Watership Down

Author: Richard Adams

Plot Summary: Brothers Hazel and Fiver lead a band of rabbits out of their native Sandleford warren after Fiver has mysterious premonitions of its imminent destruction. They encounter many dangers and obstacles and must fight for the right to establish their new warren on Watership Down.

Review: I was at first daunted by the task of reading this book. It is included in a list of classics we can read for my English class and I thought I would have to force myself to finish it. This was not the case. I absolutely loved this book! I could barely force myself to put it down. True, the detailed descriptions of landscape sometimes confused me, but I found that if I read through them slowly it helped me understand the overall storyline better.

I argued with my science teacher over whether or not this book was an allegory. He insisted it was, but in the introduction it specifically says that he did not mean it as one. However, the author also mentioned that the characters were often taken from people he knew in his life, so those people could be representations of something else. I don't know. But, this book was amazing and everyone who can should read it!

The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Plot Summary: Deep within District 12 of the country of Panem, Katniss Everdeen struggles to support her family with what little they have. But the presence of the annual Hunger Games looms over everyone's heads. The Hunger Games: a punishment the entire country receives for a rebellion instigated years ago. Each district must give two tributes to the Capitol to go and fight in the Games. The prize: fame, fortune, and a worry-free existence. The goal: be the one left alive. This is where young Katniss must face her worst fears to try and save herself from the grip of the Capitol's power...

Review: This book... Wow. I'm kind of speechless. This is the kind of book that has you hooked from the start. I seriously read in probably two days tops the first time I read it. It is action-packed, romantic, and all in all a fantastic read.

Note: If you enjoy The Hunger Games, be sure to check out the sequel, Catching Fire!

The Edge Chronicles: Beyond the Deepwoods

Author: Paul Stewart
Plot Synopsis: Twig has always been told he was one of the woodtrolls he was raised by, but in actuality he was abandoned at birth in the dark and forbidding Deepwoods. Upon learning he is not what he thought, he sets out to discover his true identity. However, Twig does the one thing woodtrolls never do: he strays from the path. Now, attempting to survive in the terrible woods, nothing is impossible.
REVIEW: Wow! Hold onto them hats 'n' glasses, folks! This book was a thrill ride if I ever saw (read) one. Filled with nonstop action, it's a great read. Periodically peppered with illustrations, the story comes to life while you read. One element I really enjoyed was experiencing the creative setting with completely original creatures. The one thing that kind of bothered me was that the real goal didn't come in sight until about the middle, so at times it seemed as if Twig was basically just wandering around aimlessly (which he kind of was sometimes). Complete with a touching end and interesting animals, this book is fantastic.

Sorry, I think the Eragon post was a draft, so it posted before Princess Academy.

Princess Academy

Author: Shannon Hale
Plot Synopsis: Miri, a 14-year-old girl from the small mountain village of Mount Eskel, and the other girls of the village attend an academy to learn how to be princesses because the prince's bride has been predicted to come from there. They learn many valuable lessons at the academy, but there is always a rivalry between the girls because they all want to be the princess.
REVIEW: I loved this book! (In case you haven't notice, I love almost every book.) Anyway, I really liked how even though Miri was small and insignificant, she took her destiny into her own hands and majorly contributed to the village! (Read the book to find out how...) I also enjoyed the brush of romance between Peder and Miri. Perhaps my favorite part of this book was that the ending was happy! *Contented sigh*

Eragon

Author: Christopher Paolini
Plot Synopsis: Eragon, a fifteen-year-old farmboy, is hunting in a mountain region known as the Spine, when he finds a beautiful blue stone. However, the stone is not actually a stone, but a dragon egg. The dragon, named Saphira, is the key to his becoming one of the legendary (and supposedly extinct) Dragon Riders. Eragon allies himself to the town storyteller, Brom, and goes on a quest to save the land of Alagaesia from the grasp of the evil king, Galbatorix, who is the last Dragon Rider. Until now.
REVIEW: I love this book! Some people (a.k.a. my brother David) say it copies too many other fantasy series, but Paolini certainly puts his own two cents in. The characters are likeable, and the story is captivating. So if you like magic, adventure, and humor, read Eragon!

Dragon Rider

***Another Cornelia Funke book. She is an amazing author.***
The book begins in a hidden valley in Europe. All dragons have gone into hiding and now their land is being invaded by humans, so Sorrell (a brownie) and Firedrake (a dragon) set off to find a legendary place called The Rim of Heaven, where most of the dragons are believed to be in hiding. On their way, they meet an orphan boy named Ben who joins them on their adventures. But their quest is interrupted when the beast who forced the dragons into hiding in the first place reawakens and begins to hunt again...

I absolutely love this book. It is simply... magical.

-- This book is very clean (even appropriate for children) and deserves every one of these ten plusses! A++++++++++