Distant Waves: A Novel of the Titanic by Suzanne Weyn

Do you believe there are people who can predict the future? If someone had predicited the sinking of the Titanic, would you have been brave enough to still sail on this ship. The paranormal is a big part of "Distant Waves: A Novel of teh Titanic". This story involves Jane Taylor and her four sisters from the time period from 1898 to 1914. Jane's mother, Maude, is a widow who must find a way to support her family and she does have the "gift" of being able to talk to the dead. The birth of spiritualism which includes seances, tarot cards are a big part of this story. Jane is not quite a believer, but yet things happen that makes her think anything is possible. The five sisters follow a path that leads to them being on the Titanic on its fateful voyage. What happens to them is and what famous people do they meet on this path is a reason to read this book.
One of the nice parts of Distant Waves is the factual information that is woven through the fictional parts and the author fills in the blanks in her author's notes (you could even read these first before the book to get a better feel for the time period)

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Out of body experiences!!! How many of you believe this stuff can really happen? Well for Mia, it is happening right now. What started out as a regular day with her family in Oregon has a drastic turn of events. In Oregon a little snow gets Mia and her little brother, Teddy a snow day. Since their Dad is a teacher, he gets the day off too. Mom does not want to be left out and takes the day off also. The snow is not bad enough to keep them home, so they take off in the car to visit the grandparents and friends. On the way, the family is involved in a serious car accident and Mia is the only survivor with terrible injuries. Mia leaves her body and we follow her from the accident scene to the hospital and she tells us everything that is happening and while she is trying to figure out how this stuff works, she is reflecting back on her life, her family, her boyfriend. Why is she reflecting? Mia needs to make the decision on if she wants to stay alive and return to her body and deal with the loss of her family or should she just let go and join them in death. If you want to find out what Mia decides, you will need to pick up "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman and read it.

Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica

How many of you, guys & girls know what it is like to step into the pocket and wait for that perfect moment to throw the football? Well, Nate Brodie, an eighth grader does and it is what he lives for. That exact moment when he knows when and where to throw the football. If only the rest of his life was as simple. His dad lost a job he loved and is now working two jobs to make ends meet. His mother returned to work to help out. They keep telling Nate that all is ok, but is it really. I know that kids listen when parents don't think they can hear them talking about serious stuff and do kids then believe what the parents have to say. Add to that, Nate's, best friend for like ever, Abby, is losing her eyesight to some disease and it is going faster than expected. To add more pressure, Nate enters and wins a contest that will let him throw a football from 40 yards through a hoop at a New England Patriots game where his hero, Tom Brady plays. What does he get if the ball goes through? A million bucks!!!! What could you do with a million. Now Nate is feeling the pressure that he has to make that throw, to help his family, to help Abby. But all this worrying is hurting his game - he is no longer able to make the passes. What's he to do? To find out if Nate wins the million, gets his game back on track, and what happens to Abby, you will have to pick up the book and read it.

Pigboy by Vicki Grant

Have you ever snickered, giggled, or outright laughed when you heard someone's name? What if your last name was Hogg? Daniel's last name is Hogg and he has heard every joke imaginable with his name. It does not help that Daniel is scrawny in size, wears coke glasses or is blind, and is allergic to almost everything. The class bully Shane just loves to give Daniel grief. Then to top it off, the class field trip this year is to some lame place that his teacher picked. A pig farm that is run in the traditional way - no electricity, no modern equipment - how lame is that??? Shane has already made remarks about the connection to Daniels' last name and the farm. What could get worse? Once the students arrive at the farm, things don't seem right, the farmer, Mr. Van Wert doesn't act like what Daniel thinks a farmer should act like. As a tour guide, this farmer is lousy, but maybe, just maybe he might not be the farmer. Things get mysterious when Daniel needs to leave the group because of his allergies. What does he discover? What is going on at this farm? To find out more, pick up Pigboy and read it.

Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

Have any of you wanted to be a knight from the Medieval Times? In the Kingdom of Araluen, they had an interesting system. If you were an orphan, the kingdom took care of you and when you turned 15, you could choose or be chosen for one of the crafts in the kingdom. Your choices were Battleschool (knighthood), Diplomacy, Chef School, Ranger, plus others, and if none of these worked, you were sent out to the farms to work the fields and grow food for the kingdom. The main characters are Will and Horace, both orphans, but Will was dropped off as an infant and has no clue as to what his parents were like. But Will has dreamed that his father was a knight and had served his country well during the last war against Morgarath. So when the day comes to choose, Will is set for Battleschool. The downside is Will is small and wiry in build, not knight material and it is decided that he should become one of the Rangers. His wardmate, Horace though is selected for Battleschool, leaving a bad taste in Will's feelings for Horace. Will is not even sure what the Rangers do, except they are kept apart from everyone else. So Will goes off with his teacher, Halt, to learn to be an Apprentice. In Book One of the Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan, you will follow Will and Horace as they learn their new trade. At the same time, Morgarath is coming back to get revenge on the Kingdom for his defeat 15 years ago - will he be successful? What part does Will end up taking? What is that the Rangers do for the kingdom? To find out more, you will just have to pick up this book and read it.

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer

ARe you ready for yet another vampire book? How about one with a little bit of a different twist. In Vladimir Tod, you find a hero who was not created, which is what most vampires are, created. You have to be bitten by another vampire to become one. In Vlad's case, he was born. Yes, born a vampire. His father was a vampire who fell in love with a human. They married, hid away from the vampire community and had Vlad. Unfortunately Vlad's parents were killed in a house fire 4 years ago. Vlad now lives with his mother's best friend Nelly who is a nurse and is able to supply Vlad with the blood he needs to eat. His best friend/drudge is Henry, who he bit when they were 8 years old and that is why Henry must serve Vlad. Though I have to say, Vlad doesn't take too much advantage of this. In "Ninth Grade Slays", Vlad is working with is father's best friend Otis through letters to better his mind control skills while attending Bathory High School. Henry likes to help all he can and gets Vlad to read minds of all the girls. Added to this mix is Henry's cousin, Joss who comes to live with Henry's family for the school year. This is when trouble rears its ugly head - Otis writes that there is a vampire slayer looking for Vlad. The vampire community is not to happy with the existance of a born Vampire and decide that he should be taken out. So not only does Vlad have to figure out how to speak with the girl of his dreams, Meredith, who he is always tongue-tied around and keep an eye out for some dude who wants to kill him. Makes for an exciting story and you must pick this one up to see what happens.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Survival of the strongest. A theory put forth by Charles Darwin, that only the strongest can survive. In the future, there no longer is a United States, instead there are 12 Districts all controlled by the Capitol. Each District grows or manufactures a product that is needed by the Capitol. To keep each District under the Capitol's rule(conflict of politics??)they have started the Hunger Games. Each District selects two candidates, one boy, one girl, between the age of 12 and 18, who go to the Capitol to fight it out to the end. Think Survivor, but instead of being kicked off the island, you are killed. In "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins you will join the hunger games as it is told by Katniss, the candidate from District 12. She is the sole provider for her family since the death of her father and steps up when her younger sister Prim was selected as the candidate. Kat is lethal with a bow and arrow and knows how to track animals and is used to being outdoors. One of her best friends is Gale who also is the head of his family and hunts with Kat. Along with Peeta, the male candidate, they head off to the Capitol for this years Hunger Games. Will she be the sole survivor, does she make friends with Peeta? What happens with Gale? To find out the answers to these questions, you will have to read "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.