What is Madison reading now???

Are you looking for a good book to read but you don't know which one to choose?

Check out what some of Madison's students and staff have been reading.

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod 1-5
Author: Heather Brewer

A Boy that is half human and half vampire tries to blend in with the humans and avoid
being killed by an evil vampire that wants his power. I liked this book because it was funny and thrilling. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in action and vampires.

~Ameritia C.F

Does my Head Look Big in This?
Author: Randa Abdel-Fattah
Setting- Australia

The main themes are conflict with own self and religious decisions. The plot of the book is the main character deciding to wear her head scarf full time, while in high school.
I really liked this book because I could identify with the main character, but I feel this book would be good for almost anyone.

~Keiyro Yassin

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Author: J.K. Rowling



In this book Harry finds out he is the chosen one. The main theme of this book is to believe in yourself. I liked this book because it fills in so many pieces of the puzzle that have been coming together in the Harry Potter series!!
I think anyone who likes Twilight, but has not read Harry Potter yet should read this book!
~Jhanna Medel (SUN staff)

The Kite Runner
Author: Khaled Hosseini



The setting changes throughout the book, it starts in Afgahanistan but it ends in America.
The main themes of the book are forgiveness, love and redemption.
I liked this book quite a lot because I learned more about Afghanistan. It was beautifully written; I loved every page because of the authors writing style. This book reveals a lot about the expectation of their society based on status and fear. Everyone should read this book because it gives the reader a lesson on how the smallest pleasures in life can sometimes be the ones that bring us closest together. I also learned that we should not take people for granted in life as they may be the one who holds us in higher esteem than anyone else.
~Monique Gemechu

The Last Song
Author: Nicholas Sparks



This book tells the story of a rebellious teen, Ronnie whose parents are divorced. When her mom sends her and her brother, Noah to her estranged Father’s house for the summer she is less than thrilled. Ronnie ends up having a summer to remember filled with her first love and a greater understanding of her father. I originally read this book because I saw the movie and let me tell you the book is 10 thousand times better! I loved it! This book is great for people who like young romance stories and for people that can take a little drama because some parts are sad.
~Michele Murray

The Absolutely True Diaries of a Part-Time Indian
Author: Sherman Alexie



The story of this book is about a teenage Indian named Arnold Spirit, or “Junior.” Because of a series of evens that are caused by Arnold acting up in class, he is relocated to a new high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. The main theme of the book is to hold on to hope. I liked the book because it was funny and dramatic, and I related to the main character. This book has some swear words and mature humor; there are also some adult themes. It is also very sad at various points, so if you don’t like this kind of book, I would recommend you read something else.
~Jacob Thornlow

Catcher in the Rye
Author: J.D. Salinger



When I was in 8th grade I read a piece of literature that blew my mind. I read The Catcher in the Rye. The book takes place in New York in the 1950s and depicts the story of Holden Caulfield as he goes through an adventure of self realization and maturation. I found the book very relatable and believable, I felt very close with the character. I think everyone should read this book!
~Max Leatha

All Around the Town
Author: Mary Higgins Clark



This book takes place in Ridgewood, New Jersey. It is about a girl who was abducted when she was six and now suffers from multiple personality disorder. Her abductors are near her and are watching her every move, playing sick mind games with her to make her believe she is suicidal. Later her English professor is killed and she is accused of the murder. She is found with the murder weapon but can not remember a single detail about the night. As all the details start to come out the reader realizes she did not kill the man, but she is still in danger from her abductors who have come back to make her commit suicide and get rid of her. I loved this book because the characters were so realistic. I felt as if I knew them and the places and events are described so well at times I felt as if I was there with the characters. Also the author makes the characters seem so realistic she even points out their flaws, accenting yet again the realism of the book. I loved the ending because it was so surprising I didn’t see it coming. People who love suspense and adventure would love this book. Also anyone who loves a quick read.

~Gaby Escobedo

If you like action, romance, or comedy, then Stephen Cole’s The Wereling series is a great read for you. It has a great balance of action, humor, and occasional romance without throwing the reader out of the storyline. The three book series is an amazing read that you can’t put down. It’s like watching a movie.

The main character Tom is 16 and stuck going on this camping trip with his parents. He soon wanders off for some alone time and ends up swimming in a river. Before he can even react, the rapids start to pull him away smashing him into all sorts of things, eventually knocking him out. When Tom comes to, he’s in Marcie Foland’s (a retired nurse) private resort with her family who was kind enough to save his life. Little does he know that this whole family is a pack of werewolves and that he was slowly being turned into one, to later be forced marry the daughter of the pack, Kate!

In this rendition of a werewolf story females born wolf will not activate until they have mated with a male wolf. Kate’s using that to insure she never becomes what her mother is, much to Marcie’s chagrin. These three books are a thrilling read and I would recommend them to anyone.

~ Aristide Faison

Video Experiment

Project 17, by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Project 17 has you on feet throughout the entire book. When 6 teens venture into an abondon insane aslym, only hours before the demolition, to make a documentary for a reality tv contest, they do not expect to find much. You get to see through the eyes of Derik, Liza, Greta, Chet, Mimi, and Tony, and their expectations behind agreeing to this terrifying expedition.
I would recommend everyone to read this book. It has action, humor, horror, and romance. Its a 'can't put down' book. But I will warn you, if you're reading this at night, you might want to keep a few lights on!
Other books Stolarz has written are Bleed and the Blue is for Nightmare series. All are worth the read.
~Kaylyn Peterson

Paranoid Park, by Blake Nelson

This book is very unique. You can tell that local author, Blake Nelson used his imagination because he makes you believe it's from the view of a murderous, terrified teenager. It takes you on a wild ride, unstoppable until the end, because, just like a good movie, it keeps you on the edge of your seat and leaves you guessing.
-Saba Saleem

Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy, by Kate Constable

Series: The Chanters of Tremaris
Book 1: The Singer of All Songs
Book 2: The Waterless Sea
Book 3: The Tenth Power

This is a really cool series. If you like fantasy and magic then these are definitely the books for you. The series is about a girl who lives in a world
surrounded by magic. The people who use the magic are
called chanters. Calwyn lives with other girls who
sing the songs of ice. Her life is quiet but Calwyn
wants to see beyond the Ice Wall. Her life turns
upside down when a stranger breaches the great Wall
and brings with him trouble. Soon Calwyn is on an
adventure of her life looking for chanters all around
the world to defeat the evil that pursues them. But
the world is not what she expected. It is cruel and
chanters are hunted and feared. Around Tremaris Calwyn
and her new friend Darrow goes looking for answers to
questions that follow them everywhere they go.
The books take you across the enchanted world of
Tremaris with Calwyn as she meets new friends and
tries to uncover the secrets of the Singer of All
Songs and the Tenth Power.
-Sharena Kent

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, is very well done. It was very hard for me to put down. As the book progressed, I just couldn't stop reading. This book put me in the life of the characters. I felt how they felt and understood why they were so sad. There was also a lot of humor in the story. This book would be an easy read for any teen who is into romance and family relationships.
-Michelle Fray

Airborn, by Kenneth Oppel

Airborn, by Kenneth Oppel, is a story of a young man named Matt Cruse, who works as a look out for The Aurora, an airship that is lighter than air and is filled with passengers. What makes it float is an imaginary element gas called hydrim. This book is filled with action, mystery, pirates, love, danger, and a lot of imagination. An undocumented air balloon is found, the conductor is nowhere to be found, and a journal is found with drawings and documentation of animals that don’t exist, or do they?
I like this book because of its imaginary content, and creativeness. One of my 8th grade teachers recommended it to me, and now I am recommending it to you.
-Brittany Francis

Sabriel, by Garth Nix

The story starts off with a girl living in a boarding school and soon after you see that she is not normal. From her pail complexion to the spells she can pull from the charter, she is no normal teenage. And when a messenger from the Old Kingdom gives Sabriel her father’s sword and bells, she knows that something has gone wrong. She must become the Abhorson to save the Abhorson (her father). In Garth Nix thrilling tale of Sabriel, she must step into her father's role and keep the dead from returning, as well as save her father from his own death. I would recommended this to everyone and more specifically to all who have an imagination out of this world, because it can be truly captured in Sabriel, by Garth Nix.
-Vanessa Hancock

Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse

If you enjoy reading a novel that offers insight on all your life's questions, then I suggest you take notice of this book. It is historical fiction based on the Buddha, and is a rather short read for those who do not wish to spend more than a week at a time on a book. It's an intermediate choice. Some may find difficulty understanding the metaphors and themes, but with spark notes, you should be okay. This book is great for leisure or the classroom. I suggest reading a little about the author for better comprehension. A good summary of the book can be made in one sentence: Siddhartha, a young Brahmin makes his way through a perilous adventure of self-discovery and the end may come to no surprise, though you will be entertained as the story unfolds.
-Steven Morgan, 12th grade

White is for Magic & Blue is for Nightmares, by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Both of these books are amazing. They grab you right away and from then on you won’t want to put these books down. These are well written and easy to follow. But there are parts that made me as well as my friends cry, laugh, gasp, and scream. The endings of both are actually unexpected. I had no idea that was coming! I recommend these books to anyone who enjoys reading, being scared, involved, and on the edge. Because that is exactly how it is through these books. Happy Halloween! And have fun reading!
-Amber Christensen