Book Reviews by Montabella High School Students

If you thought the Hunger Games was a good book, wait until you read Catching Fire. Catching Fire, written by Suzanne Collins, is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. This is a non-stop thriller that will keep you wanting more. Katniss and Peeta thought all would be back to normal when they got back from the arena, but her defiance toward the Capitol has set off a spark that won’t be easy to fix. Now it’s up to Katniss to prove to the people of Panem that her act of defiance was because of her love towards Peeta.  Now that the 75^th Hunger Games is coming up District 12 now has two new mentors that are sure to be help to the next tributes. And this year announces the 3^rd Quarter Quell that leaves an unexpected twist that will surely have you on the edge of your seat.

                I would recommend this book to anyone who has read the first novel and wants more. I would give it a four out of a four star rating because of its surprising twists and gut-wrenching ending. It keeps you on edge with its horrific battles and its unexpected visits from President Snow. Katniss and Peeta are meeting and teaming up with new people to overthrow the government. And you don’t want to miss this.

“Luke gets inside now.” Luke has been hearing this all his life, but this time it was different. He knew he would probably never be able to play outside again; he would have to be among the hidden. Among the Hidden, written by Peterson Haddix is the first book in the Shadow Children sequence. It’s an ecstatic novel that will keep you on your toes. Everything seemed horrible in his life until he spots another face in a window where he knows that everyone has left their home. Is this another third child or is Luke just seeing things, and how will he ever know?

                I would recommend this book to young readers because its not as long as other novels but is still a page-turner. I would give this book a 3 out of 4 star rating because of its unique writing style and way of leaving you hanging. Will Luke ever be able to go outside again?

            Stuck in Neutral written by Terry Truman, is a disturbing masterpiece about a 14 year old boy named Shawn McDaniel. Shawn is a young boy diagnosed with a serious disease known as Cerebral Palsy, which causes him and his family great distress. During Shawn’s youth his family split up and his dad left because of Shawn’s disease. Shawn’s dad left to pursue a career in writing and went on to be awarded many different prizes for his work. Ironically the author made the same actions with his son in real life and became a bestselling author as well. This novel takes place in Seattle, Shawn’s hometown along with his mom, his older brother, and his sister. His family is patient with him and very caring at times, his mom still treats him like he is a baby. This is a short novel that is a relatively quick read.

            I would recommend this novel for everyone to know about what Cerebral Palsy is and the pain and anguish it can bring you and your family. This novel is an important read so you can understand what parents feel about their child and what love could drive a parent to think about. I would rate this novel with a 3 out of 4 stars, for the fact it goes into detail about what Shan as an individual or an individual with this disease goes through. Also, it tells you how some parents felt the greatest love of all for their children was to help end their child’s suffering.

          Stuck in Neutral is a boring, no scene book. I have no reason for liking this book. I rate this book a .5/4 stars. The reason for rating this book in such a way is because it has a scattered plot. It does not stay on a simple point in the book about what is happening, what’s the conflict, or even what’s the main reason of this book. You don’t even see a plot or a point in this book until the ending of it.

          This story is about a boy named Shaun and he has CP. Everyone around him thinks he’s slow, but he is very intelligent. He can remember everything he hears. He’s happy the way he is, but his dad is unhappy with his son. Shaun’s dad thinks his son is in terrible pain when actually Shaun feels fine. Shaun then starts to worry about his dad because their relationship is falling apart.  Then his dad has taken a weird interest in a story about a father who murdered his son and Shaun then begins to worry.

With clever wit Bernard Malamud brings back one of the most intriguing stories in baseball history. In “The Natural” Roy Hobbs, a very talented and skilled baseball player is pursuing a position on the Chicago Cubs ball club, until his career is put on halt due to a tragic situation. Hobbs comes back and surprises everybody. Malamud, with many twists and turns tells the story of this phenomenon that seeks redemption.

I recommend this book to anybody who is interested in baseball because of its sensational story centered on early baseball. Not only is it a fictional story, but is also base on a stunning and shocking true story. The climax is sure to have you on the edge of your seat wondering why, and itching to turn the page and see what Roy Hobbs will do. I give this book four out of four stars because of the amazing events that took place in base ball history and the obstacles that Hobbs overcomes to achieve his dream. Obstacles like his career being put on halt and obstacles that only a dedicated and strong baseball player could overcome. “The Natural” was published by scholastic.