Corey Hanna, Brown, The Marine

Josephs, Rudy. The Marine. Los Angeles: 2006

After coming home from a stint in Iraq, John Triton just wants a normal life. Except that his life is anything but normal. So he and his wife decide to go on a vacation, which is a pretty normal thing to do, but on their way, Kate is abducted by criminals who leave John to die. But John attempts to take matters into his own hands and track them down.
John and Kate are married and they are two of the main characters in the book. One could make the arguement that only John is, but if it were not for Kate being kidnapped, there would be no point in John going out and chasing these kidnappers. The setting here fits the book because it is across a long distance and if it were to take place inside somewhere like a school, it just wouldn't fit because it would be hard to have a chase scene indoors. This is a very good book, Rudy Josephs created a book that will keep you reading and her writing is easy to follow.
I would reccommend this book to most young adults because they seem to like the fast pace style and it's a book that you wont want to put down. Plus it is an easy read and isn't hard to follow.

One Perfect Op

Peter Doyle

Dockery, Kevin. One Perfect Op. HarperCollins: Avon. 2003

            Dennis Chalker is an average person before he joins the military. He first joined the Army Airborne in the early 1970’s. He then volunteered to be a candidate for the elite Naval Special Forces units. They did missions that no other company would do even if they were practically impossible. He was part of one of the hardest selection processes after he joined the basic underwater demolition seal training. Dennis moved through the ranks very fast and was chosen by Richard Marcinko for a leadership role in Red cell. Dennis is a plank owner of six, which means that he was one of the original members. Red cell was a team of seals that were used to test the security of naval bases all over the world. In the book they also explained what seal team six’s role was, and they are a team that specializes in anti terrorist operations. Throughout this book Dennis talks about how they prepared, the deployment, and strategies for survival during the operations. I liked this book because it explains and gives vivid detail on the missions that he endured. It describes how hard the training was and how committed he was. This book kind of reminds me of what one of my friends wants to do. Overall I would definitely recommend this book if you like military stories.

SPEAK

speak by laurie halse anderson

Could you picture a world where everyone looks at you different? Everyone talks about you, despises you, and could care less about anything you do? This is what life is like for a young, freshman girl, Melinda. She was so innocent, until one of the last nights of summer. Her and her friends thought it would be cool to go to a party. They were all drinking there, and something went wrong with Melinda, so she had no other choice but to call the police. A few people heard her calling the police, everyone started freaking out and panicking, and before they could run or try to stop her, they police were already there. Her friends ignored her for the rest of the summer, and she knew she was in for a big treat on the first day of high school. Read Speak and find out how she handles her years in high school with everyone against her.
This is a very good book to read. It teaches you about change, and how to find yourself. It will show you that you only need to be you, no one else. You don’t need to do certain things to fit in. I thought that this book was outstanding and I would love to see the movie and read other novels by Laurie Halse Anderson. I think that the author has a very good writing style and it is good for teenage girls. It lets them find themselves and it helps them enjoy their reading. I would recommend this book for any teenage girl who enjoys reading, and is looking for a good read.

Kite Runner Blog Post

The Story Kite Runner shows a boy named Amir living in Afghanistan. He becomes friends with his servant Hassan, even though it is illegal for them to be so close. The ruling power in Afghanistan is being turned over to Taliban rule. The two best freinds are seperated by an incident after the running of the kites. Amir flees to Pakistan then later on to California where he feels lost without his bestfriend. After Amir's father becomes ill, Amir hears of news from Afghanistan and he immediatley flies back to his home country to find out the news. The store is great for anyone interested in underground operations, and actions filled novels.

The Juvie Three: Gordan Korman

Korman, Gordan. The Juvie Three. Hyperion Books for Children: New York, 2008.

Three young teens who headed down the wrong road in life are given the opportunity of a lifetime when they are enrolled in a juvenile delinquent program. The programs aim is to help these troubled kids to readapt to a crime free life. The program head, Mr. Healy imposes strict guidelines on the juveniles in his program and with any step out of line Mr. Healy would send them back to the big house. After some time in the program the newly freed delinquents begin to show great progress, but when all seems to be going to plan Mr. Healy is involved in an accident which put him in a coma. Now the real struggle begins, should the three troubled teens keep on the right path or will the lingering temptation of going back to life on the streets stop them in their paths?

I was inspired to read this novel by Mandy’s post. I agree with her review completely. The author does a great job in using the setting as a key asset in the story by portraying to the reader how the city mocks the three young criminals. I liked this novel a lot mostly because it was very quick in developing a plotline; there is a constant sense of curiosity that keeps the readers turning each page. I would recommend this novel to mostly young adult males because so of the issues are a bit mature in nature and because a male can relate and understand the characters’ constant moral struggles.

Schmidt. The Juvie Three

Korman, Gordan.The Juvie Three.New York:Hyperian Books.2008

The Juvie Three by Gordan Korman is about three boys who unlike so many in life are given a second chance. Gecko Foss was involved in a robbery, Terence Florian was a part of one of the toughest gangs around, and Arjay Moran killed a man. What do these three boys have in common? They were all approached by Douglas Healy who would change their lives forever. Mr. Healy gave these boys an opportunity to rejoin the real world. However when Mr. Healy ends up in a coma not remembering anything the boys have to join together so they can remain on the outside. The boys learn how to work with one another to fight through the temptations of their past lives. This book is truly an enriching and inspiring book about friendship and trust.

Mandy Rusk inspired me to read this book. It was different from all of the other novels many girls had read, it wasn't the typical love story. It seemed intriguing and inspiring. I agree with her review of the book it really does show and teach you a lot about friendship and loyalty. I like that the book shows that when you are given a second chance in life you need to take it to the fullest. If you want to change your life and things to be different you will have to work for it, just like Gecko, Terence, and Arjay had work to overcome their past. The last thing i liked about the book was it was relate able in a way that was not quite so blunt. It showed temptation which everyone deals with however their temptations are different from the kind I experience. All around I thought it was a great and easy read!

Twilight: Stephanie Meyer

Meyer,Stephanie.Twilight. New York: Little Brown and Company 2005

Bella Swan takes chances everyday just to be with the boy that she loves; the terrifying thing being that he could kill her at any. Bella Swan moved to a little town in the state of Washington to complete her third year of high school. She here meets who could be the most wonderful person of her life. This person is a vampire who is constantly craving Bella’s blood. There are many things he can do and many other things he can eat, but will that be enough to stop the constant need for her? The town that Twilight takes place is an eerie, and dangerous. This makes it easy for vampires to search; it gives the reader a rushing feeling when reading. Although it is odd, the relationship that these two share is unbelievable. This is one novel you will not be able to put down. It’s a love story that will attract all kinds of an audience.

I enjoyed this book very much; I read it in just a few days. It is pretty long but very easy to get through. Before I read this book, I heard about all the hype; and now I know. It is one of the best stories I have ever read.

C. Brenneman, Mrs. Brown, New Moon

Meyers, Stephanie. New Moon. Little, Brown Young Readers: New York, 2006.

This engaging romantic sequel to the best selling book, Twilight by Stephanie Meyer will shock and captivate readers who are already fans of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. In this thrilling novel, readers will be taken on a journey from familiar Forks, Washington all the way to Italy when Edward's brother Jasper makes a terrible mistake, and Edward's only means of keeping his true love safe is to leave her behind. Will Bella’s affection for Edward, and her adrenaline rush for danger bring her to the edge of death? And will Edward make a terrible sacrifice in the name of love? For the answer to these questions, and to find out where Edward and Bella's relationship goes, read New Moon by Stephanie Meyer to find out how the devotion of two people will change their lives dramatically.
After reading previous posts, I decided to read New Moon because of Sam’s review, and just because I had also read Twilight. Although one must read the first book in the series to fully comprehend the storyline, it is definitely worth the time. Stephanie Meyer’s style of writing is appealing to young adults, and older adults as well. I find that her writing is enjoyable because she uses a lot of metaphors and writes very basically. Many people comment that she is an underdeveloped writer, but her lack of experience actually makes her books enjoyable. The writing is easy to interpret although sometimes it is repetitive. I would recommend this book, especially to those who are interested in the Twilight series and have read the first book as well.

stapocsi, mrs. brown, nineteen minutes

Picoult, Jodi. Nineteen Minutes. New York: Atria, 2007.

Nineteen minutes was all it took for everything to happen. Ten people were gone in this time period. Peter Houghton was a victim of bullying and he took this out on these ten people. The entire city was shocked and in distress from this event. Alex was appointed to be the judge for this trial. Alex’s daughter used to be best friends with peter until they went there separate ways once they hit high school. She went to the popular crowd and he stayed true to his self and who he really was. The town has to heal and recover from this mess that happened. Will it recover peacefully or in a disastrous way?
I decided to read this because of cbrenneman’s post. I agreed with her view on the book. I thought the use of flashbacks did work and help you understand the story better. The setting and the reality of this actually happening makes the book more interesting. This could happen to anyone anywhere in the world. It could happen to you, at your school, and in your town. This just makes it more interesting and makes you want to keep reading and find out what happens. I liked the whole book and it was very interesting to me. I believe people should read it because Picoult did a very well job of putting it together and writing it and it was very good.

Mandy Rusk. Mrs. Brown. The Bitch Posse

O’Connor, Martha. The Bitch Posse. New York: St. Martin’s Grifin, 2005.

How much trouble can three girls get into? The Bitch Posse by Martha O’Connor describes what you might have guessed and more. Three teenage girls, Rennie, Cherry and Amy tell you their story as seniors in a boring town. The best friends wow to be loyal forever, and get into as much trouble as they can because, as they explain, no one messes with the Bitch Posse. Throughout this tale, woven by three separate viewpoints, the reader looks into their lives as middle aged women, trying to forget a secret that has been trapping them in their pasts.

I was inspired to read this book by Katie’s post. At first I skipped over it but after hearing more about it I decided to take a look and was immediately interested. Even though it’s a dark and sometimes depressing read, I’m sure many teens can relate to these girls in some way. I liked the story, but I liked the writing style even more. The references to a past while telling the story being referenced to, hooks the reader and demands their full attention. Like Katie, I recommend that only older teens, like seniors or girls in college read this book. A lot of it is disturbing because it is so real.

David Walker, Brown, Splinter Cell

Michaels, David. Splinter Cell. Berkley Books: New York, 2004.


Intense, action packed, and suspenseful are all words that describe the book I read, Splinter Cell. It takes place all over the world. This story revolves around the main character, Sam Fischer; he is a spy for an extremely secretive organization that sends its special agents to retrieve vital information for the good of the country. He must spy, sneak and kill in order to accomplish his mission, but for Sam Fischer, this is just an ordinary day at the office.

I read this book because I noticed the review by Corey Hanna. It sounded very intense and engaging, a real page turner. This novel did not disappoint me in the least bit; it was full of action, as well as a large amount of suspense. It also included a good background on the man behind the superhero spy. He lives an ordinary life when he is not doing his job. He has a daughter that he has a very rocky relationship with, which makes him seem to be more like an everyday person. Character depth was just another bonus to this story. Also, Michales does a very good job at placing Sam in extremely gripping situations. He could be hanging from a ceiling, right above his enemies, and he must remain unnoticed or he will be killed. I totally agree with Corey that this is a very good book.

V Reigh, Mrs. Brown, Into the Wild

Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. Anchor Books: New York, 1996

Into the Wild is a very compelling book. It takes place all around the United States but mainly in the state of Alaska. McCandless attended Emory University and after he graduated with a degree he thought it would be a fun idea to hitch-hike to Alaska, and that it would be a fun road trip. McCandless had to encounter many obstacles. He had to find ways to survive. One man that he became very good friends with was Wayne Westerber. This guy helped out McCandless a lot, he was the man who drove McCandless into Alaskas wilderness in his truck and gave him ten pounds of rice to survive off of. Earlier in the story McCandless changes his name to Alex. That is very important because he doesn't want anyone to know where he came from anything about his past or most importantly he doesn't want his parents to find him through the FBI, which they have tried to do several times. Alex just doesn't want to be discovered. The most important people in Into the Wild is McCandless "Alex" he ventured off into the wilderness of Alaska by himself, another important person is the author of this story Joh Krakauer who is a news reporter and follows this story about Alex and his adventures and how he dies. The Author uses a style of a collection of writings of Alex's', Jon's articals the he has written and he creates a book that you want to read and that you will enjoy. Especially if you love wilderness.

A. Wheeler, Mrs. Brown, The Marine

Josephs, Rudy. The Marine. World Wrestling Entertainment: July 25, 2006


Imagine yourself just getting back from the war in Afghanistan and being told to live a normal life. This is what has happened to John Triton a Marine who has returned home to South Carolina. He like any other Marine has a hard time adjusting to the laid back life style of living at home. So his wife Kate decides that getting John out of the house would be a great idea, so they go on a camping trip. On their way they stop at a gas station to get some gas and to buy a couple last minute things, when out of nowhere a car came speeding into the gas station. There were 5 people in the car, and they looked really suspicious but John didn’t notice. All of a sudden one grabs Kate and throws her into the car. John goes running to chase after them but another shoots the gas tank in his truck and the truck goes up in flames, and another hits him with a fire extinguisher, almost knocking him out . He runs and gets in one of the cop cars and the instincts leaned in the war kick in and he pursues them. The question is will he find his wife in one piece?

In the story the author makes sure to give great in-depth descriptions of the main characters. Also the setting in the story is very well described; it starts off in the battle fields of Afghanistan, and then turns to the peaceful life of the south. This gives the reader almost two different aspects to look at when reading the book and gives you descriptions into the story. Josephs is a great author and his action packed story makes me want to read more of his book. Overall the book was an easy, good read.

The Contender

Josh Lubell
Mrs. Brown
The Contender


What happens when you drop out of high school, you have the same old job, no family, nothing? Alfred Brooks has this problem. He knows that if he doesn't do something, his life isn't going anywhere. Alfred joins a boxing club because his best friend James started hanging around a gang that pushes Alfred around. His coach does everything in his power to help Alfred with his problems, and guide his life into the right direction. Alfred learns that what he got himself into will be a life changing experience

S. Huston, Mrs. Brown, Eclipse

Meyer, Stephenie. Eclipse. New York: Little Brown and Company, 2007.

Bella is dating vampire Edward Cullen, which causes stress in her friendship with Jacob Black, a werewolf and an enemy of vampires. At first Edward is overprotective of Bella, always concerned about her safety around an uncontrollable werewolf; however, when Bella and the Cullens are threatened by Victoria, a vampire whose mate was killed by the Cullens, and an army of dangerous newborn vampires who she creates, Edward relies on Jacob and the pack of werewolves to form an alliance in order to protect Bella’s life. Throughout the intense battles, Bella realizes that she loves both Edward and Jacob, but in different ways, and must decide which person she wants to be with. Bella once described Jacob as her sun, but can the sun survive a lunar eclipse? Who will Bella choose to be her only love? Will Victoria be triumphant in killing Bella and afflicting the pain she felt over the loss of James on Edward?
The setting is in Forks, Washington, where there are many forestry areas and mountains where the battles occur. The setting reflects upon the mystifying, and in Victoria and the newborns’ case, sinister characteristics of the supernatural characters. The time of the novel is present time period, which allows the audience to relate to the culture of the characters.
The beautiful romance, which encompasses love and trust, between Bella and Edward captivates the female audience. Bella trusts her life, which is constantly endangered by vengeful vampires, to Edward, and would rather die than put him or his family in danger.
Meyer also utilizes tension, drama, and suspense in the climax to provide heart-pounding intensity to the reader and make the novel impossible to cease reading.

Bitch posse

Brandy Dahlgren
Mrs. Brown
The Bitch Posse



The Bitch Posse by Martha O’Connor is a very controversial book. It is very graphic and it very definitive. While reading it it really makes you think about your own morals. It makes you question yourself how far you would go if you were put in a situation that they are faced with. Bitch Posse tells a story of three girls Rennie, Cherry, and Amy. It starts with a chapter told from each girl’s perspective when they are in high school seniors. Each girl goes through something very dramatic in their high school life that will affect them the rest of their life. Find out what happens in their life and if it will bring the three girls closer together or tear their friendship apart. The book skips around, going from their high school perspectives to their middle aged perspectives. Each girl has different difficulties going on in their high school life. Their all best friends but all have a different story to tell. I would recommend this book to a mature high school senior or a college aged girl; most girls would be able to relate themselves to the situations at least one of the girls goes through in the story. The book is pretty easy to follow and easy to get into. I was inspired to read this by Katie’s post and I agree with her post. It was very much like she explained it and I also liked it.

O’Connor, Martha. The Bitch Posse. New York: St. Martin’s Grifin, 2005.