Extras by Scott Westerfeld
is the fourth book, and I believe final book, in his
Uglies series
. A new main character is introduced, Aya, who now lives in a world where your status in society depends on your popularity. One way to become very popular is to "kick" a new and interesting story on the city-wide feed. Aya thinks she has found her big story when she catches some mysterious girls doing dangerous tricks, but as she digs further, she realizes that there is a much larger story to tell that could potentially affect the future of the entire world. The book discusses several interesting issues, but the introduction of a new main character turns the series dull and pointless. He should have stopped at a trilogy. Read this book if you read the first
three, if you like stories about an uncertain future, or if you want a quick read. I give it a 6.5 out of 10.
is the second book in his trilogy chronicling the true story of Alice in Wonderland. In this book, Alyss has returned to power as the Queen of Wonderland after defeating her evil aunt, Redd Heart. Redd's whereabouts are unknown, but some suspect that she is somewhere on earth after travelling through the Heart Crystal. When forces begin an attack on Wonderland, many believe Redd is back. However, could it be that forces within the Wondernations are conspiring against Alyss? What about the mysterious King Arch who rules over Boarderland who has always hated the way women rule Wonderland? Or is Redd really back, ready to regain the thrown that she thinks she deserves? As Alyss and her forces unite against an unknown enemy, relationships between family members and lovers are revealed and put to the test. This book was definitely slower than the first one. I had a very difficult time getting through the first half of the book where background stories of several characters are being laid out. Read this book if you read the first
, if you're interested in fantasy, or if you enjoy fractured fairy tales. I give it a 7 out of 10.
is the first book in the popular series of vampire novels about Bella and Edward. Bella is a junior in high school who moves to Forks, Washington to live with her dad. She meets a mysterious boy named Edward who is very different from anyone she has ever met. She notices that him and his siblings never eat, their eyes change color, they are very pale skinned, and they stay away from other students. However, Bella instantly falls in love with Edward, and once Edward begins talking to her, he falls in love with her as well. When Bella learns that Edward is a vampire, she must decide if her love is worth the risk. This book is very popular among teenagers and is a fast romantic read if not a bit cliche and cheesy. Read this book if you like romance novels, if you like books about vampires, or if you want to read the book before you watch the 
. I give it 7 out of 10.
is Green's third young adult fiction novel. In this book, Q is a high school senior in love with his mysterious next door neighbor, Margo. When Margo takes him on an all night adventure of revenge on her enemies, he believes things will be completely different between the two both at home and at school. However, when Q returns to school the next day, he realizes Margo is missing. Margo remains missing, but Q and his friends pick up on a trail of clues seemingly left for him to discover where Margo has disappeared to. This book has several literary references and borders between mystery and emo. Read this book if you enjoyed 
and 
, if you like mysteries, or if you want to keep up on the latest teen fiction. I give it an 8.5 out of 10.
is a story told from the perspective of Rukmani, an Indian woman reflecting on her life. As a young woman, she was married to a poor farmer, a man she didn't even know. He is a wonderful husband, however, and together they raise their children and work hard on the farm that they rent. Troubled times come to haunt the family with the onset of foreigners, floods, and drought. Poverty leads to leaving, and starvation leads to death. The book comes full circle as Rukmani begins the story at the end and ends where she began. Read this book if you're interested in other countries and cultures, if you like stories about the bonds of love and family, or if you like to empathize with people in hard times. I give it an 8 out of 10.
is a story about traditions being questioned. The main tradition in this case is the practice of foot binding in China. At a very young age, women in China were required to bind their feet by bending their toes down and wrapping them in bandages. As their feet tried to grow, the bones would be pressed together in order to create tiny, dainty looking feet that would fit into tiny, dainty shoes. This process cripples the young girls for life as they must learn how to hobble around on mutilated toes and feet. Ailin is a young girl who refuses to have her feet bound. As her father obeys her wishes, Ailin faces consequences that she could not have predicted. Her choice changes her life forever. Read this book if you're interested in historical fiction, if you like stories about traditions being questioned, or if you just want a quick, easy read to keep you occupied for a few hours. I give it an 8 out of 10.