The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman

I've read many reviews for The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman. It has been included on several "Best of 2012" lists, including starred reviews, but I have to be honest in saying, I wasn't that impressed. I suppose it deserves kudos for not being an over-the-top teen romance. There are no explicit teen love scenes; there is no love at first sight moment. We simply follow Jen and Wes through their typical days, watch them become friends, feel their loneliness when Jen's family moves away. We also worry a bit about Wes as he saves and plots to drive to Jen's new home with a surprise visit. When they have their more tender moments when you think something more just might happen, it doesn't. Of course, that's how real life is. Only in movies and books do we see the love at first sight, highly romantic, sexually charged stories that we may think are real.

If you want to read about a young love as it unfolds naturally, as you and your friends may actually experience finding a boyfriend or girlfriend, becoming best friends, dating and sharing hopes and dreams with each other, than this is the book for you.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ranson Riggs

Odd. Weird. Strange. Eccentric. Dark. Peculiar. Not only are the children peculiar in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs but so is the entire story. Yet, the story didn't start out so odd but it sure did become strange for me the more I read. By that point, I needed to finish it although I will admit that I began skipping pages just to get to the end.

Jacob Portman is a sixteen year old whose life is less than exciting. He's missing his grandfather Portman who passed away leaving behind fantastical stories and the vintage photographs of the people in his stories. Jacob feels a need to unravel the truth behind his grandfather's stories and that's where this novel becomes eccentric and dark.

Author Riggs' premise is unique - to develop a story around actual cherished, found vintage photographs of peculiar situations and people. Those photos are interspersed throughout the book and are integral to the story. I was in constant wonder how Riggs selected and developed the story assuming he began with the photographs. But why? Was he so intrigued by them that he felt they could enthrall readers? The cover is haunting but in this day of digital photography, not unimaginable.

This has been a New York Times bestseller and included on numerous "Best Books" lists. I selected it for the BHS MCtr collection based on those accolades and stellar book reviews. Now it's your turn to step into this story with the peculiar children and peculiar story line. I'll be waiting in the media center to hear what you thought.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

A Christmas Carol (ebook) by Charles Dickens

It's time for some Christmas reading - online! There are many publications that are no longer copyright protected, it has expired. These books are now in the public domain. Without the protection of copyright, they can often be found online in full text. That has been the work of Project Gutenberg. From their website: Project Gutenberg offers over 40,000 free ebooks. Choose among free epub books, free kindle books, download them or read them online. We carry high quality ebooks. All our ebooks were previously published by bona fide publishers. We digitized and diligently proofread them with the help of thousands of volunteers.

With all that freedom to use as one wants, a diligent librarian created digital bibliographic records of these free ebooks then shared the records with other librarians. Our BHS library catalog, Destiny, has them. You can search Destiny for all the ebooks or do as I just did, search for ebooks on the subject of Christmas! I discovered that we have these classic ebooks:

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore

All of the Project Gutenberg books can be viewed through your web browser or downloaded to most e-reader devices including the Nook and the Kindle. Be sure to search the collection of ebooks in Destiny. These classics are surely a step back in time.

Merry Christmas!

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Never Play Checkers With a Leapfrog by Todd Day

Need a great book as a gift for kids, tweens, teens, adults, and fun folks? Here's the best deal around. Brighton High grad and current teacher, Todd Day, one of our highly creative types, has published this book of poetry. Love Shel Silverstein? Remember reading our first Children's Poet Laureate, Jack Prelutsky? Todd is following in their footsteps with this charmer - Never Play Checkers With a Leapfrog. Don't wait!

For details on his Brighton Barnes and Noble book signing and online retailers, follow this Facebook link.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard

Honestly, aren't there enough books already written about the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln? Isn't the evidence there as to who killed him and why? The answers: No and No.

History buff or not, you'll be immersed in this story of Lincoln's assassination - Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. It's the style in which it is written, rather than the facts unveiled, that make this an enjoyable and informative read. It reads like a suspenseful thriller outlining the day-by-day, hour-by-hour events beginning with the final days of the Civil War and culminating with the sentencing and execution of assassin, John Wilkes Booth, and his accomplices.

The story alternates between Lincoln's and Booth's days. The bedraggled Union and Confederate armies challenges. The jubilation taking place in Washington, D.C. as word spread of General Lee's surrender. The world of theatre and acting that provided Booth with the opportunity to move freely through Ford's Theatre plotting the assassination.

Bonus: The appendix includes a reprint of the April 29, 1865 edition of Harper's Weekly, a news magazine of that time, exclusively covering the assassination and death of President Lincoln. The sense of loss felt by the nation is apparent.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Num8ers by Rachel Ward

Psychic Powers - Terrorism - Misfits - Fugitives - Romance - Gritty - Foster Child - Riveting - Thriller: All elements to be found in Num8ers by Rachel Ward.

Jem and Spider, are fifteen year old classmates who become friends because they each need a friend. They are both on the fringe in their school, not easily liked by others. Although Jem has kept her psychic power to herself, she is withdrawn from making connections to people because when she looks them in the eye, she sees a date. 12152010 - 3242034 - 6122051. Can you tell what these number combinations are? Look closely for a pattern. They are dates - the date in which the person she is looking at will die. Yes, Jem knows the date of death for everyone she meets. What a burden! Even as she connects with Spider and their friendship becomes a relationship, she knows the exact date that he will die.

While in London, the story's setting, Jem and Spider visit London's Eye Ferris wheel. She notices that several people in the crowd have the same date of death - that day. She tries to make sense of that when suddenly she knows that she and Spider must leave immediately. Within moments, a terrorist attack happens and people are killed. Security cameras reveal two teens fleeing the scene just before the explosion so the police are hot on their trail. Jem and Spider's adventure begins as they avoid capture by the police heading into the countryside. With little food, no shelter, stolen cars, and a wad of cash Spider has stolen, the pair plan their new life.

The thrills will keep you on the edge of your seat. The love will warm your heart. The ending will surprise you. This is a 5 star read so find a copy and enjoy!

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

The setting is New York City, 2083. NYC is not what it used to be. Central Park is almost nonexistent. Chocolate and coffee are illegal to own, water is rationed, and crime is on the rise - especially underground crime. Mafia families still rule crime which in 2083, chocolate is the commodity that draws criminal activity and Anya's family deals in chocolate. In Gabrielle Zevin's All These Things I've Done, Anya and Win are star-crossed lovers trying to find moments together. Anya's father is the NYC Mafia boss who has been killed. She lives with her aging, ill grandmother, her mentally impaired brother, and a younger sister. Win's father is the rising assistant district attorney who prefers that they not see each other. While Win's father helps Anya, as a reader, I couldn't trust him. I was concerned that he was always looking out for his best interest under the cloak of helping Anya. At times I wasn't sure that I could trust Win either. Zevin, the author, sets the reader up to question everyone's motive. Trust is not to be found between characters in this exciting read.

There are parallels in All These Things I've Done to The Hunger Games. They both are science fiction stories in a future United States where life has drastically changed. Anya, like Katniss, is a strong character protecting her family and providing for their needs. The love that Anya and Win share is like that shared between Katniss and Peeta. Recently I learned that All These Things I've Done is the first in a trilogy as well - The Birthright Trilogy. I know there are tales to unfold as this well written story continues.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm