Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

       From  the outside this book seems as a horror book, only to be read by a people with a spine. Well I can tell you I am not one to read creepy, scary, hair-standing-on-edge books, and I actually enjoyed this novel. Don't be fooled by the ghoulish cover, this book isn't as nightmarish as it seems, and can still be enjoyed by you wimps out there.


Plot: 
        The story unfolds as a regular boy, Jacob, finds out as his Grandfather's tall tales about his childhood might not be as far fetched as they seem. In fact, after a particular day when his Grandfather is brutally killed (or as Jacob thinks, murdered, after seeing some VERY frightful things), the stories become a lot closer than he thinks. Turned into what everyone else thinks of as down right crazy after that one day, Jacob sets out to find an abandoned orphanage, a mysterious island, and more photos that could match the ones his Grandfather left behind. And when Jacob finds what he is looking for, he is no longer an ordinary (but slightly crazy) kid, he is what his Grandfather was, and what the residents of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children see him to be.

        Now even after I tell you about the book you still might think it is too creepy for you. And who knows, maybe it is! But I advise you to at least TRY the book. You never know! What I liked about the book is that it had a lot of mystery, some adventure, and a pinch of a very interesting love story. That's right, this weird book has a love story! Now are you interested? Ransom Riggs writes this book with major suspense, very well written cliff hangers, and details that keep you reading like crazy. And the cool pictures are a big plus!

"I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I want to be your Class President" by Josh Lieb

           You probably just read the title and thought, "What?!" It is a pretty quirky title, isn't it. But it is effective, since it interested you, and you now want to know more about the book, right? I thought so.


Plot: 
           Oliver is a twelve-year-old boy who is a genius (duh!). Well, he is more of a "supreme mastermind of evil"- not my words. He has built an entire empire, has dominated the stock market, owns land in all 50 states, owns investment banks, sports teams, etc. He has started this with a simple 20 dollars he used to play bingo with his grandmother. He went home 500 dollars richer (not by luck), and was able to keep it a secret from his parents. I told you he was a genius! Back to the story, Oliver acts as a complete airhead to everyone around him, besides his minions of course. Everyone, including his parents, thinks he is the dumbest kid in school, actually in the whole town. But one day, Oliver hears his father talking about how he was the class president, and how he thinks he was so smart, and amazing, and popular because he was it. To ruin his fathers dreams and self confidence (because Oliver obviously hates his father to the maximum his genius brain will let him), Oliver decides to become class president (while still being the dumbest kid in town). This decision takes him on a wild ride that shows him that not everything in life will come as easily to him as he thinks. But you are going to have to read the book yourself to experience Oliver's wild ride!!

          I LOVED how Josh Lieb wrote this book. Writing from Oliver's point of view, he talks to us a way any other person would talk to us- well, an extremely smart, funny, and self absorbed person would. This book had me laughing with tears in my eyes  at some parts! It truly felt like I was having a one-on-one conversation with him. He was quirky, funny, and never bland! Want a break from the boring school books? Want a book that will entertain you and make you laugh? I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I want to be your Class President by Josh Lieb will fill your demands perfectly!

"Matched" by Ally Condie

Plot of Matched: 
          Cassia (one of the main characters) lives in a society, conveniently called the Society, where everything is perfect, to the point where no important decisions are needed. How is that possible, you might ask. The answer: everything is controlled, decided, and monitored by the Officials, the very important Officials being like our own government without the Constitution. Anyway, when it reaches Cassia's time to be Matched (to be given her husband), a glitch occurs in the "perfect" system of the Officials. Through this glitch Cassia falls for Ky, an outcast (called Aberrations), even though her Match decided by the Officials was her childhood friend, Xander. Cassia throws the perfect life she would have had with Xander away to follow and be with Ky, throwing both of them onto a path that changes them forever.


          I found this book a lot like the The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, except for Matched is a little more of a love story. If you didn't like The Hunger Games, you can still love this book! Matched is DEFINITELY not as gruesome and scary, and I think I speak for society when I say this book won't give you nightmares.

          I enjoyed how it was of the dystopian genre. Also, I found there was a good balance of Romance and Adventure in the book. Some parts made me think of how it isn't unlike our world, and how making our own choices is very important and special. This would be a good book for school reviews and essays because there is a clear "moral of the story"- and no, I won't tell it to you. You can figure that out for yourself!


This is actually the first book in a trilogy. The second book is Crossed, and the third is Reached.