Book Beat Reviews

Ali Cross by James Patterson

Hi, I am Advik. I love to read and bike.

Ali Cross is the first of three in the series, Ali Cross by James Patterson. This story is about a young boy named Ali Cross and his detective skills.

Ali Cross has always looked up to his father, former detective and FBI agent Alex Cross. When Ali’s best friend Gabe Qualls is reported missing, Ali is desperate to find him. At the same time, a string of burglaries targets his neighborhood, even his own house. Ali is suspicious that Gabe is a part of these robberies. When he tells his father, Alex Cross, he doesn’t rule out the possibility, but doesn’t think much of it. Ali visits Gabe’s house to find his shady dad. Gabe’s dad is really rude and acts very suspicious whenever Ali brings up the topic about Gabe. He is kicked out and told to never come back. Ali being Ali, he visits the Qualls once more. This time he is greeted by his mother, who is really kind. Ali is inside the house when Gabe’s shady dad walks in. He is infuriated by the sight of Ali in his home. He shoves him out of the house. Eventually Ali finds Gabe hiding out with his brother Ramon. He is robbing houses for his dad. He was forced to do this.

This book shows the importance of family and friends, trust and loyalty . The book is written in the fast-paced, short-chaptered style James Patterson is known for. The mystery is compelling; don’t think that just because this is a kid’s story that you’ll be able to solve the mystery easily. The plot is constructed brilliantly and will keep you guessing about what happened to Gabe until the very end of the book.

Find it through Inter Library loan here.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

I’m Advik and I love to read, write, be outside, and watch TV.

Five Factions. Five options. One choice that changes your entire world.

Beatrice Prior grew up in Abnegation: the faction that values selflessness. Now she’s sixteen, and preparing for the choice of a lifetime: to stay in Abnegation with her family, or join one of the other five factions: Erudite (the intelligent); Amity (the peaceful); Candor (the honest); and Dauntless (the brave).

Beatrice is trying: to be a good daughter, to think about someone other than herself. But she must also take into account her own life; her own path. Which way will she go – be with her family, or be who she truly is?

When she makes her choice, she surprises everyone, most of all herself. She renames herself Tris and begins working through an intense initiation process to be accepted into her chosen faction. As she explores herself, faces fears, and makes friends, she also harbors a secret: a secret no one can ever find out. Because in this society where everyone is the same, what makes you different makes you dangerous.  

Veronica Roth builds an engaging story about choices, fears, and ultimately finding who you really are. In a dystopian society, she sheds light on the beauty of adolescence in the extremes while building an intricate plot full of twists and turns.

Find it in print, ebook, eaudiobook, CD and DVD here.

Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams

Hi, I am Sarah. I am fourteen years old and an avid reader; it is one of my favorite things to do. Inspired by authors’ creations of magnificent places and surprising havens built by simple letters, I aspire to be an author and, meanwhile, nurture the love to write.

Thirteen-year-old Genesis Anderson has a lot going on. After being evicted again because of her dad’s alcohol abuse, she’s facing a new school (again), being laughed at because of her name and her…everything (again), constantly worrying about whether her dad is paying rent or going to his AA meetings (always)… she’s dealing with a full plate. But the worst expectation she’s struggling under is her family’s, and her own, hatred of her dark skin. All Genesis really wants is to be beautiful.

In her new school in the suburbs, however, life isn’t as bad as expected. Genesis finds friends who actually support her, without any strings attached, and a chorus teacher who encourages Genesis to let her singing talent out of her room. Navigating the world of middle school is hard, even without any of the extra things Genesis is dealing with, but everything seems to be finally going her way… until it just isn’t anymore.

Genesis Begins Again is an honest, poignant, funny, and thoughtful story of the journey to self-love and acceptance. Though it’s written to a younger audience, I think everyone should read this book, because inside of each of us are our own barriers to self-love that we each must overcome. Alicia D. Williams has written an ode to beauty—beauty that comes from loving ourselves for who we are instead of what we supposedly should become.

Find it in print here.

Restart by Gordon Korman

Hi, I am Advik. I love to read and bike.

Will a bully always be a bully?

That’s the question eighth-grade football captain Chase Ambrose has to answer after a fall from his roof leaves him with amnesia, so he has no memory of who and what he was. When he returns to Hiawassee Middle School, everything and everyone is new. Two of his football teammates, Bear Bratsky and Aaron Hakimian, seem to be special friends, but he’s not sure exactly what to think of them. When he walks the hallway of the school, other classmates seem fearful; he doesn’t know why. Because he is on a temporary suspension (doctors not) because of his concussion, he finds a new home in the video club and, over time, develops a new reputation. He shoots videos with his former bullying target, Brendan Espinoza, and even with Shoshanna Weber, who hated him for persecuting her twin brother, Joel. Chase voluntarily continues visiting the nursing home where he’d been ordered to do community service.

As his memories slowly return and he begins to piece together his former life, he’s extremely surprised. His crimes were worse than bullying. Will he become that kind of person again? This book is set in the present day and told in the alternating voices of Chase and several classmates. I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to everyone.

Find it in print and eaudiobook here.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

I’m Advik and I love to read, write, be outside, and watch TV.

Allegiant, the third book in the Divergent Series by Veronica Roth, opens up with Tris being imprisoned for her disloyal actions in the previous book.

After Edith Prior’s video footage reveals that there is a whole world outside of the city limits, the city’s social system is in shambles. The factions have disintegrated, and Evelyn rules the city as a tyrant with her factionless army. Tris, Tobias, and their friends set out to discover what is outside the city. Their escape plan is one of two missions of a rebel group known as the Allegiant, who also wish to reinstate the faction system.

Outside the city, the group finds themselves at the Bureau of Genetic Welfare, a government agency working to fix the genetic damage that has been a problem in the United States for many years. The Bureau’s leader, David, tells Tris and Tobias that Chicago (their city) was simply one of many experiments aimed to cure this problem of genetic damage. They are told that the term Divergent means merely that someone possesses cured genes, and they realize that their entire life has been nothing but a lie.

Soon after, a girl named Nita informs the group of the evils of The Bureau. Nita forms a plan with a man from the fringe, Reggie. Nita gets Tobias(Four) on board with a plan to “reset” Bureau members’ thoughts on genetic purity using memory serum. Nita tells Tobias to not tell Tris anything. Tobias ultimately tells Tris about Nita’s plan, and Tris thinks it is a bad idea. Tobias accuses Tris of being jealous of Nita, and the rift between them grows. Caleb is chosen to take the impact of the death serum and release the memory serum so the Bureau can be reset.

Tris ultimately takes Caleb’s place in the mission, hoping perhaps her Divergence will make her immune to the death serum. She survives the death serum but David catches her and shoots her. Just before dying, Tris manages to release the memory serum into the Bureau. Tobias grieves Tris’s death. He considers taking a memory serum so he can start over and forget his pain. Christina stops him, reminding him that those actions aren’t what Tris would have wanted.

This book is one of the best books I have ever read, by far. It teaches you to trust your peers and fight for what is right.

Find it in print, ebook, eaudiobook and DVD here.

We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

Hello! My name is Tess. I love to ski, bike, fish, and get lost in my books.

Just as this trilogy is ending a new world opens up right before your eyes. This book will have your mind wondering where the characters are going next. Over the past few summers, Belly has spent her time deciding whether to fall into the hands of her first love, Conrad, or her first boyfriend, Jeremiah. Belly and Jeremiah were lovebirds chasing dreams of young love, when trust is broken in their relationship causing their bond to break and the lives they had built around each other begin to crumble. Jeremiah sought out forgiveness all the while Belly was filled with anger and rage and wasn’t ready to forgive. A question is thrown into the mix that makes Belly reconsider all the emotions she had been feeling. This book will make you wish you were in the book to guide Belly through these tough choices and you may even find yourself taking sides and cheering along with the numerous friends and family members trying to help them too. The everchanging heart of Isabel Conklin has been given choices that will set the course of her life, will Belly follow the path that she has always known or the path she has always wanted?

Find it here in print, ebook and eaudiobook.