Brianna the Breeze

The Gone series by Michael Grant has a huge array of characters, all of whom are unique and interesting in their own way.
Some have superpowers, some are normal, some side with evil, some are heroes and some only want to maintain a semblance of normalcy in their otherwise freakish lives in the FAYZ.
But Brianna is in her own class. Known as the ‘Breeze’ by one and all, she is crazy and yet dependable. Brianna always sees the light side of things and makes everyone laugh. Even at the times of stark danger, she never chickens out. Brave forever, fun to hang out with and still innocent in her ways - that’s our Brianna.
And of course, her power, super-speed, lends her the nickname ‘Breeze’. Brianna can do a gallop as easily as walking, and at her extreme, she is almost as fast as a bullet.
Brianna has proved herself totally brave and dependable, a person who never backs down from any fight and who is extremely loyal to her friends over and over again. Fighting the gaiaphage’s bugs, rescuing Caine (though he surely didn’t deserve it then), fighting Drake Merwin relentlessly until she chopped him up (more on that later) and at the end, fighting Gaia herself. The first time, of course, Brianna almost defeated her, but the second time the Breeze went down a hero.
She will live forever in the hearts of her fans, though, and also in the first-to-kill list of Drake Merwin if he ever comes back from Hell! Oh man, I wish I could have looked at Drake’s face when he was ambushed, chopped up by her and his various pieces scattered all throughout the FAYZ!! I’m sure that was one of the best moments Brianna ever had (and I must confess, I ever had, too!)

The City of Ember

This futuristic novel by Jeanne DuPrau is centred around an effort to save the human race from extinction due to war and calamity.
Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow are new graduates from the School of Ember in the City of Ember. This city is totally underground, founded by the mysterious 'Builders'. The city has a mayor, who is chosen when the previous resigns or dies. The entire place is lit up by electric lights at each street junction. The houses have light bulbs. Electricity is produced by a generator blocking the flow of an underground river.
The inhabitants of the city have never seen daylight and know nothing of it. Their knowledge of the world is very limited. They do not even know how electricity is produced, only that they must keep the generator running if their city is to be lit. Despite this, Lina and Doon show a curiosity to learn more and to somehow find an 'exit' from their now-crumbling city and save the city folk.
When Lina discovers the remnants of an old letter, semingly from the Builders, that talks of an 'egress' or exit, she is thrilled. Along with Doon, she finds the exit to the real world above them in the Pipeworks of the city. Other plots like a mysterious room in the Pipeworks, the mayor's strange behaviour and Lina's intent to find her imaginary sparkling city where she can keep her sister, Poppy, safe are interconnected with the main story line.
All in all, it is a very entertaining book, unique in its storyline and imaginative in its descriptions. Definitely worth a read if you're bored!

How Remus became a Werewolf

Harry Potter's teacher and trusted friend, Remus Lupin, plays a major role in the fight against The Dark Lord throughout the series. He is a known werewolf and a member of the Order of Phoenix.

Remus John Lupin was the son of Lyall Lupin and Hope Howell.
Lyall was a renowned wizard and an expert on the subject of Non-Human Spirituous Apparitions.
On a trip to a remote Welsh forest, Lyall met Hope Howell, his future wife. Hope was a Muggle and worked for an insurance company in Cardiff. She was encountered by a fierce boggart in the woods and was frightened by the forms it took. Lupin walked upon this scene and eliminated the boggart immediately. Hope thanked him profusely, thinking he had saved her from a dangerous man. Lyall noticed that she was very pretty and acknowledged her gratitude. They soon fell in love and got married.
Before the first wizarding war against Lord Voldemort, many dark creatures were freed and started attacking not only wizards, but Muggles too. To help contain this threat, many experts were called upon among which was Lyall Lupin, now the father of a baby, Remus. Lyall Lupin joined the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures in the Ministry of Magic. Lyall performed many great feats during his time at the Ministry. Once he trapped the Screaming Bogey of Strathtully, a huge boggart that had fed on the fears of the local villagers to become an 'elephantine black shadow with glowing, white eyes' in just a matchbox!
In the early 1965, a particularly savage werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, was brought back to the Ministry for questioning. At the time, though, none knew about his being a servant of Lord Voldemort. In fact, no one even knew he was a werewolf. He claimed to be a Muggle tramp, caught up in the commotion as some werewolves had attacked and killed two children. The Ministry committee accepted this story, all except Lyall Lupin. He had noticed some revealing traits in Fenrir, and declared that the werewolf was lying. But his colleagues made fun of Lyall, saying that he had better stick to his own area of expertise and that this was no werewolf. Lyall Lupin suggested that they keep Greyback in custody until the next full moon and then the truth would be revealed. The questioning committee laughed Lupin off. Lupin, in his frustration, made some choice comments about werewolves - They are soulless, evil and deserve nothing but death. Greyback was silently fuming and vowing revenge at this.
The Ministry decided to set the 'harmless Muggle tramp' free, after erasing his memories about the incident, but Greyback had some accomplices waiting and escaped immediately.
Greyback had his revenge on Lyall Lupin before the baby Remus' fifth birthday. He entered through the boy's bedroom window and attacked him with ferocity. Lyall awoke and arrived at the spot just in time to save Remus Lupin's life, but the young boy was turned into a werewolf and had to live his entire life being shunned by society.

This insight into Professor Lupin's life was recently published on Pottermore, a Harry Potter website started by J.K. Rowling for exactly this purpose. Many fans really want to know more about their favourite characters in the story, and while these bits of information weren't put into the stories, each make quite an interesting read. So here's a hooray for Pottermore and J.K. Rowling for coming up with this wonderful idea!!

Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff

Well, this one is for all the Harry Potter fans who totally love the houses of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry - Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff, simply because being in one of those houses declares a side of your character, which you might not have known before, and at the same time dares you to be as unique and different as possible within your own house. (Whew, that was one long sentence).
For those who don't know (if you don't, I can't figure out why you're reading this, but keep on reading anyway) :
These four are the houses of Hogwarts, where witches and wizards go for their education and training. In their very first year, in fact, as soon as they arrive at the school, they are sorted into houses by one very clever and shrewd hat, which can sift right through your thoughts and decide which house you belong in.
Gryffindor is the house of the brave. Those who belong here are open, fiercely loyal and determined.
"Their daring, nerve and chivalry sets Gryffindors apart".

Ravenclaw is the house of the wise. Those who belong here are intelligent, curious and often eccentric.
"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure".

Slytherin is the house of the baddies (just kidding, it is the house of the ambitious). Those who belong here are shrewd, resourceful and cunning (and not, may I remind you, vermin, though that is often used as an alternate definition).
"Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness".

Hufflepuff is the house of the hardworking. Those who belong here are honest, industrious and trustworthy.
"Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil".

Each Hogwarts house has its own qualities and its own ideals. Gryffindor is based loosely on the element fire, Ravenclaw on the element air, Slytherin on the element water and Hufflepuff on the element earth. And just like the elements of nature, they are very different from each other, but when put together, they are invincible.
Many misconceptions exist about the houses. One, that Gryffindor has produced no dark wizards. Two, all Ravenclaws are smart and care about nothing but their knowledge. Three, all Slytherins are evil and don't know love. Four, all Hufflepuffs are as dumb as they are modest.
One cannot be clearly defined through their house. It gives an edge to their personality, but does not decide their whole personality. Everyone is different, every individual can only be defined as himself.
And when the resourcefulness and power of every individual is combined, when all the four houses work together, then they will be indomitable. After all, only when you are united from within, you can face external threats.

Legolas and Gimli

Every Lord Of The Rings fan knows about the undying friendship between these two. Their differences span a wide range. Legolas is an elf, lithe and graceful, handsome and wise, supple and strong. He has lived in the forest all his life, and as they say, no one knows the woods better than a woodland elf.
Gimli is a dwarf, sturdy and steady, strong and determined. He is one of Durin's folk. His life has been spent in the caves and the underground. And as they say, none of the small folk have larger hearts than the dwarfs.
Legolas and Gimli... elf and dwarf... break the lifelong enmity between the elvenfolk and the dwarfs. Despite differences of opinion - Legolas can't stand the underground and Gimli can't stand the forests, they are the best of friends and support each other throughout the book.
They are friendly competitors during the battle (yes, they do compete to see who can kill more orcs in a battle), and every other time, they are steadfast mates. They bring a sense of togetherness to the company, the Fellowship of the Ring, and with their friendly yet polite bantering, add wry bits of humour to their terrifying journey.
It was strange, in a way, how their hostile arguments turned into light bickering as they made their way through the realms of Middle-Earth and past the norms frozen through centuries in their culture. And yet, once it happened, it seemed that it had always been inevitable, just as good triumphs over evil and ignorance is crushed by knowledge.
This just goes to prove how supposed 'enemies' can go out of their way to break the barriers of tradition for friendship. And that friendship in this world, or any other, is unexpected. It comes upon you suddenly and leaves you no time to do anything but plunge deep into it.

Gone

People you've known for a long time, or forever, sometimes just disappear from your life.

This is metaphorically speaking. But what if, say, all the people of your family, all the adults in your life, just vanish? Poof! 

That is what the novel series Gone is all about. Life in Perdido Beach, dubbed Fallout Alley due to a recent nuclear radiation leak from the nearby power plant, is totally normal. Sam Temple, the protagonist, is totally normal, too. In fact, he blends into the crowd as perfectly as a chameleon. And then suddenly, poof! Everyone above the age of 15 is gone. No explosion, no flashing light, no searing sound, nothing. Just gone. Now you see them, now you don't.

Havoc breaks loose, what with children running home from school to search for their parents at home, a fire breaking out right at the centre of the town and the official town bully, "Captain" Orc deciding to take charge ( umm.. actually, his sidekick, Howard, makes the decision. Orc is not really very smart, you see.)

Sam Temple, just an average kiddo, finds himself caught up in way too many troubles to explain right now. Let's just shorten it. Perdido Beach is surrounded by a barrier, an opaque sphere that gives you an electric jolt when you touch it. It can't be crossed or broken down or drilled into or anything like that. So all the kids are just stuck inside the FAYZ(Fallout Alley Youth Zone) with no adult to tell them what to do, no parent to tell them everything was gonna be okay and no idea how to manage the resources of the town.

Through the series, Sam Temple develops great powers, protects the children from one disaster after another, gets into a lot of life-threatening situations, but escapes alive. 

And every second reading the book, I knew one thing for sure - This ain't any hero's tale, with everyone getting out alive, the main characters being always right, and everyone somehow knowing just what to do. All of them out there are kids, and no one knows what's going to happen next, no one cares about anything except staying alive and no one wants to take the responsibility for anything unless it gets them something (not excepting even Sam).

I don't know how else to describe this book but as spine-chilling, thrillin' and killing!