Heartbreaking and broken

Still Alice

By Lisa Genova

Did she pass Memorial Drive? And right before that the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Park? Alice triple checked her surroundings but she could not recall where she was or how she got to the stage of confusion that she was in.  Mrs. Alice Howland is a phenomenal psychology professor who associates herself with multiple universities and institutions around Boston. Along with the troubles she finds with her daughter Lydia who has not chosen the path Alice expected of her after high school, and her workaholic husband who seems to have little time for her, Alice is realizing there is something unfortunately wrong with her health. Her diagnosis of Alzheimer's will begin to impact her strongly and quickly, long term.

Still Alice was recommended to me by multiple classmates & I am glad that this was the choice I made. What I really enjoy so far about this novel is that Alice faces more than one obstacle.  Author, Lisa Genova, did not just focus on Alice being diagnosed with Alzheimer's.  In addition to Alice’s health, she created a feeling of slight distance and abandonment with her husband who often sided with Lydia, who was nowhere near the perfect example child. In fact, Lydia is the exact opposite of what her mother had wants for her. Genova allows Alice’s character to appear realistic because she is facing multiple impacting situations. This novel is a great representation of expressing that life doesn't just hit you with one obstacle at a time, life is constantly challenging you. It also reiterates the cliche that we take a lot for granted. Our memory is something with give such little thought to but it plays such a big purpose in our life, and it takes us until our memory skills have been compromised to realize that we take advantage of it.

Any readers who are looking for a book that can highlight an average women facing a real life situation would enjoy this book. There is little to no added drama, not much action but a heart touching and eye opening story. From the beginning of the book Genova illustrates Alice as headstrong, confident, determined and relentless. From a dinner argument with Lydia making Alice feel as forceful as " trying to knock down a concrete wall with their heads"( Genova 17) to when she felt disoriented in Harvard square knowing " She wanted to continue walking...she tried again...she willed herself..she told herself she could still read and recognize." ( Genova 22), Alice never gave up, on anything. With such strong character traits, it makes the readers want to root for Alice throughout the whole book and fight with her.

I wholeheartedly recommend Still Alice to any reader looking for a beautiful and well written novel with touches of fear and surprises.  I am looking forward to continuing this book as well.  

True Love

Happily Ever After

By: Kiera Cass

 
      How could one define happy ever after?

Prince Clarkson has been very affected by his parents abusive but yet oddly loving marriage. When the time comes for him to pick a wife from the selection, he must get passed the belief that love doesn't exist. But that changes once he meets Emberly. Although he felt a deep connection with her, he wanted to test all the girls first. So he asked all the remaining girls in the selection to cut their hair. But only Emberly gave him more than an inch. Which pleased him very much. He then chooses her to be his wife regardless of her illness. But Emberly receives some news from the doctor that changes her life, the prince's life, and the kingdom forever.

This book is a very well written book that captures the readers attention. The author uses scenarios that are imaginable to allow the readers to connect to the characters and their sentiments. She mainly focuses on the fact that anyone can find true love. Whether it means finding love with someone totally different from yourself; or loving/accepting yourself and finding happiness that way. One of the characters in the book thought that she had to be married to be happy but found out that she is, "...much happier on her own" (Cass 383). The book also portrays the idea that everyone is in fact different, have different faiths and different perspectives. This is definetely a book that can cheer you up if you're feeling down. Although life isn't filled with happy ever afters nor peace, it can make you believe that it exists and is possible. It could even inspire you to take a step in changing the world or just your country or town/city for the better. It's believed by most that dreams can't come true but the author makes the reader believe that they can. Emberly once said, "The dreams I'd stored in my heart were actually coming true"(Cass 86). I wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone. Even if you hate romance and love stories, this book can and will change your mind.  

Pablo

Joey Dalicandro

Killing Pablo
by Mark Bowden

" We love you,Pablo" and "long live El Doctor"  echoed through the busy streets of Medellin as the casket carrying Pablo Escobar was brought to the cemetery. A mob of thousands of angry mourners attended his funeral, where they would shout anti-government rhetoric and promise acts of violence as revenge for what they did to their cities savior. This is both a story of victory and defeat, the rise and fall of one of the most notoriously wealthy men to ever live. Escobar's reign of terror would last well over 20 years and earn him a yearly revenue of well over 21.9 billion dollars. At the peak of his reign, Forbes magazine even listed him as the seventh richest man in the world.

Despite his riches, the head of the Medellin cartel got his start exporting oil, vegetables and even coffee. He then graduated to stealing and trading tombstones and then to stealing cars. The rest  happens to be history. He became known for being a daring and ruthless operator. No one in Medellin challenged his authority, he owned the police and the politicians, and everyone who did question him wound up missing or worse. An associate of Don Pablo is quoted for famously saying "He wasn't even an entrepreneur, and he wasn't even an especially talented businessman. He was just ruthless"

This is an enthralling story of greed, corruption, idealism and one mans decent into hell. Moreover it's a relentless quest for justice.

Within this novel author Mark Bowden exposes the once classified account of the 16 month U.S.-led covert man hunt to catch none other than Pablo himself . Including access to the many key players involved in this operation such as incorruptible head of the special police unit that chased Escobar and Colombian president Cesar Gaviria. Author Mark Bowden in his own words describes Escobar in the late 80's and early 90's  as "Public enemy number one in the world".

If you're like me and enjoy both history and biographies than I highly recommend this book for you. My opinion of this novel is high, for which it has a vast amount important history and information within its pages.  I found that the author uses certain imagery and vivid word description to keep the readers attention. Though there is indeed many pages and chapters in this book, the author has kept my attention from start to finish. I highly regard this book for which it has taught me many things about our own government. The story of Pablo's life is edgy and a truly sobering view on moral dilemmas.

I have enjoyed reading the few pages I have read and hope to continue reading. I hope you to will find it as good as I did.

Barely Alive

Melissa Nicolas

Alive
By Scott Sigler

Submerged in the shadows and engulfed in the darkness, what would can one do when they wake up on their twelfth birthday, chained down and completely in the dark. A young girl awakens chained in a coffin completely in the dark and has no idea how she came to be like this and has no memory of who her family is or even her name. With all the strength she can muster she breaks free of her casket. To realize she is in a room filled with a dozen casket with bodies waiting to be awoken. The only information she knows is that her name must be M. Savage because it was in her coffin and that she is definitely not twelve years old. Soon she becomes the leader of a whole bunch of other kids who have no idea what's going on either. From what I've read, this book has been completely captivating because it isn't a typical thriller. It isn't thrilling at all. The majority of the beginning is encompassed by an anxious feeling. The characters of the novel are in shock. Something very strange and terrifying has happened to them and their memories have my seriously altered. Everything about the plot of this book is fascinating but I do not believe it would be everyone's cup of tea. I warn readers that the book is very slow paced and events happen slowly. The characters are basically trapped underground there isn't much they can do to change their situation. My recommendation goes to people who are more interested in science-fiction books. Books that often have a bit of mystery and suspense. There is a bit of a romance transpiring between the two main characters in the book but this certainly isn't a romance novel so if that is what you're looking for I highly recommend you find another book.

Yong is the fifth character to be awoken in their chamber of obscurity. The only information the audience knows about him is his race and his last name. That is all the other characters know about each other. I personally really relate to Yong because he was very combative Savage, the protagonist. Savage instantly takes the role of being the leader of the pack but Yong is not so eager to be controlled. I would be the same in this situation. I certainly would be scared but I also wouldn't like to have someone believe they're the boss and have all the answers when they are just as lost as me. Yong is sarcastic and funny but extremely guarded and I find myself having some of the same qualities so I really like this character. " His arms are crossed again, his head is tilted slightly to the right. He is a walking challenge, daring anyone to contradict him. Something about his presence promises pain" (Sigler 41). Another thing about this book that personally affects me is how the idea is to run and survive when you're not entirely sure what you're running from. This makes this book a sort of mystery and I have always been drawn towards mysteries. There is an obvious goal trying to be met by these kids but they're not sure how they're going to accomplish it and how they ended up in this position. These components make this book unpredictable and I thoroughly enjoy a book that isn't predictable." Someone please help me, this is...' my breath catches. I don't know my own name" ( Sigler 4).

Once more I stress readers that love science-fiction and some mystery this book is perfect for you. It will always keep you interested. It is filled with relatable characters. I would gear the audience to be a bit younger than the average adults, teens and young adults would much prefer the content of the book. Adults might find the content trivial and unrelatable since there isn't one adult in the book so far.

Memories Forgotten

Still Alice
By: Lisa Genova

Memories are slowly drifting away from Alice. Will she forget it all? Alice the main character is a professor of psychology at Harvard University. She and her husband John both work at the school together. They are successful and have 3 children, Lydia, Tom, and Anna. Alice has everything figured out in life. She has her routines planned and all her presentations memorized. She slowly starts to forget little things about her routines and forgets words to her presentation. She then realizes that there is something wrong and decides to get checked out. She meets with her doctor a couple time. The last time she visited she was told that she has alzheimer's disease and was struck with fear of what to do now. She has yet to tell her family.

Overall the book is very interesting and keeps you wanting to read more. It is a book with lots of emotions and at moments can be very sad. To some it is seen as uplifting due to seeing that it isn't as bad as you make it out to be. It brings Alice's family together for her. In my opinion I would reccomend this book to other people

Black Flags

When we think about how far word of mouth travels between individuals, we may not know exactly how far an idea or trend socializes itself with society. Inside a small Jordanian Prison, the ideas and beliefs that engulfed those small rooms was where Isis got its start. Mastermind terroist Abu al-Zarqawi was forming a role for himself as the Architect for this Islamist movement based on dominating the Middle East by intimidation. Zarqawi was a man where people respected him and naturally were attracted to his actions and his voice. He had a following in which he would share his ideologies to. Zarqawi was able to manipulate many of these men to accompany him on his villainous and inhuman journey to being known. He wanted to grow strong in numbers, through fear and intimidation Zarqawi would instill fear into the Middle East spreading his radical ideologies. Author Joby Warrick uses his skill of switching from the perspectives of many high ranking officers, spies, general diplomats many of whom foresaw many of the events of a criminal who may have been worse than Al-Qaeda. For a person who seems to be spending more time slipping into the past with history this book does not disappoint as it brings detail after detail from multiple lines of perspectives. This book is a timeline of the birth of Isis and its effects on America and the rest of the world. Black Flags is a fantastic piece of definitive history that reveals the long arc of the world's most dangerous terroist threats.

Leah Duplessis
                                                        The Secret Year                              
         "The Secret Year",  by Jennifer R Hubbard, is a romance novel about a boy named Colt who lost the love of his life. He, a rather poor young man and Julia, a wealthy and beautiful older girl had been secretly hooking up every Friday night for over a year until she was enexpectedly killed in a fatal car accident. The book revolves around Colt's ways of trying to cope with this heartbreak, and faces many personal obstacles when he cannot express how he is feeling due to the fact that she had a boyfriend throughout their relationship, and not a soul knows about their Secret. I think that the book is really unique in the sense that we never are introduced to Julia while she is alive, but as the book continues on you feel like who know her due to Colt's description of her, and his memories which he reminisces on. Eventually Julia's brother comes across a note book which she had written to Colt and gives it to him, and obviously discovers their secret, but leaves it to remain unknown. Colt reads this journal every night and obsesses over it. A lot of the language used in this journal is risky and may make you uncomfortable as a reader. She is very straight forward about sexual scenes. A lot of the book consists of corny concepts that I feel are very unrealistic, and kind of uncomfortable to read. Over all I feel as though the story of the novel is very well thought out, but the details are a bit strange and over analyzed. Overall I would not recommend the book unless you are heavily into romance.

An Unsettling yet Absorbing Murder

Hallie Melville

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

In the early hours of January 3, 1985, it was said that Ben Day murdered his entire family. This excludes his youngest sister, Libby. 

"Bang bang, chop chop, choke choke" (2).

Twenty-five years later, Libby Day is an angry, fiery, red-headed woman who is running out of money. For years she has been receiving sympathy money from those who found pity in her family's murder, however, her story becomes less and less relevant as stories of hot new murders show up in the media. Libby cannot hold a job and continues to panic about finances until she is introduced to Lyle Wirth, who offers her cash to participate and speak at Kill Club meetings. The Kill Club is a group of people who are obsessed with murders without a clear person to blame, particularly the Day family. By attending these meetings, Libby and the reader alike start to question if Ben Day is the real culprit of the murders that took place decades ago.

Throughout the novel, the perspective shifts from Libby in the present day, as well as Ben and Patty Day who describe their lives before the murders occurred. While these different points of view can be confusing at times, they offer important clues that all tie together in the end. I was interested in the viewpoint of Libby's mom, Patty. In the days before her own murder, Patty describes her struggles to make money, hold her family together, and to remain present in Ben's life. Patty fears that Ben is becoming too unlike his family by dyeing his hair jet black and practicing satanic rituals. This makes it very easy to point the finger at Ben for his family's murder, but it is soon found that things are more complicated than that.

Libby describes herself as a liar and a thief, and admits to her own selfishness: "I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ"(1). Although she is depressed, mean, and an overall unlikable character, I was still interested in her story and wanted to read on. In fact, not many of the characters in Dark Places are very likable, yet Flynn manages to make the reader interested in those who are standoffish, solemn, and arrogant.

Overall, I give Dark Places 4 out of 5 stars. For anyone who enjoyed Gone Girl, another novel by Gillian Flynn, I would recommend this book. A story that should not be read before bedtime, Dark Places is a psychological thriller with and ending that you could never have guessed.

Love Triangle

Maxwell Waters

The City and the Pillar

By Gore Vidal

A teenage getaway during one weekend goes for an unexpected turn when Jim realizes he is in love with his teammate Bob. Weeks of awkwardness have gone by and set in this early twentieth-century setting, tensions are high. Soon after in the novel The City and The Pillar by Gore Vidal, accounts a young man’s experience after he meets and loses the love of his life. Jim, the main character meets movie stars, directors, travels to south America, falls in love with a writer, and ends up in the military. Throughout this thrilling fiction, the reader gets an opportunity to read about this adventurous character.

In my opinion, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to get lost in a romance book with all sorts of drama, and obstacles both the reader and the character have to go through. According to the novel I can relate to the idea of wanting someone that in return they might not like you back. The author uses awkward situations throughout the book to express the difficulty of finding a partner. For example in the novel one night, one of the Shipyard men and Jim were going to go out one night into town because they docked ahead of time. After weeks of talking to the shipyard man, Jim believed that they could maybe have some form of a relationship. Unfortunately for Jim that was not the case. At the bar, they both get really drunk and rowdy. Once Jim makes some moves with the guy he soon is shut down in front of him, "Ken moved away, cut that out, he said in a clear sober voice" (130). What made this scene so interesting was the fact that although they both were drunk and they seemed to be having a good time, but it is not realistic for a gay relationship to be so easy, especially in such plain view of people.

According to the novel as Jim is trying to make a career as a tennis instructor he encounters Ronald Shaw, a renowned movie actor in Hollywood, who falls in love with Jim. In order for Jim to jump start his life financially, he reasons with Shaw to have a relationship. Their relationship highlights an idea known as, “ for those mainly youth who offered themselves for seduction while proclaiming their heterosexuality, they were known as trade, since they usually wanted money” (164). Labeling in the LGBTQ community is relevant to the novel because the reader can read about the different terms and dynamics. Shaw's and his followers perspective on Jim is false, however they fall for the trap of labeling. Stereotypes are present everywhere it does not matter from what background someone is from. This book is for people who are into adventure and gay fiction. I would not classify the book as romantic because the romance that rarely occurs is not genuine.

Hello, Goodbye, and College

Kayla Hernandez

Hello, Goodbye and Everything In Between
By: Jennifer E. Smith

A teen couple going off to college at opposite sides of the country. Clare and Aidan have one night to revisit all the places they have a special connection with. At the end of the night they have to decide whether to stay together and have a long-distance relationship, or break-up now while they can still be friends. Clare and Aidan both have opposing ideas as to what they should do. Clare brings valid points to Aidan as to why they should break-up and Aidan says they can work it out and it's possible to have a long-distance relationship. Along the night they have moments where everything seems just perfect and they wish to just live in the moment, but reality continually strikes and both know at the next sunrise, they'll both be heading for different places across the country. Aidan is very optimistic, "'Trust me,'Aidan says, reaching for her hand. 'A lot can happen in twelve hours."(2) Which brings hope that it doesn't have to be the end.
This book is a connection to the teen couples now in high school which college is around the corner for them. I would recommend reading this book, because it creates such a relatable connection. It is a book of modern day and each character is someone who we may know in reality. It might become very stretching because they don't decide so suddenly, but that's what we readers like.
I connected well with this book, because I'm in a relationship as well. We're both seniors and college is coming up quicker than we think. It might create distance between us, but we want it to work out and we're not going to give up. I guess you could say, "go with the flow", but it's what we both want most. "'That after all this time, we only have twelve hours left. I mean... we're finally here, you know? At the end of the road."(2). It doesn't have to been from the negative perspective and this is the reason Clare and Aidan balance themselves. Optimistic vs. reality.

racial prejudice

I'm Just Me  

By M.G. Higgins

The issues highlighted by Higgins in this book, correlate with the current 2016 subjects of racial discrimination and prejudice. Nasreen and Mia, both with different racial backgrounds stood out in their school. Nasreen, a Muslim girl who wears traditional clothing to school everyday, has conformed to her constant bullying inside and outside of school. Whereas, Mia, the only African-American girl in her new school, would not give in to her bullies. But when the bullying increases, they come up wih a bold plan to stand up against their bullies united. As mentioned before, this piece of lierature accentuates stereotypes of minorities in this country and what they have to deal with merely based on what they look like and what what they believe in. I would highly recommend this book to all my readers because not only is it a thorough resource of matters that need to be addressed to many people for their awareness but also, the author has done an outstanding job of portraying plot and caracters in a way that would attract readers' attention and empathy instantly. Nasreen, a reticent Muslim young girl, who gets bullied everyday at school, verbally and sexually harrassed on school bus, but none of the adults, including her parents, seem to handlethis seriously, until she meets Mia. Mia tends to always comfort Nasreen by exclaiming "Believe me, you'd survive" (67). Nasreen gets her hopes up and starts believing that she is not alone and one has to stand up for herself. Atone point she describes her friendship "our lives are very different. i think its because were trying to protect our hearts"(67). Despite of all the constant bullying and a lack of support from family and school, they fight back back their bullies. This book is specifically directed towards teenagers.

The Americans story, The American Sniper.

Isaiah Quinones

American Sniper

By: Chris Kyle

   Bang! Down goes the woman caught in the precise cross-hairs of the American Sniper Chris Kyle taking down the only woman he has ever killed holding a grenade ready to kill a whole platoon of Marines in the front lines. Just like that the Odyssey of Chris Kyle's Life as a navy seal in the front lines begins. 

  To be brief as not to spoil the copious amounts of raw talent in the form of writing, over the first 88 pages one will come to learn of the early years of Chris Kyle's life. The books transitions from the battle ground and into how Chris grew up, how he met his wife, and most importantly his journey into becoming a navy seal flow in perfect harmony as not to take away from one part or another providing the perfect balance of life at home and life in the battle field leaving something for everyone to enjoy. The book also continues to dive into the early missions he was presented with before becoming a sniper and the typical life of a navy seal.

 What is a very intriguing stand out for this book is that the author is also the main character Chris Kyle. It falls into the unique autobiographical-nonfiction genre.

  This book is by far the best out there in this "war time story" theme and anyone who is capable of reading should do so immediately. The book provides a unique, hands on perspective in the life of a navy seal which can not be found anywhere else but this book. It's a true Americans story and I whole heartily would recommend this book to people from my grandma to my best friend.

  At this point you may be wondering "But Why should i get this book?" and "But What makes this book so amazing?" and that can be summed up into three major focal points.

  The story holds such a relate-ability that comes quite unexpected. One might ponder "How could I be able to relate to some big war hero?" and the answer may be just as simple. The book reaches into the souls of every American that holds pride in their country allowing for one to almost feel as though they are within the book its self. It invokes a sense of pride for their country continuing to add to the overall eloquence of the novel. Chris Kyle is what every young boy aspires to be and his themes of patriotism and self drive to success can be a shared experience with any and all americans.

  Another quite relevant point as to why the book is so amazing is because of the message it sends to the youth when one is faced with a very big problem. The books themes also ahold a message to never give up and always work hard to achieve your goals no matter what is thrown at you. Chris is but to the test both physically and mentally on his way to becoming a navy seal and in his every day life which is something that everyone should takes notes on. Success does not come easy, failure does and for one to grind and push through the pain and emotional distort is a great focal point of the novel in what the author attempts to instill upon the reader.

  Lastly, but most importantly, why this book deserves the utmost priority in your readers catalog is the book shows the power of one to beat the odds and be successful. Not everyone can handle adversity quite like Chris Kyle can as portrayed in the novel and that speaks volumes to the younger generation on how to deal with failure, as all humans fail, and turn that into complete success in the long run no matter how hard he falls.  This is portrayed when Chis is speaking of is first application to become a navy seal and sullenly says "They flat-out turned me down" (20) but Chris will greatly handle this hardship and work harder to get him self in the hard way.

  To connect personally, what really got me hooked on this book is the message of "grind" and to never give up no matter what life throughs at you. Chris sums this message up nicely when discussing what all the seals hold as when when he exclaims "The thing we all had in common wasn't muscle; it was the will to do what ever it takes"(28) which resinates in my heart and sends a clear through message that people who are successful are that way not because of sure strength, but their will power to push through what ever is thrown at them to be successful.

  This book would be best suited to those who enjoyed the likes of Saving Private Ryan, All Quiet on the Western front, and any other war time books along with the modern thriller genre as this book while it holds great plot, is also invigorating to the senses, pulling a reader right into the story. Anyone who holds great pride for their country would find simple pleasure in reading this novel as it would also portray their viewpoint on such a topic.

  American Sniper, The Americans story is a book to be remembered indefinitely as it is a must read for all on planet earth. The legacy Chris Kyle left will live on forever just as his messages portrayed in this novel should as well.  Buy this book today.

  

Opposites Do Attract

Preeti Sharma
First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky

Do opposites attract? In this case, it does. Mysterious Gray and full of life Dylan meet at Mesa Community College. Gray sees Dylan lying on the sidewalk, taking pictures of geckos. He instantly thinks something is wrong with her. Reality is, he isn't used to outgoing and optimistic people like her. Their first interaction leads to countless other ones. The more Gray hangs out with Dylan, he starts to fall for her. When he's with her, time stops and he's happy. Dylan loves being around him. To her, Gray is a mystery box that has yet to be opened. She's intrigued to find out all about him. As their crazy adventures continue, their fascination and love for one another grow along with it. This cute love story is told from both perspectives and describes their step by step attraction to one another, as it grows.

I've read part of the book so far, and it is definitely for those into romance. The book captures the reader and drags them into a fun filled world of two teens in love. As Dylan and Gray speak from their own perspectives, I am able to relate to them and their experiences and or views. I consider this novel to be realistic fiction. This is meant for romance lovers and anyone interested in a book of fun filled adventures.

Just Waiting

Dear Nobody: The True Diary of Mary Rose
Edited By Gillian McCain & Legs McNeil


   Dear Nobody is a true diary of a young girl named Mary Rose. The events written occur between the ages of fifteen to seventeen. Mary writes about a life where her mothers keeps going back to abusive boyfriend, doing drugs and drinking, hanging out with people who are 3 years older than her, and waiting for her disease to take her. Feeling like she is a nobody in a town where the kids bully her even when she stands up to them; leads her into a world where alcohol becomes her best friend.  The adolescent years can be a tough stage but when you have nobody to go for emotion and mental health it can be a whirlwind.

The Childhood of monster

Giovanni Nicolas 

" It's good to be Gronk "

by: Rob Gronkowksi and Jason Rosenhaus

          Thump! Thunk! Crash! The every day normal sounds that you would hear in the Gronkowski household four very aggressive very large brothers who would test each others toughness on a day to day basis. Boof! The sound of another tackle crashing on the floor, Rob Gronkowski details his rough upbringing in his book. To further illustrate that point Gronkowski says " I grew up in Buffalo, New York, with four brothers. In that house we had constant fun and action. Our idea of fun was beating the hell out of each other and laughing the whole time while we got out shots in." The Gronkowski house was all about grit and being tough and working hard, this book is it the most suspenseful or climatic by any means but to those who enjoy learning about famous celebrity or athlete upbringing this book is ideal for your football fanatic. 

  

Who can you trust?

Ty Campana

The Darkest Corners
Kara Thomas

What if you had to leave a life that you rebuilt to go back to a troubled passed filled with violence and murders? That is exactly what Tessa had to do when she got news that her jailed murderer of a father has gotten sick. Lurking around every corner are bad memories coming back to haunt her. She stays with her former best friend  Callie and her mom Maggie. I say "former" because they had a falling out when Tessa decided to leave her dark past and move  to Tampa with her Grandmother. When she visits the jail to say her final goodbyes to her father, she find out that her father has died a couple days ago. And when she looks in the visitors sign in book she sees her sisters handwriting, her troubled sister that she has not seen in years. While leaving the jail she sees who is known as the "Ohio River Monster" a mass murderer who  is on death row because Tessa and Callie put him there. Why has Tessa's sister suddenly come back right before her father's death? and what will the Ohio River Monster do when he sees the two people who brought him to death row?

So far within reading 25 pages of this book you get a very vague back story as to why and how Tessa and Callie are the two girls who got the Ohio River Monster caught. you don't even really know what this man has done but you are kept wanting to know what happens next.

I would recommend this book to anybody that likes mysteries. There are multiple questions that have not been answered yet and seem to be more to come. I would defiantly say that it is more of a mature book since it deals with murders, drugs, and the falling out of a family.

A Mother and Her Child

Danny Miller

Room
By Emma Donoghue

Being locked up in jail is not a particularly pleasant experience. Now, imagine that "jail" is your home. A young woman has been imprisoned in a small 11x11 room with her son, Jack, and for years, she has been trying to figure a way out. She believes she has tried everything, but after Jack is born, his presence in her life revives the sense of hope that she had long lost.

"Nobody's going to rescue us." 

I don't say anything. And then I say, "You don't know everything there is" (104).

Ma doesn’t have anyone else to turn to, so she trusts Jack, possibly due to a lack of sanity, but mainly because of the strong bond between a mother and her child. Jack reaches the age of five, which, in his eyes, is a big step for him. He learns the truth, and he begins to help Ma devise an escape plan.

“We could do what we liked, we’d be free.” 

“When I’m six?” 

“Definitely some day” (92).

I’ll be honest, when I first read the description of this book, I thought it would be quite a depressing tale, but after having read even just the first half of it so far, I would absolutely recommend it to anyone and everyone. While at an extreme, it is relatable to today’s world, and even though the conflict is not mentioned until about ninety pages in, it is consistently hinted at, and this forced me to keep reading to get a better grasp - I became utterly consumed in the story.

Also, it is incredible how perfectly the author, Emma Donoghue, puts the reader right into the shoes of Jack, while also conveying all the details of the story. Being in first person from Jack's perspective, I went through all the same emotions, I had the same curiosity, and I had all the same thoughts that he had. It almost felt like the story was about me.

And you'd be surprised by the action that occurs in a book that takes place almost entirely in one room. A risk is taken; a serious one, for that matter. Regardless of the consequences of this risk, it will be difficult to put down this book.

If you are afraid of taking chances, this book is for you. It will reach into your very soul and grab that little bit of hidden ambition, and it will drive you to do things you never thought you could, things you thought were impossible. You will learn that, no matter the difficulty of the situation, sometimes you have to be brave, and sometimes you have to face your fears to overcome an issue.

Grit and Discipline

Discipline
Shervin Sadr

Grit; the power of passion and perseverance
By: Angela Duckworth

The price of discipline doesn't compare to the pain of failure. Angela Duckworth's investigation into the world of talent and achievement seeks to explain this very idea. Through the process of surveying and interviewing people of great talent and wonderful achievements, she wishes to reveal whether it really is the God given talent that drives people to success, or if there is an underlying factor. What she finds is that hard work and discipline is the main factor in determining success. In her quest to find the answer to the question of what people see as which is more important in determining success, and if we today "are distracted by talent" (22), Angela claims that "Americans are twice as likely to single out effort" (23).

This book is a great inspiration, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys great success stories, and reading of the keys to working hard and being successful. Anyone who feels that they are not "talented" enough, or not skilled enough to accomplish whatever it may be that they wish to do, can learn something from this analysis of hard work and grit leading to success.

I personally relate to this book on monumental levels, as I was always smaller than everyone, less talented, and less gifted than everyone else. However, I am and always have been grittier and more disciplined than everyone else, and because of it, people think I am wildly talented. As Angela seeks to explain, this is a common misconception is our culture today. Instead of saying "Wow that person is very disciplined and hard working", we  jump to conclude "Wow that person is so talented!" This is why effort and hard work tends to escape many people who wish to succeed today, because they just assume that success comes from talent, and talent only.

Hard work and discipline are the real measure of one's character, and success. Angela Duckworth's novel Grit gives great analysis to the real unit of measurement of success.

An American Hero Battling Against All Odds

Cameron Egan

Fearless
By Eric Blehm

      A journey of ups and downs like no other; the life of a Navy SEAL team six operator Adam Brown. Adam had a turbulent uprooted childhood, moving from town to town with his family as his parents desperately tried to find work to support their family. Once they settled down just in time for high school, Adam quickly became known for his fearless, courageous, and respectful attitude both on the football field and in life. Adam was an under-sized star in his high school football days, but when it came time for college, things didn't seem to work out for Adam. He struggled with substance abuse and had a lot of trouble in college to the point where he had to drop of and start working back home with his dad. Life was pushing him to the edge and Adam's situation seemed grim, but he made a decision that would change his life for ever, to become a Navy Seal.

     Adam's journey becomes even greater as he becomes a SEAL. He goes off to fight in major operations where he portrays heroism and fearlessness consistently. Adam fights and helps lead his teammates through it all, until he meets a bitter end.

     Overall this book is a great story. It contains themes of a comeback and heroism which really hooked me on the story. As someone who enjoys war novels, Adam Brown's life is very compelling to me. The way he was able to kick his drug addictions, sign up for this military, and basically take back control over his own life is very admirable.

     Just before Adam decided to enlist, he was still having a lot of trouble with drugs, and his girlfriend Kelly was struggling to get him to get sober. "The fourth time (Adam went out to do drugs again), Kelly was beside herself. 'How can I do this?' she cried to Adam. 'How can I stay with you?' 'please don't' he said 'Really. I'm only going to bring you down."(67). Adam's life was spiraling out of control and he had to do something to be able to distract his mind and body away from his addiction to drugs. His decision to enlist did just that. Kelly and Adam then got married and a few weeks before Adam left for boot camp she noticed something different in Adam. "' Those three weeks before he left for boot camp, there was something different about Adam I hadn't seen before' says Kelly 'There was an intensity. A focus.'"(78). Adam had completely changed his life into something very meaningful to not only him, but his family as well.

      What makes this story so prominent, is the the comeback theme of it. Adam seemed to have no hope left for him, but he knew he had a purpose in this world and he decided to make his purpose his reality. Battling against all odds, he then became an American hero fighting for his country. Although the story of Adam Brown's life isn't the most orthodox story of heroism, I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the novel American Sniper, and fans of other war novels and movies. The plot is very well developed and the story doesn't seem to leave many details out, so if you are looking for a quick read with a less developed plot, then this might not be the book for you.

Dime by Emily McColgan

 The book I selected for my "choice read" is called Dime by, E.R Frank. This fiction book is twisted and intriguing and some what risky and inappropriate. It pulled me in from the first chapter and that honestly never happens to me. It starts out with a 13 year old girl who lives in a foster home, the living situation is no good, and her foster mom drinks a lot. The young girl is smart but doesn't do well in school, and never truly feels wanted or needed... with that being said, she was in search of someone who will provide and care for her. When she meets this man who took in a few girls to help them out she was attracted right away. This is also a man we are talking about, he is a grown man in his thirties. He finds girls in need, takes them home, gives them clothes and food and shelters them. She stayed there for a while. The girls living there (of all ages) call this man "daddy".

Candy: Love on Drugs (Which, Really, Probably Isn't Love at All)

Candy: Love on Drugs (Which, Really, Probably Isn't Love at All)

Nicolas Leger

Candy

By Luke Davies

When do readers read romance to not romanticize the main characters’ actions, from late night phone conversations to picnics in Central Park? In the Australian novel Candy by Luke Davies, Dan gets more action with a tourniquet and needle than his significant other, Candy, who spends her time working at a brothel to pay for their shared addiction. There is no specific reason why either of the characters is addicted to heroine; no sob story, no long lost brother, nor a tragic death.

It’s reality, and Dan and Candy are coping the best that they can.

However, this is not a tale for someone who uses reading to cathartically cry. Dan, a poetic narrator, tells it how it is, the good and the bad, but never to seek pity from the readers, and he never pities himself.

Overall, the novel sends an anti-drug message. Candy and Dan are aware of how much better their lives would be without “gear” (Davies 58) to enhance their love. And while Candy stepped into the relationship sober, Dan’s never gone without in her presence. For this reason, it’s not love.

Dan feels bad that Candy has to sleep with other men to make money. He still happily uses heroine. Dan hates feeling sick because of using. He still happily uses heroine. Dan wants a better life with Candy. But, he still happily uses heroine.

While the novel is (thankfully) not necessarily relatable to all readers, or most readers, Candy successfully makes readers feel thankful that they’re not stuck in a cycle similar to Dan and Candy’s, and if they are, desperate to find an exit tunnel. It’s also a little shocking how “thick and fast” (Davies 46) the money comes to Dan and Candy (and how well brothels pay their workers), only for them to blow it all on dope.

Candy presents imperfect, humanistic characters. And while Dan is not completely useless, for he spends “a lot of time scoring and organizing deals, doing all the drug stuff” (Davies 48), the novel is filled with unsuccessful book stealing heists, credit card scams, and attempts at ripping off fellow users. The lack of desirability presents Dan and Candy’s three-dimensionality as characters.

Furthermore, the late Heath Ledger plays Dan in the film adaptation, Candy.

Davies calls Candy a story of “love and addiction” (Davies), but as he highlights throughout the novel, addiction takes top priority over love, including marriage and most heartbreakingly, yet told with a cold heart, childbirth.

Recommended to anyone seeking to try heroine or just the average realist.

Davies, Luke. Candy. New York: Ballantine, 1998. Print.

Romantic Time Travel

The Time Traveler's Wife

Audrey Niffenegger

If you had a chance to time travel, would you? In the 26 pages I've read of The Time Traveler's Wife, Henry and Claire have met in the library and Claire knew a lot more than Henry did. Henry was really confused and wanted to get to know her more so he asked her to dinner. After dinner, Claire later finds out that Henry has a girlfriend, however she is set on being with them. The next chapter travels back to 1968 to when Henry was young.. and that's where I left off. 

As of now I've seen more of Claire and her personality than Henry. She is a very strong minded person, and she is set on Henry being "hers". After she finds out that Henry has a girlfriend she says, "Well, whoever you are, I'm here now. You may be Henry's past, but I'm his future"(18). When she said that I was just a tad bit more concerned because on her and Henry's date she had a story for him and knew everything about him. I haven't connected with any characters, mostly because I have only gotten a real feel on Claire. 

Surprisingly, I'm really interested in the book because as you keep reading you want to see what happens back in present time. Once it goes to 1968, Henry is 5 and it's all about what he did for his birthday, "We saw so much that day: the butterflies, to be sure, cases and cases of them, from Brazil, from Madagascar, even a brother of my blue butterfly from Down Under"(24). I didn't like this part very much, and I think it's mainly because I wanted to see what happens back in present time. 

I was somewhat confused because I didn't get what the story went back in time to Henry being a child. But at the same time I wanted to keep reading because I knew it was going to connect with Claire at some point. 

After reading 26 pages, I would recommend this book to defiantly teenagers. Teenage girls to be exact, I feel as if every teenage girl loves a romantic book to get a read on.