Reviewer's name: Chris C.
Role: student
Grade: 11
Book title: Stiff
Author: Mary Roach
Category: non-fiction
Summary: Mary Roach brings a powerful and humorous message when she sheds light on a subject not openly talked about among most people. What happens to your body when you die? Mary Roach talks about all the different uses for your body used throughout history when you donate your body to science. She brings a neat perspective to a subject that most people would think twice before talking about.
Personal response: I enjoyed the book,I learned a lot about an interesting subject. I would recommend this book to anywone who does not have a weak stomach and does not mind learing about that something that is not really relevant to everyday life.
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Reviewer's name: Lori Buechner
Role: other other: Secondary Librarian
Book title: Deception Point
Author: Dan Brown
Category: fiction
Summary: NASA has discovered a meteorite that proves the existence of life on other planets, or so we're supposed to believe...this fast-paced novel never lacks for adventure or heart-stopping drama. Invariably, each chapter ends with a cliff-hanger that forces the reader to continue. Lots of action and intrigue! It's a real page-turner like the DaVinci Code, but without any of the related controversy. :-)
Personal response: I highly recommend this book - I could hardly put it down! Great 'escape' literature - definitely read it!
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Reviewer's name: Lori Buechner
Role: Secondary Librarian
Book title: Northanger Abbey
Author: Jane Austen
Category: fiction
Summary: This first novel by Jane Austen follows the adventures of young Catherine Morland as she vacations in Bath, England and eventually visits her new-found friends at their home in the mysterious 'Northanger Abbey'. The trials and travails Catherine faces are certainly different than the trials of the typical teenager today, but there is a lot of satire and humor in this work, which engages the reader and makes it quite pleasant to read.
Personal response: I recommend this book as a small dose of 'Austen' when one is wanting a good diversion from life as we now know it! She is a master of describing quirky characters and capturing the essence of the time.
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Reviewer's name: Mr. Arneson
Role: teacher
Book title: Kite Runner
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Category: fiction
Summary: A heart-wrenching fictional account of a man who must return to his home country of Afghanistan in order to redeem himself of a terrible thing he did as a child.
Personal response: This book was so well-written that it was hard to believe you weren't reading an actual account of this man's life. There were some very graphic parts, so I would only recommend this for upperclassmen/adults. Painted a vivid picture of Afghanistan and its culture, both before and after the Taliban. Weaves actual history into the story which actually was very educational.
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Reviewer's name: Mr. Arneson
Role: teacher
Book title: The Sledding Hill
Author: Chris Crutcher
Category: fiction
Summary: The Sledding Hill examines the life of a young man named Eddie who has lost both his father and best friend within weeks of each other. The twist is that his departed best friend Billy, has remained in Eddie's life in order to help him through some struggles.
Personal response: This is such an interesting and creative story. It is very well-written and easy to read (and read again). You might be offended as a Christian reading this story, but I also believe that it tackles issues of censorship in a practical way. I would recommend this book to those that like a good read, aren't offended easily, and have an interest in social issues of our teens today.
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Reviewer's name: Chris C
Role: student
Grade: 11
Book title: Angels & Demons
Author: Dan Brown
Category: fiction
Summary: World renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is at it again. When Robert is summoned to a Swiss research facility to examine a symbol burned into the chest of a murdered physicist, an entire adventure rolls out before him. What he discovers is unbelievable, a deadly vendetta against the Catholic Church by a centuries-old underground organization known as the Illuminati. Desperate to save the Vatican from a horrible fate, Landgon joins forces in Rome with a Vittoria Vetra. Together they embark on a race agianst time through deserted cathedrals, catacombs and sealed cripts as well as the most secretive vault on earth; the Illuminati lair.
Personal response: I really enjoyed this book. It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, wondering what could possibly happen next. It will kepp you guessing through the whole book with lots of twists and turns. Since reading this book, Dan Brown has become one of my favorite authors and I really liked this book. If you like mystery/action adventure books, and you liked The DaVinci Code; then this book is for you.
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Reviewer's name: Gloria D.
Role: student
Grade: 12
Book title: A Room on Lorelei Street
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Category: fiction
Summary: Zoe moves away from a needy mom to her own room. She learns that things don't always work out as planned, but that she can work through it and not become like the people that she used to live with.
Personal response: Yes, it is a good book, especially if having a bad day.
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Reviewer's name: Chris C.
Role: student
Grade: 11
Book title: The Da Vinci Code
Author: Dan Brown
Category: fiction
Summary: Robert Langdon is a professor of religious symbology and a leading expert on symbols, but he has to put his knowledge to the test when he is not only called upon to help solve a murder but is a suspect, too. As time goes on he learns that he is solving more than just a murder case -- he is also uncovering a secret that has been kept from the Catholic church for thousands of years, by an ancient European society called the Priory of Scion. A desperate race through the cathedrals and castles of Europe, an astonishing truth concealed for centuries will finally be unveiled.
Personal response: I would recomend this book to adult readers only. Can be hard to understand and follow at times. Must be read as the book that it is not as a political or Biblical message.
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Reviewer's name: Marcy D.
Role: student
Grade: 11
Book title: Speak
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Category: fiction
Summary: Melinda Sordino goes through her freshman year of high school hated and rejected because at a party at the end of the summer she had called the cops. She is terrified to speak the truth, and is locked up inside her mind. Nobody knows what happend to Melinda, and nobody cares.
Personal response: I HIGHLY recommend this book. I honestly could not put it down. No matter who you are, a part of you can identify with Melinda. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was going to happen next, the whole entire time.
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Reviewer's name: Marcy D.
Role: student
Grade: 11
Book title: The Testament
Author: John Grisham
Category: fiction
Summary: Troy Phelan is an old rich man who passes away, but leaves none of his money to any of his 3 families. Instead, he leaves all his riches to a daughter no one even knew he had. As attorney Nate O'Riley cleans up his life to go searching for Racheal Lane, the story unfolds.
Personal response: I highly recommend this book. I could not put it down.
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Reviewer's name: Joseph G.
Role: student
Grade: 11
Book title: Thr3e
Author: Ted Dekker
Category: fiction
Summary: Late one summer afternoon, Kevin Parson is driving his car. All of the sudden, his cell phone rings....Kevin answers and a man who is speaking in a breath-like voice says, "we're gonna' play a little game Kevin...you have exactly three minutes to confess your sin to the world. Refuse and the car you are driving will be blown sky-high." Kevin quickly hangs up the phone and thinks to himself, "is this some kind of a prank? What sin?" Kevin quickly ditches his car, and as the man had said, 'thr3e' minutes later the car blows up and the world is set on a collision course to MADNESS...
Personal response: This Book was awesome. For those of you who are too lazy to pick up this book and read it, but think it still sounds good, it's soon to be a major motion picture.
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Reviewer's name: Catherine M.
Role: student
Grade: 9
Book title: Skin
Author: Adrienne Marie Vrettos
Category: young adult
Summary: A 14 year old boy's sister becomes anorexic. While the girl battles this disease, the boy tries to become "invisible". Eventually, the young girl starves herself to death. The boy is able to come alive again and stop trying to make room for the special needs that the sister had.
Personal response: Yes. It touched me in ways you cannot imagine.
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Reviewer's name: Joseph G.
Role: student
Grade: 11
Book title: Monster
Author: Frank Peretti
Category: fiction
Summary: Reed and his wife are on a survival weekend up in the mountains. They go because they think it will be good for them. That night they find their cabin completely destroyed by an unknown creature, and are not sure where their friend (who was supposed to be there with them) has gone. They settled down to sleep that night outside they cabin. Late at night they hear hellish noises from someone, NO something, in the woods. All Reed can remember is blurry images of his wife being taken away by a large black creature.
Personal response: Prefect book for the people who enjoy horror and mystery.
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