City of Bones, by Cassandra Clark is probably one of the most epic stories I have read in a long long time. It begins with the story of a quiet ordinary girl named Clary visiting her favorite rave with a friend, and quickly turns to a saga that spans not one but 3 other books. how might a rave spark something like this you might ask? It all begins when clary witnesses a group of shadowhunters (a.k.a. bad*** demon slayers) doing their job. After this she finds out (SPOILER ALERT) her mother was a shadowhunter, who unfortunatly gets kidnapped (END SPOILER). When all is said and done though City of Bones drops a vicious cliffhanger, that only makes you want to read more. (Gary, Senior)

The Forest of Hands And Teeth

In Mary's world, there are simple truths. The sisterhood always knows the best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence the suffounds the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets. And when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?

Powerful. Intelligent. Dark. Bewitching. Sexy. And Scary, are all things I felt while reading this book and many authors of other books can agree. From Scoot Westerfeld, author of Extras and Peeps, to Melissa Marr author of Wicked lovely and Ink Exchange, to Classandra Clare author of City of Bones and Justive Larbalestier author of How to Ditch Your Fairy.

If you like a good compelling book that you wont want to put down, this is the book for you. (Hannah, Junior)

The Hunger Games

Fantastic book! A true page turner. America, in this novel, has been reorganized such that there is a central capitol surrounded by 12 districts. Apparently, at some point in the past, there was a violent rebellion and to remind all of the citizens to stay in line, the government created the yearly Hunger Games, in which 2 children from each of the 12 districts (ages 12-18) are picked by a lottery and sent to the capitol to battle each other to the death until there is but one remaining survivor. The surviving child's district then recieves extra food and that child's family is made wealthy for life. The best way to think of this book is American Idol meets the Roman gladiators. While the book does have some violence, none of us thought it was gratuitous and we are all eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. (The PHS Book Club)

Marked by P.C. Cast

I think that everyone should read marked by pc cast because its amazing and awesome! (M. H and B.F)

2009 Teens’ Top Ten Nominations

Looking for a book to read this summer? Try one of these teen nominated books, then go to http://www.ala.org/teenstopten to vote for your favorites

Cashore, Kristin. Graceling. 2008

Lady Katsa is born with a Grace (super talent) of killing and her uncle, the king, makes
her his brute squad. When she meets Po, a rival kingdom's Graceling, she becomes more
powerful as a woman of justice, self knowledge, and romance.

Cast, Kristin & P.C. Untamed. 2008.
At finishing school for young vampyres, Zoey makes a shocking discovery about the
school's leader, but no one will listen to her as her undead friends and 3 boyfriends turn
against her. Loyalties are strained, truths are revealed, and an ancient evil is awakened in
Cast's fourth House of Night novel.

Clare, Cassandra. City of Ashes. 2008.
The second in the Mortal Instruments trilogy, this volume continues the saga of Clary and
her best friend Simon as they struggle to find their place in a magical world parallel to
their NYC home. Demon-fighting shadowhunters, vampires, warlocks, werewolves,
faeries, and a master villain named Valentine provide a heart-pounding backdrop as Clary
uncovers secrets about her past.

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. 2008.
To save her young sister from competing, Katniss Everdeen takes her place in the annual
Hunger Games, a televised competition in which only one person, the winner, survives.
By turns an adventure, a love story, and a futuristic thriller, this is the first in a planned
trilogy.

Fukui , Isamu. Truancy. 2008.
In the totalitarian society that Tack lives in, a rebel group called the Truancy is fighting
for freedom. But Tack vows revenge on the Truancy when someone he loves is killed
accidentally during one of their attacks on the government.

Fukui , Isamu. Truancy: Origins. 2009.
Umasi and Zen, adopted and raised in a life of privilege, are horrified to discover that
their father is behind the restrictive policies of their city. One brother will be driven to
rebellion.

Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. 2008.
When a toddler wanders away from his home just before assassins slay his family, he
ends up in a graveyard. Named Nobody Owens, the ghosts and other denizens of the
cemetery adopt him and teach him important skills he will need to survive.

Green, John. Paper Towns. 2008.
When they were little, Margo Roth Spiegelman was Q’s best friend. Now, a month before
high school graduation, she disappears after taking Q on a night of pranks involving dead
fish and a depilatory, sending him on a quest to find her.

Harris, Joanne. Runemarks. 2008.
Maddie is shunned by the town because of the mysterious rune mark on her hand. This
same rune mark will shatter her dull existence as it propels her into the center of a war
between the new controlling religious government and the Norse gods of old.

Hopkins, Ellen. Identical. 2008.
Identical teenage twins, Raeanne and Kaeleigh, respond in totally opposite ways to the
abuse and abandonment from their parents. One twin finds bulimia and cutting eases the
pain and helps her to maintain her passivity, while the other, more rebellious twin sinks
into the world of drugs.

Lockhart, E. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. 2008.
When Frankie's boyfriend joins a secret society that she isn't supposed to know anything
about, she surprises everyone—including herself—by trying to beat them and become the
biggest prankster of them all.

Marriott, Zoё. Daughter of the Flames. 2009.
Zira bears scars from the battle that left her orphaned and in the care of the Ruan people.
When a tyrant king threatens her home, Zira seeks help from an unlikely romantic
interest and uncovers the truth about her past.

McMann, Lisa. Wake. 2008.
Going to sleep isn't a big deal for most of us, but for Janie, falling asleep means getting
sucked into other people's dreams. The supernatural ability she's always considered a
nuisance quickly becomes a nightmare when she blunders into a dream and witnesses a
murder.

Meyer, Stephenie. Breaking Dawn. 2008.
In this, the fourth and final installment of the Twilight Saga, Bella’s new life as the wife
of vampire Edward Cullen is wrought with unexpected obstacles, difficult decisions, and
potentially overwhelming outcomes.

Moran, Katy. Bloodline. 2009.
In the brutal world of Dark Age Britain, Essa fights for his life, his identity, and the lives
of those he loves. Paolini and Tolkien fans will be drawn in.

Ness, Patrick. The Knife of Never Letting Go. 2008.
Dangerous secrets can even be hidden in a world where all men and animals hear each
others' thoughts. Because all women died shortly after he was born, Todd Hewitt is the
last boy left in his town. When he learns a dangerous secret, he runs for his life with his
dog and finds something even more surprising: a girl!

Noёl, Alyson. Evermore. 2009.
Her life ripped apart by a tragic accident that killed her family, Ever struggles with her
newfound ability to hear people’s thoughts. Enter Damen, the new boy who seems the
perfect distraction — except he doesn’t eat or drink, and soon Ever discovers a
supernatural new world of which she is now part.

Palmer, Robin. Geek Charming. 2009.
Dylan’s middle name is “crisis.” It seems to follow her wherever she goes. First she
catches her boyfriend staring at another girl. Then her beautiful designer bag takes a
swim in a fountain. However, along with crisis comes opportunity, and Dylan's Beverly
Hills world is about to be turned upside-down.

Pierce, Tamora. Melting Stones. 2008.
All life, both plant and animal, on the Battle Islands is mysteriously dying. Stone mage
Evvy responds to the islander’s call for help. They need her magic to solve the mystery.
Accompanied by her friend and mentor, Luvo, she uncovers the deep secret revealed by
the stones and the volcano. Will it be in time to rescue the children?

Scott, Elizabeth. Living Dead Girl. 2008.
Alice was kidnapped when she was young and is forced to pretend to be a little girl to
please Ray. She could never escape and wishes for death. Soon her wish will become
true, as she had become too old and now she must find Ray a replacement for her.

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Eternal. 2009.
Zachary, a guardian angel has, against all rules, fallen in love with his charge. When he
sees Miranda sleeping in the shadow of death, his attempt to save her hurls her into life as
a vampire princess and exiles him from heaven.

Smith, Sherri L. Flygirl. 2009.
Because she wants to fly and to support her soldier brother, 18-year-old Ida May Jones
passes for white amidst obstacles of race and gender and joins the Women Airforce
Service Pilots (WASP) during World War II .

Weingarten, Lynn. Wherever Nina Lies. 2009.
Two years after 16-year-old Ellie's older sister, Nina, disappeared, Ellie pieces together
clues to her whereabouts and heads out on a road trip that leads to murder and mystery
with her hot new boyfriend, Sean.

Werlin, Nancy. Impossible. 2008.
This gentle story details young teen Lucy's rape and subsequent pregnancy, with an
amazingly supportive cast of a faithful boyfriend and loving parents. A fairy tale set in
the present, with flashes of realism and romance.

Yee, Lisa. Absolutely Maybe. 2009.
Maybe (short for Maybelline, her mother's favorite mascara) leaves home and heads to
California on a mission to find her biological father, and avoid her mother's planned
wedding number seven.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Wow. This is an intense read. Very disturbing, yet hard to put down. For those of you who liked A Child Called It, I suspect you would enjoy this book (if one can even use that term with this story). Told from the viewpoint of a 15-year-old girl who has been the prisoner of a pedaphile for the last 5 years, we are introduced to her daily life as she is kept near starvation and under the complete emotional and physical control of her captor. Even though he leaves for work everyday, she has never attempted to escape for fear her family would be killed. One might make the case that there were chances for escape that she missed, but with a brain and body so starved and abused...and young, I thought it was highly plausible she would never have realized those possibilities. To make matters worse, her body is changing and her jailor is growing tired of her. What this means for her becomes the focus of this highly engaging and unsettling novel. (submitted by J.S.)

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

This was the first title our Book Club read. The students picked it out and I have to say, I enjoyed it as well. Graceling is a fantasy, set in medieval times, in a world where some people are born with extreme skills referred to as Graces. Sometimes the skills are benign, such as a particular flair for cooking, but sometimes the skill causes fear in others, such as the ability to read minds. Katsa, the main character of this story, has inherited a talent for killing people. While she has a talent for destruction, Katsa has an honorable spirit. Her job, when the story begins is, is primarily providing muscle for a corrupt king. It's a job she hates, but doesn't see a way out of. However, we soon learn of an underground group who are fed up with the abuses of power and set out to covertly right some of the injustices. This story is chock full of action, beginning with paragraph one. There's also a nice romance, for those of you who care. Our book club thought the ending was a bit lame, but up to that point, we thoroughly enjoyed Graceling. (submitted by J.S. faculty)

Sarah's Key (Tatiana de Rosnay)

Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten-year girl, is taken with her parents by the French police as they go door-to-door arresting Jewish families in the middle of the night. Desperate to protect her younger brother, Sarah locks him in a bedroom cupboard -- their secret hiding place -- and promises to come back for him as soon as they are released.

Sixty years later: Sarah's story interwines with that of Julia Jarmond, a journalist investigating the roundup. In her research, Julia stumbles onto a trail of secrets that link her to Sarah and to questions about her own future.

Zakhor, Al Tichkah ("Never forget" in Hebrew)

This story is so painful yet compelling. Like Julia, one is torn between the desire to know and the comfort of ignorance. I have donated this book to the PHS library. (MLH, faculty).

Twilight-Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer was over all ok in my opinion. There was quite a bit of conflict throughout the 3 books but at the end evry single problem was somehow solved in about 5-10 minutes give or take. The entire series seemed like a modern day fairy tale in that the girl got the guy, they both ended up perfect looking, they got married, and even got a pet (sorry Jacob). The level of utter perfection that Edward and Bella have at the end of the story is at times just sickining. Not to say that it was a bad series, at times it was pretty thrilling but the fact that Breaking Dawn almost literaly ends with "... and they lived happily ever after" almost made me gag. I'll admit that I'm a guy and kinda outa the loop when it comes to romance but even this seemed a little corny at the end. The main redeeming quality was that even with the corny love story between Bella and Edward there was enough going on in the backround to keep me interested. The idea of a human living with vampires and werewolves made it worthwhile to see it through to the end, as well as the action of whenever Bella got herself into trouble with Vampires other then the Cullens. Over all I'd give the series a C+ (Gary, Junior)