Have A Nice Day

Author: Julie Halpern

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

After coming back from Lakeland, the awful mental hospital Anna Bloom was sent to because of her panic attacks, she doesn’t feel as though she fits in. She misses her sort-of boyfriend, Justin, her roommate, Sandy, and another friend, Matt O. Suddenly, her friends back at school seem...different. And to top it off, her parents’ arguing has suddenly reached a crescendo. Will she be sent back to Lakeland? Or will she find peace in her life at last?

Have A Nice Day would attract readers interested in books about reality. Anna Bloom, the strong main character is easy to relate to if you’ve ever had friendship or confidence problems. I don’t think that boys would enjoy this book as much as girls would.

Have A Nice Day was an incredible read. Anna has a strong voice, full of sheer honesty that made the book different than all others. A touch of comedy makes this masterpiece even better. The only thing I would even consider changing are some of Anna’s reactions to things that happen to her. Some of them don’t seem very realistic. But all in all, I would give this five stars out of five. 

Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different

Author: Karen Blumenthal

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Steve Jobs, one of the men who brought computers into your home wasn’t always the successful CEO of Apple Inc., the company that produced the very popular iPhone, iPod, and iMac. Starting from very humble beginnings, Steve Jobs brought the company to life, through ups and downs. He dealt with so many problems, even being fired from the company he cofounded. But ultimately, everything pulled together.

Any reader interested in Steve Jobs or looking to learn more about him would really enjoy this, as would readers who are interested in the beginnings of computers. I believe that all ages, as well as boys and girls, would like this, but I think it is aimed more at teens in general. Anyone who also likes nonfiction or biographies about influential people in history would like this. 

Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different was very good. I don’t usually enjoy reading biographies or nonfiction, but this was amazing. I learned a lot about Steve Jobs and Apple Inc. I really liked that in this book, the author didn’t just throw facts, dates, and names at you, but instead gently introduced them to you. As a user of an iPod touch, and Apple computers, it was very interesting to learn the beginning of the company that developed them. 

BZRK

Author: Michael Grant

Publisher: Egmont

Sadie (now Plath) and Noah (now Keats) have just been plunged into a war. A war between two sides that each use microscopic technology to kill and control. Plath and Keats are forced to work together, despite not knowing anything about each other, not even their real names. Plath is fighting because the enemy of her side killed her father and brother. Noah is fighting because his brother was a part of the war and the skills that you must have are usually found in siblings as well. Both will have to fight for their 

lives-- and what they believe is right.

BZRK is definitely for older readers. Parts of the book are violent and descriptive, which younger readers wouldn’t enjoy. I think that readers who enjoying reading books that take a scientific or technological look at things would also like this read. I think that boys would enjoy this book more than girls because there is so much action in it. 

I did like BZRK. But there were some flaws. First off, you were plunged into all these new terms and names and words as though the author thought you knew what they meant. I also didn’t like how violent it was at parts. However, the plot was very action-filled and I couldn’t stop reading! Also, I really liked the characters’ personalities, how different they are, and how the author tied them into the story. 

The Fire Chronicle

Author: John Stephens

Publisher: Random House

After being sent back to the Edgar Allen Poe Home for Hopeless and Incorrigible Orphans, Kate, Michael, and Emma are taken on the second adventure that is caused by the Books of Beginning. Kate goes 100 years into the past when she frantically tries to get away from an enemy, while Michael and Emma begin their journey to find the second Book of Beginning, the Chronicle.

Any reader who enjoyed The Emerald Atlas, the first book in the Books of Beginning Trilogy would definitely enjoy The Fire Chronicle. Since the point of view switches between Michael and Kate, both boys and girls would enjoy this. Readers that enjoy genres such as fantasy and action would also like this read.

The Fire Chronicle gets an A+. I wouldn’t change anything about it. The characters are easy to relate to, realistic, and seem almost real. The plot moves along quickly, but not too fast. And the author manages to write this book so that you never have any idea what is coming next, which I enjoyed. 

Infinity Ring: Divide and Conquer

Author: Carrie Ryan

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

Dak, Sera, and Riq recently were thrown into a world of time-traveling to change major events in history and restore order to their chaotic world. The SQ has taken over most of their world and lots of natural disasters are threatening to end the earth. With the help of the Infinity Ring, a time-traveling device, they must go back in time and change different events the were changed by the SQ. And, the only help they have is their SQuare, a computer that gives them cryptic clues to finding the next discrepancy in history.

Any fans of Infinity Ring: A Mutiny in Time will definitely like Divide and Conquer, the next book in the series. Readers who enjoy action-packed books will enjoy this read because the the lots of action and adventure that Dak, Sera, and Riq face.

Divide and Conquer was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. It really pulled me in and kept me wanting to read more. Unfortunately, the book was very short and didn’t really include many details, which only would’ve helped this novel. Another thing I would change about the overall series which I noticed was that whenever they were in a very tight situation, the same thing always got them out of it. I think it would’ve been much better if there was a bit more variety to their problems and their various solutions. 

Author: Kerstin Gier
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Gwen’s life was turned upside down when she realized she carried the gene in her family that allowed her to travel back into the past. After learning much about her family, the Circle, and the past, she begins to do more trips back in time. Not to mention Gideon, the adorable time traveler from a different family, who Gwen finds herself in love with...

Anyone who enjoyed Ruby Red, the book before Sapphire Blue in the trilogy would definitely enjoy reading this as it continues telling the reader about Gwen’s struggles. Since the book mixes lots of genres together-–fantasy, historical fiction, comedy, and romance–-I believe that lots of readers would enjoy this.

Sapphire Blue has one of the best and most original main ideas that I’ve read in a long time. But unfortunately, the author doesn’t do the plot justice. Throughout much of the story, it found myself not really believing in anything the characters were doing. It just seemed fake. Another thing that would improve Sapphire Blue would be adding more action. There is a lot of dialogue and scenes where nothing is happening, yet they are drawn out.

Under Wildwood

Author: Colin Meloy

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Life has returned to normal...until Prue finds herself with her life at risk once again. She will have to return to Wildwood, where she sees Curtis and joins him to try to save Wildwood from ruin. All the while, in an orphanage on the edge of Wildwood, Curtis’s sisters are working in a machine factory...until the unthinkable happens.

Anyone who read Wildwood would definitely fall in love with its stunning sequel, Under Wildwood. Readers who enjoy fantasy and also just normal life would like this book. Readers who also like fairy tales or folk stories would like this because the author writes in a way which makes Under Wildwood seem like a folk story.

I definitely enjoyed Under Wildwood. It blends my two favorite genres together into a fairy tale that is hard to forget. Unfortunately, some scenes in the book seem forced and awkward, and the characters don’t seem like themselves. But the author makes up for that in the many descriptive paragraphs that really make Under Wildwood what it is.