The Things A Brother Knows.By: Dana Reinhardt

I was attracted to the novel, because I grew up with two older brothers. The brothers in the novel never got along. Levi was the youngest brother, he was 17 years old. Boaz was the older brother, who had been a Marine . The two brothers take a walking trip from Boston-to Washington D.C. together.

The author handles the family incidents very well. Dana Reinhardt, the author does an excellent job for her first novel.
We find ourselves focusing on Levi, who struggles through High School , while his older brother Boaz is doing his time in the Marines. Pearl and Zim are the friends who support Levi, while the other brother is gone away to the Military. Levi graduates from High School in the end.
When Boaz comes home from the Military, it is very noticeable that he has changed. So Levi follows Boaz one day to see where he goes. Levi finds out Boaz never finds out what he believed.

I recommend this novel very much.


LRD 5/31/11

We'llAlways Have Summer By Jenny Han

This novel takes place, after Isabel Relly Conklin's first year in College during the summer. Belly is faced with making a choice of marraige between two brothers she has loved for many years Jeremiah, and Conrad Fisher. The problem is, Jeremiah proposes marriage, but Conrad Fisher confesses that he still loves Belly.

Belly has many problems organizing her wedding to Jeremiah. She is a smart teen, but young in age. She is 19 years old, and her Mom does not approve of the marriage. In fact, she makes it a point to tell Belly she will not attend the marriage. Belly's Dad is also opposed to his only daughter's wedding. Now who will give Belly away ?

Belly, and Taylor planned the wedding. It's a small wedding with twenty people invited. The couple will be married on the beach. The best man will wear khaki shorts. The bride's dress in the end, was sought out by Belly's Mother, who became a big help to her daughter with the arrangements on the special day.

Unfortunately, it poured down rain on the actual wedding day. Belly married Conrad not Jeremiah. I loved the novel, and it kept me on my toes. Read the novel it is great!

Anna & the French Kiss By Stephanie Perkins

Honestly, I read this novel to enhance my knowledge of Paris, France. The beginning of the novel was boring to me, it took about 100 pages before my interest was satisfied. The plot has to do with teen girl Anna, and Etienne , who are shipped off to boarding school.

The plot thickens, and School continues. School becomes a way to make friends with each other. They are Lab partners in School who become close friends. Finally, they become a couple , and date each other .

The teens are in a dormitory situation, while they attend school in France. A lot of teens start dating each other , and they branch out visiting famous sites around Paris. For instance, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Seine River, the Louvre Museum of Arts, the Champs de Elysee where many shops and cafe are located. Notre Dame is visited because of the famous stained glass windows, and gargoyles, high ceilings too. The Cathedral is an example of Gothic architecture worldwide. When you look inside of the Cathedral, your breath is taken away from the beauty.

This novel is a good read, and I recommend the n novel.

LRD/5/28/11

What Can't Wait By: Fishley Hope Perez

The title of the novel caught my eye, so I began reading it trying to decipher the story line was about. It turned out a Mexican lived in a run down neighborhood in Houston,Texas . Immigrants wanted to make ends meet rather, than accomplishing a College Education. Marisa is the main teen character in the novel. She is very bright , and wants to attend College.

In fact, Marissa makes it into the School of Engineering in Austin, Texas. This means she will live on campus, and be far from the home she grew up in.

Marisa has a good friend that later becomes her boyfriend called Allan. He is Mexican, and will attend a College in Houston, Texas. In this novel, a dance like a prom occurs, which is exciting for the student that attend High School. Marisa's family expects her to work, and give her wages to the family. Marisa has to give her wages to her Father.

There are many incidents throughout the Novel. I recommend the novel . It is a good read. Read the novel yourselves to find out the final ending.
LRD/5/28/11

Unthinkable by Shirley Duke

If you're looking for a quick creepy story, pick up this book. However, if you're looking for substance and an overall satisfying story, this might not be the route to take.

Omar has this problem where he has horrifying visions of people's deaths. He takes these visions and turns them into stories that he posts online because, as far as he's concerned, these are just weird dreams. Suddenly, though, his stories are coming true - starting with the murder of a former friend. Once it happens again, he makes the connection and realizes he needs to stop the images from coming true. When rewriting the story doesn't work, he knows he has to stop the visions - and his own life. Suddenly a girl shows up and she knows what he's going through and knows how to help him, without resorting to suicide. Is she the answer to his prayers, or does she have something sinister up her sleeve.

The book started out pretty good. Being such a short book (only 103 pages) it went by really quickly, but in doing so, lacked certain things like character development and other elements that draw out the story. It could have been slowed down. I would have like to have been invested more in the characters and seen more of the visions and incidents connected to them. However, for a quick chill, it works...up until the climax when we learn the truth. I personally rolled by eyes but maybe my expectations are too high. Then everything got wrapped up in a neat little bow, which seemed to easy - especially when the villain is supposedly "partially immortal." Again, maybe my expectations are too high but I think this novel could have pushed for more.

Based on the size of the novel, I think it's aimed either lower level readers or hesitant readers. It's a scary story simple enough to draw them into the world of reading without overwhelming them. It does a decent job in that aspect. Aiming for simplistic, though, makes it just that - simplistic. I thought the book had more potential than it achieved.
MMK

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

They say that every small town has it's secrets, and Cryer's Cross, Montana, is no exception. Toward the end of the school year Tiffany Quinn disappears. Most of the town helps in searching for her, and after five days they stop searching not finding her. The new school year begins with two new kids from Arizona joining the school. Kendall tries to make friends with Jacian, but he's being a difficult person to become friends with. Marlena on the other hand is very friendly, and makes friends with Kendall easily. A few weeks later her best friend since birth, Nico, goes missing. The police question Kendall implying she had something to do with his disappearance. They search for him, but do not find any trace of him besides his abandoned car. As the weeks go by Kendall keeps hearing Nico's voice coming from his old desk. Kendall thinks she's going crazy, but she thinks that if she listens to the voice she might find Nico.

Overall, I was disappointed with the book, and I don't say that often. The book had a good premise, and as I was reading everything seemed to drift farther away from the plot. After Nico went missing the author had Kendall yearning for his safe return for most of the novel. It was only toward the end that something actually happened. The story wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be.

T.B. 5/22/11

Black Bird by Kanoko Sakurakoji

Black bird is graphic novle that consist of eight volumes. Story and art by talented Kanoko Sakurakoji. Wonderful story and art work, if you are the romantic type.

Misao sees things that other people don't. Normally, the annoying monster would do harmless things. But on her sixteenth birthday, these creatures she sees take it up farther, trying to kill her. They would be the only bother, until demons have gone serious into killing her or taking her for their own. She's saved by a childhood friend from her past, Ky Usui, who just happens to be a demon himself. Avoiiding moments of death with Kyo protecting her, her own future turns out that she's a rare, "Bride of Prophecy". Which blood gives power and flesh offers immortality. The demons are set onto her, and it just happens that Kyo wants Misao as well.

If you love romantic mystery tails, I recomend this book for you.

World War Z by Max Brooks

Taking place about ten years after the zombie war World War Z recounts experiences from all over the world as the zombie plague spreads, and what is left of humanity fights back against the seemingly unstoppable zombies. It all starts in China where a little boy is bitten while moon fishing with his father. When Dr. Kwang Jingshu arrives the boy has bitten several others and is bound and locked away. After an encounter with patient zero, he calls and old army buddy who works Chongqing Medical University. The old buddy makes a call to the Chinese government who sends armed men from the Ministry of Health. They round up everyone in the village to ascertain who has had contact with the infected. Even though the rest of the world didn't see it at first, Dr. Kwang Jingshu knew this was not an isolated incident. The book then recounts stories from Tibet, Greece, Brazil, and Palestine about how the infection spread, and how the governments were fighting back. Slowly the armies all over the world were loosing ground and troops to the zombie plague. Survivors were scattered all over land and sea. There is even a United Nations on a boat floating somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. It's decided that the United States is the first country to fight back in. As the refugees fight back the tide in the war is turned. Once the United States is taken back, everyone spreads out to the rest of the world taking it back from the zombies. The world returns to something like it was before the zombie war, but it will never be the same again.

One of, if not, the best zombie book I've read. It was very human and emotional. Most zombie books and movies have a small group of survivors taking down the zombies, but World War Z had what was left of humanity come together and fight back. It's our will to survive and our will to fight that makes this book a really good read.

T.B. 5/18/11