Cell

I used to be a Stephen King fan.
Now, wait a minute, let me explain.
Back in junior high and high school I was a huge Stephen King fan (the Body is still one of my favorite stories.) but a couple of things happened as I moved to college. 1. The stories were starting to get a little too creepy- though I think it was more me changing than the stories. and 2. I discovered Danielle Steele (even then I rolled my eyes many times reading her books. Why are all of her female leads slim or petite? *rollseyes*)
I have since moved on again to adolescent fiction/fantasy.

But I saw Cell for sale in a Book Warehouse and I remembered reading the good reviews from my fellow posters on the Rotten Tomatoes website, so I bought it.
I was not disappointed....well, I was at the end but I wont tell why.

Cell is the story of a Pulse that hits cell phone users tunring them almost zombie-like. Except they actually start becoming a single mind of sorts. The "normies", the ones who did not have cell phones at the time, can only travel at night and try to avoid the "phone crazies". The story mostly follows Clayton Riddell as he tries to get back to Maine to his son and estranged wife. He doesn't know if they have become one of the crazies. He meets up with three other people and they look out for one another and become sort of a family on the journey.
When they kill a flock of the crazies they become outlaws and they discover another group of normies killed a flock and became outlaws as well.
I liked this book. It is funny/creepy in the same way as Dawn of the Dead and Shawn of the Dead. The last third of the book is probably the best. But I was left wanting-needing!- more at the end. I hope, but seriously doubt, for a follow up to this one.
I want a conclusion, darn it!

The Land of Elyon Books 1-3

The Land of Elyon is a series of three books by Patrick Carman. The Dark Hills Divide, Beyond the Valley of Thorns, and The Tenth City follow 13 year old Alexa Dailey. Every year she and her father head to another village where he meets with other leaders and she spends her time exploring a library. A mysterious key comes into her possession and she discovers a hidden door in the library. Curiosity gets the better of her and she enters a whole new world- a world where she finds something that gives her the ability to talk to animals. In the first book she tries to work to have walls removed around the villages. When she returns to the village the next year something more evil is at work and she has to work with the animals to save the village and save the forrest where they live. She also discovers secrets about herself and her family.

I really can't summarize these books without giving too much away. These are charming and enchanting books and Patrick Carman weaves them together in a magical way. I want a Jocasta stone for myself....maybe then I could finally figure out what in the world my cat really wants :)

Cut

Cut by Patricia McCormick follows the story of Callie who cuts and refises to talk. She has been sent to a resident treatment facility where she is goes to group therapy with girls who have eating disorders and someone else who cuts. In treatment Callie learns a lot about herself and her family.
Cut is a very moving, eye opening book. I had heard about people cutting- in particular some of my own students who told me they used to (and have assured me that they no longer do.) Cutting is not something that I fully understand but after reading this book I have better insight.

This is a book that I think every teacher, and anyone who cares about today's youth, needs to read.