Plot: In Fever 1793 young Matilda cook is a carefree teenager living with her mother and retired military grandfather above their coffeehouse in Philadelphia the year 1793. Then stories of plague begin to mingle among the gossip of the men who retire at the coffeehouse. Then her world is completely flipped upside down and she must overcome obstacles that she has never had to even think about.

Commentary: This is a great story woven by the author that will keep you page turning the whole way. At the same point their seemed to have the feeling of being simple. Most of what went wring had an immediate solution. I really think that the author cut the book short. I believe the author could have lengthened the story to increase its storyline. Overall a very good book, but this book has sad moments and those who are interested in a happy-go lucky book this isn’t for you. Reviewed by Jared in 2006

Plot: “Saving Private Ryan” by Max Allan Collins is a novel about World War 2. This book is an epic journey about a captain and his men trying to save a man who has three brothers dead due to war. Collins has an interesting view of writing and makes the reader feel like they’re in the book. This book was based on a screen play by Robert Rodat. “Saving Private Ryan” is based upon Captain John H Miller and squad, they’re emotional story on their experience. Collin tries to bring out each individual man’s personality.

Commentary: This literature has extreme insight on a man and war whether they break down and cry, or fuel at an almost inhumanly rate to fight on and to win the war even if and after they get shot. This book is for a more mature audience to understand the devastation of war. It is a great book and I greatly suggest more people read it. Reviewed by Matthew in 2006

Summary: Captain Richard Sharpe is a British soldier who moved up in the ranks from a private in the army, an uncommon feat. He is also one of the finest soldiers in the Duke of Wellington’s army, and is therefore selected by the Duck for a special mission. He is instructed to find and take Spanish gold to save the British, though he doesn’t know what the gold’s purpose is. Captain Sharpe must turn against a commanding officer, and fight off Spanish partisans who are supposed to support him, but he refuses to not finish the mission assigned to him. He endures a series of battles, while in love with a partisan’s daughter who he is fighting. Captain Sharpe has to be brave and cruel to finish this job, and he resorts to any method he can. He brings his men through death-defying experiences, all to finish his job for the Duke of Wellington.

Commentary: Sharpe’s Gold is the third book in a series by Bernard Cornwell, though later he wrote six prequels to the series about the war in India. Cornwell’s writing is graphic, offering detailed descriptions of dead soldiers’ bodies. Sometimes this graphic writing makes it difficult to read the book. On the other hand, Cornwell’s writing is also captivating, with few sections of dull writing. To obtain a broad view of Cornwell’s characters, it is important to read his series in chronological order, as by doing this many of the characters feel more realistic. Cornwell’s writing contains many surprises as well, much like a mystery. Despite some actions that seem to be questionable for the British army of that time, this book portrays Captain Sharpe and his company like the Navy SEALS of the early 1800’s. That is one of the many reason though why this book is fascinating. This book regardless of its faults has many intriguing plots that are found in few books. This is a book that would be enjoyable for anyone interested in historical fiction, though I recommend first reading Sharpe’s Rifles (the first book of Bernard Cornwell’s series about the Napoleonic War). Reviewed by Philip in 2005

Plot: Under a War Torn Sky is about a farm boy names Henry Forester. At home he had to deal with collecting eggs in hundreds of chicken coops, carrying huge pails of water, and dealing with a bitter and angry father. But then he enlisted in the US Army Air Force during World War II and then had to deal with anti-aircraft and its flak, getting shot down, trying to escape and evade Germans, and protecting the identities of the people who help him. On one flight Henry's plane gets hit and he needs to bail out over enemy territory. He is now needing to get into Switzerland, a neutral country, which will hopefully be his ticket home. Can he evade the Germans and not reveal the identities of the secret organization, known as the Maquis, an underground railroad in occupied Europe?

Commentary: I thought that this books was most excellent! L. M. Elliott really seems to give an incredible view of the war from many different perspectives. This book is not slow, dull, or boring! This is a book that you will not want to put down. It is a fun and easy read. This book will make you feel like the Germans are right on your tail! This book can be a little repetitive mainly because Henry seems to go to a Maquis agent that doesn't like the war for some reason, stays a while, and then goes to a new Maquis agent and starts the whole cycle all over again but other than that it is a good book. Henry is a kind of character that everyone probably could relate to in some way or other. If you like adventure, war books, or would want to learn more about what life was like during the times of WWII, then I would strongly recommend this book. Reviewed by Patrick in 2006

Plot: In Japan, the year 1735, a fourteen year old boy named Seikei dreams about his idols, the noble samurai warriors. But Seikei cannot become one, only people who were part of a royal samurai family could become one, and Seikei is the son of a merchant. Staying in the Tokaido inn with his father, Seikei is a lone witness to a theft of a valuable jewel, and is recruited by the samurai judge Ooka to go on an adventure to find the thief and bring back the jewel.

Commentary: When I started reading this book I first thought it was a battling samurai book, but in fact it is more like a Japanese Sherlock Holmes story. The whole book was a mystery, with many plot turns and unexpected surprises. For me it was impossible to find out the real plot to the story until the book was finally over. The Hooblers did a good job at keeping secrets and slowly revealing things about the situation, characters, and plot as you read more. The Hooblers are historians, so I learned about many true historical Japanese cultures and traditions, and that the towns, political events, and many of the characters did actually exist in ancient Japan, although Seikei and the theft are fictional. This is a very well researched book. It could have a little more action, but I stilled enjoyed the book greatly. Reviewed by Chris in 2006

Plot: In Kira-kira, the main character Katie is a first generation Japanese-American who is facing hardships with her family in the 1950s and 60s. In this story, Katie, along with her mother, father, and bid sister Lynn, are poor (much like the rest of the Japanese-American population). Their situation causes the family to move from Iowa to Georgia in search of more job opportunities and a better life. Katie’s Parents are forced to take extra shifts at work in their poultry and hatchery plants to support their family. What is more, Katie’s family is discriminated against at work and in school (Katie is often ignored by her classmates). Just when Katie thinks her family has seen hardship, something goes terribly wrong. Now, not only must Katie endure the other woes in her life, but she must also come to grips with Lynn’s grave illness, a predicament that will shape Katie and her family’s lives forever.

Commentary: I thought that Kira-kira was a good read, but not one that was exciting or particularly memorable. The situation and circumstances that Katie and her family were involved in provided a fresh perspective on life in America in the 50s and 60s, but at many times the style of writing seemed dull and melancholy. For me, much of the book lacked necessary description and emotion behind the events that Katie was going through. However, the author’s perspective and voice flowed well and fit appropriately with the age and situation of the character. This book was a pleasant read because the storyline was easy to follow and Katie’s tome of voice and perspective were true to the story. Reviewed by Eva in 2006

Plot: The book takes place in Macomb County, Alabama in the 1930’s, a time with high racial tension. The main character Scout finch lives with her father and older brother, Jem, who mysteriously breaks his arm. Atticus, Scout and Jem’s father is an attorney who is defending a suspicious case involving the accused rape of a white woman by a black man named Tom Robinson. The woman Mayella Ewell is of the lower class and is known for using the law for her benefit. Through the book you can see the tough times for black people and the injustice that is brought on by the legal system at that time.

Commentary: Harper Lee’s writing style is some what choppy, but not hard to understand. She wrights as an older Scout narrating and looking back on the chain of events leading to Jem’s accident. She starts with the mystery of what happens at the end that breaks Jem’s arm badly and who is Boo Radley. As the story progresses she adds many new sub-plot ideas that fit all together in the end. What really makes this book interesting though, is how realistic the characters are. This book was actually based on Harper Lee’s childhood, so many of the people and events aren’t fictitious. The tension between the characters and the political injustice create irony which is what really shows how tough this time was on many people. With all of this said this is one of the best books out there, and I would recommend to anyone, but more particularly some one who is interested in law, history, and political stuff. Reviewed by Ryan in 2007

Plot: In 1819, the ship Essex set out from Nantucket to hunt whales for oil. Nantucket was famous for their oiling business. Fifteen days later, in the south pacific, the Essex was rammed by an enraged whale. They had heard stories of cannibals in the islands near them to the west and instead decided to sail in small boats to South America, almost 3,000 miles away. After three months, only eight were alive, and the survivors were forced to eat their dead shipmates. This story tells of the hardships faced by the Essex, and what a person will do to survive.

Commentary: This is an excellent book. The story is told from the point of view of Thomas Nickerson, a cabin boy on the ship. The story is taken from a novel he wrote later in his life. What really gets me about this book is that it is a true story and that people actually go through all these troubles to live. I also love how real this book is. The author doesn’t try to make the story less gruesome for the reader, and I really felt like I was there watching the story unfold. The reality of this book hooked me and I would definitely read it again. Reviewed by Chelsea in 2006

Plot: Esperanza Rising is about a young girl who lived on a beautiful ranch in Mexico with her family and her servant friends. Esperanza always wore expensive, fancy dresses until something tragic happens to her family which forces Esperanza and her mother to move to California. In California, they live in a Mexican migration camp with their ex-servants from the ranch in Mexico. Esperanza’s mother becomes extremely sick. With no longer any money, Esperanza has to work around the camp and fill in for her sick mother. When she becomes deathly sick, Esperanza has to do it all by herself and keep her mother alive. Can Esperanza do it by herself, or will she fall apart?

Commentary: I thought that Esperanza Rising was a very good book. I enjoyed reading every page and every chapter of this book because is could have very well happened during the Great Depression. The main character, Esperanza shows a very good example of staying strong and keeping faith in herself and in her family. She does this by supporting her herself and her mother mostly by herself. For example, Esperanza works around the camp by sweeping the platform, working in the fields, and taking care of the babies. I would recommend this book to just about anyone. If someone likes to read a book that has tons of surprises, this is the book for them! Reviewed by Nicole in 2005

Plot: This book follows the stories of a few men during World War I. The stories are of an American pilot and his German counter part, an American General and his German counterpart and one American private. The book follows the pilots’ lives until their deaths and the General’s until the end of the war. The private’s story follows each of the battles that he fights in and all the death and misery he endures. The author covers the good and the bad of the war, but mostly the bad and it makes it a very interesting book.

Commentary: I liked this book for many reasons. It was very exciting because the author describes the battles with a lot of detail. He describes all the hardships that the people in the war had to deal with. The story switches back and forth between each of the characters and that is sometimes annoying, but it is still a really good book. The characters are very interesting and both pilots were some of the best pilots of the war and each shot down dozens of enemy airplanes. I only rated it 3 stars because there is always room for improvement. Reviewed by: Riley in 2005

Plot: The novel, Lucia, Lucia, by Adriana Trigiani begins in modern day New York City, with an aspiring play writer, Kit, having tea with her elderly neighbor Lucia Satori. The story rewinds to the city in the vibrant year of 1950. Lucia is the daughter of a prospering, Italian grocery owner and considered the most beautiful catch in all of Greenwich Village. The book unfolds into a warm story replaying Lucia’s mid-twenties filled with the struggles of being a working woman, experiencing love and connecting with her Italian heritage.

Commentary: I really enjoyed the novel Lucia, Lucia because Trigiani is a wonderful author. She is amazing at sensory imagery. After reading this book, I could replay the whole story in my head and remember everything about the beautiful Lucia Satori. One thing that made this book really unique was it begins when Lucia is an elderly woman, and she retells her story to Kit, her neighbor and then flashes back to her life at Kit’s age. A the end, the story returns to the modern day Lucia and it gives closure to her story and wraps up everything. I would definitely recommend Lucia, Lucia to anyone who loves a wonderful story that will warm your heart. Reviewed by Cassie in 2006