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“Twilight”
By Stephanie Meyer

WARNING! These books will cause massive addiction. “Twilight,” is the first in a series of four rather thick books. However, anyone who starts reading them will find it impossible to stop until the story is finished.
The story is simple: Bella Swan is forced to move from her sunny home in Phoenix to the ridiculously small, constantly overcast Forks, Wash . She is pale and clumsy and has a hard time making friends — at first.
She discovers that an almost unbelievably gorgeous young man can’t keep his eyes off her. Soon, they form a friendship, but for some reason Edward — her delicious new friend (no pun intended,) — keeps warning her to “stay away from him” because he is “dangerous.” Turns out, Edward Cullen is a vampire. A “vegetarian,” but a vampire nonetheless. Love, danger, fighting, jealousy and more love ensue.
— Amy Friedman, Patrick Henry High School

“Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team,
and a Dream”
By H.G. Bissinger

Never assume that just because you have seen the movie, you shouldn’t read the book.
If you are like me and “Friday Night Lights,” sits at the top of your list of all-time favorite movies — and you just can’t get enough of the Permian Panthers — then take time to read the book for more of a taste of Odessa, Texas . Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Bissinger, this national best-seller is a must-read for the summer, and it will get you in the spirit for fall football.
— Taylor Johnson, William Byrd High School

“Timeline”
By Michael Crichton

The book is about a group of historians who are working to restore a castle in France. The company funding the project creates a time machine that lets the historians go back to the period when the location was in its prime.
I really liked the book because it didn’t seem like science fiction — it was more of an adventure book. Also, I really like the time period this book is set in (1300-1400) and I found it interesting.
— Charlie Clark, Hidden Valley High School

“Sirens of Titan”
By Kurt Vonnegut

“Sirens of Titan” is my favorite book by my favorite author. If you have never read anything by Vonnegut, then the description of this life-defining novel is going to sound like a bad sci-fi film. You cannot go off plotlines when it comes to Vonnegut — his writing weaves stories in a way that makes you forget that none of it could actually happen.
“Sirens of Titan,” revolves around Malachi Constant, the richest man in future America. He is told by the world’s most powerful man, Winston Niles Rumfoord, that he is going to travel from Earth to Mars to Mercury, back to Earth and finally, to Titan, one of Saturn’s moons.
I’m not sure how to explain this book because for me, it goes beyond simple explanations. “Titan” is about everything and nothing at the same time. Vonnegut tackles free will, war, religion, peace, love, hate, parenting and everything in between.
— Amy Friedman,
Patrick Henry High School

“Inside the Walls of Troy”
By Clemence McLaren

“Inside the Walls of Troy,” is an epic novel that unveils the story of the Trojan War through the eyes of two young women. The first part of the novel is told from the point of view of the beautiful Helen of Troy, (technically, Helen of Sparta.) It tells of her life before the beginning of the Trojan War, from her kidnapping at age 12 to her marriage to Prince Menelaus.
The second part of the book is from Cassandra’s point of view, and narrates the events leading to and ending the war. Cassandra is the psychic and often-misunderstood sister of Helen’s true love, Paris.
Now, I know what you non-history buffs are thinking: “BORING!” However, you would be quite wrong. I am the last person on Earth you would call a history buff, and I loved this book. The way McLaren wrote the book was amazing. If I wasn’t familiar with the story of the Trojan War, I never would have thought I was reading something historical.
Trust me, whether you like history or hate it, this book should definitely be on top of your summer must-read list.

— Madhura Chitnavis, Hidden Valley High School


“The Man Who Was Thursday”
By G.K. Chesterton

“The Man Who Was Thursday ” is classic, but short, for the medium to avid reader.
It has a suspenseful, quickly paced plot. The book tells the story of Gabriel Symes, a spy in England. It follows him though intricate webs of anarchy, battle and deceit. At only about 100 pages, the book is a quick read and once you pick it up, it’s hard to put down.
Overall, “Thursday” is a magnificent book. It sparks thought about the nature of life, of good and evil and of government. There are twists and nuances all through the book.
By far one of the most entertaining and suspenseful novels I’ve read, “The Man Who Was Thursday,” will not disappoint.
— Elizabeth Sallie, Home School

“Rant: The Oral Biography
of Buster Casey”
By Chuck Palahniuk

This is, without a doubt, the greatest book I’ve read this year — maybe even in my life.
You can always count on Palahniuk to provide life-altering plot twists with just a hint (OK, a ton) of vulgarity. His novel “Fight Club” was like a virus: People read it, told their friends to read it, then their friends told their friends to read it — until the whole world was wishing they could die with a few scars.
Now, many people have read “Fight Club” or seen the movie. Sadly, few have read Palahniuk’s latest and greatest masterpiece, “Rant.” This novel is told in the form of an oral biography, meaning the entire book is written as sound bites of what people said about Buster (or Buddy) “Rant” Casey after he died.
The start of the book seems like a run-of-the mill coming-of-age story about a messed-up teenage boy. Then, the story becomes a not-so-run-of-the-mill story about a teenage boy who spreads rabies. Then, “party crashing” comes into the picture, and all you know about “Rant” is that you don’t know anything.
I can’t say much more without giving away the best parts. Just do yourself a favor and read it. Every line will run through your head and change the way you see life and force you to wonder, “What if reality is nothing but some disease?”
— Amy Friedman, Patrick Henry High School

“Save the Date”
By Tamara Summers

“Save the Date,” is a cute, lov able book about a teen girl named Jack and her crazy family. Jack’s five older sisters are all getting married within the same year — talk about hectic.
Her sisters keep setting her up on dates for their weddings, but whenever she goes on a date, disaster seems to strike. Anything from bad weather to seagulls flying into the ceremony can happen when Jack brings a date. She comes to realize she has a “wedding curse,” and that bad things happen whenever she brings a date to her sister s’ weddings. That is, until she falls for the wedding planner’s son, Leo.
What will happen when Jack and Leo go to a wedding together? What sort of disaster will strike this time? Read “Save the Date” to find out.
— Cameron Austin, Hidden Valley High School

“Opening Atlantis”
By Harry Turtledove

This book is divided into three sections, each of which chronicles a certain time period in Atlantis — which is discovered by a British fishing ship and located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. (There is no high-tech civilization on Atlantis, it’s merely an uninhabited island.)
I liked this novel because it’s a fast-paced book that can appeal to a broad audience, not just the sci-fi reader. It also deals with some ethical issues — from managing or exploiting natural resources, to human-on-human interactions — which certainly are relevant today.
— Harrison Freund, Salem High School


“House of Leaves”
By Mark Z. Danielewski

I have conflicting feelings about this book. On one hand, everyone should read it. On the other hand, I feel bad telling people to read it when I know that afterward, you will go through a brief period where you will be terrified of absolutely everything.
This book is not a horror story — in my opinion, it’s not a “story” at all. “House of Leaves” is a story within a story within a few more stories. Technically, it is about Johnny Truant reading an unpublished narrative about a movie called “The Navidson Record.” This book quickly becomes Johnny’s obsession and downfall, and you fall right with him. “The Navidson Record” is about a family who moves into a small Virginia house to get away from the city. Soon, they realize there is a small opening that wasn’t there when they bought the house. A hallway also appears. The hallway should jet out into the back yard … but it doesn’t. The hallway engulfs them, literally and figuratively. They go on explorations to try to explain the in explicable, and can never seem to find any answers.
While Johnny is reading all this, he puts footnotes on the story — simultaneously showing us his reactions and how quickly the book is starting to rule his life.
I could talk about this book until the end of time, but nothing substitutes reading it. Don’t be run off by the massive size of the text — it goes by quickly, and the writing becomes spaced and enlarged depending on the scene.
Trust me — you’ll get lost in “House of Leaves.” Just be sure to hold on to your rope.
— Amy Friedman, Patrick Henry High School

“Cat’s Cradle”
By Kurt Vonnegut

Vonnegut uses “Cat’s Cradle” to wryly dissect the trivial and ri diculous world in which we live, all under the guise of a writer named Jonah, who is researching a book about the apoca lypse.
Vonnegut mocks the seriousness with which we live, and questions religion, politics, human motives and actual existe nce in this 1963 classic novel.
— Kate Bondurant, Cave Spring High School