ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES by Sonya Sones

I recently just finished reading One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones. I was introduced to this book by my reading teacher, Mrs. Hart. You would think by looking at the title of this book it would just be really depressing throughout the whole book, although it is not. This book is filled with lots of drama and ups and downs of one girl’s life. It is definitely hard to set down this book once you get started. It is written in free-verse poetry, which made it really interesting to read. I found myself flying through the pages of this book, just wanting to read more and more.

            Ruby is a teenage girl whose mom recently died and her aunt, that she is very close to, is traveling all around the world with her boyfriend. Unfortunately, she is forced to move to California to live with her stuck up, movie star dad, that hasn’t even had time to send her a birthday card. Everything about her life seems to be going downhill from there, especially since she is forced to move away from her boyfriend and best friend. The only bright side of the whole situation is the fact that she finally gets to meet her dad after all of these years, although, she’s still not sure if she even likes him or not.  Ruby’s life is definitely going to change, having to start over a whole new life with whole new people.

            The plot development in this book was awesome because it had me turning the pages constantly. There were so many events going on in her life, you just wanted to keep reading more and more about it. Sones did an amazing job with the structure of the book. Sones used a very creative way of writing her book, to keep it interesting.

“Welcome to California!”

He says it like he’s rehearsed it.

But he says it like he means it.

Like he really, really means it.

Well,

So what if he does?

Because I’m here to tell him

That he can’t just ooze out

Onto the stage of my life

And play my father.

Not after Mom did all the hard work

Of teaching me to be a decent human being,

 which is something he obviously couldn’t have done

Even if he’d bothered to try

Since he clearly doesn’t know the first thing

About being one himself.

I’m here to tell him

That this is going to be

The toughest role he’s ever had to play.

I chose this passage from the book because it shows you how Sones used free verse poetry in her writing. In this passage you also got to see how the relationship between Ruby and her dad starts off.  The imagery in this book was also amazing. The way she used great detail in her writing, kept an image in my head throughout the whole book. Sones kept me turning the pages, keeping me hooked to see what was going to happen next.

            I would definitely rate this book a 9. The reason I give this book such a high rating is because I think that everything about this book was awesome! There were rarely any parts of the book where I wanted to put it down, I just wanted to keep on reading. It usually takes me awhile to get though a book, but it took me hardly any time to get through this one. I would recommend this book to all teen readers out there, especially ones who like a little bit of drama.

Reviewed by Hannah Stanaland

8th Grade

**NFMS** Want to learn more about Sonya Sones and her other amazing books? Check out her WEBSITE!

BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz is a book that is well worth the time we all seem to spend reading books. Main character Stacey Brown attends Hillcrest Prep-School and has a secret that she doesn’t want anybody else to know about. Drea, her roommate, doesn’t like the Wiccan spells Stacey casts nor does she like the nightmares Stacey has every night. Stacey has been having nightmares about people she encounters ever since she was born.  When she starts getting threatening notes form an anonymous writer, she has to face the fact that someone she is close to is in danger. Can she figure out what her dreams are trying to tell her before it is too late?

In this book by Lauria Faria Stolarz, there is no way to stop turning pages once you begin. Stolarz does an amazing job with imagery throughout the whole book. Since most of us aren’t Wiccan, we don’t know what exactly to picture in the book when Stacey is casting her Wiccan spells. But Stolarz makes this amazingly easy by doing a great job with the narrative voice for many of the characters. It is very important to have a good narrative voice for a book of this sort, because books like Blue is for Nightmares are hard to picture in terms of action, and seeing through the main character’s eyes. The fact that Stolarz has written this with such an insight makes this one of the best books I have read with a first-person voice. Character development was very important in this book, since the storyline was so complicated.

“Veronica. She’s lying on the ground, a collection of textbooks surrounding her head, as well as Madame Lenore’s clay planter, still in one piece. There’s a narrow stream of liquid running from her head, pooling itself into a pear-shaped puddle. I shake my head over and over again, swallowing the bile down, telling myself that the running liquid it just a water spill from the planter or a leak from the ceiling. But I know it’s really blood. That she’s dead. Her moss-green eyes stare up at me, wide open and disappointed, asking me why I didn’t get here sooner. I glance up toward the window shade, slapping against the wooden ledge. The chilly November air filters into the classroom, plays with the wisps of cinnamon-brown hair at the base of her forehead, now stained bright Valentine red. I cover my face with my hands. That’s when the darkness in the room folds in and swirls all around me. When my body hits the floor.”

                While I read this I was shocked at how well Stolarz created suspense in such a short amount of time. I couldn’t stop reading until I finished the book completely. The way Stolarz spreads the suspense throughout the whole book amazes me. In some books I have read in the past, the author waits until the last fifty pages and decides to suddenly cram in all the action they didn’t put in the whole other three-hundred or so pages. Another thing I found surprising was that she didn’t use short and choppy sentences as most authors use in suspenseful parts of their novels.

                I would rate this amazing book a 9 out of 10 for its storyline and use of imagery.  The reason I did not rate it a full 10 is because it lacked a sense of one thing I always look for in a book. Relation. I couldn’t relate to the characters in most parts of the book because there was a totally different type of lifestyle in the book than I could relate to. But overall it was an amazing book and I intend to read more of Stoarz’s novels in the future.

Reviewed by Jenny McCrummen

8th Grade

This is a fan made book trailer by "signingupagain" for Blue is for Nightmares. Very creepy, but cool!

WORLD WAR Z by Maz Brooks

I came across World War Z by Max Brooks from my sister. My initial opinion was a little unsure, but it defiantly came through as a great book. I would say this is the best horror novel I’ve ever read.

This book is definitely different from others I’ve read. It doesn’t have a definite plot line and only one character remains constant. This is revealed through the questions of a journalist who goes around the globe interviewing survivors of “World War Z”. As the location changes, so do the different characters and each story is one of its’ own. He goes from the survival story of one families journey north to the horrific sights a downed air force pilot endures on her trek to safety.

Brooks does every single convention so well as well as others that it’s hard to choose between them. Everything was fantastic. One thing in particular that sticks out to me is the structure. He sets up each segment by describing the place and the person interviewed, sometimes explaining their career during the pandemic. Each character is completely unique to themselves and none resemble each other. There might be someone who goes straight to their story and the journalist (whose name remains unknown) rarely pitches in, or someone who needs to be pushed for questions before they give any information away. The book couldn’t have been written in a better format, he makes these characters all too real. As you read you will start to question yourself if “World War Z” actually happened or not.

His character development was yet another perfect aspect of Brooks writing.

            “As much a legend for her temper as for her outstanding war record, it is difficult to see how so much intensity can be compacted into her diminutive, almost childlike frame. Her long black bangs and delicate facial features only reinforce the picture of eternal youth. Then she removes her sunglasses, and I see the fire behind her eyes.”

This paragraph is just a tiny feature he gives you for each character, making them extremely vivid and very real. He types the dialogue for each person with an accent, some very heavy and others barely noticeable, yet still there. I can’t stress enough how the story behind each character is all too realistic which just makes it so chilling to read.

Brooks has an amazing knack for details which sets him apart from all other authors. “They weren’t the way Hollywood portrays them, in suits and everyday clothing. Many were being treated when they changed. They were in hospital gowns and sweats, some even naked.” This quote is still an understatement for his amazing details. He goes as far as describing through one of the characters that they even saw zombies trapped in cars, unable to undo their seatbelt. I don’t think anyone else could put as much details into this books as Brooks did, it was absolutely fantastic. His details and logistics actually made sense, making the characters stories and the idea of “World War Z” very plausible. This book will definitely leave you wondering if it could really happen or not.

The way he implies how things have changed after the pandemic is amazing too. “He lifted his shirt, revealing a wound about the size of a prewar dime.” You will be asking yourself, ‘Prewar dime? What does he mean by that? Are they different now?’ It leaves you curious and begging him for more information.

I don’t think this review or anyone else on a Brooks novel can do it justice - there’s just so many things he does right. The review itself would be the  length of a novel, you just have to go read it. Giving this book anything below a 10 is an injustice and I recommend it to anyone and everyone who can stomach the horrific tales and images Brooks will plant in your head.

Reviewed by Blake Beal

8th Grade

**A Note from Mrs. Hart*** World War Z movie rights have been purchased by Brad Pitt's movie production studio, "Plan B Entertainment". MTV Movies Blog reports on a recent post:

"World War Z" Is Actually Happening, So Get Ready
Buy your rifles and stock up your pantries, because "World War Z" is almost upon us. Bleeding Cool has the news that the film's cinematographer, Robert Richardson, is currently prepping production for the film at one of London's major movie studios. After weeks and months of delays and financial woes, it looks like the flick is actually going to get made. Thanks goodness!

On the Middle Shelf will be sure to post any new movie news about World War Z.

LINGER by Maggie Stiefvater

             After searching for a week or two, I finally came across this book. I read it in a matter of days (if it were up to me it would have been hours). Linger is a continuation of Maggie Stiefvater’s first book; Shiver. One of the main  things that caught my interest was the story plot; it’s basically about a boy and a girl who fall in love. I know what you’re thinking, “Ohhh great, another teen romance trying to live up to the standards of Twilight.”  Wrong.

                  Here's the catch in this romance of boy and girl; the dude just happens to be a werewolf!  How did this relationship come to be? Well a young girl by the name of Grace lives in house not too far from a forest. Not just a normal, every-day set of trees - wolves live there.  One day Grace comes home to discover a boy lying on her back porch. Turns out he’s one of the wolves from the forest named Sam who had transformed to human. Crazy, huh? After getting to know one another, they soon fall in love. Everything is perfect until it’s time for Sam to change back into wolf form, leaving Grace all alone. They have to fight to stay together through Sam’s four-legged conflicts, as well as Grace’s parents intruding on their relationship.              

            Stiefvater easily made me laugh and want to cry. She sets up each individual scene with great detail, forcing the reader to easily feel as if they’re watching the movie. Just read the following passage for further convincing.

Motionless, I watched as a black wolf appeared behind the gray one, followed by another I didn’t know. They moved like a school of fish, constantly touching, jostling, and communicating without words. Soon there were six wolves, all keeping their distance, all watching me, all scenting the air. I was afraid. The wolves circled me, wary of my human form but curious of the smell. Maybe they were waiting for me to shift.

            What I love more than anything is the way Stiefvater tells the story from different characters’ perspectives. One chapter is in Grace’s point of view and the next is in Sam’s. This makes me adore the book even more. No longer will I have to wonder what the other character’s thoughts and feelings are. Unlike some authors, Stiefvater easily shows the obsessive relationship between the two main characters. You can tell they are completely and unconditionally in love. She just as easily shows the relationship between other characters in the book. From hatred to love, you always know they’re feelings for one another.

            Before grabbing Linger off of the shelf, I recommend reading Shiver beforehand, just to get the feel of it all.  On a scale of 1 to 10, I easily give Linger a 9. The book does provide a slight disappointment because the previous book was just so great, it heightened my expectations for the second.  Only because of that slight flaw I give it a 9, hardly shy of a 10, but I’m quite harsh on my ratings. Now all I can do is pray and hope for either a movie, or a third book to satisfy my cravings for more.  

Reviewed by Logan Love

8th Grade

*NFMH* Maggie Stiefvater has a really interesting website full of information about her books, blog posts, links to short stories, and tons of other neat stuff. Click HERE for Maggie's website.

PEACHES by Jodi Lynn Anderson

I just read the novel Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson - a teen fiction book. This book was the perfect thing to read when I was feeling stressed or overwhelmed and needed to get away. Any teenage girl could relate to this interesting and engrossing novel.

    Peaches is about three very different girls, who become best friends under odd circumstances. Murphy McGowen, the wildest girl in Bridgewater, is forced to work at Darlington Orchard when she’s caught trying to steal the owner’s Creme de menthe. Birdie Darlington, the owner’s daughter, is a girl who has been home schooled her whole life and isn’t afraid of getting a little dirt under her nails. Leeda Cawley-Smith, the richest, most popular girl in Bridgewater and Birdie’s second cousin, is forced by her parents to come and work at the orchard during spring break. These three girls learn what true friendship really is. They help each other deal with guy problems, and Birdie’s parents getting divorced. What was the best part about this book? They do it all while picking peaches under the Georgia sun.  

    This book is so well written. The novel is told through each character's point of view, which helped me to understand each of the girls' thoughts and feelings. I could understand why Murphy did what she did but I could also understand why Leeda was upset by it.

The other convention that I absolutely loved was the character development. Each character changed over the course of this book in a way that you could feel like you were changing with them.

Still, if it was possible, Uncle Walter looked even older than he had in April, the gray at his temples having grown up the sides of his head like fungus.

Standing on the porch besides Walter, Birdie looked the opposite – she looked fresher, a little thinner, and excited. Her eyes scanned the group in front of the porch frenetically. Leeda looked behind her to see who Birdie might be looking for. Instead, her gaze landed on Murphy, skulking in the back, dark circles under her eyes and her arms crossed around her waist.

I think this passage shows how the characters changed physically and mentally overtime. I have never read a book as realistic or truthful as this one. Everything that happened in this book happens to a lot of people every day.  The plot structure of this book isn’t very normal, but this is why I like it. Everything flows together and makes sense.

Jodi Lynn Anderson is a great writer and I rate this book an 8. I recommend this book for any teenage girl. If you like Peaches I suggest you read the rest of the series or Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares.

Reviewed by Baylee Stovall

8th Grade

THE ENEMY by Charlie Higson

        The Enemy by Charlie Higson is an amazing dystopian fiction book filled with nonstop action and tons of surprises waiting around every corner. This book is a nonstop thrill ride with tons of twists.

    This book is about a disease that hits the Earth and it has turned everyone over 16 into zombies. It takes place about a year after the infection hit in London, England. Some kids have managed to survive by seeking shelter in a grocery store, but when a new kid shows up saying there’s a safe place at Buckingham Palace, the kids decide to risk it all and go. On the trip they lose many people but when they arrive everything is not as it appears. The kid who is in control of the palace has his own agenda. He doesn’t care about the well-being of his people all he really wants to do is control all of London.

           The characters are really well rounded. They seem like they could be real people. They were tough from a year of fighting for their life and from scavenging food.  They were not sissies but they had a soft spot, which I think really helped shape the story. For example, some kids wanted just to stay alive but others want to take control of all of London for themselves. This new kid that showed up is named Jester when one of the kids dies he doesn’t really care and just wants to make it back to Buckingham Palace.

“They’ve rested enough,” said Jester. “We were hours in Camden waiting for Arran to die.””That’s cold man,” said Blue. “What do you think we should have done? Finished him off ourselves?”” Of course not,” said Jester. “But it was obvious he was going to die.” “We did what we did man,” said Blue. “Couldn’t have done it no other way.””I know,” said Jester.

            I love the way the author switched people every chapter and told how they were surviving. It is organized really well, so whenever it was switching people you did not confuse them with another character.

            Overall I would rate this book an 8.5 out of 10 for the heart pounding action. If you liked this book I would recommend Maze Runner or The Roar. 

Reviewed by Jacob Duncan

8th Grade

THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy

         Are you looking for an outstanding book?  I just read The Road by Cormac McCarthy, and “outstanding” would definitely describe this book.  If you like survival books and stories about getting through hard times, I strongly suggest you try this novel.

          This book is the story of a young boy and his dad having to journey across a post-apocalyptic country.  They are in search of a warmer place because they will not be able to survive winter with what little possessions they have.  The only transportation they have is their feet, the only food they have is some canned goods they push in a cart, and the only protection they have against danger is a gun with only one bullet.  They face danger on the road they travel almost every day.  In spite of these hopeless conditions, the man and his son persevere for the sake of each other’s survival.  This summary can’t even describe the emotions and the intense battle for survival told in this story, so you will have to read the book to get the full story.

            In my opinion, one of the most outstanding qualities of this book is the narrative voice.  The narrator frequently uses simile to explain things that happen in the book.  An example of this is:

“And the dreams so rich in color.  How else would death call you?  Waking in the cold dawn it all turned to as instantly.  Like certain ancient frescoes entombed for centuries now exposed

 to the day.”

This passage is referring to a dream one of the characters had and compares it to a fading ancient painting.  This is just one of the many great examples of figurative language the narrator uses in The Road.

            This book also has great descriptions of the setting.  The way the author uses imagery is almost breath-taking.  This paragraph is just one of many interesting examples in the book that demonstrates the way the author describes the setting:

“The blackness he woke to on those nights was sightless and impenetrable.  A blackness to hurt your ears with listening.  Often he had to get up.  He rose and stood tottering in the cold autistic dark…He took great marching steps into the nothingness, counting them on his return.”

As you read The Road you will encounter many more descriptive paragraphs similar to this.

            Reading this book really made me think. It is a very emotional story and you would have to be heartless for this book not to touch your feelings in some way.  The emotions, the intense battle for survival, and the loving bond between a father and his son make this book phenomenal.  If I were going to rate this book on a scale of 1-10, I would give it a 10 for sure.  I couldn’t find one thing I didn’t like about this book while I was reading it.  If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind book, you need to check out The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

Reviewed by Ryan Bowman

8th Grade

**NFMH** On the Road is now a movie. Keep in mind the rating, and always have parent permission if you are under age before renting such a film :)

BOOST by Kathy Mackel

“You need to Boost your game Christopher!” is what Savvy Christopher has been hearing ever since she has moved to this new town. All she wants to do is play basketball, even if it’s on an 18U team where she’s pushed around by older, stronger players. Callie (Savvy’s older sister) also needs to Boost her game. She realized at the beginning of the school year that she gained too much weight to be a Varsity Cheer flyer. There is a lot of pressure for both girls to up their game. How far will they go to get better?
The description Kathy Mackelgives throughout the book about the characters is excellent. After you read this you will feel like they could be one of your friends too! This story is very realistic and is possible of happening. Kathy made this story really interesting and exciting; I couldn’t put it down! Also, the descriptions of what was happening in this book are incredible!

I felt the ball, leather like second skin, and bent my knees, loose and strong. Powering up through my legs, I flexed my wrist and watched the ball take flight.

Swish.

A murmur went through the coaches, parents, and other girls. They would be saying, Who is that girl, where did she come from, and how the heck tall is she?

Savvy Christopher. Newly arrived in Rhode Island, all the way from New Mexico. Six two and still growing.

This passage helped me create a picture in my head of all the pressure on Savvy, and how important it was to succeed in basketball to her. Mackel gives this incredible detail all throughout this novel.

The theme of this book would be not to change your body for anyone. If you want to get in shape or whatever your goal is then you should work at it and not do anything drastic or stupid to your body. Readers will come out with more understanding about steroid use and consequences when using them.  Boost showed me no matter how much I want to get better at sports; I shouldn’t do anything harmful to my body because in the end it will just mess everything up.

            I would give this book a definite ten. I immediately got into this book. For me, since I’m really interested in basketball, I sped right through it! Also, if you’re a girl athlete and tired about all the sports stories where the characters are usually guys, then you need to read Boost. If you’re the least bit interested in basketball then you should give this book a try! It’s a great read about life’s difficulties, making friends (and enemies), family, and of course; basketball.

Reviewed by Stephanie Smith

8th Grade

UGLIES by Scott Westerfield

Uglies is a great dystopian fiction novel and the first in a series of four. Scott Westerfeld writes about a world where people have an operation done at the age of 16 that turns them from an “Ugly” to a “Pretty”. When the main character, Tally, meets a girl who doesn’t want the operation things start to go out of control. The girl runs away to a place called the Smoke, and Tally is forced to go after her by a secret organization called Special Circumstances. She then has to choose between betraying her new friend to the government or becoming a Pretty.

Scott Westerfeld writes this book from Tally’s third-person limited point of view. He does an amazing job at developing not only the main character, but many of the side characters as well. As you read the book, you will be able to see how Tally changes drastically through her opinions of people and how she sees each of them in a new light. You can also see the subtle changes or, in some characters, how quickly they can go from the good guy to the bad guy and vice versa.

            What really made this book good was the structure. Special Circumstances is a government organization that no one knows if they are just legends or if they really do exist. The presence of Special Circumstances just makes this book more intense, as if they are in the shadows the whole time, watching Tally. Dr. Cable, the head of Special Circumstances, is the main antagonist and is the person who forces Tally to travel to the Smoke and betray her friend. I think the way Westerfeld develops this organization and makes them a looming figure throughout the book is a great aspect of his writing.

Another good thing about Uglies is how Westerfeld uses imagery. The way he describes scenes in the book makes you feel like your right there next to Tally getting sprayed by a waterfall or nearly burning to death in the forest.

“Billowing clouds of smoke surrounded her, blotting out the sky. A ragged wall of flame moved through the flowers, giving off a wave of blistering heat. She stumbled down the hill and away from the fire.”

His great use of words will make you feel the heat, cold, or wherever Tallys’ travels lead her.

I would rate this book a 9 for its concrete plot line and the authors’ strong structure and character development. Overall, this is a great book and I recommend the sequels’ to it, which are Pretties, Extras, and Specials.

Reviewed by Blake Beal

8th Grade

CIRQUE DU FREAK: A LIVING NIGHTMARE by Darren Shan

 Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare is a creepy, interesting, and well-written fantasy fiction novel that you certainly will not forget (or want to read before bed time).   I found myself unable to stop reading once I started, and the fact that the book is now a movie made me excited to finish.  This is one of the first books I actually found myself looking forward to reading.

The main character, Darren Shan, is an adventurous boy who enjoys things that will make you cringe in fear. He has quite a bit of courage, and will do anything for his best friend Steve.

   Darren is an average boy, but this will certainly change after all of the gruesome and heart pounding events that will occur in the midst of this novel. The dynamic plot includes things like witnessing a snake boy, a wolf man, and other deathly creatures, including a vampire and his pet spider; Madame Octa to name a few.

   All of these events amazing encounters began with shriveled poster which Darren and his friends find advertising a freak show, which reads the lettering ; Cirque du Freak.  They have no earthly idea what mysterious and wondrous events this paper holds. Ony two people can go, and Steve and Darren just happen to be the chosen ones. Once they make it to the scary and unusual atmosphere of the old building (which the show is being placed at) they know this will change them forever. It will also change Darren and Steve’s relationship because little did Darren know; Steve wanted to become a vampire. Steve confronts the Vampire after the show and asks to become one, but is denied for “bad blood”. But how would Steve feel if one day Darren must become a Vampire, even if it was to save him?

    “Yes, Steve snarled. I wanted to become one, but you’re the one who did. You planned this all along didn’t you? You told him I was evil. You made him reject me so that you could--.”

   “You’re talking nonsense, I sighed. I never wanted to become a vampire. I only agreed to join him in order to save your life!”

Shan used great character development throughout this novel. The author Shan shows in-depth feelings and first-person thoughts through  Darren, as well as feelings of other characters too. The book is easy to follow, the plot is also well thought out, and it is difficult to put down!

   I would have to rate this novel a 9 out of 10 because of the authors wonderful use of imagery, and interesting plot structure. I am very glad that I took the time to read this book, and I'm already working my way through book two of the Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

Reviewed by Jaxon Parrot

8th Grade