The Secret Journal of Brett Colton by Kay Lynn Mangum

 
 808    821
Rating: ****
Genre: Realistic fiction, religious, Mormon literature
Series: No sequel, but there's a companion book containing two guest apperances.
     Kathy can't stand her brother Brett, even though he died when he was seventeen and she was two. Her family talks about him as if he were a touchdown scoring martyr. He stared in his school play and became the first sophmore to play quarterback for varsity. Now it's Kathy's sophmore year. She's forced to tutor Jason West, the second sophmore to play quarterback for varsity. In addition to being an obnoxious jock, Jason is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon), which happens to be the church Brett investigated before his death.
     On Kathy's sixteenth birthday, she finds a journal Brett kept for her. As Kathy reads the entries between trying to raise her grade in theater class and sorting out her feelings for Jason, she can't help but grow closer to Brett.
     Mangum's characters are unique. Brett and Jason aren't your stereotypical dumb jocks, Kathy is more than a quiet, book-loving girl. Brett's entries tie in with and add drama to whatever Kathy happens to be doing at the moment.
     Though is one of those young adult books that can appeal to a wide age range. I first read it in fourth grade, but I can see adults enjoying it. Though set and published in Utah, The Secret Journal of Brett Colton is applicable to the lives of people everywhere.

Like what you read? Check out my other blog, ourvoiceteen.blogspot.com.

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

 
Rating: *****
Genre: Realistic fiction, humor
Pages: 271
Annika's little brother, Jeremy, is dying from cancer. When he wishes for his favorite TV star to visit him before his operation, she will not say no. Annika patches together an insane plan that will involve breaking a few traffic laws, ugly hair nets, a live python, and one very handsome actor.
What I liked most about this book is Rallison's creativity. She doesn't write about a cat when she needs an animal, she'll use a python. Once again, she has created a character who's not too stupid, not too smart. None of Annika's ideas-no matter how well thought out-works the way she would hope. Either solutions come with a twist, or she's forced to replan. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes humor, practical solutions, and romance (there's a hunky actor. What did you expect?).

Twins by Caroline B. Cooney

 
                              
     Warning: This is a scary (but completely clean) book. You might not want to read this if you are afraid of rats, drowning, or ice.
Rating: ****
Genre: horror, realistic fiction, and the slightest dash of paranormal
Pages: 183
     Mary Lee has always been close with her sister, Madrigal. After all, they're twins. But when Mary Lee is sent away to boarding school, she becomes withdrawn and depressed. Madrigal becomes the most well known girl in school and even scores a boyfriend. Mary Lee wishes she could live Madrigal's life.
     When a bizarre twist of fate gives Mary Lee her wish, she discovers things she never wanted to know about Madrigal. Something is definitely up with her boyfriend, and why does everyone at school seem to be afraid of her?
     The beginning was a little boring for me, since it summarizes several months in the first two chapters. But the final chapters had me on the clutching the book and muttering, "Get out of the car, Mary Lee. Get out of the car now." This is a horror book, yes, but it all comes together with a good theme.

Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright

 
 Stars: ****
Genre: Realistic fiction
Pages: 122
Series: The book has one sequel, Christmas Jars Reunion
    Christmas is looking grim for newspaper writer Hope Jensen.  In addition to her mother's death, she comes home on Christmas Eve to find her apartment has been robbed. But as she waits for the police, Hope discovers a jar filled with coins somebody left for her. After talking to other jar recipients, she finds the family behind it and wants to turn them into the story of the century. She knows they want to remain anonymous, so she pretends to be a high school student doing a report on their family business. But as the Maxwells welcome her into their family, she wonders if it's right to expose the acts of kindness they've kept secret for so many years.
     Christmas Jars is a short, heartwarming novel with a good message you won't forget soon. Plus, it makes a great Christmas gift.

The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman

  
Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Genre: Realistic fiction, humor
Pages: 317
     Gil's dad used to work for The Golly Toy and Game Company before he was fired thanks to a misunderstanding. Now the entire town is against Gil's family and he wants nothing more than to move. But without his dad's job, the only way they could get enough money is for Gil to win the Gollywhopper Games, hosted by his least favorite toy company. To win, he'll have to get past complicated word puzzles, multiple choice questions, cheating contestants, complicated physical challanges, a company owner who doesn't want him there, and one very large toy gorilla.
     The Gollywhopper Games is a fun, humorous light read. I read most of it in one day, but I'm a fast reader and that was a very boring day. If you're looking for a fun read, pick this one up.

The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John H. Ritter

    

   Rating: *****
   Genres: Sports, realistic fiction
       Pages: 216
I am not a baseball fan. When my parents drag me to one of my brothers' games, I bring a book. But that didn't stop me from loving The Boy Who Saved Baseball. Dillontown has always been a dusty old town in the middle of the California desert, completely unremarkable aside from the way town life revolves around baseball. But as soon as Doc, the baseball field's owner, sells his land to developers, Dillontown will become just another urban sprawl. None of the kids want their beloved baseball field cleared, so Tom tries to talk Doc out of selling. Doc agrees  to keep Dillontown as it is-if the baseball team can win their next game. That would be a good plan, except
1: The other team has a lot more practice
2: And better equipment
3: Dillontown's team sucks (especially Tom)
4: Everybody blames Tom for the impossible odds
5: The game is in exactly one week
That means Tom has seven days to put together a brilliant training program, convince a reclusive former baseball star to coach his team, work up the courage to talk to his crush, and defy an ancient Death and Doom prophecy hinting they might lose the game.
I have to admit that when my parents first popped in the audiobook, I thought, so what if their old baseball field gets the bulldozer? They can build a new, not-so-broken one. But as the book went on, I was able to see what made Dillontown so special, why the rugged, barren landscape mattered. And, most importantly, why a team of ten kids are willing to fight so hard for their town and field.
 Tom is a shy, quiet protagonist. There were times when I was so preoccupied with Crux, a mysterious stranger who rides into town (literally) and brings his superb baseball skills with him, that I almost forgot Tom existed.
If I can be so completely drawn into a book about a sport I don't particularly care about, I think you will enjoy it, too. 

The Billionaire's Curse

   Rating: ***1/2
   Genre: Realistic fiction, fantasy
   Pages: 352
   Series: First of a trilogy. Are all series trilogies nowadays?
  Gerald is a normal Australian boy who enjoys drawing, rock climbing, and staring at a special girl in his history class. But everything changes when his parents get him from school to fly halfway around the world to a great aunt he never met. It turns out that Great Aunt Geraldine (his parents name him Gerald to suck up to her) was very, very, very, rich and left most of her fortune to Gerald. This makes Gerald's parents very happy. They get on Gerald's new yacht to go to Gerald's new island in the Caribbean and leave him in the care of his new creepy butler. Even worse, it seems that Geraldine was murdered, and she left him a mystery to solve. Now Gerald and his new British friends, Sam and Ruby, are racing across England through mansions and secret underground tunnels. They only have a few days to solve a mystery involving the world's largest diamond, Gerald's strange magical powers, and a strange, skinny man with a knife.
     What I love most about this book is how the author was able to mix in a dash of magic without making the story revolve around fantasy. I also enjoyed the action and comedy. Who knew Ruby's gymnastics skills could come in handy while sneaking into a mansion?

Like what you read? Check out my other blog, ourvoiceteen.blogspot.com.