the devil's sword by Douglas E. Richards.

The devil's sword by Douglas E. Richards is a action-packed book from the start, with the main character, Kevin going with his two friends, Rachel and Ben to a regional fencing tournament in Nellis air force base. However, they all get captured by mercs, or mercenaries who attempt to use them to get into the Nellis air force base to kidnap a famous laser scientist to make another of a satellite called heaven's shield. Heaven's shield was designed to destroy ballistic missiles. Unbeknownst to the government, a rogue black ops unit switched heaven's shield with a prototype laser codenamed the Devil's sword. This version of the laser could strike targets on the ground-with pinpoint accuracy. I would tell more, but it's a really good book, so you'll just have to find out yourself by reading it.

the Series of Unfortionate Events book one: the Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

The Series of Unfortunate Events book one: the Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket is a delightful book- OK not really. This story is about three orphans, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, and their uncle, count Olaf. The Baudelaire children were happy, at least until their parent's house burned down, and they were placed in the care of count Olaf, who devised a nefarious scheme to get at the Baudelaire fortune. This book is interesting, but in a genre all to its own.

The Softwire by P. J. Haarsma

The Softwire by P. J. Haarsma is a great start to the Softwire series, with our main character, JT being able to communicate with his seed ship's Mother, an artificial intelligence, in a very unusual way. He is able to "hear" Mother in his mind. When his ship reaches it's destination, Orbis 1 he is deemed a "softwire", a person who can communicate with computers using just his mind. However at the time of his arrival, there is a serious problem with the main computer which runs Orbis 1, a computer virus. He is blamed for what happens, and, well, you'll just have to read the book to find out what happens next. I highly recommend this book for all interested in the futuristic genre.

Halfskin by Tony Bertauski

Halfskin by Tony Bertauski is a interesting book set in the future where most humans are injected with biomites, tiny machines the size of a cell in the body. These robots can increase athletic prowess, make eyes different colors, heal injuries, you name it. However these biomites will constantly repurduce, transforming the human cells into stronger biomites. This would be amazing, but under a politician named Marcos' laws, people with more than 50% biomites are no longer human

-and M0ther, the all-seeing computer will shut down your biomites. And you know what happens then. However Cali, a bioengineer, with 49.9% biomites, and her brother, Nix, who has 50% do the impossible-they make biomites that M0ther cannot see. After absorbing these biomites, they shut down the ones that M0ther CAN see, and suddenly can interface with machines, all with all-human Marcos' minions hunting them down for being more machine than human.

The Ranger's Apprentice book one: The Ruins of Gorlan by John A. Flanagan

The Ranger's Apprentice book one: The Ruins of Gorlan by John A. Flanagan is a a amazing book set in a medieval world, one which is not always friendly. Will treaty, a young orphan, is in a home in Redmont Feif where he hopes to be chosen as a apprentice by the Battlemaster on his fifteenth birthday. If he isn't chosen by a Craftsmaster, he will be doomed to work in the fields of Redmont. However, much to his surprise, he is chosen by Halt, a member of the mysterious organization of Rangers, who act as the king's intelligence services.

Warriors:into the wild by Erin Hunter

 Warriors:into the wild by Erin Hunter is a good book where cats have banded together in four clans in a forest near a human, or twoleg, village this book is the first in a series about Rusty, a house cat becoming a Clan cat. This series is great, with many surprises. Erin Hunter actually is a pseudonym used by authors Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, Gillian Philip, Inbali Iserles, and Tui Sutherland so if you like this series, you might want to check out their works as well.

Insignia by S.J. Kincaid

Isnignia by S.J. Kincaid is a great book set in a future book where all of earth is controlled by two companies, one of which controls the water, and the other owns the food. However these companies are trying to one-up each other in the wars they are fighting. However the weapons they use can destroy the ozone layer and evaporate all water on earth. So the companies devised a plan: to ship remote-control robots to mars or to a asteroid belt, and let people fight there. There robots are controlled by people with computers in their brains. they can use these computers to control many things- from battling robots to alarms. Although this would be fine, malware has become quite literally deadly.

H.I.V.E. book one by Mark Walden

H.I.V.E. book one by Mark Walden is a great book about a boy named Otto Malpense. He is a very unusual boy, taking over control of the orphanage where he was left when he was a baby. All is well, until the Prime Minister puts budget cuts, and his orphanage is forced to shut down. He decides to ruin the Prime Minister, using a mind-control device. However, the Higher Institute for Villainous Education or H.I.V.E. finds out. They recruit him and then his adventures really start.

Michael Vey: The prisoner of cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans

Michael Vey is an ordinary kid. With a very un-ordinary secret. He can output electricity. A lot of electricity. he has only told his friends: Ostin and Taylor. Taylor also has a secret. She can 'reboot' people, making them forget what they were doing. They are going about trying to find out why they are what they are, when Michael's mother is kidnapped. They have to team up with two bullies in order to try to find and get his mother back. I would tell more, but I don't want to spoil the entire book. Try reading it for yourself!

Playing with Fire by Bruce Hale

Max Segredo is a slightly unusual orphan. He has been to three foster homes and been kicked out of all of them. He then goes to a very special orphanage, a school for spies! He then goes on his first mission, which ends disastrously. His next missions get intercepted by the nefarious LOTUS, a rival spy organization. I would tell more, but this is just too good of a book to spoil! Segredo manages to incorporate humor into a genre that is usually just spywork, which is fine, but I personally prefer a bit of humor. 

Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar

Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar, the author of "Holes," is a great book filled with interesting dialogue of a inquiry of a scientist after he creates a new fuel: bio-fuel. This bio-fuel is made of microbes that split every 36 minutes. These microbes cannot survive in oxygen. However, mutations are bound to appear while reproducing that fast. This book is about what happens when one of these mutated microbes is accidentally released into a forest near a relatively isolated town in Heath Cliff, Pennsylvania. Then a private school student named Tamaya and her friend, Marshall, go into the woods to find a shortcut home.

This book is slightly creepy, with a bit of mild biological fright. Tamaya gets some fuzzy mud on her hand. The hand later starts to get a rash and starts flaking off skin colored dust, which supports the theme. The answer to "why" the dust is flaking off is very creepy and sort of a spoiler, but it also helps the theme. I would tell more, but I don't want to spoil the ending! This is a good book that is relatively new, however it ends in a mild cliffhanger, and Sachar does not seem to plan it to be a series at the moment.

Tombquest by Michael Northrop

Tombquest book one: Book of the Dead by Michael Northrop is a great read, starting with Alex, a terminally sick boy with constant chest pain almost dying. His mother saves him using the Book of the Dead, a collection of spells made by the Egyptian pharaohs to help guide the souls into the afterlife-and back into their bodies.

With mummies coming to life, New York being overrun by scorpions, and the Death walkers returning, Alex and his friend Ren must try to save the world. Along the way they meet Todtman, a member of a secret organization called the Keepers who make sure that the forces of evil don't rise again.

Northrop manages to add elements of realism to his story, putting references to real old Egyptian legends and myths such as the book of the dead itself, or the Death walkers. Interestingly enough death walkers (or psychopomps in Greek mythology) are mentioned in many different religions throughout the world as guides for souls after they have departed.

The Dungeoneers by John David Anderson

The Dungeoneers by John David Anderson is a great book beginning with a boy in a small town pickpocketing. He gets caught, but not by a cop. He gets caught by a rouge who offers to take him to a illustrious academy for the training of bands of heroes to raid dungeons in pursuit of treasure. At the academy he meets a mage, a warrior, and a cleric that join up with him to become a dungeon raiding band. They take on poison dripping scorpions, goblin hordes, spikes from the ceiling, and enchanted locks in this interesting tale. The first in a series that promises to be great, The Dungeoneers is a delightful read that is guaranteed to make you want more! This book is one of the books that makes you want more until the end. David Anderson, author of Minions and Sidekicked, does a masterful job of working in many funny characters, suspense, and adventure.

Witherwood Reform School by Obert Skye is about two children named Tobias and Charlotte Eggers, who are dropped off at the gates of a creepy school by their amnesiac father, Ralph Eggers. Once at the school, they decide to go inside, which is where their adventures really start happening. In the school there is creepy singing, horrible creatures, and a mysterious, mind controlling headmaster. This is a great book if you enjoy dry humor and general spookiness.

The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan

The second book in the Kane series, the Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan, is a fantastic read with all of the action that you would expect from a Rick Riordan book. This book pits the main characters, Carter and Sadie Kane, against a host of gods and magicians, fighting to save the world from the chaos god Apophis, and the god of evil, Set, while also trying to awaken Ra, the king of the gods. Even while doing this, the Kanes manage to be humorous, often making jokes at a god's expense. Rick Riordan even puts a small glossary in the back explaining the gods' names and other symbols found in the book. All in all a thoroughly good book that I suggest you read.