Spray

Three weeks. 200 players. One winner. Could you win it all? Harry Edge creates this fantastic story filled with danger, suspense, and action that never ends.

In the time of a huge water shortage, there is an epic water battle going on. 200 players have signed up to try and become the next Assassin, by hunting other players while they're being hunted themselves. Weapon of choice? A wide range of SuperSoakers of course! Players have three weeks to try and retrieve their own laminate card containing their information. Retrieving it means that you've won the game, but it's a harder job than you think. Many players take this as more than a game, its a way of life, and they'll do anything to win. Who has the skills to be the next Assassin?

Harry Edge is now officially another one of my favorite authors, and it's all because of this book. Writing in different points of view, Edge creates the feel that you're actually in the game yourself. The way he writes is sure to have you imagining all of the action happening around you as you read.

Could the game end earlier than expected? Is there a way that players can soak without getting themselves soaked? Is this the best book about an epic water fight ever? Read Spray by Harry Edge and I'll guarentee that you'll be dying to start up your own water game in no time.

*Reviewer's Favorite Choice*

Project 17

Do you believe in paranormal activity? Are you in the mood for a good scare combined with adventure? Can you keep up in a book that has multiple points of view? Pick up Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz then, because this is a book you'll definitely want to add to your home library.

17-year-old Derik needs to make this movie more than anything else, or he'll end up at his pre-determined future as a diner chef. Greta wants to be a world-famous actress, and being a part of this film could help her achieve that. Tony dreams of being a director and Greta. Chet's avoiding his father, Mimi wants to find out about her grandmother, and Liza will do anything to get an extracurricular activity in. She'll even tag along with Derik and his crew as they enter an old mental institution scheduled for demolition. Even if it means surviving the haunted feelings. When a mission to find an old patient's keepsake holds the crew hostage within the asylum, everyone starts to slowly panic. Can they survive the supernatural occurrences?

This book is scary good, and exactly in that order. Each turn of the page leads you to freaky happenings, romance, and of course suspense. Stolarz vividly describes each horror, leaving your own pulse racing and you glancing over you shoulder for weeks to come. Nothing could be more frightening and amazing at the same time.

Are there hidden demons throughout the asylum? Is someone expecting these kids? Will they even get out alive? Read Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz and you'll be terrified at how much you love it.

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd

Are you a level 28 dragon slayer? Do you know every single Star Trek episode made by heart? Or are you the kind of person who (just like me) has no idea what's going on half the time people talk about this, but you find it somewhat funny and cool at the same time? Had you answered any of these questions in a yes/yeah/duh sort of format, the Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd by a whole bunch of different authors is an epic book solely based on the short stories from the lives of geeks.

It's pretty difficult to write a review on a book filled with short stories without giving a lot away, so I'll just give you some of the highlights. Within the book's colorful covers, you will find an epic battle between Jedi and Klingon, a varsity quiz bowl jacket, random dinosaur facts, and hilarious comics that keep you laughing silently in 6th period when you randomly remember them. Do you want to know more about these amazingly cool topics and the stories behind them?

Every author who wrote part of this is pure genius. They have to be, after all, for the geeks of the world to approve :) Every story is so well written that you feel like you're the best friend of the character, trying to comfort, laugh with, or just plain kill them.

Don't let your lack of baton twirling skills make you believe that you aren't capable of reading this, because you totally are. See what other surprises await you inside Geektastic!

*Recommended Reading Level/Maturity Level: 9th grade & up*

Playing with the Boys

What would you do if you suddenly had to move, leaving the life you loved behind? How would you take it if you didn't make the team of the sport you were crazy about? Could you stand to learn an entirely new sport and be on a team of people you wouldn't normally play with? Playing with the Boys by Liz Tigelaar is the perfect combination of high school drama and determination.

Fifteen-year-old Lucy Malone is being moved. Her father gave her no time to make decisions after her mother died, he just up and decided to move the two of them to sunny California, where he had a better job. Lucy's not ready to leave her friends, her school, her LIFE behind. Everything is new, the house, the school, the people, and it's not going the way she wants until she sees the sign up for the school soccer team. She makes new friends and begins to get back into something of what her life used to be like until the soccer team is posted-- and Lucy isn't on it. Despair sneaks its way into her head, but she doesn't lose her new friends. When her English teacher tells her about the boys football team needing a kicker, Lucy is amazed that she'd even be considered to join. The only problem is, even though she's a great kicker and makes the team, no one's really happy that there's a girl on the football team, and prejudice along with a few pranks and some comments make sure that Lucy's time on the field isn't easy. To make matters worse, her dad won't even let her play. Can Lucy keep her spot on the team while keeping the biggest secret from her dad?

This book shows that girls always have the determination to make it through the hard times, when they want to use it of course. What ever you guys decide to think about us and our girly needs, that's your problem. When we show you how far a little determination will go, you'll be speechless. Tigelarr puts the A in amazing through her writing, and nothing stops her or her character of Lucy.

Will Lucy survive the issues with her football teammates? Is it possible for her to become injured enough for her dad to find out her secret? Could there be everyday highschool drama that will make Lucy's life harder? Read Playing with the Boys by Liz Tigelaar and you'll be believing in girl power in no time.

Heist Society

When you wake up in the morning, do you immediately locate four different escape routes for that room? Do you worry about being connected to your family? Are you ever concerned that if you don't make the deadline that you may lose someone you love? Heist Society by Ally Carter could never be complete without the plans, mystery, and all of the action that revolves around a good heist.

Katarina Bishob is ready to be done with her life of stealing. What she thought would be her final crime was conning a way into the most respected boarding school in the country, but in all fifteen years of her life, she wouldn't have expected to be framed and kicked out of school- for another heist. This assignment isn't one that Kat can pass up though, the stakes are much higher. Someone has stolen a powerful figurehead's collection of priceless paintings, and unless they're returned he plans to get revenge on the only person who could have committed the crime- Kat's father. Unfortunately for Kat, no one will believe the truth: that Kat's father didn't steal the paintings. Now, with her team of skilled and underage con artists, Kat begins to plan her greatest and most dangerous crime of all, wiht her target being none other than one of the most highly guarded museums ever, the Henley. Can Kat rescue the paintings before the deadline, or will she get caught int he process?

This book is by one of my all-time favorite authors. Who wouldn't love an author who writes such detailed schemes? Carter creates the perfect balance between danger, romance, and mystery in every one of her stories. If you ever need a book about girl pwer, Carter can easily provide one, always keeping you interested with surprising twists.

Will Kat be able to make her deadline? Is there someone she can't trust on her team? Can she save her dad from certain death or jail? Read Heist Society by Ally Carter and you'll be planning your own mini (and hopefully not illegal) heist as soon as you're finished.

CHERUB: The Recruit

How do you usually spend your school days? Do you memorize an entire new language? Are karate sessions part of your cirriculum? What about learning how to diable and create a bomb? CHERUB: The Recruit by Robert Muchamore is a fast-paced, danger-filled thrill of a story that will have you imagining the best way to escape from the dangers yourself.

Twelve-year-old James Choke is sick of kids teasing him about his mum. WHen a remark from a girl in his class sets him off the edge, he gets into a fight and instantly regrets it. Less than a week later his mum dies, sending Jame's little sister to live with her evil father and James to foster care, where's he's almost instantly in trouble. After an attempted robbery leaves James to the police, he's brought to the Cherub campus and given five tests to determine if Cherub, the secret organization of spies all under the age of 17, is right for James. If he's accepted he'll have to pass basic training, 100 days of tortorous classas and physical training. Can he make it through even day one?

Cherub: The Recruit is an awesome book if you're up for adventure and the trouble-making of a twelve-year-old. Muchamore seems to reach back to all of the details of his childhood along with his investigative past, making sure to rhow in a few extra details and excitement along the way. This story is pure genius, and Muchamore makes the words almost float off of the page as you absorb its story.

Will James accept the challenge? Can he survive 100 days of training or will he drop out early? Is there even a mission waiting for him at the end? Look out for Cherub: The Recruit the next time you go story-searching and it's sure to interest you in some aspect.

I Am Number Four

Have you ever had to constantly move homes to keep yourself safe? Would you be able to leave your life behind and create a new one without any regrets? Culd you manage to stay alive while being hunted by an entire army? I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore tells the exciting story of survival, love, and the endless chase.

15-year-old Daniel Jones is burning his life once again. He's an alien from the plantet of Lorien, the fourth one of nine to be hunted and killed by the Mogadorians. He and his guardian immediately change their names and move to Ohio, and John Smith is created. Blending in and staying hidden is what John's used to, but this year is different once he meets Mark, and suddenly he's standing out. On top of dealing with this unneeded attention, John's legacies are developing. These legacies are powers that will help him to defeat the evil aliens that are hunting the nine of his kind to extinction before they take over the world. Can John leave this life, along with his friends and girlfriend, behind to save his life?

This book is one worth reading. I was up past 9 (only until 930 Mom) reading this because it was just too good to put down! Lore does an exraordinary job of creating and explaining the story of how John copes with his life as he's being hunted. Nothing else can compare to a book like this one!

Will John be able to survive the wrath of the Mogadorians? Can he keep his small family of three alive with him? Are we living with the other five kids without our knowing? Read I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore and you could find out some interesting facts that may shock you and change the way you think about our world today.

Summer in the City

Are you a girl sports fan? Do you read romance novels? Would you (or have you) be able to survive a week of heartache? Summer in the City by Elizabeth Chandler is a perfect book full of romance, sports, and the daily account of how crazy one summer can be.

Eighteen-year-old Jamie Carvelli has never really been good at love. She's more into sports than guys, but she can't help noticing some of them. When her summer plans with her dad are ruined by his new girlfriend, Jamie decides to spend a summer up in Maryland with her mother, a new best-selling romance author. Arriving during the middle of the Baltimore "Hon Fest", Jamie may have just found the perfect guy for her, having absolutely no idea who he is because of his Baltimore Hon outfit. There's enough to think about now that she realizes she's been signed up for a summer lacrosse camp, with a coach named Josh who's about her age and undeniably hot, so there's not another thought about her Hon. Mistakes begin to work their way into ruling Jamie's life, and soon she's caught up in dangerous bets, a new boyfriend, and coaching a kids sport's summer camp. Confusion begins to grow inside of her as Josh sends mixed signals about his feelings. Can Jamie survive a whole summer in the city with her heart intact?

This book is one that I read during the sixth grade and just had to read again now. It's so full of mischeif and everyday life that you know it's going to be a good one. Chandler does a great job of explaining everything thorougly without saying too much,and gives such insight on her topic that you just can't put this book down. Creativity and origionality aren't a problem in this book!

Can Jamie learn to play lacrosse with a girl's stick? Can she continue to work her way through her confusing love life? Will she ever find out who her Baltimore Hon is? The only way to find out is to read Summer in the City by Elizabeth Chandler, because I'm sure not going to tell you :D

Girl in the Arena

Do you ever dream about being something big in life? Would you ever be able to face the fact that one of your parents were gone for good? Did you read the Hunger Games and find it completely awesome? If so, then Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines is a book you'll want to consider looking at.. and then reading! Filled with unimaginable action, scary prophesies, and unwanted press swarms, this book will keep you up all night!

Lyn has had it rough since the first gladiator husband her mother married. She's been forced to learn fighting, take care of her brother who has special needs, and stay strong after every one of her stepfathers is killed during a battle. But when her favorite and final stepfather is killed by Uber and he takes her dowry bracelet, Lyn's life is turned upside down, holding even more chaos than before. Soon paparazzi are swarming the house, which Lyn's family is going to lose if she doesn't marry Uber like she's supposed to. There's only one problem though: Lyn doesn't WANT to marry him. She wants to have a normal life, not one filled with the hectic moments of being a Glad Wife. After seeming like she's finally found some stability, another tragedy strikes, bringing even more trauma into her life. Lyn makes a decision- she's going to fight the person who killed her father. Can she live with the results of these decisions?

This book is one of my favorites because of all the action put into it. There's never a chapter that's missing either a heart-stopper or something that will get your pulse racing. It's one of those books you can't put down until you read to the very end. Haines does such a great job of putting details in just the right spots, so you actually feel what the character is feeling.

Will Lyn be able to survive her life before the fight? Are there more disastrous surprises waiting along the road? Can she live with the outcome of her choices? Read Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines and I can tell you, it's just as great as the Hunger Games.

Message of the Month

Hi Guys! So I'm sure there's only like 12 of you actually reading this, but just to let you know I'm only posting 2 book reviews this month, because you should never believe the shipment orders when it says 2-14 days for a book. It will always be put onto the slowest shipment and you'll have to wait like 2 weeks for it :P

So this month I have only two books, but they are so awesome that I think they don't need another book to complete them :P

Talk to ya'll next month!
~Megan :)

Boys, Girls, & Other Hazardous Materials

Do you feel like you can't escape your past wherever you go? Have you ever had best friends that kept teasing you about something? would you be able to stand up to someone who previously used you like a tool? Charlie faces a whole new world of drama in Boys, Girls, and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman. With detailed flashbacks, homecoming arguments, sports hazing, and (of course) high school crushes, this book is perfect for readers like you.

Charlie Healy has done it- she's finally escaped from her drama life at Ben Franklin Middle School, leaving her horrible friends behind. Now she's free to become a new person at Harmony Falls High School, until two things happen. One is that Nidhi Patel is back, and she hasn't forgiven Chalie for not standing up to her "friends". Two is that Will Edwards, Charlie's best friend since she was little, is back, going to Harmony Falls, and he's hot. Things begin to take the path of crazy teenagers (including at least three heated arguments) until a hazing prank including Will goes out of contorol, sending someone to the hospital. Now Charlie's life is way more drama filled than she, or any other teen, wants. Is there such a thing as a year free of drama?

This is by far one of the best realistic fiction books I've read, and that's saying something considering all of the books I read. Wiseman does such a good job of putting feeling into this book and making you remember (or fantasize about) your own high school years. There are everyday problems put into here about decision making, stress, and the interaction of teens that many of us forget about even though we've experienced them ourselves! If you've seen Mean Girls and liked it, then you'll love Queen Bees & Wannabes by Wiseman, because even though it was the basis for the movie, we all know the books are better than the movies. :)

Can Charlie survive her freshman year at Harmony Falls? Will she able to fix the mistakes from her past? Are there hidden feelings for someone, or is it just worries as Charlie tries to make her choice? Read Boys, Girls, and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman and I hope you'll love it just as much as I do.

Museum of Thieves

Do you get into trouble often? Have you ever heard and listened to that small voice n the back of your head? Would you be able to run away and stay hidden after hearing about the consequences given to the ones you loved? No one can answer these questions better than Goldie in Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner.

Twelve-year-old Golden Roth has been put into the Punishment Chains once again. It wasn't her fault exactly, but now she was in those hated, heavy brass chains on her Separation Day, the day when children are finally allowed to leave their Guardians' Care. Today's Separation Day isn't going at all how Goldie wants, especially when a mysterious accident causes Separation Day to be canceled. Goldie's devastated and can't stand to spend another day with her Guardians, so she steals the ceremonial scissors and cuts her ribbon, escaping through a small door. This upturns chaos, but now Goldie must stay hidden or face unmentionable consequences. Frightened and unprepared, Goldie is somehow pushed towards the mysterious Museum of Dunt, where she really begins her adventures. Goldie begins to live inside the Museum's shifting walls and rooms, learning and developing her skills as a thief along with a boy named Toadspit. When the Fugelman and his Guardians threaten to open the dreaded Dirty Gate, releasing war, disease, and other feared things, Goldie and Toadspit must act quickly to save their beloved Dunt from plague. Will they be able to do it in time?

This book is one worth mentioning because it's such a good story, with the perfect combination of suspense, adventure, and the antics of children. Tanner puts such insight and story elements into this book that you'd have to be crazy not to check this book out!

Will Goldie and Toadspit be able to save their city? Is there something suspicious about the Fugelman? Will the Dirty Gate remained closed? Read Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner and you may find out more than you ever dreamed of.