Hamlet by John Marsden

Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, just lost his father. His boyhood friend, Horatio, tries to get Hamlet to open up about his grieving. One night, Horatio wakes Hamlet to tell him about the ghost he's seen--of Hamlet's father. The ghost charges Hamlet with avenge his murder.

Hamlet bids his time, trying to decide if what he saw was real. As he believes the ghost was real, his demeanor also changes. His stepfather--his uncle--and the new king decides to get rid of Hamlet before the situation gets any worse. Hamlet gets his revenge, but manages to kill the entire family in the process.

Marsden reworks Hamlet and tries to make it more modern. it works in the beginning of the story, but as it moves to the conclusion--there isn't time. It's an excellent retelling of Shakespeare's tale.

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Luce is being sent to reform school, after the mysterious death of a boy she liked. Luce's parents send her to Sword & Cross school, a rundown school near home.

The school is nothing like Luce is use to--the campus includes a cemetery and a staff that expects nothing but the worst from the students. Luce struggles to fit in, becoming friends with the strange Arriane and Penn. She finds herself drawn to both Daniel and Cam. Cam returns her interest, but Daniel can't seem to decide if he likes her or hates her.

Luce deals with the reality of school and her infatuation with both Daniel and Cam while keeping her own secrets--she can see shadows. The longer she's at Sword & Cross the more they appear, and it seems Daniel can see them as well. Luce can't get over the idea that she knows Daniel from somewhere, and she wants to know what's going on and what the shadows really are.

This book is the first in a series. The action in the book really picks up in the last third, while the rest of the story is busy setting up background and character development. It's a little bulky, but hopefully the next book explains more about what was left out of this book.

Troy High by Shana Norris

Cassie goes to Troy High, but is friends with Greg, who goes to Lacede High. The two schools are intense rivals just as their Greek mythology roots--the Trojans (Troy High) and Spartans (Lacede High).

Tensions run higher this year when the district lines are redrawn and some students who attended Lacede now have to go to Troy, including Elena, Greg's brother's girlfriend. Elena soon falls for Paris, Cassie's older brother and dumps Lucas. Everything gets more complicated for Cassie as she and Greg are pulled into the feud.

This is a light-hearted chick-lit book with many action points. I found a lot of amusement out of the book because the author attempts to retell the Illiad. She does a fabulous job with the story--it's amusing to see how she does it. Even if you aren't familiar with Homer's tale, you'll still enjoy reading about the school rivalry.

Ruined by Paula Morris

Rebecca Brown is going to New Orleans for the year--while her dad goes to China. What a girl from New York will do in New Orleans, Rebecca doesn't know. It isn't what she expected either. For one, as an outsider, no one wants to talk to her besides her 'cousin' at school. She's attending an all-girl school for another. And she meets a ghost in the cemetery across the street from her aunt's house.

But Rebecca's life is getting a little more complicated every day. A boy on her street seems to like her, but he's got an agenda. Lisette, the ghost, has a darker side Rebecca isn't sure she wants to know about. And Rebecca learns there are skeletons in her own family that are about to change or end her life.

Well-written and engrossing. The scenes in New Orleans are well-developed and vivid. The ending is foreshadowed throughout the book--but I was so distracted by what was going on, I didn't put things together until almost the end.

The Hunting: Z. Rex by Steve Cole

Adam and his dad are working on a new virtual reality video game. In order to find new funding, Adam's dad leaves for a few days in order to find another job. But he doesn't come back and Adam is worried.

Adam wonders what is going on--and then his building is attacked by a living, breathing dinosaur. Not sure what to think, Adam runs from the dinosaur and from the men who are hunting him and it. But the dinosaur, Zed, is determined to get him. And Zed is incredibly smart.

Adam and Zed head across the Atlantic--Zed can also fly--to find Adam's dad and look for help. Not sure who to trust, Adam takes a chance and puts them all in danger.

A definite sci-fi novel. Lots of action and danger to go around. Some things might make suspending disbelief hard, but things fall into place to make a great novel with lots of promise for the next in the series.

Night Runner by Max Turner

Zack lives in a mental ward--but he isn't insane. He's allergic to the sun, food, and a few other things that just makes life more difficult. His parents are dead and Zack enjoys his freedoms--the ones he gets.

Then an old man crashes into the ward and tells Zack his life is in danger. The nurse--Nurse Ophelia--who has taken care of him his whole life disappears and an unknown man appears with the police looking for him. Zack doesn't know what's going on, but he's determined to get to the bottom of it all without being captured. Despite who is after him.

Lots of action and storyline. This is the first in a series, and I can't wait for the sequel. Zack is a great character.

Spanking Shakespeare by Jake Wizner

Shakespeare has always gotten attention for his very unusual name. The attention he wants, though, he doesn't really get. He's a senior in high school and never kissed a girl, let alone anything else. It's what fills hist thoughts most days.

When Celeste, a girl from English, appears to take an interest in him, Shakespeare is thrilled. He imagines all sorts of ways he'll finally get laid, only to have none of them happen. He starts to notice Charlotte and finds he wants to know more about her.

This is written as Shakespeare's memoir. There is a lot of humor, especially in dealing with his family and you really have to wonder if he believes some of the things he says. Gives you a glimpse in the mind of a horny 17-year-old. Funny, smart, and definitely for an older crowd.