"The Problem with Paradise" by Lesley Dahl

If you're into teen love dramas, this book is for you! Casey, a teenage girl, has just been told she must spend her entire summer on an island with her father who is a researcher, her 2 brothers, and a few assistants. She will be away from her best friends and her boyfriend, Matt. She is faced with a few problems while in paradise.

The main conflict in “The Problem with Paradise” is between Casey and the fact that she has to spend the whole summer away from her friends and boyfriend. Casey is greatly affected by the conflict until a teenage boy, Jonah, an assistant's nephew, arrives. She is not exactly a main antagonist, but instead the big problem Casey faces serves as the antagonist.

The protagonist, Casey, goes through many struggles. She wants to have someone to spend time with on the island. She is tired of doing the same things everyday and doing everything with her brothers. Another struggle is that Casey is tired of being told what to do and tired of asking when she can do it. She wants to be more independent. Also, Casey really misses her friends and her boyfriend. Casey is later put in a situation where she has to really think and make the right decisions.

The theme in the novel is “You never know what to expect”. Casey goes on the island expecting the worse. She mainly expects boredom. When Jonah shows up, her expectations are higher because she finally has someone her age (not to mention, cute!) to hang out with.

I dislike that the author, in a way, “leaves you hanging” at the end of the book. Other than that, I loved “The Problem with Paradise” and is now one of my favorites. I recommend especially to teenage girls. Well, what are you waiting for? Go read it!

"Friday Night Lights" by: H.G. Bissinger

If you love football and it is your only care in the world, Odessa is the place for you. In the town of Odessa in west Texas, there is a team named the Permian Panthers, who in their sacred black and white, put on a show every Friday night under gleaming lights. In a separated town of black and white, football brings all races together.
Football in the town of Odessa is everything. It is not only a game, but a way of life. From the first time a State Championship is won by the Panthers, they become obsessed with winning. It shows football is the true care of the town. On Friday nights, all shops close early and all residents head to Ratliff Stadium. The 1988 team is expected to win the State Championship.
The oil business fuels the economy of Odessa. When the price of oil increases, the town is happy. When the price of oil decreases, people lose jobs, money, and even family. The one thing which brings all people of all ages together is MOJO football.
Friday Night Lights is written in an interesting way for it tells a number of stories and events in the history of Odessa. We hear about past football players, previous residents, and even has-been millionaires. At one point we are hearing about the Panthers playing a football game, and the next about a man who is booming in the oil business. Most oil workers and owners live well in the boom. In Odessa, when oil prices drastically drop, unemployment and debt sky-rocket.
There is a plethora of protagonists in Friday Night Lights. Mike Winchell, the quarterback, leads a confusing life and has many ups and downs throughout the season. Head Coach, Gary Gaines, stands the highest above all protagonists. The 1988 season is his third year and great things are expected from him. After two losses by one point each, things are not so bright for this coach. Threatening letters are sent to him and “for sale” signs are planted in his front yard. Keeping his family together is tough, and it does not help he stays in the coaching office until midnight preparing for games. Being head coach is a nerve racking job. As most coaches should be tough and inconsiderate, Gary is seen as a nice guy. The supporters of the team hate nice guys. It seems it is impossible to please the town, unless you are a winner.
This novel is interesting because it tells the history of the town, and gives a synopsis of the 1988 season. It is interesting to me because I have a passion for football. I have seen the movie and would suggest both the movie and book to anyone who enjoys Friday night football.

"Slam" By Walter Dean Myers

Greg “Slam” Harris is a seventeen year old African American boy who lives in the Bronx of Brooklyn. Slam has a mom, a younger brother named Derek, and a father who drinks too much because he lost his last job. Slam began high school at Carver High School. Slam was forced to transfer to Latimer High School due to his grades and because his mother wanted him top get a better education. Latimer High School is a predominately a white school.
Slam has many friends. One of his friends nickname is Ice. Slam and Ice are really close friends. They went to Carver High School together. There is one thing that bothers Slam about Ice. Ice sells drugs. Slam does not how to cope with this. Ice and Slam have the same career goals. Both young men want to go to the NBA and play when they are older. Slam and Ice love the sport of basketball.
Mtisha is a girl that went to school at Carver with Slam and Ice. Mtisha knows that Ice sells drugs and feels the same way that Slam does. Mtisha is afraid of Slam liking another girl because Mtisha likes him a lot. She helps Slam in math because that is one subject that he is doing bad in. Mtisha and her mom go to the Hospital to check on Slam’s grandmother. Mtisha’s mom is close friends with Slam’s mom and grandmother.
Slam has many conflicts with the people around him. Slam has a problem with his basketball coach because Slam does not play the way the coach wants him to play. Derek loses Slam’s video camera and Slam has to find it. Slam has a problem with him self because he wont get his grades up. Slam could give up playing basketball because of his grades.

"Bucking the Sarge" By: Christopher Paul Curtis

The main characters in the book are Luther Farrell and the Sarge, Luther’s mom. Luther is a studious type of person who wants to learn and study philosophy. He is very interested in winning the science year for the third year in a row against the love of his life, Shayla Patrick. Instead of following his dream of becoming a philosopher, the Sarge is making him bus people from group homes the Sarge owns back and forth. The Sarge also makes him clean up rental homes and run a group home. The Sarge is a power hungry business owner who is more concerned about herself rather than her son. She does illegal things such as giving Luther a driver’s license, even though he is 15, to bus people around.
The book, “Bucking the Sarge” has many conflicts. The main character, Luther Farrell, is facing off with his mom, the Sarge, because the Sarge wants Luther to work more hours and Luther rather focus on his dream to be a philosopher. The conflict is that the Sarge is more focused on herself and what she wants Luther to do rather than support what Luther wants to do. When Luther talks to his mom about being a famous philosopher, his mom says that it is impossible for an African American from the City of Flint to become anything special. The Sarge tells Luther that if he wants to be successful, then he should work harder at the group homes so he can someday take of the Sarge’s chain of slum housing. Another conflict in the story is Luther and Sparky, his best friend, trying to get out of Flint, Michigan. Sparky tells Luther, “Flint is nothing but the Titanic; it just brings you down.” Luther and Sparky develop a plan to sue a company and use the money to get out of Flint.
The theme of “Bucking the Sarge” is to follow what you want to do in life and do not let anyone else tell you what you want to do. This theme applies to Luther because the Sarge makes him work in the slum houses she owns rather than what Luther wants to do. When Luther tells his mom how he wants to win the science fair for the third year in a row, the Sarge tells him it is simply not important. The science fair will not get you anywhere in life. The Sarge is carving a path for Luther to take up the slum housing, even though he does not want to, when Luther wants to be a philosopher.
What I like about the book is it shows how Luther overcomes the Sarge pulling him into working all the time. I also like how Sparky starts making smarter decisions and starts wanting to become something in life. What I did not like in the book is how the science fair was incorporated in the book. I thought it was confusing and hard to follow at some parts. Overall, “Bucking the Sarge” is a great book and I recommended students read it.

"Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow" by James Rollins

The themes of Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow would be an archeological theme and a lost and found theme. An archeological theme would fit because the whole book is based around different archeological items. And lost and found because he in way finds his parents. Even though they were killed when they were on an archeological dig in Central America. Jake does find some of the archeological facts and discoveries that his parents made. So he doesn’t find them in a face to face manner but he does find them in a spiritual way or in a professional way.
Some symbols in my book were the symbol of making a difference, never giving up no matter what the circumstances are, being strong mentally and physically, and being a leader. All of these symbols are symbols of Jake. Jake makes a difference by being himself. In school he is teased and sometimes beat up because other kids think that he is weird just because he likes to study artifacts. He also is not a very popular kid in the school. He has one good friend but even the one good friend sometimes thinks that he is a little weird sometimes even though they enjoy doing mostly the same things. Jake also never gives up. Jake is faced with many challenges in the book that test this strength and character. Not once in the book does Jake double think himself or not believe in his own abilities. Jake is strong in both mentally and physically. Just like never giving up Jake must be strong mentally and physically because he is faced with different challenges just to find his parents artifacts and to defeat the Skull King. Finally Jake is a good leader. He always stays strong and he guides the way. With some assistance from the natives. All of these things apply to Jake and they should apply to all people because these are all good attributes to have.
In multiple occasions Jake endures many different conflicts. The obvious conflict is that Jake has no Mom or Dad. Jake must live with his uncle. Also that Jake really doesn’t have any friends until he enters the mysterious land. Once he gets to the museum in London. A few other conflicts that Jake endures are the conflict of escaping the dinosaur. He has no clue where he is but all he knows is that he needs to get the heck away from the dinosaur. Finally he had this conflict since he got to this mysterious land; he needs to find a way home.
There were parts of the book that I liked and disliked. I liked that parts that were somewhat real. The parts I disliked were the fake parts. Me personally I hate fiction books. I would much rather read about something that actually happened rather than reading about things that can physically happen or just are made up things. Such as the witch on a broom stick or a ghost that haunts people. To me Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow was a fake book rather than a real book to me. But if you enjoy reading fiction books then you will like this book. Any one in high school can read this book. I am very glad that I am done with the book.

"Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow" by James Rollins

The themes of Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow would be an archeological theme and a lost and found theme. An archeological theme would fit because the whole book is based around different archeological items. And lost and found because he in way finds his parents. Even though they were killed when they were on an archeological dig in Central America. Jake does find some of the archeological facts and discoveries that his parents made. So he doesn’t find them in a face to face manner but he does find them in a spiritual way or in a professional way.
Some symbols in my book were the symbol of making a difference, never giving up no matter what the circumstances are, being strong mentally and physically, and being a leader. All of these symbols are symbols of Jake. Jake makes a difference by being himself. In school he is teased and sometimes beat up because other kids think that he is weird just because he likes to study artifacts. He also is not a very popular kid in the school. He has one good friend but even the one good friend sometimes thinks that he is a little weird sometimes even though they enjoy doing mostly the same things. Jake also never gives up. Jake is faced with many challenges in the book that test this strength and character. Not once in the book does Jake double think himself or not believe in his own abilities. Jake is strong in both mentally and physically. Just like never giving up Jake must be strong mentally and physically because he is faced with different challenges just to find his parents artifacts and to defeat the Skull King. Finally Jake is a good leader. He always stays strong and he guides the way. With some assistance from the natives. All of these things apply to Jake and they should apply to all people because these are all good attributes to have.
In multiple occasions Jake endures many different conflicts. The obvious conflict is that Jake has no Mom or Dad. Jake must live with his uncle. Also that Jake really doesn’t have any friends until he enters the mysterious land. Once he gets to the museum in London. A few other conflicts that Jake endures are the conflict of escaping the dinosaur. He has no clue where he is but all he knows is that he needs to get the heck away from the dinosaur. Finally he had this conflict since he got to this mysterious land; he needs to find a way home.
There were parts of the book that I liked and disliked. I liked that parts that were somewhat real. The parts I disliked were the fake parts. Me personally I hate fiction books. I would much rather read about something that actually happened rather than reading about things that can physically happen or just are made up things. Such as the witch on a broom stick or a ghost that haunts people. To me Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow was a fake book rather than a real book to me. But if you enjoy reading fiction books then you will like this book. Any one in high school can read this book. I am very glad that I am done with the book.

"Rules" By Cynthia Lord

This novel is all about conflicts. The main character, Catherine, is constantly arguing with almost every character she encounters, including herself. Towards the end of the novel Catherine realizes that she is the cause of all the conflicts.

The first conflict Catherine comes to encounter is the long lasting conflict with her brother, David. David has autism and he often embarrasses Catherine. Catherine thinks that David is like the devil or something and wants to purposely ruin her life, more specifically her relationships with people. But in reality, David physically can not control what he does, his brain will not allow him to. She begins to think of these rules for him to follow so that maybe, he can attempt to follow these rules and try not to embarrass Catherine.

The second conflict Catherine encounters is the conflict with her parents. Catherine, her mom, and her dad trained themselves to rebuild and revolve their lives around David and his needs, and although Catherine loves her brother, she is totally sick of this life style. Catherine believes that her needs have become almost completely inexistent to her parents and that they really do not seem to notice her anymore. She feels that her needs are hidden by David’s needs.

The next conflict Catherine finds herself in is with Jason and Kristi. Jason is a mentally handicapped boy who is mute and uses a book with cards that have words on them to speak because he can not do it himself. He also is in a wheelchair. She lies to him constantly about her “new neighbor friend”, Kristi. Catherine has not yet told Kristi that Jason is handicapped. She just knows that Jason is this boy whom Catherine spends much of her time with. So whenever Jason asks to meet Kristi, Catherine always makes up lame excuses so that she may not be caught in her lies. In the end, Catherine is caught and she feels terrible about it. Jason and Kristi both end up forgiving her, though.