Project 17
by Lauri Faria Stolarz
Hyperion Books, NY 2007
Project 17 is totally like The Breakfast Club, if it had been set in a decrepit, haunted, abandoned mental institution. Derik (a hot jocky ladies man) hatches an escape-my-future-behind-the-counter-of-my-parent's-diner scheme. The plan is to film a stellar reality show in the old Danvers State Mental Hospital, hoping it will lead to an internship with a local news crew. He casts several classmates to star in the reality fare; Liza, the gorgeous, miss goody-two-shoes, valedictorian; Chet, the class clown with issues at home; Mimi, the goth chick with a hidden agenda; Greta, the needy attention-seeking theater girl; and Tony, her leading man, whose nicknames for her (babycakes and sweetcheeks) are gag-worthy.
Each chapter is written from a different character's point of view, which is pretty cool, though aside from having different agendas and such, they sort of all "sounded" the same to me. However, supernatural twists and turns kept the pace moving but never went to far into "yeah, right," territory, which I appreciated. Overall, this was an entertaining story, made even more so by its local setting.
Bottom Line:
The scene with the creepy talking doll got to me; I just can't even imagine how hellish this place had to have been when it was a (dis)functioning hospital.
Witch and Wizard (Book #1)
by James Patterson
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, New York 2009
Total. Government. Control. That's the goal of the New Order and they've identified 15-year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit as public enemies number one and two. Why? They think the siblings possess powers that threaten the new government's goals. W & W think this is absolutely ridiculous until Wisty spontaneously catches on fire and burns two of the guards trying to arrest her. Torn from their family and thrown into a prison with sadistic guards, the teens slowly realize their powers and discover that they aren't the only ones in the under-20 crowd targeted by the New Order.
I was pulled into this book from the beginning. Patterson crafts an excellent villain, I especially enjoyed the nasty Matron. I am eager to read Witch and Wizard book 2, The Gift.
Bottom Line:
The New Order is the new Big Brother; such a fast read, borrow book 2 when you check out book 1; excellent bad guys
