DEADLINE FOR POSTINGS!

The last day for postings will be Saturday, August 7th. That is also the last day you can pick up a free book for each review you have posted. Don't miss this chance to add to your personal library, or to win a cool prize in the drawings!

Forged by Fire

Little Gerald is three and playing with his mom's lighter. His firedancer. Suddenly the house is on fire and he makes it out and his mother is finally convicted of abuse and abandoment. His aunt Queen then steps in to make his life better. All goes well for six years until his mother asks him to live with her on his ninth birthday and his aunt Queen dies of a heartattck. The one small light in his life is his little half sister,Angel, whom he protects from her abusive dad and uncaring mom. When he catches his step dad playing "bad games" with Angel he must seek ouside suport so him and his sister can live with out fear. At least for a while.

Angel on the Square

Katya doesn't know much about the lives of those who aren't aristocrats. Her friend Misha puts down the Tsar whenever possible but Katya's mother is his wives friend soon to be lady-in-waiting. Misha shows her the life of the poor women and the kids that their school is a paper factory. She tries to send a letter to the Tsar put is told those things aren't important for the Tsar is busy with other things. War hits Russia and the Revolution puts all Katya loves in danger. Her world gets turned completely upside down and she finds out about peasants life a lot more then she'd like to know.

Here Lies the Librarian

Peewee looks up to here big brother Jake. Together they run a garage. Until a tornado comes and knocks out a window in the old library that hasn't been used since the last librarian died. Three fashionable women from Indianapolis apply for the job. Peewee who normally wears overalls is given a tea dress for a tea at the library that she will help serve and the dress was given to her for fixing the lady's car. Then there is a county fair race coming up. Jake plans to drive his car that he made but what if someone took it the night before?

FIRE by Kristin Cashore

Fire is the companion novel to Kristin Cashore's first book Graceling. The books can be read out of order which is very cool. Fire is very different from Graceling, and I think I liked it best. It's all about a monster girl named Fire who has long flaming red hair. She is the last human monster. Monsters come in a rainbow of colors in all species. They have the ability to control other people's minds and their beauty is hypnotizing. Fire struggles with this power and the fact that her monster father misused this power. She finds her life is an apology of sorts for the life of her father. Fire is a great book full of mystery and romance. I would recommend it to anyone 14 and over.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

This is the second time I've read New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. I read it to prepare myself for seeing the movie Eclipse. In this book Bella Swan's heart is broken by her boyfriend, Edward, who just happens to be a vampire. I like this book better than any of the others because Edward is missing in most of the book! I happen to like Bella's friend, Jacob, who we find out in this book is werewolf. He and Bella become the best of friends in this book. Jacob is a real boy other than the fact he is a werewolf. Edward, though, is a freak of nature! I know most girls my age have read the books and / or seen movies. It's all about Team Edward or Team Jacob and New Moon started it all in terms of a competition for Bella's heart. Th book is fun. It's not great literature, but it's a nice way to pass a few summer hours!

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

This book is a companion to A Long Way from Chicago and A Year Down Yonder. The book is set in 1958 when a family moves next door to the unforgettable Mrs. Dowdel. Bob is shy, Phyllis is Elvis-obsessed, and Ruth-Ann instantly becomes a miniature Mrs. Dowdel. Dowdel, as always, has some crazy adventures that will give these children the gifts of a lifetime.
Dowdel is the funniest and most trigger-happy grandma ever! Read all three books!

The Ghost and the Goth

Alona Dare is the Queen bee at her school, she is beautiful, popular and has the perfect life, or so people think. Her life gets turned upside down when she is hit by a school bus and dies. She follows her friends and finds out that they aren't true friends, they were just using her for her popularity. She quickly discoveries that a goth kid from her school can she her and hear her. She follows him to get answers and soon she falls in love with someone in real life she never could. In her dead life she assist other dead people to move on to "the white light". This was a very good book!

The Karma Club

I really enjoyed this book. It was written well, had a good story and a good lesson built in.When Madison's boyfriend cheats on her, her life is totally ruined. At least for the time she thought so until she went to a relaxing retreat and learned about Karma. So she packed together with her two friends to get revenge or deal out karma to people who have ruined there lives. Things are going well for awhile but soon things are falling apart and they can't figure out which way is up.

Captivate

This book is the sequel to "Need". The first book was more interesting then the second but Captivate was still good. Zara finds out the her Father is the fairy King and he is the one killing the townspeople. Zara and her friends take action and trap them. All is good for awhile until more and more fairies show up. When she meets a new fairy she is attracted slightly, but it is weird near him she turns blue. He brings news that a fairy war for territory and possessions is on the way. Zara has to choose sides, and the decision is a hard one. This story is one of love sadness and action.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Scout isn't your typical girl, she wears pants, cusses and hangs out with the boys. This story is about Scout growing up and learning the trials of life. One day she is faced with one of her biggest trials. Her father, a lawyer, is defending a black man for rape. The townspeople are very rude about it and threaten Scout and her family. The trial comes and Scouts father easily proves Tom's innocence but that isn't enough, the racism in the town is too much and Tom is sent to jail. Some people still aren't happy with the result so they make a physical attack on Scout and Jem.

Brooklyn Nine

Take a trip through nine generations of a family that loved baseball.
First Generation: A boy from Germany cheers on the Knickerbockers team but gets hurt in a fire and can no longer run. He then makes a baseball from the leather of his shoes and marked is with an S.
Ninth Generation: A boy has to find out the history of a a ball that has an S on it and a bat for his grandfathers pawn shop.

I have just finished reading one of the greatest books I have ever read. It is the "Hunger Games" writen by Suzanne Collins. It is about that in the future north america is divided into twelve seperate districts and one capital. the capital controls all of the other districts and is the most richest. seventy-four years ago there was a big rebellion of the districts agensts the cruel capital. but the capital remaned in cantrol. after that day in a reminder that the capital is stronger; every year all the districts are to send one boy and one girl tribute to the capital. at the capital they fight in an arena that has a special theme. and they most all fight until there is only one left. the victor that wins the games becomes rich beyond their wildest dreams. in this book it starts out with this girl named katniss. she is a regular girl that livves in the poor side of district twelve. that had a tragic life with her father dieing when she was only ten. then almost dieing of starvation, and having difficulty with her mother . but after she met her friend, gale, in the woods life has gotten a lot better after that. but then one day during the reaping ( how they pick the boy and girl tributes) her sister is picked. katniss has done every thing she posably can so that her loving sister isn't picked. so the only way that she can save her is by volenteering for her. now katniss has to fight in the games and fight to the end. i deffenently recomend this book to all teens and young adults. this is perffic book for you if you love fight, survival, and a little romance.

The Weirdo

Samantha Sanders is terrifyed of the swamp because she found a dead man in there. One day she has to go in there chasing her aunt's dog. She has to spend the night in there because of how late it got. The next day she to find the Clewets house but there are guard dogs out there that mangle her leg so the boy Chip helps her out. After meeting Chip she finds out that he is working on protecting the bears from being hunted. She must choose Chip's side or her father's, the hunters side.

Twilight Read-Alikes

http://www.hickorygov.com/egov/docs/1278599293_288238.pdf

Here is a link to a book list that is on our website. These are titles that fans of the Twilight series may also enjoy.

The Haunting of Hill House

I finished this book late last night, and had to keep the light on to even think about sleep. The Haunting of Hill House kept me absorbed the whole time. It is written with a sort of dreamlike quality...until the dreams turn to nightmares.

Eleanor Vance had never had an adventure in her life before. Or a real friend. Until she received a mysterious letter from Dr. Montague, an anthropologist trying to find evidence of paranormal activity. The letter invites her to stay the summer at Hill House, a strange manor built in the 1800's, to participate in a scientific study of the alleged 'hauntings' there. Dr. Montague's other assistant, Theodora, and Luke, the heir to Hill House, are also staying. Eleanor and Theodora become fast friends. But while the group watches the house, they have no idea that it is also watching them...and waiting to spring it's trap. Hill House was built by a deranged man, and it's history of mysterious deaths and suicides has left it's mark...the house is alive...and insane.

Four will go in, only three will return.

A Friendship for Today

This is an excellent story written by Patricia C. McKissack. It is the year 1954, and Rosemary, a black student from a black school, learns that she and her friend, J.J., are being transferred to an all-white school. When J.J. is diagnosed with polio, Rosemary must weather stuggles at school and at home. Grace Hamilton, also known as Grace the Tasteless, sits right beside Rosemary. Can the two girls form a friendship against all odds? Or will the boundaries of race keep them enemies forever?

A Friendship for Today