Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire by Steve Perry

Shadows of the Empire takes place in between Episodes five and six of the Star Wars Trilogy. After the events in The Empire Strikes Back, Luke, Leia, Lando, and Chewbacca are making efforts to track down Boba Fett and rescue Han. In their search for Boba Fett, they encounter Dash Rendar, a hotshot smuggler pilot. He aids them in their search, and gets caught up in events to come. Meanwhile Luke is honing his Jedi skills and constructing his lightsaber, working towards becoming a Jedi Knight.

There is a new foe standing before them now who also poses a threat to Darth Vader, the Falleen Prince Xizor. He is the head of the largest criminal organization in the galaxy, known as Black Sun. Xizor plans to kill Luke in order to decrease Vader’s position with the Emperor and take it for himself. He is a cunning antagonist, who even Vader is wary of.

Overall, this is a great book in my opinion. Almost anyone can pick it up and read it right away, even if you haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. I would however suggest that someone wanting to read the book watch part of the Original trilogy so they may have a better understanding of it.

“A Raisin in the Sun”

“A Raisin in the Sun” is a play written by Lorraine Hansbury explaining how difficult life once was for African Americans in the 1950s. The main characters are Walter, Ruthe, Travis, Beneatha, and Lena. All of the main characters live in a small and crowded apartment where they are forced to share a restroom with their neighbors. The following characters Ruth, Walter, and Lena are all employed but still barely have enough to survive. Walter and Ruthe are the parents of Travis and only want the best for him. Travis sleeps in the living room at night due to the lack of money that the family makes. Lena is the mother of Beneatha and Walter. Lena’s husband recently died leaving his insurance to his family. No sooner than the money arrived, Walter and Beneatha already made plans to spend it. Walter planned on spending the money on pursuing his dream, and opening a liquor store. Beneatha planned to pay for medical store. The only conflict with Walters dream is that no one believed that he should spend his father’s insurance money in such a way. This is an example of a dream deferred. When the family received the money, everyone expected their own share of it. Being the responsible one of the family, Lena took the money and bought a house. The only problem is that they weren’t wanted in this neighborhood. With all of the racial tension taking place at this time, this became a conflict for them. Although this was a conflict they still moved in to the house of theirs. As a responsible unselfish mother, Lena gave Walter his money for his liquor store and told him to store Beneathas share in the bank. Walter was stunned that she even trusted him with the money, but he still let her down. Walter gave all of the money to Willy Harris, thinking that he’ll make it all back plus more with his business going. It was just then that his dream was deferred. Willy Harris stole Bobo and his money. Although this happened the family did not let this stop them from moving in their house.

PEOPLE magazine review

Okay..

We all have a favorite celeb, that we either idolize or favor, a band that we just can’t get enough of, and a favorite TV show that keeps us watching it 24/7. THE People magazine is something that defines that sort of interest. I can’t get enough of the fun articles and the updates on new bands or music artists. PEOPLE really does hit the spot with me. They may criticize on the wardrobe of some celebs but they still give all the back up and info you crave. If you have a favorite celeb look you want to mirror or achieve, PEOPLE will most likely have the solution, especially if you are dying to hear about an upcoming marriage from a celeb which you may admire. They have it all: Celeb marriages/breakups/affairs, celeb wardrobe looks and runway shots, immediate updates on new or current TV shows/movies/radio shows/ bands, articles on random famous celebs including private interviews with them, and even updates on current disasters in the world. You name it, it is a 99% chance PEOPLE will have it. Oh, they have horoscopes as well! very fun, maybe your favorite celeb or celeb crush might just be the same zodiac sign as you. You find out. So just read it!

The Giver, by Lois Lowry

Anyone would want to live in a society where there was no violence, poverty, prejudice, or injustice; a perfect world where nothing bad happened and everyone got along. Or would they? Jonas is a 12 year old boy living in a peaceful, Utopian community where every family consists of a mother, father, daughter, and son. However, everyone is the same. They follow strict laws throughout their entire life, and are assigned their lifelong career at the age of just 12 years old. Each family unit is required to share their personal feelings and dinner, and they take pills to take away emotion. When it is time for Jonas to receive his career, his is not like any other. He has the “capacity to see beyond”, and he sees color, which no one else can. Because of this Jonas is assigned to be the “Receiver of Memory”, and The Giver telepathically gives him memories of things eliminated from his world. Jonas’s world quickly falls downhill. Why had emotion and meaning been eliminated from the lives of everyone? Jonas struggles with this and becomes determined to bring truth back into the world. Read The Giver, by Lois Lowery to find out what happens!

Garden of Rama

In the year 2124 a alien ship comes within close orbit of earth. As it passes by it does not stop but rather keeps going. In 2146 it swings close again, but this time a ship is sent out to intercept it. But when the cosmonauts don't come back earth sends its most powerful weapon to destroy it, a nuclear phalanx. The people of earth think its destroyed. But when it comes back a third time the people of earth react more rationally. in a tale of intense action, family love, and earth shattering space travel three cosmonauts travel across the void of space to an unknown destination.

Tears of a Tiger

Tears of a Tiger is a compelling story consisting of a phenomenal basketball team that endures in rigorous activities. One day after a basketball game Robert Washington, the star athlete and team captain, decides to go out after the game. He is with three of his closest friends, including his best friend Andy. They were supposed to go get something to eat after the game, and then go see their girlfriends who have patiently been waiting for them. But, they decide to buy some alcohol and drink before they pick up their girl friends. Robert is the driver and Andy is in the passenger seat. Robert becomes dizzy and looses consciousness and crashes into a side barrier on the highway. Robert dies. His friends and his basketball team are in horrific shock. The basketball team tries to help Andy morn the loss of his best friend, but the stress from Robert's death is too much to bear.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist By Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Nick O’Leary, a teenager from Hobroken, New Jersey, is heartbroken after his girlfriend, Tris breaks up with him. About two weeks later he is at a gig with his band and he spots her there with another guy. Nick tries to ignore her but just can't stand it. After he is done playing, he goes offstage and runs into a girl named Norah and asks, "I know it sounds weird but, Will you be my girlfriend for the next five minutes?" Norah is stunned. Since Norah has nothing to loose she kisses him to show she said yes. After that kiss, the two begin to have feelings for each other within the first minute. That is where their journey begins. But there is a secret that somebody isn't telling the other, will that disturb their relationship? This book is a very unique book. The vocabulary is retro and fun. All the idea's that are thought, all the words that are said between the characters are hilarious. I really enjoyed reading this book, and hope to read more from the same author. I would recommend it to anyone.

Native Son

Anti-heros live all around us, but what about in the 1950's? Native Son is a great book, it is a depression set novel in Chicago. The main character Bigger Thomas goes through three dramatic chapters of devastation and tragedy, fear, flight, and fate. This novel draws you in from cover to end. Beginning from a simple job, working in the Dalton's home to a dramatic twist of murder. Bigger is not trying to be caught in the Mr. Dalton's daughter's room, Mary. So he decides to cover her mouth with a pillow, which leads to her murder. He goes further to enter Mary's body into the basement furnace. All seemed well until the inhalation of the smokes ashes from the furnace rises throughout the Dalton's home, when two FBI agents come to investigate the unanimous disappearance of Mary. The ashes and a ring given to Mary by her mother was discovered and sent to run for DNA matches.

Bigger knows he will get caught and hung if they find him so he decides to flee, which begins the chapter called "Flight". Bigger gets his girlfriend Bessie involved and they tell the Dalton family that Mary was kidnapped and ask for ransom money. The police are already on to Bigger at this time, because he also disappeared, due to his fear of being caught.

Bessie and Bigger are on the run to find shelter. When they finally find an abandoned apartment complex Bigger decides to kill Bessie with a brick and throw her out the window into the snow. Bigger does this because Bessie no longer wants to be apart of Bigger's problems. After a few days the police finally catch Bigger on a rooftop, where the fate of his future lies.

This book is a thrill quencher, as much as the suspense of the novel draws you in, you do not want Bigger to caught. Does he really get caught and or killed? That is a question for you to answer when you read this book