love, read, write

That world is full of...
breaking secrets.
You live on...
betraying people.
You buy everything with...
your popularity rank.
If you're not popular...
you don't get as much.
Aya...
isn't popular.
But this is the world of trust, betrayal, and danger...
so Aya can be a kicker.
A kicker...
is when you kick stories to make your face rank higher.
And Aya...
has the best story yet.
She has found the legendary Sly Girl group...
and become part of it.
Sly Girl is fantasy..
everyone says.
Sly Girls aren't real...
they say.
But they are.

So now, Aya is going to kick some story.
She has to gain their trust, at first...
so she does what Sly Girls do...
they risk their lives.
But the story changes all at once...
and Aya realizes that if she kicks this story, she might even be in the top 1000...
and be in Nana Love's Top 1000 party..
everyone wants to go there...
because only the top 1000 people go to Nana Love's Top 1000 party...
where Nana herself is the second popular person.

And Aya, the low rank of 451,369...
isn't ready for the dangerous world of popularity.

So what is that thing that changes the story at once?
Aliens.

No, really. They're there. They're humans...
sort of.
Long body, long arms, long hands...
fingers with too much joints,
flying with hovergear,
and eyes too big, too wide apart...
hidden in a mountain.
Putting some explosive-looking gear into the mountain.
And Aya must, MUST kick this story...
without the Sly Girls knowing.

But the Sly Girls are called sly for a reason...
they decide to let her kick the story...
after they are long gone.

With Aya's hovercam...
she kicks the story. In a few minutes...
she's the seventeenth most famous person.

How? When a more popular person kicks your story, as in comments...
other people look at it, too.
Your popularity rank highers when more people look at your stories...
and when Aya organizes her comments by face rank where most famous goes on top...
she sees Nana Love's comment...
but there's one more.
on top..
Tally Youngblood.

Tally comes and takes her...
and Hiro, her brother, and Ren, Hiro's friend, and Frizz, her boyfriend (sort of)...
and takes them away,
because the alien people are chasing after her...
with needle fingernails... and (maybe) a deathly purpose.

She narrowly escapes the alien people...
and continues the journey to a spot where all the Cutters will meet...
Cutters, as in the ancient Specials that you only learn in history class...
and she finds out that ending the world wasn't the aliens purpose...
then what was it?

This is a small summary that doesn't tell the end and left out parts that are very amazing and brain-shattering.
But in order for you to know the whole story, word for word,,,
is if you read it.

Extras by Scott Westerfeld, Copyright 2007.
4th book in the Uglies series.
Check out http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/books/uglies/ now! to see the Uglies series.
Scott Westerfeld's official blog>> http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/

As you may have noticed, I made a link to the Missing Series and Margaret Peterson Haddix in the
cOuNtDoWn FoR bOoKs! page. Because she has her own website, where you're always up to date to her books, such as the new Missing book: SABOTAGED and the other new book, The Girl with 500 Middle Names or something along those lines.
I'll give you the url. Just Shift + click (or just click, whatever you like) the following: http://www.haddixbooks.com/ 
(Don't x it out before you get to the actual site instead of the slideshow of her best series and books)

Sooo... Jonah and Katherine are where they don't belong. But Chip and Alex, who are the two main characters, do. Because they're the missing princes of... of... England and France... Chip is Edward the Fifth (Edward V), King of England, and Alex is Richard, Duke of York.
What fancy names. 

       What really scares me is that how they know their past when they weren't even in it. Well, technically, they were. They were 1 years old twice, they were 2 years old twice, 3 years old two times, and so on, until the minute they died, where Hodge and Gary swept them out of their time and took them to "the future." Which is true, but not the future that Hodge and Gary wanted.
       Which leads to what actually happens. They have to go back in time so they don't mess up history altogether. Because if things don't go the way they actually did the first time without disturbance, then the whole world may collapse. Time may be gone altogether. You see, time is a very mysterious element. When you think of time, as in a clock. Okay, it's 12:37. Time. Simple. You're not thinking deep enough. Because Time is WAY WAY more complicated than that. For example, can two people meet in time, as in from different times? Like, say Jonah was there when Gary and Hodge were about to steal Chip and Alex. But Jonah is there years later than Gary and Hodge, where they're the thirteen-years-ago Gary and Hodge who stole Chip and Alex. But Jonah is there thirteen-years-after to save Chip and Alex. Can they meet? I mean, in the book, that didn't happen, but I'm just saying, for example. And millions of others. Like a kid from 3002 can met with another kid from 2078 where they both traveled in time to the same place and same time.Can they meet? Or is there some mysterious barrier which keeps them from meeting?

        Anyway, apart from terribly confusing time theories, the story. 
This is the book that made me borrow the first book, which leads back to finishing that book which leads to here. This book again. Really interesting, because the adventure starts here. The first book was sort of the introduction. Of the whole plot. Get it? Each book is like a chapter, and the whole series is like the whole book. So the first book was like the prologue, where they explain how it leads to...
       Chip and Alex gets swept to their original time period, in the 1500's, and Jonah and Katherine grabs on along for the ride. Jonah, at the last minute, before they disappear into nothingness and back in time. The spooky thing is how they become their old selves, instantly, and the minute they go into their tracers, or their original figures of what they originally did without any time disturbances, they know everything. Their past. Chip instantly remembers how he, for the past month or year or whenever, had been training to become King, in which he already was. His father was dead. Alex, instantly, knew his mother, and was praying for her. They both, instantly, began talking in Old-English, which the Elucidator immediately translated. 
        It is truly amazing how Margaret Peterson Haddix comes up with such brilliant ideas. Where she comes up with them, and manipulates them to become part of yet another astounding story. (Wow, I really sound like the book-review peoples. How wierd, a bunch of fancy words add up to some professional-sounding report)
     It was cool. I'd wanted Chip and Alex to go back to themselves. It gave some sense of... nobility, and respect, as if we'd have to treat them like kings and queens (which they did) but I liked when they were out, back to the twentieth century selves (notice I didn't not say their real selves), where they figured out things. OH I can't explain it! But it's like watching a movie, how Chip and Alex are back to their original people. Edward the Fifth and Richard something... Maybe there he isn't Richard the third or any of that sort. Maybe he's just Richard. Maybe. phew, this is taking a lot of energy... What I'm trying to say is, I like it when he's in the tracer and when he's not. For reasons. No. Not like. It doesn't fit it. It seems right when he's in.. the tracer. Phew, too hard to explain.. taking too much.. energy.. from brain... can't.. explain.... When he's in the tracer, he's ... ARRRGHHHHH!!!!!! Read it yourself. You'll know. Please just read it yourself. And if you already did, then... you'll know what I mean.

      Moving on... It's really funny. The best (funny best, not general best, as in whole-book-best, just best of the funny stuff) part of the book is when Alex and Chip and Jonah and Katherine are sneaking their way out of the castle after (accidentally) revealing themselves to be angels sent from God, saying that he has committed great sin. Well, now that I think of it, I think the King Richard the third or someone, Chip/Edward's uncle, he's not THAT bad. I mean, he offered his crown if he had to! Maybe he wasn't all that bad. Maybe just to be king. Or maybe someone else wanted him dead.
        Same feelings as Katherine. Feel bad for him. But I thought, speaking of the "evil" Richard, when he was forgiving everything after meeting the "angels" (Jonah and Katherine). I wondered, was that man, who was (supposed to be but but ended up being) saved from being executed, was he supposed to die, in the first version? Maybe not. probably not. Because then Jonah and Katherine's whole plan will be ruined.


       I think it's funny how Katherine got Chip to get out of his tracer in the end how she says she likes Chip and all that. And he's like, "you think I'm hot?" and stuff... It's funny. I think I literally laughed out loud. loled. Luckily they found that man who was also from the future or whatnot. Which let them get back to original time and,,,,, drumroll please... JONAH AND KATHERINE SAVE THE DAY!! or save Chip and Alex, but same thing.
YAY.
You'll love the book. i can almost guarantee it. Haddix is a master at writing, let me tell you. I've fallen under her spell more than once. And you will, too.

Yes, I found the book the same day I found FOUND. (Funny. Found FOUND. ) And now that I think of it, when I first entered the library, I was in a sort-of sulky mood, and I'd muttered, "I'm not picking any books... Have enough at home anyway to read..." Yes, it was just for my brother, because he had read all of his books and wanted more. I, on the other hand, had a stack of books (that I sort of did not want to read). The books I'd read were beginning to be boring. Treasure Island, and classics. You know.
But, of course, the mysterious power of books was all over the library, and I couldn't resist looking around. And my mom suddenly whispered fiercely for us to come over. There was a summer reading section place, on the tops of the low-bookshelves, there were, organized, summer reading book for the library's town. (I live somewhere else so it does not pertain to me). But I looked there, anyway. And, long time, no see, there was... HADDIX at the spine of a book. Very appealing. VERY. Couldn't resist... I read the book-cover-flap-about-the-story thing. And I liked it. Only,,, it was the second book. Found the first. Then, I think, as I was looking in the "H" section, I saw Hiaasen. And I knew I had to borrow that, too. Just had to. And did. And guess what that book was...
The very book that I am writing about now.

Scat.

         To tell you the truth, I didn't want to read it. Why did I read it, you say? Because I knew this author was an amazing author and that you can never judge books by their cover. And I had. But I'd just forced myself to borrow that book from the library. Good thing that I did. But the cover WAS not that appealing. To me, I mean. I guess the person put random stuff irrevelant to the real plot to make it sound all exciting and funny, but really, I like summaries straight and to the point, without getting into unnecessary details such as a stuffed rat named Chelsea. That really made me not want to read it. But then, I'd remembered, in Hoot, one of the best books ever, they'd also said;"potty-trained alligators" And let me tell you the truth, those alligators were NOT POTTY TRAINED. So I thought maybe the same person wrote those two things. And I really don't think Carl Hiaasen wrote it, either. And if he did.. maybe he's just kind of bad at writing catchy side-story-abouts (or whatever you call it...)

SCAT.
This time, the word scat was mentioned in the book, quite a few times. And very relevant.

         What I noticed was that both books I've read from him, Hoot and Scat, were... well... along the same topic. So I kind of knew what would happen. It seems he has a strong liking of the environment and the preservation of it. Meaning he wants to protect Florida Wildlife. Which I totally agree to. Don't you? But then there are people who don't care a bit about wildlife and just throw their soda cans on the street...

ANYWAY
I guess the characters are pretty similar, too. Always a boy and a girl, and then there's the one person who started it, who, in both stories, don't care about getting in the media. And then there's the people who prevent it. They're always some company. Of course. Oil Drilling. And a Pancake House.  and.... drumroll... the main animal that's being protected.
         Besides the similarities,,,



         This time it's the panther. A baby panther. At first, I thought it was about a cat or something, because Scat had cat in it, and the cover had a picture of (what I thought was) a cat. An angry cat or something.
         The first chapter was so funny. But I knew, then, that Smoke would be the bad guy. (oops.) But it was so funny how he "calmly chomped the pencil in half, chewed up the graphite..." It is truly hilarious how Carl Hiaasen comes up with such queer character. Though in the end, I pity him and his father.
          Though... I wonder what grade they're in. I mean, now that I think of it, I think it might be high school, but I've always imagined them in middle school. It's easier to imagine like that. But then they said that Smoke was 16 and that he was held back two years, which makes him be with 14 year olds, and he's in the same class as Marta and Nick... so that makes Marta and Nick 14 years old. Oh, gosh.. I can't imagine them that old. I imagined them twelve or eleven.. maybe thirteen...
         
           Mrs. Starch is really... strict. When she dissapeared into the wildfire, which was actually arson (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/arson <-definition), I thought, for a chapter or two, that she was... dead. And I thought definitely, that Smoke started the fire, first of all, because he was suddenly transformed into a total human being. (If you've read the book, you know what I mean.) I thought he did that as a lousy cover story that he didn't start the fire, especially when he clenched his jaws and took a slow, tight breath before you know... apologizing to the teacher. You have to read the book to actually know what I'm talking about, by the way.
           But I began wondering, that's what Nick and Marta are suspecting; that Smoke is the one who started the fire. But it said, on the book cover-flap-story-about, (I'll call it cover-summary for short), that "... No, they figure out the class delinquent, Smoke, has something to do with her disappearance. And he does! But not in the way they think. There's a lot going on in Black Vine Swamp than any one player in this twisted tale can see..." So that means... he's not the one that started it? So that means, he's doing something else that has something to do with the fire. And I knew he did have something to do with Mrs. Starch. But not that way. I'd never imagined they would be in together to protect a baby panther and bring it to its mother.

           On the other side of the story... Drake McBride and Jimmy Lee Bayliss. McBride is the Delinko of Scat (Delinko from Hoot, a dense police officer who wants to be a detective, but isn't up to the smarts for it). And Jimmy Lee Bayliss queerly reminds me of two people from Hoot: the person who was in charge of the construction site, and Chuck Muckle, the person in charge of all Mother Paula's Pancake houses. McBride is very unintelligent to actually break the law to make more money. I'd rather just quit the job, or maybe, with some sense, try to make more money by doing something.. I don't know, I don't have an oil drilling business. But it I do have a strong disliking for oil-drilling. And you'll know, too, why I do. If you pay attention to news (coughBPcough).
            At first, I didn't know if I liked Jimmy Lee Bayliss or not. (I'd decided that Drake McBride was too much of an idiot to be much of my liking.) And anyway... At first, I didn't care. You know, I was like, okay, there's a character, and he has a fairly long name, and he works for this really not smart person, whatever. But then, when I learned how he's the one that started the fire, I immediately hated him. I realized that he was the bad guy of the story, and Drake McBride... well... he didn't know what he was doing. It was all Jimmy Lee Bayliss's doing, who started the fire, who set up Smoke as the arsonist. In which he wasn't. Almost as if Jimmy Lee Bayliss was the boss of the company. And speaking of taking a liking of characters, I kind of like Twilly person. Twilly is such a funny name. I can't help laughing every time I say it. Twilly. hehe... Anyway...
           My favorite part was when they were saving the baby panther. Nice twist, with the split personalities with Smoke, and how the "bad" guys and the good guys came together to become the good guys and that they save a little panther's life.
And great thing, how Jimmy Lee Bayliss and Drake McBride got in jail.Well, actually, McBride, being the idiot he is, ran away from the cops and is probably looking forward to a few more months in jail. At least Jimmy Lee Bayliss has some sense to just give in and go to jail and come out.
AGAIN..
save the environment!!!!!!!!!