H.I.V.E Rogue by Mark Walden*****

H.I.V.E Rogue is about Otto and his friends, but there is a big problem this time around. Otto has been missing ever since he saved the world. Wing, Laura, Shelby, and Lucy must help find him and restore him to his former self. They must embark on this dangerous quest to defeat the organic computer virus that has infected Otto's mind and is making him kill members of G.L.O.V.E. If Otto's friends do not stop him in time, the Overlord (one of the most evil computer beings) will come back, taking Otto's body as a permanent host; destroying the world is its first goal.

This book is a great fifth book in the H.I.V.E series, and there will be more coming. This book delves deep into the world of science, but manages to stay understandable. It involves evil villains escaping prison and the Overlord. It has many interesting plot turns and is a great book for teens.

H.I.V.E Dreadnought by Mark Walden*****

H.I.V.E Dreadnought is about a group of villainous children: Otto, Wing, Shelby, Laura, and Lucy. They all are selected for their special abilities in the world. Otto can access online stuff through his mind, Wing is a very good peacekeeper, Shelby is a thief that has never been caught, Laura is an amazing hacker, and Lucy can get people to do stuff with her voice--she whispers a command and the person has to obey. They must stop an evil man by the name of Drake with the help of a "ninja" Raven, and their Headmaster, Dr. Nero. Can they save the world? Will they beat the odds? And most of all, who will survive?

This book is the fourth book in the H.I.V.E series. It brings to the table nuclear war and super volcanoes. I personally enjoy how in this series it says they are villains, when they are really are out saving the world. This is a book for grades 5 and up.

Compulsion by Heidi Ayarbe****

Compulsion is about Jake, a high school soccer star. He always has to know the time and always has to make a prime number using order of operations with the time. He has an obsession with this to clear the "spiders" from his head, but in order to do so he has to make a prime number out of random things: how many words someone says and even just how many steps they take. He thinks that winning his third championship in a row will grant him protection from the "spiders," but everything must be perfect. Exactly the way he needs it to be.

This book shows that even the most perfect people aren't always perfect. I think is a great story for someone looking for some inspiration. This is a book for teens to read.

Notes From the Midnight Driver by Jordon Sonnenblick*****

Notes From the Midnight Driver is about Alex. His father and mother are divorced, and he has plans to set his father straight and confront him about leaving the family. He has a genuis idea: drink a bunch of vodlka and then drive to his father's apartment. This all goes wrong when he crashes into his neighbor's lawn and is sent to jail. He manages to get a communtity service assignment at an old folks home. This is where he meets Sol, an old person who is one of the trouble makers at the home. He will tell lies to other people to keep them on their toes. This all changes when Alex decides to bring his gutair. He plays songs for Sol and becomes an old folks home vistitor, but this all goes wrong when he decides to have a concert for the home. As he is playing his gutair, Sol asks if Alex can go get his other pair of glasses for him. When Alex comes back down, having failed at finding the other pair of glasses, Sol is playing better than Alex has ever seen or heard. As Alex uncovers secrets about Sol, he knows he must help Sol learn to live with his past.

This book was very, very inspirational to me. It shows that even if something looks boring, it can still be really fun. Sort of like Alex at the home with Sol. I just loved all the funny ways Sonnenblick includes new things. From languages to lawn gnomes, this is a book you don't want to miss.

The Thin Executioner by Darren Shan*****

The Thin Executioner is about Jebel, the son of the best executioner the city has ever seen. Jebel wants to be executioner too, but when his father says he will resign, he forgets to mention Jebel! Jebel goes on a quest to get ultimate strength and invinciblity to prove that he can do his father's duty.

This book, being written by the master of horror, has a lot of creepy moments. People eat other people's flesh, people get melted, and Death makes an appearance. This was probably one of the creepiest books I have read. Definitely for the horror fan lovers and the people who just love a good book.

The New Policeman by Kate Thompson***

The New Policeman is about J.J Liddy, an amazing fiddlist who has grown up with stories about fairies. He is trying to get more time in his world because it feels like there is so little left. He tells his mother's friend about his feeling and gets sucked into a whole new world. His new world is being corrupted by our world's time and is speeding up. He must figure out how to stop the time leak and save the fairy realm forever.

This book was so weird. Kids who don't know of a "before" or "after". Kids that have to grow up in our world. Kids that take the place of our very own children. I was personally creeped out by how a 100+ man could be destroying the time "skin" and making it so that we have no more time to do what we want. I think this should be read by those kids that love a good thriller.

The One Where The Kid Nearly Jumps To His Death And Lands in California by Mary Hershey****

The One Were The Kid Nearly Jumps To His Death And Lands in California is about Alastair aka Stump. He had jumped from a ski lift to avoid the truth about his father, who he tries to completely avoid. But his mother is forcing a visit, so he is on his way to L.A to see his father. He gets caught up in big swim race involving celebrities and his step-mother's niece. This visit doesn't make him bond with his dad, and Stump thinks that his dad is making fun of him because he only has one real leg (he lost the other in his ski jump accident). But he sets out to prove something by training with a 72 year old swim coach. During the celebrity swim race, the coach suffers a heart attack and Stump must save him, but can he save himself and his relationship with his father?

This book is full of lessons to be taught. One of the main lessons is loyalty. Stump's father kept being unloyal to his mother and that's what led to his parent's divorce. Another lesson is duty (I guess). Stump must clean the beach, re-paint and re-sand bleachers, and he must pass out posters protesting against his step-mother and his father over a beach property issue. I think this book is for the people who just love a little laugh and a little rebellion.

The Miles Between by Mary E. Pearson*****

The Miles Between is about Destiny, somebody who thinks everyone should have their fair day. She decides to have fair day in the middle of the school day. She finds a pink car in the front of the school that is running. She decides to take it with a boy (Seth) she likes who is on trash duty. They also pick up her "best" friend (Mira) and the boy (Aidan) her friend likes. They meet the President, find a dog (which is actually a sheep), and she finally gets out her biggest secret.

This book is so funny. The kids are just running through the country doing random things. I recommend this book to people who need a good laugh.

Strays by Ron Koertge***

Strays is about Ted, a boy who is an orphan and an outsider. He has an ability to talk to animals, but he must always be careful with what he does. That's what got him out of his last school. He was bullied way too much for his interactions with animals. He lives with crazed foster parents and two weird foster brothers. He is now trying to live to the fullest in this life.

This book was a nice short read for an animal lovers of all sorts. It had a fast pace and funny dialogue to match. It was ok when people were fighting and arguing. This is definitely for kids who love animals, but be aware that the foster parents are completely bizarre.
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Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby****

Lost in the River of Grass is about Sarah, a girl lost in the Everglades with a boy she hardly knows. She must trek through the Everglades to go back home and survive as a group with a duck, a boy, and herself. She manages to fend off snakes and gators, while protecting the duck. She feels responsible for the little duck since she destroyed its family. She must also help Andy, the "redneck" boy, escape the Everglades.

This book is adventurous and also so funny. The duck just was the perfect touch. It survived snakes, gators, and heat exaustion--oh my. I also loved how Andy knew almost everything about the Everglades, but still needed Sarah's help. I think this is for anyone to read on a rainy day.

Soldier Dog by Sam Angus*****

Soldier Dog is about Stanley, a boy who lives with his father (who is obsessed with dog racing). Their best racer gets pregnant, and Stanley's father threatens to drown the pups. Stanley becomes attached to the runt and nurses him to health, but then his father says they're going to sell the pups. The runt is left and Stanley calls him Soldier. This angers his dad, and he goes to drown the runt. Stanley runs away and joins the army to find his brother Tom. He ends up training dogs for the army and is the fastest trainer in the army. Will Stanley survive? Will he die? And most of all, will he ever go back home?

This book was a tale about WWI, which was a very bloody war. It shows you how stupid war is and how dogs are man's best friend. This was really heartbreaking in the beginning and even at the end. This for anyone who has a soft-spot for dogs.

Captives by Jill Williamson***

Captives is about a futuristic world where there are the Safe Cities and the people who live in the wild, the villagers. The people in the wild don't want to live in the Safe Cities, but the Safe Cities want them. The Cities are infected with a virus called Thin Plaque. This disease makes them not able to reproduce, so they need the villagers to reproduce. But the villagers must escape the cities and rebuild their villages.

This book reminds me of Reboot in the way that they cut each other off from the outside world. The villagers are always trying to prove how good they are compared to each other. They also try to fend off people who try to hurt people in their village. This book deserves to be read by all ages.

Domino 29 by Axel Avain***

Domino 29  is about Colt, a boy who has grown up knowing about spies. He has known about his "older" brother who was a hero and is, depressingly, dead. One day he gets his chance to become active (an active is like a spy). He must protect a woman exposing the Taliban, but when he evacuates Afghanistan, everything goes wrong.

Domino 29 is a heck of a book to talk about. It has action, it has adventure, and it has everything you're looking for. If you're the kid who loves to read about action, this is the book for you. It has 200 mile per hour car chases, it has hang glider drop-offs, and so much more. If you love to read adventurous stories, this has planes to Afghanistan, it has planes to Germany, and you're even in America. Definite read for young kids.

Dualed by Elsie Chapmen*****

Imagine that you have a twin somewhere out there. A twin you've never met, a twin who acts nothing like you, a twin who wants to kill you, a twin that you must kill. Dualed is about a girl named West, and like everybody else in this futuristic world, she has an Alt. She has been training with her siblings to fight her Alt when her day comes. And as prepared as she is, she is not ready for the fact that her Alt has hired a striker to kill her.

This book is pretty violent--definitely for the people who like the Hunger Games books and other dystopian novels. I would reccomed this for teens and up.

Rash by Pete Hautman*****

Rash is about Bo, a boy in the USSA (the United Safer States of America). Bo is constantly getting in trouble--like father, like son. His father is in a work camp for road rage, basically beating another person's car. His brother is also in a work camp. So what happens to Bo? You guessed it--he ends up in a work camp after he is pushed by his instincts to protect his girlfriend from Karlohs Mink, some guy who's trying to steal her away from him. He is sent to a camp and ends up playing football, which was outlawed in the late 21st century because it's dangerous. But football is good for Bo because it gets him big and strong and allows him to survive some harsh conditions that he faces.

This book is so futuristic, but it's a future that I hope we never see. Bo can't do any of the things we take for granted. Say goodbye to your big dogs, sports, and simple walks around town. Bo's world is definitely different, but I choose freedom over safety.

Alt Ed by Catherine Atkins *****

Alt Ed is about Susan, an overweight loser who is always getting bullied. She is bullied by Kale, the kid who picks on everyone who's a "freak". She and another student get involved in spray painting his truck and are sent to Alt Ed. She has never shared her feelings to anyone and this may change her life forever.

This book should encourage everyone to be nice to people like Susan, or just be nice to everybody. Definitely changed the way I see people and I hope it will change yours. This is a book for teenagers.

Reboot by Amy Tintera****

Reboot is about a future where the earth has been taken over by a disease and one of the only surviving places is Texas. Wren is a reboot who stayed dead for 178 minutes, the longest time ever. She is pumped for choosing day (this is where the "adults" choose who they will train) and sees the choices. She notices Callum, a 22 who is still human almost all the way through. She trains him and falls in love which has never happened to any reboot, and decides to escape with him.

This book was so funny and weird at the same time it was hard to tell which it was. I thought it was creepy that the dead came back to life and were stronger, faster, and more resilient than us. It was super funny though because of all the wit that Callum recovered from when he was human. There was always a joke to be found. This is for teens and up. 

Icons by Margaret Stohl*****

Icons is about a group of teens who live in a post-apocalyptic world. Dol is the person that brings them all together. She and her friends Ro, Tima, and Lucas must fight the lords and destroy the icons. Dol and Ro are Grassfolk; they live in the wilderness surrounded by nature. They meet up with Lucas and Tima when they get sent to a military compound. They hatch a plan to escape and to destroy the icons, once and for all.

This book was sort of scary and very creepy--everyone seemed to want to kill everyone else. This book made me think what if this happened to our society today? Would it be chaos? Would it be war? Could we stop it? I think about all of those questions and realize that it's the little things in life we take for granted, like electricity.

If We Survive by Andrew Klaven****

If We Survive is about Will, a teen who decides to go to South America to help build a school. As he is there, a plot to overthrow the goverment occurs and the Americans (Will and his friends) are caught in the middle of it.  The rebel leaders give a command to kill all Americans, and Will and his friends must get out of the jungle and across the border.

This book is very true and should be an inspration to help countries like this. I thought this book was very daring--they fight crocs, rebel leaders, and just plain rebels. You should read this book for all the action and adventure. This is for ages teen and up.

The Fury by Alexander Gordon Smith*****

The Fury is a book like no other. Is it zombie? Is it war? Is it angel? In this book, a few kids are caught in a war between the heavens. They must harness the power inside them in order to survive the zombie-like humans (who realize they are not human and unlock the fury inside them to destroy the good kids). Daisy, Brick, Cal, Rilke, Schiller, Adam, and a few others must unlock the angel inside them and save the earth.

Confused? This book was so wierd and funny at the same time. Switching into angels? Fire shooting out of your mouth? Playing off your evil deeds like nothing has happened? I really thought it couldn't have been better.This is full of action and really creepy stuff, like girls killing full grown men and so much more. This is a book for teens--it's pretty messed up. I can't wait to read the next one in this soon-to-be series.

Zom-b City by Darren Shan*****

Zom-b City is Darren Shan's third book in his Zom-b series. This book starts when B is emerging from an underground compound where the military kept revitalized zombies and tested whether they could make more. B is trapped in London because no one is willing to take her anywhere else--she's a zombie. She is forced to make a decision between becoming brain-dead or working with the enemy.

This book is for the horror enthusiasts who love a good zombie book. You should beware though because it just happens to be a full scale attack, not on just London, but the world. Darren Shan spins a tale of gruesome events and horror. This is for ages teen and up.

Execution by Alexander Gordon Smith*****

Execution is the final book in the "Escape the Furnace" series. I am astounded at how he ended this book. This is definitely one of the must reads on my list and maybe the most perfect book I've read so far. Execution starts when Alex is turning into a mutation that will be more horrifying than anything readers have seen before. Zee and Simon must find a way to help and restore Alex's mental health and continue their journey to kill Alfred Furnace.

This book shakes the whole rest of the series into oblivion by just being such a shell-shocking book. I personally was not expecting this type of ending, and this book was very entertaining as a whole. Execution is for anyone who is a teen and has read the rest of the series. You should get this series now! I personally think it is better than The Hunger Games series.

Fugitives by Alexander Gordon Smith*****

Fugitives is the fourth book in the Furnace series and is as good as all the others. In this book, Alex must face his worst fear, Alfred Furnace, and as he tries to find and kill him, he also has to fight his old enemy, the warden. Alex is on the run from the police and the monsters that Furnace releases into the city to show him that he has made his decision-- TO DIE!

This book is for anyone who likes a good horror story and a bit of action as well. This made me really appreciate my own life because I realize that reality for some kids in war-torn nations is a lot like living in the hell-hole called the Furnace. I think this series is appropriate for 15 or older because it is really bloody an gruesome. This book is not for the weak of stomach.

Death Sentence by Alexander Gordon Smith*****

Death Sentence is the third book in the Furnace series. In this book, some creepy stuff happens, namely that Alex is transformed into a blacksuit. Alex, remembering what Monty said, manages to keep a lot of his humanity while following the warden's orders. As he, Zee, and Simon try to figure out a way to escape the Furnace, something is stirring, something scarier than they can imagine.

This book brings in the element of uncanny sadness and anger within Alex. These two elements combined make for an exciting story of betrayal and survival. Anyone who has read the series must read this book, and anyone who hasn't must read the series.

Timelock by David Klass*****

Timelock is a great finish to the Caretaker trilogy, it has that same speedy pace and great writing. It is full of action like the others and this brings up something new. Jack/Jair travels to the future and meets his parents and must choose between Eko and P.J, he ends up having to battle the dark lord. This leads to the most extreme battle of all: Jack's dad versus the dark lord.

This book is like all the others and is just as good. This book has some sexual references and inappropriate language for kids. Overall this book is an amazing book for kids 14 and above..

Whirlwind by David Klass*****

Whirlwind is the second book in the
Caretaker trilogy--and it is a fantastic follow up. Jack returns after saving the oceans in the book Firestorm, but the Dark Army has a back-up plan: to destroy the Amazon! Jack, Gisco, and Eko must band together and save P.J (this is Jack's girlfriend) and the Mysterious Kidah after they are captured by the Dark Army.

This book is an amazing second book in this trilogy and is sure to deserve great recognition. This book is for teens/young adults. I'm sure anyone who reads it will be impressed by this author's style of writing. Klass is a master at adding in action and the unexpected. I also really enjoyed his word choice. He uses lots of fragments, which I like because it speeds up the pace and makes me feel like Jack it talking to me. I'm already half way finished with the third book. I can't wait to see how this trilogy ends!

Firestorm by David Klass*****

Firestorm is an amazingly good book about the destruction of the planet Earth, but mostly the animals on it. The main character Jack has to fight to survive the Gorm (the evil guys in this book), and he must figure out who he is and where he's from. He also fights and trains to find the Firestone, the source of feelings, life, and everything else. He must save it or die trying.

I really liked this book, and I'm glad it's part of a trilogy. I have a lot of questions after reading book one. I want to know about Jack and how he survives and how he knows how to find the Firestorm. This book was recommended by a high school librarian who has great taste in books.  Anyone over the age of 14 (it has some bad words and sexual references) will appreciate Firestorm. 

Bottled Up by Jaye Murray****

Bottled Up is about Pip, a drug abusing 16 year old. He constantly cuts class to smoke pot and drink, and he has a abusive father who drinks and then beats up his children. Pip is sleeping in class all the time, which gets on his teachers' last nerves and gets him in the principal's office. When the principal threatens to expel him, Pip freaks out because his father will "kill" him. The principal gives him one more chance, but the stresses in Pip's life, like taking care of his little brother Bugs, make it hard for him to stop doing bad things.

I liked this book. Pip changes as a person, and that makes this book worth reading. It was hard to watch him deal with his father and Bugs, and it made me realize that a lot of people deserve a better life. I would recommend Bottled Up to anyone past middle school age who is looking for some inspiration. Pip will make you try harder to be a better person.

Miss Peregine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs****

Miss Peregine's Home for Peculiar Children is the very weird tale of Jacob Portman. Jacob responds to his grandfather's very last wish: "Find the bird. In the loop. On the other side of the old man's grave. September third, 1940." This sends him on a quest to find out the secrets his grandfather was hiding, from him and his whole family. He figures out what his grandfather is talking about, and he himself finds out he might be peculiar, just a little bit.

I really liked this book because it had a mysterious feel to it and it keeps you going because something new happens all the time. I would recommend this for anyone over the age of ten. It made me think about what would happen if there were peculiar children like the ones in the book wandering the world for help. Who says there aren't?

Alive by Piers Paul Read*****

Alive is the true, scary story of sixteen rugby players from Uruguay who lived to tell the tale of their time trapped in the Andes Mountains after their plane crashed. In order to survive, they had do very extreme things. What would you do to stay alive? Well, they ate the flesh of the dead people, doctored themselves in pretty scary ways, and trekked over 50 miles to find civilization.

This book is a very interesting one. It was actually recommended to me by my father who read it when he was in seventh grade. I never really realized how far we are from death, but so close at the same time. I was pretty depressed after reading Alive, but I definitely recommend it.