Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

"Once upon a time, I was a little girl who disappeared.
Once upon a time, my name was not Alice.
Once upon a time, I didn't know how lucky I was."
-excerpt from book cover.

Living Dead Girl, though a mere 170 pages in length, is by no means a light read. This novel tells the story of "Alice", a fifteen year old girl kidnapped by a pedophile five years previously. Every day for the last five years she has had to endure unimaginable abuse at the hands of her captor, Ray. Every day she wishes for death - for freedom. Although a work of fiction, this book echoes stories we hear about every so often in the news headlines, and is all too real.

I read this book in less than a day, and although I do recommend it, I want to put a small disclaimer that it does get pretty intense and is at times a bit graphic. All things considered, I feel it is a book that tells a cautionary tale that needs to be read.

-Sam.

The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.

Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia’s boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can’t mourn Julia openly, and he’s tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia’s journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he’s desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?

-Amazon product description.

Fat Cat by Robin Brande

Super smart, overweight teen Cat decides to be the test subject for an experiment of her creation in one of her AP science classes. The experiment? Go 207 days living like the first humans (or homo erectus) used to live. This means giving up all technology (emergency items such as cell phone, and basic hygiene routines like showers not included), and eating a diet that consists of all natural foods.

However, when Cat begins to lose weight, suddenly she goes from nerdy tomboy, to ultra hottie.

I loved this book so much I read it in a day. It's a very relatable, funny, and fast paced book. I highly recommend this one.

-Sam.

Invisible i: Book one of The Amanda Project by Melissa Kantor

Where is Amanda Valentino? This is a question high school students Callie, Hal, and Nia have to ask themselves after being questioned by their vice principal on Amanda's whereabouts. Each student had been a best friend to Amanda... but none of them knew about each other until she disappeared. Through hidden clues left by Amanda, the three teens have to embark on a journey to not only discover where she is, but ultimately discover WHO exactly is Amanda Valentino?

It took me a few chapters to fully get into this book, but once I did I was completely gone. Being as this book is only the first in a series of eight yet to come, there is only so much information and plot twists they can provide, but I must say it was enough! I loved this book and am so excited it's the start to a new series I can spend countless hours reading.

-Sam.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Each year the Capitol, head of the nation of Panem (formerly known as North America), forces each of its twelve districts to send one boy and girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to compete in the Hunger Games. Designed to horrify the districts into submission, the Games are a televised gladiatorial fight. Contestants must kill or be killed, but the winner is awarded fame, wealth, and honor for their district. When Katness Everdeen's twelve-year-old sister is chosen as District 12's tribute, Katniss steps forward to take her place.
I would recommend The Hunger Games to anyone who enjoys dystopian stories or fantasy. The author avoids the worst cliches of young adult/teen fiction (like overwrought drama) and modern science fiction (such as environmental/humanitarian messages that overwhelm the plot). Most characters are well-thought-out, especially Katness; the author managed to show several different aspects of her character, and each felt genuine. However, the book's strength also accents its worst flaw: some of the most important characters seemed one-dimensional. Without spoiling the plot, I found the most important secondary character unsympathetic, almost boring, at a time when readers should care most about him/her. All in all, though, The Hunger Games is a pretty compelling book; I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

April

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Lucius and Aurora are new students at their high school. They were both uprooted from their hometowns through very different circumstances. For Lucius, it was an explosion that he had caused which resulted in him getting his hands amputated, leaving him with metal hooks for prosthesis (because they were the cheapest option). For seemingly perfect Aurora, her mother had just died of cancer and together her and her father wanted to start fresh.

Although as different as can be, one glance at each other on the bus the first day of school sparks a chemistry between the two teens. Aptly deemed a "modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast", this story had me hooked from the first page (no pun intended).

-Sam

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
I read the Da Vinci Code earlier this year and I really liked it. I've been waiting to read the Lost Symbol since it came out, and I was really excited when my mom got it for me from the library.

The Lost Symbol is another race-to-the-finish book, just like it's predecessor. Robert Langdon is back, this time in Washington, D.C. After being invited to speak at a very important conference at the capitol building by a close friend of his - Peter Solomon, a prominent Mason -, Robert rushes to the Rotunda room of the building only to find that it's a setup. There is no conference - someone has taken Peter captive in order to find out all the Masons' secrets. In order to save Peter's life, Robert must team up with Peter's sister Katharine to find the secret of a mysterious pyramid said to contain knowledge that will give man the power to become enlightened, a god.

I definitely enjoyed this book. The enemy in it is like one I've never seen. He's almost super human from his extensive use of steroids and intense training. He's also clever and cunning, and is closely connected to Peter Soloman in a way that's hard to imagine.

It's so interesting to see Robert Langdon crack every code, explain conspiracies and secret organizations, and otherwise blow your mind. That's what I love about these two books: they make me think, and I learn about things that I would otherwise never know. Dan Brown is a magnificent author, and all his books are definitely worth reading.

You'll have to read the book to find out if Peter Solomon's life is saved and if Robert and Katherine can stop the kidnapper from finding out a secret so powerful that it could reveal knowledge that America has never seen before.

The book emphasizes how much knowledge we've lost. It tells us to read back in history - the ancient civilizations were much closer to our technology and ideas than we think.

Katie

Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block

In the glamorous city of Los Angeles, seventeen year old Charlotte Emerson leads a rich, charmed life filled with the most expensive clothing and food. She has traveled the world many times over. How has she accomplished such a task at such a young age? Charlotte only appears seventeen, but is actually a near century old vampire. When her best and only friend Emily dies from what appears to be suicide, Charlotte is beside herself with grief. Through mourning the loss of her friend, falling in love with Emily's boyfriend, and having to deal with the vampire who made her coming back into her life, her vampirism seems to be fading...
Francesca Lia Block has been one of my favorite authors for awhile now, and I absolutely loved this book. Compared to her other works, I would call this her most mainstream to date. I recommend it to lovers of the vampire genre, fans of Block, or anyone who enjoys a good romantic horror story.

-Sam.