Ron Kovic’s book left me feeling horrified. The treatment of Vietnam veterans by medical personnel and the general public was shameful. I followed Kovic on his journey from patriotic American for the Vietnam War to patriotic American against the Vietnam War, and all war. Kovic explains the battle in which he was wounded at the very end of the book.

102 Minutes tells a riveting tale of “the unforgettable story of the fight to survive inside the twin towers.”  I watched a lot of the specials on TV for the tenth anniversary and was familiar with some of the survival stories.  The most fascinating part of the book was the 1968 fire code which reduced the number of stairwells required in tall buildings. (Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn page 109)

This is a very Russian book. Benioff’s telling of the siege of Leningrad in World War II is both hilarious and chilling. Lev Beniov is the story’s hero. He is thrown in jail and then sent on a quest to find a dozen eggs. I really felt like I was there during the siege, battling the Nazis. This was historical fiction at its best.

Steve Jobs’ biography by Walter Isaacson is powerful. I have bought as many Apple products as Microsoft products. The first computer I bought was an Apple IIe and then a Macintosh. It was fascinating to read about the development of the Apple machines and operating systems and Jobs’ devotion to “make great products.” Currently I own an iPod and an iPhone. I really enjoy using both of them because they are user friendly. Jobs was both an entrepreneur and an artist. Jobs wrote, “People don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” Jobs was incredible at showing us the good stuff!

Leviathan takes place in an alternate world at the start of World War I. Darwinists are able to create a huge airship which is really an ecosystem, a “fabricated beastie.” Opposing the Darwinists are the Clankers who have incredible mechanical walking machines. The two main characters are fifteen year old Deryn and Alek.  Deryn is disguised as a boy so that she can volunteer for the British Navy as an airman. Alek is an Austrian prince trained in war. Alek and Deryn become allies.

Keith Thompson is the illustrator and his drawings add to the realism. The genetically engineered animals would be hard to comprehend without his drawings.

Westerfeld has written some masterful fight scenes for both Alek and Deryn.

This book gave me the creeps, but I loved it. This modern medical mystery by Richard Preston made me realize how we are connected to other primates. Through sheer luck an extremely contagious virus from Central Africa was contained in a Washington, D.C. primate lab. We may not be so lucky next time.

Miguel gets sent to Juvi for one year. He ends up in a group home and decides to run away with two other teenagers. His journey ends up being a healing process. He starts reading books in the group home and he takes some books with him when the three escape. (I love it when the hero reads a lot!)

The judge has instructed him to write in a journal and Miguel enjoys the experience of writing. The novel is written as Miguel’s diary. As the three boys make their way down the California coast each one comes to terms with his problems. Matt de la Pena's book is heart wrenching as the boys’ crimes  are revealed.

This is a funny coming-of-age novel.  Liam is seventeen and his father throws him out of the house.  It seems Liam can do nothing right. He goes to live with his gay uncle to finish high school. There are some unresolved issues in Liam’s life. Should he be true to himself or continue trying to please his father?

Kelly Going has written an insightful, hilarious novel about the complex relationship between a teen and his father.

This novel tells the story of a school shooting and its aftermath. Valerie’s boyfriend Nick shoots students at the end of his junior year. Valerie believed her “hate list” was an imaginary list, not a list Nick would take action on. Valerie goes through therapy and through flashbacks we see the Nick that she loved. Jennifer Brown’s book makes me cry and see how harmful bullying can be.

Emma Clayton has written a science fiction thriller! Mika lives in a future London where there are no animals because of the Animal Plague. Mika’s twin sister is kidnapped and the story follows his quest to find her when everyone else thinks she is dead. The Secret is revealed at the end of the book which makes the reader demand a sequel. One of my cadets read this and begged me to purchase the series. The Roar and The Whisper make up this series.