Elixir

Eternal life? Clea's photographer father is obsessed with the concept of the Elixir of Life... until he goes missing. His daughter, along with her friend Ben, go on an adventure to try to find him, and the mythical beverage. Along the way, they meet Sage, who might have the answer to it all, The Dark Lady, who shows them the past, and several other colorful and dark characters.

Read Elixir if you want a fun, quick, fluffy read.

-Lauren

The Distant Land of My Father

I could probably say that in the last 10 years my favorite read was The Distant Land of my Father by Bo Caldwell. Told from the perspective of a daughter, the book does a very good job of portraying the adoration that most girls feel for their fathers, despite their possible faults/flaws. The Distant Land mentioned in the title? China in the 1930's, full of glamour, intrigue and danger. I could not put it down.

-Rachelle Silver, R.N.

A Prayer for Owen Meany

One of my favorite books is A Prayer for Owen Meany, by Jonathan Irving. Not only are there multiple hilarious scenes, but the whole book builds toward a climactic finale in a way that very few books do. Even though there's a lot of foreshadowing throughout the book, I completely failed to pick up on it. I also love how irreverent the main character is, and how he challenges authority at his school. Great book!

-Mr. Potash

Dracula

Fans of Twilight beware; Bram stoker teaches Stephanie Meyer a lesson about vampires. This fast-paced, action-packed novel is a definite page turner, partially due to the style - the plot is cleverly organized into journals entries, newspaper articles, and letters. The narrative switches from character to character. Dracula, though gruesome at times, is a classic and is perfect to read around Halloween.

-Annisa

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Tired of stories of gods and humans? The Percy Jackson series tells you stories of demigods. The first part of the series, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, shows you how Percy, who gets expelled from different schools every year, figures out his true identity - son of Poseidon - and steps into a completely different world from ours. However, life as a demigod is not that easy. Percy soon finds out that Zeus's lightning bolt is stolen, and he is claimed as the thief. Will Percy find out the truth? Can he manage to return the lightning bolt? Jump into this book and you will not want to get out until the ending.

-Dora

A reinvention of classic, Greek mythology, The Lightning Thief is humorous and action-packed. The characters are dynamic and fun, and the plot never has a dull moment. This is a great way to learn the old myths and enjoy yourself at the same time.

-Storm

The Year of Secret Assignments

The Year of Secret Assignments, by Jacyln Moriarty, is a very unique book. Instead of a typical book where a narrator tells the story, this entire book is composed of letters, e-mails, news posts, etc. Students are given an English assignment to write letters back and forth with students from a different school. Different pen pals have different responses to this task. I enjoyed reading The Year of Secret Assignments. It didn't take long to read because I kept wanting to read on and see how the book ended.

-Michelle

The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye is very thought-provoking. As you get to know the main character, Holden, you will get to know more about the psychology of a teenager. Yes, this book shows the progress of how a teenager grows up. It tells the story in the first person which makes the readers more involved with the story. The tone of the writing is very sarcastic, but kind of sad too; it makes you feel sympathy for the main character.

-Orange

The Catcher in the Rye is a really good book that takes you into the life of a young man who doesn't really know what to do with himself. He has a very negative attitude on life, but it's interesting when he finally discovers what it is he wants to do.

-Camille

The Catcher in the Rye is about Holden Caulfield, a normal teenage boy who runs away from his boarding school. The book is from his perspective, and he has a dry sense of humor on the struggles of becoming an adult. It's easy to relate to because it deals with wanting to be treated as an adult but with the advantages of being a child. If you've read The Perks of Being a Wallflower, you'll find this book to be similar.

-Claudia

The Friday Night Knitting Club

Left alone and pregnant by her baby's father, Georgia uses her knitting skills to earn money and eventually opens her own knitting store. Slowly, the store attracts a group of very different women from across New York City who share stories of their lives during a weekly Friday night meeting. At the meetings they eat Georgia's daughter's exceptional baked goods, talk, and knit. Each becomes involved in the lives of the others as they face unexpected challenges.

I liked this book, and the two that follow (Knit Two and Knit the Season) so much that I bought knitting needles and yarn and made my own scarf the week after finishing them.

-Ms. Potash

Breaking Dawn

Bella is in love with a vampire named Edward. In Breaking Dawn, Bella chooses to marry Edward and become a vampire herself. When she becomes a vampire, she will have to learn how to control her thirst for human blood and learn to drink animal blood. This "vegetarian" lifestyle Bella has chosen is a good one, but not easy. Will Bella be able to control herself?

-Barbara

The Nanny Diaries

In this book, the narrator, a nanny, tells the readers interesting things that happen to her while she is working. She has to care for the son of a super wealthy family and ensure his mom who doesn't work, cook, clean or raise her own child, has a smooth day. The plot is really funny and engaging. It's a book that will entertain you.

-Kyra

Lock and Key

Lock and Key is a story about the life of a 17 year old girl, Ruby, abandoned by her mother and sent to live with her now rich sister whom she hasn't spoken to in 10 years. Ruby must make a transition from slums and drugs to riches and responsibility. She finds true friends and has to decide if they're worth letting go of the past. She thinks that this new lifestyle is relaxed and cavalier, but when she discovers an ugly truth, how much will she risk?

-Miya

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a book full of hilarious randomness that is easy to read and fun to read. The book talks about how the earth was a big supercomputer built and run by mice in order to answer the ultimate question "Why are we who we are." The story starts the day when Earth was destroyed and talks about the adventure of an earth man and a few aliens. Throughout the story many impossible but brilliant theories are made that make the reader laugh out loud.

-Marissa

Cane River

My most recent favorite book is Cane River, by Lalita Tademy. It is an epic novel of four generations of African-American women, a work based on one family's actual meticulously researched past. They were women whose lives began in slavery, who weathered the Civil War, and who grappled with the contradictions of emancipation through the turbulent early years of the twentieth century. It was a very moving story and one that has stayed with me long after I read it. I loved it!

-Norma Carlson

The Princess Pride

The Princess Bride, by William Goldman, is a frame story about a girl who grew up on a farm and is considered the most beautiful girl in all the world. After losing her true love she promises to never love again. This book is hard to put down, it is full of action and adventure. Since it is a frame story the author talks about his life and comments on every chapter. I personally didn't like this, but you can always skim it; it doesn't affect the story.

-Madi Henn

The Help

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, takes place in Jackson, Mississippi in the heart of the Civil Rights movement. The story is told from the perspective of three women: Miss Skeeter, an unusual and caring aspiring-journalist; Aibileen, a black woman working in a white home; and Minny, Aibileen's friend and fellow maid. Each woman has a distinct voice that is both endearing and recognizable. Together, Miss Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny work on a book that gives a maid's point of view on working in white women's homes and raising their children. The characters are relatable and you will grow to love each one's personality.

If you liked The Secret Life of Bees, you will enjoy reading The Help.

-Rachel

Sophie's Choice

The story of a Polish young woman, previously imprisoned at Auschwitz. Sophie shares her story in pieces to a writer in NY, Stingo. As Stingo befriends Sophie, he learns more about her past, more about her present, and becomes a bright point in an otherwise tortured life. Beautifully written, masterfully crafted storytelling is clearly Styron's gift.

I'm on my third copy.

-Ms. Bauman

Books to Transport You

While I have so many favorite books, all for very different reasons, in the realm of historical fiction, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress recently transported me (again) to a China of another era, while my favorite of all time for that purpose is probably Follett's The Pillars of the Earth. Any of Hemingway's short stories have the same effect, as do John McPhee's collections of writings, both of which are better suited to my attention span and lifestyle!

-Mr. Bartlett

The Girl Who Played with Fire

Labeled as a murderous satanist, Lisbeth Salander is anything but that. At the age of 12, Salander was locked up in a mental facility for being a schizophrenic. Upon her release, she was assigned a guardian for being incapable. But who is the Lisbeth that society sees? In reality, she is the infamous hacker with a photographic memory. But how did society label her the complete opposite? Now, 13 years later, Lisbeth is fighting with society again over her dark past. With a few other friends, Lisbeth will finally reveal what locked her up so many years ago. With a twist and catch at every corner, The Girl Who Played with Fire, the last of the trilogy by Steig Larsson, will leave your head whirling.

-Belinda Lei

Slam

Sam is just an ordinary sixteen-year-old who has a passion for skating (skateboarding) and admires Tony Hawk. One day, he's half-forced to attend a party with his Mom. There, he meets Alicia and his life changes. How will Sam live his way through the twists and turns? What will he do with Roof? Slam is a great book to read for fun! Enjoy.

-Jenny

Have you ever wondered what goes on in teenage boy minds? Dive into the twisted yet normal world of Sam, a teenage boy who loves his skateboard. His life is going the right direction. His mother isn't a jerk anymore, he's met Alicia, everything is fine. Until an accident occurs. Will this change his life? Read and find out!

-Michelle

I highly recommend Slam by Nick Hornby to young readers because of the never-ending wittiness in every page. THe narration, done by a 16-year-old boy, really kept the story interesting. There was not one time where I wanted to put the book down. Read this book!

-Alicia

This witty novel by Nick Hornby takes readers through the humorous thoughts of Sam, a skater (as in skateboarding), who runs through life without looking back. Faced with decisions that will decide his already-witnessed future, Sam must choose between the two most important things in his life. WIth the right balance of humorous and serious situations, Slam will take any reader for a great ride.

-Lauren

The Hunger Games

The main character in The Hunger Games is Katniss Everdeen. She is a sixteen-year-old girl who lives in District 12. Every year, there is a traditional Hunger Games. Two children, one boy and one girl, from the twelve districts ruled by the capital, are chosen to participate. The competition is not about running or dancing, the ones we usually think of, but is about survival. The contestants have to kill each other in the arena, and whoever survives the longest is the winner. Will Katniss live through the game and see her beloved family again? And how will she deal with the boy who has a crush on her? Read The Hunger Games to find out.

-Camille

What kind of destiny awaits Katniss? What difficult choices is she going to make? The Hunger Games will tell you...

-Orange

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, is just one of many books that have joined the recent wave of dystopian novels; however, it is fresh and interesting anyway. Katniss Everdeen battles with twenty-three other teenagers in a game of life and death. This is definitely an action-packed book and a suspenseful page-turner; it's not wonder this is being turned into a movie! For anyone that enjoys dystopian novels such as Divergent and hasn't read it already, I wholeheartedly recommend The Hunger Games, you won't be disappointed!

-Kristen

Like The Hunger Games? Try the Sequel, Catching Fire

The sequel to The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, adds another amazing chapter to the lives of Katniss and Peeta. As they travel through their victors tour, they receive the news that they once again have to enter the hunger games arena. This exciting book will keep you on the edge of your seat, give you a direct look into the games from a victor herself. I highly recommend this book.

-Katie

The Cobra Event

A girl gets out of bed, down with a cold. She goes to school with little out of the ordinary. A few hours later and she is knotted on the ground, seizing, self-cannibalizing. A frightening account. She dies. Then others die in the same way. Discover what is threatening the world in The Cobra Event.

If you like this book, you might also like Three, by Ted Dekker.

Stargirl

Stargirl is about a teenager who leaves homeschooling for her sophomore year of high school. Leo is a junior at Mica High and is an ordinary kid amongst all boring kids in Mica, Arizona. Little did he or anyone else know, that this tall, bright-eyed girl was going to shake up Mica High! And that love was going to hit Leo and there was no turning back.

-Juliana

Les Miserables

Victor Hugo's Les Miserables is the powerful thought-provoking story of the peasant Jean Valjean. Valjean struggles to redeem his past after being unjustly imprisoned. Les Miserables sweeps us into the dark world of Paris after the rule of Napoleon I, a world filled with poverty, ignorance, and suffering. It illuminates the struggle for a better France.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in political and social struggles. Be prepared to commit lots of time to this book. This is not a light read.

-Madi Hartman

Brain Jack

Brain Jack is about a super smart teen named Sam. He really knows his way around the computer and cyber world, and one day he hacks into Telecomerica and buys himself the new neuro-headsets. These headsets allow people to use the computer without a keyboard and mouse. These neuro-headsets are all great until people start acting strangely. Is it possible that if people can hack into computers with the neuro-headsets that they can hack into other people's minds that are connected too? This book is a thrilling "mindblower" that will make you want to read it again and again. If you like movies like IRobot and Eagle Eye you will love this book.

-Chiara

The House of the Scorpion

The House of the Scorpion is about the Alacran family. The story takes place somewhere in the future, a time when drug lords dominate. One drug lord in particular, El Patron, rules the country Opium, a piece of land located between the United States and Mexico. El Patron decides to make a clone of his own. Matt, the clone, is often ignored in the house. Only El Patron shows love and appreciation for everything Matt does.

Everything in the Alacran estate seems normal until Matt gradually finds out El Patron's true intentions...

Jane Eyre

Orphan Jane Eyre is plain, quiet, and reserved on the surface. But the book entitled with her name, Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte, takes the characterization of Jane and her quest for happiness beyond the surface. She faces hardships at every stage of life: her aunt and benefactress is verbally abusive, her only friend at school dies in her arms, and once she becomes a governess the man she loves toys with her affections before showing his true feelings. Written from Jane's perspective in the formal style of 19th century England, Jane Eyre is a highly entertaining read which I would recommend for both lovers and haters of the classics.

-Natalie

The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger, has quickly become one of my favorite books. The story about Clare and Henry and their difficult and yet so sweet relationship is one that you just can't stop reading. Why is their relationship so difficult? Because Henry has a condition where he randomly disappears and travels to another time and place. It is also a unique story because it is told from Clare and Henry's alternate perspectives. This is a great book for anyone who wants to read something unlike anything they've ever read before.

-Ashlynn Ramos

The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger, is about the lives of Henry DeTamble, a time traveler, and his wife Clare Abshire. Audrey Niffeneger follows the life course of Clare and uses Clare and Henry's two different perspectives to portray to the readers their struggles with their unusual life patterns and their emotional developments. The author's descriptive writing style gives the readers an opportunity to experience the life of a time traveler, and makes the readers question the presence of fate in life and the authenticity of reality.

-Joy

The Time Traveler's Wife is a wonderful romantic novel. It is about a man and a woman that struggle through their timeless love. The writing style is the two perspectives of Henry and Clare. They meet each other at different ages which lets you see the different thoughts that they have throughout the book. It's a long read, but extremely worth it! Read it!

-Kaitlynn

Lock and Key

Lock and Key, by Sarah Dessen, is a very thought-provoking book. It made me think about the values of family, the interconnections between people, and how I've changed throughout time.

The main character, Ruby, was living by herself because her mom, an alcohol addict, abandoned her. After she was discovered by her landlords, she was sent to live with her long lost sister, Cora. But Ruby didn't want to stay; she wanted her old life back.

The author engages the reader by describing little details and presenting the story right in front of the readers' eyes. So when the readers are reading the book, they will feel like they are living in the book with the characters.

-Joy Lin

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson, is an extremely gripping piece of work that raises awareness about domestic violence towards women. A journalist accused of libel, Mikael Blomkvist, figures out the mystery about Harriet Vanger, who disappeared forty years ago. This book is definitely an amazing page-turner, but the grotesque image Larsson describes is unforgettable.

-Kelly Jung