was gay. Also, the book covers the abuse that some people face because they are gay.

I have gained from this book the inspiration to stand up to those who are being abused both emotionally and physically because they are gay, or homosexual.

This book was an easy, humorous read that I found both entertaining and inspiring.

Recommended for all teens.


CS in Town of Esopus

BEFORE I DIE by Jenny Downham

Before I Die is about a girl named Tessa and she has leukemia. Tessa makes a list of the things she wants to do the most in the world before she dies, things such as, doing something criminal, travel to another country, etc. As she gets closer to her death she falls in love with a boy who loves her just as much back. Days and weeks go by and Tessa just wants to spend time with her family and her boyfriend before she dies. When she finally nears her end she realizes that she has had a good life and she has to accept that she's going to die. Of course Tessa doesn't want to die, she wants to live life and be with her one true love after going back to the right path, but she has to accept her fate. So, Tessa accepts her fate and wants everyone to get along with life without her but to keep her in their memories.

Death is a part of life, it's a constant cycle that no one can stop but that one has to accept. If people lived constantly in fear of death they wouldn't be able to enjoy what life has to offer. If a loved one of yours was about to die wouldn't you want to give him or her the best time of his or hers life before they died? Never let your loved one die with regrets and say what you can before they leave, or else you will regret it.

Before I Die teaches about people with leukemia and how they have to accept death. The book shows that people have to become happy before they can truly move on, to live life with no regrets before they leave. It just goes to show that everyone should do what they have always wanted to do in life before they leave.

Recommended for grades 9-12.


JN in Howland

LITTLE WING by Joanne Horniman

Little Wing is about a teenage mother, Emily, who tries to find herself after having her child. Emily runs away from her family to her grandmother to try to find herself. While staying at her grandmother's she befriends a househusband and his son. Through spending time with them Emily gradually becomes happier and stable. She was afraid that she couldn't love her daughter but she gradually wants to see her and touch her. In the end she goes back to her, after finding her way back to her original self.

Sometimes to find yourself you need to get away from other people and have new experiences. But sometimes when you're trying to find yourself you might cause other people to be sad and unhappy. Also, every mother loves her child even though she may not know that, just like Emily.

Little Wing is very interesting and realistic. It shows you how a teenage mother copes with herself after having a child whom she thinks she cannot love. It's a good read that I am sure everyone will enjoy.

Recommended for all teens.


JN in Howland

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS by John Boyne.

The nine-year-old German boy, Bruno, lives in Berlin with an immensely creative imagination. Sometimes he will talk to the family maid, who, he finds out, does have a life beyond serving his family; sometimes he will go up to the top floor and slide down the banister; and always he tries to avoid his sister who is, undoubtedly, a hopeless case. But then he moves from his comfy house. Maybe there will no longer be banisters, maybe there will no longer be five floors. But there will be a camp where thousands of people are trapped behind a fence. On a different side of the fence then him.

This book made you think - about what you know about the Holocaust, about what it would be like to be German or Jewish at that time in history, about how the Germans did it. About prejudice.

This book was one of the best books I have ever read about the Holocaust and was one of my favorite books in general. The story seemed to be geared to all ages, young and old, and is beneficial to them all, especially to people wanting a different type of story of this period in history or a child being introduced to it. Engaging, touching, and thought-provoking, this was an excellent book.

Recommended for all teens.


SA in Greenville

JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL by Jack Gantos

In the second book in a series by Gantos, a boy named Joey Pigza, who's ADHD requires medication in the form of a patch to keep him acting like a normal kid. Joey has high expectations about meeting his father for the first time in his life. When he arrives for the summer, however, events do not follow as Joey had planned.

I learned a lot about what it's like to be a child living with ADHD from this book.

This book was definitely not intended to be read by someone my age, but I really think that middle schoolers would enjoy this book, as well as the rest of the series.

Recommended for grades 6-8.


RVK in Town of Esopus

BEFORE I DIE by Jenny Downham

Before I die is about a girl named Tessa who was staring death in the face. Tessa was dieing of cancer, and decided she no longer wanted to be stuck at home dieing. So she made up a list of things she wanted to do before she died. Her list included saying yes for an entire day, sex, doing drugs, becoming famous, breaking the law, falling in love, getting her parents back together and a few other things. She asks her friend Zoey to help her do the list and not let her quit. Zoey begins by taking her out to a club in which she has her 1st experience with drugs and sex. As time went on she began to do one thing after another on her list. One day she goes over to the neighbors house Adam and asks him if she can burn some papers. This turns into a relationship that grows and grows as time goes by, but also as time goes by something special happens between Adam and Tessa. They fall in love but at the worst time, Tessa's body is failing. As Tessa's body slowly fails, she begins to comes to terms with dieing, getting sleepier and sleepier.

I've learned from this book just to live your life to the fullest.

Story really grips onto you, making you cherish life.

Recommended for grades 11-12 and adults.


KH in Greenville

JUMPED by Rita Williams-Garcia

Jumped is about 3 girls: Trina, Dominique and Leticia. Trina is a very confident about herself. Leticia failed her math final by 13 points, causing her to have to go into school early for an extra help math class. Last but not least Dominique, who loves basketball and gets furious when she finds out her basketball playing time has been cut due to a bad grade in math. Trina crosses path with Dominique and her gang when Dominique is already angry about her basketball dilemma. This causes some angry feelings and now Dominique is out to get Trina, but Trina has no idea. Leticia who skipped out of "zero period" to use her phone heard it all and now struggles with whether to tell Trina or not. Will Trina really get jumped? Only time will tell.

I learned how much of a difference speaking up and not speaking up can be.

I wouldn't recommend this book because I found it confusing jumping from person to person, making it difficult to follow and the girl characters to be obnoxious.

Recommended for grades 9-10.


KH in Greenville

SHATTERING GLASS by Gail Giles

Shattering Glass was about a boy named Simon Glass. Everyone thought of him as the "text book" geek. Constantly people picked on him especially Lance Ansley. Until Rob (the kid who transferred and is now the new popular kid), decided to take on the challenge of turning Glass (AKA Simon) into a popular kid. As these changes began to happen to Simon: new hair, clothes, friends, something else changed... his attitude. As Simon, Rob, Young, Bobster and Coop began to become closer something happened. Simon began to be not as controlled by Robert and this made him angry. After all this time Robert spent on trying to turn Simon into Senior Class favorite, turning Young against his own girlfriend and rallying up voters. Simon lost Senior Class favorite to Rob and Rob knew Simon had something to do with it. Robert lost it, making Simon spill all of Rob's secrets. Rob had been molested for 5 years and Simon knew where Rob's dad was. Rob then lost it and took a bat, beating Simon dead.

I gained a whole new perspective on the impact of how you treat people.

Highly recommend, the little paragraphs at each chapter starting to reveal hints to the end makes you want to keep reading and to keep puzzling everything together.

Recommended for grades 9-12.


KH in Greenville

THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB by Elizabeth Eulberg

This book is about a girl named Penny Lane (named after a Beatles' song) that has had some pretty disastrous experiences on the dating market and she decides no more! She starts the Lonely Hearts Club (also named after a Beatles' song), which is a group of girls who vow not to date, not to let their sole focus in life be getting a boyfriend, and to just have fun with each other. Of course, then they have to admit that not all the boys in high school are jerks and everything just gets more and more complicated when Penny tries not to fall in love with one of those non-jerk boys.

What I gained from this book is that you don't need boys to get through life or high school. All you need is yourself and your TRUE friends. When you finally realize that you need to do for yourself and not for others then you can actually realize who matters and who doesn't.

I would recommend this book to teens who are interested in love and really wondering how guys can act. It just shows you there is more to life than dating.

Recommended for grades 11-12.


AH in Beacon