The Scorch Trials

Personally, I didn't LOVE The Maze Runner (the first book in this series), but I could see why my junior high students would.  I probably would not have read this second book except for two reasons:
1) One of my hard-to-reach students is reading this series
2) It was a book I started on Play-away from the library.  I listened to the first third in the car for Christmas travels.  I read the remainder on my e-reader at home.

I liked this second book much more than I like the first book in this series.  In fact, I liked it enough to consider reading the third book.  These post-apocalyptic books deliver as much excitement as The Hunger Games trilogy.    The main character is male (though no one could accuse Katniss of being too girly). The two books are closely aligned in general plot--government experiment with children (rather sick concept) to determine survival skills necessary to survive a devastated war and a feisty main character that outwits the powers-that-be.  I was laughing wondering when THIS movie will come out, but when I went to the author's website--I see it is this year.  See James Dashner for the author's site  OR  click HERE to go to The Maze Runner official site.

The Eleventh Plague

I am not sure why I chose this book to read--perhaps it was one a student donated to our classroom.  Scholastic was highlighting it in one of its fliers, and I had a super quiet, avid-reader student order it.  Anything to connect to students . . .

This book is appropriate for junior high students and older.  Given the violence and destruction (both present and implied), I would not recommend it for most readers younger than 7th grade.

I thought this novel was decent.  I've nearly had my fill of the post-apocalyptic novels.  This one followed in that traditional format.  Interesting main character.  Nothing too exceptional about the book that makes is stand apart from other books in this genre.  I probably would have "ranked" it higher on my Goodreads list if this had been one of the first books in this genre I have read.  There were some interesting, familiar details (decrepit old Starbucks, etc.) and a not-too-sappy romance to draw readers into the text.  I would not hesitate to read other books by this author--click HERE for more information about Jeff Hirsch and his books.  His book is way better than his website.