Witch and Wizard the Gift by James Patterson reviewed by Ali McCoy
Witch and Wizard the Gift By: James Patterson
Amazon.com
When they were imprisoned by the new, brutal government, Whit and Whisty were barely able to escape with their lives. Discovering a hidden community of children like themselves–hunted by the state and with varying degrees of special talents–they have taken refuge underground. But the New Order is rapidly pushing in on them from all sides, and the pressure to stop the regime is mounting.
One day, as they rush to save another group of kids who are about to be captured by police, Whit and Whisty discover not only their own faces plastered to buildings on wanted posters, but also their parents’. When the hunting party sent out after the siblings always seems to be one step ahead of them, they begin to fear that it is controlled by a very, very powerful force. They are in much more danger than they feared…
I read the book Witch and Wizard the Gift by James Patterson. The book is a very good read. I as a reader really loved it. We all believed in witches and wizards as little kids and this book really gives us a view on what they might have been like. My very favorite part of this book was its plot, its good descriptions, and the way it ended so that the next book could start.
This books plot was fantastic. I could really tell what it was getting at, there was no cutting around the corners for this book. James Patterson knew what he wanted to write and he wrote it. I didn’t have to try and guess or wonder what he was trying to get at I knew it by the way James Patterson wrote his story. The way he writes made the plot so easy to know what he was getting at.
James Patterson gave me very good detail. Not only about the characters even though the description of the characters was great. He described the places the characters were at very well I thought that I was there with them. James also described the characters feelings very well. I could imagine how the characters felt very well.
The way Patterson ended this book was great. It ended with just enough that makes you want to read the next book. I know it made me wonder what was going to happen next. It made me have that feeling that longing of I need to know what happens next. James Patterson ended this book amazingly.
I would give this book a four star rating. I know that I would tell anyone and everyone to read it. So readers out there that like a little action, a little love, and a lot of heart break you should read this book. It is a great read. I am very glad that my little eyes had a chance to read it.
The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker, book review by Hannah White
Book Review from Goodreads.com :
Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.
Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ – rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.
While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.
“1,143 days since I’d smelled the sea, heard the splash of waves. 1,141 days since I’d had candy, even longer since I’d tasted the smoky sweetness of a s’more. Too long. 1,640,160 minutes since I’d run, since wind had tousled my hair, since I’d seen another person apart from my family.” Counting time was the only thing she could do. Sherry had spent 1,141 days in a bunker, hiding from what government had called rabies, until they ran out of supplies. In Susanne Winnacker’s intense The Other Life, Sherry has to grow up quicker than she ever imagined. These Weepers kept me second guessing with their timing and pacing, conflict, and actions.
“Dad leaned on the door frame. “You’re grounded for another week, young lady.”” I really enjoyed the timing and pacing, because at the beginning of every chapter, there would be a flashback of a time that she hadn’t been in the bunker; a time that was good or sometimes bad. Times that she missed. I could definitely feel how much she missed her best friend, and how she missed everything that she no longer had the advantage to experience. In the beginning of the story, she’d counted the days out of the time that they had spent in the bunker that her parents had argued. She counted the days for everything, even whenever she had finally eaten an apple, 1,123 days. I mostly enjoyed the fact that she had kept up with the days that she’d gone without things, and exactly whenever she’d tell us how many days. She didn’t think much about the things she’d gone without until she had a chance to experience them again. Sherry forgot the things she was privleged to do.
There was lots of conflict in the story as a whole, but the climax had the most conflict in my eyes. Everyone had been keeping their secrets to themselves, because they were afraid that the others would look at them differently or start to hate them because of the things that they knew. Throughout the story, they had been convinced that the whole world was infected with rabies, that the military and everyone else but the people still hidden were gone, and they even believed that there weren’t many people in bunkers. The climax was seeing the helicopter fly overtop of them, knowing that they seen the signs for help they gave, and flew on. Tyler was known for not speaking, and they didn’t even know his name, they just assumed it was Tyler because he had it as a tattoo. Everybody had already told their stories, and the second the helicopter flew over without stopping, Tyler shared his. Turns out, the area three states in the USA was off limits; danger zones. The world was continuing to live, while three states were frozen with a virus that they didn’t even ask for. It was a twist in the story that really caught me off guard, and I never expected a thing.
Last but not least, the actions were also a big part of the reason why I really enjoyed the Other Life. I’m not one to read action novels, and I won’t lie, the only reason I chose this book was because I needed to read a different genre that was on my list for class, and this one just so happened to be about zombies. There honestly wasn’t that much action in this story, it was more of the suspense that foreshadowed. What little bit of action there was, made me want to keep reading even whenever it was 3am on a school night. Whenever Sherry and Joshua went into a Weeper’s nest looking for Sherry’s father, that’s whenever I realized that this book was very detailed and suspenseful, and that’s what kept me reading. Susanne had described everything that happened, and it made me feel like I was there. I remember while reading, Sherry and Joshua had three survivors from the nest, and I was so into it that my aunt had come in there and asked me what I wanted for dinner, and I jumped out of my bed. That’s what good books are all about, whenever there’s so much action and detail that you feel as if you’re there.
I really hated that this book had to end so fast, because it was 254 pages that I’d read over and over again if I didn’t have other books I needed to read. I’d definitely recommend this book to anybody who’s interested in the Walking Dead, zombies, or action in general for that matter. Susanne Winnacker has won me over with her timing and pacing, conflict, and actions, and I really hope she doesn’t let me down when reading her other novels, because that’s something I’ll definitely be looking for.
Delirium by Lauren Oliver, Reviewed by Grace Bannister
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Review By: Grace Bannister – 3rd period – Honors 9 English
From Goodreads.com:
Ninety-five days, and then I’ll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It’s hard to be patient. It’s hard not to be afraid while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t.
Imagine that love is a disease. That it creeps up from nothing and destroys you from the inside out, driving you to madness. Not so unbelievable is it? This is the idea that spawned Lauren Oliver’s novel, Delirium. The book that chronicled the story of Lena Haloway, a young woman awaiting the procedure that would cure her from the most horrible disease known to mankind – love. In the end, I really had some mixed feelings about this book. While the general plot was wonderful, and the writing was powerful, I simply could not connect with the characters. I believe that it was that lack of connection that, sadly, caused me to only give this book three and a half stars.
The main idea of the book was a beautiful concept. It really had a ton of potential. The disease, the cure, and the rebellion were all interwoven fabulously. Oliver made sure to portray how the love cure impacted every kind of relationship – About how familial relationships break without love, about how friendships would change without love, and of course, how one cannot fall in love, if there is an absence of love. Oliver’s beautiful words accentuated her ability to weave a beautiful tapestry of storyline, and really helped make this book a pleasant read.
While reading Delirium, I fell in love with Oliver’s amazing ability to turn words into something powerful and meaningful. One of my favorite quotes from the book was this: “One of the strangest things about life is that it will chug on, blind and oblivious, even as your private world – your little carved-out sphere – is twisting and morphing, even breaking apart. . . .That’s when you realize that most of it – life, the relentless mechanism of existing – isn’t about you. It doesn’t include you at all. It will thrust onward even after you’ve jumped the edge. Even after you’re dead.” ― Lauren Oliver, Delirium. Those words had a quality about them that echoed, that was resounding. It’s absolutely amazing to find someone who can wield words as a tool. Oliver uses her words as a mechanism to deliver profound meaning and depth. Yet, it perplexes me that she could do this, but not be able to give emotion life to her characters.
Delirium’s protagonist, Lena Haloway, was a strong character who really believed in her love for Alex. To me, however, her love felt like a façade. It didn’t seem to me that she truly loved Alex. It felt more like she was in love with the idea of love, and that Alex was just a symbol for that. To her, he was a passionate rebel that was able to give her something of which she had been deprived – love. This made the love story feel transparent to me. I felt no emotional connection to the characters, and to me that is one of the defining factors of a novel.
In the end, I would say that Lauren Oliver’s Delirium was a good read that I would recommend to someone looking for a great plot and beautiful writing. I would, however, advise those seeking an emotional connection to look elsewhere. I feel like this novel will challenge readers to think about love and what it means to them.
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, reviewed by Jenna Meade
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Barnes and nobel
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing—not even a smear of blood—to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know…
Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare’s ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.
What would be more exciting then finding a whole different world that others cannot even see? Clary Frey, the main character of the trilogy City of Bones, finds herself in another world that she can’t walk away from. As the book goes on, many complications arise which pulls others into the trilogy! The author, Cassandra Clare has outdone herself with this book series. Although, this book has some outstanding main points, the most that stand out to me, is the plot, theme, and the word usage.
One of the main topics the was brought out in the book was the plot. While most supernatural book series is great, the author has wrote this book in a strange but addicting way that pulls you in. The plot twist that occurs in the climax of the book changes the way the book is brought up. This is the main reason why the plot really stands out to me. Seeing as I read on, the plot of this book is definitely shown in the second one as well. In the book, the plot can truly hold your attention.
The second element the was shown clearly in the book was the theme. Comparing the book to real life is impossible due to the genre. Although, the actions and personalities of the characters help let my mind imagine how living while seeing a whole new world could be possible. The book starts out telling the story of the main character living her normal life, so in the beginning, I seen myself as her. So as the story went on I still saw myself in her shoes and tried to picture everything that she went through in life happen to myself.
The third noticeable element the stood out in the book is the word usage. This book is set in the present day, however the vocabulary is outstanding. This other world has different slang that one will have to get used to. As I read on, I understood more of what things meant and what the characters were talking about. To me, when I caught on to what the words meant, the book got a whole lot more interesting. Without reading the trilogy in order, one will not understand the transition of the vocabulary.
In conclusion, City of Bones is an enjoyable book. I would recommend this book to anyone with a taste for thrill and the love for fantasy. I am really excited to see what the other books in this trilogy has to hold. People always says that the first book is always the best, I am hoping that with is series, this statement is not true. Cassandra Clare as done an amazing job portraying the plot, theme, and word usage in the City of bones.
Beneath the Glitter by Elle & Blair Fowler Review by Alyssa Marcum
Beneath the Glitter
Barnsandnobles.com- From internet stars Elle and Blair Fowler comes a scintillating new novel that takes readers Beneath the Glitter of the glitzy L.A. social scene.
Welcome to a place where dreams are made. And where nothing—and no one—is ever what it seems.
After their make-up and fashion videos went viral on YouTube, sisters Sophia and Ava London are thrust into the exclusive life of the Los Angeles elite. Here fabulous parties, air kisses, paparazzi and hot guys all come with the scene. Sophia finds herself torn between a gorgeous bartender and a millionaire playboy and Ava starts dating an A-list actor. But as they’re about to discover, the life they’ve always dreamed of comes with a cost.
Beneath the glitter of the Hollywood social scene lays a world of ruthless ambition, vicious gossip…and betrayal. Someone closes to them and they trust is working in the shadows to bring the London sisters down. Once the betrayal is completed, Sophia and Ava find themselves knee-deep in a scandal that could take away everything they care about including the one thing that matters most—each other.
The book Beneath the Glitter by Elle and Blair Fowler is probably one of my favorite books of all time. I am personally a “Girly-Girl” so I really enjoyed this book and the beauty theme. The things that stood out the most in this book to me were the authors of this book, the details in this book, and the concept of this book. I love that the authors of this book are famous YouTubers because I feel like it gives me a chance to get to know more about them and it makes them stand out from other authors. I really enjoyed the details in this book because the more details you have, the easier the book is to get into. Lastly, I found the concept of this book very interesting. In this book it is a mixture of different genres and that makes it very interesting.
The first thing that stood out about this book was who the authors are. The authors aren’t just famous YouTubers but they are also sisters. I have watched the sister’s YouTube videos for almost two years now and I already knew a lot about them before I read this book. They have made makeup and beauty videos for almost 4 years now. Allthatglitters21 also known as Elle Fowler currently has over 1,150,000 subscribers and 421 videos. Her sister, juicystar07 also known as Blair Fowler has over 1,500,000 and has 389 videos. I have enjoyed their videos and I will continue to watch them.
The second thing I enjoyed about this book was the amazing details. I love when a book gives so much detail that you feel like you are seeing the movie in your head. As I read this book, I used the background information that I knew about their lives to help me understand the book a little better. I realized throughout this book there where little things the authors added that has to correspond with the sisters their lives.
The last thing that really captured my attention was the whole concept of this book. This book is very different from other book I’ve read before. It connects the authors’ lives right into the book, such as in an autobiography, but it also has a mixed genre of a romance and crime. In the beginning of this book, it connected to the authors. Example, the character Ava was the younger character with brown hair and she had a little dog named Popcorn and the older character, Sophia, had blonde hair and had a kitten. In Blair’s life she is the younger sister with brown hair and she has a little dog but instead she named it Teddy and Elle is the older sister who has a kitten named Pinecone. Another example in the book is they get discovered and create their own makeup line, just like in really life. In the story, it goes from a story based off of their lives, then it adds in a little romance in the middle and toward the end of the book it becomes a crime novel.
At the end of this book, it had a kind of a questionable ending. What I mean by questionable ending is that, by the end of the book, it gives you information that won’t be revealed until the next book. The second book came out in August and I will diffidently be reading it sometime soon. It is titled Where Beauty Lies. The ending of this book leaves you wondering what is going to happen next and leaves you wanting more.
Angel by James Patterson reviewed by Alyson Green
“Angel” by James Patterson
From Goodreads.com:
“Maximum Ride and her friends have always had each other’s backs because they can’t trust anyone else. No. Matter. What. But now the flock is up against a threat unlike any they’ve ever faced. Just when they need each other the most, Fang is gone. He’s creating his own gang that will replace everyone—including Max.”
In this novel “Angel” I found out how much friendship really means. I haven’t always stopped to think about how much one person could mean to myself or who would fight for me like the characters in this novel did. It really opened up my eyes and I’ll be thinking differently of people. The way that Max risked her life multiple times is one of the few reason I truly enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed the wonderful setting, theme, and plot of this novel the most and I highly encourage anyone into supernatural books to have a read!
The astounding setting in this book really knocked me off my feet. I couldn’t believe the amazing detail it gave in each place the flock went. When the birdlike people flew in the air it told in mesmerizing detail on how they were two thousand feet in the air and how magnificent the view was looking down on Paris. I could feel the wind in my hair and the coldness on my cheeks while reading about how fast Max had to fly through the tunnel to save all of the world. I feel like the writer of this novel has definitely been in intense situations to have written some such as these in such intense places. The overall setting of the book was fantastic!
While I very much enjoyed the setting of this book the theme really took me buy surprise! I started reading this novel thinking that it would be about a girl who falls madly in love and has a wonderful life. However I could not have been more wrong. The book had a theme of an apocalypse and not the “zombie” kind. When reading it I found out the theme is more of a love story than anything else. Max and Fang struggle with each other while also saving the world and it is all very sweet. Though you have to think there can only be so much romance while trying to deactivate a bomb set off to kill the whole world. I really think the theme overall was to show you have to put your own feeling in front of others, because in the end you are all you can trust.
My personal favorite part of this book has to be the plot. The plot goes into such amazing detail on how each person or bird in this case feels. It tells that Max and Dylan don’t really need to be programmed to love each other. It also tells how Angel really does know what is going to happen and when you look back on it she really does try in everyway possible to keep everyone else safe. Which I think is a very big thing for a seven year-old to do! I am amazed at how much time there was put in to telling who can do what. When the world was coming to and end and all the gang members from each side had to work together they used each of there strengths to there ability. I think that the plot was very well written and detailed.
In conclusion to this book the setting, them, and plot really supirsed me in a wonderful way and I plan on reading James Patterson’s other novels. I recommend this book to anyone who is into supernatural novel’s and any teenager who is going through a time of feeling faced with a tough decision of any kind. I very much enjoyed this novel.
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, Reviewed by Summer Jewell
It can.She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.
She’s wrong.
Boom! That’s the sound sound of the abandoned asylum collapsing, crushing Mara Dyer’s best friend and boyfriend. She feels guilty, like she caused the whole thing. These feelings would follow her across the country to Florida, as she is forced to answer the real question; What happened? Was she at fault for her friends’ deaths? A few of my favorite aspects of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer include the highly developed and intense plot, the mysteriously flawed characters, and the diverse mood.
I very much enjoyed the plot of the book. It was intricate yet slowly developing, as not to be overwhelming. At first, Mara seems to have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, suffering with the agressive hallucinations. Soon though, as she is linked to a series of unfortunate events, she and her mysterious love intrest begin to uncover her supernatural abilities. I liked that the author was very descriptive in some instances and vauge in other, to some of the plot secret and mysterious. Throughout the novel, action was built up and became extreme. For example, when she and her Noah (her partner in crime) had to save her younger brother, I was on the edge of my seat.
Secondly, I enjoyed the characters. In particular, Noah Shaw was my favorite. He is vauge yet understanding, dangerous yet intelligent, with just enough witty humor. Even he has his flaws, though. He comes from a broken family and has an extensive record of times that he’s gotten in trouble. I also became fond of Mara herself. The only problem I had with her was that, though I thought she was portrayed as a particularly strong character she became rather independent throughout the novel. I’m sure this was partly because of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder/ Supernatural Powers, but it was a little unnerving.
Lastly, I liked the mood of the novel. It was set in suburban Florida, which I found interesting. The author successfully reminded me that flaws can be found in normality and otherwise typical society. I liked that the weather changed with the emotions. Specifically, this happened in one instance in which she had come face to face with a malnourished dog and it’s cruel abuser.
All in all, I think Michelle Hodkin successfully created an amazing novel. I absolutely loved reading it.; It’s one of my favorite books. I would reccomend this to anyone who enjoys the supernatural ( I thought of it like horror meets realistic fiction.). Also, I believe anyone who enjoys reading novels with an underlying romance would like this, because it is there but not neccessarily the main focus. Michelle Hodkin’s writing style reminded me of John Green’s, so his fans might like this as well. This book’s great qualities include, an exciting plot, relatable characters, and a detailed mood.
Looking For Alaska by John Green, Reviewed by Jocelyn Cabauatan
Looking For Alaska by John Green
From: goodreads.com Before. Miles “Pudge” Halter’s whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the “Great Perhaps” (François Rabelais, poet) even more. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.
Who wouldn’t feel terrible about one of their friends passing away? Miles “Pudge” , Chip “The Colonel” , and Takumi were all very good friends with a girl named Alaska until one night something happened. Pudge , Takumi, and the Colonel will forever feel terrible about it happening enough though it was none of their faults .That very thing happened in John Green’s realistic fiction novel Looking For Alaska. My favorite parts about this novel were the captivating vocabulary, the unique characters, and the different scenes that this novel had to offer.
The captivating vocabulary of this novel kept me wanting to read it. It described each and everything from different stand points. For example, at the beginning of the story when Miles first went to “Culver Creek” his parents were pretty up tight about him going to that boarding school and then, through out the book they seemed to realize he liked going to school there and that he had more friends as well. Another good example of the captivating vocabulary usage was when the author was describing the dorm rooms everyone stayed in he described them as a box with cinder-block walls coated thick with white paint. One last example of the captivating vocabulary was when the author was describing the way some of the characters spoke like the police man who had a southern accent and Lara who had a broken English accent.
The unique characters of this novel were probably my favorite to read about. One example, of a unique character was Alaska Young who was one of the main characters of this story Alaska was kind of, a trouble maker who pulled pranks, and did lots of illegal stuff but, she also loved to read which sometimes kept her out of trouble. Another one of my favorite unique characters was Miles “Pudge” because he was a little dorky and had a huge crush on Alaska and also hung out with her a lot along with a few others in his group of friends. Pudge, also remembered last words of people who have passed away which made him unique in my opinion. Chip “The Colonel” stood out to me a lot because he knew almost everything about everyone and he hung out with Alaska and Miles as well and even gave Miles his nickname Pudge at the beginning when he found out they were roommates. Takumi was also a unique character in my opinion, because he was a foreign exchange student from Japan, he has a unique name that sounds different than most, and he liked to have fun with Alaska, Pudge, and The Colonel.
The scenes of this novel were very different from anything I’ve ever read. Some of my favorite scenes to read were when Alaska, Takumi, Pudge, and the Colonel were pranking The Eagle who enforced the school rules a lot , and the Weekday Warriors who were basically another group of kids who pranked. Another one of my favorite scenes to read about was when Alaska talked Pudge into staying at school with her during Thanksgiving break because it took him awhile to commit to doing that but they had a pretty good time together as friends. Lastly, my favorite scene to read about was when Alaska committed suicide because it took her group of friend awhile to figure out why she did so. Reading that scene kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me very suspenseful of why Alaska did that.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this novel because of the unique storyline it gave. I recommend this novel for any teenager or young adult who likes stories that keep them on the edge of their seat. I think that almost anybody would fall in love with this exhilarating novel. Through the use of captivating vocabulary, unique characters, and different scenes I think that John Green has written an amazing novel called Looking For Alaska. I hope more people enjoy reading this novel as much as I did.
The Bar Code Tattoo by Suzanne Weyn Reviewed by Emilee Evans
The Bar Code Tattoo by Suzanne Weyn
Summary from amazon.com
The Bar Code Tattoo. Everybody’s getting it. It will make your life easier, they say. It will hook you in. It will become your identity. But what if you say no? What if you don’t want to become a code? For Kayla, this one choice changes everything. She becomes an outcast in her high school. Dangerous things start happening to her family. There’s no option but to run . . . for her life.
Imagine everyone peer pressuring you to get a tattoo that you feel like it could kill you. Kayla Reed does everyone in her society is required to get a bar code tattoo on their wrist on their seventeenth birthday. Kayla feels like the bar code is the mark of the beast after the traumatic events that have happened to her family. In the novel The Bar Code Tattoo by Suzanne Weyn I enjoyed the theme, plot, and setting.
I enjoyed the theme in this novel which I felt was freedom versus control. I felt that because at the beginning it was like if you wanted the tattoo fine and if you didn’t that’s fine too. After a while Kayla’s society was required to get the tattoo as soon as they turn seventeen and if they didn’t they would be placed in jail and other consequences if they resisted. Kayla felt controlled by her society she felt that if she didn’t want the tattoo she shouldn’t have to. Kayla feels like she should have the freedom to do what she wants. Kayla isn’t the only one who feels that way; Kayla meets a group of students called Decode who are against the tattoo just as Kayla is. So it seems…
I also enjoyed the plot in the novel The Bar Code Tattoo. The plot thickens as the story progresses in every chapter there is a surprising twist and outcomes. Also there is a cliff hanger ending that makes me want the finish the entire series. The novel beings with Kayla’s father comminuting suicide and her mother feels that the bar code is to blame so she tries to burn of her tattoo and causes a house fire that she traumatically dies in leaving Kayla to blame for homicide, after those events Kayla has to skip town and run for life.
Lastly I enjoyed the setting in the novel which was the year 2025 which is only 12 years away. I liked the setting because it made me think what if this really could happen in the future. What if my children will be required to get a tattoo that tracks their ever move when they turn seventeen. Thinking about your future is already hard to imagine and thinks that my society could basically take my freedom is freaky. This novel defiantly made me think about things.
Overall I loved The Bar Code Tattoo by Suzanne Weyn; I would recommend this book to teenagers because I feel that the book would intrigue them about their future giving them different scenarios and ideas about what their future could possibly be like. I also would recommend this book to people who genuinely love dystopian novels. If their like me they’ll enjoy the theme, plot and setting.
Angel by James Patterson. Reviewed by Abby Lee.
Angel by James Patterson
From Amazon.com : Max Ride and her best friends have always had one another’s backs. No. Matter. What. Living on the edge as fugitives, they never had a choice. But now they’re up against a deadly force that’s racing across the globe, and just when they need him the most–Fang is gone. He’s creating his own gang that will replace everyone–including Max.
Max is heartbroken over losing Fang, her soul mate. Her closest friend. But with Dylan ready and willing to fight by her side, and she can no longer deny that his incredible intensity draws her in. Max, Dylan, and the rest of their friends must soon join forces with Fang and his new gang for an explosive showdown in Paris that’s unlike anything you’ve ever imagined . . . or read.
Wonder what would happen if someone came up to me and told me I had to save the world? Hmmm, I’m not actually not sure what I would, but neither did Max. Max, Dylan, and Angel were totally shocked when their doctor told them the world was in danger and since they were Gen77 kids it was their job to save it. In this novel I enjoyed lots of things. I mostly enjoyed the details, the plot, and the genre.
Between the madness of saving the world and the madness of Max and Fang’s ending love, somehow author James Patterson detailed the characters amazingly. In this novel I felt like I could imagine exactly what each character looked like. I could sense the jealousy between Fang and Dylan. I felt that I was saving the world with both groups. If I could give the author an award for best detailing so far James Patterson would win!
In this novel another aspect I enjoyed was the plot. I believe every little thing fell perfectly in place in the plot. From beginning to end it was spectacular. I honestly haven’t read a scientific fiction book that flowed so well together. The only thing I had a little trouble catching on to was how the narration of Fang and Max would alternate in some chapters. Sometimes I would have to figure out who was actually speaking because it wasn’t so clear at first. Overall, the plot was amazing.
Let’s get one thing straight… I’m not really much on Scientific fiction usually. I really enjoyed this book, though. I think the novel was classified perfectly. I can’t get over how great this book was. I think the love story mixed with “fixed” kids and doomsday was just a lovely combination!
I really enjoyed this novel. I think overall this book needs to be read in all first year high school classes. Not only is it a thriller, but some people could probably relate to the small love story that’s mixed into it. I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars. The plot, the characters, and the genre was fantastic!
Paperback Paparazzi 
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