Noggin

by John Corey Whaley

Travis Coates died of leukaemia at the age of 16.  But he agreed to be part of a scientific experiment, and scientists cryogenically froze his head in hopes of some day being able to attach it to a healthy body and bring Travis back to life.  The scientists thought that if this actually happened, it would be years and years in the future.

The thing is, it’s only been 5 years since Travis died.  He’s 16, but all his friends are now 21.  His friends have grown up and moved on.  His girlfriend is getting married (to someone else!).  Travis just wants things to go back to the way they used to be, but of course that's impossible.  Travis has been given a second chance at life, but will he be able to look beyond the past long enough to take full advantage? 

This book is a bit sci-fi, in that the technology exists that enables scientists to re-animate people, but that’s really where the sci fi ends.  A fairly quick read, with funny first-person-dialogue, this is a realistic look at the in-between stage of life when you’re too young to be an adult but at the same time too old to be a kid.

Project Cain

By Geoffrey Girard

In this sci-fi, mystery, thriller readers are taken on an exciting ride. Our main character is Jeff Jacobson, a fifteen year old who has just discovered that his scientist father "created" him in a lab. Jeff is made from the DNA of infamous serial killer; Jeffrey Dahmer. This story takes us to a place where nature vs. nurture is tested to the extreme. Jeff is not the only teen who was created from the DNA of a serial killer. These children where created as part of a top-secret government cloning experiment called "Project Cain."
Jeff's father comes to him one day, tells him the truth and then his dad disappears. Jeff is left to his own devices, other clones were set free by the geneticists and so the summer of killing begins. It seems that Jeff is the key to stopping the killing but can he hold back his natural urges to kill?

Ready Player One

Ready Player One

by Ernest Cline

Six long years into the search, Parzival has discovered the first key in James Halliday’s Easter Egg Hunt – a contest which will reward its winner with Halliday’s entire fortune. The winner will also gain control of the OASIS – a virtual reality in which most of Earth’s population spend the majority of their time.

In reality, Parzival is a 18-year-old boy named Wade Watts, with no real family, home, or money to his name. The year is 2044, and things have not gone well for humanity. So, like most people, Wade lives mostly in the OASIS, studying every aspect of 1980’s pop culture, as knowledge of Halliday’s beloved videogames, tv, movies, and music is the key to deciphering his clues.

But now the race is on, and Parzival is up against the IOI – a corporation bent on winning the hunt and seizing control over the OASIS by whatever means necessary – and he must rely on the help of three fellow gunters to win the contest, defeat the IOI, and save their virtual world.

This is a light, fun, and incredibly addictive read! 

Book of the Month - January: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

by Jesse Andrews

Greg Gaines has High School all figured out.  His secret: be nice to every clique, but just don't let other cliques see you doing this and never commit to the cardinal sin of eating lunch in the cafeteria.  Together with his only friend Earl, he gets through the days remaking low budget movies and life is great until his mother ruins everything.

When his childhood friend Rachel is diagnosed with leukaemia, his mother forces him to rekindle his lost friendship with her.  As socially awkward as he his, for some reason, Gre has the uncanny ability of making Rachel laugh.  But when Rachel decides to stop her cancer treatments, Greg can think of only one thing to do - make a film for her which not only turns out to be the worst movie ever made, but also becomes the turning point of his life.

One would think a book about cancer couldn't be funny, but this book is absolutely hilarious, sad and heart-warming all at the same time.  Greg is sarcastic and crass and the story moves along at a fast pace.

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