ValleyReads

Any book by Michael Crichton. 
He died in November and reading a book he wrote would be a fitting tribute.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Tally is faced with a difficult choice when her new friend Shay decides to risk life on the outside rather than submit to the forced operation that turns sixteen year old girls into gorgeous beauties, and realizes that there is a whole new side to the pretty world that she doesn’t like. 

Mob Princess by Todd Strasser 
High school junior Kate Blessing is part of a mob family; but when her mother gets fed up with Bobby’s cheating and moves out, it is Kate who steps up to help run the “family business.”

The  Christmas Almanack by Berard and Patricia del Re
A collection of miscellaneous facts and information about Christmas. Includes Christmas customs, stories, music, and recipes, among other things.