Graduation Day

by Joelle Charbonneau

So now Cia is set to carry out the plan that was put in place in Independent Study. Can she/will she kill to end all the killing? And who can she trust to help her?

There's a lot of Cia thinking about her moral dilemma in this one, and even more back and forth on who she can and can't trust. It's a little exhausting.

BUT... I almost never read book two in a series, much less book three. Overall, I really enjoyed this fun series.

Out of My Mind

by Sharon Draper

Melody Brooks lives in a world that is unimaginable for most of us. She was born with cerebral palsy. Her movement is limited, and she cannot speak at all, save for a few grunts and shrieks. Fortunately, she has wonderful parents, who see that her mental capabilities are on par (if not above) her peers. She simply can't express what's in her mind. Up until 5th grade, she has spent her school days in the room with children who have profoundly special needs. But now, her school is mainstreaming Melody and her classmates into the regular classroom, where she is introduced to new opportunities, but also to new challenges.

There are some great things about this book. We get to walk in Melody's shoes for awhile. It's eye-opening to feel the frustration she feels, and live with her as she experiences her triumphs and setbacks. It's an emotionally compelling story. There are parts that will turn your stomach, and parts that will make you cheer.

Here's what drove me absolutely CRAZY about this book. Melody's parents are awesome. Her aides at school are awesome. Her home caretaker is awesome. But her teachers are terrible. All of them. In very, very dramatic ways. Perhaps I'm sensitive about this, being a teacher and all, but her teachers are so shockingly terrible, it took away the book's credibility for me. I have never heard a teacher say or do anything even remotely as awful as these teachers. In fact, most of the adults, except for the ones who are paid to care for her, are as insensitive and cruel as the horrible kids in this book.

So many students love this book, so I think it's definitely worth a read if you are looking for a realistic drama, but for me, it wasn't the greatest.

The Vengekeep Prophecies

by Brian Farrey

Jasper Grimjinx comes from a long line of great thieves. No one in Vengekeep respects or trusts them, and they're constantly trying to figure out ways to stay out of trouble. Jasper's mom thinks she has crafted a way to get them out of the worst types of messes, but ends up setting off a chain of terrible prophecies. Jasper thinks he knows how to save the town, but he has to go on a quest for some rare and dangerous ingredients before he can even try. Joined by some unlikely sidekicks, Jasper embarks on a crazy adventure full of magic and mayhem.

Vengekeep is a really cute book. It's a fun story, with good characters, and a fast-moving plot. I felt like it fell down a little bit in the world-building area. (I'm kind of already sick of that word, but I'm not sure how else to describe it.) The expressions, creatures, foods, etc., just seemed a little forced. As a reader, I didn't QUITE buy it. But still, an easy, quick, entertaining read.

Independent Study

by Joelle Charbonneau

Cia is at the University now. She has completed her Testing, and her memories, as feared, are gone. But when she finds the messages she recorded for herself, she has just enough information to distrust the establishment, and once again, put herself and Tomas in danger. While not quite as good as the first, Charbonneau keeps up the action and suspense in this book, and leaves us with an ending that makes it pretty much impossible to not be excited for Graduation Day.