Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen

Review by Alex, Sonoma Valley Branch

Leverage is a book about two athletes at Anooka High School.  Danny is a gymnast and Kurt is a football player.  A prank war between the two teams goes bad and causes freshman gymnast Ronnie Gunderson to commit suicide.  The football team captains will do anything to keep it a secret.  With Kurt's secret past haunting him, he will need the help of Danny to show the whole school what really happened to Ronnie.

Why I picked it up:  I picked up Leverage because I love sports so it immediately interested me. 

Why I finished it:  I finished it because I wanted to see how the truth would be revealed to the rest of the school about Ronnie.

I'd recommend it to:  I'd recommend this book to anyone who like sport books.

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy
Review by Anna, Sonoma Valley, 8th Grade

The Apothecary, by Maile Meloy, is a fascinating story set in the time after World War II.  The book is about Janie, a Los Angeles city girl that moves to London.  Janie thinks that her life is over when she moves, but discovers that she's about to start the best adventure of her life.  Her journey begins when she meets Benjamin, a peculiar boy at her school.  Together, they go on a quest to save the world, and Benjamin's father. 

I really liked this book.  I am definitely hoping that Maile Meloy has a sequel to this book.  I would recommend this book to anyone that wishes magic actually does exist, or anyone who wants to be a spy.

You can be a teen book reviewer!  Just e-mail Tiffany at teenspace@sonoma.lib.ca.us!

The Phantom Limb by William Sleator and Ann Monticone
Review by Alex, Sonoma Valley

Issac has just moved to a new town because his father recently died in a plane crash in Africa.  After his father died, his mother Vera, a gifted piano player, had to be hospitalized to be treated for seizures.  Issac is now forced to live with his grandfather, who lives in a daze all the time.  Issac has started to visit his mother in the hospital and has noticed a bruise that has started to grow on her elbow.  He also discovered a mirror box in his attic that could help Issac find out what is going on in the hospital.  When he learns about what happened to the former owner of the mirror box Issac becomes extremely worried about his mother and is forced to find a way to get her out of that hospital.
Why I Picked it up:  I picked this book up because it sounded very interesting and appealing.
Why I Finished it:  I finished this book in three days because it was so good that I couldn't put it down.
I'd Recommend it:  I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys a book with a lot of thrilling adventures and twists that you never see coming.  This was a great book.

Interested in becoming a teen book reviewer?  It's easy!  All you need to do is e-mail Tiffany at teenspace@sonoma.lib.ca.us!