The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Asleep, he looked a lot younger than going-on-seventeen, but I had noticed that Johnny looked younger when he was asleep, too, so I figured everyone did. Maybe people are younger when they are asleep.
Ponyboy lives in a big town, where social order rules. There are the "Socs", rich kids who get what they want, and lead what appear to be perfect lives. Then there are the Greasers, poorer kids, the ones who smoke, fight, and live in gangs. Ponyboy, his brothers, Soda and Darry, and his gang, are greasers. They may have problems, the threat of Ponyboy and Soda being taken to a boy's house, away from Darry (their parents are dead) always looms, and they have to be careful of the Socs, but all in all everything is more or less bearable.
Then, one night, one of the Socs goes to far. He almost drowns Ponyboy, and Johnny, one of the gang members, kills the Soc, to save his friend.
Soon, Ponyboy and Johnny are on the run, helped by Dally, the tough gang member everyone is afraid of.
"Would you rather have me living in hide-outs for the rest of my life, always on the run?" Johnny asked seriously.
this book was recommended to me by a friend. I dragged my feet, and moaned and groaned about reading it, until I saw it on the shelf at the library. I took it home, reluctantly, and started reading. I was actually amazed by it. I loved this book, it had funny parts, was well written, and was over all, depressing. I would give it five stars (no sarcasm), and would definitely recommend it.

Down the Rabbit Hole, An Echo Falls Mystery -Peter Abraham

Down the Rabbit Hole is a mystery/thrilling book depicting the a time in the life of a 13 year old named Ingrid. The story starts as she tries out of a play with the community theater's production of Alice and Wonderland, as she loves to act. She also likes to play soccer... These two things are the events at which time everything begins to go wrong. A local murder mystery arises, and Ingrid cannot get it out of her mind. It makes no sense! Matters are made worse with suspicion, and a small fact... She left her soccer cleats at the victim's home... What will she do?

I thought that the books was good and it was exciting. There were lots of twists and turns, and it was a thrill of a book. It had lots of great elements to a story including: romance, mystery, scare, thrill, shock, intensity, fun, and it was easy to relate to most of the time. It had a lot of good qualities. The only thing I didn't really like is that some things... well, some was predictable. The others were that the end was awful, in my personal opinion, I think it was a really cruddy setup for a sequel. Which exhists, but it was one of those books that was great, but no- I don't want to read another. The characters were interesting but I didn't like the way things were laid out sometimes, and I also thought that at times the could make things tedious OCCASIONALLY with some unneccesary long descriptions, and then I felt when it mattered, I needed a better picture -a better description.

All in all, I thought it was a good book, and I think most kids/teens (whatever) and 12&up could easily enjoy this book. 4 stars!

Hi.... :(

Just an announcement, in trying to be fair.
Lollipop/Robin, has probably left this blog, and sorry that you will miss her posting.
It is an unfortunate leave, but, is done.

-Cat... :(

The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan

I love this book! Aside from good writing, intriguing plot, etc., what I found the most compelling thing about this book is that Charlie West is a good kid.
There's so many books out there for teenagers where the main characters have, to put it bluntly, lives that stink.
These authors write these books that are full of angst and the main characters have family problems, drug problems, problems at school, etc.
and these books get praised because "they're easy to relate to".
I hate books like that.
Now there's no need to tell me I'm weird, because I already know that I am.
I, my family, and most of my friends are good people just like Charlie West. We love God, fight for what we believe in, and help people.
Why is it that people want to believe that people like us don't exist anymore?
A character doesn't have to have mega huge issues with his/her life to be believeable. Sometimes you have to write about the good kid in order to make a realistic story.
Call me sheltered, but I know just as many kids (if not more than) that don't swear, don't have divorced parents, or any other issues as kids that do.


The Last Thing I Remember is an action packed story that'll hook you from beginning to end; with plenty of humor and patriotism added in too.

I can't wait for the next book to come out.

-SEP

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My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

"Fair Godmother? Don't you mean Fairy Godmother?" She tossed her hair off to one shoulder. "No, actually I'm just Fair Godmother." "What does that mean?" I asked.

Savannah has the perfect life. Her boyfriend, Hunter, is fabulous, her sister, Jane, loves her, and wouldn't do anything to hurt her, and she seems to be living a dream. Then it all crashes down around her ears. Jane steals Hunter, and prom is only a couple weeks away. Then she gets an odd visit, from a.. well, a "fair godmother." Chrysanthemum isn't what you'd expect a godmother- any godmother- to be like. She wears heels, chews gum, carries a cellphone, and goes shopping 24/7. Being only a "Fair Godmother", however, and being a teenager with a low attention span, she isn't the best at granting the wishes, and Savannah hasn't quite figured out what "be careful what you wish for" means... until a misunderstanding sends a cute boy from Savannah's school, Tristan, to the middle ages, and Savannah has to go and help him become a prince- or else he can't come back.

Her wings fluttered, but she looked at her fingernails instead of me. "It means that in Fairy Godmother school my grades weren't great, or geven good. They were just, you know, fair."

I would have to say this was probably one of the best books I've read. It was a short read- I finished it in five or so hours, but it was really good. It has romance, adventure, and magic. Oh, and good characters. I like how you watch Savannah go from your typical clueless teen, to a smarter, more reliable, responsible, teen. I also really liked Chrysanthemum, or "Chrissy" as she is called. I would give this five stars, and recommend it to anyone who enjoyed "Phillipa Fisher's Fairygodsister".

"Oh." I said. Her glance shot over to me. "Hey, the exams are hard. You turn one pumpkin into an angry bloated walrus and they never let you live it down."

Backwater by Joan Bauer

She peered at me some more. I wasn't used to such scrutiny. "I suppose at this moment you think I'm the craziest woman you've ever met," she said quietly. I looked at her standing there with birds on her arms and head. "Fiona's crazier,' I assured her.

The Breedloves have always been successfull lawyers, and everyone expects the same from Ivy. Ivy, however, has no interest whatsoever in a career in law. She wants to become a historian. When no one seems to understand her at home, except her aunt Tib, Ivy goes in search off her long lost aunt Josephine. However, when she does find her aunt (Did I mention her aunt is a hermit?), disaster strikes, and Ivy has to find a way to save the village of Backwater, and it's most honorable mayor. On the way she gains a friend in the mountain guide- mountain mama, a boyfriend - Jack, and learns some lessons.

"Peace," I said quietly, hoping the game would end. "A state of tranquility or quiet." "Not in this house, Ivy!" boomed my father. "No kidding." "We'll make her a lawyer yet," laughed Uncle Whit. Thirteen pairs of legal eyes stared at me. I looked away. If I'd had guts, I would of said it. Can't you just let me be who I am?

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick, and easy read, but had depth. I would say that I'd give it... 4 4/5 stars.

you can't pursue history without finding hope.

The Misadventures of Maude March by Audrey Couloumbis

To show you how impossible it was for her to do the things everyone claimed that she did. For this is the true story of how my sister, Maude March, came to be known far and wide as a horse thief, a bank robber, and a cold-blooded killer.

With a single gunshot, Maude, and Sallie March, are orphaned for the second time when their aunt Ruthie dies. Moving into the family of the local preacher, they are worked to exhaustion, and until their tempers are short. When a man who Maude is not interested in proposes to her, and the preacher and his family put pressure on her to accept, it's the last straw for Sallie and Maude. They steal two horses, and ride off.

However, it's not as easy for them to survive as they thought it would be, and they face dangers such as rattlesnakes, Mountain Lions, and lawmen, as they make their way through their journey to find their Uncle.

"Are you going to be a boy or a girl?" Marion asked before I went inside. "I'm still a boy," I said to Marion. "Johnnie is my name." "I thought that was your sister's name." "If she waned it, she wouldn't of left it laying around."

I really enjoyed this book, from the very second I set eyes on the cover. (the copy I got, has this cover.) it was a very funny book, and very exciting. I'd give it about 3 3 /4 stars.

"I hope you don't think that makes it all right," Maude said. "Did I shoot that boy, Sallie, did I?" "No, I did." I said, and seeing he look on her face, quickly added, "By accident, like. I mean to say, it was the gun I was holding that went off." "Don't ever tell anyone that," she said. "Not even if they catch and hang me."