#9 Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk

Title: Snuff


Author: Chuck Palahniuk


Page Count: 197


Genre(s): Humor, pornography, sexual intercourse, fiction


Publisher: Doubleday


Rating: 3.5/5


Summary: Famous porn star Cassie Wright is out to make pornography-film history: sleeping with six hundred men on camera. Mr. 72, 137, and 600, three participants in Wright's gigantic effort, go through the motions of their past histories with erotic films, personal struggle, and feelings on being part of history.


Review: All right adults and parents, send the kids as far out of the room as possible for this one--Palahniuk has done it again! Join in on this story with his colorful cast of porn-star wannabes and scandalous secrets. The book can be a little repetitive and dry, but all in all not too bad.


Where to Buy (Online only): Amazon, Borders

#8 Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Title: Speak


Author: Laurie Halse Anderson


Page Count: 195


Genre(s): Romance, adolescent, hurt, high school, fiction


Publisher: Penguin Group


Rating: 5/5


Summary: Melinda Sordino was a normal high school-freshmen-to-be when she and her friends crash a popular high school party where she becomes instantly close to a boy who commits the unthinkable when no one looks. Now her high school days are full of dread as her fellow peers torment her and she struggles to re-find her voice and speak the truth.


Review: For anyone whose high school years were anything but perfect, this touching story will break your heart and give you courage to speak up for yourself as it explores the dark side of high school life.


Where to Buy (Online only): Amazon, Borders, Penguin Group

#7 Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Title: Flipped


Author: Wendelin Van Draanen


Page Count: 212


Genre(s): Romance, adolescent, humor, fiction


Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf


Rating: 4/5


Summary: Join Bryce and Julianna, two middle school students and neighbors, as they travel on a topsy-turvy pathway of young adolescent love and break up.


Review: I have never, in my long history of reading (believe it or not), read a book written this way and written this way nicely. It's a highly adorable and undoubtly sweet and endearing story on first love from an extremely young age and how unpredictable and unnecessarily dramatic it can be.


Where to Buy (Online only): Amazon, Borders

#6 The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

Title: The Memory Keeper's Daughter


Author: Kim Edwards


Page Count: 401


Genre(s): Romance, drama, hurt, family, fiction


Publisher: Penguin Books


Rating: 5/5


Summary: Successful doctor David Henry and beautiful wife Norah are about to have their first child. During a cold and snowy night in March, Norah goes into labor and David is forced to deliver his new child in his own clinic only to discover what a beautiful discovery is usually for a new parent: unexpected twins. The boy is perfect and the image of good health, however the girl is anything but. The diagnosis is clear: Down's syndrome. In order to protect his wife from emotional harm David orders his nurse to take the baby away to an institution, setting in motion the wheel of outrageous events and new, scattered lives.


Review: By far this is one of my favorite books, not just because it takes place close to my home town (Kentucky), but because of the creative emotional plot Kim Edwards was able to create. She went beyond the line most writers nowadays never dare pass by touching on a sensitive but controversial subject, and retelling the cruel truths of the past on how mentally handicapped people were treated.


Where to Buy (Online only): Amazon, Borders, Penguin Group

#5 Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Title: Breaking Dawn


Author: Stephenie Meyer


Page Count: 756


Genre(s): Romance, adolescent, drama, supernatural, action, fiction


Publisher: Little, Brown and Company


Rating: 4.5/5


Summary: The conclusion to the Twilight series and the rollercoaster ride of Bella and Edward's love story. Bella and Edward recently graduated from high school and are ready to spend the rest of their lives together through sweet peace when more enemies from the past threaten to harm the symbol of their love, forcing Jacob's pack and Edward's family and friends to join up and protect Bella. Will Edward, Bella and the object born from their love survive, or will they devastatingly fall victim to the Volturi's brutal and unjust onslaught?


Review: Wow, this book wasn't bad, but completely out of left field. Unfortunately, there's a little too much chit-chat occupying the majority of this book, but once the Volturi send the unspoken warning that they are coming to pay the Cullens a "visit" the plot really starts to boom and you'll find yourself staying awake into the wee hours of the night reading the conclusion to this world wide phenomenon, nailing biting and rapid heart beat included.


Where to Buy (Online only): Amazon, Borders

#4 Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Title: Eclipse


Author: Stephenie Meyer


Page Count: 629


Genre(s): Romance, adolescent, drama, supernatural, action, fiction


Publisher: Little, Brown and Company


Rating: 5/5


Summary: The continuation of the Twilight series, the third installment tells the story of Edward and Bella rebuilding their once destroyed relationship as he and Jacob quarrel over Bella's affection. Meanwhile, a vampire from the past threatens to try once more to destroy Bella, forcing Edward and Jacob to join together to protect the one they love.


Review: This was one of my favorite books featured in the Twilight series, however it becomes a little predictable towards the middle. But the storyline towards the end of the book will be quite pleasing for those who are strong supporters of Team Edward (like myself), and nerve-wracking to read the next story. Another wonderful read.


Where to Buy (Online only): Amazon, Borders

#3 New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Title: New Moon


Author: Stephenie Meyer


Page Count: 563


Genre(s): Romance, adolescent, drama, supernatural, action, fiction


Publisher: Little, Brown and Company


Rating: 4.5/5


Summary: The continuation of Twilight, just as Bella and Edward’s relationship begins to blossom, a terrible accident at a birthday party to rip their love to shreds. And as Bella starts to reunite with her childhood friend Jacob Black, could he too be hiding a super natural secret?


Review: Honestly, of the whole Twilight series, this is not one of my favorite books. It's awfully depressing for a generous amount of the book, with some repetition, but once you get to about the half-way mark, things begin to pick up and it becomes a deliciously addictive installment to the series.


Where to Buy (Online only): Amazon, Borders

#2 Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Title: Twilight


Author: Stephenie Meyer


Page Count: 497


Genre(s): Romance, adolescent, drama, supernatural, action, fiction


Publisher: Little, Brown and Company


Rating: 5/5


Summary: Bella Swan leaves her home state of Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington where she meets the elusive and highly attractive Edward Cullen who appears human but turns out to be something more, dragging Bella in a whirl-wind of danger.


Review: Okay, need I go into too much description with this book? It's the latest teenage craze sweeping not just the nation but the entire world through the Twilight series books, movies, and memorabilia. A very exceptional story, it's a great read that brings you to your feet and causes you to cheer Bella and Edward on out loud!


Where to Buy (Online only): Amazon, Borders

#1: The Mist by Stephen King

Title: The Mist (originally a novella in Skeleton Crew)


Author: Stephen King


Page Count: 230


Genre(s): Horror, fiction


Publisher: Signet


Rating: 4/5


Summary: What appears to be a normal summer storm turns out to be the oncoming of something surreal and hellish as a small town takes on an apocalyptic event...


Review: Fantastic! It's sort of a typical Stephen King story (a grotesque phenomenon with plenty of character sacrifice and horror), but regardless it's highly entertaining, which more than makes up for its short length. Worth the money spent, especially if you're a big fan of early Stephen King novels.


Where to Buy (Online only): Amazon, Borders, Penguin Group