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THE LIGHT OF THE ORACLE by Victoria Hanley
Bryn is a daydreamer, and that always got her into trouble with her mother. But what she didn't know was that her daydreams were something else. Something much more important. When the Master Priest went about the country looking for young adults to bring back to the Temple of the Oracle, he finds young Bryn. From then on it is one big adventure for her. There are so many secrets. Someone in the Temple is doing no good and causing a stir with the Oracle, the giver of prophesies. Bryn and her friends must use there talents to figure out what is going on inside the Temple, and furthermore, what is going on outside of the Temple that is creating a disturbance in the country.This book was excellently written. I loved the plot, and Victoria Hanley did a wonderful job keeping it interesting. I would definitely recommend reading this book. -Victoria D

HOUSE by Frank Peretti
I must say I was thrilled to see the ads for "House", the newest novel written by not one, but two superb authors. Frank Peretti, of "This Present Darkness" fame, and Ted Dekker, author of "Showdown", team up to write a supernatural thriller like only they can. It begins simply. Jack and soon-to-be ex-wife Stephanie are on their way to a counseling or something of the type, when they get in a strange car accident. They start to walk, and come across a house with a sign welcoming travelers. Another couple is already there. Soon, the two couples and the owners of the house are caught in a mind-bending game. In short, a serial killer in a tin mask threatens to kill all of them unless they manage to deliver him one dead body by dawn. Tensions boil and friendships are tested as the players desperately try to escape from the house. They are at the mercy of a psychopath bent on delivering justice for the sinners. It started out okay, but when the story moved to the basement, it also changed to heart-pounding suspense and the line between the real and unreal was blurred. And the final plot twist was a real shocker. My only complaint is that the end was not wrapped up as nicely as I would have liked. But don't let that chase you away from an excellent read. SUPERNATURAL THRILLER--SCORE: 9/10 -Christopher S

THE FIRST PART LAST by Angela Johnson
From the Coretta Scott King Award and the Printz Award comes the heartwarming story about a young man who soon finds himself dazed and confused as a teenager living in the adult world. On Bobby's sixteenth birthday he gets some news form his girlfriend, Nia that change his life forever. She's pregnant. His whole world turns upside down as he becomes an adult in a matter of months. Suddenly he has to learn that school, house parties, and hanging out with his friends no longer seem important as they're replaced by visits to Nia's doctor and a social worker who suggests that putting the baby up for adoption is the only way their life could get back to "normal".After the baby is born she takes on the name of Feather. Bobby gets out of school, has to find a job, and has to learn how to be a sixteen year old single father. Nia, on the other hand, is taking care of business at something called long-term care. In the meanwhile, Bobby realizes that bravery is much harder to fake than what it seems. Showing that he is brave on the outside only makes it twice as hard to feel it. Angela Johnson uses powerful language and keen insight to look at the male side of teen pregnancy as she dives into one young man's struggle to figure out what "the right thing" is and then do it. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for revealing the truth behind the battle of a young man's life as he learns to raise a baby on his own. -Luz N

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST
I'm not really sure what to think about the second installment of the blockbuster trilogy based on a theme park ride. I'm not sure if it was better or worse than Curse of the Black Pearl. Johnny Depp reprises his excellent role as the (usually) lovable pirate "Captain" Jack Sparrow. This installment is quite a bit darker than its predecessor. The creepy Davey Jones and his crew of doomed souls have chosen Jack as their newest crewman, and the only way Jack can change his fate is if he can collect 100 souls in three days to take his place. This movie regrettably did not have the same great action as its predecessor, but there was one excellent swordfight near the end of the film, as well as several run-ins with the Kracken, a deadly tentacled sea monster. The Flying Dutchman, Jones's ship, looks awesome and terrifying, but the Kracken seemed a little fake and unfinished at times. Surprisingly, there was also more comedy. Jack has his trademark drunken swagger, and he takes a lot of punishment once again. The ending had a series of rapid-fire cliffhangers, making me desperately eager for the third film. Compared to the first one, they both have their ups and downs, so it was about the same. And the rousing musical score is excellent. ACTION-- 8.5/10 PG-13 -Christopher S

SHE'S THE MAN
Amanda Bynes stars in a fun, sweet comedy about Viola, a tomboy who decides to pose as her brother Sebastian so she can play on his school's soccer team. The plot moves quickly, and the movie has an awesome soundtrack. She's the Man is a great movie for sleepovers, or when you just want a laugh. COMEDY -- 5/5 PG-13 -Emily P

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL
This is a star among teen movies. It follows the story of two high-school-aged teens who are total opposites. Together, they prove everyone wrong, and break away from their stereotypes to perform in the school musical. The cast includes young stars like Zac Efron and Ashley Tisdale. The movie and CD are both packed with pop songs that you just can't stop singing. DRAMA - 4/5 G -Emily P

BLEACH
Bleach is a manga that is only recently getting popular in the United States and the Bleach anime (which has been showing in Japan for a little while) will be on Cartoon Network dubbed in English. Bleach is an anime about a seemingly normal teenager, Kurosaki Ichigo. Ichigo, however, has the ability to see ghosts that makes his life a little different. Well, Ichigo's life is about to go from a little different to quite extraordinary. After a shinigami (death god that fights soul consuming monsters called Hollow and protects people) gives her powers to Ichigo during a confrontation with a Hollow, Ichigo now bears the responsibility of a shinigami, a defender of people. Together with the shinigami and his friends, he must now deal with this newfound shift in life and abilities.Bleach has the advantage of being based on a manga with a strong story that has progressed very far already, and the storytelling is engaging and interesting. All of the characters also have intriguing back-stories and the anime does very well with balancing the serious and humorous. Bleach has plenty of awe-inspiring moments, and it does get very epic through all the episodes (currently at 94 in Japan). This anime is highly recommended. ANIME - SCORE 4.5 Stars/5 Stars -Alan C

10,000 Days by Tool
I suppose, with a name like Tool, you wonder what is going on inside the heads of these band members. Maybe they're crazy. I'd buy that, considering half the time I have NO idea what they are singing (they mumble too much) and the band has too many different tunes in each song (the songs are all at least five minutes long). Even the best song, "10,000 Days", was interspersed with what I think was supposed to be thunder, but sounded a lot more like someone blowing into a microphone. One song is actually not a song, but a few minutes of a hospital doctor and nurse discussing what could be wrong with a silent patient. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood, but I am absolutely NOT a fan of Tool's style. System of a Down is a much better choice for alternative metal and rock. ALTERNATIVE METAL/ROCK-- 5/10--contains mild swearing. -Christopher S

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