Plot: Angels and Demons starts when Harvard religious symbologist Robert Langdon is awoken at 5 am and summoned to a science research facility in Geneva. When Langdon arrives he is informed of the murder of one of the top scientist at CERN, the biggest science research facility in the world. At first Langdon does not know why he of anyone would be needed, but then he discovers that the scientist was murdered by an ancient society that he has studied for many years, and that he thought to be long dead – The Illuminati, the brotherhood of science driven, anti-religious men throughout history. Now Langdon, with the help of the beautiful Italian scientist Vittoria Vetra must race through Rome on the most ludicrous treasure hunt ever imagined to find the Illuminati lair before even more lives are lost, and the center of Catholicism is literally leveled. This extremely fast paced and well written novel, Angels and Demons has so many twists and turns it will leave you guessing until the very end about who to blame for all the disastrous events.

Commentary: Angels and Demons is definitely one of my favorite books. I really like how the novel is written in real time so it feels as if you are there and taking part in all the action. This is a great read for anyone who enjoys a fast-paced mystery that not only engages you, but also teaches you about historical things you would never learn about otherwise. If you have read and enjoyed The Da Vinci Code, you will love Angels and Demons because it is based around the same protagonist, Robert Langdon, and is just another great mystery based around history by Dan Brown. Reviewed by Lucy in 2006

Plot: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown has Harvard Symbologist Robert Langdon in Paris on business. While in Paris the curator of the Louvre is murdered. Langdon, along with a French cryptologist, find a message next to the body leading them through a series of clues. This book also tells the story of a religious man from a new organization and his adopted son. Many unexpected twists, dead ends and scary encounters lead them through Europe.

Commentary: This book was a definite thriller that kept me guessing. I liked how the author told two stories at a time that were loosely connected without giving away too much. I thought it was creative how Mr. Brown placed the clues in Da Vinci works of art and you could tell that he really did his research to make them plausible. I also enjoyed the variety of characters that were introduced, from a Harvard Symbologist to a gruff French police captain to a not- so- nice priest. This book kept you on your toes, never knowing who was going to do what next. Also the author did a nice job revealing bits and pieces of the mystery to you at a time so you could try to make conclusions and guess what was going to happen next, even though I was usually wrong! Overall this was an entertaining book that was well written with diverse characters and interesting twists. I would highly recommend it. Reviewed by Katie in 2006

Plot: the curious incident of the dog in the night time is about a young boy named Christopher John Francis who has autism and is always curious about the world around him. One night while Christopher is outside he finds a dead dog that has a garden fork sticking out of its back on his neighbor's front lawn. Shocked at what he sees Christopher sits with the dead dog and takes the garden fork out of the dogs back and starts petting the dead dog. After his neighbor Mrs. Shears come out of the house to see what was going on what she sees is Christopher petting the dead dog. What will Mrs. Shears do to Christopher? What will become of Christopher and the dead dog?

Commentary: This book was a pleasant read. It was interesting to explore the inside of Christopher's mind and it was interesting to read about what Christopher was always thinking. Overall I thought this book was okay and the author did a good job writing about just how Christopher's mind worked and how it functioned differently from other people. Reviewed by Chris in 2006

Plot: Seventeen year old Vince is the son of powerful New York mob boss Anthony Luca. Although his comfy life style is financed by criminal activities, Vince rebels by rejecting the family business and trying to live as lawful and ordinary a life as possible. By accident, he falls in love with Kendra Bightly who turns out to be the daughter of the FBI agent who has been monitoring the Luca household. In order to keep things afloat, Vince has to avoid Kendra's family, keep his best friend Alex happy and rescue two con men from themselves.

Commentary: Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Gordon Korman kept my interest throughout the book by humor and a lot of everyday teen problems. I couldn’t put the book down because the topic of the book was something you don’t hear about that often and I thought it was interesting how Gordon Korman took the topic of the mob and made it funny. I really liked how Gordon Korman made his characters believable so I felt like I was there and not reading a book. Each of the characters was totally different so it was entertaining to read. Even though the entire book was based on seventeen year old Vince trying to deal with his father, I loved how Gordon Korman added in little teen issues that everyone deals with, like a first date. This kept the book fun and more interesting. Reviewed by Wells in 2007

Plot: Alaric and Naia are two completely opposite people and don’t even know that the other exists, and yet they’re so similar. Alaric is struggling with the recent loss of his mother from a train crash. Mean while, Naia is having fun with her mother that just recently recovered from a train crash. Alaric finds Naia in another life, an opposite life. Both are confused and struggle to keep it a secret. Will Alaric and Naia ever be able to figure out this strange mystery?

Commentary: A Crack in the Line is a quick, easy and fun read. It is a little mysterious and leaves some things unexplained for the reader to figure out. For example, the whole reason why Alaric and Naia can see each other in different world is a little confusing sometimes. In the book the author tells both characters’, Alaric and Naia, point of view. I could really tell what they were thinking and how they were feeling. Even though the book is mainly told from Alaric’s point of view, I was able to figure out how Naia was feeling too. This book interested me most because of the suspenseful plot. If you are looking for a quick and exciting read, this book is definitely one you should read. Reviewed by: Kayla in 2006

Plot: Bubbles Yablonsky is a gum-snapping, blow-drying, Barbie shaped gal from Lehigh, Pennsylvania. Though this small town hairdresser has quite the surprise when what was supposed to be a nice wedding turns into a murder site. Clues from this turn of events lead Bubbles to the small Amish community of Whoopee, Penn. This cosmetic-covered girl will have to go undercover in order to make her big break as newspaper reporter. Though undercover for her means no hot pants, no high heals, and (gasp) no makeup. With determination Bubbles finds herself in hilarious and even frightening situations, leading way to a mystery solved.

Commentary: Bubbles in Trouble is the second book in the Bubbles series. Sarah Strohmeyer uses captivating and quick paced writing to keep the reader hooked 100% of the time. This book is a quick read, with many twists, and a steadily exciting plot. Strohmeyer is able to capture the reader and create extremely fun and intriguing experiences. I recommend this book mainly for girls grade 9 and up because of ability to relate to Bubble’s well-developed character. Sarah is able to bring each character to life with revealing descriptions and character actions. This book will keep your attention and allow for an enjoyable read. With beauty tips strewn throughout the book, and relationship know-how scattered through the plot, the is a book many girls can get into. Even if you cannot relate to Bubbles’ lifestyle, or interests, you will find yourself captivated by the author’s choice of words and casual style. Reviewed by Haley in 2006

Plot: 17-year-old Hunter is a trendsetter. He is always looking out for the next cool big thing to hit the market. His job is to recognize the coolness or lack of coolness of products. However, he tries not to get involved; he just states his opinions. But when a new girl, Jen, comes into his life, she changes everything. Right off the bat she scores big in the “cool market” and gets Hunter and herself a promotion. But when the pair go to meet Hunter’s boss, Mandy, about a big deal, all they find is her phone in an abandoned building near the meeting place. They use clues on it to discover her position. Slowly they uncover a shady group whose mission seems to be the downfall of consumerism, and find themselves caught in a battle of brand name conspiracy.

Commentary: The author’s style is unique from anything I have ever read in the past. He uses original and unusual ideas to form the basis of the book. It revolves about the need to be “cool”, which reflects a lot about the modern culture of kids. His characters also reflect on the modern culture and lives of adolescents. This book really makes you think about the power of commercialism and the power of advertising. I appreciate his style, although I did not like it as much as other types I have read. His book has no real apparent genre. It could be classified as anything from a thriller to a comedy, depending on how you interpret the messages. Overall, I would say I enjoyed this book, but that it was no classic. Reviewed by Erick in 2006