The Maze of Bones

This is the first book in the 39 Clues series. I had read another (maybe the sixth?) and wanted to read the series. It's a fun story about a family that is in search of great power. There are thirty-nine clues that will lead there and only one winner. This story follows two kids that are underdogs in getting those clues. They follow the clues all over the world, and I look forward to seeing what happens to them.

Marcelo in the Real World

I thought that this book was really interesting. (Although it has some language that I didn't appreciate!) It's about a teenage boy that has something close to Asperger's syndrome. He has to leave his world where he is comfortable in order to work in the "real world." This leads to many new experiences and adjustments in his life. It's really interesting to read his point of view in this story.

Extras

I just finished Extras the other day. It was alright, but I think that I like the previous three better than this one. It doesn't have the same main characters as the previous books, so it's kind of its own story. I guess that I just felt like the story was really two plots. I don't know. If you like the series, you'll like this - I just don't think as well.

Specials

This is another book in the Uglies series of books. This one was good like the others. Again, the futuristic society in which the story takes place is an interesting picture of what life could be like due to the ways that we are living now.

The Book Thief

This was an excellent book! I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. It takes place in Germany during World War II and is about a young girl that becomes the book thief. It's a really inspiring story that gives hope. I loved the way that the story was written. It's narrated by a really interesting and important character. Read it!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

This is another book by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith. I sat and chuckled the whole way through it, as well as a few belly-laughs. Like Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, this was another creative take on the classic Austen novels. You can't help but like a book where the Bennet sisters have trained in China so that they can fight zombies! Seriously, if you like a quirky book, you'll thoroughly enjoy this one.

Uglies & Pretties

These two books are in the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. I listened to Uglies on CD a little bit ago and I just finished reading Pretties. These are pretty good books for young adults. I really like reading something that portrays a different type of world. I'll surely read the next two: Specials and Extras.

The Actor and the Housewife

I read this book in just a couple of days. I normally don't love the LDS storyline-type book-thingie. You know, it's mostly the "I've converted to the gospel and now everything in my life falls perfectly into place" plot that I can't really buy into. (Not that that's not the case and all, but, you know!) Although this is about a "mormon mom," it's not all preachy or anything. There was some banter that wasn't very realistic, but it kept me pretty entertained until the end. At first I wasn't sure I liked the way that it ended, but ultimately I did like how it ended.

The Lost Symbol

This book by Dan Brown is a great follow-up to DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons. Another Langdon mystery that's full of mystery, action, and lots of symbols, of course. This book has a lot of really interesting information about numerous places in Washington, D.C. If you liked the others, you'll like this one as well.

Pirate Latitudes

I just read Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton. It was found, complete, on his computer, after his death. It was a pretty good read. I think that I liked the beginning and the ending the best. The middle was a little bit slow for me. If you like a good pirate story, you'd like this one. It's a pretty good, quick read!