This fifth book in the Starcatchers series takes the series in an entirely different direction. When Sarah and Aiden Cooper stumble upon a mysterious coded document in a secret compartment of a newly purchased antique desk, deciphering it seems like harmless fun. When deciphering the document leads them to the discovery that the characters in the Starcatchers series are real and that Never Land and the evil Ombra actually exist, their harmless fun turns into a life and death adventure that spans two continents and involves a bridge through time and space. 

I had not read the Starcatchers series before reading this novel, but I really didn’t have to. I was familiar with the basic premise, and that was enough to get me through the parts that referenced other elements of the series. I enjoyed the adventure, the link to Einstein, and the good versus evil elements of this novel, but some things required more suspension of disbelief than I was willing to give. I had to keep reminding myself that Sarah and Aiden were high school students since it seemed as though they acted more like middle school students. It also seemed implausible that a 17-year old and a 15-year old could elude their parents, the police, the FBI, and a private investigator for as long as they did, and the fact that the authors brought Disney World into this story makes me suspicious that they are somehow going to combine their Kingdom Keepers series with their Starcatchers series. Nevertheless, I recommend this book to fans of both series.

Recommended for grades 5-12. For more information, visit Peter and the Starcatchers.

In this final book of The Maze Runner trilogy (although there is a prequel coming in August 2012), WICKED (World in Catastrophe, Killzone Experiment Department) wants to stop lying and playing twisted psychological games with the Maze and Scorch survivors. They need everyone’s cooperation to help complete the final blueprint for the Flare’s cure. In order to do that, though, they need to give the subjects their memories back, but Thomas and some of the others don’t trust WICKED enough to give them yet another opportunity to mess with their brains. Thomas, Newt, Minho, Brenda, and Jorge escape to Denver to join forces with The Right Arm, a revolutionary group whose mission is to destroy WICKED. When it becomes apparent that the Flare has taken over most of the population and that The Right Arm may be as insane as the organization they are trying to destroy, Thomas finds himself once again struggling with questions of right vs. wrong, good vs. evil, and greater good vs. individual rights.  

As was the case with the other two books in this series, The Death Cure raises more questions than it answers. I was left scratching my head, wondering if the author deliberately left the ending ambiguous in order to open the door for either a fourth book or a spin-off series, or if he wanted to leave us feeling frustrated and filled with questions. I wasn’t expecting a happily-ever-after ending, but it would have been nice to have some closure. 

Recommended for grades 9-12. For more information, visit James Dashner.

Submitted by Thalia, 10th grade.

Author Laini Taylor introduces readers to the world of magic, monsters, and forbidden love. The main character, Karou, doesn’t know who her parents were, why she has tattoos of eyes on her hands, or even why Brimstone (the only father she has ever known, who just happens to be part human, part beast) always has her going to exotic places to get teeth. Yes, teeth. She does know that she can speak many languages. She has bright blue hair and her ex-boyfriend cheated on her and now wants her back. During one of her trips to get teeth from an old friend, she runs into trouble with an angel. Alekari knows that teeth trading is on the rise and is trying to stop it; even if that means roughing the teeth traders up a bit. 

This book was okay. I loved the entire “I’ll kick your butt” attitude, and when her ex-boyfriend dumped her, she wasn’t all sad and mopey (like other characters…ahem…Bella). But I didn’t like the whole teeth thing. If the author had talked about a black box or something, I would have liked it more. I would recommend this book for people who love supernatural stories with romance and magical creatures.

For more information, visit Laini Taylor.

Submitted by Bobbie, 11th grade.

Hope Long is the only person who believes that her brother did not murder Coach Johnson. She thinks the police didn’t try hard enough to find other suspects. Since her brother, Jeremy, hasn’t talked in nine years, she has to find the murderer on her own. Getting stalked and falling in love, can Hope find the true murderer before Jeremy Long’s trial is over?

I really loved this book. I would recommend it to people who love a good mystery. This book really opened up my mind to new possibilities…an unspeakable crime, a voiceless defendant…amazing.


For more information, visit Dandi Daley Mackall.