There Will Be Bears by Ryan Gebhart

This was a well written, absorbing and funny book!  Tyson has been waiting for years to go hunting with his Grandpa Gene. But now his Grandpa has been put in a nursing home and he is unsure if he will ever get to go.  Tyson knows he just HAS to go hunting.  He is pretty sure this is the key to winning over the new girl at school as well as getting his friendship back with his oldest friend.  If he does get to go, he realizes he may have to face a rogue bear that has been terrorizing the area.  Lots of angst and humor in one small package.

The Eighth Day by Dianne Salerni

If you like books that involve the legend of the Knights of the Round Table and Merlin, you will like this book.  I loved it! Jax is newly orphaned when his dad dies and he goes to live with a guardian that it seems like his dad just randomly chose for him.  But Riley is Jax's guardian because he knows about the 8th day.  Only certain people live on the 8th day. It is an extra day that is between Wednesday and Thursday.  Some "evil-doers" are trying to change the 8th day and it is putting everyone at risk.  I like books where the main character is in the dark as much as we are and we all learn together what is going happening.  This book had lots of action that really picked up even more at the end.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Well, Marie Lu has done it again.  I enjoyed her trilogy: Legend, Champion and Prodigy and now we have The Young Elites.  This novel is high fantasy, which means it takes place in a completely made up world.  The Blood Fever was a sickness that swept through the different lands and left some with "markings" and strange powers.  These people are called "malfettos." They are feared and often killed by the rulers.  The Young Elites are a group of malfettos with powers that have found each other and have banded together to seize power.  I found the main character, Adelina, very engaging.  She has just found out about her power and can not control it and when she uses it, it doesn't seem like she WANTS to control it.  She tries to "be good," but is drawn the darkness and power she senses when she uses her powers.  There is a sequel to this book called The Rose Society.  I have ordered a hardback copy for the library, but I have also ordered it as an ebook on our Overdrive account.

Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott

This was a very engaging book. Tella is chosen to be a contender in the Brimstone Bleed.  The Brimstone Bleed is a survival contest where the prize is a cure for your dying loved one.  I found it engaging because Tella knows nothing of this contest till she is chosen and neither does the reader.  You are well into the book before you know why and how they are all chosen.  I really liked the aspect of the story that each of them are given a "pandora." Pandoras are creatures given to the contenders to help them.  Tella's pandora is a fox with extraordinary powers.  This reminded me of Phillip Pullman's novel "The Golden Compass" where the main character is helped along by her daemon.  Be aware.....this is going to be a series and it leaves us hanging in many respects.

The Cipher by John Ford

This book is like a spider web. It has so many threads woven together to create this fast paced, surprising mystery. Robert Smylie Jr., aka Smiles, is surrounded by math geniuses. His dad runs a company that used data encryption to keep online data safe. His neighbor Ben has found a code that will ruin his father's company. Smiles thinks he can save his dad's company and keep Ben safe but Smiles can't imagine the new secrets that come out to change everything.

Mrs. Cejda's Fall Break Reading EXTRAVAGANZA!!

4 free days!  During our break,  I sat and enjoyed the beauty of fall with these 4 books!  Each one kept me reading so I just finished one after the other.

Tombquest Book 3: Valley of Kings: the adventure continues for Alex, Ren and Luke as they search for Alex's mom and the Book of Lost Spells.  They continue to fight the Death Walkers and this time get to meet the superstar of Egyptian culture...King Tut.  I love this series.  I haven't played the online game, but Michael Northrop does a great job of keeping the story fresh and exciting with each installment.

The Fourteenth Goldfish: this was NOT what I was expecting.  This little story had the unexpected surprise of some science fiction.  11 year old Ellie hates change, that is why her parents kept replacing her goldfish when they died.  She is definitely NOT ready for the change that shows up in the form of a crabby, bossy teenage boy, ESPECIALLY when that boy turns out to be her grandfather!!  This was a very funny, entertaining story.

Courage for Beginners: a while back I blogged about another book by this author called "Sure Signs of Crazy." The mother in that story also had a mental illness.  This story is about Mysti.  Her mother has agoraphobia, fear of leaving the house.  She never goes anywhere. This is usually ok because they have their dad to do the running around, but then dad gets hurt and has been hospitalized.  This is Mysti's story of being stronger then she ever thought possible.

TOOK by Mary Downing Hahn:  OH, MY Goodness, this was suspenseful.  Mary Downing Hahn likes to write Ghost stories and this one definitely didn't disappoint.  Daniel and his family move to rural West Virginia.  The town does not welcome them with open arms.  What is worse is they live in a house where mystery surrounds the 50 year old disappearance of a young girl.  Now Daniel's sister, Erica, is in danger of the same fate.  I love folk tales and urban legends and this story has that same feel.

Dangerous by Shannon Hale

This book was so intriguing.  Maisie Danger Brown is chosen to go to a  NASA-like summer camp.  Little does she know that this camp will change her life forever AND she will be expected to save the world from certain destruction!!  I found this book intriguing because the author keeps you guessing about who really are the "bad guys."  Maisie is never sure who she can trust.

The Fallen by Charlie Higson

I was worried about reading this because it is book #5 in the series.  But that proved not to be a problem.  It takes place seconds after the events in the first book end and is taking place at the same time as events in book #4.  It gives you enough information about both the characters and what is going on for you to enjoy the story.  In this series the world has succumbed to a deadly sickness that turns adults in to cannabalistic zombie like creatures intent on eating the children.  This story focuses on a group of kids that make their way to the Museum of Natural History in London hoping it will be a safe place.  Do NOT read this book if you are not a fan of blood and gore.  There is a lot of that in here.

Broken by C.J. Lyons

The front of this page says it is "an intense page-turner." Boy, are they right about that!  I love medical mysteries and this one was fantastic.  All Scarlet wants is to have a normal high school life. Because of a rare medical condition Scarlet has never been to school.  After much negotiation, her dad and step mother agree to let her try high school for a week.  Poor Scarlet lives through teasing, making friends, loosing friends and delving into her own medical history which holds secrets she couldn't even imagine all in this one week.  FANTASTIC READ.  

Outside In by Sarah Ellis

What an interesting little book.  At first, I didn't know what to make of this book. You jump right into the middle of Lynn's life with her flighty, unreliable mother who has just driven her live in boyfriend away.  It just takes a bit to figure out that that is what is going on, but if you keep reading through the mild confusion you will be well rewarded with a great story about friendship.  Through an odd series of events, Lynn meets Blossom.  Blossom and her "family" live off the grid in an unnamed Canadian city.  I loved the developing story of their friendship and how far a heart felt apology goes in making things right.

The Witch's Guide to Cooking With Children by Keith McGowan

What a cute modern re-telling of Hansel and Gretel. Unlike the original Hansel and Gretel, the witch doesn't just prey on children that get lost in the woods, she depends on parents to bring them to her.  If parents are tired of their whining, misbehaving kids they just bring them to her to eat and problem solved.  Its like Pizza Hut delivery only with children!

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

When I was young the Lincoln Children's Zoo was very different.  I remember there was a bear and this bear lived in what essentially was a big cement pit.  There were a few things in there but nothing like the habitats in zoos today look like.  I always thought that bear looked so sad, and I am sure he was unhappy living in such a sterile environment.  The One and Only Ivan brought this memory back to me because it is Ivan's story.  Ivan is a lowland gorilla living in a "Big Top Mall and Video Arcade." Like the cement pit, Ivan's "domain" is not healthy for him OR his animal friends.  I loved this book and read it in a 11/2 days because I couldn't put it down.  It was inspired by the real Ivan, a gorilla that was rescued from a harsh environment and placed in the Atlanta Zoo.  I think this book will encourage you to think about "big picture" things.  Things like poaching, and zoos, even though they are much improved...is it ok for humans to capture and keep wild animals?  I hope this encourages your curiosity into these bigger topics.

House Arrest by K.A. Holt

Devotion, that is what this incredible book is about; the devotion of a brother towards his very ill younger brother.  I could not put this book down.  Neither could Mrs. Roberts.  We both finished it in about a day.  It is written in verse and I am amazed at how K.A. Holt can spin such a powerful story with so few words.  Timothy is on probation for stealing but is finding it hard to stay out of trouble. His story is told through his journal that his court ordered therapist requires him to keep.  Everyone MUST read this book.

Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face by Paul Acampora

What a great, quick read.  After Zachary's mom leaves him and his dad, they decide to make a fresh start in a new city.  Their new neighbor, Rachel Spinelli, makes quite an impression.  Rachel is fierce!  "Her superpower is ferociousness." Rachel loves her older, unique brother Teddy and protects him ferociously which sometimes gets her in trouble...well, actually, it gets her in trouble A LOT of the time.  This book was a funny, light look at a pretty heavy subject.  How do you move past such a troubling event as a parent abandoning you or dying (Rachel and Teddy's mother is dead) and come out a stronger person?

Shipwreck Island by S.A. Bodeen

S.A. Bodeen is one of my favorite authors.  She just really knows how to grab a reader's attention and keep it.  Shipwreck Island is great.  I finished it in about a day and know that fans of her other books ("The Compound," "The Gardener," "The Raft") will like this one too.  A honeymoon yacht cruise with her father's new wife and her two sons is not how 12 yr. old Sarah wants to spend her time.  Things go from bad to worse when a terrible storm causes the yacht to crash land on an island.  This island has some freakish animals, strange weather and a creepy, empty house!

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Jackson Pearce has done it again.  I loved her book "The Sisters Red" which was a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood and I really enjoyed "Sweetly" which is Pearce's take on the Hansel and Gretal story.  Pearce, however, makes this story her own.  Gretchen is the main character and she lost her twin to a witch in the woods when she was little.  Her brother Ansel has always been "her rock." Now, after having been thrown out by their step mother they are on their own and looking for acceptance and safety in a new place.  I loved the way Pearce makes the "witch in the woods" that Gretchen is so fearful of a dark and sinister being.  Pearce also has a book called "Fathomless" which is a loose take on the Little Mermaid.

Infected by Sophie Littlefield

This book is exciting from page one! I had trouble putting it down. Carina and her boyfriend need to find out how they got infected by a virus, and find a way to get it in the hands of someone who won't turn it into a weapon. There was a twist in this book I didn't see coming and I liked that because it doesn't happen very often. Students will like that the questions will all be tied up by the end of this book, but I can also see where the author may have left herself an opening for another book.

My Basmati Bat Mitzvah by Paula Freedman

I loved the main character in this book.  Tara Feinstein is dealing with some pretty difficult questions.  (you all know how much I like difficult, thought provoking questions)  She is getting ready for her Bat Mitzvah (the Jewish ceremony that takes place when a girl turns 13...it's called Bar Mitzvah if it is a boy).  Tara is worried that if she has a Bat Mitzvah this will make her somehow Less Indian.  She tries to mesh the two together.  I just loved this book.  Most of us are a mish mash of cultures so we can probably all relate to Tara wanting to celebrate all her cultures. 

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

This book has rhythm, literally.  Written in verse, this book tells the story of twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan Bell.  Its a story of brotherhood, friendship and some hardship.  I love novels in verse because I find it amazing that the author can tell such a detailed story in a short amount of words.  This book won both the John Newbery Medal as well as being a Coretta Scott King Award Honor book.

Atlantia by Ally Condie

If you read her last trilogy (Matched, Crossed and Reached) you are going to want to grab this new book by Ally Condie.  It is dystopian literature taken to new depths...get it...new depths, it takes place under water.  :)  Atlantia is created because climate change and pollution have made it unsafe to live "Above."  There are still people that live in the "Above" but they only live to provide for those that were saved and sent "Below."  At least that is what they have always been told.  Rio is a strong female character and I really liked her.  I also liked the twist that Ms. Condie gave to the myth of the sirens.  Sirens were mythological creatures that would lure sailors to their deaths with their beautiful singing.  Rio is a siren, but she is human and isn't really luring anyone to their deaths. Atlantia has both worshipped and feared the sirens in their midst throughout their history.  This was a very enjoyable read.

The Boy on the Porch by Sharon Creech

I read this book VERY QUICKLY.  I just couldn't put it down.  A young couple wakes up to find a boy asleep on their porch.  He can't speak so they are not sure who brought him here and when they might be back to get him.  Jacob, the boy, is delightful.  He has his own way of communicating by tapping and he wins the hearts of both the couple and the animals on the farm.  I just loved this story. It was so sweet and intriguing as you read to find out who Jacob was.

Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen

Jonathan Friesen wrote one of my favorite books called "Jerk, California" about a boy with Tourettes Syndrome. (read it if you haven't already)  In this story, the main character suffers from a dissociative identity disorder, what we used to call multiple personality disorder.  Elias has 2 personalities and Clara who is traveling on her own trying to escape her own problem meets both of them.  She is determined to help the Elias that she has come to love stay forever by helping the odd, paranoid Elias with his quest.  Great read.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

I fell in love with the characters in this book!!  I just finished this book today and was so sad I won't be spending my morning and evening reading time with them.  The story is told alternating between Eleanor's and Park's perspective. The book takes place in 1986 in Omaha, NE.  There is bullying, sibling rivalry, connections made through music, a scary mean stepdad.  Lots of books have these themes, but Rainbow Rowell presents it in a new, fresh and beautifully written way.  I just LOVED it!  I think 7th and 8th graders will like it also.

Starbird Murphy and the World Outside by Karen Finneyfrock

 I enjoy reading books about people involved in cults.  I am fascinated how one person can hold such control over a group.  Starbird Murphy lives on The Free Family Farm, a commune in the woods of Washington State.  Starbird loves her "family," and doesn't really see any problems with their lifestyle.  Then she gets her "calling." She is "called" to be a waitress at the Family run restaurant in Seattle.  This is Starbird's first dealing with the "world outside" and she is not so sure it is the best place for her.  I loved Starbird's journey of self discovery as she navigates going to public school, handling money and other activities for the very first time in her life.  If you also like books about those living in communes or cults you may want to try The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecelia Galante and Schooled by Gordon Korman.

Blind by Rachel DeWoskin

Oh my goodness, I read Blind about a month ago and completely forgot to blog about it!  One time when I was little (around 4 or 5) the power had gone out in the middle of the night, but I didn't realize it and just thought I had go blind.  I was in a complete panic till my mother showed up in my bedroom to explain what happened.  Unfortunately for Emma, the main character in Blind, this unthinkable tragedy happens to her and there is no "waking up from it".  After a horrific accident leaves her blind, Emma has to figure out how to live again. She does this at the same time as she is trying to make sense of why a friend of hers took her own life. I really liked this book. So much of the imagery of books is visual..."this person looked like this" or "the setting looked like this."  With Emma giving a first person narrative, you don't get that.  The author did a great job describing Emma's world to us as she "saw" it with her other senses and feelings.  Great read.  

Wild Boy by Rob Lloyd Jones

This book is a delightful, fast-paced read.  I loved the main character of Wild boy.  Wild Boy is a child that is covered with hair and was abandoned as an infant and has been raised in workhouse.  He is found by the owner of a freak show and taken to live there.  Wild boy is treated so poorly, it just breaks your heart.  He has learned to be a keen observer of people just like Sherlock Holmes.  This is a very good skill to have when he is accused of murder and he and Clarissa, an acrobat in the circus that accompanies the freak show, have to solve the case.  This book takes place in Victorian London, which I loved as well as the fantastical sci-fi slant that it has.

Seven Wonders: The Curse of the King by Peter Lerangis

Another exciting installment of the Seven Wonders series.  This is book number four.  If you haven't read 1-3, I would go back and start from the beginning.  This is not a series you can read out of order if you want to understand what is happening.  Jack and his friends continue searching for the lost Loculi (the source of power for the lost city of Atlantis that has been split up into 7 pieces).  This series is like the Percy Jackson series in that you learn about ancient civilizations and gods and the adventure never ceases to entertain.  The only bad thing is now having to wait until book number 5 is released.

After Eden by Helen Douglas

This was a quick, easy read that I enjoyed and finished in a day.  Eden is in her last year of school in a small town in England.  A new, very handsome, boy shows up.  Ryan seems to know a lot about the subjects in school but not a lot about simple things like what pizza or hamburgers are or who Hitler is.  Eden figures out his secret and then decides to help Ryan with his "mission," the whole reason he has entered her world.  I found Eden's reaction to Ryan's secret just a tiny bit unbelievable, she believed him a little too readily and his secret is something that is pretty "out there."  Other than that, I liked the story.  

Golden Sower Nominees 2015-2016

I did it! As soon as school ended I started reading the 10 Intermediate and 10 Young Adult Golden Sower nominees and I have just finished them!  There is something for everyone in the Golden sower titles this year: dystopian, realistic fiction, mystery, historical fiction, fantasy and magic.  If you are looking for a good book to read during the rest of summer vacation check out one of the Golden Sower titles.  

      

Intermediate Nominees:

• The Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond
• Charlie Bumper vs. the Teacher of the Year
• Darling: Mercy Dog of World War I
• Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
• The Girl from Felony Bay 
• Half a Chance
• Hold Fast
• Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin
• Sky Jumpers
• A Snicker of Magic

Young Adult Nominees:

• Counting by 7s 
• Far Far Away
• The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die
• Golden Boy
• The Lightning Dreamer
• Prisoner 88
• QB 1
• Stung
• The Testing
• Turn Left at the Cow

Haunters by Thomas Taylor

I am a vivid dreamer, but this novel takes vivid dreaming to another level!  In this story, those that have the ability can "dreamwalk" themselves into other times in history.  Yes, that's right...time travel through dreaming.  When they appear in history they appear as ghosts.  The agency that David gets involved with try to protect the past and "uphold the dreamwalker's" code.  But there are other dreamwalkers, the Haunters, that are attempting to change history to gain power and wealth for themselves.  It is up to the dreamwalkers to stop them and protect the past, their present and their future.  Lots of action in this book and a great surprise ending!!  I am thinking this will probably become a series, but haven't heard about when the release of the next book might be.

The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty

This story takes place in late 19th Century New York but it's an alternate history.  In this New York everyone uses magic.  Well, at least in Sacha's Jewish, Hester Street neighborhood they do.  That is until the police come around.  You see, magic is against the law in the US.  In fact there are special police that are in charge of investigating magical crimes called Inquisitor's.  Sacha makes the mistake of letting people know that he can see when people use their magic so he is made an apprentice to Inquisitor Maximillian Wolf and their first crime to investigate is to find out who is trying to kill inventor Thomas Edison.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the second one that we have in the library.  I LOVED Sacha's family.  They survived the pogroms (anti-Jewish campaigns) in Russia and are making a new life in America. I love all the Yiddish words they weave into the conversation.  I also really enjoyed Lily, the other apprentice to inquisitor Wolf.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

What a great adventure story.  It IS set in a futuristic wasteland, but the focus is not what happened to make it a waste land.  The focus of the book is the "quest" that Saba goes on to get her kidnapped brother back.  I liked Saba.  She is pretty prickly, but she grows on you as she grows in her understanding of herself and others and how to treat them.  One thing about this book that I must note is that the whole thing is written exactly the way Saba speaks...which is not always grammatically correct.  Lots of "I ain't gonna do that...," "just" becomes "jest" and "get" become "git."  Many of the words are spelled phonetically (spelled like they sound).  For example: "exact" is spelled "ezzack" in the story.  I found it tricky at first, but it really gave Saba a voice I could hear in my head.  There is a book #2 that follows this called "Rebel Heart" that we have in the library, and I hear that this is being made into a movie.

The Book of the Dead (Tomb Quest bk 1) by Michael Northrup

This is a new series by Michael Northrup that is like the 39 Clues series and the Infinity Ring Series that includes an online game that you can play to continue the adventure after you read the book.  I didn't play the game, but I read the book in one day over spring break.  I couldn't put it down.  I love books about mummies and curses and I think I've spoken before about my fascination with death rituals.  The Egyptians were masters of death rituals.  This book has a lot of action as Alex's mother tries to save his life using the book of the dead but she ends up raising some "death walkers" also and they start wreaking havoc.  I just bought this book at the book fair and can't wait for Mr. Northrup to publish the next in the series.  Other exciting books by this author offered in our library are "Trapped" and "Surrounded by Sharks."

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Wow! This is quite the intense historical fiction novel.  Queenie is a British spy in Allied France during WWII and she has been captured by the Nazi's.  She will do anything to avoid the torture that is leading up to her inevitable death. (because that is what happens to spies when they are caught).  In an attempt to avoid torture and prolong her life, she decides cooperation is her best course of action, but she still does it on her terms.  Instead of easily spelling out what the Nazi's want, she is giving it to them in narrative form.  She is writing her story.  You learn about her unbreakable friendship with Maddie a civilian pilot working for the British government.  This is a wonderful story of friendship and bravery.  There is a lot of detail about the role of some women during WWII as well as spies and pilots.  I can't go into much more detail in the summary because, just like a spy, I don't want to give any secrets away.  I CAN tell you this...there are lots of twists at the end that I did NOT see coming. This book kept me reading because I just had to find out what happened to Queenie and Maddie.

The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

This is a great fantasy book! Callum has been taught his whole life by his father that doing magic and going to the Magisterium (a school to train to control one's magic) is pretty much a death sentence, at least it was for his mother.  Once he gets there, however, he meets friends for the first time and learns to enjoy his new home away from home.  He learns, however, the his father may not have been telling him the whole story and what he does know about his early life and the death of his mother may not be true. Lots of interesting twists and revelations make this a book that you just can't put down.  I can't wait for the next one.

The Space Between Trees by Katie Williams

This is a mystery, but not in the usual sense.  Yes, there has been a murder but the book is more a focus of how we relate to each other and the lies that we tell ourselves and others and the lives we touch.  Evie, the main character, is an odd girl.  When a girl in her class is killed she finds a way to work herself into the dead girls life to try to find out what happened to her.  I found this page turning and suspenseful because I just thought Evie was a little creepy and it kept me reading to put things together.

Skink No Surrender by Carl Hiaasen

Carl Hiaasen has done it again!  Carl Hiaasen is one of my favorite authors.  I have read everything he has written for both adults and kids.  This book does not disappoint.  Richard's cousin Malley has done a most dangerous thing...she has run off with someone she met in a chat room and Richard is extremely worried about her.  This story follows Richard's adventure of finding Malley.  Skink is one of my favorite characters.  He is a reoccurring character in many of Hiaasen's adult novels.  Skink USED to be the governor of Florida...till he lost it.  Now he is a slightly crazed, "ragged, one-eyed wandering vigilante." This is one of those laugh out loud Hiassen mysteries that I love so much!

Torn by David Massey

The blurb on the book leads you to believe that this is a love story, but I found it to be very little of that and much more about the daily pressures of war and how it effects those involved in it.  It is told from the point of view of 19 yr. old British medic Ellie who is stationed in an area of Afghanistan.  I enjoyed the relationship of Ellie and a youngster that they have captured after his group of "young martyrs" fired upon her unit.  She promises to help him find out what really happened in his village. This book does an amazing job of conveying the uncomfortable, frantic stress of combat for those that are living in the area as well as those that are fighting the war. The youngsters in this book made me think back to a book I had read earlier call "Kids of Kabul" about children that have grown up in a war torn country and what they want out of life.  I recommend reading both of these books.

Sylo by D.J. MacHale

Super exciting book!! A secret branch of the US Navy has quarantined an island off the coast of Maine.  The townspeople are being told it's a virus...but is it really?? Tucker believes there is more going on than they are being told.  He has seen people drop dead with no warning, and a bizarre midnight explosion over the ocean as well as weird aircraft in the sky.  Can Tucker and those he has befriended figure out what is going on???  Guess you will have to read it and see.  This is, of course, the first in a series.  I have ordered the others and can't wait to see how the story continues.

Confessions: The Paris Mysteries by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

RIVETING!!  That is how I find these books.  We met Tandy Angel in the first book, "Confessions of a Murder Suspect," followed by the next one, "Confessions: The Private School Murders,"  and now she is back for her third mystery. I feel like each book gets better and better.  In this book, the family has moved to Paris and Tandy starts looking for answers about her sisters death (mentioned in previous books) and how much her "evil" uncle really knows about things. Although I have read all three, I think you could read them without having read the previous ones.  The authors give you enough details about what has happened previously without giving anything away about those mysteries in case you wanted to go back and read those also.  I really enjoyed this book, there is lots going on and I LOVE books that talk about all the places in Paris...it's one of my favorite cities.  

The Rule of Three by Eric Walters

A couple of weeks ago the street lights went out at 70th and A streets.  Traffic was backed up for blocks, no one seemed to know what to do.  Now imagine something like that on a worldwide scale and you have the premise for The Rule of Three.  Everything that has any type of computer in it has shut down in some type of viral catastrophe.  No one knows why it has happened, but the longer the situation goes on, the worse and more dangerous things get.  16 yr. old Adam and his neighbors work together to keep them and their little part of their world safe, but they are not sure how long it will last.  I enjoyed the way the author built suspense throughout this book.  You could tell that the situation was getting worse and worse and it just kept you reading to see how they were going to make things work. I am pretty sure there will be another book coming.