In DREAMFIRE, by Nicole Luiken, Brianne is a different seventeen-year-old girl. She is in a new town, with her dad gone trying to stop a forestfire; and she just left a devastating past back in Edmonton. While the memory of her arrest haunts her, she has even more things to worry about. When her first “true dream” in a few months comes to her during Science class, she knows danger is around the corner. This book is action-packed, with some romance and imaginative detail.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes books with suspense and mystery. The writing style is similar to Margaret Peterson Haddix, too. I would rate this a 8/10. A good read, definately!

 Mckenna – Grade 10

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What do your parents do when you’ve done something bad? Send you to your room? Ground you? Not Ethan’s dad. In “Just Deserts” by Eric Walters and Ray Zahab, Ethan is send to the desert, where he must face the unknown with only a guide and three kids, who, for some reason, want to be in the desert. How can a sixteen year old alcoholic like Ethan survive without anything more than a backpack?

In this journey of a lifetime, we see how a selfish child can become a responsible, caring man. Eric Walters and Ray Zahab go beyond amazing, and I couldn’t put this book down. This a Eric Walters at his finest.

* Special Note – Critically acclaimed Canadian author, Eric Walters will be a guest speaker at OKM and at the Kelowna Community Theatre in March 2012!

Mckenna – Grade 10

guest author · survival

The question looming over everyone’s mind in the modern day is simple; how will the world as we know it end? In Eric Walter’s new book, “End of Days”, the author captures a sense of immediate danger, raising this question with a thrilling tale about an impending meterorite on course for Earth, able to destroy our world and end civilization. Two very different organizations, hidden from each other and the public eye, are prepared for this. One is trying to stop the meteor, the other is trying to save life on Earth.

This is a story of epic proportions, making the reader  unable to put it down. Fast-paced, detailed and full of likeable characters, this is a book I highly recommend.

Mckenna – Grade 10

apocalypse · reluctant heroes · science fiction

The book “Brain Jack” by Brian Falkner, is a suspenseful and action-packed novel set in the future, when computers are run by brain waves and Las Vegas has been bombed by terrorists. Sam is a first-class hacker, still in high school. When he hacks into the White House computers, his life is caught up in a thrilling whirlwind involving a juvy, a punk, a rock bride, and a whole organization based entirely on hacking the most pristine computers.

 This novel is very fast-paced, and if you miss even one paragraph, you will find yourself scratching your head, wondering how this happened. Once you get into the flow of the book, however, you find yourself captivated by the detail and creative ideas. If you are looking for a good read with a new twist at every corner, I suggest reading “Brain Jack”. 

 Mckenna – Grade 10

adventure · Falkner · online gaming · science fiction · technology

“My Life, The Theater, and Other Tragedies” is a novel by Allen Zadoff, which portrays the life of a high school student named Adam Ziegler.  Adam is a techie for his school’s theater department.  During rehearsal, he takes his place, high on the catwalk shining light on the actors below him.  Life has not been too easy for Adam.  Dealing  with high school is hard enough, but for Adam there are other challenges. Two years ago his dad died, and the trauma resurfaces when Adam is in complete darkness.  At Monclaire, the people of the theater go by one rule “techies and actors don’t mix”.  When Adam spots a new actress, he falls madly in love with her, causing conflict between the two groups.  This book is very comedic with a touch of romance, and drama.  The quarrels between the techies and the actors, Adam’s bursts of confidence, and the scenes between Adam and Summer make you want to read more! One thing I like about this book is that the chapters are very short, which makes it easy to read bits of the novel without losing place.  I strongly recommend this novel to anyone who likes to laugh or is interested in the theater.

Chelsea – Grade 9 – October 24th, 2011

funny · highschool · humor · romance · theatre

This book is shelved in our faculty collection, marked for lending to adults and mature older teens only.

If you want to read something that is utterly incredible and truly unlike anything else, then “Horns” by Joe Hill is the book you need to read.  “Horns” is a stunning read and the author has written the book in such a way as to draw the reader into wanting to read more and never put the book down.  If you are someone who doesn’t mind reading horror fiction with mature content and you would like to read a one of a kind book; then for your next choice, try “Horns” by Joe Hill.

James – Grade 11 – October 11, 2011

 *Note – If you like Stephen King’s books, then you might be interested to know that Joe Hill is  a pen name for Joe Hillstrom King, the son of Stephen and Tabitha King.

Excerpt from the School Library Journal Adult Books 4 Teens Blog – Contemplating Fear –  November 17th, 2010  - “Joe Hill is putting his own stamp on the horror genre. His first novel, Heart-Shaped Box (William Morrow, 2007) was a good read. Horns, published earlier this year, is even better. And it has teen appeal. Ig, the young man who grows the titular horns, is barely older than a teenager himself, and he certainly doesn’t act older than one. Young adults will be alternately horrified and laughing out loud. And not a vampire, zombie, werewolf or fairy in sight!” (Angela Carstensen, New York City )

horror · Joe Hill · mystery · thriller

Divergent, written by Veronica Roth, is a graphic story about five different lifestyles; Abnegation, Candor, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. When children turn sixteen they choose their faction but when Tris has her turn to decide, something goes wrong. This changes the course of her future. Her secret, which she is told to keep from everyone,could mean death.  This book is a mix of adventure, violence and romance. There are graphic descriptions which keep you on the edge of your seat and make you want to keep on reading. I recommend this novel for people who like a book with fights, danger and unexpected twists!

Claire – Grade 9

dystopia · fantasy · post-apocalyptic

The Philosophy Book is written by an assortment of writers including Will Buckingham, Douglas Burnham and Clive Hill. The book’s main purpose is to take complex theories from some of the greatest human minds, and simplify them for anyone to understand. Not only this, but the book also gives a brief history and works of some of the more well-known philosophers. This book’s straightforward, to-the-point style of writing, paired with visual explanations make for great book on philosophy. Even if you do not want to learn about the history of a philosopher, or how they came to the idea of a certain philosophy, you can still easily find out lots of information. I would definitely recommend this book to those interested in philosophy.

Jeff – Grade 9

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Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Sepetys,  is a poignant novel about a teenage girl named Lina, who is torn from her home and deported from her country by the Soviets during the era of World War Two. Narrated by Lina’s honest voice, and dotted with flashbacks from before her family’s deportation, she tells a story of a little known side of the war, one which involves the small Baltic states, and Stalin, rather than Hitler’s, reign of terror. I highly recommend this novel for anybody who is interested in historical fiction or realistic fiction, although some of the content is for mature readers. Lina literally paints a picture of the chaos and fear of that time, seen through her artist’s eye. In reading this book, one learns much about the people whose confinement was kept secret for years and even now is not well known. Their lives and suffering, their survival and resilience makes for an attention grabbing, sincere story that simply cannot go unread.

Stephanie – Grade 10

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During the summer I encourage all students to read a few great books! If you happen to find something you would like to recommend, don’t hesitate to comment on our blog. As you may already know I have a love for reading and would love to hear about new selections to write reviews on.  You are more than welcome to contribute reviews of your own.  If you are looking for some good books to read over the summer, these links have some great book suggestions and reviews:

http://www.readingrants.org/

http://www.teenreads.com/index.asp

 http://www.teenrc.ca/

Happy reading and have have a great summer!  See you in September.  

Best wishes from Liz

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