Sam and CY students & staff are reading…

Thriller

The Death Cure by James Dashner

by on Jun.06, 2014, under Science Fiction, Student Reviews, Thriller

deathcureReview by Trevor N.

Who would like this book? Anyone from age 12 and up who likes a little bit of blood and a lot of epic fighting scenes.

The goods on this book: The Death Cure is the third book in the Maze Runner series. It takes place in Denver, and the WICKED head quarters. The Gladers have been through so much and now they have the biggest journey ahead of them yet. This book has the same main characters as the last book, including Thomas, Minho, and Theresa. I thought this book was amazing, and it will keep you on your seat at every page. I personally loved the series and do suggest it.

The details: 324 pages; 2011    Review by Trevor N.

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Ten by Gretchen McNell

by on May.21, 2014, under Mystery, Student Reviews, Thriller

tenReview by Aidan S.

Who would like this book? People who would like this book could be ages 10 and up.

The goods on this book: The book Ten by Gretchen McNell is one of my favorite murder mysteries. Ten teenagers spend three days at an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Suddenly, people are dying and it’s up to the surviving teens to figure out who the killer is. A huge storm hits the island and knocks out the power, so there is no way of escaping. Can Meg, the main character, figure out who the murderer is before it’s too late? I think this book is great for kids who love a great thriller. The author uses descriptive, suspenseful words to help keep the reader captivated. I think everyone who reads this will not be disappointed.

The details: 294 pages; 2013     Review by Aidan S.

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Stolen by Lucy Christopher

by on May.05, 2014, under Adventure, Real life, Sam's Reviews, Thriller

stolenWho would like this book? Mature readers, 13 and up, interested in a psychologically intense story of abduction.

The goods on this book: Gemma, 16, has led a sheltered and privileged life as an only daughter of wealthy parents in an upscale part of London. Unknown to her, a man nine years older than she is has been stalking her since he overheard her in a park when she was a little girl talking to “fairies.” The man, Ty, decides that he must rescue her from her sterile life in London. He splits his time between keeping an eye on her in London and preparing a place to keep her in the Australian outback, where he is from. The book opens with the actual abduction from the airport in Singapore when Gemma is traveling with her parents. The reader is led to be initially horrified by Ty’s kidnapping of Gemma, but her first person narration gradually leads the reader to understand Ty’s background and his love of the beauty of the Australian outback. As Gemma is drawn to him, she gives the reader reasons to sympathize with him. Are both Gemma and the reader being affected by the “Stockholm Syndrome”? Does he know Gemma better than her parents know her? Which life would be most fulfilling for her? Gemma’s story is mesmerizing, disturbing, and heartbreaking. The descriptions of life in the remote outback of the Australian desert are a very effective backdrop to the relationship between Gemma and Ty. Their relationship will generate plenty of discussion!

The details: 299 pages; 2010   Review by Samrarian

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The Death Cure by James Dashner

by on May.01, 2014, under Dystopia, Science Fiction, Student Reviews, Thriller

deathcureReview by Felix H.

Who would like this book? Boys and girls, 12 and above, and anyone who likes action and dystopian stories set in the future would like this book. People who don’t mind a little bit of unpleasantness – violence, obscenities, disturbing scenes.

The goods on this book: After they have survived the Scorch Trials, Thomas and his felllow companions must face the question: do they truly want their memories back? Can they trust WICKED? Is there really even a cure for the flare? Janson, one of the head directors has promised Thomas that there is just one more variable, one that just might truly break Thomas. To be truthful, I was extremely caught off guard by the ending and I think you will be, too. (I won’t give anything away though, just giving you the bait.) The main characters are Thomas, Newt, Teresa, Brenda, Minho and Janson.

The details: 325 pages; 2011   Review by Felix H.

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Don’t Turn Around (PERSEFONE #1) by Michelle Gagnon

by on Apr.25, 2014, under Mystery, Student Reviews, Thriller

turnReview by Aidan S.

Who would like this book? I think this book is great for ages ten and up.

The goods on this book: A girl named Noa wakes up on a metal bed with an IV in her arm. Later she finds out that wherever she was, it wasn’t a good place. She made a plan to escape and get out of there as fast as she can. She was an orphan at a young age and had learned how to find money and stay under the radar from cops. She feels this aching pain in her chest and found that there was a big bandage there. She knew that the people she escaped from had done something to her. The book introduces a new character, Peter, and together they help find out what happened to Noa and try and stop them from experimenting on other kids. I thought that this book was a great thriller and a cool mystery.

The details: 310 pages; 2012   Review by Aidan S.

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Bloodrose (Nightshade Book 3) by Andrea Cremer

by on Apr.20, 2014, under Romance, Student Reviews, Supernatural, Thriller

bloodReview by Mazzy N.

Who would like this book? People who are into wolves and fiction would really like this book, and maybe people who like a little romance. Females would like this better than males but I think it could be either. I would think that people who are older then 12 would understand it better than younger people.

The goods on this book: Shay, the scion, has to collect the pieces to the elemental cross, but he can’t do it without his friends. When collecting the pieces, they lose more then they thought: friends, family, and belongings. Calla doesn’t know if she can handle Shay and Ren during their journey, so she makes a deal. In the end, who will she chose? Calla has to go through heartbreak, betrayal, and defeat. How more can she take? They are able to banish the Keepers, but the Guardians have to give up something just to keep others safe. Will they take the consequence or will they make others suffer? Find out in Bloodrose. I love this series; it is probably my favorite and I can’t wait until the next book, Snakeroot. Also make sure you read the first two books, Nightshade and Bloodrose, before the third one. I enjoyed this book, and I hope you do too.

The details: 406 pages; 2012    Review by Mazzy N.

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Insurgent by Veronica Roth

by on Apr.15, 2014, under Romance, Science Fiction, Student Reviews, Teen Top 10, Thriller, YRCA

insurgentReview by Mengjie C.

Who would like this book? I think older people like teenagers who are interested in adventurous, thrilling, and sci-fi series would really enjoy this book and the rest of the series. Anyone who loves to read big books would also enjoy this book because it has 525 pages.

The goods on this book: In this book the world has been taken over. People everywhere have been shot with mind controlling serums. The beginning of Insurgent takes off where Divergent ended. Tris, Tobias, Marcus, and Peter are trying to run for their lives while saving the world from coming to an end. Jeanine Matthews is the leader of the Erudite and is also the one controlling the minds of everyone. Their mission is to get an important file that will reveal the truth that everyone should know. Tris and the rest of the group have to stay over at safe houses to protect themselves as they’re also trying to escape from the Erudite that are looking for them. None of them are allowed to go back to the Dauntless headquarters because there are secret cameras that can report back to the Erudites and tell them exactly what they’re trying to do. So they find a fun way to cover up the cameras, and soon they go back to the Dauntless headquarters. But they forgot to cover up one camera. Things after that start going pretty crazy. I think this book is one of my favorites and you’ll be on the edge of your seat the whole time!

The details: 525 pages; 2012   Review by Mengjie C.

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The Maze Runner by James Dashner

by on Apr.14, 2014, under Science Fiction, Student Reviews, Thriller

Review by Trevor N.

mazeWho would like this book? I think any one who likes fast paced books will love it.

The goods on this book: The Maze Runner by James Dashner is a fast-paced book. It is a dystopian genre. It takes place in the glade. The Glade is big area that is in the center of the maze. The time is unknown. The main character is Thomas, who wakes up one day in the Glade with no memory of anything. He wakes up in an elevator. The elevator led up to the Glade, which is full of boys, no girls. All he knows is his name, just like everyone else. Some boys have been in the Glade for two years trying to find a way out. Thomas is 16 years old and has a desire to be a runner, the guys who go out into the maze to try and find a way out. Chuck is one of Thomas’s friends and is 13 years old. Alby is the leader of the group. Newt is the co-leader of the group and has a broken ankle. I think the theme of the book is there is always a way out.

The details: 374 pages; 2009     Review by Trevor N.

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Don’t Turn Around (PERSEFoNE Book 1) by Michelle Gagnon

by on Apr.14, 2014, under Mystery, Sam's Reviews, Thriller

turnWho would like this book? Readers, 12 and up, who like actin-packed, edge of-your-seat thrillers.

The goods on this book: Don’t Turn Around starts with Noa, a 16-year-old foster kid runaway, waking up on a metal bed with no memory of where she is or how she got there. Noa does remember how to be resourceful, cunning, and courageous: she escapes with hair-raising flair. Meanwhile, a wealthy young suburbanite, Peter, gets a brutal surprise after stumbling into the protected website of a secret enterprise that involves his parents. Though Noa and Peter seem to have nothing in common, their skills with hacking bring them together. When they discover that they also share the same enemy who is relentlessly tracking them, they join forces to try to elude the thugs who will stop at nothing to capture them. This book offers plenty of action and many intriguing plot twists but doesn’t reconcile many incongruities in the world in which they live. It also doesn’t offer any closure. Be ready with the second book in the trilogy (Don’t Look Now)  since Don’t Turn Around ends on a cliff-hanger.

The details: 310 pages; 2012   Review by Samrarian

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Divergent by Veronica Roth

by on Mar.18, 2014, under Romance, Science Fiction, Student Reviews, Thriller

divergentReview by Regan M.

Who would like this book? I think the people who would like this book are people who like to try to figure clues out and solve things. People who like excitement would like this. People around 12-50 would like it and understand it.

The goods on this book: This book is mostly about finding out who you are and who you can trust and really believe in. The main character is Tris, and she is the whole point of the book. In the book there is a lot of seeing who is there for you and who cares about you, and what they will give up to be with you. This takes place in a faction with around 10 people in training at first, but some drop out. There are people there who train you and change you. As time goes by you change by a lot and you can trust nobody when you are there. Many people lie and hate you if you have really high scores on the simulations. You have your fears come to life and you can do nothing about it. There is only one person you can trust, and that is yourself. I think this book was really great. I really liked it, and I hope that other people read it.

The details: 487 pages; 2011   Review by Regan M.

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